this late act of an Instrument c. which is but one act and that a sudden one not set up or maintain'd in opposition to any more excellent thing onely made and used as a prudential thing to uphold a Government in the Nation which you likewise would have upheld though you dislike their way and maner of doing it but be perswaded to consider where you are and what you have done you have blown up a deadly enmity 'twixt your selves and your friends meerly upon outward circumstances or a false figure and shadow of difference 'T is a fire that burns fiercely and seems to be implacable but the fewel of it is very slight matter or rather immaterial speculations when I consider how much you are one and how little you differ how strongly and necessarily you are bound up in one Life Religion and Safety and how airy and childish your strife is You will excuse me if I be a little merry with your notional quarrel these mistaken fancies may put you into a fret make you scold a little but I hope there will be never a broken pate in the cause 'T is not at all a natural but a made and forc'd business there being no material ground of a quarrel therefore though discontent and trouble put you upon it rashly yet me thinks you should not run so much hazard with so much labor and pains to maintain a meer notion and shadow of difference if they against whom you appear have but a little patience and do nothing against you you must needs be weary of the quarrel and the cause quickly finding the foundation of the business so inconsiderable I am almost inclin'd to leave it off but because though it be little in it self yet 't is much to you you seem to be serious in it I shall endeavor what I can to give you a better understanding of them and your selves Now because this particular that we are upon viz. That our present Governors are in the place of and Successors to the King and his party and that you and other unsatisfied people are in the place of or are the honest and godly party I shall take a little pains to shew the falacy of this conceit which doth abuse many To clear this let us search for if we can finde it what was the real difference 'twixt the Cavalier and the Puritan and so what was the root of the Quarrel 'twixt King and Parliament and then see whether the same Quarrel be carried on 'twixt the Subscribers and our present Governors In this controversie 'twixt the Religious and the Royal party there was first an inward Cause or Root of Division and secondly there were many Disputes and Questions which were the effects of that Division The first was less observ'd but more effectual the second made a greater noise more outward as if the Quarrel had been onely about these things which were indeed but the effects of division of hearts These outward things about which the Parliament and Parliamentary people were exercis'd were the Prerogative of the King and Priviledges of Parliament the Laws of the Land the power of raising Money Monopolies Ship-money c. the power of the Militia and in sum where the Supream Power was whether in the King as Head or in the Parliament the Representative of the People the Body concerning these things you may observe I. First They were but the outside of the Quarrel wherein the more worldly mindes were exercised and very remote from the inward Spring of difference which lay deeper as we shall see anon II. Secondly In these things if I do not much mistake the King had the better Cause more justified by the ancient Laws of the Land for though he had been guilty of some malâ—-administration of Government yet he offered very large satisfaction neither were the Errors of his Government of so a high a nature as to deserve to be prosecuted by so violent a war to Deposing and Death Some Princes I believe have done the same or worse things in Government and never question'd for them but there was more at the bottom and it may be observ'd that while the war was in the hands of men who onely minded these outward things the King prosper'd exceedingly and rose from a very low condition to have far the greatest power for those men that contended for worldly power did lust after and unjustly challenge from the King those Royal Prerogatives that our Laws had long given to the Crown and for their lusting fell in the wilderness III. Thirdly These outward things of Law and Priviledge being but the clothing of the Work are worn out and we are for the present in such respects in a worse condition than formerly Power more arbitrary Taxes more heavy Priviledges of Parliament more violated Laws of less authority and if we could have fore-seen what effects War and change of Government would procure we might in reason expect it therefore they whose spirits are ingaged in these outward and worldly priviledges and freedom onely or mostly have a very hard bargain of it and must needs be very much offended if their hearts do not value Religion and the Liberties of it at a high rate and have a charitable opinion of it that it will when it may attain some quiet and security bring forth the peoples liberties in more righteousness and largeness than they have yet appear'd in These Considerations premis'd concerning the outward part of the Quarrel 'twixt the two parties let us now consider where the Original Division lay and whence it was that their spirits stood at such a distance one from another I. First The honest or religious party were by a work of God upon them changed in their mindes and were born into another spirit by the word of God converting and turning their hearts by Repentance and Faith towards God this life coming from God depended upon him subjected it self to him would be ruled by him and not by man the other party had no knowledge of this life but hated it scorn'd it dealt cruelly with it would not suffer this childe to breathe its own breath in prayer nor to speak its own language in preaching nor to eat its own food or alow it its own growth as inhumanely cruel to it as Egypt was to Israel being strangely jealous of it as if it was the heir and would in time get power to call them to accompt for all their wickedness they did bend the strength of the Government against it and not onely so but devised new stratagems to suppress it We will not dispute whether this life of godliness was in flesh or in spirit 't was doubtless much in flesh but not without spirit but it was real and such as did denominate us to be the people and children of God to be the seed of Israel as the enmity of the other party denominated them to be Egypt and Babylon and to be of Antichrist so that here
but manacled and fetter'd by an Instrument Laws Parliaments be they good or bad wise or foolish this was unadvised And for him who was as a natural Head and Father to the honest people in their Military state to go and impose himself upon the whole Nation undesired unchosen 't was unwarrantable And he being the Right of the Honest party who were brought forth by him to this state and he brought forth by their Prayers Hearts and Courage to what he was for him to go and dispose of himself without their consent in a thing of so great concernment it could not but be an offence to their spirits and was unwarrantable And to bring all their Labors and Adventures all their expence of Blood and Treasure all the Victories and Success that were one common Stock and Treasury to expend them and dispose them to a final issue and settlement without their knowledge and consent and that those things that were won by the Sword should be presently worn by the Robe and that were gotten by the Faith Prayer Spirits and Lives of Honest hearts should be presently spent upon Law and Policy 't is unwarrantable 'T is true he might have given the Charter of the Laws the common Protection that he did to the Charter of London or to the Charters of the Vniversities being necessary to preserve Property 'twixt man and man 't was but just and rational to uphold them as subordinate to him in their present work for the administration of Justice but to incorporate with them to swear to them to become subject to them they being so great strangers and enemies to him and us in that way in which we now are was both unadvised and unwarrantable Now we are declaring our judgements let us speak our thoughts of the Swearing to this Instrument I think with the Subscribers 't was unadvised and unwarrantable but not of such dangerous consequence as they imagine I would not encourage men in breaking Oathes though rashly made 't were to adde sin to sin but yet I le tell you my thouâ—hts that this Oath is likely to follow the former Protestations and Covenants being much of the same nature for if the matter or subject of an Oath cease and die the Oath also ceases A woman is bound to her husband no longer than he lives therefore if we Swear to dying and perishing things their death doth discharge us Besides the People to whom the Protector hath sworn will not accept of him nor his Government but have refus'd him in open Parliament and why he should be bound to them that will not ingage with him I know no reason It was not intended that this new Obligation should dissolve the former Standing and Relation that being more natural and substantial this New one but a circumstance and form and an addition to the other Therefore let him wear it as a garment for ornament or state as long as 't will last 't will wear out as a vestment when the life and body his Military power will endure He may therefore essay it as David did Sauls armor but when he feels it burthensom he 'l say He can't skill of it and cast it off These wit hs and new cords will not binde Samson next time danger is upon him I imagine he will break them in pieces and leave his new Subjects that refuse him for his old Friends that love him or else keep them in a state of subjection as Servants and these in a state of favor as Brethren them as a Concubine and these as a Wife Thus do your thoughts and my thoughts freely pass their judgements upon the Protector and his Actions what pretty chequer-work our thoughts make how we do ring the changes we agree and we differ and it matters not much whether we agree or differ You say and I say this Instrument and Oath was unadvised and unwarrantable you judge That it necessitates the Protector to destroy the Foundation of a Common-wealth I judge That it necessitates him to uphold the Foundation of an old decay'd Commonwealth You think his new government will destroy the Foundation of a Conmonwealth he thinks your new Monarchy will destroy the Foundation of a Commonwealth It may be I think both parties would do it and would not do it that both of you would uphold the old and you would have a new but know not well how to do either These are our thoughts shot at rovers it may be they hit it may be they miss the mark Indeed the thoughts of man are very vain things and know very little of that divine Wisdom that moves and carries on the spirits of men in these great revolutions and therefore neither you nor I shall be so foolish I hope as to insist upon them or make much account of them it 's enough we have freedom to give them vent If they may do any good so If they be vain let them die and perish But for us to think a State bound to steer their course by our judgements is a little too much if they should contrary judgements would keep them in perpetual instability therefore Governors as they should not refuse any light so they should not be swayed by opinions and parties for interest but follow faithfully steddily and uprightly righteousness and truth as it manifests it self to their own souls Now we have taken the liberty of expressing our thoughts which are various and uncertain let us consider if there be not something more serious and certain to be our guide in point of Government a more sure Word of Prophecy or Scripture to which we should do well to take heed and in that sure Word we shall finde these two things in Rom. 13.1 The Powers that be are ordained of God The Emperors of Rome that then were the powers had usurp'd the ancient Rights of the Senate and People of Rome and Nero then Emperor was a notorious beast he got this power by his mothers poysoning the former Emperor and kept it by his poysoning the son the true heir and yet this power that then was in being was ordained of God The word signifies an ordering or disposing things in their place and that by Institution or Command Be the powers good or bad he that knows how to manage ill things to good ends in wisdom orders them and commands obedience to them whence follow these Observations I. First That God doth himself wisely order and dispose of power it being his own he gives it to whom he pleases pulls down one and sets up another as he hath use of them II. Secondly He can and doth ordain power according to his minde in wisdom and purity through and by not onely unadvised and unwarrantable but wicked and abominable means and to wicked persons III. Thirdly Christians should look through the mist of weakness yea through the thickest vail of wickedness to the brightness of Gods hand in setting up of power and ought willingly to acknowledge the
obedient to that word which is differently dispenc'd to them as you are to what is manifest to you and you cannot but in reason conclude that those that you oppose are bound in duty to God and man to keep the peace against all opposers whatsoever and if you are not sunk into and cover'd over with your own Religion as some are their spirits being inferior to the Religion they profess and so are master'd by it and not suffered to behold any thing but the glory of it if it be not so with you you may see the same things in which you now come forth in those you oppose and that own'd and testified to by Gods providence in giving them a compleat victory over their enemies there the same things that you now plead have after long-sufferings and sore trials attain'd more than we lookt for and indeed as much as the world can afford liberty and power to secure it why then should not you rather quietly enjoy and improve together that great Mercy obtain'd by your and their praying and earnest seeking of God rather than begin a new and strange Contention 'twixt prayer and prayer zeal and zeal for this strife if it should go on would be most black and unchristian and doth threaten the utter defacing of the honor Religion hath gotten in the earth a miserable overthrowing of that liberty and safety we have and the rooting out of Religion it self II. Secondly Having shew'd us your Commission from Conscience Duty and Faithfulness to God c. In the next place you in stead of propounding your Grievances or manifesting when the Difference began and wherein it now consists or desiring satisfaction as brethren you hasten to declare an irreconcilable Enmity in the highest nature and chuse your ground to fight upon which is no worse than heaven for which you quote Rev. 12.7 in the margin And there was war in heaven Michael and his angels fought against the Dragon and the Dragon fought and his angels and being ingaged in the same quarrel upon the same ground you expect the same success considering say you they loved not their lives unto death and by the blood of the Lamb and their testimony did overcome Thus have you leap'd into heaven and entred your selves soldiers under Michael with his angels I am unwilling to think or say how unlike you are to the Lamb the Captain or to such fellow-soldiers I confess you are gotten out of my reach I tremble to deal with men that will but say they are members of that Army therefore if you intend to secure your Cause and selves by this high advance you have your end as to me I shall not dispute it with you you may stay there till the sense of your passions and weakness help you to understand the Revelations and your selves better But for the other Regiments that you are associated to and speak of that were stir'd up in England and Scotland to bear witness c. against the Book of Common-prayer Surplice c. and against Ship-money Monopolies c. I may be a little bolder being things within my own knowledge and sphere If I should be too free with them you would not be offended if I should be too plain with you they would not be offended because you are how ever listed here together at a great distance in your opinions and affections In sum you put your selves in the place of Michaâ—l and his angels and the Protector and them that joyn with him in the place of the Dragon and his angels you are the heirs of the Saints and of the honest old Puritan-party the witnesses and they succeed the King and his party Egypt Babylon Antichrist c. and by this devise First you clothe your selves with heaven purity truth and Christ his Cause a blessed state unerring and undoubtedly successful and them with wickedness falshood idolatry a state of certain destruction II. Secondly You conclude the cause hath been heard you have given in your witness they are condemn'd there 's nothing left but execution you may now fall on without any question they will as surely fall before you as the Dragon fell before Michael or as the Kings party fell before the Parliament-party III. Thirdly This is your posture an irreconcileable Enmity declar'd no possibility of repenting in them or you no way in the world left for healing or agreement but desparately bound to fight it out for this difference is not 'twixt brethren nor between Israel back-slidden and Israel abiding stedfast nor between the seed of the bond-woman and the seed of the free-woman nor between true Christians and hypocrites nor between men enlightned and men yet in darkness unconvinc'd for all these may live in civil peace together upon the same earth but a strife 'twixt Michael and the Dragon 'twixt obstinate and reprobated sinners and blessed elected saints where one party must be saved in heaven and the other must to hell IV. And fourthly this onely upon a similitude and that made onely in enmity which uses to put the highest stamp of wickedness upon enemies and assume any glory to it self that he may by it be an excellent Destroyer This made comparison and the consequent wrath is without any real difference either in your spirits or work for this I may affirm that in the habits or qualities of your mindes to God or in the work of God upon you or your work for God you differ not that is setting aside knaves and hypocrites on both sides which I believe stir up enmity make the difference 'tween you they are not Babylon nor you Zion they not the seed of the serpent and you of Christ nor the contrary We intend not to meddle with the great Judgement of God but with your present standing in which no indifferent man can have any shew of reason to judge one party wicked the other godly or that it is the work and design of one to set up Christ the other to set up Antichrist but both of you are brethren children of the same Father servants of the same Lord of the same repentance and faith exercised in the same duties with the same spirit laboring to advance the same Religion and Liberty in the Nation onely being in darkness and under offence you understand not wherein you either agree or differ but the difference is onely in circumstances of tune and maner of doing things and in outward condition some have more some less of the fallen parties honor and riches some are habited with outward greatness others have their lot in lowness and sufferings some disguised with the outward palace of the king others disguised with the prison of old sufferers these with some petty differences in temper and natural disposition some sudden and hot others heavier and cooler some simpler others wiser these little things have set up the standard of defiance And besides these I know no real difference between you and them except it be
and spurn against those that are next us But if the Subscribers or any others do think that it is the design of the Protector Himself or Himself and Council to carry us back again into Egypt into a Land of tyranny and oppression or persecution and to make himself and posterity Lords over us there I will not perswade your charity to think otherwise There is it may be so great a breach and we have conceiv'd such dismal apprehensions one of another that there is no talking of love But we may suppose that we have not quite lost our reason though we have our faith and love do then but use your reason and you cannot think that the Protector can be so weak as to attempt such a design or so strong as to effect it if he should aim at it For if he would carry us back to Egypt his way were to heal Egypt and to restore the old malignants as the proper Supporters of Royalty and Greatness and instruments of suppressing us and our principles of Liberty One while all the cry of jealousie was He favor'd Malignants that Malignants got up again but His late acts against them take away this doubt and tell us the breach 'twixt them and him can never be heal'd neither can we in reason think that ever they should trust him or he them For though they do love outward pomp and tyranny and persecution the companions of it yet they could not but hate it in him who is as they think a Destroyer and Persecutor of them and their way neither can he expect any thing from them but all the revenge an inraged enemy can plot or act therefore if he looks back to Egypt he meets with a Red sea which lately devour'd Pharaoh and his host the same sea of blood waits to receive him if he return If his way to Egypt be block'd up so that he must resolve to cleave to Israel as his onely hopes Can he think then that Israel will turn Egyptians Or do we think that he can debauch the honest party so as to blot out of their souls all principles of Religion and Liberty and to make them slaves to his lusts of Pride and Tyranny Can he think to lull asleep all those lively awakenings of Courage and Zeal for Liberty which move so highly amongst us or to perswade that Day of Light that hath overspread mens mindes as to outward Freedom to retire again and to lie down in darkness that he might tyrannize over us unseen and unfelt can he or you think that besides Dissenters that hate the appearance and shew of Tyranny there are not thousands that abhor to bear the Yoke of Slavery from any much less from him a Brother and if they did not see and feel or hope for at least an honesty and uprightness in him would both desert and oppose him If he should meet with some few weak hearted Mungrels that would flatter his Greatness and fall before it yet should he but discover a Heart to depart from principles of Liberty to Tyranny not onely Passion and Discontent but the very heart life and spirit of Truth and Honesty in the whole party would with scorn reject him Therefore be is ingaged and hedg'd in that if he should have a lust after Ambition he knows not which way to have it or how to compass it without apparent ruine to his very standing and being which is upon the Foundation of honest men and honest things take him off from that bottom he is the nakedest poorest wretch in the world and the most subject to scorn and contempt and this so evident that he cannot but see it Neither can I think it hardly possible for the Protector and they that joyn with him knowingly and wilfully to desert that Religion and Cause that hath been laid into their hearts by a deep work upon their Souls long before these times in which they have been bred born and form'd by a continual work of God upon them for which they have often adventured their Lives Names Estates and all that they had A Cause and Work that is as natural to them as their lives yea now their very life and being they having been brought forth with it to what they are having no other hopes of subsistance in the earth but in it and with it They may stagger and wander in much darkness shortness and insufficiency they may have passions and temptations but that they should of a sudden raze out of their souls all impressions made by God upon them and the deep ingagements of their spirits to this work and in a sit forsake all and espouse another interest cannot without much prejudice be received Or should I conclude mans heart so deceitful and false as to do this yet I must then doubt that the very Religion and the state in which we are when the eminentest and strongest pillars fail is not what we have thought it but that it likewise will corrupt and turn to rottenness and all these appearings of Light and operations of God will be utterly lost in Apostasie and that we shall run back into Darkness and Profaneness or Confusion I confess I cannot in reason admit the one without sad apprehensions of the other But then I consider also that this Work begun amongst us is not so much carried on by an inward Spring of Grace but upon the Wheels of Providence drawing or driving men on into ways and paths that their own light neither did nor could direct them into and therefore it depends not upon the stedfastness and truth of mens spirits they having the least share in it but they and the Work have been carried on upon Engines of Providence so far beyond mens knowledge that if their hearts should fail they know not which way to go back they are caught in such a net and so involved in and with the Work that they must live and die in it and cannot think how or where to live out of it which might help to ease us of the pain of jealousie which troubles us and unite all our hearts and spirits to do the utmost we can to maintain what we have got for we are gone too far to retreat we must think of going forward but backward we cannot go Your second Witness or Article begins thus That blessed Cause and those noble Principles propounded and prosecuted by the old Parliament c. are now wholly laid aside c. and another quite contrary espoused c. I confess I cannot but wonder why you should bless the old Parliament except it be to ourse our new Government and why you should bless them and ourse these I do as much wonder when I know they were much more opposite to your way than these are Neither did the old Parliament ever propound or prosecute the destroying of Parishes taking away Tythes or overthrowing of Ministers which are your Cause now against the present Government as you express in the close of
prevail you may come forth to convince them and save us whereas in that blinde way in which you are you can do nothing but wound provoke build up Wrath harden and strengthen Sin amongst us As it is not my intent to condemn you so not to justifie them that you condemn The whole world cryes out against them I have not Love enough to wipe off all that is charg'd upon them they must therefore patiently bear their Reproach till God bring sorth their Righteousness I fear they are guilty it may be of more than you can accuse them of but certainly not of all you accuse them of It s a small thing to be judg'd of man If they have Innocency at home 't will make them think so Man judges by appearance God searches the heart They are upon their Tryal and will in time shew what is in them All that I desire for them is That they may not be disturb'd in their Work which is To Protect as in Peace and Safety till God bring forth some more excellent Glory amongst us They are a People that profess the Name of God and have appealâ—d to him and do daily 'T is much my minde That they might stand against Mans violence and that God would be pleas'd to judge their Cause himself To his Justice and Mercy let us leave them Friends Bear with me I am offended at them with you and at you with them and most of all at my self I 〈◊〉 â—â—stifie my self in what I do but am in fear lest while I â—â—â—â—rpose I may be guilty of greater Folly than either of you As I cannot justifie my self so can I not condemn my self as guilty of any known Evil in it for that Fear of the Lord that makes me doubt all my Actions makes me likewise careful to avoid Evil. What I offer to you is the frame of my Spirit concerning publick Transactions and the Observations that I have made upon things while I have been a Spectator Thus far I may commend them to you That what I administer to you if you can receive it will be more profitable and pleasant to you than that Spirit in which you act All that I desire of you is but that you would lay aside Wrath malice c. which darken the minde and that you would with Meekness admit them to a friendly and ingenuous Consideration If these Animadversions may but a little ease your troubled Spirits temper and alay your Anger 't will be an ease to you and a pleasure to Your unknown Friend The LETTER and PAPER inclosed Subscribed by certain Gentlemen and others in WALES and sent to His Highness viz. A WORD FOR GOD OR A Testimony on Truths behalf from several Churches and divers hundreds of Christians in Wales and some sew adjacent against Wickedness in High places With a Letter to the Lord General CROMWEL Both first presented to his own hands and now published for further Information Job 36.1 Suffer me a little and I will shew thee that I have yet to speak on Gods behalf Isa 43.8 9. Fear ye not neither be afraid have not I told thee from that time and have declared it ye are then my witnesses Is there a God besides me Yea there is no God I know not any They that make a graven image are all of them vanity and their delectable things shall not profit and they are their own witnesses they see not nor know that they may be ashamed To OLIVER CROMWEL Captain General of all the Forces in England Scotland and Ireland SIR Forasmuch as you have caused great searchings of heart and Divisions among many of Gods people by a sudden strange and unexpected Alteration of Government and other Actions to the great astonishment of those who knew your former publick Resolutions and Declarations considering also how contrary to foregoing Acts and Engagements you have taken upon you a Power by which you are utterly disenabled and if there were in you a heart to prosecate the good things covenanted and contended for with so many great hazards and the effusion of so much precious blood and by reason whereof you are become justly suspected in your Ends in time past and Actions for future to very many of those of whose Affections and faithful Services you have injoyed no small share in all the difficult Passages and Enterprizes of the late War These things considered by us as we know they are by many Churches and Saints and there being a deep sence upon our Spirits of the Odium under which the Name of Christ his Cause People and Ways do lie as it were buried as also of the exceeding Contempt which the wonderful and excellent Operations of God are brought into even those eminent Wonders which the Nations have been Spectators and Witnesses of and wherein your hands have been partly ingaged in We cannot after much serious consideration and seeking of the Lord many of us both together and apart but present to your hands the ensuing Testimony which however you may look thereon is no more than Necessity exacts from us for the clearing of our own souls from guilt and discharging of our duty to God and Men. Therefore we earnestly wish you to peruse and weigh it as in the sight of God with a calm and Christian-like Spirit and harden not your neck against the Truth as you will answer it to the great Judge before whose impartial Tribunal you as well as we shall be very shortly cited to give an account of things done in the body whether good or evil where the true Motives and Ends of all your Actions will be evident where no Apologie will be accepted of for your slighting and blaspheming of the Spirit of God nor for the hard measure you give his people by Reproaches Imprisonments and other Oppressions and where Pride Luxury Lasciviousness and Changing of Principles and forsaking the good ways of Justice and Holiness will not have the smalleft rag of pretence to hide them from the eyes of the Judge Which things whatsoever you say for your self are even at present to be read in your forehead and have produced most sad effects every where Especially 1 in filling of the Saints hearts and faces with an inexpressible grief and shame and 2 the stopping at least the strong current of their prayers which was once for you if not the turning thereof directly against you To these we might adde 3 the hardning of wicked men yea the refreshing and justifying of them in their evil doings and speakings against the Gospel Name and Spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ And lastly Gods signal withdrawing from you and your Designs Oh that then you would lie down in the dust and acknowledge your Iniquity and return unto the Lord by unfeigned Repentance doing your first work and that you would make haste to do so lest Gods fury break forth like fire upon you and there be no quenching of it This would rejoyce us much as being real
Angel refreshed who feeds him twice v. 5 6 7. and 't was such miraculous food that he walked forty days and forty nights in the strength of that meat ver 8. and so came to Horeb the mount of God He hath left Israel and so by the help of Angels being extraordinarily assisted he arrives at Gods mount and waits upon God there where at first he declar'd his Covenant with his people by giving them his righteous Law Such a man so assisted in such a way you cannot think it an injury to you to be set by him though you meet with a reproof there While he was here in a Cave the word of the Lord came to him What dost thou here Elijah This is not thy place thou art not in thy work thy Ministry is hot thy Spirit active but I intended it to be imploy'd in and with Israel not against them to keep alive that little good that is in them not to separate from them and destroy them Elijah answers and to save himself from the reproof says I have been very jealous for the Lord God of Hosts That what he had done was for the Lord God and that in great zeal he had left them that left the Lord Why should he continue any longer with the children of Israel His heart was for God for they have forsaken thy Covenant not onely broken their own Covenants but thine too Thrown down thine Altars The Name of Christ and his Cause lies as it Were buried They have killed thy Prophets and Ministers for their Testimony and I I onely am left He thought there was none true because none of his temper and none in Israel because none in his cave And they seek my life to take it away I must leave them or dye I can't live amongst them ver 10. Then God calls him forth of his private hole his Cave into which he was retired and from his melancholick jealous narrow fearful Spirit where he could see nothing but himself and his own dark apprehensions to consider God in his several ways and dispensations ver 11. Go forth and stand upon the mount before the Lâ—rd And to discover to him of what Spirit he is shews him himself and what things or spirits work or act before God and yet God not in them A great and strong wind rends the mountain and breaks the rocks in pieces after the wind an earthquake more terrible then the wind and after that a fire more fierce than the earthquake He expected to finde God in these but could not therefore of each 't is said God was not in the wind nor in the earthquake nor in the fire He had been exercis'd in such kinde of Dispensations which did either threaten or execute fierce wrath but men were not converted by such violent and terrible works At this he was troubled and thinks that Israel in refusing such mighty things had for ever refus'd the Lord himself but he was mistaken if he so thought for God was not in these things Neither was he himself moved by either of these till the fourth came which was a still small voice He looked upon the other but finding not God there his very nature retired from them being boystrous and violent But as soon as the still small voice came which was humane and gentle of his own nature heard best and understood best within at home in his very heart this was one with him and presently he wraps his face in his mantle and goes forth and stood in the entring in of the cave This still small voice onely had power upon his heart to draw it forth from it self to God All men good and bad that are turn'd aside from God by any kinde of Lust or Passion run into some secret dark Den where they lie Now all Legal blustring Ministry's may for a while affect or affright but draw not the creature out from himself where he is lodg'd till God sends a still small voice into his heart which is the word in thy heart and mouth This doth a little convince Elijah That God was another thing than he for the present apprehended him and therefore asham'd of himselft he wraps his face in his mantle and yields to go forth to God but is not yet fully convinc'd of his error When men are strong and high in their spirits wherein they think they are for God 't is hard to convince them That their Zeal is not for God but for their own Ministry and way for their own Lives and Honors When God had moved him a little nearer to himself he falls upon him again What doest thou here Elijah or What hast thou to do here Thou art an Israelite one with them of the same nature hast sin in thee as well as they and they righteousness as thou hast Why doest thou separate from them and become an Enemy to them He stands stiffly for his way that it was Zeal for God saying the same words that he said before ver 14 A consident and froward Spirit God finding him so sixt in this angry way as not to be instructed by the sight of God he leads him forth into a work suitable to his minde he was full of wrath and therefore God imploys him in a way wherein he might give him vent If nothing will please thee but to plague Israel my people for their sins Elijah shall bring it forth but not administer it by his own hand Go on thy way to Damascus anoint Hazael king of Syria what a terrible malignant and cruel enemy to poor Israel this Hazael proved is afterward declar'd 2 King 8.12 Yet his name signifies visions of God or seeing of God he might have his strength from the same ground that Elijah had Seeing what God had done to Israel and how Israel had sinn'd against God and that seeing upon this God had forsaken Israel from this his Sword might he whetted against Israel And this is the first-born of Elijah his fiery Spirit ver 16. And Iehu shalt thou anoint to be King over Israel a man terrible enough against Idolatry against Ahab Iezebel and the Prophets of Baal but constant to himself so his name signifies and so he was though a great Zelot against the corruption in Court and in the Prophets and that according to the Word of the Lord yet he had an eye to his own Honor And this was Elijah his second Son and doubtless there was much of self in Elijah I have been very zealous I I onely am left and they seek my life His third command was Elisha shalt thou anoint Prophet in thy room The meaning was this this Spirit of Elijah was of too violent a temper and therefore like Iohn it must decrease he must give over to another to Elisha the salvation of God so his name signifies And 't is the best of this Spirit it spends its fierceness and is at last being weary of it self willing to resign to him whose nature is
not to destroy but to save But poor Israel that needs so many Rods needs some Pity too ver 17. Him that escapeth the Sword of Hazael shall Iehu stay and him that escapeth the Sword of Iehu shall Elisha slay Slain and slain yet at last he that saves slays most slays himself to slay Self Death and Enmity Yet saith God ver 18. I have left me seven thousand in Israel the knees that have not bowed unto Baal c. A compleat number a sufficient Army to carry on his work These are reserv'd to me kept by God in secret whose hearts were inwardly and truly reserv'd to the Lord so safe that they could not depart from him Now in all this it appears That this Man of God was in a dark Spirit for the present in a high discontent for he thought he had been f r God but was not Those things wherein he had been exercis'd he over-valued them and his Ministry with them for God was not in them but in the still voice He was much out also concerning Israel he thought they had been utterly lost no good lest amongst them but was seven thousand short in his measure Lest you think I have misrepresented this Case of Elijah you shall see it censured in the Gospel Rom. 11.1 Hath G d cast away his people God forbid Some that measure things by their own private and separated Spirit think he hath but God forbid that there should be no more Mercy nor Patience in God than there is in the best of men ver 2. Wot ye not what the Scripture saith of Elias how he makes intercession against Israel saying ver 3. Lord they have killed thy Prophets digged down thy Altars and I am left alone He though a Prophet was in a great error in stead of interceding for he intercedes against Israel it mindes me of a Clause in this Letter The strong current of their Prayers which was once for you the turning thereof against you But this is not Prophet-like 't is rather like the worst malignant Spirit like the Accuser And observe That such declaring against Israels sin is plain interceding against them 't is indeed to be instant and earnest for their destruction This I desire the Subscribers to mark And this Judgment made upon some evil actions and outward appearance by man darkned with passion was very far from God and the Election of his Grace A humane and Legal Spirit under a Covenant of Works provok'd into Enmity is the nature of this Spirit and so Paul brings it in here whatever it pretended to be zeal for God yet 't was against God himself and against the liberty of his Election and the Freeness of his Grace I 'll but apply the words of the Apostle ver 5. Even so then at this time also c. It may be you will deny the Application of Elijahs Case to yours and will not admit your Adversaries to be Israel and I may also deny you to minister in the Holiness Power Truth and Evidence that Elijah ministred in Therefore I chuse rather to wave the paralel onely let this Case of Elijah be consider'd absolutely by it self and it doth sufficiently evince these Conclusions I 'T is very common for humane Passion to intrude it self into Gods service yea 't is very ambitious of being his Attorney to speak for God and while he seems to advance God 't is to prefer it self For who would not be on his side where he may Spoil Plunder Revenge freely II. If God be but angry a little he will not want some to help it forward he needs not now the Devil nor Egypt or Babylon to minister Wrath he may finde enough Ministers or Prophets in Israel will sue for the imployment specially if it be against Iob he will sinde Religious Friends that will handle him cruelly enough III. That if Man be imployed in any Ministry wherein there seems to be any light or power as coming from God he is apt to magnifie it above measure and to account of it as God himself to expect the same Honor and Subjection that is due to the Lord though it be but a Whiffler one that goes before to make way for him IV. If this Ministry obtain not and his way be refus'd he is apt to be highly displeas'd and be foolishly angry beyond all reason though all the works of man are to vanish and to give place to that which is perfect yet man commonly is so angry that he will not out-live his Ministry V. But foolishly adhering to his Ministry though it be of Sin and Condemnation when God repents of his anger as ordinarily he doth he over-eagerly ingaging himself is left behinde and so lost in it Fleshly Zeal is of a very slight and combustible nature and if it get into the fire of Gods anger against Sin rarely comes off but over-acting in it is commonly scorch'd and burnt up by it and so may happily get to Heaven in a fiery chariot as Elijah did but is altogether unfit for any saving or healing work When Mans Enmity and Passion hath gotten into Gods Name and Cause if God should not withhold Spirit and Power from it and render it vain it would make mad work destroy all but themselves and therfore there is a necessity of turning it home upon it self that it may hurt none but it self which is a good and just end of it These things well consider'd might make men afraid to intermeddle with Divine displeasure against others Sins in which men are ordinarily so busie as if there were no other Religion But sure there is a more excellent way When God was very angry and justly with Israel Exod. 32.10 Let me alone says he to Moses that my wrath may wax hot against them this was a good Spirit to interpose and to offer to be blotted out of the book of God ver 32. rather than God should destroy his people Thus Christ doth for us all he is willing to become a sinner with us and there suffer the displeasure of God as the worst of sinners rather than suffer the wrath of God to break forth upon us If he should take part with God against sinners what would become of you If he be an Advocate for God and his Justice and not for Transgressors alas how miserable were we all This might a little incline mens hearts and bend them towards thoughts of Love Pity and interceding for others though transgressors You superscribe your Letter To Oliver Cromwel Captain General of all the Forces of England Scotland and Ireland This Title is a fair one and so different from that which is ordinarily given him that it cannot escape my Animadversions and it contains in it the head of the Quarrel Whether Captain General of the Forces of England Scotland and Ireland or Protector of the Commonwealth of England c. If we could finde one the true nature and inward reason of both these we might clear your understandings
Commonwealth would have been made Confederacy and Rebellion 'T is true the Army did at least tolerate and so far consent as to submit to this Government but I know not that they by any act did ratifie it or ever intend to perpetuate it And that consent was not an act of Judgment and Righteousness for in all our Affairs hitherto we have not had so much light and clearness as to produce any work of true Wisdom and Vnderstanding But as in all other things so in this we are driven and thrust forward from one thing to that which is next as the sence of Danger and the hopes of Ease lead us in the dark without Judgment And so the Army set up or admit of this Government by a Parliament without King and Lords being at hand knowing no better finding some ease in being freed from worse Oppressors and as a present conveniency And if they had power to admit it or set it up when they found it useful why may they not pull it down and reject it when they felt it grievous and burthensom III. That which you call the Government as it never had a Formal Constitution either from God or men that I know of so before it was taken down it had quite lost the nature and spirit of Government a dry Tree shrunk up into a private and selfish spirit There were good men and good things amongst them but as the Princes of Zoan Isa 19. mingled with a perverse foolish spirit that four or five of the best of them could not agree in any one Proposition for publick good though they were both wise honest men yet they themselves know they were absurdly and peevishly divided in so great a confusion that there could be no reason of expecting any more fruit from them They were a long while a Burthen to the Nation and the People very sensible of it and did by a general dislike and scorn of them re-call that choice that they had made of them and the Honor they had put upon them and would if the Army had not guarded them have express'd their rejecting of them from being their Representatives by pulling them out of the House they were indeed full ripe and had not the Army done it the rage of Women or some such base hand would have gatherâ—d them 'T was doubtless an Honor for them to dye by so Noble a hand which had given and continued life to them I believe they were self-condemn'd and the more ingenuous of them were sensible of an Inlargement by their being discharg'd from their sore and unprofitable travel onely having long injoyed their places they linger'd and were loth to depart and when they saw they must go they would provide for their speedy return and would have dyed to live again which was the great incivility done to them in their apprehensions they were prevented in their propagating their likeness and themselves also into A new Representative IV. The then General and Officers did not this work voluntarily which for ought I know they might have done had they had light and strength sufficient for it but they were thrust upon it by the Soldiers and inferior Officers which I suppose you may remember and that your own spirit was busie and active in it and much rejoyc'd in it when it was done and you had indeed some more reason for it than others for that body was very averse to your way and to the things you would have done yea far more averse than this present Power is For you now to fetch your Enemies so you counted them while they liv'd out of their Graves to oppose and accuse your Friends for an act which you approv'd of it is a strange change of your mindes If you could come out of this mist of Discontent and behold your present posture how you seem to love and plead for that which is not which if it were again you would seek the destroying of it again and how you prosecute them with hatred which did your work for you and are your Friends you would be greatly astonish'd at the strange form of your own spirits a greater wonder than Change of Governments and you would confess I am apt to believe That both your Love to them and your Enmity to these is feigned and not real I must deal as nakedly as I can with you and them and all the world and tell you That I do think there was Iniquity in that action and in all actions of that nature for pulling down is a dark and wrathful Ministry and ordinarily perform'd by such a spirit as Jehu had whose name shewed his nature sibi constans constant to it self or self-seeking though imployed by God To destroy old worldly buildings though very rotten is not a work for a pure Evangelical spirit the Vengeance administred may be righteous but if there were not a deal of fleshly Zeal Pride Self love and some bruitish Cruelty or hardiness in us we should not be fit for such a service Therefore I fear before God will make use of us in any Honorable work to build a place of Rest for himself he will wash away the stain of Blood that sticks upon us make us to be asham'd and loath our selves for that Rashness Fierceness and Violence that have accompanied all our late Wars and Transactions Indeed a right sight of this Evil would make you and me and all of us not to condemn others but our selves and the state or kinde of the ministry we have been exercis d in But for you to overlook the evil of the whole Party and of the Parliament it self in cutting down by a long War and much Blood King and Lords two Estates superior to themselves and to seem to be astonish'd that an Army should gently lay aside that Parliament which it had given life to and upheld and in such a season in such a maner where no Blood spilt no Tears shed none made Fatherless none Widows This great trouble you express is some strange and new grief taken up of late you and others did rejoyce in it To pull down old Houses is a dusty and thankless work they that live in them or are part of them and subsist by them will be angry at it But that you should be cordially offended at it who expect another Kingdom and Monarchy for whose sake this is done yea that did do it and would do it again if it were undone Or that you should complain of that done by these while you are endeavoring to do the same thing upon these I can't reach the reason of this Mysâ—â—ry For who sees not that you are about to change the Government if you can though it be by War And therefore it is you express your fear that they are utterly disabled to prosecute c. Angry at former changes and fear we shall have no more that now things are bound up fast by an Oath and Instrument that we shall go no
further you need not fear it This Government was set up in haste and not constituted with that Consideration and Wisdom as to last many Ages The Earth reels and staggers as a drunken man 't is not an Instrument that will keep it steddy and the mindes of men so loose as not to be bound by Oathes wait with patience another change may make room for you before you be fit for action Provide you Wisdom Love and Righteousness our Necessities will call for them I fear before you will be able to administer them The next thing I would note to you is You say Justly suspected ends in time past and in your Paper Not knowing the deep Policies of worldly States-men You use to acknowledge God in all these things and that this work was carryed on with a high hand of Providence beyond all the contrivance of men Sure you have chang'd your station you were within and saw the inward Spring Gods hand now you are without and look upon the outside of the Hanging and there you see Policy our Judgments alter as our Sight that which is a Man while we are nigh to it in Love removed at a distance by a little Enmity seems to be a Beast Love thinks no evil sees nothing but God in all Enmity removes God from the sight and sets up men and deep designs I shall desire you to consider 1. That Atheistical worldly wise men use to talk at this rate This was design'd long ago 2. That they talk thus because they would seem to be wise and to understand deep Policy 3. Though they seem to be wise yet are become Fools for 't is the greatest folly not to acknowledge God in all things 4. That men talk what they live and do pretend to but can't attain it their attributing so much to Policy shews they are well-wishers to it which may make us fear you will begin to tread in these steps But alas how much better safer and easier is it for you to be Children and to ascribe things though aâ—â—â—â—st us to Gods hand May I not say to you as Paul to the Corinthians 2 Cor. 11.3 I fear lest by any means as the Serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty so your mindes should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ You were children once and thought as simply and childishly as I do That neither the Protector himself nor the wisest Heads amongst them have the tenth part of that foresight that is required to lay such a Design I imagine they are as weak as you and I and other people that know not what will be too morrow nor have they foreseen the things that are come to pass Now pray how came you to be so wise as to understand these Polititians who taught you this I fear 't was the Serpent the Accuser sure these deep reaches do but torture and vex your mindes therefore 't is better to be children still and to look up to Gods hand in all things be they good or evil And if they are wise Statesmen as I fear there is too much of it amongst them but not as you imagine let us that are standers by and overlook them either pity them or laugh at them for I am for either so it be innocent and harmless They have by their craft pull'd down the King and his party and set up themselves in their place this is the plot And by this have made their Enemies to hate them more than they did and their Friends to hate them more than ever they hated the Cavaliers which they cannot but expect if they sit down in the Kings state for who so odious as a treacherous and apostate Brother Thus for a little forc'd Honor they lift up themselves publick objects of Scorn and despite to both sides A fine policy They may use their Policy but God hath a Design upon them which hath taken effect they are brought in a snare catched in a net of perplexities where they are beset with Reproach Danger and Trouble on every side and know not which way to go for Safety they can neither go backwards nor forwards Papists and Cavaliers preparing against them abroad their old Enemies at home more and more inraged against them their Friends and Brethren disserting and opposing of them If their worldly Policy hath brought them into this pit I am confident the more they devise the deeper they will go into Confusion and that it must be Simplicity Humility and a childish Obedience to the Lord that must bring them out 'T is a fair warning to you you are witnessing declaring subscribing ingaging a party against these as they against the King you begin to understand the way of it if you should undermine them as they have done others which I think you will not do you would by getting the power and place get the confusion perplexity and trouble they have and that as much more as your strength or cunning will be greater than theirs III. A third thing notable in your Letter is a home Charge given the Protector 't is indeed a stout Accusation both for matter and maner of Slighting and Blaspheming the Spirit of God Reproaching Imprisoning and Oppressing his people Pride Luxury Lasciviousness Changing of Principles Forsaking good ways c. and these to be read in his forehead and that with a citation to appear before the great Iudge and his impartial Tribunal I am unwilling to say how this agrees to the Maxime of Machiavel Calumniate â—â—â—â—ly something will stick I had rather say to you as our Lord to his Disciples when they were in such a passion Luke 9.55 Ye know not what maner of Spirit ye are of they thought 't was nothing but Zeal for Christ exercis'd in a way of God in Faith and according to a good Scripture example Lord wilt thou that we command fire to come down from Heaven and consume them as Elias did But Christ disowns this though it seems to be high Religion yet 't is but the Spirit of the Destroyer not of a Savior The Son of Man is come saith he not to destroy mens lives but to save them Let me onely desire you to turn your mindes a little from your present Anger and to consider and answer these few Questions Q. 1. Whether have you these things upon your own knowledge or upon the report of others Have all you that have subscrib'd this Paper heard the Protector Blaspheme the Spirit of God and Reproach his People c. Or have you seen His Pride Luxury and Lasciviousness I may well suppose you have not Q. 2. You say this is your Testimony and Witness Dare you or can you be Witnesses of these things before any Iudge You subscribe and publish them but can any honest indifferent Iudge admit of you to be lawful Witnesses in the things you have not heard or seen Q. 3. Consider then whether in this you act according to the lowest line of Truth according to
the common Justice and Honesty that is amongst men 'T is a great abomination though commonly practis'd amongst Professors rashly to receive and give credit to evil and false Reports of them they hate or that are of an opposite party and that too in a way of Religion which if examin'd will be judg'd by the common Light of Nature to be not onely Ungodly but Unreasonable Q. 4. Whether do you think that the great Iudge will judge according to that appearance wherein you now behold the Protector and his actions which is not so good as by the sight of the Eye and by the hearing of the Ear but by others seeing and hearing Q. 5. Whether though you are now admitted to be Witnesses against the Protector as innocent persons in the judgments of your selves and your own party it may be to none but your selves yet when he and you now two parties shall stand before the impartial Tribunal of the great Iudge whether then you will be able to lift up your heads to accuse him and will not rather be found as guilty as he and to stand in need of the same mercy with him Q. 6. 'T is true God will judge the Protector for any rash and unseemly word or act against any persons or things that do but pretend to God and for every motion and expression of Pride Falshood or vain Pleasures But do you not think that this Eye of God will pierce through this Mist of Calumny that is upon him Through this thick clay of worldly Greatness with which he is now dawb'd over and oppress'd and through the vail of Flesh which makes him walk unevenly and search his Heart whether it be Obedient and Upright or true to God and his work or false in it and seek to set up himself God will certainly prove and try him the secret spirit of his minde what it is in his work and when he hath done that do you not think he will search deeper than his Spirit in his work which may be weak and mixt and at last judge him according to the seed of Election the seed of Christ and his Righteousness in him And then let me ask you whether God will not so judge you Look through your vail of Duties Profession and Ordinances and try your Heart with what Spirit of Love Obedience and Truth you are in your work and whether will you stand to this judgment Or rather that God should judge you according to Grace to the Name and Nature of Christ written upon you and in you Sure the great Iudge will thus judge us at last by his great judgment or last judgment not by the outward Conversation nor inward Intention but finally by his eternal Election according to the Book of Life When you have consider'd these Questions let me desire you to reade the thoughts of my heart concerning the particulars of your Charge which thoughts are not upon knowledge of Fact but what account my Experience and Reason gives me of such things For if I do meet with such Reports as these as sometimes I do and swallow them down without trying of them and do bring them out again in Discourse I finde they do pollute my soul and that it is a very naughty Spirit that made me either Receive or Report them But when I have the exercise of any kinde of Judgment concerning them I finde cause to reject them the grief that I have receiv'd by them makes me more expert in trying of them Slighting and Blaspheming the Spirit of God I suppose some men bring to the Protector things in the Name of the Spirit that he judges weak and foolish Fancies those he slights others bring him things that he judges Vngodly and that as they think from the Spirit these he blasphemes or speaks evil of And this he may do in Passion and fleshly hardness not in tenderness to him that utters them who being grieved in his spirit says the Spirit is slighted There is Blasphemy in one man against another wherein both may pretend to the Spirit and this is too common There is Blasphemy against the Son of Man I know not that any amongst us are guilty of this Blasphemy because I see none come forth in the power and purity of his Spirit and if they do Christ saith It shall be forgiven them But for Blasphemy against the Spirit in that sence wherein Christ expresses it I dare not think any man guilty of it because the Spirit it self in his own majesty doth not to my sence appear but vail'd with humane weaknes Reproaching and Imprisoning his people We commonly call our selves and our party Gods people but that you are so excluding them or that they are so excluding you no third party or person can admit And for Reproaches you are even with them if not beforehand and I doubt would be in Imprisoning also if you had power The conclusion that I make is this Some of Gods people may for their weakness deserve and others in their weakness may inflict Reproach and Imprisonment upon Brethren Pride Luxury Lasciviousness I suppose you intend onely his high living though your words seem to charge his person with very foul abominations I am no Courtier and therefore know not what his Conversation is in private But in the times of my acquaintance with him I did not observe any such temper in him and in Reason Age and multitude of Business if not Vertue should keep him from such Sensuality now I have heard also some that have been his Servants near to him and strict observers of him report That his frequent Praying Fasting and Watching with other conscientious and strict Observances shew'd him inclin'd rather to turn Quaker than to loosness His way of living I confess I have sometimes grudged at as too Kingly and not proportionable either to his late condition or to the present condition of his Brethren or to his own affairs being in such want of Money But upon further examination of this Censure I do finde that such as you and I are living at distance from such Greatness our Mindes and Breedings being as mean as our Conditions and our Spirits narrow and rigid being outcasts also from this present Glory are troubled with a little Envie and so not at all fit to judge of it I finde others that have known what Greatness is of nâ—bler and freer mindes and live nearer to it say That there is nothing but what hath been ordinary amongst noble Persons not the tenth of what Expence hath formerly been and no more than is necessary for the Honor of the Nation This I am sure 't is a mean and low Spirit this that doth at once envie and over value uch Greatness Solomon that lived at another rate than the Protector gives us a true accompt of such mens conditions Eccles 5.11 When goods increase they are increased that eat them and what good is there to the owners thereof saving the beholding them with their
eyes Changing of Principles Your way of Writing shews you as unable to judge or Principles as I am our mindes are so short and distemper'd by passion that we cannot give a Rational accompt of the series of Actions If any cross our wills and opinions we are so much disturb'd at the sence of the present evil done to us that we cannot consider the good that such persons have done or now do for us All former things are forgotten and we are nothing but Anger and think them nothing but Mischief or Wickedness And when we are inraged we let fly at mens Principles being not satisfied to rebuke mens Actions Opinions and Works but would be aveng'd of their Principles too as if we would kill them at very heart pull them up by the roots and leave them in an incurcable condition Rotten in their Principles Mens Actions are crooked and various Mens Opinions or Understandings weak and uncertain Affections change as the wind yea we may see the Heart waver and stagger sometimes Evil sometimes Good carries it away But how far goes Man in the trying of these things Can he search the Heart to know what it is But Principles lie deeper than the Heart and are indeed Christ who is the Principle and Begining of all things who though Heart fail and Flesh fail yet he abides the root of all 'T is worth considering whether the Serpent may not in directing the blindeness of Man to charge all the weakness of their Brethren upon Principles intend to grieve and wound Christ himself I do but propound it to consider because this kinde of Uncharitableness is common most men thinking they do'nt charge home nor speak to the purpose if they do'nt reach mens Principles which indeed are safe enough from all mens Enmity But alas what a pitiful thing it is for us because by our expressing of our selves in words or actions in this mist of Confusion we justle one against another and offend one another our impatience presently rises high and we quarrel with the Principle and would indeed if we durst be angry at God that he leads not all men the same way with us For the Protector we do see plainly there is in him various Thoughts and Counsels sometimes he looks this way sometimes that way tossed about into several stations and postures of Affairs but of the Principles that move these things what they are and how they work I know not nor dare judge Forsaking the good ways of Justice and Holiness His way is in the wilderness and 't is crooked and hath not our course been so from the begining reeling and staggering this way and that way And this shews there is Vnjustice and Vnholiness amongst us which cannot be excus'd but must be bewail'd But whether our late turns which have been from your mine and many mens judgments have been a forsaking the good ways of Justice and Holiness I know not In the way of Justice and Holiness perfectly I fear we never yet were we may have mistaken it now but may I hope gain by mistake and be led into it by a way we know not For your confident affirming to the Protector That these things are even at present to be read in his forehead and your citing him to answer it before the great Judge c. 'T is such a high strain of Confidence that I am not able to deal with it You write as if you never intended to question your selves or be question'd by any other But I beseech you consider if there should be found under these high Expressions a Spirit of Enmity and Uncharitableness If you should present before the Lord the common dirt of Report which you gather up in the streets of the World and with it your own blinde Passions and Discontents what cause of sorrow and shame will there be for mingling such prophane stuff and such highly holy things together I 'll tell you what I think That you will repent of this business if you live and that long before you shall come nigh the impartial Tribunal of God and not onely repent of this Spirit but of your great confidence in it Blessed is the man that feareth always had you fear'd more you would have been more happy My Soul trembles at it not daring to come or to think that you should come to the Altar much less to the impartial Tribunal of God with such a Spirit There is much of this Trade abroad in the world men make it their work to take up Reports against them they are disaffected to and dress them up with Religion Scripture a shew of Zeal for God and then cry them abroad either in Pulpits or in private Discourse ordinarily mingled with either a bitter curse or a taunt and scorn So that it is a very great part of the Religion abroad to defame their Adversaries and this with great pleasure and a shew of Godliness I do desire that you and others would seriously weigh these Considerations upon Exod. 23.1 2 3. Thou shalt not raise or as in Marg. receive a false Report Put not thine hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness 2. Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment 3. Neither shalt thou countenance a poor man in his cause Let us consider what Reports are generally They are the eccho or reflection that mens persons and actions make upon Empty Malicious and Proud mindes I. Empty and hollow mindes make a Report or noise The solid Christian his voice is not heard in the streets his work is inward at home upon his own soul and his conversation is in heaven with the glorious works of Christ But the formal Hypocrite is a Busie body exercis'd in the base and vile things of other mens iniquities or in the Report of them which are vain and impure things like himself II. Reports are brought forth by Malice did men love they would cover iniquity Charity thinketh no evil rejoyceth not in iniquity 1 Cor. 13.5 6. If a man did either love God or his Brother he would abominate evil not take it into his thoughts nor rejoyce to hear or speak of iniquity because iniquity is an enemy both to God and to his Brother But Malice which is the height of sin and wickedness makes a man love sin and delight in it because it serves him to pull down them that he hates So that he joyns himself to Sin and is Coâ—federate with it because it doth mischief to his Adversaries and therefore it is that though he seem to dislike it yet he gives it the advantage of his gifts his Zeal and Language to inlarge and advance it Malice is a very base thing but this kinde of malice is the worst A noble enemy trusts to the righteousness truth and justice of his own Cause and being satisfied with that can wait with patience till God bring forth his righteousness but scorns
see the ass of him that hateth thee lying under his burthen c. Here you have not an ox or ass going astray and lying under a burthen but men your friends The Text tells you your duty if you be able to perform it 't is to bring back that which is gone astray and to help that which lyeth under its burthen These are the chief Things express'd in your Letter which as I conceive do offend your minde some generals that run through both your Letter and the Paper inclosed we may consider hereafter Your spirit comes forth more fully in the Paper which is the substance of your Testimony where we have the fairest opportunity of serving of you by removing those stumbling-blocks that offend you therefore I shall hasten to give you my thoughts of it ANIMADVERSIONS VPON A PAPER inclosed in a LETTER and sent to His Highness from some Gentlemen and others in Wales IN this Paper there is a Preface to the Articles and the Articles themselves In the Preface you do as you do in your Letter shew us your Commission which yon have after a long time earnest seeking of the Lord what we finde in our consciences and afterward in faithfulness towards God and meekness towards men perform what duty is incumbent upon us and at last in pursuance of our duty to God our fellow-members as Christians as men c. In these things I suppose you put much confidence and think that none that are religious will oppose a Work that comes into the field in the name of Duty Conscience accompanied with Prayer and Scriptures c. I deny not that these things are amongst you and in a great measure but I would advise you not to build too much upon them for these Reasons I. First Because if you will look abroad you cannot but see what with great grief of heart I have observ'd That in and with these things viz. The kingdom of Christ Glory of God much seeking of God Conscience Duty c. in some where there seems to be as much purity sincerity and uprightness as in your selves I may say more light evidence and power yet I say such vile things have come forth in them and with them which you your selves would abhor and which they themselves that brought them forth have sadly repented of do but therefore allow of a little suspition of your selves and consider that some while they honestly and heartily for ought either themselves or others know seek after Christ they are led into unreasonable and absurd things contrary to the light of Nature and Religion and to the hurt of themselves and mankinde and why may not you in your religious Zeal and Duties be carried into things contrary to the Law of Love and destructive to your selves and the publick peace II. Secondly Because you come forth not against a people that are prophane but such as are exercised in the same things that you are a people that pray that wait and seek for God and his Light to guide them as highly professing and practising religious Duties as your selves and are in that wherein you oppose them in their duty to God and men and for ought that you or I can judge with as much sincerity as you and such as have shined in the life of godliness equal to you if not beyond you so that 't is but praying against praying duty against duty conscience against conscience and sincerity against sincerity therefore if you do indeed honor these things as part of the Grace and Kingdom of Christ consider you do with Christ oppose Christ you sight against your own life and strength Is it not then far more honorable and Christian-like to suffer the greatest loss of worldly Liberties and Priviledges of Parliaments and Governments and to pay Taxes Tithes and all that can be laid upon us or that you contend against rather than to war Christ against Christ duty against duty prayer against prayer III. Thirdly Because this Quarrel hath been fought already in duty and consicience to God with prayer and seeking of the Lord in defence of the kingdom of Christ and his Way and Worship against a people who in obedience to their King maintain'd the Legal Rights and customary Worship of the Nation and judgement given in the case not onely for you but for all the honest people of the Nation which ingaged for this cause they therefore that will not rest in the sentence of God but make another Quarrel about the same thing wherein indeed there is none will I think suffer as contentions in a high degree setting the way and people of Christ against the way and people of Christ 't is therefore but reason that good men and good things should now live peaceably together or if there be a difference that we do not arm our selves as the outwardly-religious against the outwardly prophane not with Declarations Accusations nor with outward weapons no nor with praying and preaching in enmity and against one another as formely we did against the Cavaliers but with the spirit of God which is a spirit of love and light with more inward weapons that will pierce to the dividing of soul and spirit IV. Fourthly Because the things that you profess and that we have spoken of had their time and their work in publick in which they appear'd in power and majesty against their enemies but alas how much are they now polluted with folly madness gross error vanity wrath and violence as if the Abomination of Desolation were in the holy place 'T is too visible in others and visible enough in your Paper where there is it grieves me to say it falshood wrath deceit and blowing the fire of War amongst brethren which is abominable to humble and gracious spirits yea to nature and reason and tends directly to lay us desolate without safety or protection therefore what ever you think of the glory of your Cause as you have drest it up I must in faithfulness tell you my sense of it which I believe will be the sense of all rational men I had rather ingage for the honest principles of Necessity Safety publick Peace civil Government though under many defects and corruptions than for the highest things that you profess so as you now profess them and though this may appear to you prophane yet I know there is nothing more prophane nor more likely to extirpate all Religion and to set Atheism on the throne than for honest and religious people to war upon one another Therefore Friends before you go any further be perswaded to come forth of that private spirit in which you are and with a little charity look abroad and you will finde the Sun doth not shine onely into your window That the law of God is wondrous broad and spreads it self over and into other mens consciences as well as yours though with some difference as the subject is dispos'd to receive it and that others are as true and
were two kindes of spirit or mindes one of God another of the world one seeming to spring from the old stock of Abraham and of Christ and the Apostles the other seeming to spring out of the world out of the earth and the first took in all the godly party hardly a man left out the other took in the chief of men maliciously bent against godliness Now if you my friends that have subscribed this Paper will but reflect upon your selves and look with the same eye upon your brethren you cannot think that there is in your selves a work of grace or godliness that is not in them you oppose or that there is in them any such hatred to that grace of God as was in the Kings party but you must conclude that though they are a bone started aside one way you a bone started aside another way yet you are members of the same body II. Secondly As these two parties the Religious and Royal party differ'd in the original and kinde of their spirits so did they in the law and rule of their spirits the one were subject to Christ and his Law in the worship of God and did see that he had given them Laws in his Word far differing from those which were practis'd and commanded in the Nation the other did stiffly adhere to the Religion of their fore-fathers as it was established by law and would not admit of any other but cruelly persecuted it denying men to offer to God such sacrifices as he required of them and which they judged their duty to serve him in now pray consider whether the case be so now 'twixt you and your brethren whom you oppose whether are you denied to perform any duty of worship to God that his word leads you to nay do not they do the same things with you or do you bring forth any rule or law of Christ in Religion that they oppose for civil things and Government I think you don 't pretend to any law instituted by Christ The notions and motions of your spirits may in some circumstantial things clash but you agree in your rule as to Religion and to follow the same law and rule of Christ in all things so far as it is reveal'd to you and them freedom for your Consciences to serve the Lord in as much holiness and purity as you can you have as much as you can desire if there bea deviation from the rule in civil things 't is not in enmity to any rule no law of that nature coming forth that pretends to be from God It may be of good use both for you the Subscribers and for the Protector and our Governors seriously to consider the inward spirit and root of difference 'twixt us and our enemies and by it we may know where the marrow and strength of our cause lies 'T is true these things of godliness wrought in the heart and conscientious following the Rule and Law of Christ did not at first appear openly in Parliament or Army and accordingly they thrived but when they whose hearts were ingaged in these things came into action and the King had to do nakedly with such spirits he fell before them and was trampled under foot as dirt and it must needs be so a people that have the least stamp or mark of God and his work and spirit upon them and ingaged to serve him cannot but with its weight and authority press down the fleshly arm and power of man as nothing I would propound it as a caution to both sides First to our Governors that they will in all their affairs attend the motion and growth of this spirit of godliness and not to ingage in Designs upon principles of worldly policy be they never so specious but rather to sit still and to attend the cherishing and increasing of the life of godliness than to move in publick actions till this life leads them forth and then not out of prejudice or offence at the weakness and scruples of godly men to lay them aside and to commit their business to worldly men though never so wise and gallant men but to lay the stress of all affairs upon this spirit which is doubtless the steddiest and truest to the works of God Secondly to the Subscribers and others I would desire you to keep close to the first principles of real inward godliness and that you sink your spirits more into Fundamentals and not to suffer your mindes to be elevated into high strains forms and notions of things nor to be carried away with those who never travel'd in the way of godliness and are either ignorant or unmindeful of the Power and substance of Religion which is your danger in your present business for many such we have that flutter about and talk of Christ and his kingdom that never were season'd with the principles of true Religion and are clouds without rain wells without water and while they profess for an outward and glorious Reformation oppose and quarrel with the truth of godliness and tall of outward freedom while they are servants to Pride Passion Envy and such like corruptions But upon a little more searching into the inward nature of things you will finde your Quarrel very ill bottom'd upon the former War for you and your brethren whom you now oppose are as much one in the state and rule of your spirits as ever you and they differ'd from the Cavalier And now let rue desire you to compare our present Governors in their standing and actings with the old royal party and you will see a great dissimilitude 'twixt them and then compare your selves in your present actings with the honest old Puritan party in their motions towards the War and you will finde as wide a difference I. Those of the King and his party grew out of an old stock and root of Worldly Greatness where they had continued many Ages unmoveably fixed in a State of outward pomp far above and opposite to the life and light of Religion where being settled in Peace and Power they had many opportunities and offers of the Light of Reformation but they would not be healed but being rich and living at ease and pleasure were haughty scorn'd all reproof being lifted up upon the highest glory of the world were beyond the reach of the instruction of the poor people who knew the truth and so were hardned against the Light bending all the force of Government against that Light that did spring forth so that godly People were so far from any hopes of doing any good upon them that they might not live in the Nation without defiling their Consciences but were forced to fly into all parts of the world for a being now if these poor people being thus provoked by the brutish and un-natural cruelty of the State denying their innocent and peaceable spirits the common freedom of nature of life and being if they did when they were call'd forth to it rise up against them how justifiable
power of the Sword and so of the Nation That Government that deryed these poor people the common Freedom of Life and Being is totally dissolved their Enemies overthrown and they that were the Tail made the Head indowed with the most absolute Power 'T is a thing that the Protector hath seem'd a long time to design and that good people have talked of That Honest men should onely have place and power and yet now we have it we either minde it not or know not which way to settle it I do heartily wish that we understood what a Prize we have in our hand and had light and judgement either to keep it justly or to resign it wisely Your third Article is this The unadvised and unwarrantable changing of Government and swearing thereunto c. This is the chief of your witness The great offence taken against the Protector and indeed the chief difference 'twixt you and him the very substance of your Paper other things being either appurtenances and flourishes or petty inconsiderable things brought in to make number and weight but here is the stress of the business and the chief ground of your quarrel now you come to the point 't is an unadvised and unwarrantable act and swearing thereunto You differ not in Principle or in your Spirits or in Work and Ends onely the Protector hath rashly and unadvisedly clap'd up a Government which you cannot warrant to be sound and good or a private thing that hath no publick Warranty neither the consent of the People nor of the Honest party I must confess to form a standing Government for three Nations so unadvisedly upon such slight and sudden Council and to have no more Law Authority or Reason from men nor any thing from Heaven to warrant it and then as rashly by Oath to engage to it and so to involve himself in it as to render himself uncapeable of better Counsels and a better way if it should appear is not a thing justified by that light either of Religion or Reason that I understand And therefore though I can submit either to a forc'd and impos'd or an undue Authority or Government for I think all the Governments now in the world are no better yet if I may speak my minde freely 't is this To huddle up a business of so vast a concernment as the Government of three Nations in a corner in such haste upon so slender advice without a Commission either from God or men and to binde it by an Oath is unjustifiable and doth require repentance in them that did it But though I do agree with the Subscribers That this act is unadvised and unwarrantable yet it is upon a different ground for they say That change of Government and swearing thereunto doth put a necessity upon the chief Vndertaker thereof to overthrow the very Foundation of a Commonwealth this is as they judge Now I judge that one great reason why that Government and Instrument was set up and sworn to was to uphold the Foundation of the old Commonwealth and this they did as I suppose in some kinde of opposition to the Fifth Monarchy men who as these men judged would have led them by their unsetled principles into a notion or cloud of a New Kingdom from the very Foundations of an old Commomwealth and to avoid this danger they took the materials that were next old Laws and Parliaments and a new Protector and Council which are all Fundamentals of Government and so patch'd up the business in haste and fear lest they should lose all their footing in a Commonwealth Now here I think was their error That they did re-build what was really pull'd down and maintain what God had destroyed and set themselves and that Power that God had given them upon a rotten Foundation which is dark and unclean full of wrath and curse which hath put a necessity upon the chief Vndertaker to uphold an old ruin'd House and all the Breaches Confusions perplexed Suits and Quarrels Enmities and Miseries occasioned by our late Civil Wars and Distractions the weight of which must needs be so heavy that he cannot but now feel that he did unadvisedly in taking up the burthen of it The Reasons why I thus judge are First The ancient Form of this Kingdom or Commonwealth and the Government thereof is certainly dissolv'd and the heart or life of its Union broken by that irreconcileable breach 'twixt the Head and Body the King and his Parliament or People A Kingdom so divided cannot stand in its most essential or integral parts by a continued War which could never be compos'd but in the utter destruction of one party The Union betwixt these two principal parts being broken there necessarily follow'd by degrees a dissolution and mouldering away of all the other parts so that at last there is not one stone left upon another no one piece of the old Building whole If there be any thing standing 't is not in its place nor upon its own Basis but upheld by force unduly and to serve another Power so miserably broken and sunk like a milstone cast into the sea so that none knows where her parts are or which way to re-unite them All things are set at such a distance and enmity in judgement principles and affections and things gone so far into Oathes and new Engagements so many new Ways and Forms set up one upon another and the old so confounded that they that have the power to do it cannot move one step rationally cowards a recovering the old frame The ancient Government being irrecoverably lost and the Kingdom divided into two Armies and the Kings Army subdued and wholly vanquished you will easily conclude in what a condition the Conquerors are which is this A General of a gallant conquering Army commanding all the Forces in three Kingdoms in excellent order and discipline soundly joynted and knit together in love and affection confirmed by long experience in great service with great success that could never be divided by policy nor shaken by force or difficulties a religious praying believing as well as a fighting Army having the royal stamp of such a constant success as made them famous and terrible to the world Within this Army lay the hearts and affections of all the Honest people of the Nation having plac'd all their Safety Liberty and Lives in it did heartily engage their Prayers Purses and Persons with them as their onely strength against their Enemies In this Army and the Honest people in it and with it was said all our Priviledges our Peace and Freedom together with the Honor of the Nation and all the good things that had been pray'd for spoken of and expected in Reformation and as secure as the Sword and Honest hearts could keep them preserv'd and safely lodg'd within the strength of an Host or Army encamping about them an Army being a Government as ancient as natural as honorable as rational and as just as any other kinde of
Government I may say more and for us at this time most vigorous united absolute and safe This Army with these People under their General having undoubted right to the Sword which none would or could question the Malignants felt the power and truth of it being overcome by it the Honest party have their Lives and Liberties secured by it there was the truest sence and reason of the Nation for their standing and the same sence and reason for convenient pay according to ways and methods accustom'd and beaten out for them This Army and People had an absolute Freedom with consent and in right judgement to do what they would and to dispose themselves into what state their reason should direct them For as the opposite Army had it prevail'd the King had been free to have settled himself upon what terms he and his party could have agreed upon and none could resist so this party for ought I know were as free to chuse their own way and ground to secure themselves and their Liberties according to the best justice and wisdom they have In this case what might a General door not do or what might be his work having such an opportunity so free none to oppose all laid level and flat before him His Forces mighty his Commission bright and clear his people and friends united to him full of vigor and life fresh as the morning though dappled with some spots of Division troubled with some mists of Fancies and some youthful extravagant Conceits But me thinks here was an excellent ground to stay a while upon and to spend some time in cherishing the life and power of Godliness in strengthning of Amity and Union in waiting upon and incouraging the growth of Light till it had dispers'd those morning mists which did darken the face of things in humbling our souls confessing our sins and unworthiness and in seeking a way of the Lord. If we had spent some time in searching the records of Scripture in reading and examining what was in the hearts of Gods hidden and holy ones in enquiring what God might speak in all the Saints or any one poor Saint here might we have dwelt in our tents and with much ease kept the peace and rejoyced together in our liberty and safety and taken a full time to consider and advise where we were what our rights were what might be the design of God in these great Revolutions and to what purpose God had brought forth his people into this outward condition distinct from other people and put such characters of grace upon them in heaping so many victories upon them in answer to their prayers and seeing he had bestow'd those favors upon them sever'd from others owning them rather than others to be his own people whether these distinguishing Mercies did not instruct us to reserve our selves in a distinct state wherein we might even in outward things walk according to Religion and Godliness and not mingle our selves again with the world in its profane courses and customs or to have staid here at least to know whether God had any more work for us to do or any further favor to bestow upon us And lastly not to stir from this ground till we were carried on and lead forth by the same Providence by the same light and general consent of honest hearts that carried us on in all our work and brought us hither And that truly had been but just and due to the Lord That he that had the guiding of us in our troubles and had delivered us by answering of us in calling upon his name together should have been attended upon in the same publick way and had the dispose of us and our deliverance in the same way of direction by his Word and Spirit in the hearts of his own people by which they were gotten But now when we had gotten our Freedom not to attend the moving of the same stream of Light and Providence of a united and general seeking the Lord in a free and open way but for the then General to step into a private way by a private spirit of a sudden it may be not willing to bear the burthen of so great a trust or to bear the censure of setting up himself in so absolute and arbitrary a Power c. or it may be a modest distrust of himself or a doubt of the spirits of his Army or whether it was a passion and offence taken against some opinions and ways of Honest people or an opinion of and inclination to the old English Government or an ignorance of and present mindlesness of his own standing and the foundation of his life and power I know not but evil there was in it I fear Let it be unadvised or ill advised I doubt 't was the counsel of some who had too great a power with him either some wile States man ignorant of the inward life and spirit of our work or I most suspect some Lawyers who wanted a great Name to begin their Writs and uphold their Forms of Law What ever was in it to change a Commission for an Instrument to blot out that Royal stamp set upon him by divine Providence and to assume another from private hands and to have the Coyn both adulterated and clipt his Power mingled with others of a baser sort much diminished 't was unadvised To extinguish an honorable and natural relation to a good People full of life and love to him ingaged together by suffering experience and mercies and to accept of a relation to the whole body of the Nation full of filth and rottenness unnatural to him yea hating and rejecting of him who to heal their Breaches and to recover their Losses are as the Horseleach that cries Give give and being as unsatisfied as the Grave or as the barren Womb that never sayes 'T is enough they rage and fret against him because he doth no more for them to Head such a Body was unadvised To leave a standing that was large and free where he might have breathed out his heart amongst his Brethren in righteous honest ways and walked upright in the full stature of what Light and Religion he had and to go into the noisom and filthy Forms of the world where his spirit is bowed down to old Laws and Customs that have been always acted by a spirit of cunning formality and falshood exceeding improper for a spirit of Simplicity Truth and Nakedness an outward pomp and state that us'd to be kept up and fill'd with flattery and deceit the maners of Egypt and where are Lice Frogs and Sores c. the plagues of Egypt and certainly uneasie for an honest heart this was unadvised And to change a Power that was his own inherent in himself form'd and begotten by Providence free and large in which he might have done all honorable and just things to change this for a borrow'd one and that from we know not who and this not onely limited and lessen'd
in name Jewish but now in their use Moral and Christian as subservient to mercy in relieving hundreds of poor families And these upheld not in opposition to light nor in a superstitious love to the things but because they yet know not nor do you instruct them how to take them away without great injury to many people that have no other livelihood in the earth Love is the royal law the fulfilling of the law it may and must rule all things yea both Law and Gospel too it makes that lawful which were otherwise unlawful and that unlawful if against love which were other wise lawful And therefore a man may be a Pharisee in contending against Tythes as well as in a rigid observance of them if he either omit or oppose the weightier matters of the law judgement and mercy such a spirit seems to carry you in this zeal to sacrifice Tythes and First-fruits without either judgement to shew how it may be done in justice and righteousness and without mercy in considering the poor Ministers that live onely upon them III. Thirdly The next branch of abominable and horrible Impieties is The exalting of Sons Servants Friends c. though some of them known to be wicked men to the highest places c. What Servants or Friends are preferr'd that are suspected to be wicked I know not being no Courtier but for Sons they stand higher and are obvious to most mens knowledge or observation I dare not say neither do I know that any of them are wicked they are yong men and may have weakness but wickedness is a malicious opposing of good and practising evil But would you consider the Protectors family as an object of greater Envy and subjected to more danger and malice than others are may they not deserve a little more favor than ordinary and what great matters have they The eldest son is a Justice of Peace in the Countrey the second son commands the Forces in Ireland wherein there may be some favor shew'd to him being an Imployment possibly beyond his years and experience I doubt this is the Offence and the rather because the fame goes he inclines to a differing party For his sons by marriage The Deputy of Ireland is a friend to the Subscribers and may help to ballance some kindness that goes another way For the Master of the Horse if he do but perform that part of a righteous man to regard the life of his beast you will not judge him a wicked man nor unworthy of his Preferment But if the Protector should be an indulgent father and erre in an excess of natural affection in preferring his children it may finde a better name than abominable and horrible impieties For Gideon and Nehemiah 'T is not said expresly that I know in Scripture what they did for their children but there was as a good man and as good a Governor Samuel who had but two sons and he made them Judges in Israel and yet very ill men that were covetous took bribes perverted judgement 1 Sam 8.3 and yet he was not thus upbraided IV. Fourthly The last particular of these horrible and abominable Impieties is so many Officers in the Army and both Officers and Soldiers to receive their pay in a time of peace c. What number of Officers what their Pay is and how they spend it I do not know being a stranger to all these things onely I would advise you of a mistake to call this a time of peace for though the Enemy be not in the field he is in the house The enemy is broken and scatter'd but you can't say he is not if he were not we are enemies one to another there is war in every mans heart tongue and would be in the hands if they were not bound by an Army There is nothing at all done in the Nation towards a civil or religious Peace or Accord nothing declar'd wherein we agree either in Church or State This very Paper of yours cannot but be interpreted War for so great a number of people a little Welsh Army to declare against the present Power to disswade the people from their obedience to endeavor to set up another and that upon fighting principles is undoubtedly War therefore if you would have the Army reduc'd study to be quiet and to follow your private occasions for these insurrecting practises to disturb the people and molest the present Government do necessitate and establish the sword amongst us and therefore we that do desire Peace and an Ease of our Burthens have cause to complain of the unquietness of your spirits and of all that go fretting and rayling about to raise up strife and War The seventh Testimony mentions the sad effects of the secret Design of Hispaniola c. I am not able to judge absolutely of the good or evil of this Work but this I know 't is not safe to judge by the Success especially at first for we our selves succeeded but ill in the beginning of these wars I fear you do but take advantage of our loss to express your enmity for if we are not mistaken in you you are for war with all the world and therefore can't be against the Design though you grieve for the Success and 't were well if you don't mis-call the Affection and say 't is Grief fox the Loss when 't is anger or enmity at the persons and then you do not grieve but rejoyce at the evil that befals your brethren What ever the nature of the Design be or what ever the Success may be this I have observ'd that this Quarrel with Spain and about the West-Indies hath been long in the hearts of many honest people and that the well-affected of England have had a greater antipathy to this proud cruel and most antichristian Nation the Spaniard than to any Nation in Europe Though the Design was laid in private yet the publick Declaration shews a true English and Protestant spirit rather to ingage in war than to submit to the Inquisition and the usurp'd Tyranny over the West-Indies I confess I much desire and love a General Agreement of Godly men in publick and great Affairs but if there be the spirit reason and justice of the good party I cannot but alow it though it want the vote and outward suffrage Your last Witness is various consisting of divers parts I confess I do not well understand all things in it First you testifie for your selves with what hearts you joyn'd with the Parliament and Army against the King and his Party that you had no other design save as they were enemies to our Lord Christ c. I know your spirits are at a very great distance and enmity against the King and his Party and therefore cannot think you intend to bespeak their good thoughts of you yet your declaring onely against the enmity not against Office or Person and your care of the general good of the Nation particular benefit and just liberty
gotten a step higher than your Brethren in notions are exercis'd with the thoughts of a future and more excellent state of things and busie your heads and mindes in pleasing speculations about Christs Kingdom First I fear this is a very imperfect if not a false view of the Kingdom of Christ because this Kingdom is within enjoy'd and possess'd before 't is seen or seen by its own light when we do enjoy it Secondly If it be a true sight or view that you have you do abuse that light First by applying the rule of God Christ to man by measuring the creature with the law of the Creator or requiring that of poor man which is the proper work of Christ himself Secondly You by this light or knowledge administer nothing of the thing it self which is Love Peace Righteousness but your own passion Wrath and Contention Thirdly You as the Pharisees sit in Moses chair get into the highest seat and places of Scripture of everlasting Righteousness and by that light binde heavy burthens upon others but touch them not with one of your fingers live not the least branch of that righteous and glorious Kingdom in your souls families or any of your conversations Fourthly if you had Power and so opportunity to shew how little you have of the Spirit of this righteous Kingdom you would be the most pitiful creatures that I know in the earth the most deceiv'd and so the most unhappy because deceiv'd in the greatest thing and in that which is your and our happiness You are now ending your witness We suppose you have spoken all the ill that you knew and all that you could rake up against them and he that will speak all the ill he can will speak more than is true Now you have done witnessing you proceed to judge You say We suspect and judge them to be great transgressers therein At last all mounts but to suspicion no evidence or demonstration and you suspect witness and judge your selves you might leave the judgement to another and suspect and judge 't is a judgement upon suspicion I would not quibble upon words if I did not think you did the tiling That all this that you have writ is but a suspicion and a rash judgement drawn up in private in your own dark and suspicious thoughts wherein you evidence nothing and therefore I do think you might have left out Witness and Testimony in your Paper And my Reasons are I. First A true spiritual witness convinces of sin now I think this will not convince them because it doth not me who am a stander by and ready to receive a Testimony against them Your Paper renders them to me rather better than worse and your selves rather worse than better I did really think your Spirits had been more pure and simple in opposing them than now they do appear II. Secondly A true witness convinces of righteousness as well as of sin I finde nothing here either of their righteousness or Christs righteousness brought forth to blot out or forgive their sin III Thirdly The two Witnesses spoken of in Scripture which you think are your patern are Olive-trees and empty the golden oyl out of themselves they pour forth light and healing love now I finde not any drop of this oyl here either to enlighten them to come to God out of their sins nor love or grate to heal or strengthen them but a bare dry accusation of sin and threatning of judgement IV. Fourthly Those Witnesses stand before the Lord of the whole earth and declare what they see in him which is undeniable truth but you testifie what you hear abroad and what is in the mouthes of the most profane people therefore I confess I would have you have higher thoughts of Saints-witnessing than to name such a Paper by it After some other particulars which I will not meddle with you do Disclaim all adherence to Owning of or Joyning with these Men in these ways You may separate from them in some particular ways but I think you are really one with them in their hearts and spirits There is the same Good in them that is in you and the same Evil in you that is in them One in Nature and Grace one in Cause and Quarrel one in Religion Liberty and Safety and therefore disclaim and utterly disclaim but brawling makes not a separation 'twixt brethren nor every scolding a divorce 'twixt husband and wife me thinks your Vnion appears in your Disclaiming of them For I. First If you were not one with them you would not be so much concern'd in their miscarriage not so much asham'd and grieved as you express for their evils 't is your feeling either the same or the like evils in your selves that doth wound and prick your hearts II. Secondly You likewise finde and feel the same Good in them that is in your selves under their sins and sufferings which troubles you if you did not you would retire privately and suffer them to sink and perish in their own ways III. Thirdly There is much jealousie in your mindes this jealousie arises from a secret union You are within sensible of some very good thing in the Protector to which you have a right and being jealous that his heart is not with you nor for your way you are inraged against him yea were you not sensible of a good spirit in him and that much allied to you I am perswaded you neither would nor durst be so bold with him as you are in your Paper For if you thought him of a right Royal stamp one that consulted onely how to maintain his Greatness by force and policy or that his Judgement were but as hard to you as some Presbyterians you would not thus provoke him but would rather study how to deserve and preserve your present Liberties by a quiet and sober use of them than to adventure the loss of them by offending of him You know the Sword is in a Brothers hands which are tyed up by love and conscience and that makes you so bold with him and his Power IV. Fourthly You here seem to disown and disclaim them Alas if your spirit were another from them you might retire without noise But you are by Interest and by the frame of your Spirits engaged to the same kinde of publick Work and therefore you may as men that are angry talk much more than you intend and in a heat tumble out your passions which differ much from your dispositions for I think you neither can nor will leave them nor the Work for this contest is not at all a division of Enemies but an offence of Brethren not in the main substance of your business but in some remote things which either more sight and experience or else the necessity of interest and safety will overcome Before you go you would have some good company with you and therefore you desire all the Lords people to withdraw from them If you have not a very good
company to follow you you will I hope be so good natur'd as to abide with them or stay for them till they come to your light for you are not so melancholick as cholerick nor have you so good a Cause Conscience in your present contests as to live alone with it But tell us whither you would have us to withdraw whether into our own souls to minde a more inward and spiritual work or into our families callings and congregations to attend the worship of God in a private way and to leave Government and outward National work to them that are ingaged in it But I fear you rather invite us into Wales to joyn with you there or to raise a party here in England to begin another War and if this be your minde I shall onely in telling you why the Lords people cannot joyn with you take my leave of you I. First We were urg'd and prick'd on to the former War by a necessity of a being for the spirit of the King and Bishops were such that we could not live with a Liberty of our Consciences under their Government Now having obtain'd this though it be with great expence of Blood and Treasure yea of many of our outward Rights and Liberties yet we had rather sit down quietly in this Freedom with safety than hazard this and all we have left us by a New War II. Secondly War is a violent and desperate medicine to be applied onely in case of necessity upon incurable Enemies whose spirits are set at such a distance from and enmity to the light of Godliness it self that they are beyond the reach of conviction such beasts are fit for the sword who never felt nor knew any power but outward force But for brethren that have been and are enlightned and become subject to the leadings of conscience though they be fallen into a temptation and snare the remedy for such is not carnal but spiritual and that is Light to be administred with patience and long-suffering to the conscience and that too so long as there is any spark of life or any sence at all of the fear of the Lord left in them being by it capable of reproof and instruction they should be attended upon with suteable means in love and mercy If all means of this kinde should prove ineffectual and that they should go on to sin wilfully after they have received the knowledge of the truth yet an outward Sword would be improper they being prepar'd and reserv'd for a greater punishment a certain fearful looking for of judgement and fiery indignation Heb. 10.26 27. But I believe you cannot think that our Governors are gone so far back into obstinate and wilful Wickedness for those things about which you differ are disputable things and remote from Godliness propounded and prosecuted with much carnal zeal and offensive weakness And therefore it cannot be interpreted Wilful Ignorance not to be convinc'd but Weakness And alas do not we see they are in a continual hurry tossed with dangers striving all they can for life which occasions passions that darken the minde Their spirits must needs be disturbed and distempered with a multitude of worldly perplexing Cares and therefore 't is no wonder they take in or give forth no more light or that their spirits and way is dark and misty From a State so sick as ours is so dangerously shaken cannot be expected any acts of cleer Judgment nor any progress in the work of Reformation And now while their Enemies are plotting Mischief and watching for Advantage and all they can do is little enough to preserve our Safety for us in this season to impose our own Opinions upon them and to withdraw from them and threaten them with Division and War for not following them is very unseasonable and unbrotherly and weakens their hands that should be strengthned for our Defence Thirdly We do see that in all reason a New War amongst our selves would open a way for the common Enemy to destroy both parties 't is well if all united can subsist against them But our Divisions are their great hope and the life of their Cause the onely thing that supports their spirits and hardens them in opposition You complain in your Paper That they are offended and that stumbling-blocks are laid in their way But its evident That nothing keeps them at such a distance from us and conviction as our differences amongst our selves which gives them hopes of recovering all and those hopes uphold pride and enmity Therefore to war upon our Brethren were to take their work out of their hands and to betray that remnant that is left us to the sword first then to their malice Fourthly We are indeed weary of War and do finde that it is at best but a sad carnal thing For though this War was undertaken with some Honesty and Simplicity against a Malignant and Oppressing Enemy yet we see no cause of glorying or boasting of it for we finde the Sword is a devouring thing it wastes Treasure impoverishes a Nation and loads it with Taxes We complain of Taxes 't is not the fault of Governors but the nature of the Sword is such it hath a great Mouth and must be fed or worse and to begin New War would multiply Taxes as we multiply Armies and Forces War devours our Priviledges Rights and Freedoms 't is Iron that breaks all into pieces 't is rough and hard and will tear down Councils Laws Governments Property and Freedom 'T is not the men that use it but the nature of the Sword and its ministry is to tread down all things before it and those that are exercis'd in it must either obey its commands and follow its rules or else the Sword it self will go from them or be taken from them and be imploy'd against them This the Sword hath done amongst us and they that draw it again will certainly waste what is left us of Right and Property and leave us quite destitute War wastes the peace and quiet of mens mindes and fills them with Fury For Every battel of the Warrior is with confused noise and garments rolled in blood Isa 9.5 Blood strangely stains the nature of man makes him bruitish uncivil unsubject to Law and Authority and fills the mindes of men with sounds and voices of Confusion and Division of Fire and of Wrath which makes men tumultuous proud cruel and imperious Men after a War are an unquiet Sea apt to be moved upon every discontent to War again And this Blood rouls and tumbles in your Fancies that you know not how to settle to a quiet life but long to be in action again Although there was a Righteousness and Justice in our late War against our Enemies yet it was not so pure a work but if we look back upon it we may see cause of Repentance both from the nature of the work and from the subject upon whom it was administred War when it is a Dispensation
from God yet it is a very low one 't is Sensual Earthly and Devilish if not in it self yet the corruptions of man mingling it self with it make it so which though it condemn not the Sword absolutely yet it may make the ministry unpleasing to a humane and Gospel-spirit The subject upon which 't was administred was mixt there was a Legal Right the King and Bishops had There was in some a Legal humane Honesty and Innocency with much Ingenuity natural Piety and Conscience which when we consider we cannot be without some relenting towards them and repenting of that Violence and Wrath wherewith we prosecuted them So that we are more ready to repent of War against Enemies than to begin one upon Friends Our spirits our light we hope rises higher into Meekness Love and Moderation so that though we condemn not former works yet there may be a more excellent way And if it were to do again considering all things we should be cooler than we were and not so hasty to War Therefore it would become us all to wash our souls in Sorrow and Repentance to wipe away the spots and defilements of War and the guilt of Blood of Violence and Wrath. It would be an excellent thing in our Governors to begin and Order a Vniversal Humiliation for the Evils of the late War To offer up publick Peace-offerings and to beg pardon of the Lord and peace in our spirits and consciences that he that creates Peace would be pleased to give it to us first within and then without This I think would be the onely foundation of Peace the onely way to soften our mindes to others and others to us and to cleanse us from inward rancor and from guilt which makes men wrathful contentious unquiet Fifthly While the Sword is necessary for our Defence as we yet conceive it is we think it in the best hands and best setled where it is Because it is by Providence dispos'd to them in the ordinary course of War the generality of them having carryed on the work from the begining therefore they have a Right to their Power and Command And we judge it wisely disposed by Providence into such hands who are large in their spirits to comprehend and to take into Imployment and Love all sorts of Honest men Whereby the Sword is more easie the work more secure and greater hopes of Peace Whereas if we should joyn with you to get the Sword into your hands the Sword will be the Sword still and in mens hands of narrower spirits which would make it more dangerous and more cruel So that we must deal plainly with you if we attempt a New War we shall but fight away that little of Money that little of Right and Freedom that little of Love and Peace that is left and fight our selves into new Troubles new Sins and new Defilements of our Brethrens Bloods which will be Blood of a deep dye and at last have no fruit but this To be in worse hands than we are who though they seem to have more Light yet we are sure have less Love and so most unfit to Command the Sword You have therefore no hope to draw us into your Design if it be war let us then perswade you to withdraw from it and from those that would seduce you into it 'T is my earnest request to you that you would wait at Ierusalem in a holy and humble serving of the Lord till you have power from on high and then if our Governors do not prevent you by bringing forth some better fruit you wil be able with wisdom and power to convince and restore them or to carry on the work of the Lord upon your selves and others in spirit and judgment And leave these men to the Lord who wil either lead them out of these present mists if they humbly and sincerely attend upon him or if they be unfaithful to him he to whom they have appeal'd and whose servants they are will judge righteous Judgment upon them Finis THE POST-SCRIPT YOur Postscript is very reproveable but not administring to me any material thing wherein I might really serve you I chuse rather to wave is than to trouble you and my self with it My intent and endeavor hath been not to wound but to heal your spirits and if I have lanc'd it hath been onely to let out that corruption which I know must needs be painful to you for 't is some of that corrupt matter within not the evils of others without that is the true reason of your great Trouble and Discontent