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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85281	The fifth monarchy, or Kingdom of Christ, in opposition to the beasts, asserted, by the Solemn League and Covenant, several learned divines, the late General and Army, (viz.) in their declaration at Muslebrough, August 1650. wherein the old cause is stated, appeals made, the Scottish blood spilt, and the banners yet in Westminster-Hall witnessing the great decision then given on Christs side. Also, by a letter from the officers of the Army in England, to their brethren in Ireland, the 11 of May, 1653. justifying on Christs accompt, the dissolution of the Parliament; and consonant thereunto, the Generals speech to those that succeeded in the government, the fourth of July following ...		1659 (1659)	Wing F890; Thomason E993_31; ESTC R207791	44,997	55

greater difficulties and to follow the LAMB more fully then ever We nave had a breathing time while our Brethren have been bringing forth the deliverance of IRELAND through sore pangs And now the Symptomes of travelling pain begin to take hold upon us and as that glorion birth hath been thus far brought forth in IRELAND through the Prayers of the Saints so we are encouraged to believe while we finde the spirit of Prayer crying earnestly for the accomplishment of CHRISTS designes thorow all these dark dispensations that the Close will be the bringing forth of Zions deliverance And to that end deat Friends we are hold in the Name of our Lord whom ye love to provoke you to fervent Prayer at this time for the clear manifestation of the presence of Christ with us in whatever service he shall call us unto We are now again alarm'd by him to come forth into the field but both our Work and the Issue is onely and wholly known to himself Pray for us that we may not ●ant that Pillar of five before us and the Cloud behind us and that we may be found faithful Servants waiting onely upon our Lords good pleasure and ler both you and us be instant in Prayer for the uniting of the hearts of all that fear the Lord in this and our Neighbour Nation of SCOTLAND that there may not be found any of the generation of the Just joyning Issue with those that support the Beast and oppose the advancement of the KINGDOM of our LORD JESUS CHRIST the King of Saints But that some special and signal discovery of the good Will of God to his people may now appear in separating the pretious from the vile both in their counsels and actions And it is most earnestly desired that ●ervent Supplication and Prayer be made for all such of us as shall be called to the management of Publick Affairs that the Lord would make his way plain before us That so in all our undertakings we may be subservient to the affairs of Jesus Christ and walk in love as becometh Saints towards all dissatisfied Brethren both in ENGLAND and SCOTLAND that our indeared affection to them as to the lot of Gods inheritance may appear in all our demeanors towards them and in theirs towards us That so the enemies of CHRIST may be disappointed and these Clouds of Division scattered to the abundant Glory and Praise of God and comfort of all his people Who knows but yet after the late too great Unchristian Differences between the Children of the same Father this may be the day wherein shall be begun the fulfilling of those glorious promises which God hath made to his people in the last days And I will give them one heart and one way Jer. 32.39 and That Ephraim shall not envie Judah and Judah shall not vex Ephraim Isa 11.12,13,14 And that we may be active and constant in the work of the Lord we farther provoke you to be earnest with him on the behalf of all the Saints and particularly for us that our hearts may be taken off from the poor low things of this world That we may not seek our selves nor great things for our selves but the glory and honour of JESUS CHRIST who hath so gratiousl● owned us and manifested his glorious presence with us through all the many temptations and tryals that we have been exercised under and the sore trouble our eyes have seen All which he hath done that he might humble us and that he might prove us to do us good in the latter end And for all these ends the Lord hath stirred up our hearts to set apart the Fifth day of the next week being the Thirtieth of this present Moneth May 30. 1650 as a solemn time to seek his Face in and about this work Wherein hoping you will joyn with us we defire that both you and we may be humbled before the Lord for all our former and latter evils that we have commi●ted notwithstanding the multitude of his tender mercies towards us It may be since we have been at ease we have contracted rust the Lord make us every one sensible of the plague of his own heart and grant that this may be a cleansing day that he would both reprove and enable us to turn at his reproof that so what employment soever the Lord calleth us unto we may go to it leaving our sins behind us And let us with all fervency of spirit pray that the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ would so pour out his Spirit upon us that thereby our hearts being purged from all filthiness of flesh and spirit our holy conversation may declare us to be the people of the Lord yea the Army of the LAMB who is King of kings and Lord of lords whose followers are called Chosen and saithful And since the Lord hath taught us that to hang down the head as a Bulrush for a day is not such a fast as he hath chosen we do further therefore lay it upon our own hearts and yours that if any either Officer or Souldier be guilty of any prosaneness to the scandal of the Gospel discovery thereof may be made and such course therein ●…ken as may be agreeable to the Gospel and Discipline of the Army Further that we use our utmost endeavours in our several places to reform those gross Enormities of Drunkenness Swearing open Prophanation of the Lords day and contempt of the Ordinances of Jesus Christ which are too much to be sound in the Army that so as much as in us lyeth we may purge out every accursed thing from amongst us Dear Brethren let us labour through the power of the Spirit of Christ to sanctifie our selves and the Camp for the LORD that is in the midst of us is a holy God let us not too much presume upon our former mercies but well consider what the Lord hath said to his own people that were as neerly related to him as we can be Josh 24.19 The Lord he is a holy and a jealous God he will not forgive your transgressions and your sins if you forsake the Lord and serve strange Gods then he will turn and consume you and do you hurt after that he hath done you good and again Josh 7.12 13. Read the words as also Isaiah 63.8,9,10 Read the words Oh let these Scriptures and others to the same purpose deeply ●ffect us that so whilst we are used as a Rod of iron in Christs hand to dash his enemies in pieces we our selves may serve him with fear and rej●yce with trembling All that now seem to be on Christ's side will not hold out unto the end Be we faithful unto death and Christ will give us a Crown of life Dear Friends we shall earnestly long to hear from you to the end we may know how the Lord is pleased to affect your hearts with these things and what impressions of his Spirit he shall through his Word set upon you after

The Fifth Monarchy OR KINGDOM OF CHRIST In opposition to the BEAST'S Asserted By the Solemn League and Covenant several learned Divines the late General and Army viz. in their Declaration at Muslebrough August 1650. wherein the Old Cause is Stated Appeals made the Scotish blood spilt and the Banners yet in Westminster-Hall witnessing the great decision then given on Christs side Also by a Letter from the Officers of the Army in England to their Brethren in Ireland the 11 of May 1653. justifying on Christs accompt the Dissolution of the Parliament and consonant thereunto the Generals Speech to those that succeeded in the Government the fourth of July following With a short Application and some brief Proposals grounded on Scripture in order to a lasting Settlement in this hour of distraction the Foundations being out of course Luk. 17.32 Remember Lots Wife Zach. 12.23 Behold I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all people and in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it LONDON Printed for Livewel Chapman 1659. PREFACE IT being manifest that very many formerly engaged in the work of God with their lives in their hands in much appearing zeal and self-denial have as their own expression is warped aside soon forgetting his works with their vows and promises in the day of distress and falling in love with this worlds glory the profitable pleasant things thereof have some of them in the last past years set themselves in opposition to such as plead for the prosecution of the Lords work and full following of him therein sometime loading them with reproaches of discontented giddy fanatick Munster-spirited people It may not be unseasonable when the least ground of hope is given that they are not wholly fallen under the Lords displeasure so as no more to be owned in his work in sincere and unfeigned love to present to their view if the Lord please to improve and bless it for their further recovery what was held forth formerly by the Parliament and Army and some who in those days were esteemed Seers consented unto also in solemn Engagements by the dispersed throughout the Land lovers of God his Ways and People in asserting The Cause then contended for unto blood and which still remains as an Obligation unto others to be pressing after Englands Engagement by all sorts in the Solemn League and Covenant WE Noble-men Barons Knights Gentlemen Citizens Burgesses Ministers of the Gospel and Commons of all sorts of the Kingdom of England Scotland and Ireland Having before our eyes the Glory of God and the Advancement of the Kingdom of JESUS CHRIST Each of us for himself with our hands lifted up-to the most high God do swear that we shall sincerely really and constantly through the grace of God in our several places and callings endeavour The Reformation of Religion in the Kingdoms of England and Ireland in Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government according to the Word of God and the Example of the best Reformed Churches and that we shall in like manner without respect of persons endeavour the extirpation of Popery Prelacy that is Church-Government by Archbishops Bishops their Chancellours and Commissaries Deans Deans and Chapters Archdeacons and all other Ecclesiastical Officers depending on that Hierarchy Superstition Heresy Schism and Profaneness and whatsoever shall be found contrary to sound Doctrine and the Power of Godliness lest we partake in other mens sins and thereby be in danger to receive of their plagues and that the Lord may be one and his Name one in the three Kingdoms c. And this Covenant we make in the presence of Almighty God the Searcher of all hearts with a true intention to perform the same as we shall answer at the great day when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed most humbly beseeching the Lord to strengthen us by his holy Spirit for this end and to bless our designs and proceedings with such success as may be deliverance and safety to his people and encouragement to other Christian Churches groaning under or in danger of the yoke of Antichristian Tyranny to joyn in the same or like Association or Covenant to the glory of God the enlargement of the KINGDOM OF JESUS CHRIST and the peace and tranquillity of Christian Kingdoms and Commonwealths And consonant hereunto the Army in their Declaration of Muslebrough tell the Scots We did many of us rejoyce at the Covenant because we found in it strains towards these ends viz. the destruction of Antichrist the advancement of the KINGDOM OF JESUS CHRIST the Deliverance and Reformation of his Church in the establishment of his ordinances amongst us according to his Word and the just civil Liberties of English men although some being more enlightned did apprehend it to be so mixt with worldly interest that they justly seared the INTEREST OF JESUS CHIST would be but onely pretended to and the interest of this world and of Antichrist himself carryed on in a vizard as we have since had abundance experience of And let us in the presence of the Lord further assure you that we have already examined our Conscience as before the Lord and have a clear assurance in our hearts that he will countenance us in this action and that we do not break any Covenant which we have sworn before God Angels and Men but would be content should we not thereby idolize the Covenant to march to any Engagement with you if called thereunto by the Lord with the Covenant on the tops of our Pikes and let the Lord judge who hath observed the ends of the Covenant best we or you In Mr. Burrough's Sermon before the House at the publick Thanksgiving Sept 7. 1641. for the peace concluded betwixt England and Scotland he hath this passage Page 44. God in this latter age is about to raise himself a glorious Name in the world to set up his King upon his holy Hill to make Jerusalem the praise of the whole earth This that hath been already done viz. by the Scots and Parliaments Conjunction against King and Bishops is a preparation for a fore-runner of and a furtherance to this great and glorious work of God and blessed are those men whom God shall please to make instrumental herein The greatest-blow that ever was given to the Antichristian Government is that which now it hath had Babylon is fallen is fallen so fallen as it shall never rise again in power We hear a noyse not onely from many waters but from the thunder saying Hallelujah the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth Rev. 19.6 The voyce from the many waters was from the people but that was despised contemned but the voyce from the thunder is from those in places of dignity and power and this voyce is terrible to the Adversary Mr. Thomas Goodwin in his Sermons many years since at Antholins

the Kingdom and Interest of Jesus Christ and Supporters of the Throne of the Beast been with all their Adherents by Sea and Land engaged with vanquisht and subdued broken like Potters vessels and the righteous judgments of God executed upon many of the heads of them as Traytors and Rebels Was King and Kingship as standing in opposition to the Kingdom of Christ being as was said one of the ten horns of the Beast Rev. 17. taken away Was the Parliamentary Authority defaced garbled purged and at last utterly broke as Obstructers hereof and that by the Army at their desire and to the great joy of most of the godly in the Land as having lost the Spirit of the Cause and so far degenerated into a selfish and persecuting Spirit that there appeared an enmity thereto And lastly was there another people called eminently by the Lord to own assert and carry on this cause and interest of Christs Kingly Authority to whom all due subjection was promised for Christs sake as to an Authority God had set over them to such an end 1 Quest Whether it will not necessarily follow that either the Parliament Army Ministers and others that have thus stated asserted engaged in such a cause as Gods and Christs and founding it upon the Word of God to the shaking and breaking all visible Rule and Government which for so many hundred years hath in Church and State been over us in these Nations have either been grosly deluded and so become guilty of all the blood that hath been spilt in this quarrel and consequently a company of Munster-spirited Tyrants Traytors and Murderers as it hath been reflected upon them and so ought to repent in dust and ashes and to endeavour all due satisfaction possible to Cavaleers Scots Prelates and Presbyters or if stated upon sound principles of Truth and Righteousness which the Lord hath eminently owned and led to step by step and that all this shaking overturning that hath been made in Church and State in order to the pulling down of Babylon and exalting the Kingdom of his Son is warranted and justified by the holy Scripture then doubtless ought this Cause to be owned adhered unto and prest after with all zeal and fidelity and they are to be esteemed Apostates Revolters and Backsliders that shall decline or turn aside herefrom 2 Quest Whether the Army who in so much seeming light and love to God bringing this glorious cause into the hands of his people having broken down the National constitution with a declared subjection to them for Christs sake are not guilty of most dreadful Apostacy and Rebellion against him his Crown and Dignity First in breaking that Assembly so by the Lord in that eminent manner called together whilst in the faithful prosecution of the said cause Secondly in setting up their Apostate General and afterwards his Son even in contradiction to all the Lords wondersul works amongst us as heads of Church and State and to whom were made all those blasphemous dreadsul Addresses Oaths and Engagements to the licking up their vomit again owning and establishing all the Pride Tyranny and Idolatry under new names and pretences that had been so contemptuously cast down amongst us viz. Kingship Peerage and Prelacy under the terms of Protector an Other House and Tryers who being set up and an assay made to confirm all by Parliament their Counsel being confounded so that they could not bring about their Enterprises as a further fruit of backsliding the Army have sought out another invention to withstand the true heir the Lord Jesus and kept him from his right by calling together such as formerly were by them dissolved for want of spirit and being in opposition to the Lords work and that it was so in truth have not very many of them given sufficient evidence by being Principals in the late Apostacy and the generality such as stuck not to lift up their hands to the most High that they would be true and faithful to the now deposed Usurper And those few of renown amongst them whose integrity was tryed it 's to be feared in the conclusion may serve for little more then to give countenance to what further their deceived hearts are lusting after of which some proof is already given in their votes for continuing the oppression in paying Tythes keeping from sale Hampton Court and White hall but more especially their Act of Indempnity sufficiently justifying the wicked and consequently condemning the righteous 3 Quest Whether they who have owned the Lord in all his dispensations in the midst of all these oppositions and declension of others ought not to be esteemed the well-affected to the Cause of God his people and this Nation rather then slanderously reported Munster-spirited and fanatick Obj. What would these people have The Cavaleeres old and new with the Commonwealths-men have somewhat to offer but these neither know what they say or whereof they affirm Answ Were it granted they were so weak as not to be able to hold forth some well-composed Model of Government being still it may be better at pulling down as is said page 24. line 10. then building up and establishing works is this a good Argument to slight any rational dissatisfaction to what is now set up If Episcopacy had never been taken away until some well ordered Church Government had been offered to succeed it by the Puritans who were then esteemed as ignoraut giddy and fanatique because they did not would it not have remained to this day But for further satisfaction there are four things in the Assirmative wherein there seems to be a general agreement amongst this people tending much to settlement upon a righteous Foundation 1. In reference to their Soveraign That the Lord Jesus Christ in whose Name and by whose blessing and strength the mighty works have been effected amongst us against Tyranny in the Civil and Antichristianism in the Ecclesiastick State may be publickly owned Our only Lord and King from whom as the head all Power Rule and Authority in Church and State is to be derived in opposition to every other Title without which alteration since the Foundations are out of course it will be utterly impossible there should be any subsistence for that the Image-Government or fourth Beasts constitution must as certainly be overturned and broken to give way to this Fifth Kingdom as the other were broken to give way to the fourth Dan. 2. 1 Tim. 6.15 He is the blessed and onely Potentate King of kings and Lord of lords John 5.27 And hath given him Authority to execute judgment also because he is the Son of man Isaiah 9.6 The Government shall be upon his shoulders Obj. How can Christ be said to be our King is he not in heaven Answ God was Israels King of old though heaven was his habitation 1 Chron. 29.23 Solomon sate on the Throne of the Lord 1 Chron. 29.23 2 Chron. 9.8 When Israel would imitate other Nations in making them a King they

withal that he is so neer the enjoyment of his Kingdom Page 44. Jesus Christ wins ground of us every day and works us up age after age to a further Reformation to more light and holiness and so he will do till he hath perfectly overcome every Popish Principle out of them Page 57. I am confident of it that Christ that King of Saints that is in heaven he will not rest till such time as he hath made us one if not injudgment yet in forbearance and that if we will not take warning and will not agree it that either Antichrist or Jesus Christ himself will come in upon us and we shall be made to do it one way or other Page 58. I will make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it And you that are the Governours of Judah shall be as a hearth of fire amongst the wood and a torch of fire in a sheaf all that oppose you and rise up against you shall be but as so many straws Take a sack of Straw great for Bulk and lay it upon a few coales of fire upon a hearth and what will become of them all though they cover the fire a while yet they will soon be consumed and burnt up Page 42 43. The Saints have vouchsafed them by God a priviledge in ruling and governing this world and the Providences of God therein they are Privy-Counsellours to the great King of kings who governs all the States Kingdoms of this world And God doth give the Saints a Commission to set up and pull down by their prayers and intercessions The old Testament speaks in a high language Esa 45.11 Concerning the work of my hands command you me Who speaks this the words before are Thus saith the holy One of Israel c. it would have been blasphemy for us to have said it Then he goes on bringing in the Lord speaking thus Behold I that am thus your Maker give you leave to dispose by your prayers the great works of my hands which concern my children my sons the affairs of Kingdoms even so far as they relate to their good and saith upon this occasion he raised up Cyrus and pulled down the Babylonian Monarchy because they by their prayers had sought this Further Dr. Owen in his Sermon Heb. 12.27 Page 14. All the present States of the world are cemented together by Antichristian lime and unless they be so shaken as to have every cranny searcht and brusht there will be no quiet habitations for Lord Christ and his people Page 25 The Heavens and the Earth of the Nations in their present constitution are directly formed to the interest of Antichrist which by notable advantages at their first moulding and continued insinuation ever since hath so riveted it self into the very Fundamentals of them that no digging or myning without an Earthquake will cast up the Foundation stones thereof Page 35. Is it not evident to him that hath but half an eye that the whole present constitution of the Governments of the Nations is so cemented with Antichristian Morter from the very top to the bottom that without a thorough shaking they cannot be cleansed And a little after This onely is certain it the said shaking shall not stop nor receive its period before the interest of Antichristianity be wholly separated from the power of these Nations And further saith that no Atonement shall be made for the blood of the Saints slain under the notion of Hereticks nor expiation be allowed whilst a toe of the Image or bone of the Beast is left unbroken And again that which doth and shall stick upon Potentates to their ruine is not so much their own or any other interest as the very dregs of this Papal Antichristian interest thrust into their Oaths and Obligations for no other end in the world but to keep the Lord Jesus out of his Throne In the Book that gives an account of New Englands settlement and some Laws for Government publisht for the use of that Colony printed London 56. Though they humbly acknowledge that the supreme power of making Laws and of repealing of them belongs to God onely and that by him this power is given to Jesus Christ as Mediator Mat. 28.19 John 5.22 and that the Laws for holiness and righteousness are already made given us in the Scriptures which in matters moral or of moral equity may not be altered by humane power or authority Moses onely shewed Israel the Laws and Statutes of God and the Sanhedrim the highest Court amongst the Jews must attend those Laws Yet Civil Courts and Rulers are the Ministers of God for the good of the people and have power to declare publish and establish the Laws he hath made In Fox's Martyrol 1 Volume p. 139. is recorded an Epistle of Eleutherius Bishop of Rome sent to K. Lucius the first Christian K in England 169. You require of us the Roman Laws and the Emperours to be sent over to you that you may practise the same and put them in ure within your Realm The Roman Laws and Emperours we may reprove but the Law of God we may not ye have received of late through Gods mercy in the Realm of Brittany the Law and faith of Christ you have with you within the Realm both the parts of the Scriptures out of them by Gods grace with the Counsel of your Realm take ye a Law and by that Law through Gods sufferance rule your kingdom according to the saying of the Psalmist O God give thy judgments to the King and thy justice to the Kings son he said not The judgment and 〈…〉 The Letter of the General Council of the Army to their Brethren in their several Quarters and Garisons upon their march into Scotland 1650. Dear Christian Friends AS it hath pleased our heavenly Father to call both you and us in these latter days to wait upon him in his great and terrible works so the glory of his appearances hath been exceeding great in those Services And we trust the record of his Love is kept with delight in your heart as we desire it may be upon our own for ever And surely the true use of those precious Experiments wherewith he hath enriched us in this work is to strengthen our Faith and quicken our hearts to a more cheerful attendance on Christ in what further Service he shall appoint us To what End cends that wonderful return of the Pr●…ers of his people in those continued and swift Successes God hath afforded our Brethren in IRELAND but to quicken us to a lively improvement of our interest in Christ by taking those pledges of his Love as means to raise our hearts to expect much more And what can be expected less from us after all such full meals of Mercies but to be strengthened to Conflect with

displeasure VVe desire it may be known to you our Brethren of Scotland that we are not Souldiers of Fortune we are not meerly the servants of men we have not onely proclaimed Jesus Christ the King of Saints to be our King by Profession but desire to submit to him upon his own terms and to admit him to the exercise of his Royal Authority in our hearts and to follow him whithersoever he goeth he having of his own good will entred into a Covenant of Grace with his poor Saints and be assured it is he that leadeth us into Scotland as he hath done in England and Ireland And therefore we do in the spirit of brotherly love and of the fear of the Lord beseech you to look about you for our Lord Jesus is coming amongst you as a refiners fire and as Fullers sope and blessed are those in whom the least dram of sincerity shall be found VVe have a Paper directed to us from the people of Scotland it having been publickly made known to us at the head of our Regiments wherein we are first desired to consider the lawfulness of our marching into Scotland We bless God we did that before we came and are abundantly satisfied that we are brought hither by the Lord nay many of us lying under temptations of flesh and blood and going about to frame excuses to take us from this march found that to have staid behind had been to have turned our backs upon Jesus Christ and to have deprived our selves of much sweet communion with God that now through his goodness we do enjoy VVe have also considered the Arguments by which you go about to weaken the grounds of the Parliaments and our Superiour Officers leading us into Scotland and must needs give you this Return That we are still abundantly established in this belief that what the Parliament of England hath done in sending us into Scotland hath been of absolute necessity to preserve themselves from being destroyed in their Religion and Liberties which they have been at so much cost both of Blood and Treasure to purchase and preserve and therefore by the way we must needs tell you that we cannot endure to hear them called A pretended Parliament which we desire you to take notice of that if you write to us again you would speak more reverently of the Authority of our Nation or else we shall easily think you will upon every occasion be ready to invade England that you may set up an Authority which you may call lawful And let us as in the prefence of the Lord further assure you That we have already examined our consciences as before the Lord have a clear assurance in our hearts That he will countenance us in this action and that we do not break any Covenant which we have sworn before God Angels and Men but could be contented should we not thereby idolize the Covenant to march to any Engagement with you if called thereunto by the Lord with the Covenant on the tops of our Pikes and let the Lord judge who hath observed the Ends of the Covenant best you or we Yet we do acknowledge we have not been the exact Performers though not the wilful breakers thereof our consciences also bear us record we do above any thing in the world desire the Union of the two Nations and it is our prayer dayly That those that fear the Lord in England and Scotland may become one in the hand of the Lord and joyn together in the advancement of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ and throwing down and trampling upon the Seat of the Beast VVhy should not Scotland as well as England rejoyce to see the horns of the Beast cut off that we may joyn together to hate the VVhore and to burn her flesh with fire The Lord is our witness whom we fear we come not to oppress you or shed your blood we have cryed to the Lord again and again to prevent it we have sent you our Declaration of Love to the People of God in Scotland which some amongst you though they pretended to answer yet do most injuriously and unchristianly keep from their sight nay most falsly mis-representing us as a people come with intentions to destroy the poor inhabitants and that we are left of our God to be destroyed but we have made our prayer to the Lord and made known before him their sayings who have told the people of Scotland that God hath forsaken us and therefore bid them persecute and take us for now the Sectaries day is come c. But the Lord is still with us he is our Refuge and a present help in trouble ready to be found we do believe the cry of the oppressed in Scotland will be heard and wo to those that are the Cause thereof Our Quarrel is still against Malignants the Root whereof is now through the evil policy of some Statesmen become the head of Scotland VVe dare not quarrel with those whose hearts are upright with Jesus Christ and faithful and loving to England but with those who are most treacherous and false to both and therefore we daie not any of us though tempted thereto by your papers be so carnally wise as to desert the Cause and VVork of Jesus Christ in which we have hitherto been so long and so miraculously carried on Do you think we are men so weakly principled as to be perswaded without the least strength of Argument to desert the interest of out own Nation and expose thousands of the precious Saints of Jesus Christ to be trampled upon as the dirt in the streets when the Lord is about to put on their beautiful garments and to make them a praise in the earth Or can we think you betray our superiour Officers in whom we see so much of the sweet Spirit of Jesus Christ into your hands whose mouths are opened wide to devour them VVe pray you not to wait for such a thing The Lord hath brought us hither by his Providence and upon him we shall with confidence depend till we see a glorious Issue which we humbly and heartily desire may be without the effusion of any more blood and if it be the Will of God both speedy and comfortable to you and us that we may return with joy into England and leave Scotland rejoycing that an English Army hath been amongst them which possibly may be the sooner effected were you and we suffered to confer and open our hearts one to another we do believe much of the bitterness of spirit would be allayed in our Brethren of Scotland did they know how exceedingly we are slandered by the pens and tongues of many of your Kirk-men concerning our Religion and faith towards God which though we may not vainly boast of yet according to the Apostles direction we are ready to give an answer to the meanest Christian in Scotland that shall ask a reason of the faith and hope that is in us with meekness and fear And