Good Advice TO ALL THE FREEHOLDERS' AND Corporations of ENGLAND, CONCERNING THE Choice of their REPRESENTATIVES, To Serve in the Ensuing PARLIAMENT.  
SINCE it hath pleased Almighty God in his Alwise Providence to make this our present King the Glorious Instrument of delivering this Nation from Popery and Arbitrary Power; and since His Majesty hath been pleased by his Gracious Proclamation to declare, That for divers Important and Weighty Considerations, by and with the Advice of his Privy-Council, he hath-Dissolved the present Parliament; and yet that his Good Subjects may perceive the Confidence He hath in their good Affections, and how desirous He is to meet his People, and have their Advice in Parliament; He hath thereby made known to his said Subjects, that he hath given Directions to the Lords Commissioners of the Great Seal, for the Issuing out of Writs in due Form of Law for the Calling of New Parliament, to begin and be holden on the 20th. day of March next: It will highly concern us all, as to our present Interest, and therein the future happiness of our Posterity, to act at this time with all the Wisdom, Courage, and Integrity we can.  
Our Work is Great very Great, before us; Our Care and Prudence therefore should be proportionable: We ought by no means to trifle in such an Important Affair as this. If we miscarry now, it will be our own Fault, and we shall have none to blame but ourselves.  
The King hath given us an Opportunity now to show ourselves his Friends, by choosing such Men as will be Friends to Him, and the true Interest of our Country; He hath put it into our Own hands to make ourselves as happy as we can wish to be, if we will but be wise in the Choice of our Representatives, and take care to send up such Members to serve in this Parliament as we can assure ourselves are,  
1st. Good English Men.  
2d. Well-affected to the present Government.  
3d. And of Ability and Courage faithfully to discharge that Great Trust which is to be reposed in them.  
I shall not trouble you with things of a nice Consideration, but such as are easy and obvious to every Man's notice; my design is Brevity, but yet I will not be obscure.  
Consider what a powerful Influence a Parliament hath upon the Settlement or Ruin of the Nation, and that both in our Religious, and in our Civilconcerns.  
Consider how that in all Ages there have been Ill Men; and you have very good Reason to be sure that We are not without them now, who being conscious to themselves of the Ill things they have formely done, will endeavour by all the Ways and Artifices they can, to thrust themselves into the House, thereby, if possible, to cover themselves from the Public Justice, which the Nation requires, and which is One proper Business and Duty of the Parliament to inflict upon them, 
Prince of Oringe's Declaratior.  for all their open Violations of Law, and for their Plots and Conspiracies against the Protestant Religion, and the Lives and Liberties, the Honours and Estures of the Subject.  
I do not speak this out of a Rancorous or Revengeful Spirit, for my Nature is not so inclined; and, I thank God likewise, that I have received better Principles from my Education; but (as Every Man is concerned, Every man may be allowed to speak his own Judgement, and to differ from whom he pleases, provided he do it with Modesty and due Respect;) I speak it by way of Caution, to prevent Any of those from becoming now our Lawmakers, who have been so notoriously known in the Two last Reigns for Law-breakers; I would not by any means (if I could help it) have Legicides to be turned into Legislators.  
But that I may more immediately apply myself to the present Undertaking, give me leave, (with all imaginable Deference to better Judgements,) to present You with my Opinion of what sort of Men You ought to choose for your Representatives, 
Princes Declarat.  if you design in earnest to promote the Peace, Honour and Safety of the Nation, so that there may be no more danger of the Nation's falling at any time hereafter under Arbitrary Government.  
If a considerable Person in our Church could think fit to bestow the following Compliment upon the late Unfortunate and Abdicated King, I hope I may be permitted to bestow it with more truth on our present Sovereign, who hath showed himself so Brave and so Great in delivering an Ungrateful Nation, that the Character he hath thereby acquired in the World, will perpetuate his Memory to all Generations.  
Now we live (says he) under the Government of a King, who discovers a Great and Princely Mind in all his Actions, 
Dr. Sterl. Serm. before H. of Commons. 29. May 85. p. 28.  and this secures us of as much happiness as we can expect under any Government. But it is not merely the wise Conduct of a Prince, but the Governable Temper of Subjects too, which is necessary to make a Nation Happy: No Government, neither of God nor Men, can make those happy who will not be governed.  
But let such consider, and duly reflect upon the Powerful Argument St. Paul urges to persuade us to Subjection and Obedience, viz. Rom. 13. There is no Power but of God: The Powers that be, are Ordained of God. And certainly, says the same Person in another Treatise, he is no Christian who disputes Obedience to the Divine Ordinance and Constitution.  
Again, 
11 Hen. 7. c. 1.  let such consider, that in Hen. 7. time all Subjects were bound by Act of Parliament to yield to the King for the time being, Faithful Service. and true Allegiance against every Power and Might reared against him; and that through the whole Body of the Act that King is called, The Sovereign Lord of the Land, their Sovereign Lord; and that this Statute has continued unrepealed about 200 years, and has been so long approved by the whole nation and judged well consistent with the Duty of Allegiance owing to their Lawful Sovereign for the time being; and therefore I hope we shall all gladly submit to the Rule of His Sceptre, who hath appeared as the Champion of Almighty God for the Rescue of these Kingdoms from the Deplorable Condition to which the Affairs both of Church and State were reduced, and who hath met with such a successful Providence therein, and is now in the quiet and peaceable possession of the Throne.  
Let such, lastly, consider with themselves the danger of their Obstinacy and Refractoriness in disowning the Lawfulness of this present Government, or the Rightful Title of their Sacred Majesties, (I hope this will concern but a few) but let them consider, that such a denying of the King de factoes Title to the Crown, and saying that such a one was not Rightful King, with Motives, 
Rusn worths Collection.  though not impliedly of Action against it, hath been adjudged Treason; Ay, and a compassing of the King's Death too; and how it was so, we find declared in the Reasons of the Judgement, that such words were spoken with an intent to withdraw the Affections of the People from the King, and to excite them against him, that in the end they might rise up against him in mortem & Destructionem of the King. Several Cases hereof might be produced to show that in all of them, the Treason was for words only, words by private persons, and in a more private manner, but once spoken, and no more: But I forbear: I would rather heal, than exasperated.  
Only this Note I would leave to the Consideration of such as have thought it unlawful to take the New Oaths; that through the whole Series of our Kings it hath often happened, that Ground sufficient hath been given to question the Right of their Succession; and in the Cases of Edward the 2d, and Richard the 2d, the lawfuiness of their Deposition; and yet no scruple ever was made of taking an Oath of Allegiance to the King, who had possession of the Government: Nor do I remember, that ever the Bishop of Carlisle refused the Oath of Allegiance.  
But I come now to tell you who I think are the Men that would be fit for you to fix your thoughts upon for Members to serve you in this approaching Parliament, and whom you may have very great Reason to reject; and therefore I desire you seriously to weigh these following Particulars:  
1. If you have any regard to God's Providence in giving you so great and miraculous Deliverance, when (as a late Author has truly observed) you saw yourselves upon the brink of Ruin, your Rights and Liberties Invaded, 
Last Y are Transactions Vindicated, pag. 3.  your Religion within an Ace of being overturned, your Laws and Constitution renversed, the whole Scheme of your Ancient Government unhinged, and to complete your Misery, you saw ne probable way of Escape; I say, if you have any regard to this stupendious mercy of Divine Providence, take especial care that you choose such as you know have full Zeal and Affection for him, who under God hath been the Glorious Instrument of your Deliverance; such, who will to the utmost of their Abilities be ready to express their Gratitude to his Majesty for so Great and Generous an Vdertaking, which was no less necessary for the Support of the Protestant Interest in Europe, than for the recovering and maintaining the Civil Rights and Liberties of these Nations, 
Lords and Commons Address to the King. 5. Mar. 89.  so notoriously invaded and undermined; and who will unanimously declare, that they will stand by and assist their Majesties with their Lives and Fortunes in supporting their Alliances abroad, and in defence of the Protestant Religion, and Laws of the Kingdom.  
Such as there will bring their own Recommendations with them; they will come full fraught with Affections for the Public Good, and will not carry on a Separate Interest between the King and People, for they know that the Good of One is the Good of Both; so that the King will think Himself safe in their Councils, they will be highly honoured in his Confidence in them; and nothing can lay so sure a Foundation of a Good Agreement between the King and his People in Parliament, 
King's Answer to the Address.  as such a MUTUAL TRUST.  
The Constitution of this Kingdom is the most happy that Humane Prudence can invent; the Ancient Government is as Temperate as the Climate we live in; therefore from the sense of the Miserable Desolations which have of late been made upon almost every thing we accounted dear and valuable to us, we have all the Motives, and are under all the Obligations that can be, to secure now and advance the Interest of this most Excellent Constitution.  
And who can you think more capable of procuring this Happiness to the Nation, than such who have a just and due sense of this Wonderful Deliverance, and a becoming Zeal and Affection for the only Person under Heaven that could, and hath, through the Divine Benignity, wrought this Salvation for us?  
He came by his Power to defend Us from our Enemies, and by his Justice to give Us the Full Enjoyment of our Lates and Liberties, 
〈◊〉 The 〈◊〉 k●●●'s Speech, 12. 〈◊〉 1689.  and (which is the Inestimable Blessing of all) by his continual care to maintain the Protestant Religion to us.  
These will come with Hearts full charged with Gratitude to him; with sixed Resolutions to give Him all the Assistances his necessary Engagements may require; and with Consciences faithful to the Interests of those Counties, Cities and Boroughs for which they serve; and strict in the due performance of all their Obligations.  
Thus will there be a Blessed harmony between the Head and the Members: These will with great Wisdom consult how to restore that Happiness which you have been so long deprived of; and we are assured that the King will concur in every thing that may procure the Peace and Happiness of the Nation, which so free and lawful a Parliament shall determine. 
Prince's Declaration.   
Hereby you will be put into so good a Settlement, as will mightily conduce to the Disappointment of our Enemies both abroad and at home. But if any of you should be prevailed with upon any pretence whatsoever, to make choice of other persons, you must not think it strange, if it should be looked upon as a manifest Testimony of your Disaffection to their present Majesties.  
2dly, That you may the more expect the Blessing of God to attend your Choice, see that you pitch upon Men of Religious Principles, I mean of the Church of England as by Law Established; You need not doubt but those will act well for your Interest, that have the true fear of God and a due sense of Religion in their Minds; They are the Men that dare not be Distoyal, (as the word truly signifies) to the King, nor the Government. These are they that will show most Zeal to maintain the pure Religion of the Church of England. The Montrchy and the Church will be secure in them. These having a true sense of the Goodness of Almighty God to themselves in settling such a happy Constitution here, as is mot agreeable to their own Consciences, will not be without a due sense of the Right of all Mankind to the Liberty of their Consciences, and therefore will allow other Men the same freedom, whose Principles are not destructive to the Peace of the Government.  
Says a Great and Reverend Prelate that now is. some nine years since, in a Sermon he Preached before the Aldermen of London, Some have thought they could not be esteemed Loyal, if they appeared Devout; 
Dr. Burns 30. Jan. 81. pag. 10  and therefore to purchase the one Character, were willing not only to throw off, but openly to reproach the other all they could. What ill effects this hath had, how the Nation has been much corrupted by these Maxims, and God highly offended, is so obvious to every Man's Observation, that I need dwell no longer on it.  
Set not therefore your Choice on any that are Dissolute and Profane; you can have no solid ground, to believe that such are like to do you good, let their loud pretences be what they will of being True to the King and the Church, and let them damn as they please all others that are not as Irreligious and Profligate as themselves, for Rogues and Rascals of Commonwealth Principles; 'tis no matter what they bawl, I'm sure they are not to be trusted in this Government.  

* Dr. F●m●e●'● Serm. before the Judges at Gl●uc. Assize 7 Aug. 1681. 1.29, Ibid.  There have been, God knows, (says a very Eminent Divine of our Church) too too many Debauchees in the Nation, who would be thought Great Champions for the King and the Church that have done infinite prejudice to both by the mad and Frantic Expressions of their Zeal; who have done mighty Honour to Fanaticism, by charging all with it that have not run with them to the same Excess of Riot.  
One would think that these, whatsoever they pretended, did really design nothing more than to make both the King and the Church as Friendless as they were able. 
Ibid.   
I wonder in my heart (says he) what should make any debauched person pretend the least Zeal for the Church of England, that heretofore would never allow themselves (they were such hotspurs) the leisure to think a wise, or sedate thought.  
But a deep sense of true Religion fixeth men to certain Principles, which any Government or People may safely rely on The Thrones of Princes are established by Righteousness, and the People will think themselves as happy in a cheerful Submission to their Government, as they are in its Fundamental Constitution and laws.  
3ly. In the next place it is my Opinion, that you should fix your Eyes upon such men as you verily believe will labour most to unite the Affections of the People, for herein doth the strength of the Government consist, together with Religion, and a well-directed Conscience.  
A Mutual Trust and Confidence is a great strength in time of Common danger. When we are distracted in Affections, we shall be distracted in Reason and Council, and when we are so, then is the time for our Enemies to 
* Letter to a Bishop, 〈◊〉 15.  have their ends of us.  
Pick out therefore such Persons to be your Representatives, that are of Large and Catholic Principles; that will be kind to all Men, pitiful and courteous, and that will love their Neighbours as Themselves. 
Dr. Ti●●●●●●'s Sermon. 〈◊〉 15.  This is that which is the most real and substantial, the most large and expensive, the most useful and beneficial, the most humane, and the most divine Quality of which we are capable, as a very Learned and Reverend Divine hath admirably observed.  
Such will tolerate the Tolerable, bear with the Weak, encourage the Conscientious and restrain none but those who will do whatsoever they can to restrain all besides themselves.  
This would be a Door opened for all Protestants to enter into a mutual good understanding one with another, and to concur together in the preserving of their Religion, so that it would not be possible for the Papists hereafter to compass any of their wicked Ends against them.  
4thly. Next to these, let me advise you to make choice of such as be Men of Temper and Moderation. We are all sure, that the Enemies of Moderation have been the Enemies of our Government and Peace, which is built upon it, and kept together by it.  
A Moderation of Elements and Humours makes the best Constitution of Body's; Moderation of Passions gives the best Temper of Soul, keeping the Midst between Excess and Defect.  
Consider, The Moderate Man stands in no Man's way that climbs for Preferment, envies no Man in it, justles no Man out of it; he modestly refuseth what others ambitiously seek, and soberly useth what others abuse: Ambition makes him neither Head of a Faction, nor Emulation to follow a Party.  
Bestow your Votes on such as I now persuade you to; for they are the most likely to remove all the Unhappy Causes of Discord and Division from among us, and are the fittest Men in the World to set things right that are amiss, and to keep things right that are so; and by their calm and sober Councils to settle these Kingdoms upon the sure and lasting Foundations of Peace and Happiness to this and future Generations.  
5thly, Choose Men of Plentiful Substance and Estate; the greater Stake they have in the Hedge of their own, the more careful they will be to preserve yours: Whereas Indigent Persons, that possibly may be recommended to you by those who are your Secret Enemies, will lie under a Powerful Temptation of Sacrificing You and the Nation, to gain their own private Ends upon both.  
But when, I say, you ought to choose the Rich and the Wealthy, my meaning is not, that any one who is so, is a proper Object of your Choice; but, where you can, that you should fix upon Persons of Credit and Reputation in the places of their Birth, or long Habitation, and where their Fortune's lie: For you must needs think that These whom you know, (where they are to be found) will be more tender of the Common good and welfare of their Friends, Relations and Neighbours, than Strangers creeping in at the back Doors of vast Expense and Purchase to gratify their own Ambition.  
Those that show themselves so profusely liberal in treating your Corporations, you have great reason to suspect of having some sinister Ends and Designs upon you. For is it likely that They who buy your Votes so dearly, will not endeavour to sell your Liberties with interest to themselves?  
Such sort of Ambitus, by the Calpurnian Law among the Romans was punished by heavy Fine on the Canvasser; besides that, he was afterwards rendered uncapable of being Elected into a Senator's place. And the same Law was also after that ratified by the Senate in the Consulship of Tullius and Antonius. And by the Tullian Law the Commonaly themselves offending in that point, were also most severely punished, beside that, the Canvassers were to suffer Ten years' Exilement.  
But if Needy Corporations will sell their Rights, and surrender the Fortress of wholesome Liberties to Philip of Macedon's laden Mules, they must, as Esau did, then blame their own Hunger, after the amiable Pottage.  
6ly. Choose Men of competent year, these will not easily be imposed upon to hurt you; they will consider all Circumstances, and weigh every thing impartially, and will throughly understand the project of Bills, before they consent to have them Laws, and will not be overforward to give up that Property and Liberty, which your Ancestors have so strongly secured to you by wise and provident Laws, and purchased with so much Blood and Treasure. But if you should choose Raw Saplings, green Heads, Unexperienced Children, the World will judge of you as they once did of the Grecians, that you yourselves were either always Children, or are now become so. Will you intrust those with your Lives, Liberties, Estates and Religion, whom the Law will not trust to dispose of any thing they have of their own? Will you enable such to give away all the Securities you enjoy as Englishmen, whose Bond in the account of the Law will not be taken for Forty shillings? It is in itself an unbecoming thing, that they should have any power of laying Taxes upon other Men, who cannot lay themselves under any Obligations to their Creditors, by reason of their Minority.  
In Q. Eliz. time (as Sir Rob. Naunton, Master of the Court of Wards, 
Sir Robert Naunton's Fragments Regalia, pag. 13.  observes in his Account of her Times and Favourites,) says he, I do not find that the House was at any time weakened and pestered with the Admission of too many Young Heads, as it hath been of later times, which remembers me of Recorder Martin's Speech about the Tenth of our late Sovereign Lord King James. (viz. 1st.) when there were Accounts taken of 40. Gentlemen, not above 20. and some not exceeding 16; which moved him to say, that it was the ancient Custom for Old Men to make Laws for Young ones, but that he saw the Case altered, 
Vid. Mr. Prynn's Minor, no Senator.  and that there were Children Elected unto the Great Council of the Kingdom, which came to invade and invert Nature, and to Enact Laws to govern their Fathers.  
7thly, Choose such as you are sure will steadfastly adhere to the Ancient and most Excellent Constitution of this Kingdom, who will neither be for turning the Government into a Commonwealth, nor for advancing the Monarchy (as of late) into a French Tyranny: By the One we shall have nothing but Faction and Sedition, Tumults, Licentiousness, and all Confusion; and by the other nothing but Force, a Violation of all Laws, Dragoons and Standing mercenary Armies, and every thing else carried on by Absolute, Despotical, Unbounded Will and Pleasure. But we have sufficiently found already the mischievous effects of both these extremes, so as I hope we shall never run into the like again; since that would be a Total Subversion of the Fundamental Laws and Laudable Establishments of this Kingdom, which hath made this Nation so many Years both Famous and Happy, to a great degree of Envy.  
8thly, Make it your great Care to Elect such as you know will do all that lies in their power to redress your Grievances, and to assert and maintain your undoubted Rights; and call to Account those, 
King's Speech 1908. 89.  who (as the King hath most admirably expressed it) have so visibly discovered their Designs of destroying your Religion and Liberties.  
That these have been manifestly invaded, you all will readily own; that a High Commission Ecclesiastical hath been set up contrary to most express Laws; that a Power of Dispensing and Suspending of Laws, without Consent of Parliament, hath been openly declared in Westminster-Hall, as a Right belonging to the Crown; that Seven Reverend Bishops were committed and prosecuted as heinous Criminals, only for offering to the late King an Humble Petition, in terms full of Dutiful Respect, and not exceeding the Number limited by Law; 
Prince's Declatat.  that the Charters of most of those Towns that have a Right to be Represented by their Burgesses in Parliament have been either unwarily surrendered, or seized on; and (to omit several other things) that undue Return of Juries have been made by illegal Sheriffs, and a great deal of Blood hath been shed in many places of the Kingdom by Judges governed by the Direction from Above, and not by their own Consdiences, against all the Rules and Forms of Law, you cannot for shame deny, since the Redemption of You from these intolerable Grievances was the Cause of His present Majesty's Espousing your Interest, as he was earnestly solicited by a great many Lords, 
Prince of O. Declaration.  both Spiritual and Temporal, and by many Gentlemen and Subjects of all Ranks: therefore is it not your Interest to choose now such Men to represent you in Parliament, as will with a true, brave, and noble English Resolution endeavour to prevent such great and insufferable Oppressions for the future, Establish your just and ancient Rights, so as none may dare to invade them hereafter, and bring to public Justice some of the greatest, longest, and most Notorious Offenders?  
I am not for promoting you to glut your Revenge upon all those Bold Contemners of our Law; but certainly to make a few Victims for the Atonement of so much (I had like to have said) irreparable Mischief as was committed, and so much Innocent Blood as was poured out in the two last Reigns, would be for the Honour of an English Parliament, and a great Justification both of the King and Kingdom.  
I have but one word more to leave with you, and that is concerning your Elections, 
2. Instit. 169. 4. Instit. 10.  where I pray you to remember, that it is an Ancient Law and Liberty of England, that Elections should be freely and indifferently made, notwithstanding any Prayer or Commandment to the contrary. 1. Sine prece, without any Prayer or Gift; and sine praecepto, without Commandment of the King by Writ, or otherwise, or of any other. You are Freemen, act not as though you were bound: Let neither Force, nor Menaces, nor Malice frame you to make Election of Men unworthy, or not Eligible.  
Take this Conclusion with you which His Highness the Prince of Orange, our now present Sovereign, (whom God Almighty long preserve amongst us) delivered in his Declaration, That according to the Constitution of the English Government, and Immemorial Custom, all Elections of Parliament-Men ought to be made with an Entire Liberty, without any sort of Force, or the requiring the Electors to choose such Persons as shall be named, to them; and the Persons thus freely Elected, aught to give their Opinions freely upon all Matters that are brought before them, having the Good of the Nation ever before their Eyes, and following in all things the Dictates of their Conscience.  
And thus I wish you happy Success in your Elections, and a Blessed Issue upon the Unanimous Councils of your REPRESENTATIVES.  
FINIS.   

LONDON: Printed for Richard Baldwin, near the Black Bull in the Old-Baily, 1690.