A WARNING-PIECE TO THE Commons, Commissioners, Army General, which now sit as Judges ON HIS Majesty's sacred Person, In the behalf of the whole Kingdom.  
Written by one that fears God, and honours his King, and prayeth for the peace of England.  
Printed in the Year. 1649.   

A Vindication of the Army, by way of recrimination against the Lords & Commons, etc.  
THe name and title of Army and Soldier hath of late been as formidable and odious as Sequestrator, Excize, Committee, or Parliament-man. And the complaint of the Lords, Commons and City of London have caused the greatest part of this hate and rancour against the Army. I therefore challenge them not with sword, for they are most of them errand cowards, but with my pen, and bid them severally answer if they can.  
And first thou o City, why and with what face canst thou complain of me while I call for Justice, and the strict execution thereof, when as thou thyself first madest the loud cry to the Parliament for Justice, and thereby most unjustly shedst the blood of the innocent?  
2. Why and with what face complainest thou of the Army for excluding some Members from the Parliament, who didst never cease bawling at the Parliament doors for the ejection of the most ancient and most rightful Members in Parliament?  
3. Why and with what face complainest thou of the Army for taking assess and quartering upon you, who were the first principal raiser of this Army, and were ever well content that others should pay and give free quarter?  
4. Thou O City who hast raised and first hast maintained this Army to be as a rod or sword of God, why and with what face canst thou deny them 40000. l granted them, and much more by an Ordinance, when thou hast most ambitiously sued, that thou mightest freely give many millions for the conquering the King, abolishing Religion, and subjecting the Laws, Liberties, and properties of all the Subjects in England to an arbitrary power? Yea and when it was put into thy hands to have remedied all, yet then for fear, falsehood or treachery, thou forsookest thyself, and betrayd'st the whole Kingdom.  
Thinkest thou therefore (o City) that judgest them which do such things and dost, the same that thou shalt escape the judgement of God? Rom. 2.3. No, hear what God hath spoken, The spo●ler is come upon her even upon Babylon the great City, Revel. 18. and her mighty men are taken, for the Lord God of recompenses shall surely requite, Jer. 51.5.6.  
And ye Commons, why and with what face can ye complain of the Army for their Remonstrance and Declarations tending to Justice and public good, when yourselves have published such gross slanderous and impudent lies both in Declarations and Remonstrances, thereby to cheat the People, to the King's destruction, and the Kingdom's ruin?  
2. Why and with what face can ye complain of the Army for imprisoning some of your Members, in Royal and great houses, when yourselves have driven so many thousands of Clergy and Laity out of their freeholds, and thrust too many by thousands into noisome and close prisons, to the loss both of liberty and life, and yet never to this hour showing any cause why?  
3. Why and with what face complain ye of the Army for excluding some of your Members from your house? when ye yourselves a first, second, and third time sent up forged Bills for the utter casting out of the Bishops from their most ancient and most just sitting in the upper House, and at last by threats and menaces put upon the Lords, forced them to give their most dishonourable and unconscionable assent thereunto: Yea and did not this alone to the Members of the Lords House, but did as much or more even to your own, either by not admitting such though rightly elected, or by threats and force driving them away by 200. at a clap; which was the only true cause of their sitting at Oxford.  
4. Why and with what face complain ye of the Army for breaking the Laws and Privileges of Kingdom and Parliament, when ye yourselves have been not only Authors and Actors, but Teachers and Instructers of them by your examples to do the like to you, as you have done both to your Sovereign Lord the King, and to your fellow Subjects?  
5. Why and with what face complain ye of the Army, for banishing all ill affected to them 10. miles from London for a month? when as yourselves have banished all ill affected to you, 20. miles thence sometimes for 2. at other times for 6. months; and that on no less penalty then High Treason, and accordingly to be arraigned, tried and executed as Traitors without mercy.  
6. Why and with what face complain ye of the Army, for committing your Members to custody? when as yourselves the 15. June 1648. autho rized any 3. of your House (though those Colonels and close friends to the Army,) to seize imprison and carry away Subjects free from Delinquency, to our Army lying then before Colchester.  
7. Why and with what face complain ye of the Army, for calling you corrupt false traitorous Members? who 21. April. 1648. gave power to any 3. Committee-men in all the several Counties in England to sequester and imprison any whom these Committee-men should judge or deem to have spoken reproachfully against the proceed of this Parliament.  
I could be infinite in the enlarging your unjust and unequal complaints against the Army, judging and condemning them for those and the like things, wherein yourselves have been most guilty: but I shall end all in this kind with a word to the Gent. of the long Robe, Lawyers, as Members of your House.  
8. And why, and what face complain ye of the Army for desiring 1. That thescattred and unknown Laws of this Kingdom, may be wisely and carefully collected, and the best and fittest being culled out, to have them all printed and published in one volume or body? 2. That they may be translated or put into our own English and known tongue, whereby every subject may be able to read, understand and know what he is to do, and what to eschew, what may save and what may destroy him; and that he may not be constrained to give twenty shillings or more for every spoon full of compounded or sophisticated hot-water which may perhaps poison him or his Estate. 3. That the subject may not be compelled to trudge to four standing Marts or yearly Fairs kept in Westminster Hall there to be forced to buy, and to be cheated in such peddling commodities (to say no worse) as they might have better for less money in their own Countries.  
I say why and with what faces complain you of the Army for this? when ye yourselves these eight years and upwards have not only been silent, but consenting, voting, acting to the destruction of all our ancient best Laws: yet few or none can conceive to what end ye have done all this, except either for the advance of your own present base gain, or else hereby to comply with the Grandees and Parliament drivers, to keep them from these just things which now the Army so earnestly do desire,  
Why and with what face complain you of us, because we being your servants would rule and govern you? when as you have been our masters and teachers in the art, and accordingly under the pretence and name of Religion, Justice and public good, have rid your Masters the people of this Kingdom, not only out of their fat, but their flesh, and almost off their legs too: And why may not we, being so many thousands, who have with our blood conquered all, rule and reap the sweet? as well as 3. or 400. of you have all the while enjoyed the benefit of our travails and hazards, daily raking Offices, and heaping up riches, to the impoverishing the Kingdom.  
And to you we may add, as to the whole people of this Land, that as well may we be their rulers as you, or any other sorts of the people, for while they come to their ancient government, let them be assured that they shall be rid one while by one, another by another Faction, and ever by that which by turns shall get the power, till in a short time all will and must fall into such confusion, that we can expect no other rule or government but cutting of throats.  
But if any seriously ask me, why may not this State come to be governed by an Aristocracy as well as Venice, and some parts of lower Germany? I must answer, that the question discovers so much ignoranee in Political government, that it deserves no answer, yet (in a word) who is so ignorant that he knows not, besides the unspeakable danger of new modelling a State, as of new altering the temper of an old crazy body, that in this the body natural and civil agree, that that diet, exercise, physic, government which preserves the one body, may and will destroy the other, and that as Suits fit not every body, so neither are the tempers and dispositions of all men taught and guided by the same rule and power: England, within these 8. last years past, hath paid dear for the learning her Latin tongue, as Delinquent, Malignant, Sequester, Secure, Compound; and I dare say, two or three Greek words shallbe more worth to it then all those, and the like, if they will understand and follow these, which is no more than Homer read long ago, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; each State a rule and Government must have, which the many destroy while the one doth save: or if you believe not reason and truth, because it comes from a Poet, yet hear and believe God which is truth itself, and who can neither deceive nor be deceived, and he tells you Prov. 28.2. For the transgressions of a land many are the Princes thereof, but by a man of understanding and knowledge the State shall be prolonged.  
In a word, O ye Commons, nor murmur nor complain any longer against us, for ruling you and the rest, for God hath spoken it and it shall come to pass, with what judgement ye judge ye shall be judged, Math. 7. 2. And with what measure ye meet it shall be measured to you again: and Rom. 2.2. We are sure (saith S. Paul) That the judgement of God is according to truth to them which commit such things, and v. 3. thinkest thou that dost such things that thou shalt escape the judgement of God?  
But of all others, o ye Lords, who are least to be pitied, why and with what face complain ye of the Army, for taking away your negative Voices in the upper House, when as you who vote only for yourselves, yet after that (at two several times) ye had voted, and so sent it down to the House of Commons, that ye could not with justice and honour remove the Bishops out of the Lords House, yet after with injustice and dishonour ye voted them forth, and from that House which was their proper freehold, by the just and lawful prescription or above 8000. years, to the third part of which time no Peer now in England can pretend, and who sat and voted there not for themselves alone but for God, the Church, and as the Representative of all the Churchmen in England.  
2. Why and with what face complain ye of the Army, for endeavouring to subject you to the Laws of the Land equally with other Subjects, who have been the principal Authors and Actors in destroying both the Laws and the freedoms of all the Subjects in England?  
3. Why and with what face complain ye of this Army as Rebellious, when as you yourselves so lately in a storm, or rather strooken with a Pannique fear, like yourselves, that is, like valiant Lords, run away from a few boys unarmed, and fled to this Army for help as to your Tutelar God.  
4. Why and with what face can ye complain of the Army for levelling you with other freeborn Subjects, and bringing you down to the Commons, when most of you have neither so much honesty nor true honour as most of the ordinary Gentlemen in England have, no nor yet can plead anything of worth in yourselves for sitting there in that high place, more than either purchase of titular honour for money, or Royal favour to some of your entitled Predecessors, to whose virtues notwithstanding ye are as little of kin as perchance ye are rightly, if all were known, to their blood.  
5. Why and with what face complain ye of the Army, for censuring and sentencing you, who suffered the Commons to censure and sentence your own Members, contrary to the Privileges of your House, and the Laws of this Kingdom? Hear the righteous Judge of all the world speak; With what judgement ye judge ye shall be judged, (Math. 7.2.) And with what measure ye meet it shallbe measured to you again. For it is written, vengeance is mine, I will repay saith the Lord. Rom. 12.19.  
And yet O ye Lords, Commons and City, why stand ye as men affrighted at our Remonstrances and Declarations? know rather that though we are and would be accounted just and righteous, yet we may and will act according to reason and prudence, with which God hath enriched us above other sinners.  
And therefore be assured, that if ye shall repent and turn unto us, and go our ways, which are the ways of our Lord God, we likewise will repent and turn and be merciful unto you, we will receive you into our favour, and with us ye shall eat the good things of the land, and be satisfied plentifully therewith.  
But and if ye shall not speedily return and join with us, and to be commanded by us into whose hands the Lord of Hosts hath delivered you and all yours; then know for a certain that what ever we have denounced shall come to pass, that is you shall be scattered among the People, and shall be devoured by wild beasts, the mouth of the Lord of Hosts hath spoken it.  
But O Army, lest that I seem partial in pleading your cause against the Lords Commons and City, making their crimes and errors as it were a cloak for your enormities and misdoings, give me leave to speak and to propound a question to you or two to you in the name and behalf of the Lords Commons and City.  
For if you truly be (as you pretend to be) the rod and sword of God, appointed to reward and punish ungodly and unjust offenders; yet boast not yourself, neither say in your prosperity you shall not be moved, your mountain is made so strong: or that because these are sinners and transgressors, whom you have judged and condemned, that therefore you are inexcusable and clear from all unrighteousness; for know that God who breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder, and casts the rod of his anger into the fire, when they have fulfilled his will can and will do the like to you, unless you have good evidence and warrant irom Gods revealed Will for what you have or shall intent to do; or if your designs or actions have any other biased ends or selfe-interests besides God's glory, and the public good.  
And whether these things be so, let me interrogate you: Why, and with what face can you complain of the late Treaty, the Movers thereof and the Propositions therein? who yourselves so lately did Court the Royal party, and woo the King to a peace and pardon by the tender of more advantageous Proposals on his behalf, and his friends then were offered in the Treaty?  
2. Why, and with what face can you so suddenly call for fire from heaven to destroy such and such Delinquents, whenas in your former Declarations and Remonstrances you professed, (and rightly) the contrary way, to be most agreeable both to God's Word and humane prudence?  
3. Why, and with what face can you so suddenly cashier the Lords, and level them, who so lately professed the maintenance of them in all their Privileges and Honours?  
4. Why, and with what face can you, who have swerve to maintain and defend the Laws of this Kingdom, dare now not only in your own persons and places to act, but to profess against all those Laws, and to hold nothing binding but your own will and desires, or the desires and wills of such of your own Party, whom alone you style the godly, honest, & well-affected?  
5. Lastly, can you think, that if self-love, pride, or ignorant zeal, have so blinded your eyes, that you cannot see yourselves, nor discover your own hearts, that therefore neither other men, no, nor God himself doth espy and abhor all hypocritical and abominable ways? Be not deceived, nor think that you can long blind and deceive the world with vain pretences and windy words of Godliness, Justice, & Righteousness, for God will not thus be mocked, no, nor man will ever be thus fooled & cheated; rather foresee, fear, and prevent the just judgement of God, who doth and will in his time repay both in weight and measure, for Vengeance is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord, (who is the Lord of Hosts) Rom. 12.19. and therefore can do it as he hath done to an Army which twenty times exceeds yours.  
And that you may stop the mouths of those that murmur and repine at your Power & Greatness, and that you may in part redeem or satisfy for what you have trespassed upon and wronged your Countrymen, suffer a word of exhortation, as from the whole Kingdom of England.  
We confess you have propounded 12 Herculean Labours, and how we affect or relish them, you may guess by some hints or glances in the preceding passages: but above the rest, that one for the abridging, Englishing, and regulating the superfluities, defects and abuses of our Law as now in use, we so fare approve and commend, that we wish our Votes and desires might be sent up with yours: viz.  

1. That we conceive the present Common Law now in practice, to be little more then, as you term it, an hair-loome of the Norman Conquest.  
2. That contrary to the Laws of all best ana●●●●●st Nations, our Law is a disjointed, scattered & confused thing, or a thing like a Tailor's Cushion, so patched together out of many pieces, and that without all or any authority given thereunto, that it looks more like the new Sergeants Coats, or a motley Cloak-bag, than the Law of a wise and great People.  
3. That this Law, all or the most part of it, is written in an unknown Pedlar-like Language, which edifieth not the poor Subject, though it benefiteth the Lawyer.  
4. That the Law, as now used, may have that word given it which was written on the head of the woman, Revel. 17.5. Mystery, and such as worketh, 2 Thess 2.10. with all deceivableness of unrighteousness.  
5. That many Lawyers, but especially Pettifoggers and Officers may truly speaks to their shame, though to their own gain, as Demetrius the Silver saith did, Act. 19.25. By this Craft we have our wealth.   
We therefore desire, you will in the Kingdom's name and behalf earnestly petition & press the two Houses in Parliament to pick and choose through England such as may be rightly judged fit instruments for this service, that these may si●t all the several Laws thereby to cast by the chaff, and retain & heap up the known good grain of the Law. Which when they have finished, let it be commended to the consideration and Vote of the Parliament, thereby to make it a sure & binding Law: And to the effecting this, we dare say, that ye shall have the Votes, thanks and prayers of all the people in this Kingdom, nemine contradicente, no one gainsaying the justice, equity, & general benefit thereof except only the Silversmiths which work for Diana, and such as live by the subjects loss, & feed fat upon foul & corrupt matter.  
But lest our good intentions and just desires may be mif-construed, give us leave to add for a Close of this Exhortation, or Declaration, what S. Paul spoke of the Mosaical Law, 1 Tim. 1.8. that we may truly say of our English Law (when once it shallbe regulated & qualified) We know that the Law is good if a man use it lawfully. And we acknowledge, that the grave Sages & good Students in the Law, if they use it accordingly, deserve both honour & reward. We speak not therefore against these, or the like; but being you desire a through reformation of all or most of the greatest abuses in this Kingdom, we wish, that all ignorant Pettifogger's, base Hucksters, & greedy exacting Officers about the Law may either be utterly removed, or reform. And when you shall bring to pass this just proposal, we dare confidently say you will prove yourselves greater Conquerors, in subduing this many-headed subtle strong Hydra, then in overcoming your open enemies. And lastly, this Conquest will certainly eternize your names & cause them to be written or remembered by all generations to come, for an act of the greatest justice and most public benefit. O Army, urge, press, and prosecute this vigorously in our name; which will, if brought to pass, redound to the eternal glory of our good God, the welfare of the oppressed English subject, and your own immortal honour. Amen.  
Finally, reserving my choicest piece of advice to the last; it cannot be denied, that you have under your hands at this time the richest and best piece of Stuffe, for the quantity, that the Globe of the Earth can afford: And that you spoil it not, or cut it to waste, be careful of two things; first, that you neither flash nor tear it by Soured, or Gun, that is, not by force or violence; secondly, that you cut no more out than you have skill and time to make up again.  
And you, the General, or chief Commander, know, and consider, that neither the air, nor water, are subject to more changes than the people; and therefore be as Moses, meek and valiant, magnanimous and magnificent; yet he never could so demean himself, but that the people would murmur, longing to remove him and to return to their old bias: nay, consider our Chieftain, our Lord and Saviour, who though he spoke as never man did, Joh. 7.46. and did all things well, Mark, 7.37. which no man else ever did the like, yet this could not prevail, but that though one while the people will make him King whether he will or no, Joh. 6.15. yet another while we will not have this man reign over us. Luk. 19.14. and if one day they cry before him riding to the great City, Blessed be the King that cometh, Luk. 19.38. yet a very few days after, they cry more fiercely, Crucify, crucify him Mar. 15. yea, though Pil●●● the Judge, a stranger & no friend to the King, thought this so strange, that he as offended with their rash cruelty asked, shall I crucify your King? Joh. 19.15.  
There is not a Chronicle of any Nation under Heaven, but may afford you plenty of instances to confirm this truth; and therefore to avoid tediousness, I shall refer you to that one (which is written in the beginning of the Turkish History) of Andronicus, (Anno Christi 1180.) who, notwithstanding his oath to withstand all Plots and Designs against the Honour and Person of the Emperor Alexius, under colour of Zeal, Justice, and Reformation, brings up his Army before the great City Constantinople, to whom the Admiral with the ships revolts; whereupon, the Nobility and common people make into Andronicus, and not only the Emperor, but all his near friends, are either exiled or imprisoned.  
And then to prevent mischiefs to the State forsooth, his favourites or flatterers must needs join Andronicus with Alexius, copartner in the empire; which done, soon after Alexius the Emperor is deposed and strangled by the most ungodly Council, which acted all at Andronicus his beck; yet, so just was God, and speedy in executing justice, that suddenly the people in scorn and hate, raise and rise against Andronicus, who being forsaken by his former flatterers (friends only to his fortune) is taken & led in scornful triumph through the City, where by all men, women, and children, he is bitterly cursed, and most shamefully used, and being brought and hanged by the heels in the open Theatre, the people cut off his buttocks and privities, and so miserably and disgracefully he died, having reigned but two years; and this may teach you the inconstancy of the people, the mutability of worldly happiness, and the just reward of Ambition and Treachery.  
And though at this time some of your Army and of the people, for your sake may be droven to so much wickedness, as to depose or murder their Liege Lord, the Vicegerent of God, without all Law; yet conceive you not, that either these, the rest of the people of the old Army, or even of your own new Model, may not either return to their right wits, or retain so much Loyalty or Religion, as to requite this act, (according as they are bound by all the Laws of God, Nations, and this Kingdom.)  
And whether your design be to depose or murder the King, because he did leave you & lean to your opposites; or to destroy the Presbyterian leaders, because they did adhere to the King, & against you; yet be assured, that as your aim is blood & destruction, so destruction and blood shall be your end; remember Adonibezek, Judges 1.6.7. as I have done, so God hath requited me: and hear the Poet,  
— nec enim lex justior ulla est,  
Quam necis artifices arte perire suâ.  
But above all hair God, Hof. 1 4. I will avenge the blood of jezrael upon the house of Jehn. And although God gave jehn an extraordinary Commission for putting Ahab to death; yet this in Hos. 1.4. was denounced and executed against Jehu, because he executed the Commission with a by-end of his own, and in an undue manner; and this Decree on Iehn's house and posterity was to take affect speedily: yet a little while says the text, and I will avenge saith the Lord, etc. and this little while was within one year and a half after the Decree, Zanch. in Hos. And let that be written as a perpetual Momento over the doors of your private Closets and public Counsels, or Courts, which you read, 2. Kin. 21.23.24. That although King Amon (as King Ahab) was a great and most gross Idolater, & such as by God's express Law, had incurred the penalty of death from God the Lawgiver, yet his servants (his subjects) for attempting and executing the death of their lawful King, are by God himself judged, and so styled Conspirators; and they accordingly by the providence and justice of God are slain (and that presently upon their wicked act) by the people of the Land, which certainly is so expressed & recorded, that it might teach all, how much it is against Gods will that subjects should in any case conspire, plot, or execute the death of him, who is their Lawful Anointed King. And accordingly as you shall act or repent the Lord prosper you; and this undoubtedly is the prayer of the greatest and best part of this Kingdom, who jointly cry, Amen, Amen.  
FINIS.