BLOODY BABYLON DISCOVERED. Or, the Mystery of Iniquity Revealed, Written long since.  
And now Published for the Instruction and Information of Great Britain in general; more particularly intended for that once Famous Flourishing, and, for Civil Government, Admired Honourable City of LONDON.  
By CHRISTIANUS LONDINATUS.  
Melius est inter Barbaros sub specie Captivitatis esse liber, quàm sub specie liber●atis esse Captivus.  Salu. de gub. Dei. 
Quaerendum est mihi apud Barbaros Angliae humanitatem, quia apud Anglos barbaram inhumanitatem ferre non Possum.  Salu. 
If thou warn the Wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his Iniquity, but thou hast delivered thy soul.  Ezek. Chap. 3. vers. 19 
Printed in the year 1659.   

The Mystery of Iniquity REVEALED.  
AS the Compassionate bowels of a tenderly-affecting father toward his Sons (though refractory, in their demeanours; unnatural in their returns of expressive unsonne-like disobedience, for his dear expressions of a fatherlike affection) still continue wooing, with intermixed sighs and tears, those obstinately wicked Children, (Nature working, as it were against Nature) his natural affection, as a father prevailing over his angry inclination, by nature as a man; with weeping Rhetoric, persuading their return from those self-destroying paths: By such winning means, inviting them, to the avoiding of approaching misery, and enjoyment of their almost irrecoverably lo●t felicity.  
Even so, (Notwithstanding these lines, like that passionately wooing-father, only aim at the temporal and eternal happiness, of all those, (whose past and present worst of actions, so Obvious to the World's eye, need not, argito Monstrari, plainer words to speak the concerned Persons) because for these lines alone, I cannot but expect, to be met with by Envy (so unwilling, guilty men are to read their Crimes, though but in a silently speaking line); pursued by Malice (ill requital for really Conferred favours, to return discourteous persecution); and overtaken by bloody revenge, though perchance, palliated with that false and cheating veil of new-minted Law and Justice, (strange men to endeavour the ruin of those, whose endeavours tend only to the preservation of them from Ruin!)  
My inward thoughts, Notwithstanding all these Contrary persuading dangers; inhuman and un-christian requitals; inclined me to a passionate Compassion of my dearest Country, still (by the prevailing rule-lesse, overruling, bloodily-destroying faction of that headless, dismembered thing, falsely styled Parliament, with the additional treachery of some stupid passiveness of others) grasping those flames which already have sensibly destroyed their once flourishing peace, consumed their formerly-happy government, into an ashy heap, and ere long unavoidably will render each particular man, abounding in nothing, but in the abundance of misery; wanting store of all things, but of want; unhappy, even beyond the addition of greater unhappiness; being already become obediential slaves to the peremptory Commands, Wills, and Pleasures of irrational, irreligious, lawless, blood thirsty, and Sacrilegious men; these having, under unjust pretences of freeing them from a former falsely-supposed tyranny, freed them from hopes of being what formerly, (by virtue of the Law's Protection) they were, Freemen indeed.  
To this purpose, by the assistance of the God of Heaven, who is my shield, buckler, and defence, now even while it is yet day; before the approaching night of darkness overspread these three Kingdoms, with a general Cloud of destruction; I shall, (by drawing the Curtain of error, which hath overcast the Judgements of the most, even to the visible deprivation of that distinguishing Character between men and beasts, REASON) endeavour hominem homini ostendere, show unreasonable man, himself in the glass of reason again; dispelling also that thick Misty veil of Atheism, (for it is no better, let them give it what seeming 
* The Cause of God.  Saintlike Title they please) which many, with as much boasting Confidence put on, as if it were the white Robes of Christ's Righteousness. The Pulpit too often wilfully declaring the irregular faction of that Monstrous House, impudently Promulgating Painted Truths, which indeed are no other than real falsities, and many people (but I hope ignorantly) embracing them instead of Substantial verities, being lead by these 
* Independent Pratlers.  Lights, which like the last blaze of a spent Taper, quickly vanishing, leaves them as lost men in the dark, in stead of that glorious Sun of Light, (Christ Jesus) whose unmixed pure beams, apparent only in his revealed will, (the holy Scriptures) are the directing means, able alone to guide them to that celestial place, where there is eternity of light for evermore.  
And because these Kingdoms (notwithstanding those many Recipes for spiritual diseases, left us by the Physician of our souls in the Cabinet of the Scriptures, and these repeated in almost a daily application by true Protestant Divines, his faithful servants) continue still sick of obstinately progressive sins, which, like insensibility of a disease in a diseased man, is a sure presage of destruction.  
I shall, by reviving some medicines proper for our present distemper (for what are truely-Orthodox Books, but like Physic to consuming bodies, as so many restoratives to a languishing Nation?) endeavour the recovery of them to a re-possession of their former peace, now breathing their last: The re-enjoyment of truth, gospel-truth, lost almost under a confused heap of Heretical, Schismatical, and Atheistical errors; and the return of their notlong since admired plenty, now declining into a necessitous, and almost unavoidable poverty.  
But because man is but a dully persuading Orator, unless the God of spirits speak effectually also to their obdurate hearts; Therefore,  
O thou Omnipotent, Omniscient, All-working Lord God, the fountain from whence streameth every good thing, in whose hands are the hearts of all men, and canst turn and wind them at thy pleasure; Cause all the people of England, Scotland, and Ireland to return unto Thee, by an obediential subscription to thy everlasting truth, and a practical obedience according to its direction: In exchange for their hearts of stone, give them, O Lord, hearts of flesh, mollified by thy gently, yet prevalently, malleating Spirit. Throw down all those bulwarks of prejudice, raised against the truth of Reason, and the reason of thy religious Truth. Level, O level, those high-built Forts of perverse resolves, wilfully to persist in ill-begun courses, because success for a time waits upon attempts; as if the commanding bloody Sword had (by its prevalency) power as easy to create new commandments, and evangelical truths, as by treachery, dissimulation, tyranny, and oppression, it hath had, to overthrow an ancient Government; and, as if a short prosperity in wickedness were the certain mark of those that travel in the high way to eternal happiness: When as thou, O Lord, hast said, 
Psal. 92.7  that though the wicked spring as grass, and the workers of iniquity do flourish, yet they shall be destroyed for ever? Summon them by the effectually sounding Trumpet of thy Spirit, to a condescension to thy blessed will and pleasure, which is but their reasonable service; and cause their returned answers to speak nothing, but, O Lord God most merciful, we prostrate ourselves at thy feet, and confess our former numberless number of sins, of rebellion against thee our God, in slighting thy precepts, in fight against thine Anointed Servant, our Sovereign and supreme Governor the King; in destroying our fellow-subjects, their persons and estates, which we should have preserved, offending contrary to the principles of our Religion, the practice and commands of Christ Jesus, and the established Laws of England. For all which, we repent, we repent, we repent, and cast ourselves into thy arms of mercy. Thus do, good Father, to all such, who have erred and gone astray from thy paths; and this even before thy battering decree, for an everlasting destruction both of soul and body, issueth forth. And all this grant for the only merits of thy Son, our Saviour, Christ Jesus.  
Because in the original of this bloody Rebellion, the plot (like the former, and, until now, unparallelled- Powder-plot) 
* Gunpowder-Treason.  was laid so deep under ground, covered over with more seemingly innocent materials, to make it thereby more invisible to the eye, That indeed being intentionally this very design acted; and this, but that conspiracy actually effected. In the first were combining Papists, fight under the bloody Banner, and obeying the commands of Antichrist, the Pope. In the second are pretending Protestants, being such only, nomine, non re, making use of the same Papistical and Antichristian bloody principles, means, and method; both of them obedient children of the same father of lies, the devil, and enemies to the Gospel of Christ Jesus. In the first, they resolved at one blow, by their suddenly consuming powder, to destroy Rem, Regem, Regimen, Regionem, Religionem; but execution was, by the miraculous mercy of the God of Heaven, prevented. In the second, These, with a kind of unthought-of whiter Powder, (Pretences of a glorious Reformation, and setting Christ upon his Throne, Christi nomine armati, tamen con●ra Christum dimicantes) have, by the permission of the same God, now displeased and angry with a sinful people, actually brought to pass; and accordingly have ruined the King's Majesty, destroyed our Government, Religion, Laws, and Liberties. But, How long, Lord, how long? wilt thou be angry for ever? shall thy jealousy burn like fire? See, O Lord, we are all thy people; 
Isa. 64.9, 10, 11.  thy holy Cities are a wilderness, Zion and Jerusalem are a desolation. Our holy and our beautiful houses where our fathers praised thee, are destroyed, and our pleasant things laid waste. O remember not against us former iniquities; let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us, for we are brought very low.  
Because this Rebellious Design in the beginning, was, I say, a mystery to most of the common people, I shall now unveil it, that so all such who formerly have been misleadd, or still ignorantly persist in such bloody ways, may return, repent, and do their first works, lest God come against them in judgement in this world, and they receive the reward of Traitors with Faulks, Percy, and their complices, here; or, with Corah and his company, be in an instant swallowed up into an eternal grave.  
Because former, ancient, and mere, or, if you will, Athesticall Politicians, like your Watermens on the Thames, seldom or never directed their faces the same way they steered their courses, until they were arrived at the pretended end of their short voyage, their primarily resolved ends: And in regard our modern Politicians have walked in the self same paths, trod those very steps, with this addition only, that they have gone beyond all former Precedents, in their excessive and accumulative wickedness, themselves being become the only black and bloody copies, for the imitation of the worst of men in future ages: yet, if it be possible, these times (which cannot easily find place in my belief) can produce a generation of men so impudently bad, that will not look pale, and start at such unparallelled patterns of superlative villainies, reserving choice of them for their exemplary precedents. For, in respect of comparison,  
I challenge the whole world, since the reduction of the first rude Chaos into an orderly division, until this new Chaos of anarchical confusion, in these days of ours; Let the best travelling brain therein, whose busy studies have been only Historically employed, in collecting the successive vices of all generations; let him sum up all those collections, and out of them abstract the quintessence of Hypocrisy and Ambition, the poison of Rebellion and Treason, the rancour of Envy and Hatred, the venom of malicious Murderers, and of all other conglomer ata facinora, monstrous sins, heinous crimes that ever were committed, and let him contract the spirits of all those into one entire heap, nay, let him by his chemical brain once more distil the quintessence of that hypocritical and ambitious quintessence, the poison of that treacherous and rebellious poison, the venom of that maliciously murdering venom: yet after all this, the comparison will not hold in the least proportion. These worst and latest times, by their overbalancing ponderous weighty crimes, will mount those lighter faults of former ages into the air. Tam ingeniose sumus literis diabolicis diserti; men are grown such proficients in destructive bloody doctrines, and diabolical actions. Thus, Lord, are sinners, by addition of sin to sin, and aggravation of that addition by an obstinately continuance therein, become incomparably sinful. But, Father of mercies, reward us not according to our deserts; but spare us, good Lord, spare thy people whom thou hast redeemed with thy most precious blood.  
Now at last, and the better to make a progression in my intended purpose, I shall show you the method of these latter Politicians, styling themselves Christians, agreeing with the former professed Atheistical ones, with the premised addition, that these titular Christians have outstripped the antiquated Atheists, in their most unchristian, hypocritical, and bloody practices.  
To this end I shall, by a seeming way of propounding questions, give a resolution to all unprejudiced eyes and ears in that respect.  
Can any age afford a people, professing so seemingly well, and acting so really desperately ill?  
Review the then Petition, 
Decemb. 1642.  accompanying that grand Remonstrance, or rather that plotted foundation of sedition, laid purposely for other intended superstructures, to cheat the common sort of people into an assisting conspiracy; there you shall find them petitioning for the uniting of all loyal and obedient Subjects: Who are these? but Subjects by the Law declared to the supreme Governor, the King.  
Obedient Subjects, that join together in the same fundamental truths, against a Popish faction, who had (as in the Declaration is pretended) a resolution to alter the Religion of the Kingdom. Who can these be? but true Protestants of England, the only prevailing parties against the Popish and Jesuitized strongest holds: Yet in their united actions, and doctrinal principles, how do these two factions join together against the real Protestants, who only maintain truths fundamental against Jesuitical, Heretical, and Schismatical tenants; witness the new-coined distinction of these Jesuitized factious persons, between the King's Virtual, and Personal power.  
To this purpose, how have they bawled out their pretences, of fight for the King's personal defence, yet brought Armies to fight against his Person; an Argument left only to be maintained by the cruel, yet silly non-distinguishing Bullet, or others, as irrational as it.  
How often have they in their Pamphlets declared, that they only took up Arms against his majesty's evil Council; when as they could produce no witness, nor example of any Counsel, that was evil, unless it were ill for a man to be Rational, a Christian, or a Loyal Subject?  
How have they (Notwithstanding their Declarations, of making him a most Glorious King, excelling all his Royal Predecessors, 
First Collect. Ord. Par. F. 21.  Protesting to maintain his Honour Crown and Dignity, yet) baited him with Propositions altogether destructive to his Honour and Power as a King; 
19 Prop.  the end of their taking up of Arms, appearing nothing less than the end of their pretences. Unless they intended thereby, (as indeed some of them have done) to make him a Glorious Saint in Heaven. And all this, nay more than this, acted, not by heathens, who knew no better, nor by professed Papists, whose rebelliously-religious Principles teach no better; but, by Pretending-Protestants!  
O let not this be told in Gath, nor published in the streets of Askelon; lest the Daughters of the Philistines rejoice, and the Daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.  
How have they rattled out Resolves, to maintain the established Laws, 
vid. Collect Ord. Parl.  especially, that part thereof, which concerneth the liberty of the Subject? View all their Declarations; not one but speaketh somewhat to that pretended purpose.  
Nevertheless, how have they in the beginning, and progression of their design, trod down all appearance of Law? Witness their unjust imprisonments, Sequestrations, Taxes, and Excise, and many more illegal squeezing Engines; Contracting the liberty of each particular subject by a written Law, his own Right, into the narrow Compass of some few men's unwritten Lawless Wills; nay Is not the Liberties of Nineteen Parts of the People of Great Britain, swallowed up by an One twentieth? who revel it in Libertinism, upon the Ruins of their liberties, and the unjust possession of the Estates. Handling 
* England's liberties Confirmed.  Magna Charta, so absurdly in their furious and hot declarations, that, like Parchment against the fire, it is now shrunk up almost to a Non-appearance.  
How have some men of all degrees actively contributed their assistance in Men, Money and Plate, upon invitations literally different from the ends of these Eradicating Conspirators? although, I must acquaint them, upon no real grounds of Reason, Religion, or Law; but my Charity telleth me, they were abused by such specious pretences, into such ill actions.  
Witness that Ordinance of the 12th. January, 1641. whereby Skippon was made Sergeant Major General of London, who commanded the employment of the Trained Bands for the real (they are the words of that Ordinance) good Service of his Majesty, the Parliament and City; according to his Duty, Protestation, and Laws of the Land.—  
Fine words truly in appearance! but deeds lurking under, as black as hell. Witness the progressive and Conclusive part of their ugly Design.  
Again, 
19 Prop. Coll. Ord. Parl. pag. 173.  in their Declaration of the 5th. of May, 1642, concerning the Militia; all men's obedience is invited to the Execution of their Commands, according to the fundamental Laws of the Kingdom; as they tender (saith that Ordinance) the upholding of the True Protestant Religion,  
The safety of his majesty's Person—  
And his Royal Posterity, with the Peace of the Kingdom—  
Alas! what fundamental laws do they mean? Airy laws surely! whose existence is not where to be found, but in their mere verbal asseverations; and that also in a real opposition to those Laws, whose Established foundation (as Laws indeed should) plainly appear to every Loyal Subject's obediential eye.  
True Protestant religion (saith the Ordinance)— But more truly, Erroneous Protestant religion, falsely by them styled True; whose practical principles, overthrew the principles of all religious truth, and fight against the practical piety of the true Protestant Religion Established, and the practice of all the primitive Christians, and truly-Christian 
* Mr. John Bradford. advised all to be obedient to the Queen, and by no means to resist. vid. Book Martyr. fol. 1491. 1477.  Martyrs.  
Safety of his Majesty's Person, and Royal issue!  
Dangerous safety of their Royal Persons, whose security must depend on the sure rock of Certain danger, opposing Armies (under pretence of their preservation) with ready-drawn Swords, and surely-destroying bullets, endeavouring their absolute ruin.  
O strange Paper-protection, vain and weak! from a pretended hazard, of being untimely deprived of life; thus to expose them to a real danger, of an unnatural Death.  
Peace.) Stranger peace! whose fruits must be a bloody war, 
Ord.  and its effects nothing but murder, perjury, sacrilege, oppression, tyranny, and, indeed, a general poverty.  
Kingdom. A dumb Kingdom without a speaking King; 
Ord. ) or rather, (to expound their then intended monstrous sense, mystical only to the common people) a deformed Anarchy, in place of an unparalleed Reform Monarchy.  
But, O Lord of Hosts, that judgest righteously, 
Jer. 11.20.  and tryest the reins and the heart, grant them sudden repentance, or let thy servants see thy vengeance on all such obstinately persisting sinners; for unto Thee I have, and shall, open Great- Brittain's cause. Consider, 
Isaiah 29.13.  O Father, how these people seem to come near to thee, the God of truth, with their mouth, and to honour thee with their lips, but their hearts are far from thee.  
Again, In the Propositions and Orders of the Two Houses, (for as yet the 
* Presb. Indep.  Factions, like Simeon and Levi, remained united in the bonds of iniquity) for bringing in of Plate and Money, to maintain Horse, Horsemen, and Arms, etc. you were all promised, (you, I mean, the contributers upon such quaintly-deceiving invitations) that your money, so brought in, shall only be employed to maintain the Protestant Religion, the King's authority, and his person in his royal dignity.  
A free course of Justice, 
Collect Ore. Parl. fol. 343. June 1642.  the Laws of the Land, and the Peace of the Kingdom— when as in the prosecution of their Rooting design, the irreligiously religious Turk and Pagans, by their actions, may rather claim them as adherents to their Principles; nay, the Jesuit embrace them as his dearest dear obediential darlings, than the Protestant Church of England own them as her children.  
The King's Authority and Person after a retrograde manner by them maintained; their Ordinances, Declarations, Oaths, and actions, speaking a denial of their obedience to the one, and but a verbal protection only of the other; themselves not then so much as allowing him the least protecting assistance from any of his loyal Subjects, whose religious conscientiousness only invited them to the security of his royal Person. More than this, the Jesuit himself could not have done.  
Free course of Justice (that Ordinance promiseth.)  
Good God what free course of Justice do they mean, when they themselves obstruct the freedom of all Justice? and amidst their own consultations in public, will not admit of any negative Reply, (though never so rational and religious) which opposeth the free course of their bloody design.  
What Law is their guide, whose practice opposeth all Law, both Divine and Humane? I need not insert any exemplary particular proof; their own general and palpably-known actions, speak themselves sufficiently guilty of opposing the Law of the Land, the current of whose sense runneth contrary to their actions; not a line, almost, but enjoineth the Subjects, not a conditional, as they pretend, but an absolute indispensable obedience, omnibus licitis, in all lawful actions, to our Sovereign Lord the King, his Heirs and Successors; not the least tittle therein, though racked to a confession by the most ingeniously-rebellious brain, giving them so much as a supposititious ground for their undertake.  
And for the Law of God, How have they slighted it? the very Pulpits in many places, thundering out defiance to the moral observation thereof, declaring against his majesty's defensive Arms, and his loyal Subjects obedience to his just commands, with as much unblushing impudence, as the traitorous Presses did in their black lying Declarations; most blasphemously (the better to persuade others to their rebellious assistance) styling their rooting design, The Cause of God— when as neither Old nor New Testament, Law nor Gospel, Prophets nor Apostles, substantially or circumstantially, gave the least warrant for such a bloody and rebellious Invitation.  
Lastly— For I will rake no longer in this bloody puddle of Hypocrisy, but refer the Reader to the perusal of all their Ordinances and Declarations, published, Anno 1641, 1642, 1643, 1644. containing asseverations and pretended protestations, to defend his majesty's royal Person, Honour, Crown, and Dignity, the Protestant Religion, and the established Laws of England.  
And turn my discursive Pen in a more particular manner, by way of expostulation, to you Citizens of London— You, quos natura diligere jub●t; quamvis culpare ratio, religioque redar guere, imperat— You, whom natural affection to your City commandeth my affectionate pity, it being the place, ubi primam vitalem haust auram; where I first stepped out of the dark, yet quiet, prison of the womb, into this lighter and larger prison of a world of miseries: Although I cannot but blame you for your irregular, irreligious, rebellious, and bloody practices against your Sovereign, and your own Native Country, ripping up the very bowels of your dear Mother with swords and spears. You, I mean, who have danced after the alluring Summons of these paper-Ordinances, or, if you will, abortive Laws; you, who have been ignorant-adherents (for so my charity styleth you) to this root and branch rooting-faction, cheated into a forwardly assistance of their ugly design, by those specious pretences formerly mentioned.  
In a pretended prosecution of which, some years passed, you Entrenched your City, raised your Bulwarks, consumed both your time and estates, for the better security of yourselves, and safety of your City, as relateth the Ordinance to that purpose.  
But how, my dear Countrymen, 
Collectors. P●●.  hath this been made good by you, or endeavoured by the contrivers of that Ordinance on your behalf?  
Did your mudd-walls secure your City against a domineering Army of your own raising and paying, 
July 1647.  resolving upon a violent entrance, if denied conditional admission? when as some of your Citizens and others, paid too dearly for their forward, yet too late, resistance.  

Tichburn. Wollasion. Fouk, Eastwick, Andrew's.  How was your City secured, when the Independent, rooting, factious Aldermen, and common-councel-men, sprung out of the bowels of factious Presbyterian-Rooters, betrayed you by so dull and stolen a stratagem, as any, but such Citizens, expressing yourselves witty in nothing but Treason and Rebellion, (as senssesse, I think, as your earthy Bulwarks, though less effectually powerful for opposition) would have resented and prevented.  
What piece of treachery could be more obvious to any eye, easier to be read without spectacles, than that?  
The then-Presbyterian prevailing party within your City, and the two Houses, unitingly declaiming against an insolently-menacing Army without, raised by the wealth of the one, and authority, although unjust, of the other. The Presbyterian party, by their thundering Orders and Ordinances, commanding the Army's obedience. The Army again, not only denying obedience to their commands, but commanding them to obey their particular contrary commands.  
Now amidst this dispute, observe, observe, you Citizens, how ye were degreeingly cheated into the slavery of the Sword, by Creatures fostered under your own wings.  
A Commanding Pack of the Independent factious Aldermen, and Common-council, with some few conjoined Presbyterians, (who indeed like cyphers were of no value) must treat for a reconciliation, between the much abused City, and the absurdly abusing, and doubly died, rebellious Army, I mean the Independent faction of the Army.— A acquaint deceit! Was it ever known, that a known Thief sat Judge upon the bench, to Condemn his fellow, complotting villainy? I leave the application to each man's breast. O London, London! how wast thou then fooled into what thou now art too sensible of, but than wouldst nor believe, the resignation of thy Liberty and Honour? The insolent Army the next day after this odd kind of reconciliation (or rather Confirmation of thy servitude) marching through thy streets in Triumph forgetting thy formerly assisting Riches, and scorning thee for thy Present Pusillanimous Condescension. And what accumulations of Taxes, Abuses, Imprisomments, Murders, have succeeded this, scribere dolet; or rather, the thought of them grieveth me so much, that grief will not suffer me to mention them, but leave them to the Consideration of the city's too too sad experimental knowledge.  
But I proceed— The Result of the hot Contestation of these * divided dividers, 
Fresh. Inde●  Concluded in this— That the Power of Commanding in the Two houses being at first, thus, (as you have read) peremptorily demanded, was at last wrested from them, by that Army whom they first gave only power to act for them as servants, in prosecution of their first-resolved upon Presbyterian design— Where, by the way, I shall only glance this Observation to the perusual of the moderatly-judging readers.  

* Members of the house Commons.  That those persons whose obedience would not stoop to the Just Command of their lawful Sovereign, the King, though persuaded and engaged thereunto by the Law of God, the written Law of the Land; Oath upon Oath of Allegiance, Supreamacy, and their own Composed and enjoined Protestation, Knowingly, Cordially and Confessedly taken by them; are Commanded obedience to their own Creatures, and of Commanding Masters become Servants; nay Submissive Slaves to the imperious Propositions of their own Created Servants.  
That they who in prosecution of an unchristian, unlawful, bloody design of taking away the power of the King, justly by law and reason declared His; of forcing away his Negative Voice in a Lawful Parliament, depriving him of the Command of the Militia; of bloodily changing the Civil and Ecclesiastical Government from Monarchical to Aristocratical, from Episcopal to Presbyterian. Witness the transactions (to pass over other Treaties) of that too-late, tedious, and most unfortunate Treaty in the Isle of Wight, in the managing whereof neither Law, Reason, nor Religion, urged by our dear Sovereign could work the Commissionated traitors, or rather the factious Commissionating, Rooting Traitors in the House, to Condescensions more than what ran parallel and agreed with their most unjust demands of all his Regal Power and wholly altering the government of his Kingdoms. Witness also, the first insisted-on Proposition; wherein, Good Prince, before they will proceed, He must, contrary to Reason, Religion, and Law, declaratorily Justify their unjust Actions of Rebellion and treason against him, and Condemn his own Just defence as unjust.  
The prevailing faction in the Houses still upon Receipt of his Majesty's Concessions and Answers to their demanding Propositions,) Voting Not Satisfactory, Not Satisfactory (O fatal Word! Not) until his Princely tender Care of his Subjects (perceiving the 
* First Plotters.  Faction's resolutions to perfect their bloody design) and his desire of Peace, reconciliation, and stopping of that issue of blond by themselves first made in his Kingdoms; at last (his own Royal Interest laid aside) condescended so much to their demands that as a King he had nothing more to condescend unto, nor they more of his Regal Power to demand.  
These men (who thus unlawfully prosecuted and persecuted his Sacred Majesty with destroying Armies, thereby to wr●st away his lawful power upon Pretences of a Fundamental Law never heard of, never practised before in the Houses, not so much as groundded upon the least imaginary authority of Common Reason, much less the law of the Land and the Protestant Religion, had all their bloodily acquired power. snatched from them by 
* Army.  those I say, whom first they impowered to offer bloody force to his Majesty upon grounds as airy, groundless, and unlawful; as, pretences of Common Right, and distribution of Justice: as if Confusion were that Right, and unparalleled injustice were the distribution of Common right and Justice.  
year 1641 Some of these Ambitious and Factious Members, who by invited tumults of the Citty-rabble forced his Majesty, for the Security of his person, from his royal palace at Whitehall, and soon after many of their then fellow-members, contrary to the Privilege of all reasonable parliaments, were uncivilly forced out of the House by their menaces and conspiring Votes, because they would not be voting Conspirators with them in their Traitorous designs, against their King, Country, & the truly fundamental Laws of the Land.  
Some of these, I say, 
Parl.  were as absurdly thrust out of the House by Pride and his Complices, the army's imps, birds of their own hatching; instruments of their own framing, upon accusation of being fomenters of a New War, hinderers of Perfecting an intended Reformation, or, more truly, of Completing a pre-resolved resolution, or rather a Jesuitized independent design somewhat more bloody than the Presbyterian.  
Thus, Deus omnipotens in aetennum Justus, Thy actions, O Lord, are all Justice, & thy deeds Righteousness itself; Thou therefore, the fountain of all wisdom, that dost oftentimes proportion and symbolise, both for quality and quantity, men's punishments to their Sins; thereby, by plain demonstrative signs, inviting them to repentance;— Grant, good Father, that all such guilty persons thus reading their iniquities in their punishment, may repent them of their fo mer Sins, that so thou mayst pardon their transgressions and remember their offences no more.  
To this purpose, restore, O Lord, unto them, the Purity of reason as men; A Zealous unmoved fixedness in thy true religion the Christian Protestant faith—; Loyalty and faithful obedience to their undoubted Sovereign and Lawful King, Cham— the Second, etc. and these not verbally, but really expressed by actions beseeming men, whose reason not humorous opinion is their guide.  
By deeds befitting Christian Protestant's whose 
* Scripture.  directing rule is the unerring Word, & not groundless faincyed revelations, the Suggestions of the deceiving Angelical Devil, and not the Persuasions of thee, who art the God of Spirits.  
By actions becoming Subjects, whose obedience without interruption willingly followeth the smooth Current of an Established Law, not hurried along by the tumultuous Torrents of arbitrary Ordinances, nor Obedientially swimming in the troublesome Waters of men's Corrupt wills. O Father of mercies, whatsoever punishments Thou, in thy Just judgement, for our manifold sins, shalt inflict upon us— give us not over to a general infatuation of Spirit, a benumbedness in our Understanding and Reason, lest we degenerating into the nature of beasts with Nabuchadnezzar be designed to graze in the fields with beasts that perish.  
O everliving God, Deprive us not of thy Candlestick, thy gospel of truth, lest, for want of true guides, we all become blind; and, like them leading one another, irrecoverably fall into the Ditch of everlasting destruction.  
O Let not my Lord be angry, and thy Servant shall speak but this Once.  
Father of Mercies, as we desire that thy word may still Continue a Lantern to our feet, and thy Precepts a directing Light to our Paths; so we humbly beseech thee, that out of thy infinite Loving kindness thou wouldst look upon us, and not take from us our Established ancient, fundamental Laws; That so our Corrupt Natures may still by them be rectified, the extravagant excurrences of our Obstinate perverse Wills and actions may be limited, lest Ambition, Sedition, Treason, Perjury, Rebellion, Murder, Sacrilege, Regicidism, Envy, Hatred, Tyranny, Oppression, and all manner of wickedness, becoming particular Commanding Laws, we, like Ravenous Wolves, devour one another— And, in order to this great mercy, good God, restore unto us our great Lawmaker, Preserver, and Protector, thy Servant our Sovereign, the much wronged Princely Son of a more injured Murdered Martyred Royal Father, Cham— the Second, of Great Britain King etc. Put the Sword and Sceptre into his hands; Place the Crown upon his Head, Thou, who art able, and Powerful in Extremities, in this his extremity show thy Ability and Power.  
O Lord, as thou hast designed him our Supreme Governor; so, in order to his possession of thine own designed Government, prepare the hearts of all his Subjects with submissive obedience unto him, as to thy Vicegerent on earth; work into their spirits a sensibleness of their former erroneous practices against his Royal father, and let their endeavours (for the restoration of his Princely son to his father's Throne) evidence to the world their unfeigned repentance for their sins, committed against Thee the King of kings, in rebelling against their lawful Sovereign, contrary to thy indispensable Law; the Law of Reason; and the established Laws of England.  
What, Lord, although the furious Multitude, like the wild boars of the forest, have trodden down the hedge of our Government, Our Laws; and like rebellious Waves, with mad rolling actions, locally removed the Royal supporting pillars of our Nation? Yet thou canst in an instance file the teeth of the one,— and again raise up our defending and protecting Pales, with a word of thy Mouth; Canst command back these furious Waves to their proper Centre of obedience; and again, fix our removed Pillars in their own appointed place, there to remain like a rock ; O Lord, Grant these petitions to thy poor unworthy servants, for thy Son Christ Jesus sake; O God of our Salvation, hear us: O thou, the hope of all the ends of the Earth, give us help against our trouble; for without Thee, vain is the help of Man—  
But to return to my former Method—  
I could enlarge in such kind of exemplary additions, and acquaint the World, how several others of the first practical * rooting Faction, 
Presbyt. Plotters.  have met with sinne-speaking Punishment, by the Practices of these secondugly Rooters; how like Pinns, though supposedly riveted for a settled Continuance, some Presbyterians have been knocked out, and others cut off, only to make way for more bloody Independent successors; and in this respect could Patricularize some of all degrees, whose Lives, Reputations, or Estates, have been exposed to the Block, Defamation, and Sequestration, by the Commands of these Monstrous 
* Indep. Faction.  Tyrants, who from them received their first Power of Command. Witness,— etc. the Palace-yard, Blood-speaking Scaffolds, and elsewhere.  
But because such kind of discourses may perchance, by the over-angry Judgement of some, be censured, as inclining to an uncharitable Upbraiding; (although my intent herein is only like the Chirurgeon, who Lanceth his wounded Patients, even to a displeased frown and angry Exclamations, to prevent the festering of his Wounds within, which would endanger the whole body) thus, by such sharp lines to render the cure more certain, beyond doubt of Relapse) I shall therefore silently pass over such particular Persons, not mentioning their Names at all; for I delight not in such Repetitions; God, the searcher of hearts, knoweth that I writ truth, rather wishing all guilty Conspirators, and Frontiers, in this rebellion, a serious and sudden repentance, (it being the sole design of this book) than the death, Ruin, or exemplary punishment of any, either in Estates or Persons—  
Thus I have laid before you the Religious vizards, the Pious Cheats of these rebellious Designers, and Complotting Rooters; in such plain selfe-confessing and condemning Demonstrations, that every one that will not obstinately close the eye of his reason, cannot but confess them undeniable truths—  
Having thus fare proceeded, and at this time being no less confident, than charitable in my hopes, that all abused, misleadd, formerly of the Presbyterian Parry, are upon a penitential return, I shall in the next place answer an Objection, or rather show the fallacy of a new-invented Proposition, much discoursed of by the present Ruling Rule-less Independent Faction, and swallowed down with much ease by many, whose ignorance maketh them insensible of such digestions, or hasty-complying cowardice, altogether careless of their Tastes— And it is this.  
That the present commanding Power exercise, Potestatem dominandi— their governing, but more truly tyrannising, power, over the people of England, as having right thereunto by Conquest, say they, having subdued them by the sword.  
For the solution of which, it will be pains unnecessary to meddle much with those Argumenta Cardinalia, Arguments primae magnitudinis, of the first rank; at which their Plea of Conquest, at one touch (like aged tenants of the grave) would fall and moulder into ashes.  
Therefore although I cannot be altogether silent, yet I shall be but brief in acquainting you,  
That it is against the principles of all Governments, for any Party whatsoever, by force to endeavour an alteration of an established Government, contrary to the fundamental practice of that Nation.  
Now the fundamental power of any Nation will appear thus.  
Where the power of making and repealing all kind of Laws, of convening and dismissing Councils of Life and Death, etc. are settled, received, and practically acknowledged; there is the fundamental Power of a Nation.  
Now that this Power is settled in a free-Parliament, summoned by the King's command (without which, they could not assemble, and without whom, 
vide J. Jenkens  no new Laws can be enacted, nor Old ones repealed, He being the sole enlivener of all Law, and our supreme Governor—) is a truth, which all the Laws of England, received and practised, do confirm.  
Again, that there is an indispensible necessity of maintaining this Principle, That all Governments must remain as they are established, until the fundamentally practised power of that Nation shall change the same, common reason will plead for me.  
For consider— In all Governments there is an impowered Party Governing, and Persons Governed— Now for the upholding and maintaining this Party, governing in security, to act accordingly, and whereby they may be enabled to preserve their Persons governed, in unity, peace, and concord; and for preventing the ambitious combinations of seditious and discontented persons, from endeavouring any thing, that may tend to the disturbance of the public peace; that is, both the Power governing, and the Persons governed— Laws are made, and those also Penal, that such disturbers are no less than Traitors and Rebels, against such a Constitution of Government—  
Witness the good Laws of England against all manner of Sedition, 
J. Jenkens  Treason, and Rebellion. Nay, witness those bastard-Laws of these latter days, not that they deserve the title of Laws; for Laws, rightly so entitled, are only such, which receive their immediate direction from the Law of God, or else are Emanant from some circumstantial branch thereof, not any way standing in opposition to the substance of the Law Divine; that is, the Ten Commandments, and all Evangelicall Precepts; although such Laws are made and executed by men, as instruments. But these new-minted Laws are rather, Rapacitatis than Pacis, forced-up Bulwarks to preserve an unjust Power in tyranny and oppression.  
To this purpose, you had the military House of Commons publishing the like, upon the Martyrdom of our dear Sovereign the King.  
Their Ordinances and Proclamations, prohibiting all correspondency with, and assistance of, his Royal Son, Now our Sovereign Lord and King.  
Their erection of that high Court of Ironical Justice, and their proceed therein.  
Their enjoining of Subscriptions to their Engagements. All which implicitly contain such a confessed Principle. Nay, were not this a truth essential to the fundamental constitution of a Government, as it is, and so confessed and maintained to be by all lawful Powers; nay, made use of by Usurpers themselves; and the worst of such Usurpers, Rebellious Subjects; and the bloodiest of such Rebels, those who, exceeding their cruelty in the Gospel, not only abuse the Servants, but have murdered the Lord of England's Vineyard, 
Mark 12.  pursuing his Heir apparent even unto Resolves of his death, that so the Inheritance may be solely in their possession.  
This, O God, thou hast seen; O keep not silence, O Lord of our salvaion. Hid thy servant, our Sovereign, and all his loyal Subjects, from the conspiracy of the wicked, and from the rage of these bloody men, that compass them about with words of hatred, and fight against them without a cause.  
Were not, I say, this Principle granted, as it is by all Governments, it would out of necessity follow, that Maxims of Rebellion and Treason, were implicitly contained in such a fundamental constitution; not maintained, I say, that a Government lawfully established must so remain, until alteration be made by the selfsame fundamental Power which established the same. Such a shadowy Government being like an Image, whose head's composed of gold, breast of silver, thighs of brass; but all this supported only by legs and feet of clay, easy to be uncontrollably-shivered in pieces, by the least malitiously-seditious and ambitious touch.  
Although I must confess, that when ambitiously-seditious spirits complot the ruin of an established Government; suchlike destructive tenants as these, of which I shall give an instance, practised by the rebellious Politicians of our days, are divulged to deceive the common people, and invite then to their assistance.  
As, that the two Houses may assume a power, etc. in case of the King's default in governing.  
That the two Houses have power to dispose of the Militia, in case the King consent not, although it be to enable the One twentieth part of his Kingdom with power, to destroy the other Nineteen parts, Himself, and Royal posterity.  
That the King must consent to whatsoever the two Houses shall propound, although never so irrational, irreligious, and prejudicial to Himself and subjects.  
That, in case his Majesty will not condescend thus, the two Houses may exercise the Regal power, not only without him, but against him.  
Pretty Principles indeed! equally destructive to people governed, as to Kings and Governors ruling.  
Nevertheless it is true, that these, and such like Tenants a these are, are not professedly, nay, not so much as implicitly maintained by any Power whatsoever, either just or unjust; but are only pretendedly divulged, I say, to catch the lesse-knowing multitude into a Pecuniary and Soldiery assistance, the better to effect the ends of such ambitious Designers.  
The truth of this being made good, and plainly appearing to every willing eye that will peruse it, and unprejudiced judgement that will remain satisfied with reason.  
Let us (with the eyes of our judicious memory, fixed upon what is already premised) lay the 
† Cr. Fact. Arm. House.  present ruling Power in one scale, and their Actions, Edicts, and Ordinances in another; and then judge, whether or no the actions of these worst of men weigh not down their own judgements, with a self-condemning weight.  
For, that they have plotted, nay, effected, a forcible destruction of an established Government, contrary to the Principles of all Governments, Law of God, Reason, and of the Kingdom; swimming to their ends in continual streams of English Christian blood, until at last they arrived at the destruction of our 
† C. R. I.  our Royal Fountain, is lachrymabile verum, too too sad a truth, so appearing also by what I have already written.  
That the same ruling bloody power, since they have had the sole power to Rule, have declared all those to be Traitors and Rebels, in their construction, against them, who shall oppose them in this their unjust possession of the King's Majesty's most just Rights, and undeniable Power; their own Ordinances, or rather bloody Acts, confirm it true: witness that cruel piece of cruelty, murdering massacre of those Martyrs on earth, now glorious Saints in Heaven, Sir Charles Lucas, Sir George Lisle, the Lord Capell, the Earl of Derby, Sir Henry Hiae, Colonel Andrews, and several others; whose loyal actions only endeavoured to relieve the oppressed, and restore unto us our Religion, Laws, and Liberties, the ends of all just Wars.  
In brief, take both these together in this plain undeniable Syllogism.  
They are Rebels and Traitors, deserving to die an ignominious death upon the Gallows, (this is the sense of their Ordinances, and final result of their bloodily erected High Court) who shall disturb the * Governors or Government of their Commonwealth, 
Bloody Fact.  say they.  
These very persons have not only disturbed, but ruined the whole fabric of out Government, murdered the sup ream Governor the King, destroyed the Kingdom and its Laws, by bloody Arms, Oppression, and Tyranny.  
Ergo, these are Rebels and Traitors, deserving to die an ignominious death upon the gallows, by their own confession, practices, and commands.  
Thus, Reos confitentes habetis; secundum sua ipsorum verba, fiat Justitia. They plead guilty; may justice be done, according to their merits. Yet because, non sanguinis homo,— may they by repentance find mercy, etc.  
Now consider (my abused Countrymen); Where are the men, who style themselves conquerors? Or, who can be so senssesse, as well as heartless, to term them so, when as, according to the construction of reason, they confess themselves to be but Rebels and Traitors?  
Indeed, many unjust Conquests there have been in the world, which truly were, as a prudent 
* K. James.  King styleth them, but furta regalia, latrocinia speciosa, Royal robberies, occasioned by the boundless ambitious spirits of some Princes, who many times have been repaid with the loss of their own Kingdoms. But did you ever read or hear that rebellious Subjects, bloody Traitors, mounted into a commanding power, by the mis-employed wealth, and deceived assistance of their fellow Subjects, were ever styled Conquerors over them?  
More plainly, for I would not have the people of England swallow such gross absurdities, supposing themselves out of a just necessity engaged to subscribe to this unjust Power. Therefore,  
By way of a brief repetition, That there was at first a conspiracy and design of changing the Government of the three Kingdoms by force, if not willingly condescended unto by his late Majesty, 
Witness 19 Propositions, cum reliquis.  is so plain, that the meanest capacity cannot but condescend to it as truth.  
That this design was veiled with specious pretences, thereby to deceive the judgements of the multitude, and create a military assisting power, I have also made good.  
That, in common reason, without these pretences, it had been impossible for these Conspirators to have compassed their ends, any rational man will, I am confident, confess.  
For, Can any man believe that if these rooting-Plotters in the very beginning of this Fatal Parliament (for then it had the face of such a Court) had declared to the World their intentions, to extirpate Episcopacy; abolish the book of Common-Prayer alter the government of England; nay to Murder the King and Destroy his Royal offspring; infringe the liberties of their Persons and Estates; burden them with Taxes upon taxes; and domineer only by the Tyrannising Sword; Can a man be so senselessy Stupid as to Suppose that any one man in England would have contributed the least assistance tending to such destructive ends?— Surely not; Their Plots had been as abortive-births, dead in the very womb; Like letters written on Sand, invisible at the next windy blast; and themselves had met with the reward of Traitors, in the Original of their Treason.  
But I say, they must out of a Politic necessity by Pretences of a reformation etc. prepare the Common people for a Compliance, and upon their deceived Compliance, hammer out by degrees their ugly Plot to a perfection.  
Away then with your most blasphemous entitling God's approbation to your Succeeding Villainies; when as it is not Smiling Providence that waits upon your designs, as you would make the people believe, but the Gradual Effects of your politic Knaveries, and methodical Treasons.  
Indeed, the All-just and wise God hath long suffered you to deceive the people of England, and them to be so deceived. But God's design thereby is to Chastise them for their instability, and disobedience, in not valuing, or else lightly esteeming the blessings of Peace; and punish them for their not prising the Enjoyment of the Gospel of Peace; and that you yourselves by your additional Sins, might be left inexcusable at that great day of Account, when the Judge of Heaven and Earth shall pronounce that unrepealable doom, Ite Maledicti; Go, ye Cursed, into Everlasting burn.  
Again, to make this appear more plain, take a further hint of their Rebellious Method; which course had they not observed, they could have done nothing tending to the acquisition of their designed Ends.  
In the first place they, though falsely, suggested into the Multitude's belief, an alteration of our religion on his majesty's part.  
And these ungrounded Pretences made way for Jealous and Suspicious thoughts among the Common people: and these, though caussesse, Jealousies occasion the Multitude, constant in nothing but in Inconstancy, to Stagger in their Sworn Allegiance.  
In the next Place, following machiavels irreligious rule (Vehementer increpate et aliquid adhaerebit) they back them with lying invectives & ray ling exclamations against his Majesty, & his indeed Peaceable Just & Merciful Government, whereby the affections of many began to totter & their duty to shake, & their needless fears to increase.  
Again, they Publicly cried up themselves, though most untruly, as Assertors, Maintainers and Preservers of our Religion) and the Laws. And these false allures, attract the Aguish Judgements of too too many to incline to them in their belief, and blinded Obedience.  
Again (the more to ingratiate themselves with the Common People and hoodwinck them with Suppositions that they were Persons affecting Justice—) they Press for Execution of Pretended Justice upon some Supposed Delinquents; who indeed were no other, but  Loyal Rocks, hindering their Progressive Rebellious Plots. And upon this account, the incomparable Earl of Strafford, and the unparallelled Archbishop of Canterbury, (two main supporting pillars of Church and State) were offered, as bloody sacrifices, to the common people's ignorant zeal, and the conspirator's designs.  
In the next place, they vilify the honour of the King's person, advising the rabble of the City rudely to press into his Court, bawling for Justice, which never was denied; and by this means, the respect and honour due to his Majesty was weakened, the ill-mannered people, following the counsel of their teachers, (apt scholars of their black mouthed master the devil) began to revile the King, despise Dominions, and speak evil of Dignities.  
With these and such like additional insolent deportments of the City-scum, his wearied Majesty was enforced, for his own safety, to leave London. After which, these rooting-Plotters persecute him with dethroning Propositions, under the notion of Reformation, delivered most commonly out of a Cannon's mouth; or mockingly tormenting him with 
* vid Collect Parl. Ord.  humble and loyal Petitions of Subjects, presented upon the point of a bloody Sword— Pretty Subjects indeed!  
Thus, thus, England, thou wast gulled into a rebellious Army, to bring to pass their Conspirator's designs, upon the score of thy own destruction, the loss of our peace, dishonour of our Religion, ruin of the King's Majesty, and the Laws of England.  
This done, 
Blasphemy.  the Pulpit-Dragoons must interest the Deity in their quarrel; Rebellion must be styled, The Cause of God— O horrible blasphemy! as if the righteous and all-just God gave precepts, for the commission of the most unrighteous, unjust, 
Caedem faciunt Scriptur a●um ad materiam suam.  and wicked actions that ever were committed. To this bad purpose, they cut and mangle, multiply and diminish, the holy Scriptures, wresting them to a corrupt sense, proper only to their designs, notwithstanding that Anathema, Revel. 22. vers. 18, 19, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book; and if any shall diminish the words of this prophecy, God hall take away his part out of the book of life. And by this means the poor people were seduced in matter of conscience, obeying the politic Pulpit-directions, quite opposite to the commands of God, and their own former judgements and practices.  
All this while, 
Lying. Dissimulation.  the rooting Engineers of State, were busily busied in abusing the King, and cheating the people, senslesly in their Declarations, dividing the power of the King from the King's person; as if there possibly could be (in a true sense) the exercise of a Kingly power, without the person of a King. But seasonable it was for them so to do, when as they unjustly made use of power without, (nay, contrary to) his commands; and maintained Armies to fight against his Person.  
Next to this, 
Perjury.  succeed new obliging Oaths and Covenants, correspondent to the sense of their design, and dissonant from the legal, rational, and religious sense of all former lawful Oaths; witness their Negative Oath, their first and second Vow and Covenant, with their last and worst, the Engagement; all which must be as chains to the people's consciences, with which being once shackled, many of the Pulpits speak nothing, but a performance of these Oaths and Engagements, in the Rooters' destructive sense; as if such politic State-Engines carried more truth in them, than the Scriptures themselves. Thus they made human policy Mistress of Divinity, nay, to tyrannize over her. Indeed, the Scots-Covenant, as it was styled, carried a compound sense; in some Articles speaking seemingly-loyall and religious pretences; but they were but seeming one's; although in other, nothing but an enforced change of, both Ecclesiastical and Civil Government. Which, compared with precedent and subsequent actions, even until his Majesty was snatched away from the Presbyterian Power, 
Isle Wight  maketh me grieve with admiration, and admire with grief, at many, who still continue adherents to those first begun erroneous Principles, of extirpation of Governments by bloody force.  
Some affirming, strangely and falsely, that they did oppose the tyranny of the late martyred King, but never the Title or Office; which, to my mean apprehension, (and I could wish some of the Presbyterian party would otherwise inform my judgement) seemeth to oppugn reason itself; his Majesty having, before ever sword was drawn, granted all things necessary to the well-being, quiet, and peaceable living of the lowest, as well as the highest, of his Subjects, their possession on of their lives, 
Confessed by themselves, Collect. Parl. Ord  liberties, and estates, and a just reformation in Religion: He himself having raised such Bulwarks for us to this purpose, that nothing was left for the people of England to desire, as additional to their future security and happiness. And had not this 
* Presb.  Kingly-power rooting-partie stepped in, or, in their own irregular demands, been but modestly moderate, these second bloodiest-rooting Independents had never commandingly appeared to the world's eye, but England had still remained the glory of Nations, an earthly Paradise, and not an habitation of Bats and Owls, Foxes and devouring Wolves; blind ignorance, heresy, schism, and Jesuitical bloody-minded men: Besides, the former, and still wilfully continuing Presbyterians, having neither reason in Law, nor ground in Religion, for such their a● first undertake, or still continuing inolinations thereunto, as I have already made good— Maketh me to pray, that God would more clearly open the Eyes of their understandings and in the bowels of Christ Jesus desire them that they would weigh all things by the balance of the Sanctuary without interjection of the least part of a grain of Private Interest▪ and affectionate cleaving to Parties in any thing unwarrantable by the Everlasting Standard of God's word— and at last return from whence they were fallen, and do their first works.  
But this by the way— However if ●n this I have displeased any man, I ●am Confident I have herein neither displeased nor dishonoured the God of ●ruth, & therefore shall be bold to tell ●hem that they do not well to be angry with me for speaking the truth.  
I return to my former Method—  
Why, think you, were so many Reverend Bishops and other Orthodox Divines as Dr. Featly, Dr. Oldsworth, Mr. Shute, with many others disgraced or imprisoned; not because the Law spoke them guilty, but because they were as so many walls of Brass able to Oppose their Proceed; and would if suffered to Preach, have informed, the people their better duties and thereby prevented the progress of their desigues.—  

Garraway.  Why were so many Lords Imprisoned, the Mayor of London, some Aldermen, outed and dispersed unto Several Confining Castles—? Why were most of the Common Council ●men disgracefully thrown out of the Court? But only to make way for the more factious Spirits; who would more readily comply in their turn & wind with the first Moving Wheels of the Rooting-faction.  
Why did they then, and still do, both admit and tolerate ignorant-Laymen to belch out new fangled false Opinions, Heretical and Schismatical positions? but thereby to bring the Clergy into dishonour and disrespect with the people, distracting the brains and dividing the affections of the Multitude: well knowing machiavels rule divide et impera; for rebellion and treason will never harbour in breasts united by the bond of true religion: they that conscientiously affect Christ and his Church, will not be wrought upon to destroy his Servants the Pastors, or any Member thereof; nor ever give ear to such babblers, the devil's Chaplains.—  
Nay their Present toleration of all in matters of religion; 
Indep. Faction.  under the Pretence of having a regard to tender Consciences, is only done out of Policy, or, if you will, rebellious Knavery; not that they intent you (after that you have been instrumental to their compassed Ends) such a liberty out of a conscientious Courtesy. But hear, hear, you deceived people of England! Their Reason is;  
Lest the Ignorant Rabble (the walking instrumental feet and active hands of their design,) like your less knowing Papists, taking all things by the hand of an implicit belief; should, being denied any one thing, grow into a discontent, which (seconded with a Serious Repentance and its effects a desertion of these Plotters, manifested by a general insurrection, their only fears) should occasion these Rooters' sudden downfall & utter destruction. For a division in opinions and affection at first raised them a Power enabling them to raze down England's Monarchical government; So a unity in iniquity; a Linked wicked brotherhood must settle them in this their destructive power. But, O Lord, notwithstanding thy enemies have taken Crafty counsel against thy people, and have consulted against thy Secret Ones; although they say, Come, let us cut them off from being a Nation, and let not the Name of a Christian Protestant, King or people, be any more in Remembrance; Give not thou the Soul of thy Turtle dove unto the Beast and forget not the Congregation of thy Servants. Consider thy Covenant; for many Places in England, Scotland and Ireland are full of the habitations of Cruel men. Judge the Cause of the fatherless and oppressed; Arise, arise, O God, maintain thy own Cause here, help and deliver us. So we thy People and sheep of thy Pasture shall praise thee for evermore.  
Let us descend to examples of a Lower nature.  
Why, suppose you, is Lily somuch employed by these bloody Statists? but only to unhindg the faith of the common people from adhering to the Doctrine of the holy Scriptures, which like a two-edged sword, would soon cut their design in pieces; for, had the people's faith been kept to a close dependence on the Word of God, and their actions only regulated thereby; or, had 
* Presbyt.  others more knowing, or at least pretending to more knowledge, weighed all their undertake (without the addition of unbridled passion, and irregular, though seemingly zealous, affections) exactly, according to this everlastingly just Standard; so many formerly (now penitential men, I hope) had not then been deceived into a rebellious Army; nor would so many continue their Adherents at this very day.  
But no wonder if those men (who first rebel against the King of Heaven, and his Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ, fight against his commands, the practice of the whole Army of Martyrs the glorious company of the Apostles and Prophets, the example of the holy Church through the whole world) no wonder if such destroy and murder their Sovereign, God's Vicegerent on earth, and all true Christians, and faithful Subjects. No wonder if such men, having thus forsaken the fountain of living waters, (the Scriptures), do frame to themselves new Cisterns, even broken cisterns of dependence on lily's politic discourses, which will neither hold water upon Scripture-tryall at present, nor be able to save or satisfy a poor soul at the great day of trial, of particular persons at the hour of death, or that general Day of Judgement, when the world shall be no more.  
But, let me desire of all such Stargazers, and Star-believers, seriously to ponder that place of Scripture, in the 47th Chapter of Isaiah, from the first verse to the end, and lean no longer upon such broken Reeds, which will deceive their dependence into a self-destruction. Babylon there had trusted in the multitude of divinations, and the great abundance of enchanters; saying to herself, I am, and none else; I shall not sit as a widow, neither shall I know the loss of children, as the Rooters do. We are the only Saints, we shall prevail. Upon no other ground, but their own strength, and the trust which they put in their prosperous wickedness.  
Now observe God's manner of denouncing his judgements.  
Therefore, saith the Text, verse the 11 th': That is, because you have thus sinned, in punting confidence in these Stargazers, and forsaken me the God of the Scars, and my unerring precepts, shall destruction come upon thee, and thou shalt not know the morning thereof; Ruin shall fall upon thee, which thou shalt not be able to put away; destruction shall come on thee suddenly unawares—  
Where, by the way, take notice, that as the Church's extremity is God's opportunity for deliverance, when their hearts are saddest, and indeed almost hopeless, if they consult only with flesh and blood; So, the destruction of the wicked shall come upon them, when they are at the highest of their hopes, and dream not of a change; then, even then, unawares, shall sudden destruction fall upon them— The Text saith, They shall not know the morning thereof; that is, not the time of their ruin: but after they have slept, as it were, a whose night in security, supposing all to be settled for a continuance, by the prosperity of their wickedness; then shall God in the morning, unthought-of, unexpected, come against them in judgement, and destroy them in his fury.  
Further, in the 12th verse, upon their approaching ruin, observe, how God doth upbraid them with their sins: Stand now among thy enchanters, and in the multitude of thy soothsayers, with whom thou hast wearied thyself, if so be thou mayst have profit or strength. Let the Astrologers, the Stargazers, vers. 13. and Prognosticators now stand up, and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee. That is, see if these your confidents can be a preserving screen between you and my destroying anger. No, no, hopes of help from them are but vain, for inthe 14th and 15th verses, see the judgement of heaven denounced against the Stargazers themselves; Behold, saith the Text, they shall be as stubble, the fire shall burn them, they shall not deliver their own lives from the power of the flame, etc. Every one shall wander to his own quarter, none shall save them, etc.  
Thus shall God say, Do you that adhere to the politic spirit of Lily, and forsake the commands and directions of the God of spirits; even in that day, when you have filled full the measure of your sins, when the Harvest of your fullgrown iniquities is ripe, then shall God enter in with his sickle of judgement, and cut you off; and even then your consciences shall upbraid you, and bid you go to Lily, in whom you have trusted, see whether he can save you in that your extremity, try whether or no he can administer the least hopes of comfort to your souls for the future; but all in vain— O my brethren, there will be sad thoughts at such a time, and at the hour of death, when your souls are ready to take their flight from their fleshy cages— Therefore consider of these things betimes, before the hour-glasses of your lives are shivered into pieces. Repent and return, in your dependence only upon the God of truth, and his revealed will, the holy Scriptures; lest you exchange this life, for an eternally-continuing death, with those neverdying damned in hell.  
To what end, think you, were, and still are, your lying Pamphlets, and daily flying diurnals sent abroad, but, like so many petty pieces of the same deceiving spirit, thereby to continue the poor people in a disaffection to the King, and his so just a cause, and working of them into an approbation of the Conspirator's designs▪ casting in them sable lines of dishonour, on the white innocence of his Majesty's actions; and covering over the rotten wall of their own black undertake, with a seeming whiteness witness that apostatising 
Politicus, alias Necum.  Lucifer, fallen from the heaven-approving height of truth and loyalty, to the deepest hell of perjury, falsehood, rebellion, and treason; whose lines are nothing else but lying invectives, murderers of Religion and Reason, as well as of Royalty and Loyalty.  
What, suppose you, my abused countrymen, is the reason why the Conspirators endeavours tug so much to engage all, if it were possible, to be equally guilty with them, some by perjurious oaths and engagements; others, by sacrilegious bartering for the Church's Lands; some, by unjust possession of his Malesty's Revenues and Royal Estate, with the Lands of his loyal Subjects; and not a few Judass, 
Accuser of Col. Andrews, and many others.  exchanging their souls with the devil by apostasy and treachery, for a pecuniary reward.  
It is only that they may be as numerosi proditione, so form dolosi numero; that their number may seem terrible; and what they cannot maintain as just by Reason, Religion, or Law, they may seem to justify the maintenance thereof by the irreligious Sword. But do thou, O Lord God of Hosts, scatter those people that delight in war, that speak not peace, but devise deceitful matters against the quiet of the land—. They smite down thy people, O God, and trouble thine heritage; they slay the widow and the stranger, and murder the fatherless. O Lord God the avenger, O God the avenger, show thyself clearly. Lord, how long, how long, Lord, shall the wicked triumph, and the workers of iniquity vaunt themselves?—  
Lastly, I shall contract all these into a narrow compass; and, as I have already made it appear, 
Indep. Faction.  that the * present ruling Powers are so far from being entitled Conquerors, that they have confessed themselves to be Rebels and Traitors; so all others shall affirm them (as to be such, so also) the bloodiest of Cheaters, and State-juglers.  
And this I shall do, first, by inserting a sad modern story, and then taking a comparative notice of the parties employed, with the end of their then employment, and these Rooting-cheaters, who would be styled Conquerors.  
I have been informed, that in Ireland, at the first arise of that bloody Rebellion, there were some of the Papistical faction resolved upon the surprisal of a Protestant Justice of Peace, (where, by the way, take notice, that some of his servants were privy to the conspiracy), the death of him, ruin of his family, and possession of his Castle. But they supposing it in vain to attempt it by force, resolved upon a more subtle way, (by putting on the vizor of Justice, and of former Acquaintance, upon their deceitful intentions) thereby to compass their ends; in this manner.  
The Combinators bind the hands of some of their fellow-villains, take with them a Constable and other Officers, insensible of the plot; knock at the Castle-gate, pretend they came for justice against these bond men. Some of the servants, as well of the combination, as others that were ignorant of their design (however, being both acquainted with the Constable, and many of the rest) admit them into the presence of their Master. Which was no sooner done, but, after some pretended flourishes for justice, they unbind their fellow-villains, and all unanimously murder the Justice, his family, faithful servants, and the well-meaning Constable, and keep possession of the Castle.  
Now let any rational man resolve me. Do these men deserve to be esteemed as real Landlords, when as, had they not thus pretended justice, thereby even deceiving the Justice himself, it had been impossible for them to have effected their designs? Or will you not rather confess, that they were the worst of deceivers, and bloodiest of murderers? Or can any man be so senseless to affirm, that, because they were actually possessed of this Castle, their possession therefore was just? Surely no. Or if any afterward shall combine with these villains, in this Castle so unjustly possessed, will not all rational men judge them equally guilty? Certainly yes.  
Now, mutatis nominibus de Anglia fabula narratur. To make good the comparison.  
Who are these Papistical bloody Conspirators, but the Rooting-faction (though different in title) in the House and Army?  
Who this Protestant Justice of Peace, and faithful servants? but our late dear Sovereign, and loy all Subjects, whom they have murdered? and the Laws of England, which they have destroyed?  
Who those ignorantly assisting Constables and Officers? but the misled deceived Presbyterian party— misled, I say, for there were plotters among them too, (whom, in this parallel I ●ntend not.)  
Who are those treacherous servants? 
Mildmay. Vanes.  but those of his Majesty's own household. What is meant by this Castle? but the three Kingdoms.  
How and by what means possessed, which otherwise could not have been obtained? but under pretences of desiring Justice. Now for the unlawfulness of the act, I leave to every man's nearer application; only know thus much for truth,— That prosperous villainy entitleth nothing to be therefore just and equitable, because successful. What though 
* As two Friars termed the murder of Henry the French King, Heroicum factum, & donum Sp●ritus sancti  prosperum scelus Virtus vo catur, yet really it is not so; it is but the corrupt gloss of wicked men, and bloody Tyrants, who would seem to have power to dethrone the Majesty of Religion's Reason in man, as some have had to destroy Kings and Governments themselves.  
Thus, thus, England, these Rooting factious Conspirators have (gradatim, step by step) juggled themselves into a Supremacy, and abused you into a slavish subjection.  
By this time, I presume, all are satisfied in these Men's deserving titles: and let them receive their due characters: 

The unparallelled Impostors.  
Unheard of State-cheaters.  
Bloodiest of Rebellious Tyrannical Subjects, but not Conquerors.    
Now let me appeal to all English hearts, and truehearted Protestants:  
What ingenious spirit will not blush, after he apprehendeth himself to be cozened by the cunning insinuations and actions of any men, though in matters of lesser consequence?  
What repair are there to the Lawyers for advice?  
What earnest endeavours are there employed, either for a Restitution or Vindication. To this purpose, no means are left unattempted, no money unexpended, no friends neglected, or un-made use of, that may be prevalent to such an end.  
And will you, you Englishmen, being thus cheated, not of toys and trifles, but of things substantial and essential, both to your temporal and eternal welfares. Your King, the Supreme Governor being murdered, and his Royal Son, our surviving Sovereign Persecuted, prosecuted with murdering Resolutions, and destroying Armies. Your Laws, they being abolished; your Religion, that being dishonoured and corrupted with Heresy, Schism, and all manner of Profane opinions; your Liberties and Lives, they lying at the beck, and command of these cheating Tyrants: Will you continue further instruments, to the absolute destruction of all these, wherein you are concerned as Christians, and freeborn Englishmen? Will you subscribe yourselves willingly passive slaves to these active impostors? Nay, will you engage yourselves in obediential 
* Engagement.  promises to such an unjust power, enchaining thereby your souls to their monstrous sins; 
Quos similes culpa coinquinat par quoque paena constringet.  and, unless repentance prevent, linking yourselves to their punishments? For God will be just.  
Let me persuade you therefore, my dear brethren and Countrymen, in the bowels of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, as you tender your eternal welfare and everlasting happiness, not to be yoked together with these perfidious creatures; for, what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? what communion hath light with darkness? what concord hath Christ with Belial? what agreement hath innocent loyalty with bloodily guilty perjury? Separate yourselves from their wicked actions, come out from among them, be no longer partakers of their Sins lest you receive of their plagues.  
Now at the last stand fast in the faith, quit yourselves like men and bestrong, withstand the Devil and he will fly. 
Ille Christi miles qui pugnat, non qui fugit.  It is your Pusillanimity and Complying Cowardice that spirits these Rooters to a progression in their ugly defignes— By this only they Work,  
Do you ever hope to be freemen again, Free by virtue of a Certainly Protecting and directing Law, so Long as you are possessed with such aguish spirits? No no, be assured while you retain this Puny spiritedness, expect nothing but a multiplication of oppressive Taxes, like waves upon the Sea shore, tumbling one upon the neck of another, until you be all over whelmed with irrecoverable poverty. Away then with this slavish fear; why will you rather subscribe to be Companions in sin with these men, than to be Champions for the true cause of Jesus Christ, the Laws of England and your own liberties. Let me persuade you to throw away these dull weights, which like Plummets tied to the feet of flying birds, press down your winged desires of Restoration and rain joyment of Peace and Truth. It is these Plummets of fear that more keep you under hatches of slavery than their often reiterated tyrannical oppression.—  
Indeed it is true that a general impoverishment of all degrees of men (but those of their linked conspiracy) is the high road of Policy on their parts. For by this the oppressed (men's spirits many times declining with their Estates) in continuance of time are deprived of means to obtain their freedom, and at last through mere necessity enforced, contrary to their own reason and consciences, to enrol themselves as Soldiers in a Rebellious army.—  
But shall They be so Politic as first to work us into a necessitous condition, and then work upon that necessity, their own ends, in our Ruin? and shall not We (seeing ourselves thus driven into a pit of destruction) endeavour somuch as to struggle for our own Security and prevention of our enforced ruin—? Nay, shall we become assistants to the destruction of our remaining loyal fellow Subjects, who by such cowardice have ourselves only occasioned our own Ruin—? O Stupid generation of people, who have bewitched us! Hear oh England, and O London hearken; now at last return, return, return, to the God of heaven by repentance for thy often repeated Sins to your Sovereign and the Laws of England, by a willing and Real obedience to your fellow country men in mutual embraces of unity and cordial affections.  
But, methinks I hear some whispering a commendation of the Plotters charity; that, notwithstanding they have reduced many into an impoverished condition, yet they are careful in making provision for them in Now erected Hospitals.  
For answer, Let me tell you this truth: that their care it expressed to none but such who first have crippled their souls as well as maimed their bodies in their bloody design (strange dealing to cut off men's legs purposely to shewtheir charity in the gift of a pair of crutches!)  
But grant their care were more general and extended to others, whom their cruelty, plunderings, taxes and necessary expenses only to buy bread (wanting Suplies through the want of Trade, their only way of Subsisting, lost by their Rebellious wars) had reduced to Extremity of Poverty.  
All though this, I am confident, proceedeth not from any principle of Christian charity neither, but pure policy; thereby to lull asleep the cries of the maimed, the Widows, and fatherless; which if too publicly heard, might occasion others to be fearful, how they become either actively or passively contributory to their assistance, from whom they can after all expect nothing but to be Famished for a Reward.  
Yet alas, poor England, must thou be first beggared by these Plotters, that they may express a cruel kind of charity to thy misery, by them only occasioned? Miserable Charity sure! To Rob and Spoil men of their own Estates that they, their wives, and children, may become Pensioners in an Hospital.—  
But I Proceed.  
Having thus laid down, the Equity and Justice on his majesty's part, the Rebellious method and Traitorous means which these Conspirators have made use of, as so many ascending steps assisting the accomplishment of their bloody design, hoping that all rational men are very well satisfied how they have been abused by these deceivers into the commission of unlawful actions, and are resolved for a Serious repentance and Sudden amendment, that so the God of heaven may Restore unto us our Sovereign on his throne; Our religion to its Practical Purity; and ourselves to the enjoyment of our Laws and Liberties:  
I shall in the next place, acquaint the world with the unlawfulness of that Politic piece of Combinatory villainy (the Engagement), that trod upon the heels of other preceding actions, in order to their design; as naturally as the shadow of man, on a sunny day, waiteth upon the body.  

January 1648.  To this Purpose therefore take notice that after they had Murdered the King in their road of Bloody policy, immediately Issued forth first that Monarchy-distroying Ordinance, and an utter extirpation of his majesty's Royal family, not so much as mentioned in any of their preceding Declarations— Nor indeed was it seasonable they should— But when they had run through all their Scenes of Hypocritical Pretences of setting up of Christ Jesus, though Murdering again thereby the Lord of life by their manifold sins; at last most Barbarously they killed the Lord's Anointed, the King: He must have his bloody Exit out of this world, to make way for their Return upon the bloodied stage of his Kingdoms, there to act their continuing parts of destruction upon the Royal Persons of his Posterity, and to contrive the ruin of all loyal and faithful Subjects, and true Christian Protestants.  
And now having brought them hither (their first resolved end, through all their vain turn, and politic wind); Take a view, how they begin to settle themselves in their bloodily-acquired Power, endeavouring to lock others in an unjust obedience unto them, by commanding subscriptions to that complication of Treason and Rebellion, the Engagement, and by these commands to distinguish affection, that so 
* Rooters.  they may more readily make way for the ruin of all true Christians, in their persons and estates, thereby to require those of their more near and bloody faction; as also, that such, and none but such, most desperate villains, may be interessed in all employments, both in Church and State. Thus much may be collected very easily, by the Resolves of the Parliament (say they; but traitorous Conspirators, say I) enjoining subscription thereunto, Yet, 
Oct. 1649  by the way, let me tell them, that though hereby they seem to distinguish persons, yet their hearts and souls they cannot— Alas, this seeming Tie— although for my own part, I disapprove the subscription of any one whomsoever, because hereby, men seem more to fear Man than God, love their golden earth, a little perishing wealth, more than the rich treasurs that are laid up in Heaven, for those that fight the good fight of faith, and persevere unto the end, to whom only Crowns of everlasting glory are promised as rewards. I am afraid, 
●ugitius nulla Cor●na.  that their sins of subscription will occasion the continuance of our punishments; although, say I, this Tie, in reference to the persons obliged unto, will prove but like sandy ropes, which the alteration of the wind will soon scatter into nothing.  
Before I come to dissect the Engagement itself, and lay it open to the world's eye, that so all that will, or are not as yet given over to a reprobate sense, may therein read the present sin, and future everlasting danger (without repentance) of the subscribers.  
I must, by way of repetition, premise these confessed, and already-maintained principles.  

vid. Judg. Jenkins' Collect.  That the King's Majesty, now Charles the second, by the fundamental law of England, is our Supreme Governor.  
That, as this his Supremacy is incorporated in our Laws, so the acknowledgement thereof is embodied in our Religion, (the true Christian Protestant faith) maintained in the XXXIX Doctrinal Articles of the Church of England, and this consonant to the Word of God.  
That this acknowledgement is confirmed by Precept, Practice, Oath upon Oath of Allegiance and Supremacy, was a truth confessed by all English Protestants, until these latter times, wherein these bloody and seditious seeds (like those tares in the Gospel, sown in the night while others slept) are scattered abroad, as it were, in the night also, by these devilish instruments, when all Orthodox Ministers were forced either to silence, or else cast into dark prisons, like so many shining Suns, by them forced under clouds, the great reason of this our present night of ignorance, and hellish errors. However, this truth still remaineth (notwithstanding so many bloody storms, and rebelliously opposing waves) like a Rock unshaken, being built, not on sandy foundations, but on sure Principles of undeniable Reason, pure undefiled Religion, and Laws, like Rivers from their fountains streaming forth, and remaining apparently established at this very day;  
That a bloody and enforced extirpation of a Government by Subjects, contrary to the power, & commands, and against the Person of their lawful Sovereign, and the fundamental Law of the Kingdom, is the highest degree of Treason and Rebellion, by their own confession.  
That such practices are against the principles of all Governments, therefore condemnable by the Law of Nations.  
From all which confessed Positions, we may collect this Truth in general,  
That in reference to the opposition of powers by Law, Reason, and Religion (the Touchstone of all Powers, that is, Governments, whatsoever) maintained just, such as the King's Supremacy and Regal Power is, no obedience active ought to be rendered to Powers, or rather Persons unjustly usurping a Power, such as these rooting-Conspirators are, having neither warrant by Religion nor Law to command such an opposing obedience, much less to do as they have done, viz. to murder and dethrone Kings, subvert our Religion and Laws, endeavouring to vassalize us to a submission unto their unlawful commands. For it is better to obey God than man; that is, when our refusal of obedience to man's unlawful commands, are warrantable by his all-commanding Law—  
But let us examine the Scripture. Every soul must be subject unto the higher power, 
Rom. 13  saith the Scripture, that is, 
There is no power but of God, if they be godly powers. Bad Rulers are by the permission, not the ordination of God.  those just Powers whom God hath ordained for the good government of his people, and have right and title to be styled Governors, being regularly received, settled, practised, and confirmed in a Nation, as the Government of England was by King, Lords, and Commons, all acting orderly in their several Spheres, yet all meeting in an unanimous agreement for the general good both of Prince and People. And these thus meeting and consulting together, the High Court is rightly entitled a PARLIAMENT, a name in itself venerable, and to be greatly esteemed by all true Christian hearts. Such a PARLIAMENT, O God of mercies, restore unto poor decaying and dying England. Now that this command of subjection must concern only the lawful governing Power, and not rebellious Subjects, who, by treachery, blood, and deceit, have snatched away the power of governing from the lawful Governors, and exercise it by a ryrannicall usurpation, both over Prince and People, the subsequent words of the Text confirmeth.  
For, to what end were that advice of the Apostle, That Princes are not to be feared for good works, but for evil? That is, if people governed be obedient, and act in their places things unblamable, the Prince and the Law need not to be feared by them, in a way of condemnation and punishment.  
But if Subjects (to speak in the words of the Apostle) shall do evil, by infringing the Law of God, by rebelling against the lawful Government and Governor, (as this prevailing faction hath done) than the Prince, he birth not the sword in vain, for he is the Minister of God to take vengeance on such evil doers, that is, to punish them according to their demerits.  
Now do I wonder, how any man can be so unblushingly impudent, 
needham Politicus.  as to make use of this Scripture, conscientiously to engage the common people of England's subjection to this present Rule-lesse Ruling Power, when as on the contrary they are hereby obliged to be assisting to their Prince, that so he may be the better enabled to discharge that duty, which God and the Law requireth from him, and to punish these workers of iniquity. The current of the Text running clearly for subjection to lawful Governors, from the people who are to be governed.  
Nullius prohibitio valet divinis obvia●e praeceptis, God's precepts may not be countermanded by man's prohibitions; nor God's prohibitions prejudiced by man's precepts.  
Again, 
1 Pet. 2.  we are exhorted to submit ourselves to every Ordinance (that is, lawful Ordinance) of man for the Lords sake, whether it be to the King, as to the superior, or unto Governors, as unto them that are sent of him, for the punishment of evil doers, and the praise of them that do well. Where, pray take notice, the Apostle's advice is quite opposite to the practice, either of the Conspirator's, or the subjecting Subscribers of these days; for we are not commanded to submit ourselves to every wicked Ordinance, by which good men are only injured, and the worst of men commended; nor are we to obey the now 
† The King being Supreme in his own Kingdom, the people can be but Subjects; and if Subjects have no power to command, but by way of derivation from the King, therefore the present ruling Faction have no just power to command, but fall under the notion of wicked and evil doers, whom the King ought to punish, and all good men should be assisting thereunto— This is the doctrine of the Apostle.  domineering Power, (but the King as Supreme) therefore not these who are but Subjects, nor any of their Agents, whose commands and actions already have murdered the King, our Supreme Governor, and still continue to destroy his Royal Son, and all others, who will not walk in the same bloody paths with them. Is this, think you, to submit to the King as Supreme? In brief, the Scripture enjoineth us to obey the King and his servants; The Faction commandeth us to obey them (subjects) against the King's commands destroying Him and all his faithful servants, O monstrum, horrendum—▪  
Are these the good works which the Apostle commandeth us to perform, in the 11th verse of the same Chapter, that God may be glorified by us in the day of visitation? And is this our honest conversation, whereby we may stop the mouth of evil speakers? Surely no, my dear Countrymen, It were blasphemy only to suppose so.  
Is the wilful slighting and neglecting of God's precepts, and the dethroning of Kings, the way to obey God and honour the King, as we are commanded in the same Chapter?  
Did our Saviour Jesus Christ command, 
Matth. Mar.  that those things which belonged unto Caesar should be given unto him, and shall the Faction not only command the contrary, but themselves plunder all from him, depriving him of his Honour, Regality, Revenues, nay, Life and all?  
Shall the Preacher advertise us to obey the King's commands, 
Eccles. 8.  in regard of our Oaths; and shall the Faction command us to disobey his commands? nay, engage us by contrary Oaths, thereby making us guilty of a double perjury?  
Nay, shall the people of England, upon, as it were, the first invitation of these Conspirators, rush into the sin, and yet think to escape punishment? Surely no. Though God be merciful, yet he is also just. Read the 17th of Ezekiel, from the 12th verse to the end of the Chapter; there see how God denounceth his woeful judgement against perjury; and repent before it is too late.  
Shall the Wise man advise us, 
Prov. 30.  that against the King there is no rising up?  
Shall the Faction persuade us that for the King's protection there must be no rising at all?  
Must not we curse the King in our hearts? 
Eccles. 10  and nevertheless do these Murder him with their bloody hands? nay, put him to variety of death with their Pens and Tongues sharper than two edged Swords.  
Shall the Apostle exhort, that first of all Supplication & Prayers be made for Kings etc. And shall the Prayer-haters, though pretended affecters, command us not to pray for the King at all? Nay shall we obedientially comply with these Scripture-murderers; aswell as King Religion and Law-destroyers?  
Although the Scripture acquainteth us, 
Prov. 24.  that he which provoketh the King to anger sinneth against his own Soul;— Yet these Conspirators think it no Sin to imbrue their hands in the blood of Kings.— O my God, consider how these men of blood blaspheme thy Name; sinning with an high hand against thee, the  Lord of heaven and earth, contrary to the Precept and Practice of thy Son Christ Jesus, thy holy Prophets, and Apostles. But, O my soul, partake not thou of their counsels, nor follow thou their rebellious steps.  
By this time I presume it will be granted, 
1 Sam. 24.6.  that we must submit to all lawful powers, yielding ready obedience unto them in all things that are lawful; but must not subject ourselves in an active obedience to Powers unlawful, (such as these Rooters are) by way of opposition to his Majesty's lawful and Scripture-approved Supremacy. So that, in brief, 
Fact. Indep  * These being neither lawful Powers, nor commanding lawful Acts, must not be obeyed, unless we resolve to sin against the light of Reason, the Law of God, and all Evangelical Precepts.  
Now, by the way, let me desire all you Subscribers to the Engagement, seriously to read and consider what you have done, (not that I say, you are obliged thereby to any performance; for, contra Scripturas nulla obligatio, the Scriptures engage you only to a repentance.) However, take notice, how you have frolicked away the innocence and integrity of your conscience, sinning against the God of heaven.  
Let such also weight these things in the scale of the Sanctuary, forbearing addition of one grain of their self-by-assed ends, or private corrupt interests, who foolishly soothe up themselves in their vain conceit, that the Engagement is but a civil thing, and not in a religious sense to be taken notice of. That any man may subscribe it, and accordingly express an active obedience to these Rooters, during the time of their command; and when another Power succeedeth this, be obedient to that likewise. A pretty sort of earthly Christians! for assuredly heaven nor heavenly things these mind not. What? Is perjury no sin? Is not a combination to destroy your Religion, your King, the widow, fatherless, your fellow-subjects, no sin? Do you make it but a kind of a compliment thus to serve the devil, who hath been a murderer and a liar from the beginning? See, 
Joh. 8.44.  my friendly Countrymen, with what glassy cords you bind up your eternal happiness? on what icy bridges you adventure the everlasting welfare of your souls?  
These things being premised, I shall unravel this bloody-twisted piece of Perjury, Murder, Rebellion, 
Engagem.  and Treason, as it is intentionally meant by the Composers, although I am confident, not so resolvedly taken by most of the Subscribers; although, let them also wrest or mince the sense as they please, they cannot excuse themselves from the guilt of sin in subscribing.  
First, I shall present it you in gross. I do declare and promise, 
October, 1649.  that I will be faithful to the Commonwealth of England, as the same is now established without a King or House of Lords.  
And now I shall give it you in its several pieces; and, with them, a rational exposition of their most irrational, irreligious, intentions therein.  
I— that is, I, a subject bound by the Law of 
* 1. Pet. 2. Rom. 12.1 Eccles 8. vid. J. Jenkins Collections.  God and † Man, and by several additional 
* Allegiance. Supremacy. Protestation.  Oaths, to be true and faithful to my Sovereign Lord King Charles, his Hairs and Successors, the Kings and Queens of England; to be aiding to Him in my life and fortune against all Rebels and Traitors whomsoever; 
11th. Hen. the 7th. cap. 1.  to disclose all conspiracies against his Person, Honour, Crown, and Dignity.  
I being thus conscientiously, religiously, and legally preingaged; nevertheless, I do declare and promise, that I will be true and faithful; 
Engagement.  that is, faithfully true in my obedience and subjection, to the Commonwealth, (but more truly, common-Woe-creating Rooters) that is, To an inconsiderable number of bloody perjured Traitors, irreligious, sacrilegious persons, congregated (contrary to all Law, Reason, Justice, and Equity) and met together under the sals veil of Parliament, who, by specious pretences of Reformation, have deceived the common people of England into destructive Arms, by whose ignorantly assisting power, these deceiving Conspirators have overthrown our admirably well-composed Government, destroyed our Religion, introduced Atheism, and all manner of damnable Errors and Heresies whatsoever ruined our Liberties, commanding, and enforcing the people of England, their fellow-subjects, to kill, slay, and destroy one another, in their persons and estates. Nay, stand amazed all the world (scribere pallesco) at this monstrous relation, murdered their Sovereign, their King, the best and most religiously pious of Princes, endeavouring utterly to destroy root and branch his Royal Posterity; robbing, spoiling, giving, selling away, his Royal Revenues, and Princelike Palaces: Extirpating the Ecclesiastical and Civil Government, sacrilegiously plundering the Church of Bishops, Pastors, and Patrimony; the Kingdom of Religion, Liberty, Peace, and Truth, turning the pious and charitable gifts of former Ages, from the Donor's first religious intents, into irreligious rewards of their fellow-confederates, for their bloody service.  
Now, my too too forward sinful Countrymen, Do you well, think you, to subscribe your approbation and future assistance to these things—? Surely no. O therefore, if you have (as certainly you have) offended with St. Peter, in denying, not only your temporal earthly Sovereign, but your heavenly King and Lord; these lines (like that admonishing Cock) thus giving you notice of your errors, Go out with him, repent, and weep bitterly.  
I—; that is, I, a freeborn Englishman; free, 
Engagem.  in respect of my dear Sovereign's protection of myself, life, and estate, by direction of the written Laws of the Land; in which, as my native inheritance, I have an undoubted right and propriety, by which only I am differenced from a slave.  
Yet I (notwithstanding these bulwarks of my freedom) do subject myself, life, and estate, to the arbitrary commands, perverse resolutions, wicked actions, and corrupt affections of these * men, whose will are their Laws, whose Religion is Rebellion, 
Faction ●n ep.  whose Faith is Faction, whose protection is destruction, whose preservation is desolation, whose justice is tyranny and oppression, whose greatest mercy is the extremity of cruelty. And shall I commend you for such your subscriptions? No, I commend you not, but rather advise you to be mindful, how much herein you have degenerated from the former honour of Englishmen; earnestly desiring you a last to return to your first practised principles of loyal valour, and Christian fortitude.  
As the same is now established without a King and House of Lords. 
Engagem.   
That is, 
King, Capell, Canterbury with the rest. Sir. Geor Lis●●, etc. Chaloner, Thomson, Alder. Garraway.  as they have begun to settle it upon the already-laid foundation of Royal Blood, the murder of not a few Noblemen and Lords, the death and imprisonment of several reverend Bishops, learned Doctors, and other Pastors of the Church of Christ; the destruction of many Knights and Gentlemen, the ruin of some Aldermen and Citizens of London, and several penitential deceived persons, first of their own party, with the loss of many thousand English-men's lives; all whose bloods have been shed to mix with the cursed * Lime of these persons; by which, 
Designs.  with the additional assistance of their sacrilegious Church-plunderings, they suppose their usurped power will be the closer cemented. But, good Father, cut them off in the height of their hopes; let not these bloody men prosper any longer, lest the Heathen blaspheme and say, Where is the God of England?  
As the same is now established without 
Engagent.  a King and House of Lords— without a King and House of Lords? there is the bloody extirpation of England 's ancient Government.  
That is, as they resolve, (for as yet, it is not established) to accomplish the establishment thereof; intending (rather than restore the Nation to its former Government, by King, Lords, and Commons) to continue this their bloody building, upon the utter destruction of those remaining ruins of the Nobility, Gentry, Clergy, and Commons of England.  
The corruption of the two once flourishing Academies, 
Oxford. Cambridge.  famous for the purity of doctrine, excellency of discipline; now pestered with heresies, schisms, and factions; that so their Church hereafter (it God shall suffer them, for the punishment of England's sins, long to continue) may be as apt to instruct the people in all manner of errors, as they to govern them by all kind of wicked rules of policy. Upon the ruin of all Learning, destruction of all Arts, overthrowing of all Schools and Nurseries of good education; that so ignorance may be once more famous, or rather infamous, in this Nation, and we again shake hands with the Papists; concluding Ignorance to be the mother of Devotion, and by degrees confirming the common people into a belief of such blind doctrines.  
Upon the utter extirpation of the purity of the Gospel, and the Orthodox preachers thereof, by the advancing ignorant Laymen to be directors of others toward heaven; when (too sad a truth it is) they know not how to set one true step forward, leading undoubtedly thither themselves; until at last all divine Precepts shall be commanded attendance upon their principles of Policy, and England at last, by their means, usher in the Pope, and his whole Antichristian faction, the only way of his re-enter; for be assured, all the back doors are wide open, ready for his readmission, nothing wanting, but a fit opportunity for his more generally visible appearance; for long he hath, and at this present still doth covertly walk; sometimes under a silly Independent long-wasted doublet, sometimes ruffling it in a long sword, watching his, etc. for entrance upon England's stage.  
Again, upon the breach of all the privileges of Corporations, 
besiege Londinum Domine.  upon which rush in a confusion of Trades, and poverty unawares thereupon stealeth upon City and Country; and, by this, 
Per scelera semper sceleribus tutum estiter.  the Faction gain soldiers, their only supporters.  
Nay, much I fear, their desperate resolves may extend to the firing of Cities, Towns, Villages; a promiscuous destruction of whole Families, not minding the innocent cries of Infants, the wooing tears of the Widow and Fatherless, the pitiful complaints of the Aged; because they being men, passed beyond the limits of reconciliation, never resolving upon repentance, will not apprehend themselves secure, but by the additional commission of greater sins. But, O Lord God Almighty, let not these wicked men have their desire. Rescue thy poor distressed flock from these devouring woolves. Protect thine own Vine, the truly Christian Protestant Church of England, and all members thereof, from the rooting Boars of the Antichristian Forest, & the destroying wiles of subtle Foxes; that so they may live to praise thy Name from generation to generation, whose mercies endure for forever.  
Thus having made it plainly appear, that the very act of subscription to the Engagement is absolutely unlawful, as also, that without a serious repentance, the Subscribers will pull upon themselves the guilt of a complication of all those monstrous sins, already committed by the Grandees of the bloody Faction.  
And if they actually persist therein by their actions, adhering to them, will be liable to give an account for all the innocent English blood, that, for the future shall be shed by these destroying Rooters. Besides, they will but continue instrumental supporters of Englard's continuing miseries, if not hastening procurers of its utter desolation; Which, may the God of heaven, out of his infinite mercy, prevent.  
But here I meet with an Objection, or rather a propounded Question.  
What would you have me do? I am but one. Should I not subscribe the Engagement, and swim in the same stream with each successive faction; I fear that I should lose my estare.  
O my Brethren, a strange Question! That is a cheap Religion sure, of little esteem, that must rather be parted with than a little pelf to preserve it. Are your souls of no greater value, than thus eternally to be battered away upon grounds of fear, that you shall lose your wealth, which cannot benefit you after death? Remember and weigh well that place, Revel. 21. There, among other sinners, you shall find, that the fearful are cast into hell; that is, such, who, for fear of men, loss of their estates, will bid adieu to the God of heaven, and his commands.  
You could, in the beginning of this bloody war, upon no rational grounds, but vain pretences of Politicians, deceiving you for their own ends, One it, and One it freely, in your persons and purses, even until many united, multiplied themselves into several Armies.  
And now finding yourselves so much abused and deceived by these Rooters, can you not One it in your return, by a serious and fuddain repentance? Do you think the way to pacify an angry God, is, to add sin to sin? There is no peace to the wicked, faith he by the Prophet Isaiah; and can you expect public, private, external, or internal peace, if you continue in your wickedness? It is too too apparent, that you have all sinned, and you will never be recti in curia, until you repent; upon which condition, God hath only promised pardon and forgiveness.  
Do you expect to be restored to the re-injoyment of freedom and liberty in your persons and estates, which you can only challenge by virtue of the Laws established (your certain-protectors against Instruments of tyranny and oppression) while you tamely thus sit crouching under their persons, whose studied work it is to tyrannize over all Laws, your estates, liberties, and persons, loading you with successive Taxes, which would crack the patience of the most patiented, and cannot but at last exhaust the wealth of them, who, as yet, are accounted the most wealthy.  
Again, 
16●1. Witness K. March from Scot to fatal Worcest.  methinks I hear another sort of people, as Governors of Cities, Forts, Castles, Admirals, etc. pleading, that they are entrusted by the present Faction, and we must not betray our trust.  
For answer, Know thus much, That if the Trustors be justly possessed of what they entrust others with, none are then to betray their trust, by delivery of what they are trusted with, to any man that hath not right thereunto. But if these Trustors have no right themselves, nor can lay a just claim to the possession of what they entrust others with; but (of right, justice, and equity) the things belong to another; than it concerneth any man so trusted, in conscience, justice, and equity, to deliver them to such who have a right title thereunto; otherwise, the trusted will make themselves doubly guilty; of detaining what is not their own, by their own confession, from the just owner; and also of patronising others also in their unjust possessions.  
To apply this. How many, contrary to their own judgements, have kept possession of his Majesty's Ships, Castles, Forts, and Towns, who, being summoned to a restoration, of what these employed Instruments unjustly detained from him, 
Fatal Worcest.  their greatest reason of refusal was, Because they were trusted— and what, shall they betray their trust?  
Hear, you self deceiving, and soul-destroying Pleaders— let me expostulate with you: Should a man entrust you with stolen goods, could you keep them from the just owners, only upon this slender plea, because you are entrusted?— No, no, the Law, you know, comprehendeth you, equally guilty of theft. The case is all one, only admitting this distinction; This is a private theft, the other public, a robbery of an higher nature, because the injured concerned persons are of an higher degree, the King, nay, the whole Kingdom: and condemned both by the Law of God and man. The command is positive, Thou sha●t not steal. Now theft is nothing else but a taking away, and detaining contrary to Law, that which belongeth to another, purposely to deprive him of it, contrary to his will and mind.  
You plead a trust committed; Show me the established Law, that gave them power to trust you with his Majesty's Castles, Towns, Ships, etc. By the plain Letter and equity of the Law, they belong to the King, upon which account, his demand of restitution was just.  
Neither you nor your employers have a just right or title thereunto by the Law; therefore you are but robbers of the King and Kingdom. By you, his Majesty is detained from his just rights, his subjects from their liberties and estates; heresy, schism, and profaneness are continued; perjury, blood, oppression; and a connivance at, if not a toleration of, all manner of sins in the Nation, and thereby you are guilty of the breach of all the commandments.  
Remember that Curse, Deuter. 27. Cursed is he that hindereth the right of the stranger, fatherless, and widow. And, Cursed is he that continueth not in all things that are written in the Law to do them. That is, Cursed is he that knowingly, resolvedly, wilfully, breaketh all or any of the commandments, as the faction have done, to compass their ends—. Lord have mercy upon sinful England, etc.  
But I will draw towards a conclusion: Therefore by way of a brief recapitulation.  
It cannot be denied, but that, according to the premised rules of Reason, as a man; Religion, as a Christian, Protestant; and established Laws, both the guide and protection of all subjects:  
That the Plotters, and continuing adhearers to this design, are guilty of all the  fins.  
Therefore consider further, that out of necessity you must repent, in a rational sense, as Men; in a religious sense, as Christians.  
Consider also the vanity of supposing, there will be truth, peace, and prosperity in this Nation, without this double repentance.  
To invite you hereunto, pray seriously ponder the exemplary judgements of God upon Nations, Families, Particular persons, for their obstinate progression in known sins; read Jeremiah 7th and 8th chapters; Zephnia the 1st chapter; nay, all the Prophets and Apostles, are full in examples and judgements, executed upon, and threatened against, impenitentiall sinners.  
Again, consider, that a partial repentance will not serve the turn, such as hath been the repentance of too many of your leading Presbyterians, who return not to those Christian Principles from whence they at first did deviate, but to the Covenant, 
Scot's Covenant.  in their first begun bloody destructive sense, of altering a lawfully established Government by force; of which sort, the Prophet complaineth, that many did return, but not to the God of heaven; so they return, but it is only to their private interests, or public faction, to which they at first adheared; they would seem to serve God by an outside repentance, but are really servants to the belial of the Presbyterian first Designers.  
Again, consider the vanity of pleading success as argumentative, to make Good the War on the Faction's part, or Just; therefore entitle not God as an approver of your actions, because of success—  
First, in respect of Reason, as men; because a multitude, by united powers, may overcome a lesser number, were their cause never so just.  
That, in that sense, the Turks and Heathens, in their almost continual prevalency against the Christians, only by their numerous Armies, may be supposed to have the better cause— which is no less than blasphemy to maintain.  
To this purpose consider, the rational probability of Cromwel's, and the Faction's success, having, by deceiving policy, as I have already showed, gained a Power: Inregard that the greatest part of their Soldiers (let them pretend what they please) fight not out of an affection to parties, but in a Mercenary way as mere Soldiers (a Crying sin of this Nation) as if blood and murder were a lawful trade; and the Scripture, like an Almanac out of date, to be laid a side in the time of War.  
Again, the Faction always had, and still possess, all possible means tending to this end. As at first, in having the Command of London, that Magazine of money and men, and with them a great part of the Nation, and now all under their power: besides his Majesty's Revenues; Palaces; Bishops lands; the Estates of many of his loyall-Subjects; Excise, and other Contributions; by which helps, the Faction hath rather bought victories than really fought for them; the Silver Bullet burying more of the King's Army alive in prisons, than the Enemy's Cannons did ever wound in the field.  
Again, consider that his majesty's party excepting some few Judasses', did fight out of a religious conscienciousness, & loyal affection to their God, Sovereign, and Country; and not for a pecuniary reward only.  
Consider also, that his Majesty wanted those means and ways of procuring men and money, which the Faction had always in abundance.  
That his armies were but as an handful; the Faction's numerous.  
However, take serious notice that the King and his party have Scripture, Reason, and Law, on their Side; but the Faction, neither. Therefore look to it, you Continuing Sinful adherers. Never did National Sins long escape the heavy hand of an Avenging God; and if England— London, expect to be freed, their hopes will deceive them.  
Isaiah 30th— 1, 2 etc.  
Jerem 9th 13, 14, 15.  
Further, Consider the Vanity of pleading success also; a way of justification of the worst of actions. In respect of religion as Christians; The people of God almost in all ages having been worsted in that respect. God's intent in suffering the enemies of his Church to prevail being only to try the faith and patience of his children, to make them humble, 
Acts 14.22. Gal. 6.14.  fitting them thereby for Himself. In respect of their Eternal well being in heaven, and in reference to his own honour upon earth, that so his People coming as it were like pure gold out of the furnace of affliction, they may be as shining and burning lamps for after-ages to walk by.  
Again, consider that the flock of Christ always was little; therefore to have success by power of a multitude, is no argument of being Christians.  
That (as I have already inserted) for the most part the Church was under Persecution and affliction; therefore Prosperity is no ground of Saintship, as the Faction pretend. Hebr. 12 2. Math. 5.4.  
Be advised, therefore, my dear Countrymen; beware of acting and maintaining any thing against right Reason: In itself both a sin and a punishment.  
How many men, so contrary to common sense and reason, did, following the deceiving sense of the Faction, account, and highly cry up, Cromwel's marching into Scotland? No invasion of that Kingdom; where he could not ground the least pretence of a quarrel, 
1650.  in his own unjust construction; the end of his march being only in prosecution of his first resolv'd-upon Design of ruining his Majesty and Royal Family, destroying our and their Laws and Liberties, only to mount himself into the chair of Supremacy.  
Nevertheless, many were possessed with such a sottish kind of stupidity, 
Futall Worcest.  (a sure presager of utter destruction) as to esteem his majesty's last March out of Scotland into England, (with resolves only to Regain his right and that he might restore his subjects to their Religion Laws and Liberties) to be an Invasion of England, O Anglia Anglia, quae vos dementia cepit!  
Be for the future, therefore, advised, keep closer to the Scriptures and right reason: Approve, follow, and act nothing but what they warrant, or is deducible from them: for if you once but slip from that firm Square, you Tumble from once error to another, like a man fallen from the top of a Steep hill, never resting until you come to the bottom; where, without the Infinitely preserving mercy of God, you will receive the reward of Such your wilful Neglect, even destruction. Isaiah 30th. 12th, & 13. verses,  
Again, If God should continue still punishing England, beware of making yourselves Instrumentall-scourging Rodds in his hands; which, his will being performed, he always casteth into the fire. But, O holy blessed and glorious Trinity, have mercy upon us miserable sinners: Remember not, Lord, our offences, nor the offences of our forefathers; neither take thou any further vengeance of our sins: spare us, good Lord, spare thy people whom thou hast redeemed with thy precious blood, and be not angry with us for ever—. To this pupose we beseech thee to give us true repentance, to forgive us all our Sins, negligences, and ignorances'; and to endue us with the grace of thy holy Spirit, to amend our lives  to thy holy Word.  
For my part, I call heaven and earth to witness; I have now set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; Choose life; for why will you die, O England? why will you destroy yourselves, O people of Great Britain? Why will you not turn to the God of heaven, with whom are treasures of mercy? O ye Citizens of London; Turn ye, Turn ye, from your evil ways by a serious sudden & unfeigned repentance, that so God may return unto us in loving kindness, by restoring to us our Governors as in former days, 
K. Charles.  and cause us again to fit peaceably under our own vines; That our religion in purity, may practically be revived; That we may enjoy Pastors and Teachers that may again feed us with true knowledge & understanding; That our laws and liberties may be continued: That Great Britain may be preserved from this Imminent and Eminent Menacing Ruin— That God may be glorified in our preservation and not in our absolute destruction.  
That all our Souls at the great day of Account may be everlastingly saved.  
Amen, Amen, Amen.  
FINIS