CERTAIN CONSIDERATIONS TOUCHING THE PRESENT FACTIONS IN The KING'S Dominions.  
LONDON. Printed in the Year, 1648.   

Certain Considerations touching the present Factions in the KING'S DOMINIONS.  
THe Dominions belonging to the Crown of England are divided into three Kingdoms. Every Kingdom is divided into three Factions: 1. Royalists. 2. Presbyterians. 3. Independents. I rank them according to seniority, not form: for every one knows that Loyalty was before Presbytery in time, and Presbytery before Independency: though now, according to the good pleasure of God, the last is become first, and the first last.  

Of ENGLAND.  
ENgland is divided into 1. Independents. 2. Presbyterians. 3. Royalists. The Independents, make the Army, the Committee of Safety at Derbyhouse, the Committees in the Countries, have all the Garrisons and Castles in the Kingdom in their hands; and are a great part of the House of Commons: who being countenanced with power without, do by their unity, assiduity, and resolution within, either intimidate or insidiate the judgements and affections of other men; and so carry on all their designs with the form of Supreme Authority: Which was first wrested from the KING by the Presbyterians, and now cheated and wrested from them by the Independents; who like cunning Masters of their Art open not all the boxes of their Principles at once.  
The Presbyterians make a great part in the House of Lords clearly: And so they do in the House of Commons (notwithstanding many of them have turned Renegadoes, and gone over to the Independents) when they dare meet, and stick to one another: which is accidental, they being disunited by fear, interest, discorrespondency, indifference of affection, and instability of judgement. For I esteem all the remnant of Royalists who remained in the House of Commons when the KING went away, to be of the Presbyterian persuasion, as it is most favourable to Monarchy: though, as I said, for the causes before, they give way to the Independents by their absence, or servility of nature; as at first they did to the Presbyterians. How the rest of the Kingdom are affected this way, appears first in the City of London: Where, without question, much the supernumerary part are Presbyters, and are awed only by the activity of the Independent Faction; who working by Authority of Parliament, with whom they correspond daily, are made to serve them, though not to love them. The rest of the Kingdom are generally Presbyterian; not so much, I suppose, because their names are upon the Covenant Roll, (which however ought to be regarded) as because they find the oppression of War, and a headless Government: And that Monarchy is more favoured by the Covenant; which they remember to have been less grievous, and not so perpetual, as the Government on foot is like to prove: For Kings may die, or their humours change. As for the Towns and Corporations, many of them have nests of Sectaries, yet they are not all Independents: though they all hope for Liberty from them; and so by fight with them against all others, they suppose they fight for themselves. But from these, there is no fear of great dangers, were one Army of them broken; for they are not a considerable part of the Inhabitants; and all that can run to defend the common Cause (as they call it) in the Armies; leaving no propagation of their Sect, but what is between man and wife, which must have some years to grow up. For it may be confidently averred, there hath been no considerable increase of these parties, ever since they had power to persuade and terrify; both which they have done: which shows they are no growing Faction, and being at their height, are endangered by one considerable check. For fear will then drive many off, whom interest or affection now makes to adhere; and confidence and courage restrain others, whom force at present hath enslaved to their designs.  
The Royalists make a distressed company of Noblemen, Gentlemen and others, who having engaged their Estates and Credits to compound with the Parliament, are all retired to a private life, to eat the bread of carefulness; expecting Gods good hour for their restauration: who are beaten out of all their defences, but that of a good Conscience, which remains impregnable. These, it did import the Parliament, whose power could not compel the judgement and reason, to have alured by soft and amicable entreaties, to a good assurance of peace and quietness; which after the rough and destructive variations of an unfortunate War, might perhaps have made impression. But the contrary being put in practice, and proceeding from those whose principles have cried up Liberty of Conscience, and Christian Charity so much, and yet in their actions are the most sanguinary and inflexible persons in the world; it begat only an indignation against the hypocrisy of proud Conquerors; and left them fitted with vindicative resolutions, to engage with the next party should appear; which hath caused the late emergent troubles, and may cause more, upon the like probable overtures, if God prevent it not.   

Of SCOTLAND.  
SCotland is divided into 1. Presbyterians. 2. Royalists. 3. Independents; not purely and properly so, but corruptly, and upon design.  
The Presbyterians, make up all the Parliament, the Army, the Committee of Estates at Edinburgh, and all the whole Kingdom: who are thereto engaged by the Covenant, universally taken there; and as really adhered to in terminis; except by some late discontents, who would advance their humours and passions above it, and contrary to it.  
The Royalists are made up of those who were so before the Covenant, and such as were so by virtue of the Covenant. Of the later fort I may call all Scotland, now, but Argyles faction. For 'tis by obligation of the Covenant they come now to fight for the King against the Parliament, as by the same obligation they came before to fight for the Parliament against the King: The difference only is, that then they broke it, and now they keep it: though God seems to punish them now, for breaking of it then. But the Royal part I mean, are such, of whom the famous marquis of Montrosse was Head, and by whose courage he was the scourge of all Scotland, when they were assisting their false brethren in England; And such others, as now are incorporated, without doubt, into that number, who have resolved to rescue their King from base imprisonment. There wants only the presence of that incomparable and gallant Person, the marquis of Montrosse, and then the undertaking is complete: For it were a strange improvidence, to let so much honour and virtue, as is experimentally known to be in that marquis, fall to the ground: who being both a Presbyterian, and a Royalist, is the only fit instrument to correct the turbulency of Argyle, & infelicity of Hamilton, and perhaps not overmuch integrity of Both. I writ not this partially, or as a suborned person; for, God knows, I am equally unknown to them all.  
The Independents, as I said, are such as are so, not because they have not taken the Covenant, but upon personal and private respects: and it may be too, from an habitual inclination, made up of pride and envy, to cross any action may end with honour and happiness, to the maligned undertakers. These consist of Argyle, and his party; who being a coward, is disposed to the more mischief; for nothing is so much to be feared, as a coward not altogether deprived of power. 'tis not the principles of Cromwell, etc. but his hatred to Hamilton, makes him correspond with the Independents in England. His Nature is more to be suspected then his Reason: and though that be not so great, but that many men are wiser; yet his qualities are so bad, that few men are worse. And without goodness of nature, and a gracious improvement thereof, what are riches, wit, understanding, honour, and power, but so many fignall abilities to do evil?   

Of IRELAND.  
IReland is divided into 1. Papists. 2. Presbyterians. 3. Independents.  
The Papists make the greater power in that Kingdom: which I suppose is granted by all. And 'tis almost incredible there should be any power there but theirs: considering the season they have had to do any business that concerned them. How they are now disabled, and made informidable, by their own divisions, the catching disease at this time of the whole world, most men know.  
The Presbyterians consist of the Lord Inchequin, and his Forces in Munster: to whom if you add his confederates, they must be rather considered as Royalists then Presbyterians. To whom also must be joined all the Scots Forces in Ulster; with other dispersed wellwishers, who live in a Country, where 'tis victory enough to defend that little is remaining from the usurpation of a common enemy.  
The Independents have their head-quarter at Dublin; where Col: jones hath the whole Military Force: Being a qualified Emissary from the Faction in England to secure that City: though his power tend rather to preserve then augment. So that the Fate of this Kingdom in matters of Religion and God's Worship, depends on the mastery of one of the other two.   

Of the two Parliaments of England and Scotland.  
THe Parliament of England taken vulgarly, is only the House of Commons; for in that notion do the common people generally receive it: because when they speak of a Parliament man or a Member of the House, it agrees only with that House. Though it may be taken really too; for who knows not, how the Faction in that House hath imposed for these last years, upon the King and the Lords, with this difference only, that the King went away because He was not able to endure it, but the Lords stayed, and did. But here is the great riddle of all, (say they in their own defence;) How a Faction, a prevailing Party, a minor part can overrule the greater? To this I can quickly Answer: 'Tis easy for a few knaves to cousin a great many honest men. Was not the Pope, and a few Cardinals, by this means too hard for all the world in the Council of Trent? The Artifice of designing, which is the study of suspicious natures, is too often known to have the better of innocency and right. But yet those ends only God will bless, which are wrought out upon the solid principles of integrity and virtue. How the first Faction hath prospered, that said a Minor part could not overrule the Major; let them now speak, that being become a Major of their own contriving, are now overawed and terrified by a Minor. For so I esteem the Independent party within the House to be; as all men know their Army without also, is a Minor part of the Kingdom: and yet because they Act by unity and design, are able to give Laws to all others, who live at large, out of the strength of confederacy and compact.  
The Parliament of Scotland is wholly Presbyterian, and would be Loyal if the Clergy would suffer them. They have now the third time sent an Army into England. The first was for themselves. The second for the Parliament here. And the third for the KING. Their first expedition was with Honour and Success; Their second with Success and Profit; Their third, neither with Success, Honour, nor Profit. Yet I do not take the reason to be in the fulminations of the Clergy, nor want of sincerity in the undertakers; but of resolution, good conduct and discipline in the General: who ought to have had exact care that Deeds and Declarations had been Uniform. For the Scots at this time (above any other) had need to sweeten their coming into England with actions, as well as words: being their own friends are now against them, and the rest of the people never yet were for them. The enmity of so many Ages, is not swallowed up with a few Years; nor their Ancient invasions skinned over with other words of a Declaration, Engagement for Religion or Union of the Kingdom. For so long as the depredations of the Soldier upon the Countries accompanies the undertaking, as is used in all hostile invasions, it will be esteemed no better by the sufferers; especially if the Parliament vote it so. And let what will be told them, the people will never be persuaded into the patience of being undone. But the great Question now on foot is, who breaks the Covenant, the Treaties, the Brotherhood of both Nations? The Independents charge the Scots with it, and the Scots them. In what particulars the Scots charge the Independents, is made public and needs no repetition. But wherein the Independents charge the Scots is yet to do. And yet (perhaps) in point of fact, it is not hard for either side to say something: there having been for two years' last passed and more, a jealousy raised between them, which must of necessity have brought forth some traverses of distemper and discontent. But not to derive from matter of fact the insincerity of either part, I shall fetch the Errors of the Independents from a higher fountain, and lay down this position, That all the transactions of the Independents with the Scots, in their own desperate necessities and hazards, were laid in fraud, treachery, self-interest, and deep dissimulation from the beginning: and it plainly now appears, that they never meant to uphold the Fraternity of the Scots, no longer than the Fraternity of the Scots should be necessary to uphold them. For when the King, and His Party were all subdued, and no imaginable force likely to trouble them in the Kingdom; they presently fell to expostulating with the Scots about their departure, and were drawing down all their Armies into the North, to be ready to force them out, in case they should be remiss: after they had (not long since) with Prayers and Tears brought them in. Of which action, and many others, their consciences and understandings accusing them; and how much they had disobliged their late confederate friends and brethren, it was not possible they should consent to such an imprudent act of disbanding; when they knew, if they did, Presbytery would presently be settled; or if it were not, the Scots would be ready to see it done by power. Now these people, who cordially and candidly never entered into, nor since adhered to a real fraternal union and interest with the Scots; yet pretended nothing less, and at this time are become the most ungrateful Enemies both of Covenant and Covenanters, will I suppose by all the world, be esteemed the true Fomenters and Authors of this second War, which themselves, conscious of their own provocations and hypocrisy, did look for, and expect with Arms in their hands. For it is not the first act of force, but of injustice, fraud, or dishonesty, that legitimates the commencement of a Nationall War: being a Trial wherein God himself is made the Judge: And will in the end, I doubt, though for the present through his secret appointment the face of things look otherwise, have worse effects in this Nation than we now think of: which God divert.   

Of the two Synods of England and Scotland.  
THe Synod of England I take to be a company of men, set apart by the House of Commons, to make all Divinity give obedience to the resolutions of Parliament; and to consult of nothing but proponente Senatu; as in the Council of Trent, the Pope got the reins of that Council into his hand, by procuring all things to be treated, proponentibus Legatis. What they have been about these many years is kept secret: but when the business of the Treaty came into discourse, they quickly resolved, all of them but four, to be against it. And the House of Commons made it one of their reasons, for offering the three Bills before a Treaty; because (otherwise) such godly Divines, who are placed by the Parliament, shall be put out, and scandalous Ministers restored to their places. By this, we know what Trade they are of, and how they get their living. But in the mean while they are but viatores; having not arrived to their end of power, nor it may be to their end of profit.  
The Synod of Scotland, otherwise by a more majestical name, called the General Assembly, are Comprehensores: being arrived to the very 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Presbytery; and something too high for the Civil State. They enjoy by a strange surreptitious usurpation, a power equal to the Pope, and exercised only by more persons. They indict themselves, take cognizance of the Orders in Parliament, and Commits of Estates: admonish and censure the Magistrate: And indeed do every thing but what they should do, Preach the Gospel of Peace.  
Both Synods agree to disturb the Peace of both Kingdoms, and blow the people into Rebellions and Tumults; for which they are notable Instruments. Which the Parliament well knew, when they set their Synod at Westminster, to write a Letter to the General Assembly in Scotland, that they might thereby lay an ambush at the back of the Scots Armies which were entered into England. But whether either of these Synods would ever agree, except in this one thing of troubling the Kingdoms, if they might be suffered to confer Notes, is a great question: though at this present, upon concurring principles of worldly power and profit, they care not how they engage all the world beside in the highest guilt, and extremest miseries. Therefore, though there was not much Religion, yet these was not much impertinency in his speech, that said, There was no way to end the divisions in England; but to forbid all Preaching for one whole year.  
For I may, with the sighs and groans of a Christian heart speak it; That let us look back upon all Ages since Christianity began to enlarge itself upon the world, and we shall find, that most of the Wars therein, have been raised by the professors of it; and are owing to those that call themselves the Clergy and Ministers of Christ, which agrees with his own prophecy in Mat. 30.34. discoursing upon the Commission he had then given his Apostles. I came not (says he) to send Peace on earth, but a Sword. And is verified from the perverseness and instability of our natures, not in the quality of his most holy and peaceable Gospel.  
What a tragical audit would it be, to hear summed up all the lives of those Christian people that perished in the zealous Wars of the Holy Land? and yet that holy Father, the Pope, had designs of his own in the business; the reducing of the Grecian Church into his subjection, with the three Patriarches of Jerusalem, Antioch, and Constantinople, and making the Eastern Church a Chapel of ease to the Western of Rome; and besides Spiritual jurisdiction, had an eye also on Temporal profits: for while the Emperor was doing his errand, and waging War in the Holy Land, he encroached on the Emperor's Temporalties in Italy. Neither were the rest of the holy Clergy idle; for having kindled in others the fire of Zeal, they presently fell to warm themselves at it, and to buy the Estates of such Noblemen and others, as sold them to set themselves forward into the Holy Land. Godfrey sold the Dukedom of Bovillon to the Bishop of Liege, and the Castle of Sartonsi and Monsa to the Bishop of Vendune. And when the success of the Christian Arms had reduced Jerusalem, and Patriarches were set up, they fell presently to claiming of the Cities and Lands, and terrifying the Princes with Sacrilege; saying, those voyages were undertaken not only for restoring the Church's Liberties, but her Lands. After these things, the Popes found out other arts, to divert the Crusa does for the Holy Land upon Christians themselves: as upon Greece; and against the Albigenses in France; upon the same Indulgences and Pardons, he did those to the Holy Land. And this also he called the holy War, the war of Crucifix, the Army of the Church. What other wars, enmities, and civil discords have been stirred up in several Nations by the instigation of the Church of Rome, to support her ambition or avarice, let Histories declare at large. How they have agreed since among themselves, that broke away from the Church of Rome, because they could not agree with her, I could wish were blotted out of the Histories of latter Ages. We see Obedience to Princes is no better taught than it was before. All Kingdoms are set on fire by the same Principles, and differ only in the delivery, by other Persons. The Doctors of Rome, Wittenberg, Geneva, Euric, can sit in their Studies, if the good Spirit of God prevent them not, and Slay more men than ever Alexander or Cesar did. And if any one should ask me, why Prayers and Tears were thought in the primitive times, the Arms of the Church, and only lawful Weapons against unbelieving Princes, enemies to God and Christ, and now Pistols and Swords, when we live under Christian Kings and Governors? I can only say, that this is a secret wrapped up in the Cabinet of the Divine Council, whereby God hath appointed for the disciplining of the world, that one Age should bring forth good fruit, and another evil.  
But when these things will have a remedy, if any inquire, it may as soon be answered, when the Magistrate shall be invested with what properly belongs to him, the Right of Dominion; Christ would not have his Disciples as Lords, if Kings would not have them so neither; what do they but will the same things our Saviour Christ willed before? There is no Argument to be used against them, no more than there can be against Scripture; & yet as much labour hath been taken to expound the one, and oppose the other, as in any two things in the world.  
In a word, we are come to that pass, that to lay a foundation of a durable Government, and provide for the people's Safety, nothing is more necessary, then to take away the power of the Clergy, and their liberty of prevaricating in the Pulpits: for by this means we shall prevent as much as in us lies, the heavy judgements of God upon us, than which none are greater, no not plague, famine, or the sword, then when he suffers a lying spirit to fill the mouths of the Prophets: which were the words of Sir Robert Spotswood at his death.  
And since every one can reform another better than himself, 'tis fittest for the Magistrate to reform the Clergy, [especially now we live in an Age, when the Laity and Secular men in moral virtue, Learning, and Piety, not only equal, but exceed them;] that they being the best of men, may mend others by their example, as well as precept.   

Of the whole Controversy between KING and PARLIAMENT in a brief Conclusion.  
TO conclude, It hath appeared to me, in the general discourses of the times; that the question never was amongst any men, whether obedience should be given to the supreme Magistrate? but, who that Supreme Magistrate was? or where it resided? As if we could not tell, after so many Ages, and Successions of Kings and Princes, what the form of our Government yet was; and that all this while, we should (as it were) be Governed by chance. But where the reason of all this is, and how the matter comes to be ventilated with no other success than the increase of animosities and heats among men, must be imputed to God's Judgements on the Nation. For it is certain, that all truths whatsoever, receive not their Quietus est from any Arguments of men, or power of reason alone, without a concurrent temper in the affections which God gives to embrace them. It could not otherwise be, that what hath been received for so many Ages for an universal truth, by wiser men perhaps, than any now alive, should come now to be disputed anew, canvased and condemned perhaps. And several other opinions dogmatically obtruded upon the world, as the rules of the faith, good life, and obedience of all men, never heard of before.  
The two Houses, and their well well-affected Party say; The King being wanting to his duty, in them is supplementally all Supreme power: and they being only Judges when he is wanting, may when they will invest themselves with this power. For if to be wanting to them, is to be wanting to his duty, how many occasions may they take to make him wanting to his duty, when their passions shall put them upon demands not fit for his reason to grant them?  
John Liburne, and his well-affected Party, [and thus there can be no Malignants, for every one is well affected to his own party] say, The Supreme power is in the Right Honourable the House of Commons; which is a position, till this year of deliration never heard of; and yet perhaps, John Lilburne, and some of his, would seal this truth with their Blood, and call it Martyrdom to suffer for it. So that, call in Divines, Politicians, Lawyers, Logicians, and all the wit and understanding of the world to help us; I cannot see what end they can give to our distractions: For Divines, Politicians, Lawyers, and Logicians are all divided: and the disease lies more in our will and affections, and about the heart, then in the brain. Men will not yield, because they will not. We have more need of Charity to prepare & soften, then of Council to inform. For all reason being inflamed with passion, God must allay it with his good spirit of Grace and Truth, or we must still remain the spectacle of madness and fury to all the world, which He in mercy prevent, who is only able to lay the storms, and rebuke the wind of worldly commotions, and particularly this in England causing his spirit to move upon the hearts of all persons now engaged in this present Treaty. Amen.   
THE END.