A COFFIN FOR THE Good Old Cause; OR, A Sober Word by way of Caution to the Parliament and Army, or such in both as have prayed, fought, and bled for its Preservation.  Written by an Affectionate Friend to it and them▪ 
SIRS,  
IT is a solemn and sacred saying, That a wise man forseeth an evil, and preventeth it, but fools go on, and are punished: That there is such an eminent evil impending, as your eye hath not seen since first you sat in your Seats, or wore swords by your sides; such an Evil as will (if the wisdom and goodness of God prevent not) be the inevitable Ruin of that Interest you have been the Assertors of, is most certain; or no less than all your friends in England are in an extreme error.  
But a little to convince you hereof (because man is a rational creature, and ought not to stir one step in any Act, but as he is led thereto, by the light thereof) I shall endeavour to spread before you the danger, and then pray the Father of Mercies to give you hearts to do your duty in preventing it.  

1 Your Army is unsettled.  
2 Your House divided.  
3 Your Friends discouraged.  
4 Your Trade decayed.  
5 Your Treasure exhausted.  
6 Your Enemies increased and heightened.   
1 That your Army is unsettled, is most certain; Neither can the course you take settle it, but discompose it more every minute; for you fill it with strange faces, which will make as strange effects. It is true, the Heads of Regiments (yea and Captains) that have been Capital Offenders, it is not your prudence to trust; but for the Inferior Fry, (who ever yet have been the fastest friends to your power, and the public) to be turned out by wholesale, without a fair and legal hearing, is not for your honour, nor interest. You have seen how little a Colonel signifies, where his acquaintance is but green; soldiers love to be lead by them, they have bled withal.  
Again, How many men have you turned out even for their Judgements sake, that never sinned against your power at that rate, as many that are kept in? If an Anabaptist hath behaved himself equal with one of another persuasion; Let their encouragement be equal also: how will you persuade the people you intent a Commonwealth, whiles thus partial in your petty proceeds? it is not what he is, but what he hath done aught to be the question to all. I know a Quaker in Arms, that eminently served you▪ yet me●● I not with one that is willing to serve him. If you will call in the Conduct of the Army, as in 46. (which was as Presbyterian as ever) they will lose it before a year be over, as than they did. The Anabaptist was thicker in Office, than any other persuasion but immediately before this turn, yet could he not keep it, nor stem the tide, when the turn came; and just is it with the Great Jehovah, that that party that pretends to Common Liberty, and yet grasps at all, should lose even what he already hath. Much Reason might also be urged for this; for naturally all parties conspire against any that alone enjoys the Power▪ as nine at a Table would at the tenth, when he ingrosses the entertainment of the whole.  
Moreover, that party that is so industriously set upon encroaching all, can least be credited, because of their many former defections, and attempts to betray the Cause: Love was belied, if not a Presbyterian, and Booth no less. I speak it not to reflect, for there are that I love and honour of that persuasion, as convinced they do indeed deserve it, both as ●uly pious persons, and friends to the public: As of the other hand, I do believe there is more than a remnant of that opinion; Royal. Whereas the Sectarian party cannot be charged by envy itself, with treason of that nature, nor is this a bare surmise issuing from a jealous brain, whiles we see even one of the Commissioners refuse the Oath against the Stuarts claim, and Sir Authony Ashly Cooper (an old Cavalleer) made a Colonel, whiles his Malignancy incapacitates him to be a member of the Council; Officers generally are most civil, and pocket up injuries silently; but when you come to model the Troops, as you have done the Conduct, your work will recoil; or if you do it not, your New Officers will have no command over the old fouldiers. Thus the further and faster you go in your Settlement, the more unsettled are you; like one that mends his pace when his way is wrong.  
Secondly, Your House is divided. I will only Remind you of the Word of the Lord Christ, from whose lips never came guile, and who certainly may be believed. A house divided against itself cannot stand, which carries conviction with it, that your Ruin (except prevented) is ready to enter. And I think, you think, the Cause and you must fall together.  
Thirdly, Your Friends are discouraged. Many ways, and for many things: your new modelling the Army, putting the Sword into the hands of Rigid, Royal, Neutral spirits, that never yet were judged worthy to be trusted with the Cause, that never bled, nor fought, nor prayed for it, that have neither Courage, nor Conduct. They see you prone to pardon a spirit beneath your own, but not above; they that would carry you back, or halt you in the work, but not they that press you forward: they see you shrunk, and less in your Public Declarations than many years ago; you were taller by the head and shoulders in your public words and works, in 49. and 51. than now, they saw greater reason to rejoice at what you said and did then, than now; They had higher hopes of true Liberty, both as men and Christians then, than now: which shows that the Rebukes that have been upon you, have not been Sanctified, nor you bettered and improved thereby At your first sitting, you were an apparent blessing to the Nation, which begat in all good people long for your rerurn again, in hopes to find you yet better: but not so; you were a second time interrupted, and good men engaged for your Return, with heightened expectation you would rule righteously and purely for God and your Generation; but behold worst of all. I beseech you lay it to heart, examine and see what is the reason you die and whither in the esteem of good men; see whether you have answered those private and personal Obligations to good people at Portsmouth, the Fleet, London, and every where, which made them not value their lives for your sakes; and see whether all this gives not Great Ground of Fear, that your (and our) glass is run, and an overflowing scourge just ready to seize upon us.  
Again, Lesser faults in good men are punished severely, while greater in others are let go ; which doth demonstrate your spirit is rather united to evil than good; what else can be the reason that Sir Henry Vane's expelled your house, for framing only a form of Government, never received nor practised (though I desire not to be understood, as adjusting his Act, or condemning yours simply considered) and Oliver St. John, one that was both, yet he can keep his Seat, have impunity, and rule the Roast? it is true, the Act was private and personal, yet did it, and the secluding Major Salloway, liberally discover the Complexion and Temperature of your house.  
Again, You kiss and hug them, that scorn and hate you, and slight such as faithfully served you. Your declaration (a pitiful dull confused sapless piece) courteth the Clergy and the Lawyer, a brace of birds, that ever yet have endeavoured to pick out your eyes; Oh Lord! what sad fate must needs attend that power that accounts it their interest to exalt their Eminentest Enemies, and shake off their surest friends? was it the Lawyer brought you back to the exercise of your power? Or did he not rather laugh and scorn you? was it Oxford and Cambridge, Calamy and Case, that steered your Fleet? raised your Siege? incensed your soldiers so, as they would either die or set you in your seats again? Was there no Sectarian put their neek in the Noose for you? and did what none else either could or dared to do? and must they now despond, hang their heads, and be ashamed to look their friends in the face, through your abuse of the adventure of their blood?  
Furthermore, 'tis a great discouragement to your friends, to see the giddiness and instability of your actings. One day solemnly thank Col. Rich for his good service; the next, conspiring to cut his throat: if he did indeed serve you, your latter proceeds are ugly: If otherwise, your thanks was grounded upon ignorance; so that whether he served you, or served you not, you do much disserve yourselves by such actings. For the veil is too thin, all men do see and say, 'tis not Rich or Ludlow, but the whole Sectarian party, some among yourselves design to ruin; and to the end, they m●y the better usher in the exiled Interest.  
Moreover consider, Can you at once suppress the Sectarian, and keep out the King? I know not what you may imagine, but the wisest without doors think otherwise. Now if this be impossible, than an idiot may make the inference, that look how much you lay aside the Sectarian, just so much you lay aside of your strength, and propagate the interest of Charles Stuart. How behoveful therefore is it, that you eye this evil betimes, and suffer not your Forces nor Fleets to be baptised too much into the Boothian Spirit; Enfeebling yourselves, and laying further pressures and discouragements upon the hearts of your Friends. Many other discouragements I might enumerate. But your time is precious, so also is mine.  
4 Your Trade's decayed. I presume you will give me your faith (without proof) that it is so: how it came and why it continues; every one satisfies himself with his own reason, and therefore I shall spare my pain and your trouble: only let me tell you, this is the dame of all, idleness; and no vice can be your friend, if you intent a Commonwealth. Lack of employment first foments, then fosters discontents. No men of metal will starve while meat is to be had, if they cannot have it by a civil employment, they will by a military, and if you cannot list them, others shall; for it is not choice but necessity which brings them to you, and that also shall carry them from you. Thus you see how nature hath distressed your affairs, and all men lay all their lacks on you. A speedy applying of yourselves therefore effectually to remedy this distemper, is certainly your duty, or this single evil, which is not easily buried, will sink you.  
5 Your Treasure's exhausted; yet would not this disease be incurable, were not your Army and Navy in Arrear; invert therefore, that proverb that money answers all things, and you will take a true account of your own condition: how you will fill the empty purse, considering the difficulties, as well foreign as domestic, that you must encounter, is worthy your serious thoughts. You may assess, but the humour of a Free parliament, supported by all the art and interest of the royalist and Secluded Members, gives too good reason to doubt the Collections will be but slow in the Country. Add heteunto the Enemies you make yourselves (to wit) all the Sectarian interest, (who certainly will most unwillingly maintain their oppressors) together with the general want of Trade, as aforesaid: and I fear you will find such a dulness, as (if I mistake not) your Exigents cannot endure: How hardy you are, I know not, but I assure you this consideration hath a very grim and ghastly aspect, and hath in very legible characters (at least in my apprehension) the death of our Cause engraven on it. I shall not so much as mention the infinite inconveniences that are entailed to this; only will say (what you may observe) this Army serves you not on principle, but ●or pay; I will not deny but there are among them that would have me by the ears, should they know I said so: but deceive not yourselves: could Dick have kept them, they had never been yours; and they stayed with Fleetwood till they had eat up the three last months Assessment; nor had they left him yet, could he have got or lent them more.  
Lastly, Your Enemy's increase, and that both in Nnmber and Nature; for you create Enemies to yourselves, and this with so great an industry, that were I an alien, I should think it your interest to do so; For no man ever could imagine any power should be so busily occupied in kicking off its fastest friends. Are not your Old Enemies enough, but you must make New? This carries conviction with it, that you intent to take your Old Enemies, for New Friends, but woeful is this advice; and unavoidable ruin will be the effect, and if you enter not into new Counsels, farewell for ever the Old Cause. The ways to save you, are but two. Espouse again, and indulge the Sectarian Interest; for a little time will tell you, you cannot keep out the King without their aid, his interest or theirs you must make yours. The Presbyter alone cannot preserve you if they would, and three parts of four would not, if they could; think not I speak at random.  
The other is, the speedy filling up your house; contempt's upon you, because of your paucity; nor will the secluded Members give up their claim, till others are in their room.  
Besides, as you are, you are not a Competent Representative, for so large a Territory, as England is. Many places have none to represent them at all, and you have  declared no Laws shall be made, nor m●ny raised, but by the people's Representatives in Parliament, so that you yourselves have tied their purse; nor will you get it open without knocks till then. Moreover, your enemies increase upon you, because no man sees you have any maw to this work, but rather think of keeping the power in your own clutches. This also is the reason of your want of Trade, because every wise man sees you cannot hold it as you are; and no man will manage affairs, and adventure his stock, whiles affairs of State are at this uncertainty; and they who would mind their business, and employ themselves and others, growing idle, and their moneys lying dead, become enemies to you, as the cause thereof, nor can any excuse be form for you.  
To conclude, how many would be thorough Commonwealths-men, saw they you so? but whiles you are uncertain, so are they, and judge it imprudent to outpace the power; to abjure Monarchy, and the Monarch also, till the State doth it; after you is good manners, because if you vary, they are undone; would you tie any faster than yourselves? that is most unrighteous; if you will reserve a turn to the King, quarrel not others for being reserved also; Led the Van therefore over Rubicon, doubt not enough will follow, but it must be also for a free, just, and equal Commonwealth; not that one party or persuasion must have all the Magistracies in their own hands, and all the rest as Servitors attending it; no, this is but the name, it is the thing you must set up, or the name of Charles Stuart will be better, and find more followers than it. Sirs, your Vessel's leaky, and your Pump too little; carreen her quickly, or you sink passed all recovery. This is the humble, but hearty advice of  
Your Faithful Servant.  
FINIS.   

LONDON, Printed for the Author. 1660.