EXPEDIENTS FOR Public Peace.  
Showing the Necessity of a NATIONAL UNION And the way to it in this time of Danger.  
— En, que discordia Cives  
Perduxit miseros.—  
Printed, In the Year, 1660.   

EXPEDIENTS FOR Public Peace.  
THough the Providence of God hath wonderfully begun our conduct towards Settlement, not through a Red-sea of blood, (which both our sins deserved, and our late condition threatened) but a Crystal stream of calm waters; and though his goodness hath, beyond our hopes, appeared in confounding even confusion itself, in dissipating the proudest Faction that ever was, since the fall of Angels, and building of Babel. And (to speak their own language) in bearing witness against them, not by the Event of Battle (the Appeal of Turks and Pirates) but by a mighty influence upon our spirits, first opening our eyes, in some measure, to see the things that belong to our Peace, and then moving our hearts to pursue, as mediums thereunto, wholesome and sound Principles; yet our restless enemies are no whit discouraged, but rather their malice increases, in measure, as their hopes diminish. Had they Charity, Modesty, Prudence, or common sense, which (one would think) the universal triumphs expressed, upon the account of very doubtful hopes, and general suffrage of such, as speak without interest or design, might prompt unto them, it would either daunt their Presumption, or, at least, oblige them, seriously to consider, Whether any thing in this transitory world, collateral to our eternal, and by experience, not necessary to our present happiness, is worth the purchasing with so much hazard to themselves, and ruin to others; but it seems, that having passed the Rubicon of honesty and discretion, they resolve either to perish themselves, or sack Rome.  
And now, perceiving, they can do no good their own way, they will do what mischief they are able, being thereto incited, by the two common enemies, (viz.) the Devil and the Jesuit, They see it is too vain for them to contend for the major Vote in Parliament, since they can scarce prevail in any, even the least Corporation; For the sober and moderate Party, excluding both extremes, (whether Fanatique Commonwealths-men, or Royal Hectors) doth now carry with it the sense of the people. Wherefore like Good Pilots, (if free booters may deserve that stile) they have learned to tack about to the wind, to refine their gross pretences, and appear no more in their own diabolical shape, but disguised habit of true Parliamenteers as if they had never prevaricated from their principles in the first War.  
They find, (no question) their own weakness, in not having any colour of reason, or shadow of Authority, No, not so much, as the Rump of a Parliament, to countenance their Usurpations, The legal and solemn dissolution of that, which could only give them a basis (though a very false and as they made, it rotten one,) having disappointed all their projects by turning the stream into the channel of free, and triennial elections; so as, now, they must begin the World anew. And are forced like broken Citizens in Cheapside, to set up an Alehouse, or Chandler's shop in the suburbs to seek out some new probability of shifting, and subsisting.  
The escape of Lambert will not now avail them, He is in i'll condition to head a Faction that dares not see a Constable on English ground; The case is fairly altered, Law and possession, the City, Country and better part of the Army now stand right, Scotland and Ireland are good seconds, our Government being in the hands of a Vigilant Counsel, our Forces both by Land and Sea under the Command of an invincible Captain, The Nation concerned not only for its Liberty but its being; We are therefore I trust reasonably safe, from their batteries and assaults, but let us not think ourselves secure from their undermining. A Rogue by profession ought always to be suspected, For, if he cannot command your Purse, he will do the best he can to pick it.  
The moderate Presbyterian, and sober Royal Principle do manifestly divide almost the whole Nation between them: This hath the greater part of the Nobility and Gentry, that the Principal Corporations: The sincere uniting, and incorporating of these two Parties, I look upon as a matter of such importance, that alone, it seeures and dissipates all our fears, and renders us invincible not only to the fanatics, but probably (with God's blessing) to any Invader. On the other side, their mutual discord (nay though it were but Jealousy) will be a brack, (and perhaps the only brack) in our Foundation: This indeed, may once more dash us in pieces; however, it will certainly dispose us to all those Dangers and Vicissitudes, which commonly attend those Governments, where the Factions are mighty, and equally poised; the billows swelling so high, that scarce any Pilot can steer the Vessel to its Port, or come safely to an Anchor: In fine, this is like to give courage and opportunity to the fanatics; who, though I am confident, they can never settle themselves, may nevertheless long disquiet, and greatly torment us.  
Of this our Enemies (a subtle Generation) cannot but be highly sensible, it being so obvious to every capacity; And therefore their whole business now is, as we Proverbially speak, to drive that nail that will go: Herein consists the sum of all our fears, and their hopes; hitherto all their Jesuited Counsels tend: And they presume they shall neither want excellent Tools to work with, nor fitting matter to work upon: the Fuel, they suppose is not like Greenwood, which will not kindle to any purpose, without long and industrious blowing the Coals; but rather like Charcoal, which being already half burned, is obnoxious almost to every spark: The memory of things passed revived, and aggravated, the censure of things present, and evil presage of future, is the work they have to do. Their Instruments are the Extravagants on both sides, and none more than Cavaliers, whom they cunningly Cajole, by telling them, how much they prefer Episcopacy before Presbytery; how much they esteem them a Nobler Enemy, and had rather (if one they must choose) receive Laws from them; that stately Elms are better than stinking Elders; that Charles Stuart (as they call him) is a goodly Cedar in respect of our late Shrubs: With many other the like Insinuations, tending only to heighten the pretences of that Party, (naturally apt to be too vain) and so to fatten them for the slaughter: To the Rigid Presbyterians, they speak in a different strain, (for the Saints, I must tell you, have learned of their great Master, to appear in divers shapes, like a fair Lady to Gallants, and a Capuchin to Bigotts,) I shall not here repeat their Malicious surmises and suggestions: Their late Venomous News from Bruxelles, The Alarm to the Army, Plain English, and other Pamphlets of the same tincture, will soon teach you their Language, if you be not too honest to learn it.  
The great Concernments, and indefatigable Endeavours of this (now, God be thanked) Common Enemy, to sow the seeds of Discord amongst Brethren, and thereby make way for our Ruin and their own Ends, (otherwise impossible to be compassed) should certainly convince us, that we ought, at least wise not ourselves, to serve and further their Designs, but rather to trace the Serpent in his crooked motions, to countermine him in his underground workings; and at once wisely and generously resolve (however we may differ in Trifles and Circumstances, (which variance, doubtless, amongst men of Charity and Temper must needs either be easily reconciled, or innocently continued,) yet) always to unite closely in the Main, that our strife prove but an Emulation, which of us for the future shall be the better Englishmen, (viz.) more modest in our Pretences, moderate in our Assertions, peaceable in our Consultations, charitable in our Censures, & fervent only in real Duties. To the furtherance of which blessed Union, or, (as it may well be styled) benign Constellation, there are many motives, (I think) as considerable, as the End propounded, (viz.) our Peace and Happiness can render them.  
The example of your Adversaries summons you to do that for prudence and self-preservation, which they do for Malice and Faction: They who have scarce any Doctrines wherein they agree, otherwise then as Fox's tails, to burn our Corn, little Sobriety or Temper, but what their crafty Nature, shrewd Maxims, and Worldly experience gives them, no means of Reconciliation, in case of disagreement, every one being his own Authority, his own Church, (as the name of Independency itself imports,) They who could never comply with any Establishment, but the very name offends them; and when both the People's necessities, and their own, called aloud for somewhat of Settlement, chose rather to rot and perish, then to have their Ulcers any way dressed; yet now all these consent, or rather combine, (and that very unanimously) against our Peace. Sir Henry Vane, and Sir Arthur Hazlerigge, Lambert and Scott, Rump, and Committee of safety, all on the sudden united in their hopes and endeavours, to ruin their Country: Nay, most observable it is, that in the midst of their greatest Dissensions, (and Chaos itself (I think) had not greater) they were so tender of destroying, or but branding each other, (knowing, it seems, their Disease to be such, that Bleeding or Scarifying would prove mortal to them) as if they had only played a Match at Football or Cudgels for the Dominion. Our Government was frequently altered without a broken Pate, or bloody Nose: And those who should have been condemned as Notorious Usurpers, and Traitors, scaped either under the notion of dissenting Brethren, or with the soft censure of Backsliders; so sensible they were of the necessity to connive at each others guilt: What a happiness and security were it to the Nation, if Persons, in their Fundamentals sound and Orthodox, in their Professions I hope, sincere, could arrive but at half so much Candour and Prudence, or that the men of this world were not much wiser in their generation, than Children of light.  
Matter of common principle directs and persuades you, as sober Assertors of the same Law, and Religion, to stand and fall together. It is the observation of your enemies (and a very true one) that you differ only gradu, not rê, you both subscribe, That the Majesty of Princes is inviolable, their Rights Divine, their Persons Sacred; The necessity of outward Mission, Decency, and Uniformity (if it may be) in God's service: The Rights of the Ministry to their Tithes, by known Law and Statute, grounded upon ancient Piety and great Morality, are on both sides equally confessed and maintained. These are the substance, methinks your Contentions about mere Rights and Circumstances should neither be great, nor long, especially, being so destructive to mutual happiness; methinks, matters might be compounded, by friendly Conference or Reference, both sides receding and meeting each other in the way to Peace, for such is the Rule of fair arbitrations; Methinks you should reflect, how little either of you hath advanced towards his desired ends, by long and ruinous Discord; you should see, and foresee, how little ground hath or will probably be gained, by pertinacy or animosity; You should examine, Whether it be not better now to secure your Consciences, Lives, and Laws, by a seasonable compliance with each other in matters not Essential, then seven, perhaps twenty years hence, after much innocent blood vainly spilt, your Estares diminished, your Country wasted, perhaps be subdued, and forced to buckle in all your Pretensions, but at best, to purchase a most Un-christian triumph, and a dear repentance even in Victory. You Cavaliers should remember, That could you oppress or destroy the Presbyterians (which you must never hope to effect) you would but weaken your own hands, pluck down your best fences, and even by your Conquest expose yourselves, at least your Posterity, to mere Arbitrary Power, and Martial Law; a condition, which few of you, I trust, would impose, none of you, I am sure, would embrace. You Presbyterians should consider, That could you extirpate the Royal party (which is yet more impossible) you would let in the fanatics as a Torrent, to whom you lie very open and obnoxious, (viz.) to be beaten with all your own weapons, and confuted with the same Arguments (both in Civils and Spirituals) which yourselves invented against the Royalists.  
Common Exigence, & Charity to your Country conjures you, to redress, if possible, her Grievances, ease her Burdens and Oppressions, redeem her Captivity, regulate her Confusions in Church and State, restore her lost Trade, and in some measure, relieve an incredible number of deserving Gentlemen, and Noble Famelies, now perishing, of honest Citizens, now daily breaking; of hopeful Scholars, now despairing of a bare livelihood. This cannot possibly be effected by the continuance of our Distractions, since Reason, and Experience in abundance may teach us, That Civil discord is most destructive to Piety, Virtue, Learning, and Commerce; But, could we once more settle upon our true English bottom, we should then be young and lusty as the Eagle, our rust would soon look bright, our age renew, our blood spring, our spirits revive; And as if there were a return of our Golden age, every one might, once more, sit securely under his own Vine; There might then again be Peace within our Walls, and Plenty in our Palaces; No leading into Captivity; No complaining in our streets; The blessed condition of that City which is at unity in itself, of that People, which hath the Lord for their God.  
Common Interest invites you Magistrates to be very strict and industrious; Subjects, in their several Capacities, active to promote, however discreetly passive, and cordially willing to embrace such wholesome Laws, as are likeliest to establish Justice, and secure Property. To delight in broils, is proper only for such, as either may hope to gain, but cannot fear to lose; or such as have enriched themselves by Fraud, or Rapine, and being now possessed of Naboths Vineyard, imagine (perhaps not without cause) that our unsettlement is their best Protection: But you, whom I suppose in effect, to divide the legal Interest of your Country, the Lands justly descending, or fairly purchased, the Goods duly gotten, betwixt you, are certainly obliged to avoid Faction, as you would do Plunder or Sequestration; to endeavour a sober accommodation of differences (if any should happen) as the title Paramount, by which you must hold your Estates.  
Common danger, and necessity at once threatens, and admonishes you to join your Counsels and Forces for mutual preservation, as good mariners and honest passengers effectually do, when the Vessel wherein they are altogether embarked, is either distressed with a Storm, or assaulted by Pirates. I have no design to aggravate your just fears and real dangers, which doubtless are many and great, and to most of you (I presume) visible, only let me beg of you to use your talon of Reason; to consult with the pillow of your Experience, to recollect your fragments of History: which will all show you your Condition, as in a faithful Mirror. And may I hope convince you; That God hath now set plenty and famine, Liberty and Thraldom, Life and Death before you, those the guerdons of your Moderation, and Obedience, these the inevitable Consequences of froward and peremptory dissension: That as on your right hand, you have a Land of promise, the throne of David, the pomp and greatness of Solomon, Or, (to go no further for instance, than our own stage,) the blessings which from the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth, to the late unhappy War, this Nation, (unthankfuly I fear) enjoyed. whilst all her Neighbours envied, so on your left stands a vast Wilderness, The defection of Jeroboam, The Usurpations of Samaria, the seditions of the Gracchis, the Conspiracy of Catiline, the Proscriptions of Scylla, the Oligarchy of Athens, and perhaps at last, Monarchy with a vengeance, in the person of Caligula, or Nero; Rump and Barebones, Levellers and Saints rampant, Jack straw, and Watt Tylar, Knipperdoling and John of Leyden are at your elbows, make your election at your peril.  
The difficulty, or rather (I hope) impossibility for any single party (as a Party) to gain, much more to hold the power of dictating to the Nation, should dispose you to the study of Universal interests, (our present Elyxir) to an enquiry for such Expedients and temperaments in Policy as in themselves, are only safe, or durable, and surely after long hostility most seasonable. The baits of faction are now God be thanked all grown stolen, The net is now vainly spread in the sight of the Bird; Rooks and Daws have both learned to smell Gunpowder at a reasonable distance, The Fox of sanctyfied imposture hath been hunted out of all his retreats. And the fury of usurpation pursued, as it were from bog to bog; The fiend hath appeared in all his guises and hath not a Vizour left which we are not acquainted with. Neither is there (one would think) fuel for a new flame, either in our Spirirs or Purses; Those being with long sickness, and much weariness composed and framed I trust to Sobriety and Caution, These so exhausted, that we are scarce able to pay our present Taxes; We have, (God knows) little plate left to carry to Guild-Hall, we cannot spare another fifth and twentieth part, Vast loans, or Benevolencies, And fifty Subsidies at once; Public Faith will furnish a Faction but with slender sums, its credit being much disparaged, by what is past and more suspected for the future, so as there is little danger unless mere wantonness should again make us to swagger, or our moneys burning (as we speak proverbially) in our pockets, for want of other vent, send us to buy saddles, Buff-Coats, and gaudy Feathers, etc. who, I take it, have, by this time, discovered, that there is more use of bread, than Ammunition, of clothing, than harness. Fears and jealousies must be real ones, if they much alarm us; It must appear to be indeed Gods own cause, before we shall again stir to propagate, or perhaps defend it, The Oath of a Tribune or word of a Vicar will not be taken in matters of the highest Concernment, either spiritual or civil, If the Preacher summon us to our Tents we shall be apt to inquire Quo warranto; How he came by his Trumpet, whether he found his Doctrine in his text, or coined it in his fancy; Whether Scripture and Antiquity: Or some very inodern Father, (I will not say, Pamphleteere) furnished him with his Arguments and proofs; Let it, I pray be added, that even our Confusion may in this particnlar turn to our Advantage: For being distracted as we are with such a Variety of Judgements and Interests which can never agree, but in the Negative, and will certainly all join against any engrosser of Dominion, that party which shall so usurp, will stand as a Butt, to empty the Quiver, A mere Ishmaell defying, and defied by all men.  
The easiness of obtaining quiet, should encourage you to seek a little for that Jewel, which (methinks) you cannot choose but find, it lies so plainly in your view, God I know theauthor of all peace, is chief to be consulted and invoked by Prayer, that he would open our eyes, incline our hearts, and bless ourendevours, but then we must come with sincere minds and not as St. Augustine most ingeniously confesses of himself that he prayed indeed devoutly against his Lusts, but withal, secretly wished that God would not hear him; The truth is, our peace is not fare off, if we do not thrust it from us, it is nigh at hand, nay it is within us Self denial, Integrity without a worldly Bias, the Christian duties of forgiving, and bearing with, each others infirmity, Wariness in affirming, Charity in judging, Modesty in demanding, Meekness in receding, these are our sure and certain guides in the way to Settlement; Every faction would have Peace it's own way, All profess to welcome it. But few that I hear, will meet it; For whatsoever they find to be most profitable or honourable or secure for themselves, that they are apt to propound, as effectual, and Fundamental to our Peace; Not to instance too particularly, sure I am, that the being of the Church, and well being of the Nation doth not consist in all those appurtenances, which some would obtrude, as necessary; Many of them, perhaps, are very commendable and expedient, if they may be procured without evident hazard of incurring mischiefs, fare more considerable for the present, than their convenience; For gold may be dear bought, And that Uniformity will cost too much, which is purchased with loss or danger of Unity: When a sure foundation is first laid, It will then be time to build magnificently, and to contrive not only for mere use, but Ornament and Accommodation. Till then all sides should learn to content themselves, with that which may, or rather, must be, and not vainly expect that which never can be or at lest cannot now; Wherein much experience and some discretion would advise them, not to hunt too eagerly, or quest too loud upon every scent, since yielding may prevail where stubborness never shall: Were this Principle and Spirit infused into our Patriots, it were already a fair and hopeful progress in their great work, for the differences which for the most part appear to be more in the skirts then hody of our Religion or Government, would most of them be soon accorded, and the rest vanish of themselves; Or if any should yet remain, the Authority of a Parliament duly constituted, is a Judicature in this Nation, without exception or appeal worthy to command, if not our Active, yet at least our Passive Obedience; A Guardian, in whose custody, I am sure our Liberties, and I hope, our Consciences are very safe.  
The zeal of your Religion should provoke you to bestir yourselves, in a time of great need, and quitting your punctiloes, to intent the main; You all alike profess to be sincere Protestants, and some of you Zealots to a kind of transportation, so as to scorn Peace, where you think truth is, unless both consist, concerned more especially, tender you have always been in your bowels, large in your bounty, sedulous in your Correspondence, forward in your Assistance towards the Evangelicall Churches in foreign parts, when oppressed, or but threatened with any persecution; Upon this account, our late Princes have, at the requests of their Parliaments and people freely and frequently engaged themselves both in Wars, and Treaties, sometimes espousing their Quarrel, sometimes compromising it for them, especially the French Protestants, on whose behalf our Kings have long stood both as Champions of their Liberty, and sureties for their good behaviour; And indeed without our interposing, they must needs have been long since swallowed up by their mighty Foes; Their adversary, besides the inequality of Forces, having this great advantage, that he was their undoubted Sovereign; You cannot but hear what Monstrous Counsels are now hatching at Rome, what ominous beginnings there are in France, all grounded upon this presumption, That England hath other fish to fry; And that the work may be dispatched before we are at leisure to look abroad; Our fanatics, they, I think, are, a gag in our mouths, a Remora, to our Career, (I wish we find no other Obstructions,) were we once settled, Rome would soon desist, and France perhaps be made repent; But whilst our divisions continue, we must not hope to maintain our outworks, nor I fear, defend our Walls, against enemies so powerful, and lately so united by their General peace which, in all probability, may soon ferment into a Catholic League.  
Lastly, Your common duty, above all, obliges you, (And that, not for Wrath, but Conscience, sake) if you must contend, That it be not for Dominion, but Loyalty, not with strife, but honest emalation You of the Cavalier Party (who pretend to a kind of Primogeniture) show now, that you are true, not only to the Person and Authority, but to the Interest of your Master, for which you are ready (if need be) to sacrifice your own: That you are Royalists not for Faction, but pure Allegiance, and could be content to follow those Ensigns, without such considerations, as sway only with Mercenaries: That your bleeding Country hath some interest in you, as well as your banished Prince, and that your Loyalty hath not devoured your Charity; Confute, in God's name, their Calumnies, who daily represent you, as Persons, whom nothing can please, but mere Tyranny, to have a Grandseignour for your Prince, you his Janissaries; The Nation, at his mercy, and your feet; Men so contracted in your principles, and fettered with Jure Divino's, that no Jus humanum may be admitted, or once mentioned. You Presbyterians, who (by the voice of the people, in most Counties declining you) may perceive, That virtue is gone out of you; and that you suffer not a little in your Reputation, upon former accounts; If your own Consciences shall (as perhaps they may) second herein the votes of your Countrymen; Now that it is in your power not only to make amends, but merit, Pay all your arrears of Virtue and Loyalty, together with those vows of Truth, Justice, and Modesty which I am confident you have often made in your late Extremities; Wipe of all those stains at once, that for the present may seem to blemish those virtues, which in many of you are very Eminent, and would shine bright, if these Clouds were once dispelled; Your aftergame is very good. The Law is now in your hands, and to you must be acknowledged the chief honour of relieving your Country in its great distress, when alas, a royalist could not hold up his hand, except it were at the Bar; Proceed, therefore generously and undauntedly in the performance of your own Duties, and maintenance of our Liberties, Be still good Subjects, and good Citizens, Christians, and Englishmen, let your stoutness marry your Allegiance, and your Interest be subordinate to them both; Above all, let your moderation appear to all men, and be confident, that in so doing, your Country will bail you, and the Nation will be concerned not only in Gratitude but real Sympathy, that not any of those dangers which the fanatics suggest, shall befall you, nor a hair of your head perish.  
THE END.