England's Complaint: OR, A sharp Reproof for the Inhabitants thereof; against that now reigning Sin of REBELLION But more especially to the Inhabitants of the County of SUFFOLK.  
With a Vindication of those Worthies now in COLCHESTER.  
By LIONEL GATFORD B. D. the true, but Sequestered Rector of Dinnington, in the said County.  Ezek. 2. v. 6, 7. And thou son of Man be not afraid of them, etc. Chap. 22. from vers. 25. to the end. There is a Conspiracy of her Prophets in the midst thereof, etc. Chap. 7. v. 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 The Sword is without and the Pestilence and the Famine within, etc. Chap. 18. v. 31.32. Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed, etc. Matth. 11. v. 15. He that hath ears to hear let him hear. 
LONDON, Printed in the year 1648.   

Right worthy, worshipful, and the rest most affectionately and intyrely beloved Countrymen and Brethren.  
HAving ever reputed that command of God, first given in charge to the Prophet Ezekiel cap. 3. of his prophecy from verse 17. to verse 22. Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth and give them worning from me. When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; The same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Yet 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. Again when a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die; because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness, which he hath done, shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Nevertheless, if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin; he shall surely live because he is warned; also, thou hast delivered thy soul. Which command is again repeated and illustrated Chap. 33. from verse 2.10 verse ●0. Having, I say, ever reputed that command of God to be an universal, everlasting rule of Prophesying, and so to concern us Prophets and Teachers in the time of the Gospel, as well as those Prophets and Seers in the time of the Law: the frequent and serious meditating thereon, sanctified unto me by God's Spirit, as it made me, ever since God honoured me with that Sacred, though now despised, calling of a Minister, to apply the exercising of that calling, upon all occasions so requiring, as much as I could to the observing that rule, notwithstanding the known opposition, slanders and reproaches, that I met with therein; so of late years, since the wickedness of the wicked hath so superabounded in this Nation, and the righteousness of the righteous hath so decayed, and the sword of the Lord hath therefore wasted and devoured from one end of the land to the other: I have devoured myself in a manner wholly to that service, both in private and public by speaking, preaching, and other ways of warning, as opportunities were offered, and God enabled. And though very lately, upon the calling to mind the success that I had in some former warnings, (being therefore, with the Prophet Jeremiah smitten by the tongue of those whom I faithfully endeavoured to keep from being smitten with the sword, and imprisoned by these whose liberty from that and other judgements I earnestly supplicated) I had once, with the same Jeremiah, resolved to have spoken no more in God's name to men so perverse and obstinate; 
Jer. 20.9.  yet his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing and I could not stay: or to use David's expression, I was for a time dumb with silence, and held my peace even from good, and my sorrow was stirred. My heart was hot within me, 
Psa. 39  while I was musing the fire burned: then spoke I with my tongue; or, to come nearer to that prophet with whom I began (and all three without either boasting or falsifying) I remained, some days, at Ezekiel did immediately before he received that rule of prophecy but now named, astonished among the people, astonished at what I saw and heard daily committed by them, astonished at their impudence and hard heartedness, astonished with sorrow and indignation at both, 
Eze. 3.15.  and astonished with thinking what I should do to deliver my own soul from such a wicked generation; till at last, the same word that came to Ezekiel, did from him (and, I h●pe, by the same spirit, though not in the same manner that it came to him) come to my thoughts again and again; and than God was pleased to rouse and quicken my spirit, so that my soul could no longer rest, till I had once again delivered her from the guiltiness of the blood of others by telling these whom it concerned, what I apprehend from God's word hath already pulled on them the guilt of others bloods, and will, if not speedily prevented pull much more, even to the devastation and desolation of this whole Nation, and to the inevitable ruin and destruction of their own souls. And to whom amongst all that are concerned, should I rather, or can I better direct my speech then to you of this County? whether I consider mine own obligations, or your present state and condition? My obligations to this County, and to some of you in particular, are such and so great, that I desire no longer to breath then whilst I shall be willing to spend my breath in the acknowledgement of your favours, and in the returning you the best thanks and, service, that I am able, for them. And such and so deplorable is your present state and condition, that should, I profess with Isaiah. That, Therefore are my loins filled with pain, pangs have taken hold upon me, as the pangs of a woman that traveleth, I was bowed down at the hearing of it, 
Isae. 21.3.  I was dismayed at the seeing of it; or should I wish with Jeremiah, That my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night in the lamenting of it. 
jer. 9.1.  I should profess no more nor wish no other, than what your present state and condition require, and what I have already in some part performed for you. To you therefore, to you, my Honoured and dear beloved Countrymen, do I here humbly present this faithful and fair warning, and with it myself to suffer or to rejoice with you, for you, or by you, as God and you shall please, and as well beseems him, that seeks you, and not yours, the Kingdom's peace, and not the favour of any in the kingdom, the honour of the Church, not any dignity in it, and God's Glory and the restablishment of his Truth in and above them all.  
Yours, as you please to use him, or make use of him, to love, serve, and pray for you, LIONEL GATFORD the true, but Sequestered Rector of Dinnington, in Suffolk.   

A faithful and fair warning, humbly presented to the Knights, Gentlemen, Clergymen, Yeomen, and other the Inhabitants of the County of Suffolk: and may, for the greatest part of it, serve for a seasonable Caution to the whole Kingdom.  
AS at the first, the sins of this Nation were the original provoking cause of Gods inflicting all those fore judgements upon us, under which we have these late years groaned; and our not repenting of them, but adding to them, and seeking other ways of ease and relief, hath, instead of procuring any remedy, increased our misery, and blasted all our means and endeavours for redress, 
Numb 11  how probable or hopeful soever; insomuch that, whereas we Lusted for a Parliament, as Israel sometimes did for flesh, and slighted all Gods other great mercies unto us, as they did even Manna itself, thinking any condition better than our own, 
Ib.  unless we had ou● longing, and that, if we had that, all things would go well with us: which so afflicted our Moses, that he, like theirs of Israel, was even weary of his burden of governing this people alone; and was content to have others 
* The great counsel at York.  gathered unto him to take part of that burden (would God had been pleased to have given them of his spirit also) and to assist him in the bearing thereof: and then upon that, our lusting was condescended unto; but, like that of Israel's, whilst the blessing so desired was between our teeth ere it was chewed, by that time we had gotten a little smack or taste of a Parliament, The wrath of the Lord was kindled against us, 
Ib.  and the Lord smote us with a very great Plague, the sorest that ever befell a people; For that became our plague, which was longed for as our greatest blessing, and that, 
Psal. 69.  which should have been for our welfare, became a trap; or, to express that terrible curse in the words of a former translation of ours, the thing that should have been for our wealth, was unto us an occasion of falling.  
So to this present, 'tis the continuing in our sins, and the not acknowledging of our Rebellions against God and his Vicegerent, but the justifying of them, and seeking other ways of peace and security, that incense and inflames God's indignation against us, to the continuing and multiplying of his heavy judgements upon us, and to the rendering of all assays and overtures, for the composing and quieting our sad divisions and distractions, (the most destructive judgement of all others) fruitless and ineffectual: For we know who hath said it. 
Prov. 28. v. 13.  He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but who so confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy: And the Scriptures is in no point more full and clear, then in the asserting of that truth. That without acknowledging of sin, repenting of it, and turning from it to the Lord, there is no mercy to be expected from the Lord in the pardoning and forgiving of sin, and in the removing those judgements which he inflicts for it.  
Ye have had some new teachers of late times (and this County at this time swarms with them) that have had the impudence to tell you, that Repentance is of no use to Believers, but that it is a derogation to the merits of Christ for any such to repent, but then withal they tell you that there is no sin in such, and so at once destroy both Law and Gospel. I shall not now spend time in refuting them; but this I dare be bold to affirm of them, (and 'tis no more than I am able to demonstrate) that they, which are of that opinion, are no true Believers; and if the mercies or judgements of God, or both, do not make them to repent and desert that opinion by bringing the sense of sin home to their Consciences, or the punishment of sin home to their doors here in this life, 'tis to be feared, (so far as one may judge of another) they le be made to see and feel their own error and blasphemy, where there will be no place or space of repentance. But set those Heretics aside. I am confident there is never a Teacher or Preacher amongst you, the whole County thorough, (that is not leavened with that heresy) which dares undertake to show you any other way for the making your peace with God, and so for the removing of his fore judgements already inflicted, and the averting those his more dreadful plagues further threatened, then that of confessing and forsaking your sins, the undoubted original cause of all judgements and plagues whatsoever. And therefore if ye would not have iniquity to be your ruin, 
Ezech, 18 30.  Repent and turn yourselves from all your transgressions. And be entreated to deal clearly and freely with God, acknowledging not only your unthankfulness for former mercies; your Pride, Luxury, unprofitableness under the ordinance of God and contempt of them, and such other sins of long continuance (whereof some have so often minded you on purpose to keep other later abominations from your thoughts) but also your Rebellion and Bloodguiltinesse, with your Sacrilege, Perjury, Blasphemy, Lies, Robbery, Oppression, Cruelty, and whatsoever other crimes have accompanied the same; whether ye have been actors in or contributors to those iniquities, or whether ye have been otherwise consentors to, or complyers with those, that have acted and continued them. Take heed of that guile in spirit (as David experimentally called it) in thinking to hid your sins: The same David paid dear for it: 
Ps. 32.  for all the while that he kept silence, and would not acknowledge his sin, his bones waxed old through his roaring all the day long: 
Ib.  and God's hand was heavy on him day and night, etc. but no sooner did he acknowledge it, nay, no sooner had he resolved upon the acknowledging it, but God forgave the iniquity of it: and be assured that if you do not acknowledge your iniquities to God's glory, though to your own shame; God will glorify himself in making you to acknowledge them to your greater shame and confusion. Take then the shame to yourselves, and give the glory to God; 
Josh. 7.  and God will take off that shame again from you, and make your taking shame upon yourselves a comfort and glory to yourselves. For that is God's usual dealing with men: ye know it is his promise, that If we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. 
1 Cor. 10. v. 31.  And that other promise to his people of old import as much concerning our taking shame to ourselves. Fear not for thou shalt not be ashamed: neither be thou confounded, for thou shalt not be put to shame; for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, etc. 
Isa. 54.4.  and that promise in Ezech. puts it out of all question. But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, etc. All his transgressions that he hath committed, 
Ezeck. 18 v. 21, 22.  they shall not be mentioned unto him. They do best that do avoid the committing any thing worthy of shame: but when any such thing is committed, the next best, is to acknowledge it and to be ashamed of it, to the abhorring of it and themselves for it. And where God hath any love to any people, he will never leave them, when they have committed any notorious sins, till he have brought them to an humble acknowledgement of them, 
Ezeck 20 43.  and to a true loathing of themselves for them: and that is an act of his mercy, by how many judgements soever it be effected; as the longer that men hold off from it, the more and the more severe judgements does God inflict, till he have brought them to it, as is easily collected from that twentieth of Ezech. and other scriptures. But then there is another acknowledgement and shame of sin which God brings upon men by way of vengeance, which, though the former be terrible enough, is yet more terrible, as having confusion always attending it: and there is no way for the avoiding either, but a voluntary acknowledging of sin, and taking the shame thereof to themselves before God scourge them to it, or confound them by it. 'tis a saying very often repeated in sacred writ in the closes of God's denuntiations of judgements, and 'tis to be trembled at wheresoever 'tis so mentioned, Then shall they know, etc. or, And they shall know, etc. Happy are they that know those things, before they are so made to know them. In the first place then be forewarned of the putting off the acknowledging your sins till God force you thereto by his judgements, lest, whiles a foolish fear of shame, feigned to yourselves by such an acknowledgement, scare you from it, and a terrible shame and confusion of faces caused by God for want of such an acknowledgement seize upon you to your unspeakable torment.  
Oh, but, will too many reply, would you have us now to acknowledge ourselves guilty of Rebellion, and of the Blood which hath been shed in the prosecution thereof, and of all those other horrid crimes that have accompanied the same. We have long since again and again, charged those crimes upon the adverse party, upon the King himself and all those that have taken part with him: And if we should now take them upon ourselves: how would all men jeer at us, and they of the other party insult over us! Nay, what would become of us and ours, and all that we have! Surely, therefore now 'tis our best course to stand upon our own justification, and to go on as hitherto we have done, or else we are but in a miserable condition.  
Thus when the Devil and Devilish men have tempted and seduced any to commit any foul notorious wickedness; the next thing they endeavour is to draw or carry them on therein as fare, and as deep, as possibly they can; and if the seduced do but begin to consider what they have done, and how fare they have gone, and so think of breaking off, and returning from their wickedness: then fear shame, and despair are presently represented unto them, to scare and hurry them on, or at least to keep and hasten them where they are. 
Jer. 38.  When Zedekiah King of Judan had disobeyed God's word by the Prophet Jeremiah, and began upon after thoughts to listen to what that Prophet had advised him: presently fear and shame were presented to his fancy, and by them was he scared off from harkening to the Prophet's counsel. And when all the people of Judah were admonished by the same Prophet to break off their Idolatry and their other iniquities, and to return to the Lord, and do their duty; and had so much told them to that purpose, 
Jer. 18. v. 12.  that they had nothing to say for themselves; then despair furnished them with this desperate answer. There is no hope, say they; but we will walk after our own devices, and we will every one do the imagination of his evil heart.  
But to answer more particularly to each part of this objection. That many have charged both this Rebellion and all the blood that hath been spilt in the pursuance thereof upon the King and those faithful subjects of his, that adhered to him, is too well known; and 'tis pretty well known, that this way of shifting off sin from themselves to others, is of all the many other ways, the most impudent and detestable. That others persuaded them, tempted them, incited them, scared them, or forced them to commit such and such sins, have been frequent excuses that we read of in several sacred and other stories: but this shifting off sin wholly from themselves, when they know themselves foully guilty, and charging it upon others, whom they know to be, in that respect, most innocent, is never practised but by men of brazen faces, Adamantine foreheads, black tongues, and blacker hearts: And, if God will be a swift witness against any, then surely against such as do not only bear false witness against, 
Mala. 35.  but condemn the innocent: and if he will plead the cause of any or execute judgement for them, so as to bring them forth to the light, 
Micah. 7. v. 9  that they may behold his righteousness, and others theirs; then without all peradventure he will do it for them, that are so palpably and unjustly slandered and accused, and have so just and clear cause of appealing to his Justice for it. But why stay I so long upon a recrimination, so foolish and ridiculous as well as false and odious! I dare appeal to the Consciences of them themselves, that have so charged it (as cauterised as they are) for the unjustness of the charge. If the Rebellion and Blood guiltiness of this Nation (I join them together; because they, that are guilty of the Rebellion, are without all further dispate guilty of all the blood that hath been shed in it) can be charged upon the King and his loyal Subjects; why have not the other party all this while put it upon that issue, and when they had the King (as to our unspeakable grief they have) and the most of his loyal Subjects in their power; why did they not legally charge them therewith, and urge the Laws, and indite them, (I mean the Subjects, though they blush not to talk of inditing the King himself) by those laws, and so proceed to trial against them according to the laws of the Land, the true and only rules, whereby Rebellion and Murder is to be tried and judged here in this Nation! Was it their mercy? Why then have they waved that way of trying and judging those particular Persons of the King's party, upon whom they have exercised their power to the height of cruelty, and proceeded against them only by Votes and Ordinances, or by illegal Judges and unwarrantable Juries, and other unheard of process! Or to bring the answer yet closer; If the Rebellion and Blood guiltiness of this Nation be to be charged upon the King and his loyal Subjects: why do they of the other part, that have shown so much mercy to them, despair of all security, or at least, distrust all the security that can be given them, against the known established Laws of this Kingdom! What need they any act of Indemnity, or Oblivion? What need they any Pardon from the King, or any security against him or his party? Let the King live, and the Law run in her course, might be their wish rather than any's. But alas, their Consciences tell them, That if the King and his party should return to their own just power and rights again, and the Laws of this Kingdom to their due force and vigour, and they should be no more merciful to them then they have been just to them, or then the Laws are favourable to their courses; they and theirs would indeed, as they say, be but in a miserable condition. But whereas they from thence resolve; That therefore surely 'tis their best course to stand still upon their justification, and to go on to the last, as hitherto they have done, That is but a deceitful as well as an impious resolution. Impious it is, and that so hideously impious, that I will spend no more breath in declaring the impiety of it, then by telling you, that this is despair worse than Cain's; 
Gen. 4.  for when he had slain his brother, and God had told him of the cry of his brother's blood, and what panishment he must suffer for it, he did not resolve to go on in his shedding more bloods; but the guilt of that blood, which he had shed, did so torment him, that he was afraid that every one that should find him, would shed his blood: and therefore I know not with what desperate wicked resolution to match this; unless it be with that of Judah's, (before mentioned though in other words and from another text) when they returned this answer to the Prophet Jeremiah. 
Jer. 2.25  There is no hope, No, for I have loved strangers, and after them will I go, And I may say of them that so resolve, 
v. 26.  as the Prophet saith of those of Judah in the next words. As the thief is ashamed when he is found, etc. so will they be ashamed when God shall, in his inquisition for blood and other iniquities, 
1 sal. 37.  find them out and bring them to shame, they, their Kings (for they have set up many Kings for one) their Princes, their Priests, their Prophets. And for the deceitfulness of this resolution. 
●o.  Do but rest in the Lord and wait patiently for him; not fearing thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass, etc. and behold yet within a little while, and the wicked shall not be; Yea thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be. And though the wicked still plotteth against the just, 
Ih.  and gnasheth upon him with his teeth; Yet the Lord shall laugh at him; for he seethe that his day is coming: And that sword which the wicked have drawn out to slay such as be of upright conversation, shall enter into their own bear't. But I desire to forwarn and not to forejudge: and therefore suffer a word of expostulation before I return you back this objection so answered as I desire it.  
Why do any of you despair of your safety and security, if you should now return to your obedience and duty? Do you distrust the mercy of the King? The truth is, your foul breach of Faith to him, and your high Rebellion against him have been such, as would provoke the meekest and most merciful Prince that ever lived, even Moses himself to excessive wrath and indignation: Yea so fare was Moses provoked by a less Rebellion than this, that he, that had so often interceded with the Lord for that people, when the Lord was ready to destroy them, 
Num. 16  did in the heat of that Rebellion pray against them, at least against the ringleaders of them. But what was sometimes said of the Kings of Israel in general. That they were merciful Kings; 
1 Kings 20. v. 31  is most true of the present King of England in particular. He is a merciful King indeed, few Kings ever matched him for that grace. It hath been made a great objection against him, that he is too merciful; and this to be sure. He hath been so merciful all these merciless times through, as well as formerly, that the presuming upon his mercy above his enemy's justice, hath seduced not a few, that have professed themselves to be his friends, to join with his enemies: and they have not been ashamed to say, that they would rather hazard their lives and all that they had upon the hope of his mercy, then expose aught of theirs to the power of his adversaries. And if the censure of his real friends indeed, as well as his pretending, be not extremely out of the way; King Charles his mercy hath been occasionally, by others abusing it, none of the least advantages to his Enemies for their bringing him and his to so much misery: and yet for my part, though it were so, I verily believe he will be no loser by it in the end, if he be not a saver by it already: For the God of mercy will not, nor hath not already, let that mercy of his go unrewarded. And for mercifulness hereafter. Surely the mercies of God to him in his miseries and afflictions, and the good which those afflictions and miseries sanctified unto him, have wrought in him, will not render him less merciful than before, but rather far more, as having therein tasted so much of the sweet fruits of his former mercifulness.  
O most pious and gracious Prince, how hath he oftentimes wept for grief at the folly and madness of his Subjects in these Rebellious times; and how much more would he now weep for joy, to see any of them acknowledge their folly and madness, and to return to their wits and to their duties: without doubt, if that were done, they should not need to crave or beg his Pardon. He would prevent them by proclaiming it before they should ask it; 
Luke 15.  and, like the Father of the Prodigal, representing God the Father himself, he would run to meet them, if he saw them coming; though afar off, and weep on their necks before they could throw themselves at his feet; yea and think no entertainment to dear for them, though some of his other Sons, that have all this while obeyed and served him, should perchance murmur at it: An, my dear Countrymen, King Charles hath not left out of his prayers, that petition of beseeching God to forgive him his trespasses, as he forgives them that trespass against him: though too many of you have cast out that whole Prayer out of your Closets, Families and Churches; and therefore do not ye measure his Charity by your own uncharitableness. What an injury is it to the Spirit of Grace in another, for any to think, that because I have been so wicked as to do another so great wrong, therefore that other must needs be so cruel and uncharitable, as never to forgive me that wickedness? Why? Though God did leave thee to thyself, and so thou, through want of Grace, didst deal most injuriously and wickedly with another, yet thou canst not, without injury to the Spirit of God, conclude, that therefore he will also leave that other so to himself, as that he shall revenge himself on thee. The King is the minister of God, 
Rom. 13.  a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil. And therefore having done that which is evil; yea most abominable evil, thou hast cause to be afraid, as the Apostle there argues: But withal, as thou art there told, he is also a minister of God to thee for thy good: and therefore, if thou wouldst not be afraid of the power, do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: Cease to do evil, and learn to do good; break off thy Rebellion; and return to thy Allegiance, and thou shalt find that the King will be to thee, not a revenger to execute wrath upon thee for thy evil, because that thou hast forsaken, and abhorrest thyself for it; but a gracious receiver of thee to mercy, because thou art returned to thy duty, and art resolved to perservere in that duty: for the King knows well, that mercy as well as truth, 
Prov. 20. v. 28.  preserves a King, and his throne is up holden by mercy. But suppose the King were not so eminently inclined to mercy and forgiveness as he is. Remember what he tells you, who was a King himself. The King's heart is in the hand of the Lord, 
Prov. 21.1.  as the rivers of water he turneth it whithersoever he will: and therefore do but you turn to the Lord and to your duty, and you need not fear, but the Lord will turn the King's heart to you, for your good. They that despair of Gods showing them so much mercy upon their repenting of their iniquity, as to turn the King's heart to them, so as to remit unto them what they have deserved to suffer temporally; how can they hope for so much greater mercy from God, as that his own heart should be so turned within him, 
Hos. 11.8.  (as the Prophet's expression is) as to remit to them what they have deserved to suffer eternally: if they despair of God's mercy in the lesser degree; how can they hope for his mercy in the greater! God does, 'tis confessed, oftentimes chastise and afflict (and so make use of men as his instruments for that purpose) temporally those whose sins he pardons and forgives eternally. As Daniel, Job, etc. But then they are not such as despair of finding mercy in a temporal deliverance, but such as hope for mercy in a deliverance temporal, if God see it good for them, and wait in faith and patience God's will and pleasure in it. God's mercy is infinitely greater than man's; and so the cruelty of men may be feared, where the mercy of God is hoped for, and relied on; but that fear, where 'tis as it should be, does not banish the hope of deliverance from that cruelty that is most feared. David chose rather to fall into the hand of God because his mercies are great, then into the hand of man. That is; when David had sinned, 
2 Sam. 24.  and had his choice of temporal judgements for that sin offered him by God, he chose rather to have a temporal judgement of Gods more immediate inflicting by his own hand, such as the plague is, than a temporal judgement inflicted by the hand of man, such as the fleeing before enemies, and being pursued by them is: (and yet by the way when David did at any time, as he did often fall into the hand of man, he never dispaired of deliverance from that hand; but on the contrary patiently waited for it and confidently expected it) But David did not choose so to fall into the hand of God, rather than the hand of man, as to adventure to do any thing which was displeasing to God, and so to run the hazard of his punishing him either with temporal or eternal judgements, rather than to venture the displeasing of man, and so to suffer what he could lay on him which is the case of too many in these days. No, 
Heb. 10. v. 3●.  David knew well (what I beseech you all to consider) that in that sense, 'tis a fearful thing to fall into hands of the living God, infinitely more fearful then to fall into the hands of the most cruel of men.  
To descend yet lower; for men in despair descend very low, and he that would lend them his hand to recover them, must follow them close. Let it be supposed, (as I am confident 'tis yet but a supposition) that the abused mercy and clemency of the King should be turned into the extremity of rigour & severity, and being injured by thee beyond expression, he should execute vengeance on thee beyond moderation. 'tis acknowledged, that he, that is a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil, may himself do evil, and pull God's wrath upon himself. By his executing wrath upon another; for he may soon intermix too much of his own wrath with it: but if he should, thou must willingly submit to the execution thereof, and leave the sin of his executing it to himself to answer for, and him to God to be called to that answer: But 'tis a crime to be abominated by all men, upon fear of another's punishing thee, otherwise than thou wouldst, or perhaps then he should, for thy wickedness already committed, to proceed on therefore in thy wickedness; and to add to it the just desert of greater punishment, for the preventing, as thou thinkest that punishment which is too great; 
Rom. 12. Heb. 10.  Vengeance is the Lords and he will repay & necompence every one according to their deeds, if not by, one revenger or executioner of his wrath, to be sure, by another: and the suffering patiently by the hand of him, whom thou hast injured, though his hand should be heavy, may not only be a quieting to thy conscience in giving such satisfaction to the person himself wronged, and to the Law: but it may be also such an acceptable satisfaction to divine Justice itself, through him that hath otherwise fully satisfied it, that no further satisfaction shall be required of thee for those injuries; thou having made such satisfaction to him unto whom thou didst them. And let this suffice in answer to the distrust of the King's mercy. I have but a few words to add concerning the King's Party, who are by divers more distrusted then the King, and then I close up this first Consideration.  
How the King's loyal and faithful Subjects, who in obedience to God's command and in conscience of that duty, in fidelity to the established Religion of the Church of England, & in testimony of that fidelity, in love to their Sovereign's supereminent Graces and virtues and in gratitude to God and him for his exercising them in his regal and Christian government of them and this whole Kingdom for so many years together, and (which must not be forgotten) in the discharge of the many natural and civil bonds of Allegiance and for the performing of those many sacred and solemn vows, and oaths made to God, for the strengthening those bonds, have adheared unto and assisted his Majesty in the defence of the established Religion, in the preservation of his sacred person, Honour and dignity, and in the maintenance of his just power, rights, and prerogatives, together with their own and your just laws, liberties and properties: How, I say, those faithful and loyal Subjects of the King for their adhering to and assisting of their King upon these grounds, in these ways, and to these ends, have been reproached, slandered, plundered, hunted up and down, imprisoned, sequestered, banished, sold as slaves and for slaves, starved, hanged, and otherwise murdered, their wives and children, abused, oppressed, forced to live upon the charity of others, or otherwise made weary of their lives, are things so well known to yourselves and to the world, that, if there be any thing that makes you to doubt of the charity of the King's Party, 'tis the consciousness of your own Parties unchristian, unexampled, cruel, barbarous, in-sufferable, and with any, but God and them, unpardonable dealing with them and theirs. And therefore, if any of you should come into their power, and they should exercise that power upon you to their utmost of fury and vengeance; they could not deal so ill with you, as you have done with them, except they should act over your own Tragical practices upon yourselves; and yet still they would come fare short of you, because they should do, what they so did, but by way of recompense where 'tis first deserved, and they thereunto deeply provoked, whereas you did it only in pure malice without any desert or provocation at all, more than what your own false fears and jealousies feigned and fancied. And if they should march your cruelty as fare as they were able, and reward you according to your ways and according to your do, which is God's usual way of dealing with men, when no other way will do good on them; As it would be most just with God, so the most of men would be ready to justify them in it; and so should I, if these two cautions or conditions were truly observed; 1. If they had God's command for it. 2. And if they could do it without intermixing their own revenge with it: But because they have no assurance of the former, and may be assured, that they cannot observe the latter (and therefore how glorious or just soever it is for God to use whomsoever he please as the executioners of his vengeance upon others; yet 'tis but unhappy and uncomfortable for any to be made such instruments and executioners) upon these and such like reasons, I tremble to think of any such retaliation, and I have many other reasons to assure me, that they will abhor to practise it. For how ill soever you and your lying Prophets have voiced them, or how deeply soever ye have reprobated and damned them, the King's party have to my knowledge been better instructed both from Christ and his Gospel, and from those dispensers thereof which you for other ends forced unto them, as also from their very sufferings, which you without cause have loaded them withal. They have been taught to recompense to no man evil for evil, 
Rom. 12.17. Mat. 6.15. Mat. 18.12.  they have been taught, that if they forgive not men their tresspasses, neither will their father forgive them theirs. They have been taught, to forgive their brethren, not till seven times but till seventy times seven. They have been taught that how highly soever their fellow servants have sinned against them, yet in respect of their sinning against their own Lord and and theirs, 'tis not so much as the debt or damage of an hundred pence to ten thousand talents; 
Cap. cod.  and therefore as they hope to be forgiven of their Lord their trespasses, so can they from their hearts forgive their fellow servants and brethren their trespasses. In a word, 
Mat. 5.44.  They have been taught to love their enemies to bless those that curse them, to do good to those that hate them, and to pray for those which despitefully use them and persecute them. Thus hath their Master and his Ministers taught them, whilst your Masters and their and your new teachers, 
Jud. 5.23. jer. 48. v. 10. Exo. 32. v. 20.  have corrupted and perverted several Texts of Scripture to encourage you in blood and cruelty; As Curse ye Meroz, Curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof because they came not &c. Cursed be he that keepeth back his sword from blood. Consecrate yourselves to day to the Lord, every man upon his son and upon his brother. Raze it, Raze it even to the foundation, or, as another translation read the words, Down with it down with it even to the ground etc. 
Ps. 137.  And happy shall he be that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones. Neither have the sufferings of the King's party taught them any other lesson. For knowing what a double blessing is pronounced, and a manifold reward is promised to such sufferers as they have been. As blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake; for theins is the kingdom of heaven; 
Mat. cap. 5. v. 10, 11, 12.  and again, Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake; Rejoice and be exceeding glad; for great is your reward in Heaven; for so persecuted they the Prophets, which were before you. They would not part from their claim to that blessing, and their interests in that reward, and so lose the honour and comfort of all their sufferings, by seeking revenge on their revilers and persecutors, for ten thousand times more than you or your estates could advantage them. This I know to be the resolution of some of that party, and I have good cause to believe it will be the practice of very many: for they could never have suffered so much and so cheerfully, had not these and the like principles of Grace been in them. And therefore it may well be hoped that he that hath laid such a foundation in them will perfect the building; 
Phil. r. 6.  and he that hath begun so good a work in them, will perform and sinish it until the day of Jesus Christ. And for the rest of that party, whom ye most fear, 'tis wisdom to fear them so much as not to exasperate them more. Yet thus fearre I dare undertake for them, (were my undertaking worthy of your notice taking) That were you in their power, as many of them have been in yours, you should find the most profane, and rude among them, less cruel in their cruelties they and their fellows afore have found than many of your pretending Saints and holy ones, in those, which they call their mercy. But the fault is your own if you run yourselves upon any such hazard; For make your peace with God, and he will make your enemies to be at peace with you: 
Prov. 16.7.  and return to your Sovereign, and there is none that have hazarded their lives, and lost their liberties and estates for him, their Religion, Laws liberties and property, but would be ready and willing, upon a resettlement of all these without any more blood and other public calamities to catch at and embrace any reasonable propositions and kiss the beautiful feet of such propounders. As therefore ye have tried many other ways for procuring peace, and they have all failed you, so be entreated for Christ's sake, who is the Prince of peace and the propitiation for our sins, to make trial of this way of acknowledging your sins and forsaking them; which never yet failed any, and which is so infallible, as that God himself gives that as the reason of his giving over people, when their sins are come to their full measure and they ripe for ruin, to blindness and hardness of heart, 
Isa. 6.10. Mat. 1.3.15. Act. 28.27.  implying that if a people did turn from their sins unto him he could not but heal them. Turn thou us O Lord and we shall be turned. Turn thou us and we shall be healed. Let that be your daily prayer to God. Come let us return unto the Lord. For he hath wounded and he will heal us: he hath smitten, and he will bind us up: 
jer. 31 Hos. 6.1.  let that be your constant exhortation to one another, and practise yourselves what you shall so exhort others. And the Lord hear and accept you in both.  
Having repent of your sins, and in particular of your Rebellion, Blood guiltiness, and other iniquities and impieties attending them. The next thing that you are besought to consider, is the present state and condition of Religion here in this Kingdom. That the Church of England in its Reformed established Religion was not only a defence and refuge, but the glory and honour of all the Reformed Churches in Christendom cannot justly (and therefore I hope will not) be denied by any of those Churches: if it should, we are able to evince it out of the mouths of their own most learned and eminent Preachers and Professors. And had not those unhappy div zions, breaking out as they did, prevented it; the Christian world had in all probability, ere this seen the happy fruits thereof in the harmonious, and of them and us much desired conformity of other reformed Churches (especially the more Eastern) as well in Discipline, as Doctrine, so far as conformity in Discipline could have been conveniently observed in several Nationall Churches. This the Tobiah'sses and Sanballets of the Church of Rome, have known and maligned so long, that their attempts against this Church and the established Religion thereof have been more, and more industriously and eagerly prosecuted, then against any Church whatsoever: though they have not omitted any opportunity of practising their complotted designs upon any of the Reformed Churches or the members thereof. And having tried all the other ways and courses that they could invent, and some of them such as, I hope, will never be forgotten of this Nation. Some few years before the beginning of this Parliament, Cardinal Richeleiu, the Politic favourite of France, and gracious son of Rome, used all his art and skill to kindle a fire against us in Scotland: which art and skill of his prospered too much there by the unskilfulness and imprudence of some of our managers of Church affairs here in England. No sooner was that fire kindled, but Emissaries of Rome were sent thither to inflame it; and, the better to effect it, some of them pretended great love and affection to a new Reformation of that Kirke, even to a seeming disclaiming and detesting of their own. About the same time there were not a few of those Incendiaries dispatched hither into England, to practise upon those of this Kingdom, that were disaffected to the established Government of this Church, or that distasted some new rites and practices, too much favoured and countenanced by some of the Governors thereof: and so far had they within a short time crept into the favours and Counsels of some leading men of each sort, that this Church and State began to be much distempered; Insomuch that our most Gracious and Religious Sovereign, next under Christ the prime defender of our Faith, and nursing Father of our Church and Commonweal (whom they had many other ways assaulted but found impregnable) was persuaded, for the peace and safety of both his Kingdoms, to call a Parliament, and within a while after, for the peace and security of all his three Kingdoms, (the third being also then inflamed) to derive unto them greater liberty of continuance, but otherwise not of any power, than ever Parliament had; and, as we find by sad and woeful experience, than they had grace to make good use of. The Jesuits and Jesuited party finding this advantage, and feeling by the Pulse of the chief of the disaffected and discontented part of that great Assembly, how their hearts stood inclined; they applied themselves to them in all ways and services possible: One Jesuit, (well known to the most reverend and Religious the Primate of Ireland his Grace) was a constant Tabler and Counsellor to the Lord Brooks, an active, furious driver on of the mad factious people's desperate turbulencies. Others applied themselves to others, whom I forbear to name: Only one passige I must not omit. Before those worthy members of the honourable Houses of Lords and Commons, that held firm to their duty and allegiance, were forced from their stations; so bold were those Romanists grown, that an honourable member of the House of Commons was earnestly importuned by one of them, an acquaintance of his, to recommend a Petition to the House in behalf of the Romish party, for the taking off all penal laws from them; which he refusing to do, and expostulating with the Gentleman about it, as suspecting that be came to entrap him, and to render him more distasteful to the factious party, and so more disserviceable to his King and Country; the Gentleman replied, that he was very much mistaken; for that Petition would find better acceptance in the House, than he thought for: And accordingly, it being soon after presented there by another (who may be presumed to account it an honour to him to be known by such a motion) viz. Mr. MARTIN, it was seconded and entertained by some of the greatest pretenders of Reformation in that assembly, till one of courage and esteem stood up and said, He was sorry that he had lived to see a Petition of that nature find such favour in that place, wherein those prudent laws, against which it petitioned, had been upon so good and just grounds, and with so much wisdom and deliberation framed; and thereupon it was for that time waved and laid aside. Since that how far the Jesuits and Jesuited party have proceeded and succeeded in their prosecuting of that design of a toleration, is sufficiently visible in the fruits thereof to every seeing eye; But because the greater part of men will neither see nor hear, or, if they do, dare not speak what they see or hear, how prejudicial or destructive soever it be to Religion or aught else that good is; I shall in the cause of Religion adventure a little further in the discovery of the designs of those professed enemies thereof. I have been assured by a person of Honour, that the Protestants of France, had towards the beginning of these unnatural and unchristian wars, resolved upon a Declaration against the Parliament and Subjects of England their taking up of Arms against their King, and had published it, had not the forenamed Cardinal dashed it, and underhand wrought them to too much approbation thereof; rendering by that one subtle act of his, the said Protestants odious to their own Sovereign for approving such Antiregal, antimonarchical attempts, and also advancing thereby his own design of fomenting our destructive divisions. But to return nearer home: Who, but the Jesuits and Jesuited Papists began that Rebellion in Ireland? And who but their favourors here in England drove it on to that height, by making those Rebels desperate, in selling their lands and Voting them and theirs to ruin, past all hope of mercy; by detaining the King from going thither in Person to quiet that Rebellion, when he so graciously offered it, and so piously endeavoured it; by diverting those fair, full, free, running streams of bounty and liberality flowing all this Kingdom through, towards the relief of the distressed Protestants of Ireland, into those foul, black, bloody rivers of War and Rebellion, overflowing this whole Kingdom to the wasting and weakening if not to the ruining and destroying of the now despised Protestants of England: and lastly, by the withholding and delaying, all along from the first to the last, the necessary supplies of men, moneys, arms, and other provisions from that Kingdom, notwithstanding the Kings often and often calling upon the Houses to be mindful thereof, and conjuring them thereto (as appears by his many Messages and Declarations to that purpose) and notwithstanding the loud and doleful cries of the Protestants of that Kingdom from the greatest to the least so constantly echoing in their ears. If the Jesuits and Jesuited Papists of this Kingdom had not their hands deep in all this, and too prevalent a power with those, that had the power of ordering that business better, let any man, that knows one hand from another, judge.  
But to come yet nearer, those incendiaries of Nations and perturbers of the peace of Christendom, are foully belied, by one, whose brother hath been one of them these many years, and he himself is now theirs, and was then little better. If there were not in, and about the City of London, and in, and near the Armies, about 3 weeks or a month, before that heavy blow at Nazeby, above sevenscore Jesuits and other Romish Priests (known the most of them to him) which kept correspondence divers of them and gave intelligence to them at Westminster, and served them both in keeping off assistance from the King, from Princes of their Religion, and in betraying the King's counsels and the resolutions of his Army (which they, by their instruments and favourers crowded into those quarters, got knowledge of) to the adverse party; so that they could draw the king's Army into what part of the kingdom they pleased, and there fight them, or not fight them, as they saw the advantage. Insomuch that a Noble Colonel of the King's Party, and a man of good estate and credit, being then a Prisoner in the Counter in Southwark, and having there fed at his table and preserved the author of this information, that had been a prisoner in the same prison, but was then by his Brother's means set at liberty; was, about that time before mentioned, advised upon those grounds and some other by the said informer (and that in gratitude as he affirmed, knowing no other way of acknowledging his bounty and liberality towards him) forthwith to make his composition and peace with the Parliament, for that the King would without all peradventure (yet the King was at that time in as high and hopeful condition as ever he had been in from the beginning of these wars) be brought very low. Strange prophetical counsel a● that time, had not the counsellor had too strong presumption to conclude from.  
And now, to speak a little upon mine own more immediate knowledge. Travelling beyond the seas in the company of a Romish Priest, borne in England, and another English Gentlemen of the same religion; after some warm dispute between us. I was told by the Priest that I need not be so hot and zealous for my religion; for so said he, we have now as good cards to show for our Religion in England as you have for yours; for we perceive you are a Protestant of the established Church of England; and if you, and such as you, do ever enjoy your Religion there again, it must be by a Toleration, and so shall we enjoy ours. I replied, that I hoped God would disappoint them of their hopes: but since that, I found they had too much cause so to presume? for I was no soonet arrived here in England, but, being constrained to attend some Parliament men at Westminster; I heard a Gentleman (who by his habit and discourse seemed one of credit and trust among the Romanists) soliciting another Gentleman (whose Father had been a Parliament man, but was then dead) for the assisting him by his friends in the promoting of a Petition for a Toleration of their Religion: and he told him, amongst other discourse, what progress he had made therein, both with some prime Commanders of the Army, and with divers members of the House of Commons; (whose names, for the present I conceal) and that he had delivered three Petitions to that purpose into the hands of three of the House of Commons, who had undertaken the recommending them to the House, and promised him their best furtherance therein: so that he did not much doubt of the success, but yet should be obliged to him, if he would be pleased to contribute thereto. The party solicited replied. He should do him any service, and the Petition desired no more, than he apprehended to be according to the judgement of the times in point of liberty of Conscience: when I heard this, and observed how liberty of conscience was every where contended for; I no longer wondered at the cooling Cards which the Priest gave me: for I perceived they of his part had played their Cards so well, that they might afforded any of us the knowledge of such a triumph: nor did I then think it strange (which, but a few days before I admired) that so many Jesuits and other Priests did daily flock into this Kingdom from France, Flanders, and the Country's adjacent, and all by the way of Holland; there having been nine or ten such newly shipped at the Brill, under the same Convoy, if not in the same Vessel, that Master Strickland the Parliaments Agent for Holland, came over in about Michaelmas last; and multitudes of them more have been there, and in other Parts of the Low Countries, passed for England within few months; when, God knows, many worthy Ministers of the Church of England driven beyond the Seas, choose rather to endure some hardship there amongst strangers, then yet to adventure the hazard of worse usage here in their own Country. These things, I thought it my duty to acquaint you with, as I have done others already upon all occasions both in public and in private: and, though perhaps they may be slighted by some engaged with the Sectaries, calling themselves Protestant's, or quarrelled by others, that are professed Papists, I solemnly avouch before the Almighty God of truth, that I have not falsifyed in the least particular of what I have spoken upon mine own knowledge, nor varied, so far as my memory would serve me, from what others, and they men of known honour and honesty, have informed me. I know well that 'tis a foul sin to speak wickedly for God, or to talk deceatfully for him, 
Job 13.7  (as Job sometimes intimated to his friends) and I abhor to be charged with a Romish trick myself, whilst I endeavour to discover some of theirs. Had divers of this Nation but that courage and spirit, as to speak what they know to this purpose, and but that love and zeal to the established Protestant Religion, as to think it worthy of their adventuring that courage and spirit which they have in that service; you would find that all this little that I have said, is scarce the glean to their harvest, or an handful to their Barnsfull, for the clearing this discovery of the Jesuits and Jesuited Papists, having their hands deep in all our miseries, and a desperate design upon our Religion: And let such take heed that God do not one day require it at their hands in vengeance, for that they did it not, when he required it of them in duty. I know there are some in this Kingdom of the Romish Religion, that have given ample and honourable testimonies of their Allegiance and fidelity to their Sovereign, and of their love to their Country: for which they deserve all Christian and civil respect and honour that can be shown them (and that makes me so often to use that limitation of Jesuits and Jesuited, to distinguish them from such, which, as hath been often and truly said, like Sampsons' Foxes look contrary ways to our furious Separatists and other Sectaries, but join with them in the setting this Kingdom on fire.) But 'tis to be feared, that if Religion should come again to be contested for betwixt the Protestants and Papists here in England, (which God of his mercy forbid) the most moderate and loyal amongst the Popish party, would lose no advantage that they could catch or lay hold on, for the exalting of their own Religion, and the pulling down and destroving ours: And 'tis certain, that since the first Reformation of Religion in this Kingdom, they never had so great advantages given them to that purpose. It was a frequent saying of an ancient and knowing Dr. in Cambridge, that had very much observed, as well as too much served the times, in alteration of Religion (and I have heard it several times cited by a most learned and reverend Professor of that University in his Commencement Orations) That if ever Popery came into this Land again to have any power, it would be by the Precisian called then the Puritan. And what an open broad way the Precisians or Puritans properly so called have made for Popery to march in; or (to use the Prophet ezekiel's expression) how they have opened the sides of this Church to those enemies of that Faction to enter and repossess her, 
Ezeck. 25 v. 9  and what arms and ammunition of all sorts, they have furnished them with, and what aid and encouragement of all kinds, they have given them, to make good their entrance and keep their possession, is very deplorable to consider, and much more deplorable, that 'tis not considered as it should.  
The most learned and acute Divines and Artists are driven from the Schools and Colleges in both Universities: The most Orthodox and conscientious Pastors and Teachers are forced from their Pulpits and Pastoral charges: The most reverend and renowned Bishops are cast out of their Bishoprics, and Episcopal power and jurisdictions: and all these are rob and deprived of their livelihoods and necessary subsistence, (yea, many of them of their lives) and all others that shall succeed them, of all hopes of any honourable encouragements: And what then may not the enemies of our Religion do, when so much is already done to their hands towards the undoing of this lately most flourishing, but now languishing Church of England? Who shall dare to take up the weapons, or venture on an encounter with the Adversary, when all our stout Champions are gone, and only Children and weaklings, with unexpert Tradesmen and Mechanics are left to grapple with Giants and experienced warriors? Take away the encouragements, and you take away the sinews of war: who will go to war at their own costs; especial, when they know where good pay and good preferment too are to be had in another service? There are too few that serve God out of pure zeal and mere conscience. In the combat between the Flesh and the Spirit, the Flesh ought to be mortified and kept down as much as possibly may be: but in all encounters, wherein the Flesh is to join with the Spirit against a third adversary; there 'tis best to let the Flesh have its neceslaries; yea, and its honest allurements and encouragements to, or else the Spirit will be but ill assisted and served by it. It hath been several times attempted (and the poor simple Country people have been put upon it, and incited to it, with much earnestness and no little deceit) That all Tithes should also be taken away from the Clergy, and the Ministry be provided for by way of Pension or Benevolence: And truly were I one of the Church of Rome, or wished well to the returning of her power and tyranny into this Nation, I would now, after the taking away of Bishop's lands and revenues, with the other dignities and honourable maintenance of the Church, most sacrilegiously torn from the Governors and Ministers thereof, labour and endeavour nothing more. For then to be sure none should dare to speak aught in Pulpits, no, nor whisper aught any where else, against any error or heresy, or against any vice or wickedness whatsoever, that should find any favour or countenance in his Parish, or in any of his parishioners of power and ability, for fear of being cut short in his allowance; if not for the present, yet at the next Session of Commissioners, who would perhaps be so wise of themselves, as to think the case might otherwise be some of theirs; or, to be sure, that would be intimated to them, as it hath been too often suggested unto Juries in trials for Tithes: And then doubt not, but the Popish party would be as active and subtle in stealing in their leaven into every Parish, as any other heretics could be, and a little more able to enforce arguments for the promoting it: for the Church of Rome wants no policy, nor means, nor instruments to improve it. And if the maintenance of the Protestant Clergy, were but as poor and contemptible, as is desired by many; the Clergy itself would soon be as base and despicable, as could be wished by any; and then, besides the people's growing like their Priests: (which;) constant observation hath made a Proverb, it would be no small temptation to such a Clergy, upon hopes and promise of recovering their old ancient honourable portions and revenues, to desert that Religion, which allows their Ministers such miserable starving pittances, and to embrace that, which rewards theirs with such liberal, plentiful rewards. Much more might be said to that point; but I touch it only in relation to the design of the Popish party, who have been and still are the principal instigators to all sacrilegious acts and resolutions in this Kingdom, and will be, without all peradventure, the greatest gainers thereby: not that they themselves would practise the same, when they should come into power, but because they know there is no more ready way for them to come into power, then by such practisces of ours which would both render the Clergy of this Kingdom contemptible to the people, and the people not a little odious to them, as also otherwise fit and prepare both for their working them into what they shall please. To tell you that a prodigious rabble of damnable heresies and pernicious errors are crept, or rather brought with full sails at midday, into this miserably distracted Kingdom, and that multitudes are daily bred and hatched up within, were but to tell you your own dreams; the true fathers and mothers of divers of that spurious issue. 
Judas v. 9  (Filthy dreamers, that defile the flesh, despise Dominions, and speak evil of dignities) But who have been the principal factors for the bringing in, and the chief brokers for the venting of those from other parts, as also the chief fom●nters of these started up here at home? why, who but the Jesuits and their complices? who have for that purpose transformed themselves like their great master into all shapes, and become Anabaptists to the Anabaptists, Antinomians to the Antinomians, Familists to the Familists, and all things to all men, that they might deceive the more. And no more probable way of making proselytes to themselves then this. For the most of that numberless number, that have been poisoned, or tainted with those heresies and errors, are either such, as have no principles of Religion at all in them, but are (like those Saint Judas speaks of) clouds without water carried about with winds, 
jude. v. 12.  even every wind of doctrine by the sleight of man, and cunning craftiness, 
Ephes. 4.14.  whereby they lie in wait to deceive: and such are as fit to be carried about by the wind of Popery, as of any other doctrine; or else they are such, as have in them already good store of Popish principles properly so called; how odious so ever for the present the name of popish or papists be, or seems to be unto them: and of these there are a vast number, as will easily appear to any understanding man, that shall but compare the frequent tenets or positions held and asserted in these times, with the known principles of Popery, truly so called. The Gangraena (a book written by Mr Edward's, and so entitled) will furrish any man with enough, and yet he leaves out some Principle one's: as THAT 'tIS LAWFUL FOR THE SUBJECTS TO TAKE UP ARMS AGAINST THEIR SOVEREIGN; That Ecclesiastical Courts are independent on the Civil; That officious lying and equivocating is justifiable, with many others. Now how easy will it be for the Serpent, when he hath thus gotten in a part of his body, to wind in all the rest? and how hard will it be, when such poison and infection hath diffused itself through so many parts of the body, to purge it out again? Men are too prone of themselves, through their pride, self-love, and perverseness, to defend their own errors to their utmost; and will oftentimes deny many known truths, rather than be brought to acknowledge one received error; yea, will sooner part from those remains of truth, that are in them, than part from some errors taken up by them: what then will such men do, when they shall be backed and encouraged therein by so powerful and subtle a party, as the Romish is? Besides, if the Popish party should gain no more proselytes, (as who sees not, that they gain more in one month, than they did formerly in seven years; and have gained more in these six or seven years' last passed, than they had done in all those other years past since the Reformation) yet if they can, by their broaching of, and by their inviting and inciting to heresies and errors, bring but our Church to confusion; they hope to triumph and insult upon our ruins, 
Lam. ● 18.  like those Foxes upon the desolate mountain of Zion: And, if any Church be raised out of the rubbish and ruins of ours, or any Religion be generated out of the corruption of ours, they presume, and not without cause, that it will be theirs. And that they expect some such day, may be many ways collected; and particularly, from their sparing engagements for the King in all his distress, either by their Persons or Estates (excepting only some few loyal and noble spirited ones, that were (to their honour be it acknowledged) as liberal of their Bloods and Estates as Subjects could be) as also from their present forbearing to appear for him. To all which, I must confess, they have been well encouraged, for the most of them have enjoyed more of their Estates, and made easier Compositions for them, than the most known Orthodox Protestant's have. And here by the way, I cannot but recall to your memories, some letters sent down to some of you from some members chosen for this County, in answer to some of yours, concerning the receiving of contribution from Popish Recusants, upon the Propositions for Horses, Money, or Plate, at the beginning of these wars. In which letters you were told, as some of you have confessed That it was the sense of the House, that contribution should be received from Popish Recusants; provided, that it were such as might witness their affection to the cause, and not argue only a desire to save themselves, or to that effect. And whether they did then contribute with you or not to the raising of that cursed war; to be sure (except, as I said but now, some few of them) they have, from that time to this, contributed very little to the King for his defence against it: And I beseech God, that that war seconded by this may contribute no more to the terrible designs of some of that party; though there need no other contribution to the exalting of the Throne of Antichrist, 
2 Thes. 2.  than the sending of a people strong delusion that they should believe a Lie: & there needs nothing to be said for the demonstrating how foully and grossly we of this Nation have been so deluded, and are contented if not desirous still so to be. I remember well, and shall do whilst I have breath, what I heard fall from the mouth of that Apostolical, (I wish I might not in that particular say,) that Prophetical Preacher, the matchless Primate of Ireland, (matchless for the Graces of God in him, as well as for that Grace of Primacy conferred on him) in one of his constant Lords day Sermons in Oxford. I fear not, said he, those Feltmakers, Weavers, Cobblers, etc. that are risen up amongst us, sowers of Sedition and broachers of Heresies and Errors: but those with whom I fear, we shall have the strongest struggling, are those Giantlike Jesuits, trained up men of war from their youth: these, these are they whom we have all cause to fear; as those, with whom we shall have the last and sorest pull for our Religion God grant it prove not so: But if we go on in the rending and tearing out one another's thoats; and the Heretics and Schismatics go on in their rending and tearing the very bowels of our Church, who can expect less? Who is there that hath read or heard of Christ's way in planting and propagating of his Gospel of truth, and in acquainting men with the mysteries of Godliness; and of the way in Antichrist in planting and propagating his Doctrine of lies, and in possessing men with the mystery of iniquity; that can expect from Sects of Heresy and Schism, sown by the enemy in the furrows of men's hearts, filled with malice and all uncharitableness, and watered with the bloods of so many thousands of their fellow Christians, any other Harvest then of Popery and Antichristianisme?  
Be ye then supplicated, (O all ye that have any love unto, or care of, the preservation of the true Protestant Religion) to take the sad deplorable condition thereof into your most serious consideration, and speedily to apply yourselves with all your art and skill, and with all your might and power, to the resisting and countermining of its openly professed and secretly conspiring enemies, and to the aiding and assisting of its known, and by these late persecutions and temptations throughly tried friends. Think soberly and sadly with yourselves (God's cleansing your thoughts from all selfe-favour and brother-prejudice being first implored) whether they, to whom in the beginnings of these miseries you first adhered, and who then made you so many fair and large promises, and took some solemn Protestations, Vows and Oaths in the presence of God, to Defend and Maintain the true Established PROTESTANT RELIGION, have made good those promises, Protestations, Vows and Oaths, yea or no.  
If they have, what means the lowing and bellowing of such herds of notorious abominable Heretics of all sorts, and the bleating and bawling of such flocks of furious Schismatics of all cuts in every corner of this Kingdom? Yea, what mean those favourable excuses, and defensive Apologies published to the Kingdom in one of the late Declarations in answer to the Scots, that complained thereof? What means also their suppressing and silencing of all, or the most of the known, religious, Orthodox, Protestant Preachers throughout the Kingdom, sequestering their live, and clapping them up into Prisons, and then setting up Antinomian, anabaptistical, Socinian, Jesuitical, and other notoriously heretical Teachers and lying Prophets in their rooms? What means the blasting of the established Doctrine of the Church of England, as being corrupt and erroneous, such as needs Reformation? What means the blaspheming the Lords Prayer, and Apostles Creed commonly so called, and rejecting them from being publicly used in any Congregations? And what means the casting out and condemning the whole Book of Common-Prayer, and Administration of the Sacraments, which had so often and so long been found and made use of, as one of our strongest outworks and fortifications against Popery and other Heresies, as well as an incomparable and unparallelled rule and form of public Worship and Devotion? In a word, what means the entertaining of Petitions for the Toleration of Popery, forbearing only the granting them their requests, till the people be a little better prepared by that Doctrine of Liberty of Conscience? Bethink yourselves also, whether they, to whom ye now give up yourselves to serve with your lives and estates, and join with in all their rebellions and bloody erterprises, have not sufficiently declared their disaffection unto, yea and their hatred and detestation of the true Protestant Religion. What mean else their retaining only such Chaplains amongst them, as hold far more principles of the Popish Religion than Protestant, and have expressly renounced the established Protestant Religion of the Church of England? Or why do they, like those Rebels against the house of David, make to themselves both high places to worship in, and Priests of the lowest of the people, to minister unto them? And why do they proclaim the liberty of being of any Religion, or of no Religion at all, rather than of the established Religion of our Church? If there be any so stupid as to think that the leading-men either at Westminster, or in the Army, or their active adherents, are at the present men of other affections and resolutions, more than what the present oppositions and their want of power to withstand them, and to crush the opposers to pieces, do constrain them to dissemble; I shall admire their stupidity, and lament their weakness, unless they can produce some better evidence of their retracting their former errors, of their repenting of their former iniquities, and of their returning to their God, and to their duties, than their own bare words, so often broken and contradicted by their actions. And yet which of you can show so much as the Armies words for any good intended by them either to this Church or Common wealth, or so much as to you of this County, that have hazarded your honours, estates, lives and fortunes?  
And for the promise of those at Westminster, call but to mind the success of that Petition of the Ministers of this County and of Essex, presented to both Houses in these doleful terms.  
That your solemn League and Covenant, your great and glorious victories, the expectation of the Reformed Churches beyond the Seas, the longing desires of our Brethren of Scotland, the Humble Petitions of the Reverend Assembly and the great City of the Kingdom, the pressing miseries of the Orthodox and well affected Ministers and people in the Country, (here is a Litany of conjurations indeed, enough to conjure any that would come within compass of any figure) cry aloud to your Honours for the settlement of Church-Government according to the word. Then follows. For the want of this it is Right Honourable, that the name of the most high God is blasphemed, his precious Truths corrupted, his Word despised, his Ministers discouraged, his Ordinances vilified. Hence it is that Schism, Heresy, Ignorance, profaneness, and Atheism flow in upon us, Seducers multiply, grow daring and insolent, pernicious books poison many souls, Piety and Learning decay apace, very many Congregations lie waste without Pastors, the Sacrament of Baptism by many neglected, and by many reiterated, the Lords Supper generally disused, or exceedingly profaned, confusion and ruin threatening us in all our quarters.  
In all Humility therefore, etc. we out of conscience and in tender regard to the glory of God and the salvation of our people, beseech your Honours, that a form of Church Government, according to the Word of God and the example of the best form Churches, may with all possible speed be perfected and confirmed by your civil sanction, that Schismatics, Heretics, Seducing Teachers, and soule-subverting books be effectually suppressed, etc.  
And what was their answer? The Lords they answered like Lords, professing much joy at the zeal and care of the Ministers of those Counties for the preventing the further increase of Heresy, & Profaneness, etc. They desire them to continue in their endeavours therein, & say they will not be wanting to give them all encouragement, etc. they assure them that they will improve their power for suppressing of Error, Heresy, seducing Teachers, and soul-subverting books, & likewise for the settling of Church-Government according to the Word of God, etc. Here was a Lordly answer, but that they had not consulted the House of Commons; for they return another, and indeed their common answer, viz. That the most of the particular desires of their Petition were then under consideration, and they hope will be brought to a settlement speedily, etc. O the miraculous care and diligence of that House! There was scarce ever any Petition, for redress or relief in any things presented unto them, but they were just then in Consideration of them, and hoped that they would be speedily ordered as they desired, only through some intervening obstructions they could not do as they would. But how came it to pass that the Commons had most of those particulars under their consideration, and had proceeded so far in them as to hope for a speedy settlement therein, and yet the Lords knew of no such thing, at least for got it quite in their answer? Well but let that pass: How much of all these fair promises hath been performed either by the one House or the other from that time to this? Why so nothing but the just contrary, that every abomination complained of in that Petition is increased to that height, and hath received that countenance from some of the Petitioned (as well as some of the Petitioners) that though each of them deserve a particular sad complaint (in a sharp Petition) yet 'tis thought but vain for any to petition or complain to them of them all. And do but remember what success all other Petitions since that from other Counties, either for Religion, or King, or Laws, or aught else that good is, have found at their hands, and hope for relief or redress from them if you can.  
Examine throughly in the last place, whether those men both of the Clergy and Laity, which have been since these unhappy divisions, reviled, slandered and persecuted under the names of Popish and Popishly-affected persons, have not in former times been to their power very many of them, as zealous propugners of the Protestant Religion, and as earnest opposers of Popery and Superstition, and whatsoever seemed to incline that way, as any men whatsoever, yea above any of those whom ye now most adore: as also, whether they have not, all these sad times through, to the eternal honour of their Religion, as well as of themselves, both in their own and in other Nations (as many of them of note as have been forced abroad) held firm to their first faith, and to each principle thereof, notwithstanding all temptations of poverty and want attending that their constancy, and all allurements of large supplies and honourable employment and preferment, if they would desert or dissemble it; whiles they, whom ye have cried up, magnified and idolised as the great Pillars and supporters of the Protestant Religion, have both in former times failed like staves of reed, and falsified like broken bows, and now in these times have shuffled and shifted not only from post to pillar, but from seeming to be pillars in one profession, to seeming and being any thing, that might serve the times in another, even to their own everlasting shame, and to the reproach of that Religion which they have pretended.  
Put these and all those other particulars mentioned in this second consideration together, and then judge whether it be not high time for all those that are true Protestants indeed (according to that distinctive name so long used) to look to their Religion, and to themselves, lest otherwise they be suddenly cheated of it, or at least of the happy and long enjoyed freedom of professing and exercising it, and that by those that pretended and so seemed for a while, to be most devoted to it, and least Popery so much objected, and so falsely charged upon those that least deserved it, be within a while obtruded on them by those who have suggested those objections and forged those accusations, as the stales and cries whereby to draw men within compass of their nets and snares, there being no such ready way to catch and ensnare any creatures, as by imitating their cries and calls, and by setting some of their own kind, or somethings very like them for stales. You cannot but remember who it was (for his blood is yet fresh in some of your skirts) that told you when he was on the Scaffold, 
jer. 2.34.  that it was part of his Prayer, that the tumultuous people of this Nation might not be like those Pharisees and their followers, who pretending a fear of the Romans coming and taking away their place and Nation, 
john 11.48  when there was no such cause, only they made use of that suggestion to further their mischievous design of murdering the innocent, had at last the Romans brought upon them indeed, and were utterly ruined by them. The factious tumultuous people of this Nation have in all other things the most resembled the pharisees, that ever did any people. God of his mercy grant, that they do not also resemble them in this.  
3. Next to the consideration of the dangerous and deplorable condition of Religion here in this Kingdom, be pleased (as many of you as have any spark of Religion in you) timely to consider the state and condition of your King. I forbear the assaying any description of his condition, because 'tis so well known, and so far beyond the being comprehensible in a description by the best of Artists: as I likewise abstain from all Epithets, or Periphrases to set it out by, or to set men's passions on work to condole it, the condition of our King being above all sympathy of passion, even of his most loving and compassionate Subjects, as well as expression of language of the most fluent and passionate of Orators. I have heard it objected against a reverend and dear brother-sufferer in these times, (though without any just cause alleged) that he ascends too high when he compares so many of our King's sufferings with some of our Saviour's, which I am assured he did, neither with the least intent of flattering his Majesty, (then in no condition to be flattered) nor without all due fear of approaching near the verge of Blasphemy, then, and ever so much abhorred by him, but on the other side, with all due honour to our blessed Saviour's sufferings, and with no small comfort to the King and to all that suffered with them, that his sufferings were and are so conformable to them, and he himself therein to his and our Saviour's image. And although I slight the objection, 
Phil. 3.10. Rom. 8.29.  yet I shall avoid the occasion of having any such thrown in my way: and because I may not without some scandal taken, make use of any such comparison, I shall not compare them at all with any other sufferings, there being none other that ever I have read or heard of, that do in all respects match them. Take them therefore in their bare narration, thus.  
Charles King of Great Britain, the first of that name, the only surviving Son and the immediate successor to his royal Father King James, to whom this whole Kingdom by their Representatives in Parliament, after a large commemoration of the inestimable and unspeakable benefits (as they truly called them) poured upon this Nation by his becoming our King, 
1. Jacob. 1.  and after great and high expressions of joy, and rejoying at the same, not forgetting their thanks to Almighty God for that blessing, as also after a modest repetition of that their Sovereign's personal gifts and graces, and the assured fruits and effects thereof, which they had tasted in that little time of his Government, together with an humble and hearty profession of constant faith, obedience, and loyalty to his Majesty, and to his Royal Progeny, made this acknowledgement and promise in these very words.  
We therefore your most humble and loyal Subjects, the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and the Commons in this present Parliament assembled, do from the bottom of our hearts yield to the divine Majesty all humble thanks and praises, not only for the said unspeakable and inestimable benefits and blessings before mentioned, but also that he hath further enriched your Highness with a most Royal Progeny of most rare and excellent gifts and forwardness; and in his goodness is like to increase the happy number of them. And in most humble and lowly manner, do beseech your most excellent Majesty, that (as a memorial to all posterities, amongst the Records of your high Court of Parliament for ever to endure, of our Loyalty, obedience, and hearty and humble affection) it may be published and declared in this high Court of Parliament, and enacted by authority of the saute; that we (being bounden thereunto both by the Laws of God, and man) do recognize and acknowledge (and thereby express our unspeakable joys) that immediately upon the dissolution and decease of ELIZABETH late Queen of England, the Imperial Crown of the Realm of England, and of all the Kingdoms, Dominions; & Rights belonging to the same, did by Inherent birthright, and lawful and undoubted succession, descend and come to your most excellent Majesty, as being lineally, justly and lawfully, next and sole Heir of the Blood Royal of this Realm, as is aforesaid: And that by the goodness of Almighty God, & lawful Right of Descent, under one Imperial Crown, your Majesty is of the Realms and Kingdoms of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, the most potent and mighty King; and by God's goodness, more able to protect and govern us your loving Subjects in all peace and plenty, than any of your noble Progenitors. And thereunto we most humbly and faithfully submit and oblige ourselves, our Heirs and Posterities for ever, until the last drop of our bloods be spent: And do beseech your Majesty to accept the same, as the first fruits in this high Court of Parliament, of our loyalty and faith to your Majesty, and your Royal Progeny and Posterity for ever.  
O the shameless degeneration and falsification of these times!  
CHARLES, to whom his Subjects, each one for himself, and in particular every Member of the House of Commons, when he was admitted a Member of that House, solemnly swore,  
That he did testify and declare in his conscience, that he the King's Highness is the only supreme Governor of this Realm, and of all other his Highness' Dominions and Countries, as well in all Spiritual or Ecclesiastical things or Causes, as Temporal, etc. And that he would bear Faith and true Allegiance to the King's Highness, his Heirs and lawful Successors, and to his power assist & defend all jurisdictions, Privileges, Preeminences & Authorities granted or belonging to the King's Highness His Heirs and Successors, etc. as follows in the Oath of Supremacy, as also again in the Oath of Allegiance, That he would bear Faith and true Allegiance to His Majesty, his Heirs and Surcessors, and him and them would defend, to the uttermost of his power, against all conspiracies and attempts whatsoever, which should be made against his or their Persons, their Crown and Dignity, by reason or colour of any sentence of Excommunication or Deprivation made or granted by the Pope, etc. or otherwise, and would do his best endeavour to disclose and make known unto His Majesty, his Heirs and Successors, all Treasons and traitorous conspiracies, which he should know or hear of to be against him, or any of them.  
Oh the damnable perjury of these times!  
CHARLES, whose Person, Honour, and Estate the same Members of the House of Commons did, on May 3. 1641. in the presence of Almighty God promise, vow, and protest to maintain and defond, as far as lawfully they might, with their Lives, Power, and Estates, according to their allegiance; and that they would according to their Power, and as far as lawfully they might, oppose, and by all good ways and means indeavonr to bring to condign punishment all such, as should either by force, practice, counsel, plots, conspiracies or otherwise, do any thing to the contrary, etc. Which Protestation was afterwards recommended by the Vote of the House July 30. 1641. to be taken by every person well affected in Religion, and to the good of the Commonwealth, and was accordingly taken by the most of the Kingdom.  
Oh the multiplied perjury and the sacrilegious breaking of Vows, Promises and Protestations perperated in these times!  
CHARLES whose Supremacy and power over all Persons and in all causes within his Dominions, the Subjects of this Kingdom have so many years acknowledged unto God in their prayers, in their Public Liturgy, and in their prayers before their Sermons; and for whom they have pretended to beg so many mercies and blessings, and to return to God such hearty and solemn thanks and praise.  
Oh the abominable juggling with God, and mocking of him, and lying to him, discovered in these times.  
CHARLES the Defender of our Faith, the Protector and Patron of our Religion, the Nursing father of our Church and Commonweal, 
Lam 4.20.  the light of our eyes, the breath of our Nostrils; of whom we said (as the people of Judah did of Josiah) under his shadow we shall live; yea of whom we must confess, that we did live under his shadow for many years together (and might have done to this instant, 
judges 9  had we not run from the Olive tree to a Bramble Bush) in that peace and tranquillity, in that honour and renown, in that abundance of wealth and plenty of all things that could render us happy, save grace to know it and be thankful to God and him for it, that never any people enjoyed greater, if any so great.  
Oh the fordid ingratitude of these times!  
CHARLES, not the RELIGIOUS only, or the JUST, or the MERCIFUL, or the CHARITABLE, or the VALIANT, or the WISE, or the TEMPERATE, or the CHASTE, or the COURTEOUS, or the LOVING, or the MEEK, or the HUMBLE, but all these, and a compendium of all other graces and virtues, and they in such supereminency, as that it hath been thought an eternal honour to other Princes to deserve the title of but one such to adorn their other glories, and perpetuate their memories.  
O the prodigious wickedness and impiety of these times!  
This very CHARLES (Be astonished O ye Heavens and stand amazed all ye Nations of the earth) This very KING CHARLES, by his own Subjects, by his own Servants, by his own professed Friends, by his own great Counsel called by his Writ to advise with him, and authorised by his power alone to sit in Parliament with him, hath been driven from his great Council, forced to fly from one part of his Kingdom to another, hunted like a Partridge on the mountains, pursued with Armies, fought with in sundry battles, struck at and shot at with all the force and malice, that hands and hearts strengthened and encouraged with rage and fury, and completely furnished with all the bloody instruments of War, could possibly lay on, betrayed, sold, hurried from Prison to Prison, separated from his dearest Consort and Children, mocked, seorned, contemned, railed on, libelled in Pamphlets, Hues and Cries, Votes, Declarations, Sermons, Prayers, and rob of all his revenues, plate, jewels and regal ornaments, deprived of very necessaries, both of food and raiment, (Gush out O tears, or break O heart, for I am not able to go on till my head or heart hath given one the other some ease:) This very King Charles hath been at the last, after all these and many other barbarous cruelties practised on him, thrust into close Prison, denied the comfort of any Chaplain, the attendance of any other servant, and the access of any faithful Subject, treated worse than any villain or murderer, assayed by villains to be murdered, and to encourage them thereunto, Votes have been passed in both Houses for no further addresses to be made to him, and no message to be received from him but he adjudged unfit to govern. And why I beseech you? why this King Charles will not break his oath solemnly taken at his Coronation, he will not consent to Sacrilege; he will not yield unto a toleration of Popery and of all other Heresies and Schisms, under the title of Liberty of Conscience; he will not part from all his power of punishing those that do wickedly, and of protecting those that do righteously: upon that pretence of settling the Militia in safe hands; he will not suffer an Army of 50. or 60. thousand under that name Militia to be kept and quartered in this Kingdom for the oppressing of himself, his Posterity, and his Subjects; he will not grant Liberty to those Houses to sit where they please, who have already so ill requited his former grant of sitting as long as they please, lest they and their Army should keep house together, and when the City will no longer endure them, the Country be forced to bear them or break under them; he will not endure compeers and copartners with himself in his Royal Throne, Rights and Prerogatives, under the name of a standing Committee or States Commissioners, he will not deliver up his Loyal Subjects and faithful friends and servants to the merciless cruelties of his and their implacable enemies: and in a word he will not betray that trust that God hath committed to him, and that his Subjects repose in him. These must be confessed when men's consciences are awakened, to be the principal causes so far as concerns the provoking of men, why this so supereminently Gracious King hath and doth yet suffer such inexpressibly grievous persecutions. And amongst all these causes, his not yielding to a toleration of Popery & other Heresies and Shisms, is none of the least provoking, as may well be thought, if the reflecting upon the principal contrivers and continuers of his Majesties and this Kingdom's miseries hath that inpression in our thoughts that it ought to have: for what else can it be that should render so religious and virtuous a Prince so distasteful and hateful, not only to all Heretics and Shismaticks here at home which every one knows; but also to all or the most Jesuits and Priests beyond the Seas, which is sufficiently known to those men of Honour and worth that have lived among them; there being no man more distasted and hated of those of that stamp, than the persecuted King of England. And if those King-killers can but prevail with their fellow Jesuits the furious Sectaries of these times (as they have throughly prepared them for it) to take away his precious life, to be sure it shall be suddenly done, for no man lies long under their hatred, that they can possibly remove out of the way. And what a justification would this be to all their assassinations? what a satisfaction to their desires? what a stain and wound to the Protestant Religion, and what an advantageous service to the Romish? and what vengeance of vengeances must it needs pull upon this whole Nation, that have had so often and so loud warnings of it, and do not (as by several oaths and many other bonds they are obliged) hazard their own lives to prevent it, but still contribute towards it by assisting those that contrive and complot it. 
2 Chron. chap. 3 5. Lam. 4.20.  It is recorded of Josiah, one of the best Kings of Judah, that being taken in the pits of the Egyptians, (as Jeremy's phrase is) and slain by them, both the Prophet Jeremiah lamented for him, and all Judah, even the singing men and the singing women spoke of him in their lamentations for a long time after his death, and they made them an Ordinance in Israel (it seems the remains of Israel joined with Judah in that mourning) for the lamenting of him: And this was such a great mourning, that the Spirit of God speaks of the greatness of it many years after. 
Zech. 12.11  But should our Josiah (which the Lord of Lords, and King of Kings of his mercy forbid) be slain by those Egyptians that have him now in their pits, not only our Jeremiahs, our great Prophets, but all the Prophets and Prophets Sons throughout this Nation, (the lying Apostatising Prophets only excepted, that have deserted their Religion upon that destructive alteration suggested) yea, and all the men, women, and children of these three Kingdoms that wish well to the Protestant Religion and the good of these Kingdoms, would excessively lament it unto all posterities, though we have too much cause to believe that we should never obtain an Ordinance for it from those Ordinance-makers that now bear rule: beware then in time, and that time is very short.  
You have had such trial of King Charles his fidelity and firmness to the Protestant Religion, as never Prince gave the like; and I hope, never Prince either in this or any other Nation shall be put to the like; for he hath had as great and as strong temptations, as prosperity and adversity in the height and depth of both could court or torment with, even such as would have made a Luther, or a Calvin, a Cranmer, or a Ridley, or any other of the most renowned confessors, or Martyrs of the Reformed Religion, either to have sunk or shrunk under them; or else would have rendered them far more glorious than their confessions or sufferings did or could render them, though they want for no access of Glory on Earth or reward in Heaven. Beware than I say in time, for if King CHARLES should come to resist unto blood, as he hath already often done to the extremity of hazard of it, and that Royal Religious blood of his should be shed by you, that profess yourselves to be of the same Religion with him, (if of any at all) either by your contributing money, horse, arms, personal assistance, or aught else, to those that thirst and hunt after his blood, and to the resisting of those that seek with the expense of their own to save it, or else by their not contributing what is in your power, to the hazard of your own lives for the preservation of his still in such known hazard; (for they that preserve not blood from being shed, when it is in their power to preserve it, are undoubtedly guilty of shedding it:) Besides the deep everlasting stain that you would thereby bring upon the Protestant Religion, such a guilt and horror would withal seize upon your souls when God should come to set your sins in order before your eyes (as doubtless he will sooner or later) that if ye did not like some Murderers believe that whatsoever ye looked on, 
Psal. 50.21  ye behold King CHARLES his bleeding sides, and whatsoever ye eat or drank, ye tasted King CHARLES his Blood; yet would ye wish ten thousand times over, that you had lost every drop of your own bloods, and of the bloods of those that are most yours, that ye had but done your duty in time for the preserving of his. Of all blood-guiltiness take heed of being guilty of the blood of a King, for as he that is guilty of any man's blood, is in that guilty of more bloods than the blood of one, (and therefore the Scripture, speaking of the shedding of blood, does commonly, if not constantly use a word that signifieth bloods in the plural number) so they which are guilty of the blood of a King, are in that guilty of the bloods of a whole Kingdom, every Subject losing blood in the loss of his Sovereign. Yea what if I should say that they which are guilty of the blood of their King, are to be reputed as guilty of doing their utmost to shed the blood of God (if I may so speak after the manner of men) or of Christ himself? I should not need to be put to prove it, if what is most true be but confessed; namely, that Kings are Gods immediate vicegerents, and the most representative image of his Majesty, 
Psal. 82.6.  and therefore called Gods: which may be one reason if not the main one, why the shedding of the bloods of the most wicked of Kings, by any of their own Subjects, hath been always so publicly and severely avenged, as in several stories is recorded. But above all abhor the thought of being guilty of King CHARLES his blood, least in it you prove not only guilty of what is already told you, but also of more Protestants bloods then have yet been shed since the Reformation, as well as of the best that ever ran in any veins. And to you my dear Countrymen I add this one short caution more. Take you heed, least as your Ancestors, the religious Protestants of this County, are highly honoured in the Acts and Monuments of our Church and in the Annals of our Commonweal for the discharging their duty in that height of equity and fidelity, as to be the prime aiders and assisters of Sovereignty in the settling and establishing the last, and (for persecuting the professors of the Gospel) the worst Popish Prince that ever swayed the Sceptre of this Kingdom, so ye yourselves be eternally stigmatised by all records of Church and State, for deserting your duty and becoming the abetters and maintainers of Rebels and Traitors in the deposing and murdering (for that's known to be their design) of the last, (for so 'tis resolved if they can compass their resolutions) and the best Protestant Prince, that ever yet swayed this or any other Sceptre whatsoever. Consider what I say, and the Lord give you understanding in all things. And so I pass from the King to your fellow Subjects and yourselves, and with the consideration of the several and joint present State and condition of both, I shall conclude this faithful and fair warning.  
As for your fellow-Subjects, I shall dispose them (for I abhor the word divide) into two sorts: Those in general throughout this Kingdom, and those in particular against whom ye now bear Arms. As for your fellow Subjects taken in the Generality throughout this Kingdom; if you do not know their miserable deplorable state and condition, as 'tis confessed, you of this County have had the least experimental knowledge of the misery of this Kingdom of any County within it, though you have contributed as much towards it as any, be pleased at your leisure to read but those sad and lamentable descriptions of the most distressed, and most to be bewailed conditions of other people and Nations, as they are for our warning (if we had the grace to have taken it) here and there drawn ready to our hands by the finger of God in holy records; and then lay them together, and therein you may behold your poor fellow-subjects distresses and miseries, already felt and further threatened, as lively represented, as if they had been the prototypes, and these the ectypes or expresses, they the first draughts and these the copies, or if you will, they the copies, after which our cursed schoolmasters have taught the enslaved subjects of this Kingdom to write, and that in their own blood; I will only point ye to some few, for your better direction in examining the rest which are very numerous. Isaiah Chap. 3. from ver. 1. to ver, 10. and from ver. 12. to ver. 16. Chap. 9 from ver, 13. to the end. Chap. 19 ver. 2.3. Chap. 24. ver. 1.2.3. Chap. 34. ver. 2.3.5.6. Chap. 59 from ver. 2. to ver. 16. Jerem. 4. ver. 20.21.22. Chap. 4. from ver. 1. to ver. 18. and from v. 26. to the end. Chap. 6. from ver. 7. to for 16. Ezek. Chap. 22. from ver. 4. to ver. 14. and from ver. 18. to ver. 23. and from ver. 25. to the end. Micah Chap. 2. from ver. 1. to ver. 12. and Chap. 3 throughout. I have directed you to such places as do divers of them, record the sins as well as the punishments of such and such people, because they are the forest punishments, where any people are delivered up to commit such sins, and such sins are the assured forerunners of the most destructive miseries, as well as the causes of them. And whereas I have cited but here and there a portion of Scripture, you can scarce turn amiss any where, where judgements are mentioned as inflicted or threatened, but what is so mentioned, is either in part or in the whole already fulfilled upon this Nation, or the fullfilling thereof within a little time, may be now justly feared, there being so little sign of repentance (the only means to prevent it) to be found amongst us.  
And what County of this Kingdom hath cast in more to the filling up the measure, either of this Nations iniquities or their other miseries, than you of this? And do ye think that ye shall go unpunished? No, I pray God that you be not made to drink the very dregs of the cup of God's fury and vengeance, 
Isa. 51.17. Ezech. 23.  and to wring or such them out as Isaiahs' expression is: or as Ezekiet expresseth it, that thy sister's cup, (the cup of which the other parts of this Kingdom have already drunk, and are now a drinking) be not given into thy hand, and thou made to drink deep and large, till thou be laughed to scorn and had in derision, till thou be filled with drunkenness and sorrow, with the cup of astonishment and desolation. Your late madness and sottishness in embroiling yourselves in a new War, and in imbruing your hands in your brethren's blood, when you might have avoided it, is a terrible simptome of such drunkenness. 
Jerem. 25.15, 16.  And this brings me without any interruption from the Consideration of the state and condition of your fellow-subjects in General, to the consideration of those your fellow-subjects in particular against whom ye now bear arms.  
For Christ's sake and your own, consider well who they are, against whom ye are now risen with so much and so strange fury and violence. Are they not such, as besides their being created after the Image of their Creator and yours, (an Argument of power sufficient to deter any that bear the same Image, from attempting aught against the blood of such, especially if that one terrible sentence were but thought on. 
Gen. 9.5, 6.  AND SURELY THE BLOOD OF YOUR LIVES WILL I REQUIRE: AT THE HAND OF EVERY BEAST WILL I REQUIRE IT, AND AT THE HAND OF MAN, AT THE HAND OF EVERY MAN'S BROTHER WILL I REQUIRE THE LIFE OF MAN. WHOSO SHEDDETH MAN'S BLOOD, BY MAN SHALL HIS BLOOD BE SHED: for in the Image of God made he man.) Besides that, I say, are they not such as for whom Christ, who was the express Image of his Father, shed his most precious blood, and do by their being Christians, carry in them the Image of Christ? And do you not tremble to shed their blood for whom Christ shed his? or can ye call yourselves Christians, and yet persecute and murder those whom Christ calls his, and that must be acknowledged by yourselves, to be more his, than yourselves, if you would not measure yourselves only by yourselves, 
2 Cor. 10, 12. Acts 9.4. Colos. 1.24.  but by those rules which Christ hath prescribed? why Christ accounts the perspecuting and afflicting of such, as the persecuting and afflicting of himself, and so the shedding of their blood will be reputed as the shedding of his. To come a little nearer you, though no relation should be nearer or dearer to you, then that of Christian: Are they not Christians of the same particular profession of Faith with you, at least, so many of you as call yourselves Protestants, and profess to be of the same Faith with the established Church of England? And will ye take the Swords, Pistols, Poynadoes, and other bloody instruments out of the Jesuits and Jesuited Papists hands, and clap them into your fellow-Protestants sides, that they may hereafter with their knives cut your throats? Ye have indeed divers of you (that you might render them the more odious, and those whom ye have engaged against them the less suspicious, and the more bloody) raised rumour upon rumour, lie upon lie, and slander upon slander, and cast them all upon them; particularly that grand cheating slander, wherewith the poor people have been so often fooled into blood, that the principal men among them, by name the Earl of Norwich, and the Lord Capell, are great Papists; whereas the Kingdom knows, (and so do many of you that raised and fomented that lie) that both these right honourable personages are as sound, firm, religious Protestants, as any in this Nation; and if you were but as fare from Popery as they, you would both abhor so to belly them, and tremble to appear in Arms against them. And what I say of those two, may, I am confident, be avouched (and will be by those that know them) of the rest of those Worthies that are with them, infinitely beyond what can be affirmed of the most select Regiment, yea Troop that the adverse Army can cull out. But I speak only of those two, because the people have spoken most of them, and they are best known to me; and indeed so well known are they to me, that I should have been more guilty of bearing false witness, than they of raising such a false report, had I not vindicated their Honours from such a notorious calumny. And now that they are named, suffer me to interpose this one word more concerning them. If there be any thing besides their known loyalty, that does exasperate the factious seditious party against them, 'tis their eminent and approved firmness and immovableness in the Protestant Religion. And if they should miscarry in this action (which I shall with all earnestness and constancy, as all that wish well to this languishing Church and state ought to do, pray that they may not) the Protestants would find as great a loss in them, as in any of their Peers within the three Kingdoms. But I have severed them too long from their honourable and ever to be honoured society and fellow-Souldierie. Are they not all or the most of them men of known, tried integrity and honesty, (and many of them your very next neighbours) and have they not so proved themselves by their Declarations, Remonstrances, and actions? Do they not all profess clearly, that they have and do engage themselves in this present undertaking only for the defence and preservation of the established Protestant Religion; for the delivering their Sovereign from bondage and imprisonment, and from being murdered therein; for the restoring of his Majesty to his lawful Government, just rights, and throne in Parliament, for the maintenance of the known Laws of the land, and the rights, Liberties and properties of their fellow-subjects; and for the procuring and settling of a firm and happy peace in this miserably divided and all most utterly ruined Kingdom? would to God that the Army, which call themselves the Parliaments when they please, had declared, or would but yet declare half so much, and give such assurance for the performance thereof, as those Worthies will give; and than it might be hoped, that these unnatural wars would soon be ended; But when so many of that Army have so openly declared and proclaimed the contrary to all these; and some of them have been bold to say, that they fought neither for King nor Parliament; and that they had above sixty thousand to be at eight hours' warning, to fight both against King and Parliament, and have given very observable earnests of their having too many in a readiness, by their sudden raising such considerable Troops and Regiments of such, and wholly such within very few days. It is high time for all those that would not be gulled, cheated, or forced out of all those forenamed comforts, and honours, to betake themselves to their arms for their defence, maintenance and continuance. And what a stain, shame, and reproach, will it be to you of this County, and to your Posterities after you? That, when such men, of such known honour and integrity, and of such approved firmness and fidelity to their Religion, King, and Country (like those renowned Worthies eternised by the Spirit of God to memory and imitation) jeoparded their lives to death in the high places of the field, for the defence and maintenance of those very truths and rights, 
Judg. 5.  which ye yourselves have often sworn and protested, and do still pretend and profess, to defend and maintain; and that against the most base, perfidious, pernicious, seditious, traitorous, bloody, tyrannous, professed and proclaimed Enemies thereof, ye not only deserted them, and came not out to their help, To the help of the Lord, against his and their adversaries; but, risen up and came out against them, and cast in your lot with those Adversaries, that lay wait for blood, for the blood of Kings, Princes, Priests and people, 
Prov. 1.  and lurk privily for the innocent without a cause, not considering that by so doing ye lay wait for your own blood, and lurk privily for your own lives. And so my poor Countrymen I come a little closer yet to yourselves, and to the consideration of your own state and condition; and then I shall commend you to God's mercy, if by your repentance ye shall render yourselves capable thereof.  
How little you of this County have been sensible of the miseries and distresses of your fellow Subjects and Brethren, and how much you have contributed to them, I leave to your own conscience to examine, and to yourselves, to judge yourselves for them. Only take these two conclusions along with you as two inseparable consequents of those two premises. First, That mers not being sensible of their brethren's miseries, 
Amos 6. from v. 2. to v. 12. Isa. 22. v. 12, 13, 14. Jer. 4. v. 8, 10. u. and chap. 12. v. 11.  and so not taking warning by them, pulls so much the more certain and sore judgements upon themselves: they that remember not Texts of Scripture enough to that purpose, consult those in the margin. Secondly, That when God hath made use of any people to scourge others by, for their sins and iniquities, (as he usually does of the worse, to scourge the better) he does constantly cast that his rod into the fire, and punish that people the more severely, by whom he hath severely punished others; and one principal Reason thereof is, because they, whom God makes use of as his scourge to others, do, with God's chastisement or vengeance for their sins, constantly intermix their own malice and other iniquities, in chastising and taking vengeance on them. And this conclusion you have confirmed in each circumstance by many remarkable and clear examples, as one of the Books of the Prophets, namely, in Ezekiel's Prophecy; As in Gods dealing with the Ammonites, the Moabites, and those of Mount-Seir, the Edomites, and the Philistines, Ezek. 25. with those of Tyrus, chap. 26. with those of Zidon, chap. 28. with Pharaoh, and all Egypt, chap. 29. and with the rest of the heathen, chap. 36. All which people had been at several times scourges to the people of Israel and Judah, and are in that relation there called to an account, adjuged by God to those judgements. And though you may from these sad conclusions see evidence enough of your hastening Calamities, yet there are other visible symptoms of your approaching Miseries, which may perchance more awaken you, as crying yet somewhat louder unto you, and at less distance, either to repent speedily, or to expect swift destruction suddenly. As first, What think ye will be the inevitable consequents of your late engagement against those Worthies of our David before, but never too often named, to their honour and your shame, those English Heroes, those Lords, Knights, Gentlemen, Yeomen, and others in renowned Colchester? the most inferior of which company carries better blood in their veins, because untainted, than the proudest Adversary that fights against them; and, I trust, God will preserve it as preciously, and the City wherein they are. High, exceeding high already is the Honour of that City, for being the City wherein Lucius, Helena, and Constantine, the first Christian King, Empress and Emperor in the world, were borne; And it may please the Lord in his mercy, notwithstanding our multiplied iniquities crying so loud for the contrary, to raise its honour yet much higher, by making it the City, wherein King Charles, the most Religious of Christian Kings, the Established Religion of the Church of England, the Helena or Empress of Christian Religion, and the Incomparable Laws and Liberties of this Kingdom, which for equity and Christianity deserve the Crown Imperial of the World, shall be preserved from ruin, and be restored to their pristine glory; The same Almighty God, that wrought that first great Work in that City, is all-sufficiently able, there, even there, to accomplish this second. And we humbly beseech him, that neither their nor our sins may separate between his blessing and their Loyal and Christian endeavours to that purpose; and, whatever the success be, that that City, nor those Worthies that are in it, may never want their due honour, nor his gracious protection and comforts. But suppose the worst: Suppose that by your engagement against that City, and those Worthies in it, their Enemies should prevail over them, to their and this whole Kingdoms further weltering in blood; must not their and the rest of the blood of this Kingdom be charged upon your score? When as, if you had but sat still, and not engaged against them, (as you were by many bonds, never to be canceled, obliged to do) there had not been in all probalitie at this time any Enemies to Peace, or thirsters after Blood, that durst to have shown themselves so, throughout the whole Nation. And therefore, what will God say or do unto you, when he comes to make inquisition for blood, & to avenge it? This is the bloody County, that had Peace laid at their feet, and trampled on it; that had Peace brought home to their doors, and not only shut it out, but called to bloody War to enter in; that had many thousands of their fellow Brethren and Neighbours, that would have ventured their lives to have preserved them in Peace, and they chose rather to lose many of their own lives, to take away some of theirs. They loved not Peace, therefore it shall be fare from them; they delighted in War, therefore shall it cleave close to them; and they thirsted for blood, therefore shall they be drunk with their own blood. Do not think that I speak more in God's Name, than I have warrant from God's Word for; though ye have been too long used so, and abused by such lying Prophets. Search the Scriptures, and observe from thence what God speaks of the shedding of blood, and you? I find that I speak very sparingly, as having regard to your infirmities: For there God tells you, That shedding of blood is one of those crying sins which makes a land to mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein to languish, Hos. 4. v. 2.3. That blood defileth the land; and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, or there can be no expiation for the Land, but by the blood of him that shed it; and that, If a people would have God to dwell among them, they must not so defile the land which they inhabit, Numb. 35. v. 33.34. That the shedding of innocent blood is such a sin, that, of all other horrid sins, the Lord will not pardon, 2 King. 24. v. 4. And therefore no satisfaction was to be taken for the life of a murderer, which was guilty of death, but he was to be surely put to death, Numb. 35. v. 31. with a multitude of other say on that subject, that are to be trembled at by the Rebellious Subjects of this Kingdom. 'Tis true, if a man killed any person unawares, there were Cities of refuge appointed by God for such a one to fly unto, from the avenger of blood; but Oh, my poor Countrymen, what Cities of refuge can ye fancy to yourselves, who wilfully murder your brethren?  
And what less can the King say of you, than this, or to this effect? The County of Suffolk, 'tis the most Rebellious County of all my Dominions. For when one of my Kingdoms moved not against me; when a second risen up for me; and when the third Petitioned for me from almost all parts, and took up Arms for me in most parts, they of Suffolk neither Petitioned for me, nor moved for me, but risen up against me: and when Rebellion was expiring its last poisonous breath, they hazarded their own lives to prolong its life, and to preserve the lives of those Rebels, that seek nothing more than to take away mine: When thousands of my Loyal Subjects were endeavouring to fetch me out of my Cruel Bondage and Imprisonment, than they helped to besiege and imprison, to kill & murder those very Subjects; and when others with them were making what haste they could to set my Crown again firm on my head, and to restore me again to those Rights, Honours and Comforts, which I was wont to enjoy, they did what they could to throw my Crown back again to the ground, and to keep mine Honour still in the dust, and me from all hopes of enjoying any Rights or external Comforts here in this life. Thus have they endeavoured to continue, and add to my Miseries, who have therefore endured such Miseries in such Extremities, because I would not yield to the delivering up of them, amongst others, to extreme Slavery and Tyranny. Thus have they not only fought against me without a cause; but for the love that I had unto them, they take now my contrary part, and have rewarded me evil for good, and hatred for my good will: But I give myself unto Prayer. Stir up thyself, and awake to my judgement, even unto my Cause, my God and my Lord. Judge me, O Lord, according to thy righteousness, and let them not rejoice over me. 
Psal. 35.  Let them not say in their hearts, Ah, so would we have it: Let them not say, We have swallowed him up Let them be ashamed, and brought to confusion together, that rejoice at my hurt: Let them be clothed with shame and dishonour, that magnify themselves against me: Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous Cause; yea, let them say continually, Let the Lord be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant; and my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness, and of thy praise, all the day long. Amen. Amen.  
But what then will all the other Counties of England say of you? O bewitched besotted County of Suffolk! They that had lived in peace and plenty all these times, when in the most Counties of this Kingdoms (like those Territories spoken of by Azariah, 2 Chron. 15.) there was no peace to him that went out, nor to him that came in, but great vexations were upon all the inhabitants of the Countries, and Countries was destroyed of Country, & City of City; and that might still have enjoyed those mercies themselves, and have been the happy instruments of restoring the like mercies to their Brethren, in other afflicted & distressed Counties: They, even they, have pulled War, and all the miseries and calamities that attend it, upon themselves, and have prolonged and increased the afflictions and distresses of other Counties: They, who were formerly honoured with that Eulogy of being always forward in promoting the Gospel, 
Fou. Act. and Mon.  and had now an opportunity offered them, of being the preservers and deliverers of the Gospel from such blasphemous, heretical, Antichristian reproachers, opposers, and impugners thereof, as scarce any Nation, since the promulgation of the Gospel, were ever invested with the like: They (and few others but they at that time) have joined in a Confederacy with those reproachers, opposers, and impugners of the Gospel, against those who endeavoured with their lives and estates the vindicating and re-establishing of it: They, that had been informed, beyond further questioning, and assured, beyond all doubting, of the horrid Plots, Conspiracies, and resolved Designs of that Army, called the Parliaments, and their abettors, against the Liberty and Life of their Religion, against the Crown and Life of their King, against the Power and Privileges of Parliaments, against the Rights and Properties of the Subjects, against the Justice and Equity of the Laws, yea, and against the very Orders & Degrees of Men, and how fare they had proceeded in all these; insomuch, that besides their former Oaths and Protestations taken for the opposing of such, and bringing them to condign punishment, they did very lately profess and declare (for the generality of them) upon all occasions, and in all meetings, an universal abhorring and detesting of that very Army, and their adherents, with all their cursed ways and courses: They, (O, what a bewitching stupifying Devil is the Spirit of Rebellion) they have listed themselves in the same Army, fought for them, and with them, in the same encounters, run on with them in the same madness, and given up themselves to them, as their slaves and vassals. And therefore, O my soul, come not thou into their secrets, unto their assembly mine honour be not thou united. Give them shame for their honour, and let them that have been so false to their own King and Kingdom, to their inexpressible Damages, if not Ruin, be removed into other Kingdoms for their hurt, to be a Reproach and a Proverb, a Taunt and a Curse, in all places whither they shall be driven. The Lord of his mercy give you grace to prevent this sad Curse from your neighbouring and other Counties, as also your Kings sore displeasure, and Gods heavy indignation before mentioned, and all by a speedy returning to God, and your duty, and doing those things which belong to your peace, honour, and safety, and to the peace, honour, and safety of the persecuted Protestant Religion, your oppressed King, and this otherwise perishing Kingdom.  
I know there are very many amongst you, in this County, of very much Religion and Loyalty, Honour and Honesty; O that God would but give you that Spirit and Courage which is required in the exercising of those excellent endowments, and without which, those excellencies will be of little benefit to others, or comfort to yourselves; nay, they will aggravate your shame here, and your confusion hereafter: For your poor countrymen will say (as many of them have already said) If such and such had in due time shown themselves to be what they seemed, and we thought them, we had shown ourselves to have been other then what we are now thought, and are. And you know, to whom God gives most, of them he requires most; and it will be less tolerable, in the Day of Judgement, for those that knew their Master's will, and did it not, and had their Master's favour, and made no good use of it, to his service, then for others: therefore stir up these graces in you and improve them to your Lords best advantage. And truly, I do not despair of many others of you, that do now walk, or rather run, in most desperate ways and courses: But if you shall go on, let me tell you what further Curses and Judgements do yet threaten and hang over you; All the blood (as I before intimated) that shall be shed by this your engagement, by whomsoever it be shed, will be justly charged upon you; and the Cries and Curses of the Widows and Fatherless (made so by your folly and madness) and of the Fathers and Mothers made Childless, will cry loud in the ears of God against you: Woe unto that bloody County, will such and such, and such a poor Widow say; for had it not been for them, I had not been now bereavest of my dear Husband, nor my poor Infants of their dear Father: Cursed be that Rebellious County, will such and such, and such a poor Fatherless Child say; for had it not been for them, my honoured and tenderly loving Father, that had escaped the Sword all these sad Wars through till then, had then returned home in peace to my disconsolate Mother and me, and we had had peace ere this in all our borders. For ever detested be that pernicious County of Suffolk, will such and such, and such Parents say; for had not their Swords made us Childless, we had now enjoyed those sweet Pledges of our Loves, and Comforts of our Age, which now we are deprived of. O let not the seditious County of Suffolk, will Men, Women, and Children say, be named amongst the other Counties of this Kingdom, but with some brand of infamy and dishonour; for had it not been for them, our Swords had ere this been turned into Sythes and Sickles, and our Spears into Rakes and Forks, and we had been reaping and gathering in our Corn and our Hay, and our other fruits of the earth, with joy and gladness, and refreshing and solacing ourselves therewith in rest and quietness; whereas now our troubles & fears are increased, and we see little hopes of reaping aught, but the accursed fruits of their and our own wicked do; or if we should we have less hope of enjoying it, but that others will eat it up, and devour it: Reward thou them therefore, O Lord, as they have served us. 'Tis true none ought thus to imprecate vengeance on you, but to pray for you, which have thus despitefully used them and theirs: but if in the bitterness of their souls such Curses, or Complaints to God against you, shall fall from them, and God shall not suffer them to fall to the ground, he himself having denounced such Curses upon such practices, and you by yours so justly deserving them; poor souls, what can ye plead for yourselves, or who will regard your plea?  
Again, as it is to be feared, that some will deliver ye up to God, for his avenging their sufferings and wrongs on you and yours; so it is not to be slighted, what others may do in prosecuting their own revenge on you: for how may every County of this Kingdom be enraged against you, when they shall see, that you thus desert them in all their endeavours and labours for Peace and Truth, and join with those that are the vowed enemies of both? Who knows, whether all the other Counties may not (like those other Tribes of Israel, when the Tribe of Benjamin struck in with those sons of Belial, that had abused the poor Levits' Concubine, and refused to deliver them up to Justice, when their Brethren demanded them, Judg. 20.) arise as one man, and come against you to battle? And though, perhaps, like those Benjamites, you give them a foil or two at the first, yet at the last, being the more incensed, smite you with the edge of the Sword, as well the men of every Village, as the beast, and all that come to hand, and set on fire all your habitations that they come to? The like sins in Israel and England, have been often and often punished with the like punishments.  
In the next place, think of the evil that is coming to you (though we hope it will be to the good, and peace, and happiness, of this whole Nation besides) out of the North, and that great destruction. Lift up your eyes (saith the Prophet unto them of Judah) and behold them that come from the North; What wilt thou say when he shall punish thee, (for thou hast taught them to be Captains and chief over thee) Shall not sorrows take thee as a woman in travail? Jerem. 13. v. 20.21. The same may I say to you, word for word; and every one of you, if you will, may see cause enough why I should say so. 'Tis often threatened in Scripture as an aggravation of judgements, That God will give up such or such a people into the hands of strangers: And it must be confessed, That 'tis most just with God, to give you up into the hands of strangers, who have so unworthily deserted your own King, and fellow Subjects: and the justice of God will be somewhat the more remarkable, in his giving you up to those Northern strangers of all others; because they were they, whom ye yourselves formerly called in, and contributed so liberally to their coming in to your assistance against your King, though ye pretended to them that it was to fight for him: And therefore now it must needs be the more observable justice both in God and them, that they should come in of themselves to the assistance of the same King, and his faithful Subjects, against you, that deserted him and them so shamefully, and have thereby discovered your former hypocrisy. & other iniquity so notoriously. And let me further tell you, That, if those Strangers should not avenge the King and Kingdoms wrongs sufficiently, 'tis to be believed, some other Strangers, more fierce, bloody, & cruel, shall do it. For remember, I beseech you, that famous and pertinent Story of Gods dealing with the men of Judah, when they deserted their King, (though the most wicked of Kings, Ahaz by name) because he was brought low, and made a confederacy with those two tails of those smoking firebrands, Rezin and Pekah. For that very cause (as God by his Prophet gives the Reason, Isa. 8.) did the Lord threaten to bring up upon the men of Judah, the King of Assyria, and all his hosts (called there his glory) compared to the waters of an overflowing river, strong, and many; and that he and they should pass thorough judah, and should overflow and go over, and reach even to the neck, etc. which was all accordingly done, as you may find by comparing Isa. chap. 7. and 8. with 2 Chron. chap. 28. and 32. And do but observe further, how God, Isa. 8. from v. 9 to v. 16. scorns and mocks at the men of Iudah's associating themselves, and joining their forces with others against their own King; and how earnestly he calls upon his Prophet, not to walk in the way of that people himself, and to instruct others not to join in confederacy with them, nor to fear their fear, nor be afraid, (which is the principal cause of such Rebellious Confederacies) but to sanctify the Lord of Hosts, and to let him be their fear, etc. promising them safety that shall avoid such a Confederacy, & threatening ruin to such Confederates, and to those that join with them. So spoke & did the Lord then, and he is the same Lord still, & changeth not; and they that commit the like sins, may justly fear the like punishmen. And now answer to that question, which God by the same Prophet, though in another chapter, propounds unto you; unto you, my lamented Countrymen, who have joined in a Confederacy with those, who (as the Prophet describes them, with a woe to them prefixed, Isa. 10.) decree unrighteous decrees, and that writ grievousness, which they have prescribed, to turn aside the needy from judgement, and to take away the right from the poor, etc. that widows may be their prey, & that they may rob the fatherless. What will ye do in the day of visitation, and in the desolation which shall come from far? to whom will ye flee for help? and where will you leave your glory? 
Jer. 17. v. 5. Psal. 5. v. 6  Will you flee to the Army for secure? Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm: especially such men, and such flesh, that are themselves so near a curse. But ye shall not need to flee to them, for they will flee to you, or come to you, and will be the first that will help to devour you. For if the Army should swallow up Colchester, (which God of his mercy keep them from) and so Essex be wholly worsted; where must they give themselves and their Horses the next bait, but in the well stored houses and fair pastures of Suffolk? And who must recruit their consumed army with more men, but they who have furnished them with so many? Give the Devil or any of his Imps but a little, & that gives them power over all that ye have: and now that they have gotten you into the same way with them, they'll find allurements enough to draw you on, or fears enough to frighten you on, or force enough to drive you on, as far as they please. Then if other Counties rise up against them, & join with the Northern Army, which private as well as public interest will persuade them to, (unless God should give them up to a reprobate sense, as he hath done some of you) Suffolk must then be the Stage of War, at least Suffolke-men must be the chief Actors on that Stage; and to be sure, the most desperate parts of that Tragedy will be put upon them, as hath been already practised; though when aught of spoil chanceth to fall to their lots (which is but a cursed lot God knows, like that of Achans wedge) the lots shall be so ordered, That the old Soldiers, that have born the heat of the day, will, like the Lion in the Fable, challenge the prey as their due, and that by many Lion-like arguments, as the poor beasts have lately found to their grief.  
Thus (like the broken staff of reed, Egypt to Israel) the Army, if thou leanest on it, will be the first that will gall and pierce thee: and who can expect other, 
Isa. 22. v. 2  then that the treacherous dealer should deal treacherously, and the spoiler spoil? which the Prophet calls a grievous vision. If any of you shall complain thereof, who will not be ready to return you answer in the Prophet Jeremiahs' words? Hast thou not procured this unto thyself? Thy way and thy do have procured these things unto thee; this is thy wickedness, because it is vitter, because it reacheth unto thine heart, Jerem. 2 17. & 4.18. Nay, will not your own hearts return this answer to yourselves? And how then will ye be ashamed of your trust and expectation, and of those lying Prophets, and other Seducers that incited you thereto? Neither will it be any ease to you at all, to say, We were persuaded and drawn on by such and such: for those such are such, as ye will blush to name; It being no small addition to your shame, that ye should suffer yourselves to be gulled & fooled by such unworthy, inferior, base fellows, even those of the lowest of the people, and Priests like to them; such as many of this County would formerly have scorned to have seen in the same room with them, except it had been in a Shire-house or Town-house, at a public Assize or Session; yea, such, as should they now be but plucked and stripped of all that they have cheated and stolen by Sequestrations, Collections of Excise, and other illegal Taxes, they would be the most contemptible of Monsters.  
Now add to all these Judgements but one more, which me thinks I should not speak of, nor any man of compassion hear, without crying out with the Prophet Isaiah once and again; My loins are filled with pain, pangs have taken hold upon me, as the pangs of a woman that traveleth: I was bowed down at the hearing of it. I was dismayed at the seeing of it, my heart panted, fearfulness affrighted me; the night of my pleasure hath he turned into fear with me, chap. 21. v. 3, 4. or, as 'tis in the next chapter, v. 4. Look away from me, I will weep bitterly, labour not to comfort me, etc. Behold, a terrible devouring Famine is hastening upon this Kingdom, & this County is most likely to drink deepest of that Cup of God's fury, so fare as God's unsearchable Judgements can be guessed at by man's shallow reason and observation. How near a Famine is to the doors of other Counties, is best known to God and them; only this is known to every one, that knows aught of God's Word and ways, That when God hath brought the Sword upon a people, to avenge the quarrel of his Covenant, and that people do not repent of their transgressing his Covenant, but instead thereof transgress it more and more (as we have generally done in all Counties of this Kingdom, for aught that I could either see or hear) 'tis God's usual course then to send both a Plague and a Famine too upon such a people, that they may devour what the Sword spares. So God professes to do, Levit. 26. and Deut. 28. and in sundry other places.  
But for this County, unless we shut our eyes (as we have done too often) we cannot but see a sore Famine already at our doors, and ready to break in upon us suddenly. The Sword we drew ourselves against ourselves, when it would have been otherwise, in all likelihood, quiet; and since we drew the Sword, God seems to have bend his Bow in the Clouds, as it were with the Bend towards us, as though, upon our forgetting our Covenant with him so much, he would forget his Covenant with us so fare, as to destroy us with Rain, though he never will again destroy the world so. Never was this County so richly furnished with all sorts of Grain in their fields, and they so hopeful, as they were this year, which makes me to fear a Famine the more; for when God intends to bring his fore Judgements upon a people, he usually takes that for his time, when men least think of any such thing, and when there is most expectation to the contrary, which renders his Judgements so much the more sore: as when there is most show of peace and security, then does God, if provoked, commonly bring the Sword; and so, when there is most expectation of plenty and fullness, that time does God make choice of to send a Famine: because, as I but now said, the Judgement is most sore, when the contrary is most expected; and then also is the hand of God most seen in it, and the Judgement best discerned to be from his hand: which are the two principal reasons that some later learned Divines have given, from S. Ambrose, and others, why God sent the general Deluge in the Spring time, when all things were in their flourishing glory, and the Season most unlikely for such a Flood. But to return (if this be a digression) to what I was saying; Never was this County so richly furnished with all sorts of Grain, and they so hopeful, as they were this year, till they began to imbrue their hands in their brethren's bloods; and since that, even from that very time (if the observation of many more, beside myself, do not fail us) the Lord hath caused it to rain upon these parts (whatsoever it hath done upon other) in such a manner and measure, and for so many days together, as the like hath scarce ever been, or at least hath not been transmitted to us by any tradition or record that I could meet with: insomuch, that the faire-promising cheerfully flourishing Corne-fields of this County are now likely to afford little other Harvest, but what (as the Prophet sometimes threatened) will be an heap in the day of grief and desperate sorrow. 
Isa. 17.11.  And what then will ye do, when the Army hath devoured that little which remains of your old store, and consumed what they can get of your new? for they will be first served, though you & all yours starve. Other Counties will be so far from supplying your wants, if they should be able, that they will scarce pity them or you; and a commanding Navy at Sea will hinder all foreign Kingdoms from bringing any relief to you, and you from fetching any from then. Then, perhaps, when your children shall cry for bread, and ye have none to give them, and they shall swoone away in the streets, or pour out their souls into their mother's bosoms; when your comely Wives and Daughters, whose countenances were fair and comely, shall have Visages blacker than Coals; and when ye and your sons shall look so thin and ghastly, that ye shall not be known to those of your familiar acquaintance: then, perhaps, you will think, those that died by your swords, in a better condition than you & yours, that lived to perish by Famine 1 then, perhaps, you will discern betwixt the times of having a King, and the times of having none, but every man to do that which is right in his own eyes: then, perhaps, those Rulers of yours, that made you first to cry, and at last to howl, may be as great an abhorring to you, as they are now a delight: then, perhaps, the feet of them which have preached Peace unto you, may be again thought beautiful; whereas, for some years, their very faces have been looked on (if deigned a Look) by divers of you as loathsome and odious, and had all the dirt thrown on them that you could rake together: then, perhaps, those Lands and Tithes of the Church, which some of you have swallowed, and others gaped after, will be thought reasonable, as well as just, to be restored again, when you feel such a sore Curse upon your own lands, and the fruits thereof, for the sacrilegious robbing of God and his Church of theirs: then, perhaps, those lying Prophets, which beguiled and seduced you into Faction, Sedition, and Rebellion, and so brought the Sword, Plague, and Famine upon you, will be ashamed of their lying Visions and Prophecies, and either fly the Land, or, if any of them shall prophesy in it, their own fathers and their mothers that begat them, may say unto them, ye shall not live, etc. as ye may read their doom, Zech. 13. and then the true Prophets may receive some honour again: then, perhaps, those loyal Subjects, that are now branded with the names of Malignants, may once again be thought worthy of better Titles; and those, now styled the well-affected, may appear to be what they are, the most pernicious of Rebels: Then the Saints of these times may be discovered to be little better than Devils, and those, now blasted with the epithets of Popish and Popishly affected, may approve themselves the most Religious Protestant Christians: Then Peace itself may be as amiable, and desirable, as 'tis now hateful and contemptible; and then he, that deal; thus faithfully and freely with you, in telling you of your sins; and forewarning you of these miseries, will be thought as honest and conscientious, as he is now deemed by some impudent and presumptuous. But my earnest and constant prayer to God for you (my bewailed Countrymen) shall be this; That God would be pleased in mercy so to open your eyes, ears, & hearts, to see, hear, and understand all those things, and whatsoever else belongs to your Peace and Salvation, that you may by a speedle repenting of your sins, and returning to your duty, prevent and avoid the dreadful remains of God's Judgements further threatened, and get those already inflicted suddenly removed.  
Without repentance, it is impossible that any thing which ye do should be accepted; much more impossible is it, that aught which ye suffer, should be removed; for God's Judgements shall accomplish their end for which God sends them, either conversion or confusion. A removal there may be, and often is, of this or that particular Judgement, where the sins that caused it are not repent of; but if God intent mercy to such, other Judgements or Chastisements are inflicted, and they are by them brought to repentance; or else the removal of Judgements is a sore Judgement, and the assured forerunner of destruction; as might be at large shown, if need were. What other way soever therefore ye think to take, you will find yourselves, as hitherto ye have, fare out of the way of obtaining what you desire and expect, if your desires and expectation be such as beseem Christians: and if ye do get out of one fire (as the Prophet Ezekiel expresseth it) another fire shall devour you. 
Ezek. 15.7.  But if ye shall repent and turn to the Lord, and do that which is just and right; be sure the Lord will both accept you and what ye do, and forgive what ye have done amiss, and withhold no good thing from you, 
2 Chron. 7.14. Hos. 6.2.  that may conduce to the healing either of you, or the Land wherein ye live; as I shall be ready further to demonstrate to any that shall require it. Be entreated therefore, my deeply afflicted, and of me most compassionately affected, Countrymen, as ye love either your Religion, your King, your Country, your Honour, your own comforts, or the comforts of any of yours; your preservation in this world, or your salvation in the world to come. O be entreated to remember and practise what I in the first place recommended to you, and do now again, in the last place, by the bowels and mercies of Christ Jesus beg of you, Repent, Repent.  
And if any of you do distrust or doubt of the King's pardon and acceptance of you, or of your fellow Subjects firm and loving reconciliation with you; If that which I have said to that purpose, do not sufficiently satisfy you, be pleased to employ me (if ye have no other servant more fit & worthy, for ye have none more affectionate and faithful) in that service for you; and I shall either lose my life in procuring of it, or resign it up willingly into your hands, to be disposed of at your pleasure, if I do not bring you an engagement under hand and Seal from all those men of Honour and worth, either now in Colchester, or in the Northern Army, for their undertaking to stand between you & all suffering for whatever is past, either from or by the King, or any of his party; and to live and die with you, and for you, in defending you against all the malice & power of his, & their, and your Enemies. And besides this, if you please to honour me with that trust, I doubt not but his Highness, the Prince of great Britain, will favour me with so much access, as to receive by my hands any reasonable Propositions for the giving you his assurance of mediation to his Royal Father, and protection, till his Royal Father can grant you what you shall, for the further assurance of your own peace and security, reasonably desire; and to return by the same, or other hands of more honour, that his assurance under his own hand & Seal. This I presume, not out of any favour that I have deserved from his Highness, but out of my knowledge and experience of his Highness' deep sense & compassion of this Kingdoms unhappy & unnatural divisions & distractions, his religious proneness & readiness to embrace all opportunities of composing and quieting them, and his unparalleled graciousness and goodness in forgetting former wrongs, and in encouraging to future duties.  
I had much more to have written: but I feared that my enlarging this warning might render the time of presenting it less seasonable, and the particulars themselves so presented less acceptable and successful. And for that which I have written, I shall be ready (through Gods enabling me) further to confirm by my Pen against all gainsayers, and, if there be cause, to seal with my blood against all opposers. If aught of circumstance hath slipped from me, that shall be thought by any sober Christian, either too plain or too bold, let that party consider, that he that speaks to men in a deep and almost a dead sleep, must not only speak plain, 
Isa. 58.1.  but cry aloud and spare not, lifting up his voice like a trumpets: And he that will show a people their transgressions and their sins, must call each sin and transgression by its proper name, and do his utmost to set it forth in its own colours. A reprover to an impudent and rebellious generation, had need to beseech God to make his face strong against their faces, 
Ezek. 3. v, 7, 8, 9  and his forehead strong against their foreheads. And if, that considered, there shall still remain aught that may seem to any such unbeseeming or uncharitable, I shall upon information thereof humbly beg pardon for it both of God and that man, how mean soever, whom it shall offend. I know well the danger of appearing in this manner in these times, and in these parts especially; and I could as easily have avoided it, having otherwise given ample testimony of my duty, and of my conscienciousness to perform it in spite of opposition. But I remembered, and often ruminated that complaint of God, Ezek. 13. v. 4, 5, 6, etc. O Israel, thy Prophets are like the Foxes in the deserts; Ye have not gone up into the gaps, or breaches, neither made up the hedge for the house of Israel to stand in the battle in the day of the Lord. They have seen vanity, and lying divination; saying, The Lord saith, and the Lord hath not sent them; and they have made others to hope, that they would confirm the word, etc. The Fox-prophets, and the Lying-prophets, are in that complaint coupled together. And therefore, as I have always abhorred Lying, and Lying-prophets, so I ever thought it my duty to detest Shifting, and playing the Fox-prophet; and rather, as I first said, than I would be found guilty of others blood, by not giving them warning, I resolved to hazard mine own in the giving it; thinking it an eternal stain & shame to us the Clergy of this County, that so many amongst us of that Calling, should ply you so close, & encourage you so much, to the shedding of your brethren's blood, and that not one of us should appear to deter you from it, by showing you the infinite danger of it, and the miseries that are attending it. And now, my fairly-warned Countrymen, 
Ezek. 25. Deut. 30.19  Whether ye will hear, or whether ye will forbear, ye shall know that there hath been a Prophet among you, who hath set before you this day life and death, blessing and cursing. But my prayer shall be, that ye may so hear what hath been told you by your unworthy, but faithful servant, that ye may choose life, that you and your seed may live; and so live in obedience to your God, in constancy to your Religion established, in Allegiance to your King, and in love to your fellow Subjects and Brethren; that you may outlive your Nations miseries in much peace and comfort; your names outlive you in much sweetness and honour; and your souls outlive, or live with your names in eternal bliss and glory. So prays, and remains at your commands and service, so fare as consistent with Gods,  
Yours, LIONEL GATFORD.  
FINIS.