The Picture of the Good Old Cause drawn to the Life In the Effigies of Master PRAISGOD BARE-BONE. Several Examples of God's Judgements on some Eminent Engagers against Kingly Government.  
The Portraiture of Mr Praise God Bare-bone  
1. Dorislaus, one that had a great hand in the King's murder, was stabbed at the Hague in March 1649. when he was sent to treat with the Dutch in the name of the Free-State or Commonwealth of England.  
2. Anthony Ascham served in the like manner at Madrid in Spain, near the same time, being sent from the Rump on the like errand.  
3. Milton that writ two Books against the Kings, and Salmasius his Defence of Kings, struck totally blind, he being not much above 40. years old.  
4. Alderman Hoyle of York, one of the Juncto, and high Court of Justice, and (though he signed not the King's Sentence) the same day twelve month, the King was murdered, hanged himself in his Chamber at Westminster.  
5. Sir Gregory Norton died raving mad, which by his Physicians was not imputed to the distemper of his body, but a troubled, disquieted mind; He was one of the King's Judges.  
6. Lockier, once an Agitator in the Army, at his late Majesty's pretended Trial, spit Jew-like in the King's Face, and likewise blue Tobacco-Ashes upon him; Afterwards turned Leveller, and was shot to death by his Fellow-Rogues in Saint Paul's Churchyard.  
7. Colonel Venus, a Citizen of London, formerly a great Professor of Religion, but turned with the Times, was a Member of the Rump, a great Engager against Kingly Government, on July the 7. 1650. He going to bed as perfectly well and in health, as ever in his life, his Wife lying by him, he fell asleep by her immediately, and slept sound without complaint of the least distemper, but the next morning about 6 a Clock, his Wife found him stark dead by her, never having made the least groan, or spoken one word to her since the day before; and thus God banished him first out of the Land of the Living.  
Many more instances may be given, but I am loath to be too tedious.  
OUr late modern Saints (as if Guy Fawkes stood for a Lubber in our English Calendar) have canonised themselves in such a Rebrick of blood, that the very Enemies of Christian Religion would have relented at, and meet humanity regretted: such an universal quarrel against Government, Order, all Divine Institution, such impudent affront and bold contempt of Authority, and the Sacred Majesty of Kings was never before heard of. Nor did the most desperate Heretics, (no not that accursed Munster crew,) or the most savage Heathen ever design or attempt the quarter of the Villainies committed by our godly party within this 20. years: Insomuch, that they have brought not only the Protestant Catholic Religion, but the very Christian Faith, Divine Truth itself, to contempt and derision.  
Neither have they palliated only these audacious facinorous Practices under the disguise of religion, but avowedly maintained their destructive Principles to be consistent and agreeable with it, and entitled God and his Providence to all their most Horrid and execrable actions, daring the Face of the Sun with their Egyptian darkness, and crying liberty and reformation, when there was nothing but slavery and confusion.  
The praeludium of these mischiefs, was begun by the zealous Puritans, they quarrel at the Bishop's Surplices, and Lawn-sleeves, and their sacrilegious brood strip them of their very shirts, and rob God and the Church of its revenue, and his Ministers of all manner of subsistence. From hence came the Title of gifted Brethren; when a prevailing corrupt party of the late long parliament divided the spoils of the Church among their Corahs' and abiram's: it was the corban of Religion that furnished our Holder's forth with canting and juggling Doctrines and Uses.  
We had also some of a higher form, the Brethren that were above Ordinances, people inspired as full of devilish Revelations as any blown bladder; this was the seventh Son, the lastand worst Devil, the very express image and picture of a Nonconformist, that could do miracles, all but blowing wind in the Rump to have preserved it from perishing.  
The Person presented here to your view, is one, or rather all of these sorts, that have so much infested and infamed our Age and Country, was a dispenser during the persecution of the Bishops, (as they called it) when Truth ran into their corners, and could never be seen again among them, and Satan learned them Profession was as convenient. Yea verily beloved, this is he, although he look like a simple skin, he is a Wolf in sheep's clothing, a hid bound covetous Leatherseller, but has a Conscience as wide as his windows, when it reigned stones into them at the funeral Pile of the Rump. You would take his cloudy face for a vizard if you knew not his black soul within him, and that Nature did her best in it to express him to the life. I cannot better portrait his mind then by the ensuing Petition, where you will find the substance and abridgement of Puritanisme in its natural and complete dress, and this was the Embryo and base issue of his Traitorous design.  

Mr. PRAISE-GOD BARE-BONE his Petition, as it was presented to the Rump-Parliament, Thursday the ninth of February, 1659. In behalf of himself and many Thousands. With their Answer thereunto.  
To the Parliament of the Commonwealth of England, etc. The Representation and address of the Well-affected Persons, Inhabitants of the Cities of London and Westminster, and places adjacent, being faithful and constant Adherers to this Parliament, who are resolved (by the assistance of Almighty God) to stand by, assert and maintain their Authority, against all Opposers, notwithstanding the present confidence and bold attempts of the Promoters of Regal Interest, by the declared Enemies of their Cause and Authority.  
WHereas the good Old Cause was for Civil and Christian Liberty against Oppression and Persecution; the Oppressors and Persecutors were chief the King, his Lords, and Clergy, and their Adherents; who to effect their Designs, raised War against the Parliament: whereupon the Parliament in defence of Civil and Christian Liberty, call the oppressed and persecuted to their aid, by whose assistance the oppressors & persecutors have been subdued, Kingship and Peerage abolished, and Persecution checked; by which, the number of conscientious friends to the Parliament have been so exceedingly increased, that they are now (by God's assistance) in a far more able capacity of keeping down their Enemies, than they were in those times when they subdued them.  
Nevertheless, so watchful hath the restless Enemy been to make advantage, that what (time after time) he hath lost in the Field, he hath endeavoured to regain, even in the Parliaments Council. Where, because they had not the Face openly to bring in the King, with the former Oppressions and persecutions, they Shrouded and Veiled themselves, one while under a Personal Treaty; Another while, under a Cloak of Zeal against Blasphemy and Heresy; their endeavour being to bring in the King upon any terms; to cherish the persecuting Party, and to Browbeat their most conscientious Opposers.  
Upon which pretences, nevertheless they have through tract of Time, and the unsettledness of Government, prevailed so far, as under the Notion of a Moderate party, to get the subtlest of their Friends into many places of Trust and Command both Civil and Military; through whose countenance and encouragement, albeit the Parliament upon good grounds Voted the Government by Kings and Lords, useless, burdensome and dangerous, and declare very largely for Liberty of Conscience; yet of late, a general boldness hath been taken to plead a necessity of returning to the Government of King and Lords, a taking in of the King's Son, or which is all one, for a return of the justly secluded Members, or a Free Parliament, without due Qualifications, whereby the good Old Cause of Liberty and Freedom (so long contended for, against Regal Interest, with the expense of much blood and Treasure) and the Assertors thereof will be prostituted to satisfy the Lusts of the Enemies of the Commonwealth; wherein they have prevailed) so far, that unless all conscientious persons in Parliament, Army, Navy, and Commonwealth, do speedily unite, and watchfully look about them; as the Sword will certainly (though secretly and silently) be stolen out of their hands, so also will they find all Civil Authority fall suddenly into the hands of their enraged Enemies, and a return of all those Violences, Oppressions and Persecutions, which have cost so much Blood and Treasure to extirpate.  
The serious apprehensions whereof hath stirred up your cordial Friends to desire you to use all possible endeavours to prevent the Commonwealth's Adversaries in this their most dangerous Stratagem; And as the most effectual means thereunto. We pray,  
1. That you will admit no person or persons to sit or Vote in this, or any future Parliament or Council of State, or to be in any Office or Judicatory, or any public Trust in the Commonwealth, or Command in the Army, Navy, or Garrisons, or to be a public Preacher to the people at Sea or Land, or any Instructor of Youth except such only as shall abjure, or by Solemn Engagement renounce the pretended Title or Titles of Charles Stuart, and the whole Line of the late King James and of every other person as a single person pretending, or which shall pretend to the Crown or Government of these Nations of England, Scotland, and Ireland, or any of them, and the Dominions and Territories belonging to them, or any of them, or any other single person, Kingship Peerage, or any power  with the people's Representives in Parliament; And all coercive power in matter of Religion, according to a Vote of a Grand Committee of the 11. of September, 1659.  
2. We further pray, that it may be Enacted. That whosoever shall move, offer, or propound in Parliament, Council or in any other Court or Public Meeting, any matter or thing in order to the introducing of Charles Stuarts, or any of that Family, as aforesaid; or any other single Person, House of Lords coercive power in matter of Religion, or any power  are with the people's Representatatives in Parliament, may be deemed and adjudged guilty of high Treason, and many suffer the pains and penalty thereof. And that whosoever shall in Parliament, Council, or any other public Court, or Meeting, move for, or propose the Revocation of this Law (when by you enacted) may be deemed and judged guilty of high Treason, and suffer the pains and penalties thereof.  
In prosection whereof, we shall stand by you with our Estates and Lives, to assert and maintain your Authority against all Oppositions whatsoever, notwithstanding the present Confidence and bold Attempts of yours and our Enemies.  
Signed Praise-God Bare-bone, with the promise of the Subscriptions of many Thousands.   

Resolved by the Parliament, that the Petitioners have the Thanks of the House for uheir Expressions of their good Affections to the Parliament.  
The Petitioners being again called in, M. Speaker gave them this Answer.  
Gentlemen, The House have read your Petition, and they do find that you have been such as have constantly born them good Affections, and that your Affections are the same still: and for the Expressions of your good Affections, the House hath commanded me to give you Thanks, in their Names I do give you Thanks, accordingly.  
It is desired, That all such as are Lovers of the Good Old Cause, do send in their Subscriptions to this Petition, unto the place appointed in those Papers that come to their Hands: Yea, and with all the speed that may be, to testify their Zeal to the Good Old Cause, by their being in readiness to assert it.  
See here the Quintessence of Treason not to be paralleled in any times or persons, but this did King James prophetically intimate in that usual Saying of his no Bishop, no King, as also is to be seen in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 directed to his Son Hen. Prince of Wales. In King James' Basileon Doron, in these words he advises his Son, p. 41. 42. Take heed therefore my Son of these Puritans, the very Pests in the Church and Commonwealth, whom no deserts can oblige, neither Oaths nor promises bind, breathing nothing but Sedition and Calumnies, aspiring without measure, railing without reason, and making their own imaginations (without any warrant of the word,) the Square of their Conscience.  
I protest before the great God (and since I am here, as upon my Testament, it is no place for me to lie in) that you shall never find with any High-land or Border-Theeves greater ingratitude, and more lies and viler perjuries, then among these FANATIC Spirits, and suffer not the Principals of them to brook your Land, if you list to sit at rest, except you would keep them for trying your patience, as Socrates did an evil wise, and in p. 40. He saith, I was often calumniated in their popular Sermons: Not for any vice or evil that was in me, But because I was a King, which to them is the highest evil.  
'Tis not to be doubted, that any the most specious Pretences of Religion, any seeming extraordinary piety shall ever be able to shake our Allegiance; or that late posterity will not with Horror and Amazement read the History of our Age, and yet it is questionable whether they will wonder more at these men's Treasons, and detestable Impieys, or his most Sacred Majesty's Mercy and Clemency afforded in his General Pardon, to which this wretch hath already betaken himself.    

London, Printed, And are to be sold at divers Booksellers Shops, 1660.