Walwins' Wiles: OR The Manifestators Manifested VIZ. Liev. Col. John Lilburn, Mr Will. Walwin, Mr Richard Overton, and Mr Tho. Prince.  
Discovering themselves to be England's new Chains AND Ireland's back Friends.  
OR The hunting of the old Fox with his Cubs And the Picture of the Picturers of the council of STATE.  
Declaring the subtle and crafty Wiles the atheistical blasphemous, soul-murthering principles, and practices of Mr William Walwin, in plentiful instances, confirming the same with some advertisements to Liev. Col. John Lilburn, and Mr Tho. Prince.  
By a Lover of the present and eternal interest of mankind.  

April. 23. 1649.  
Imprimatur,  
Henry Whalley.   
LONDON, Printed for H. C. and L. L.   

TO THE NOBLE and SUCCESSFUL England's Army, UNDER The Command of his Excellency Thomas Lord General Fairfax.  
Gentlemen soldiers,  
IT is hard to say whether God hath appeared more gloriously with you in breaking the powers or blasting the policies of your enemies, as he hath been your strength unto the one, so your wisdom unto the other, by whose presence with you, neither wisdom nor weapon have prevailed against you: the great contention between Christ and the Devil, and the seed of either, is to destroy each others work in the world; and although the issue thereof shall be the mortal crushing of the head of the o●●; yet shall the heel of the other be bruised thereby.  
Noble Sirs, the m●d●lling and managing, making and maintaining, preserving and prosperi●g your happy Army, ●● such a transparent work of God in the world, that it dazzles the eyes of all spectators: the presence of God and the prayers of his people have always attended your valiant attempts, by means whereof your ones have chased tens, and your hundreds have put thousands to flight: it is too true, you have met with hardship abroad▪ and unkindness at home: but your honour it is that neither the one or the other hath made you bow unto a base unworthy and sinful deportment: God hath subdued the common Enemy by you, this he may do more for others then your own sakes; but when he subdues your enemies within you, it is more for your own th●●other men's sakes; that he doth in love to others; this in love to you: that as he makes you executioners of his fierce wrath; this 
When we speak of the Army we would be understood of the honest party therein, which (we conceive) is of a greater number than there is the like in any Army in this world.  as he makes you the objects of his free love: When you conquer men, you conquer flesh, and so one beast may conquer another: but when you conquer sin, you conquer spirit; and this is the work of none but Christ: the blood of your Enemies may feed the root of your present power, but the blood of your sins doth water the root of your eternal happiness; that an Army should be humble under victories, meek under injuries, patient under provocations, fear no men, yet tremble before God, should be a terror to the wicked, and a tower to the Saints, should be Lions in fields, and Lambs in families; this imports your powerful hamering by the hand of the spirit upon the anvil of Truth into a blessed battle-ax, completely aptified for the hand of God unto the breaking in pieces the envious enemies of his Son and his Saints, according to the predict counsels of his holy Word, and hence it is, that the Antichristian where is filled with fears that you are the men commissioned by God to execute upon her the judgement written, to stain her glory and spoil her beauty, 〈…〉 bastards brains against the stones, & to give her blood for blood to drink, to burn her flesh with fire, for the prevention whereof that you may not torment her before her time, she hath summoned the Princes of the earth that have committed fornication with her, with their sons of whoredom to band their might and strength against you: but the Lord that raised you and called you to his foot (Isa. 41. 2) gave the Nations before you, making you Rulers over Kings and Princes, giving them as dust to your sword, and as driven stubble to your bow, making you to eat up the Nations, your enemies, to break their bones, and pier●● them through with your arrows, and then causing you to couch down like a Lion, none daring to sti● you up; but this w●●rish Dalilah perceiving your might by breaking her forces like Samson's cords, i● trying her tricks to find● out your strength, and the seat thereof, and well perceiving that it lies in your hair, r●●ted together in your head. (we mean in your union with Christ, and each with other,) s●e hath applied herself in her several Instruments, by her enticing words to cut you from him, and then to divide you each from other, whose curi●●● cunning in that unhappy work is here set forth in one of her supposed faithful factors Mr Willi●m W●lwyn, whose various manners in corrupting and dividing (by himself, and others,) the honest and true-hearted party to Religious, and the kingdom interest in the Army, City and Country, i● truly declared; having received satisfaction touching the truth of th●se particular instances given concerning him, (though we kn●w his professed principle is to say or do any thing whatsoever against him whom he thought engaged against him to destroy him, yet) we cannot but subscribe our own Observations and Experiences of his general course in all his ways, as they are here set forth. As for Mr Richard Overton we know him not but by his Pen, the complexion whereof hath quit our desires of any further acquaintance with him. Mr Lilburn, and Mr Prince (we verily hope) are for better in their ends and aims, than in their game in hitting their marks (viz. the real Interest of their native Country,) though (we must confess) we look upon them as simple-hearted, so simple-headed, to be drawn, as they are, into such ways as they walk. For although in words they profess, yet in works they deny, and destroy the Interest of England; for who seeth not not that these clamorous Complaints ins●●●ated into the Army, and spread abroad in the City and Country, Vi●. That the People assembled at Westminster are not a lawful Parliament, but there 〈…〉 by the power of the Sword to over-awe and tyranni●● over the freeborn people of England, That it is against the Laws of the Land, that there should be any Mar●●●● Discipline over soldiers in time of peace, (though there should be an Army under pay,) 〈…〉 as if we were all in peace which we are not like to be while such 〈…〉 of 〈…〉 are kindled by them, that the design of the House at Westminster, 〈…〉 council of State, &c. is to keep down the people under 〈…〉 and Slavery by an Army, as if it was possible (a● the 〈…〉 stands to settle this commonwealth without an Army▪ 〈…〉 the Commons of England (whom in their several Papers they have acknowledge● to be the supreme Authority of the Nation, must be tied to govern by the known Laws, not to alter the Government, viz. to establish a council of State, and yet have power to take away the life of the King, and to abolish the House of Lords, &c. That the sending over Forces to Ireland is for not●●●● else but to make way by the blood of the Army to enlarge 〈…〉 territories of power and Tyranny, That it is an unlawful War, ● cruel and bloody work to go to destroy the Irish Natives for 〈…〉 Consciences, (though they have killed many thousand Protestants for their Consciences,) and to drive them from their proper natural and native Rights, (though they have done the like to many thousand Protestants, who, though English, had as true natural and native right to their Lands and ●●heritances as the Irish had: We say, who is so blind as not to see that the true design of all these chantings is to divide the Army, and break it in pieces by jealousies and discontents, to hinder the happy and hopeful relief of Ireland, to betray these poor Protestants that lie trembling and panting between hope and fear, (not knowing whether yet they shall live or die,) break the Parliament and council of State, and consequently by the utter and irrecoverable loss of Ireland, ruin of the Army, crushing the present Authority, dividing the honest party, the Irish Rebels may come with all their Powers from all parts abroad, and in this Nation, like a mighty Torrent, sweeping all before them, and put themselves into a capacity of putting into execution their bloody, cruel, tyrannical and revengeful thoughts against the honest party in the Land. We have ever observed, that this Mr Walwyn in all vicissitudes, and turns of affairs, hath still withstood the present Government, yea, though modelled according to his former pretended desires, which argues a hidden design in all his pretences; 'tis true, when Magisterial Power ●●asheth against Divine, and men in authority ●ight against God by oppression and tyranny, they shall be broken in pieces as a glass against a Rock; for though the fountain of Government springs from the People, and the end thereof ●● their only benefit, yet while the Power in the People is uncontracted, and their own Authority is untransfered, it is like (shall we say a talent hid in the earth without uses) ●ay rather as the inordinate heat in a stack of corn, firing itself with its own heat. Where all men are alike Rulers, none will be ruled, and then into what precipices should we run? To live together is the Law of Nature, and how can this be when every man's lust shall be every man's Law? For than every man's will shall be every man's wants, and no man will content himself with what he hath. While he hath not that which his neighbour hath, the best of Governments cannot secure each individual from oppression; but where there is no Government, so many men are so many Tyrants each to others. The worst of Governments is good for some, but no Government can be good for none: Where is no Government there can be no Agreement, and certain destruction attends division. Valiant Sirs, be not deceived by these Arch▪ deluders, neither be divided amongst yourselves; Union hath preserved you, Division will destroy you: God hath made you terrible by Union, the Jesuit would make you contemptible by division: your enemy's despair to overcome you by Power, revive not their hopes to do it by policy; they could not cudgel you, let them not cajole you: you have wrested their swords, their spears, their trophies, their banners out of their hands, let them not cheat them out of your hands again; they tell you, your Officers would lift up themselves by your blood, but have not you better experiences of your Officers then they? Have not they stuck to you, as well as you to them, in the day of battle? What though men have not regarded you as you deserved, will not God be faithful, though men are not? Will not he be true when they are liars? Are you afraid to receive your wages, your rewards from the immediate hand of God alone? That your honour shall be too great, your Crown too heavy at the great pay day? He hath made you famous in England, and famous in Scotland, and is it your fear, that he will honour you in Ireland, (that any of you should be dissuaded, from that happy work,) are you unwilling to be possessed of that good Land, that Land that floweth with milk and honey? Hath not God fed you with former Victories, to the amazement of all that he might steel you against all future difficulties that you ●●●●t withal. The people of God in England, in Scotland, 〈…〉 vis●n up and called you blessed for your help to them in the day of trouble, and shall your poor Brethren in Ireland receive ●● favour from you? We beseech you by the Womb that b●● a you, and the Paps that gave you suck, by the honour of Englis● men, by all the experiences of the presence of God with you while you stuck ●● the Interest of God, his people and your native Country, that you pl●●● off the Vizors of those Jesuitical Whifflers, that (creeping in among you like the serpent's spawn under the green gr●ss) spy ●●● your liberty, envy your approaching happiness, and would ●ow destroy you by your own selves; the just Liberties of the Nation, the Freedom of the Gospel, the Interest of England, the joy of all good men are in the fruitful Womb of your former faithfulness, which is now ready to bring forth, if you help in the how of tr●●●l, howsoever, that the happy work of God, begun in these three Islands of England, Scotland and Ireland, shall go on and prosp●● by the honoured Instruments of God's own choice, is the faith and prayer of  
Your faithful Friends and Brethren your daily Remembrancers at the Throne of Grace, 

William Kiffin  
David Lordell  
John Price  
Richard Arnald  
Edmund Rosier  
Henry Foster  
Henry Burnet.     

Errata.  
P. 7. l. 25. for first regal r. fort royal. p. ibid. l. 36. for ●arster-like r. master-like. p. 8. l. 16. for contradictions, opinions r. contradictions opinions. With several other, which the presumed ingenuity of the Reader will correct and pardon.   

Walwins' Wiles: OR The Manifestators Manifested.  
THe greatest hypocrisy is often palliated with the most specious pretences of the plainest sincerity, and the chiefest use that some men make of Religion, and the language thereof is (after the similitude of Satan with our first Parents) to muffle the understandings of over-credulous and flexible men, and then to cheat them under a guilded bait of their seeming good into such actions that are most conducible to their certain misery: It is the great unhappiness of ingenious and plainhearted people to be made instrumental to the disguised design of masked enemies, and to have their Integrity imposed upon by the deceitful policy of those that dare not own their own actions, lest they should alarum them whom they daily deceive, and hinder the increase of that party by which they expect the accomplishment of their secret projects; to open the windows of this dark Cabinet, and to discover the methods of th●se impostors, is worthy the ingenuity and charity of a more able pen. It cannot be imagined, that such qu●●●●● devout and public spirits, as did seem to breath in two of these Manifestators, viz. L. C. John Lilburn, and Mr Tho: Prince, (with some others adhering to them) should be wrought upon (by their late Proceedings in print, and otherways) to serve the implicate Designs of the Kingdoms Adversaries, were they not deceived by the fine and plausable expressions of these cunning Impostors; and although the present distempers of their turbulent passions (like the raging Seas) and the perplexed ebullitions of ●●●●r discontented minds, have foamed out the dregs and dross of frail and sinful flesh and blood (we mean) vented unworthy Callumnies, palpable falsities, and most notorious scandals against those (saviours of the Nation) men, that God hath made happy Instruments of the kingdom's Freedom from apparent slavery and utter ruin, yet that ancient experience which we have had of the said persons (especially the first named thereof,) together with those fore-sufferings by him endured in his stout withstanding the Common Enemy in times past, though we confess we have not observed his sufferings to have produced that quiet fruit of righteousness) nor him to have learned that meekness and lowliness of spirit after Christ's example in bearing his Cross; yet well considering that oppression obnoxiateth even wise men to that madness which may not be so quickly recovered again) we are furnished with a covering for his present nakedness, giving us to hope, that as heretofore (if we mistake not) in the like case he may discern it, and be ashamed. We have of late observed several expresses from three of these Manifestators so qualified, as if written by the chief Secretaries of the Prince of Slanders, through whose lines, as through a prison-grate, such a distempered, furious, railing and raging spirit doth stare and gaze their sober and judicious Readers in the face, spitting such venum, ●ankor and malice against the most pious and deserving men of this Nation, that they cannot do such homage to Belzebub, the Prince of such Spirits, as to hear the sound of his revengeful and envious language, and to wast their time in reading such slanderous Declarations from his Infernal Court; but behold a fresh appearance of these subscribers in a new dress of a latter date, as if that spirit would show his master piece, in his crafty translation of himself into the form of an Angel of light calling itself by the name of a Manifestation of L. C. John Lilburn, Mr William Walwin, &c. bearing date the 14 of April 1649. whose devout, specious, meek, self-denying, soft, and pleasant lips savours much of the sligh cunning and close subtlety of that additional Subscriber, Mr William Walwin, who (as the Serpent that deceived our first Parents was more subtle than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made) is much more crafty than the rest of his brethren, of whose curious spinning we have several reasons to presume this piece, for here is not the licentious provoking daringness of L. Col. Lilburns pen, nor yet the notorious profaneness of Mr Richard Overtons pen, as for Mr Prince, he is a younger brother, lately drawn in, and no further accomplished in his brethren's art then in the lesson of Conformity unto their proceedings and conscription unto their Expresses: Again, he that shall compare this Manifestation, subscribed by Mr Walwin, with England's new Chains, the first and second part, the Hunting of the Foxes, and other scandalous Pamphlets, subscribed only by the rest, may easily perceive the well known subtlety and craftiness, phrase and stile, of this new Subscriber above his Fellows, who of themselves are no more able to alter the complexion of their pen, than the Leopard his spots, or the Blackamoor his skin; these being Wolves in their own, but the other a Wolf in sheep's clothing; and that simple and plainhearted men may no longer be drawn aside from their public Interest and personal Comforts, temporal and eternal, hear the voice of several years' experience and observation, exhibiting a true and impartial Manifestation chiefly and principally of this Manifestator, we mean this new additional Subscriber, Mr William Walwin, whom we shall consider not at all in reference to his Birth, Breeding, Trade, manner of life and conversation, any further than only relating to his wiles and ways, methods and modes, in deluding, cozening and deceiving a plain and honest generation of well-meaning men, into such paths practices and manners that are most destructive to their own Interest, and the public good: And here consider,  
First, His game hath always been the unhappy perversion of honest men generally observed to be forward on the Parliaments behalf against the King and the Royal party, for the effecting whereof his custom was to frame his endeavours,  
First, To discern and feel their temper, genius, natural constitution, and complexion, whether of meek, quiet, and peaceable; or rash, hasty, and violent spirits: whether of quick, capacious, and nimble, or of dull, injudicious, and low apprehensions: whether of a more pure, heavenly, and spiritual, or more gross, light, and vain discourse: whether of a retensive, close, and tenacious capacity in keeping secrets, or a more open, free, and liberal aptness in discovering: whether of a richer, or mean condition: whether popular, or how interessed in the Parliament, Army, City, or Country.  
Secondly, Having well understood his game, he prepares his baits, those whom he apprehends more solid, wise, moderate, judicious, of quick apprehensions, reaching brains, good parts, and language, and withal notorious for Religion and popular Interest, he first entertains with much civility, candour, and courteous carriages, very good, rational, and acceptable discourse, fitting and framing the same after such a manner as may represent himself an excellent commonwealth's man, full of a public spirit, and furnished with rich and plentiful observations, and propositions, fairly comporting with public good, and insinuating (with what freedom or tenderness, plainness or covertness, they are able to bear) the many pressures, burdens and grievances of the commonwealth, and insisting (if at all) yet very slightly upon the Redresses, good, and benefit received from men in present authority; backing his discourse of this nature either with some plausible stories of the cunning and crafty behaviour of foreign Princes, or men in Power, pretending good for the Common wealth and doing many things very promising thereunto, and at last exalting themselves in the oppressions and vexations of the people, or else with observations of domestic politicians, once very famous for their pretended zeal for their Country, but when advanced, and lifted up, as infamous for their baseness in Oppression and Tyranny: and by this means he is still fomenting new and fresh jealousies against those that approve themselves most faithful in Authority and Trust, ever observing what actions (if any such thing do fall out) have been done by such men which may possibly (by wringing and wresting, and malign interpretation) render them by his cunning art and skill (being very dexterous that way) to be suspected for Self-seekers, jugglers, and Deceivers of the People.  
Secondly, Having by this means crept into the good opinion, love and affections of his deceived friends, and new acquaintance (the result and issue of several meetings and conferences in order thereunto,) and hereby wounded their respects, and abated their zeal towards those that have the management and steerage of public affairs in their hands, that he may make sure work with them, with cunning & curious art he attempts the undermining of their principles of Religion, but with a soft foot, and with much slight of hand, and (Juglar-like) as if he had past his Apprenticeship, and served journeyman to the grand deceiver of the world; he employs his skill in casting a mist before them, and in blinding the eyes of their minds, that the great mysteries of Life and Salvation by Jesus Christ, and the Doctrines of Justification by his Death and Resurrection, Sanctification and Mortification by his Spirit, &c. may appear but mere phantasms, ridiculous, irrational, airy, vain, empty notions; but thus he attempts very artificially in these gradations.  
First, (That he may raze the very Foundation, and lay his axe at the very root of Religion,) he prepares his battery against the credit, honour and authority of the holy Scriptures, as presuming that to be (as indeed it is) the very first regal of Religion, the credit whereof being once lost in the judgement, the conscience, will and affections, will quickly surrender, even upon Satan's terms; but before he spends his Ammunition, viz. his Arguments and Reasons against the same, with no small subtlety patlies with them a● in the very same case, and to the very same end, that envious one to the presence and eternal Interest of mankind, did insinuate into a conference with our first parent by way of subtle and crafty questions, and hath God indeed sald, ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden, &c. even so this most perficient scholar, doth not use in a downright manner to deny the authority of the Scriptures, but like master-like man he sets upon men quere-wise: How can you prove the Scriptures to be the Word of God? What security have you concerning the divine authority of the Scriptures, and consequently the articles of your belief, and the grounds of your faith, but from the testimony of men? What better grounds have you to believe the Scriptures came from God, than the Turks have for their Alcharon, or the Jews for their Talmud? not that he himself would seem to question it, but if you will believe him, it is to understand how men are settled in their faith, and to help them therein; he writ for the defence of the divine authority of the Scriptures, (as Satan himself, when he did tempt the Lord Christ to destroy the Scriptures, in effect, by doing contrary to the Tenor thereof, did quote the very Scripture, saying, It is written, he shall give his angel's charge, &c.  
Secondly, If he cannot presently surprise their judgements by, his subtle queries about the Scriptures, he waves the business for a season, and takes another course, than he insinuates the contradictions, opinions of men about matters of Religion, their various judgements, how opposite and cross they are to themselves (declining distinctions whereby they may be reconciled) leading his disciples upon the Lord's Days from one Church to another, and staying no longer than while somewhat drops from the mouth of the Minister, which he may through his art (not minding what went before, and what followed) render ridiculous and weak, and so by degrees comes at last to improve all against the validity of Religion, preaching, and other ordinances, this done.  
Thirdly, He entertains them with as much excellency and strength of discourse, as his capacities have attained, in setting forth the famous Governments of such, and such commonwealths, the excellent readings of philosophers, their moral ingenuity pa●s and learning, how far short the Government of this Kingdom comes of them? What kind of breeding such States and commonwealths gives their children in the study of martial discipline, feats of activity, geomitry, &c. by all which means he endeavours still to take off the minds of his Disciples from Religion, and the thoughts thereof, if he sees the desired fruits of his labours, and that he hath gotten the Venison which his soul doth so sorely long for, viz. the betraying of poor men into the same condemnation with himself into low and contemptible thoughts of God, of Jesus Christ, of the Spirit, of the Scriptures, of hearing the Word, Prayer, of Heaven, of Hell, &c. than they become his bosom friends, and are friendly received into his house, and partake of his more intimate thoughts, and familiarity, as presuming, that having perverted them, and strengthened them in his most wretched ways, they might be able to go and do likewise, viz. pervert and strengthen their brethren; and this is his method for the taking the more solid, able, judicious and intelligent men, which are the first sort of men whom he seeks to seduce from their faithfulness and integrity to God and man.  
Before we come to show his art in drawing aside the other sort of men, take some instances of his proceedings in the former kind, all which, with much more of this nature, shall be manifestly proved as occasion is required.  
Having once upon a Fast day (as his usual manner was both upon those, and the Lord's days) gone from place to place, hearing here a little, and there a little what the Ministers said, making it the subject matter of his profane scorning and jeering, came at last to his own house with one of his supposed Fast disciples, (though even at that time his heart did rise against Walwins' wickedness, but having got within him, he did resolve, though with much reluctance of spirit, to fathom the deep devout hypocrisy of this man for a through detection of him,) being at home, he fetched out that profane scurtilous Lucian's Dialogue, come (said he) let us go read that which hath something in it, Here is more wit in this (saith he) then in all the Bible.  
And speaking of the book of Psalms, and the Proverbs, said, That there was no heed to be given to them; for, said he, they were penned by Kings in order only to their own advantage, and the promotion of their own interest, as they were Kings.  
And another, a presumed sure friend (having some familiarity with this worthy Champion for, and asserter of the Divine Authority of the Scriptures Mr Walwyn) professed, that this wretched man, Walwyn, speaking of the book of the Canticles, said, That it was nothing else but one of Solomon's epiphonemas or Rhetorical Songs upon one of his Whores.  
At another time speaking and discoursing of Hell, said, that it was a silly thing to think that there was any hell, or condemnation, which the Ministers keep such a noise and prating about, and that all the hell that was, was that only which was in an ill man's conscience in this life: and it being replied, that the Scriptures speak expressly of hell, and eternal fire and damnation; he answered, that is to be understood as the Scriptures also speak, they are condemned already, viz. in their own consciences, which is no more but this, they know they have not done well.  
At another time speaking of hell, and everlasting fire, and eternal torments, used words to this purpose, Pish, do you think, can it enter into your heart, to conceive, that God should cast a man into everlasting burnings, where he should be tormented for ever without end, for a little time of sinning in this world?  
Again, at another time speaking and discoursing of Prayer, (said he) What a silly thing it is for a man to drop down upon his knees, and hold up his hands, and lift up his eyes, and mumble over a few words for half an hour, or an hour together, as if this did please God, when all this while he might have been in doing that which is good in itself, relieving the poor and oppressed; there is no other Religion but that which the Apostle James speaks of, consisting in relieving the poor, judging the cause of the fatherless and widow, &c.  
Again, speaking of keeping Sundays as we do, urged, That it was better on such days to meet together, and spend our time in considering what is good for the commonwealth, read some good moral things, as Plutarch's Morals, Cicero's Orations, then reading the Scriptures, and hearing Sermons, glorying much of the notable witty things in these moral Writers, and of the manner of their governing of States.  
Again, he did bemoan the simple practice of this Nation in bringing up their children in learning Latin (forsooth) and the original Tongues, and I know not what, it were far better to train them up in feats of Activity, geometry, riding Horses, exercising Arms, studying Fortifications, and in such things as may make them serviceable to the commonwealth.  
It would fill a Volume to declare the sad and miserable effects which by this means have been brought to pass upon the judgements of some of very able apt, and ingenious parts and abilities corrupted by this English man-hunter; one of them, not long since (a man of very singular parts, and much ingenuity, that might have been very useful for this commonwealth,) having been but a little and lately acquainted with this wretch, speaking with others about the nature of God, his Grace, Mercy and Goodness, most profanely and lightly replayed, Yea, I hope God is a merry old man, and will make a good companion when I am dead. And again, one speaking to him of the Sweetness and Excellency of Jesus Christ; replied, Yea, indeed Jesus Christ is very sweet, I love him better than Capons; but I shall rather insist only upon his own expressions.  
Mr Walwyn being asked by one of his intimate Friends, what he seriously thought concerning the Scriptures, whether they were the Word of God or no? Replied thus, I'll open my heart plainly unto you, said he, I believe it is not the Word of God, and I believe again it is the Word of God; I pray expound yourself, said his friend; why, said he, the Scripture is so plainly and directly contradictory to itself, that makes me believe it is not the the Word of God; and yet again, all those passages therein that declare the nature of God, viz. his Grace and Goodness to men, I believe are the Word of God, and so you have my meaning; oftentimes declaring, that he did not believe that God would punish men for ever for a little time of sinning.  
There was a Gentlewoman (a citizen's wife, of very good quality, and well known) formerly very famous in the profession of Religion, and of very great repute amongst honest people, a woman of parts and abilities above the common standard of her sex, whose sad and heavy condition it was to fall into acquaintance with this unhappy factor for the region of darkness, who (as herself declared unto some, very nearly relating unto her) was unhappily seduced by this wretched man, who having improved his kill (with too much success) in poisoning her judgement touching the truth of the Scriptures, and the precious concernments of her soul, did frequently vent his most Atheistical and blasphemous oppr●bies, scorns and scoffs against Religion, and the holy Scriptures, as these passages do abundantly witness.  
Upon a time speaking of King David, said to this purpose and effect, That King James, and King David were a couple of crasty Foxes, and cunning Knaves, that by their subtlety and policy, under religious pretences, acted all things with a design of abusing and cozening their people over whom they were set, and that they were as like as ever he read of any two men in all his life.  
Another time speaking to the same woman, demanded, why she did not come and see his wife? and most jeeringly and scoffingly added, I protest, said he, thou hast sinned the sin against the Holy Ghost for not visiting my wife; or to that effect.  
At other times visiting the same woman, and finding her in somewhat a melancholy and sad condition, (for indeed she was a woman of quick and ripe apprehensions in spiritual things, and could not likely degenerate from, and decline the ways of God without regret of spirit, and trouble of conscience.) Come, said he, we shall have you return to your religious mood again, you will never do well so long as these thoughts prevail with you; or to that purpose.  
Oftentimes did this wretched man suggest unto her to this purpose. That it was abase and ignoble thing for any one to lie under such trouble, anguish, and perplexity, as could not well be endured, having so easy and speedy a way of riddance out of it, as is before every man, and that it was an Honourable and valiant thing, for a man in such a case to put an end to his life by laying violent hands upon himself, being a far shorter way of ●ase, than any other way. Which atheistical principle was so nourished by this poor woman, in her distress and trouble, that she often attempted to destroy herself, and at last, she did most woefully bring it to pass, by strangling herself, to the great grief and trouble of her husband, children, and dear relations; Now let impartial and judicious men judge, of the frame, temper and spirit of this man touching Religion, the Scriptures, the nature and mysteries of the gospel, of heaven, of Hell, &c. and whether these instances, compared with his writing, for the divine authority of the Scriptures, as also with the late manifestation, do not manifest him to be a cunning hypocritical juggler, abuser, and deceiver of poor men and women that lend their ●are unto him, he that can jeer at the Word of God, at the sin against the Holy Ghost, prefer scurrilous, base Pamphlets above the Scriptures, &c. can notwithstanding in this Manifestation. with a very devout and religious Pen (as if he had been the most pious assertor of the things of God) pretend to build his comfort upon the Scriptures, as he doth pag. 4. of this Manifestation, where he saith, that he could pass over the many wrong done unto him, upon this consideration, remembering what is promised to be the portion of good men. Again, pag. 5. We must suffer till God sees fitting in good time to clear, &c. With several other strains of this nature, as if Religion, and the affairs of the other world, God, and Christ, and the Spirit were the main things that guide him in all his ways; wherein both L. Col. John Lilburn, and others, know in their own consciences, and have declared it, that they could never perceive him a man in the least acquainted with the concemments of Religion, and the work of the Spirit.  
Having declared the crafty and subtle wiles and methods of this artificial and great Impostor, in his satanical work of seducing and deceiving the more able sort of men, I shall now proceed in setting forth his mountebankism in his Jesuitical betraying of the weaker, more injudicious, and plainer sort of people, and these likewise being of several tempers, constitutions, and conditions, he hath variety of Art to deceive them all.  
If they be of a low, needy, indigent, and wanty condition, as many of them are, he deals with them after this method.  
First, (that he might hit the white of the mark in all his aims, viz. wound the credit and authority of Religion,) he is ever and anon harping upon the hard-heartedness and uncharitableness of Professors (and I wish that he had not straw enough to make this Brick) and those that are religious men, how grinding they are in bargains, how penurious, base, and backward in works of charity and mercy, how undermining and overreaching they are in buying, in selling, how having and craving in the things of this life, how hardly any work of mercy and charity comes off with them, how they let their brethren starve, and die, and perish, rather than help them, and how bountiful, free, and liberal the very Heathens have been, and how beneficial even Papists, and many that do not so much as pretend to Religion, are to the poor; and therein, I confess, he speaks too true, but the devil himself spoke truth, to wound and destroy it, not to promote and propagate it; by this means he cunningly insinuates the discredit and disparagement of that, that is called Religion amongst us, and the Professors thereof.  
Secondly, that he might likewise procure the second grand design, and desire of his soul, viz. the trouble, misery, and ruin of this commonwealth, in respect of those that now have, and formerly of late had the government thereof in their hands, he takes notice of the neglect of the Parliament in regarding, and encouraging their friends, how they do not at all consider the pressures of those that have stuck unto them in their straits and difficulties; how they bestow places of profit upon the rich, and prefer themselves, and their Children, and Kinsmen, in places of greatest profit and advantage; how the great things that have been done for the Parliament, have been done by the meaner sort of men, and that by helping them they are now become low and poor, and not at all regarded, &c. by this means, he raiseth up and increaseth discontents, and ebullitions of spirit, heartburnings, and repinings against the present governors.  
Thirdly, having somewhat heated them by the means aforesaid, than he insists upon the unworthiness of our times, in making riches and estates, and the things of this world, the great badge of distinction between man and man; the Charactaristical token of men's fitness for Government, and that it will not be well, until such time as men shall be eligible into places of trust, that are virtuous and able, though poor and low in this world; and that Butchers and cobblers be chosen into the places of Magistracy and government, as well as others that are rich in this World; these kinds of plausible discourses are very pleasing, and take much with discontented men that are poor and weak in estate, and withal shallow and injudicious; now they begin a little to swell, and be much conceited in, and of themselves: this done.  
Fourthly, he is very frequent and diligent, in fomenting the consideration of the disproportion and inequality of the distribution of the things of this life. What an inequitable thing it is for one man to have thousands, and another want bread, and that the pleasure of God is, that all men should have enough, and not that one man should abound in this world's good, spending it upon his lusts, and another man of far better deserts, not to be worth two pence, and that it is no such difficulty as men make it to be, to alter the course of the world in this thing, and that a very few diligent and valiant spirits may turn the world upside down, if they observe their seasons, and shall with life and courage engage accordingly.  
These are his Methods in seducing the indigent and poorer sort of men.  
Again, those whom he apprehends of passionate, choleric, froward, and peevish dispositions, of putting forth bold and daring language, and withal weak, shallow, and injudicious, and yet men that are honest hearted in the main, true to the interest of the commonwealth, and zealous against tyranny and oppression, he handles after this manner.  
First, he is ever blowing up their spirits, by daily discourses of the pressures, burdens, rates, and taxes, of the poor people of this Nation, Excise, Free Quarter, customs, &c. are the subject-matter of his daily talk.  
Secondly, the next thing, is the consideration of the Cause hereof, and they are still those that are in places of Trust and Authority, and this is one of his most constant, certain and uniform custom, to foment jealousies against the most active, prosperous and successful persons of the Nation; urging, that it was ever known, that men, under pretence of zeal for Religion, and the interest of good people, have gotten into credit, and thereby lifted up themselves, endeavouring to destroy others under a pretence of Justice, and doing righteous things, that they may exalt themselves, and set up their own faction, and promote their sons and their daughters, their nephews and their kindred, ever blemishing the repute and credit of the most famous and deserving men of the Times.  
Thirdly, This done, the Remedy is to be considered of, and this must be by remove (by some means or other) of those persons, adjudged the cause of all our troubles, and miseries, and because he knows that they cannot bear the thoughts of ass●ssinations, murdering and killing of them, (especially at first) therefore the pretended miscarriages of these men must be printed and published to the world, and these books must be dispersed among especially the known well-affected and forward party in all places, to which end it must be so ordered and managed, that these books may be upon free cost scattered abroad in the Countries, and all those places and Counties especially that are adjacent to the City of London, and do most abound with honest and well-affected men, as Hertford-shire, Buckinghamshire, cambridgshire, &c. that so there may be a general distaste and disaffection among that sort of men against them.  
Fourthly, When he hath by this means wounded the repute and credit of the most faithful and successful Patriots of the commonwealth, representing them as the chief and only cause of the pressures, troubles and perplexities of the times, &c. and by this means raised the heat, fury and passion of this sort of men under present consideration, than (as if all the bonds of piety, civility, modesty, education and discretion were broken) scornful, scandalous, opprobrious, false and clamorous reports are suggested and raised against these men, and happy would it be for this Nation that these men were ●●d out of the way.  
For a further confirmation of the truth of these things take some few instances which follow.  
This Mr Walwyn, to work upon the indigent and poorer sort of people, and to raise up their spirits in discontents and clamours, &c. did one time profess, ●e could wish with all his heart that there was neither Pale, He●● nor Ditch in the whole Nation, and that it was an unconscionable thing that one man should have ten thousand pounds, and another, more deserving and useful to the commonwealth, should not be worth two pence; or to that purpose.  
At another time discoursing of the inequality and disproportion of the estates and conditions of men in the world, had words to this purpose, That it was a sad and miserable thing that it should so continue, and that it would never be well until all things were common; and it being replied, Will that ●ver be? Answered, We must endeavour it: It being said, That this would destroy all Government; Answered, That then there would be less need of Government, for then there would be no thieves, no covetous persons, no deceiving and abusing of one another, and so no need of government, &c. but if in such a case they have a form and rule of government to determine cases, as may fall out, yet there will be no need of standing Officers in a commonwealth, no need of Judges, etc but if any difference do fall out, or any criminal fact be committed, take a cobbler from his Seat, or a Butcher from his Shop, or any other Tradesman that is an honest and just man, and let him hear the case, and determine the same, and then betake himself to his work again.  
At another time, discoursing of Printing, and educating Children, etc, wished that Printing had never been known, adding, that since this practice and custom of teaching of Children, and bringing up of youth in learning Tongues and Arts, the world hath been more troubled with suits and quarrels, discontents and divisions, and that one man having more abilities of this kind than another, men have got into great places, and this hath made such distinctions and divisions in the world, which otherways had never been known; or to this purpose.  
Again, to ratify the truth of his proceedings, in raising up the spirits of the violent, furious, and passionate sort of people▪ against well deserving men, take these instances.  
In the beginning of our troubles, he hath frequently vented base and unworthy jealousies against that honoured Coll. H●●bden, Mr. Pim, and others, whom God made happy Instruments of the good of this Nation, envy itself not being able to blemish them; yet did he insinuate, that there was no trusting them, for they might be dispensed withal, to serve the King's interest, &c.  
What his invenctives have been against L. Gen. Cromwell, commissary Gen. Ireton, Coll. Harrison, &c. is notorious to all that have had intimate acquaintance with him.  
That he might stir up the passionate and froward spirited people to work mischief, having raised up their heat and distemper, speaking of the obstructions of the good of the Nation by the House of Lords; Pish, said he, here is a great deal of stir indeed about Lords, the Swissers, did cut the throats of about forty of them in a night, and had peace ever afterwards.  
One of his presumed intimate friends assures of the truth of this story following, (which was indeed the cause of his deserting this Walwin, and some others, with whom he had formerly some familiarity, the story is this, viz.  
That there was an absolute design by some Agitators at Ware, to murder the Lieut: Gen: Gromwell, concluded upon, and the manner thereof agreed upon, to be thus, the Agreement then concluded upon should be worn in the hats of their Party, and a short Petition of about six lines should be presented to the Lo: general, Petitioning him to join with them, in declaring that they were the supreme Authority of this Nation; and that upon this ground, the People made the Parliament, the Parliament made the Lord general, and the Army, the several Regiments of the Army made the Agitators, and so they were the supreme Authority; and if the Lord general did refuse to join with them, they were presently to unhorse him, resolving to destroy and cut the throats of all that did oppose them; and that night, with a Party of Horse, at 12 of the clock, they were to seize upon L▪ general Cromwell, and to shoot him to death, adding, that he should never know who hurt him; and that then they had a Charge ready framed against the King, which they would effectually prosecute, and require the Parliament to join with them, resolving to cut the throats of those that should refuse the same. The same Party assures also, that that very night when this should have been done at Ware, the private Committee did meet, with an expectation of the news of the succusse of this bloody project; but news came unto them before it was expected; that the whole design was broken, and the manner thereof, viz. L. Gen: Cromwel's carriages, with his naked waved Sword, daunted the soldiers that had the paper in their hats, made them pluck it out, and subjected to commands, &c. to their great dejection and trouble.  
The Party informing of this cursed design, was not a member of the private committee, being a man (known) of more tender conscience, then fit to be admitted into such secrecies, but being of a more common meeting, he had the business discovered unto him by another, as he is ready to assert.  
Having spoken of the particular wiles and ways of this deceiver, touching the subject matter of his attempts, viz. the seducing of the honest and well affected Party, the manner thereof viz. his cunning, crafty, and politic observation of their several tempers, constitutions, complexions, qualifications, and conditions, and his various and suitable application of himself, to gain upon them accordingly, having wrought them all to a free and voluntary disposition and inclination to harken to his counsels, and to stand (as it were) at his right hand to receive his impressions and orders, which you must still believe, are in order only to the public good, common freedom, and safety of the freeborn people of England, to the pulling down of Oppressors & Tyrants, he hath his several works and employments for them all; according to every man's aptness and fitness for the same.  
Those whom he observes men of parts, witty and good language, quick apprehensions, able to bridle passions, free from heat and choler, of a composed deportment and behaviour, and withal retensive in keeping secrets, &c. these are of his intimate society, commerce and familiarity, and shall be employed in observing the fitness and aptness of men for their proper employments, these shall be of the whispering house, close Cabinet, and privy council, and their work shall be the increasing of that Party in the City and Country, whose Letters by the advantage of a politic and crafty Pen may propagate and help on their work in the several Counties.  
Those that are of more bold, p●●emptory, pertenacious conceited Spirits, of fierce, daring, and provoking language, apt to heat, choler, and passion, and withal shallow, weak, and injudicious, not able to see skin deep into state affairs, and presuming themselves the best commonwealths men, the greatest Statists. the only lovers of their country's Liberties, the freest men from self-interest, and therefore the fittest for places of authority and trust. These shall trumpet out matter of discontents, jealousies, and pretended miscarriages of those that are in Authority, how basely things go; what oppressions, taxations, and vexations the poor people do endure? how this poor betrayed Nation is bought and sold? how the cutting off of some Tyrants do always make way for more and worse to succeed them? how nothing is done for the commonwealth? how basely the Treasure of the Kingdom is imbezeled? how Parliament men vote moneys out of the purses of the poor ridden people into their own? how they share the riches of the Nation amongst themselves? how to day they vote this Parliament man into a great Office, and to morrow another! and how they do nothing for the commonwealth, but vote one another into places of power and profit! how that though to abuse and cast a mist before the eyes of the people, they make a self-denying ordinance, yet suffer no man to put it in execution! how they promote their kindred and allies into great places everywhere; if any use be for men in Custom house, in Excise-office, or in any other places of profit, this and that Parliament man's friends, or brothers, or sons, or nephews must be the men; nay, Parliament men and their allies have place upon place, and office upon office, as if they had several bodies to be employed at one and the same time? What's become of the infinite sums, the unconceivable treasure of the Nation? the late King's Customs, Ship-money, Coat, and Conduct moneys, Monopolies, &c. were nothing to the Customs, Excise, Taxations, Free quarter, Sequestrations, Papists moneys, Bishops lands, Revenues of the Crown, besides all the Plate and Monies lent freely by the people, and yet nothing done; nay, how many for their zeal and good will to the State have lent freely and bountifully, thereby beggering and undoing themselves, and now cannot receive one penny to buy them bread, but may lie begging, petitioning, and starving at their doors, and cannot be heard? nay, it may be have nothing but course, hard, and cruel language from them; how one faction tears the commonwealth and share it among themselves one while, and another, another while, neither of them regarding the ease or grievances of the poor people all this while, & what have they done since this purge and that purge, they have voted the continuance of tithes, the laying of more Taxes and Rates, they imprison honest men, &c. these and the like charges are belched out from day to day by these men: this is the main● matter of their discourse, writing, Printing, &c. never considering how far true or false, what may be said in answer to any of these things, but blowing and blazing these clamours and complaints in all companies and places where they come, and where they can by writings, or other ways spread them abroad, and for this purpose, they have a very singular advantage of the good will and affection of our weekly news-mongers, the Tuesday-Moderate, the Fryday-Occurrances who were easily entreated to spread abroad their late Manifestation, that their simplicity, piety and innocency, and the Parliaments Oppression, Cruelty and tyranny might be the better known to the whole kingdom, and Malignants hopes revived again that at last these may restore them. &c. This raiseth up a spirit of contempt, envy and malice, anger and discontent, against the Parliament, and all that they do.  
For those that are poor, indigent and low in the world, these likewise must spread abroad their complaints, the deadness of tradeing, the dearth of the times, the great burdens, assessments and taxations; These are all through the neglect, and by-means of the Parliament, all burdens, rates and services are laid upon them, they bear the heat and burden of the day: but they are trampled upon, and is a piece of policy in men of great places, to keep the poor low, and needy in the world, and that this course must not be suffered &c.  
These and the like have been the particular ways of this cunning Artist, in abusing simple-hearted honest men; briefly the seeming tendency, drift, and scope of all his Agitations have carried the face of many fouled design.  
First, to root our Religion and the Principles and power thereof, out of the judgements and consciences of those that harken unto him; witness those former Methods and Instances given in order thereunto.  
Secondly, to root out the generation of honest godly religious & conscientious sort of people, when he pretends to love above others, by putting them upon such ways and projects, which if they take place, would render them the most unsufferable generation in the world, not fit indeed to live in a commonwealth: And what can his design herein be, but to precipitate them into their own ruin and destruction; and these are his Methods to that purpose.  
First, to propose singular good things, and very promising, to the commonwealth: And indeed, either he receives his instructions in some underhand way from others, (for we are not without ground, to suspect such a thing, as shall be declared as occasion serves,) or else he hath a politic and crafty head in contriving, pretending, ordering and managing Propositions of that kind; This advanceth and magnifieth him in the thoughts and opinions of his seduced Disciples, for a man of admirable & good affections to the commonwealth, to public liberty and universal good: and withal, of admirable parts, capacities, and abililities, and therefore very fit for places of government, and worthy to be listened and harkened unto.  
Secondly, for the effecting of those things, and bringing them to pass, they must be tendered to the Parliament by the well-affected in petitions; For what way is so meet for the people as petitioning, and what can those that are in Authority do less, then grant them just things, that every man's judgement calleth good? And here is one of the great Masterpeeces of his craft and subtlety, viz. in the framing ordering and managing their Petitions.  
First, the Phrase style and Dialect of these Petitions must be always harsh, unpleasant, & in case if denied, menacing and provoking, representing the Petitioners: froward, imperious passionate, furious, positive and implacable: men of low and mean birth, breeding and quality, proud, heady, high-minded, vainglorious giving out themselves to be always the well-affected party, by whom, chiefly and mainly, if not only the Parliament have been chosen, maintained, preserved: as if the whole burden of the charges, and service of the Wars, was undergone by them, and by none else.  
Secondly, The matter of those Petitions must not contain apparent good things in themselves only, but always mingled with some things very doubtful and questionable: causing many disputes, debates and meetings hereabout.  
Thirdly, They must always be clogged and filled with such things, which (though in themselves desirable, and (were they attained) hopeful and promising to the well-being of honest men, and the interest of the Nation: yet unseasonable, being of the greatest and remotest probability (as things stand) to be procured: insisting with most importunities in plainness & peremptoriness of words, upon such things: not contenting themselves with those which are directly previous and infallibly conducing thereunto: but having a special eye, either at the present incapacity of the House, (by reason of diversities of judgements amongst themselves, the inabilties of the Nation in general, the variety of the providences of God in ordering the affairs of the Commonwealth,) to grant such things, though happily they themselves desire it, yet with much impetuousness, they commandingly pray and proudly petition for the same, now his game is started and he merrily pursues it.  
First, He hath divided the quondam united petitioning party, by the framing, phrasifying and ordering these Petitions, some being for, others against the same; now heat, jealousies, differences arise, one party censuring the other (with hard words) for cowardice, dastardliness, and baseness of spirit, these are our prudentialists, our wise, moderate men, that can never find a season to do good for their Country; Is it not time to speak out? shall we always be meal-mouthed, and never speak plain? If this be not a season? when will it be? are not the things just we desire? if they will not grant them, we may see what to expect from them: Again, the other party looks upon them as rash, heady, incogitant, fiery, furious spirited men that are like to bring all to ruin and confusion, &c.  
Secondly, the house is hereby unwillingly precipitated and hurried upon one of these inevitable rocks, either by granting their Petitions they must obnoxiate themselves to the disgust, displeasure, and irritation of the generality of all sorts of the people of the Land, as also to the dangerous consequences of the pride and ambition of these men, puffed up with their vain and vapouring conceits, that they must not be denied, though their Petitions be never so peremptory, positive and commanding; or else,  
Secondly, by den●ing them, they must undergo the hard, uncivil and unworthy Censures of these hot spirited Petitioners, viz The Parliament, what is it? a company of base self-seeking fellows, a pack of knaves, as real Tyrants as the King and his Patentees, a generation that will never do good to this Nation that deserve no better at the hands of the people, than Weezils, or Polecats, this Mr. Walwin himself, discoursing with others about modelling and framing Petitions, so as to induce the Parliament to give a gracious answer, professed to this purpose, that it would be better for the people, that the Parliament should deny, then grant their Petitions, for than they would discover themselves what they are, and what the people must expect from them; if any man shall revise all those Petitions, whose model was the birth of his brain, he shall find them spirited with such provocations, as have the greatest extension to all considerable Parties throughout the Nation; that the Magistrates may be provoked, their power must be taken away, the rigour of the laws abated, as incons●stent with the liberties of a free people, they must have no power to impress or constrain the people to arms by Sea or Land, &c. in short, leaving them nothing but the bare airy empty title of a Magistrate without power, and this pleaseth the rude and vicious sort of people; again, the Ministers must be provoked, and thereby the Pulpits fieted, by taking away their maintenance under the name of tithes, no other way or means propounded to encourage the preaching of the Gospel, whereby this airy, vain empty thing (so reputed by this man) called Religion, may be exploded and expelled the Nation; this pleaseth the ignorant, simple and covetous Party; the Lawyers they must be provoked, by pretending the uselessness of them in a commonwealth, which pleaseth the irregular, quarrelous and offensive part of the people: The Merchants must be provoked by complaining against their monopolising of Trade in their own hands, and not admitting a free people to a free trade; it would be no hard matter clearly to discern an ●●asperating irritating and irascifying spirit in all their Petitions, whose apt, natural and genuine tendencies are to kindle flames, distempers, divisions, jealousies, and discontents amongst all sorts whatsoever.  
Whether these former Considerations do not merely demonstrate his design of mischief to the honest and well-affected party, let any man's reason determine; as for the interest of the people, the freedom and Liberties of the Nation, (the great desire of his soul, and the travel of all his conceptions, if you will believe him) when any man shall seriously observe that the bent and natural genius of all his foli●itation● are the division of the honest party, the alienation of their hearts from, and malignifying of their opinions against, yea, the utter ruin and destruction of the successful and faithful instruments of deliverance and safety to the Nation, his uniform hindering and obstructing, by his manifold wiles, the happy progress of the complete interest, deliverance and freedom of the people, when the Pa●●. and Army are in a hopeful capacity thereunto, his constant re●arding and endeavours of preventing the execution of those very things, when in a hopeful way thereunto, which he formerly seemed most eagerly, and withal his soul and might to pursue, his constant quarrelling with, and exciting his followers against, those that at any time, since this parliament began, have the public rule in their hands, he, I say, that shall impartially, and in the exercise of his reason; observe these and many the like uniform, certain, and constant proceedings of this man; needs not be to seek how to make a most probable, i● not indubitable judgement upon him in that point.  
I shall only in a word add one thing more, and leave him, and that is his constant endeavour to hinder the relief of Ireland by exhibiting arguments and reasons in justification of that bloody rebellion, and in puzzling the judgements and Consciences of those that otherways would promote that happy work, arguing that the cause of the Irish Natives in seeking their just freedoms, immunities, and liberties, was the very same with our cause here, in endeavouring our own rescue and freedom from the power of oppressors, waving the consideration of that damnable, bloody, and unparalleled Massacring, murdering, and starving so many thousands of poor Protestants, whose blood, it seems, this devout Manifestator, Mr. Walwin judgeth not worthy, so much, as to be inquired after; but God, I hope, hath, and will so discover the folly, falseness, and deceits of this man, that he shall proceed no further in seducing and deceiving the honest and plain hearted people, that have been apt to harken to him.  
As for L. C. Jo: Lilburne, I am very apt to believe, and hope, that there are yet some seeds of God remaining in him, which (though for the present very strangely subdued, and kept under the clods of ambition, heat, and choler, passion, frowardness, and height of spirit, pride, vain glory, and affectation; rendering him for the present fierce, heady, high-minded, lofty, peevish, revengeful, implacable, very unlovely, and unlike our Lord Jesus, to whose service he doth pretend,) will (notwithstanding all this) at last break forth in beauty and strength, in much sorrow, repentance and humiliation, in much humility, meekness, and sweetness of spirit, in much gentleness, patience, and long-suffering, in 〈…〉 ch wisdom, prudence, and lowliness of mind, which will at l●st grow up and ripen unto a rich and plentiful 〈…〉 est of honour and praise unto God, of much complacency, satisfaction and con●●ntment to his grieved and offended brethren, of much inward, comfortable and contentful communion and followship with the holy Spirit, and of his eternal peace, life, and salvation with God hereafter, which (the Judge of all hearts doth know) is the longing of my soul in his behalf.  
As for Mr. Prince I have no acquaintance at all with him, but have heard a good report of him, and am very apt to believe the same; for he is not the first good man that hath been seduced by the sleights of men, and therefore the cognizance that I have of Mr. Lilburne, and the reports I hear of Mr. Prince, have encouraged me (as presuming if I am not deceived in the one and the other) to tender to them some few considerations, confidently believing, that the serious and christian contemplation thereof; by virtue of that Spiritualis tastus, that, I hope, is upon their hearts, will prove through the blessing of God, a means of meekening, softening, and framing their spirits unto a pe●●●able, quiet, and amiable disposition, life, and conversation.  
Omitting then the consideration of the violent, ●●ious, and fiery language, especially, of Mr. Lilburne, together with the roughness, rigidness, and licentiousness of his tongue and pen, in abusing, ●naving, and rascallizing (after a most ●●rious and unchristian manner) those that have given as ample testimony of their integrity and faithfulness to this Nation, as ever any that was bred therein, as also of their innocen●y in th●se very things (viz. self-seeking, self-interest &c. whereof they are accused having as great advantages, seasons, and opportunities here●●to ●● ever men had, by the many and great Victories, successes, and forces vouchsafed unto them, and under their command, whereby they have (through the presence of the Lord with them) pulled down the pride and power of the enemy, and might have h●d what 〈…〉 they pleased, for the particular advantage of themselves and 〈…〉 lies, would they thereby have been w●●●d, per 〈…〉 deed, and wrought upon to 〈…〉 and unworthy comp〈…〉 the ●●stre, brightness, and glory whereof, 〈…〉 most pow 〈…〉 break through all those clouds; fogs, and mist●, ascending from the rancko●, malice, and discontents; 〈…〉 ours, falsities, and scandalous tongues and pens of these men, to the general satisfaction of wise observing and considering men, having not only the testimony of God, & their own consciences, but even of those, whose occasion●▪ condition, and conversation have given them an opportunity of a peculiar, daily, and constant inspection and observation of their ways, by means whereof they can laugh to scorn those irrational accusations against them from day to day. I say, omitting these things which may be insisted upon, Consider (whereas you are still complaining of oppressions, sorrows, and troubles of the nation) that we cannot upon any rational and scriptural ground, expect a complea●, full, absolute, and perfect freedom from all kind of pressures and grievances in the Land, surely a natural and complete freedom from all sorrows and troubles, was fit for man only before he had sinned, and not since, let them look for their portion in this life, that know no better, and their kingdom in this world that believe no other; to what end are the graces of Faith, patience, and self-denial, vouchsafed unto us? what need would there be of the ordinances of Prayer, of the promises of the comforts of the Holy Ghost? what should we make of those sayings of Christ? asserting, That in the world we shall have tribulation, That through many afflictions w● must enter into the Kingdom of God, That here we have no conti●uing City, but we look for one that is to come, &c. if we might expect perfect freedom here below.  
Again, consider whether your tongues, your pen●, your books should not as well favour of the sense of mercy received, ●● of complain●● of what is wanting; though the sorrows, troubles and grie 〈…〉 of the Nation be great, yet have we no cause of thankfulness to God and men for his mercy, and their assistance▪ what had become of this Nation, had not God stirred up those very men, which are the men of your complaint, to interpose▪ between it; and the power, wrath, and 〈…〉 e of the contrary 〈…〉 y and is it not hard measure, when ●●● all their hazarding and 〈…〉 ing their lives ●●●●e high p●●ce●, 〈…〉 all disadvan●● of numbers, powers, and strength, as you know they did, that you, 〈…〉 you, 〈…〉 en of their own Party, should 〈…〉 them as now you do, could you bear it yourselves?  
Again, consider, that the best of men, are but men at best, and will you give no allowance for flesh and blood; doubtless, these men of your anger have their spots, for they are but men, but have not you yours? if they are such as you give them out to be: viz. base, tyrranicall, false and rotten hearted men, will not God find them out, as he hath done in our eyes? yes verily: and so will he find you out, if you be like them, but if you think they are upright in the main, pity them, pardon them, counsel them, and pray for them, as the like measure is meted out for you: can you presume that perfection and temptation can dwell together on this side the grave? Have you no covering for infirmities? Make it your own case; was there no tang of pride, vain glory, tyranny and oppression in you L. Col. John Lilburne, when you were lifted but some few degrees above your brethren, and fellow-soldiers in the Army? Will all men give testimony of your meekness, wisdom, goodness, gentleness, that you were free from self-seeking, using no Lordliness over your poor soldiers, not the least tincture of fingering their dues, rights, liberties? Can you think that had you that power, place, and authority in the Parliament, Army, &c. which these men have, that you would do better for the commonwealth than they do; if so be such vain conceits do swell within you, recollect yourself, and bear the langnage of a friend, what means then the imperious magisterial Dialect of your tongue and pen, that you cannot bear the least dissent from your opinion or judgement without flying beyond the bounds of your present station, yea, and civility, and good manners, but your tongue let fly, Knave, rascal, I'll have his ears, I'll have his blood, &c. could you bear contradictions having power in your hands, and cannot endure the same, no, though it be in matter of opinion about State affairs, when you stand upon the lower ground? Have not men hereby cause to presume you as full of tyrannical principles, as a fish is full of spawn? can you tread upon the necks of Princes and Rulers while you are upon the dunghill, and would not do the like even to Peasants, if you sat upon the throne? though you seem to bless yourself from day to day in that you can steal away the hearts of the people from the Parliament and Army, as Absalon did from David by your pretended zeal for the Liberties of the poor oppressed people; saying to the disturbed and grieved thereof for want of just administrations, as he hid, 2 Sam. 15▪ 2, 3, 4. Of what City are you? of one of the Tribes of Israel: your matters are good and right, but there is no man to hear you: O that I were made a judge in the Land, that every man that hath any suit, or cause, might come unto me, and I would do him right: The free born people of England, how are they oppressed, wronged and abused? No man judgeth their cause: This must be mended; we will have this, and that, and the other thing done, that will ease and please the people; and may happily gather together such a number as he did, about four hundred silly, shallow, heady, hasty and simple-hearted men to the kingdom's trouble and their own ruin; yet be persuaded in time, for you cannot prosper; surely your spirit, your language, your dialect, stand at such palpable, plain, and open defiance to that spirit, which breatheth in the Scriptures, and in the hearts of those that fear God (out of whose number I do not exclude you, though as I said before, very strangely are the symptoms of godliness kept down in you) that you cannot, you shall not thus go on, and prosper, no notwithstanding your crafty methods and art which you use to incense and stir up the poor ignorant Country, by sending your Papers, appointing this man to spread them abroad in this part, and that man in that part; this man in this parish, and another in that, exercising the like skill for infection of several Regiments, Troops, and Companies of the Army, by means whereof you boast of your thousands and ten thousands to stand to you, swelling up your vain spirit to that height, making you forget what you are, yet let me tell you, that all this while you are but making matter of shame, sorrow, and repentance for yourself, and however you may be puffed up with the airy, empty, vain and flattering words of those that applaud you▪ and cry you up for a valiant and brave spirit that hath withstood Kings, Lords, Commons, Army, fearing neither men or devils in your country's Cause, the wind whereof may blow you up and down as a Cloud without water, and make your Sails swell beyond your Vessel; yet wi●e, judicious and seeing men do evidently perceive you vainly hurried to the very brink of an inevitable precipice from whence (if not prevented by a gracious hand of mercy from on high) you will certainly fall into shameful issues as Absal●m did, to the grief and trouble of your real, though not flattering friends: if therefore you have any bowels of compassion to your native Country, in whose behalf you would seem even to be eaten up with zeal, do not hinder the happiness thereof by gratifying Malignants, whose only hope is you and your party, who rejoice in your mad and surious proceedings, and take pleasure in your folly, and do boy you up with vain, empty, and windy words, seeking your own, and your brethren's ruin, and would rejoice to see us all destroyed and hanged together: Do you think your Manifestation (wherein you would make them believe that you never have been any way violent against the persons of the King and Queen, or their party, though I confess I wonder with what face you could so speak) doth satisfy them? no doubtless they know you well enough, and you shall know it, if an opportunity serves them Are you indeed lovers of your Country? why then do you hinder the peace and happiness thereof by your present Commotions? Are you indeed the servants of the most high God? where is his image? Are you the Disciples of Christ? where is his meekness, patience, gentleness, long-suffering goodness? Are you flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bone? where then is your love to his people? Can you make wi●e and judicious men to believe your great professed real of your love to good men, while you hinder the relief of Ireland, (though I now speak not to Mr Walwyn and Mr Ov●rt●●, because I fear they have not hea●ing ears in matters of this nature,) yet, can you M. Lilburn and M. Prince be●● the thoughts of so many thousand Protestants (amongst whom who can tell how many faithful servants of God) murdered and massacred without any inquisition made for their blood? nay, that all that remain of that generation must give up themselves to be b●●●her'd and slaughtered by those sons of violence, and shall have no assistance? Could it enter into any man's heart, the L▪ Col. Lilbur● the grand Ze●ot for honest men● interest should ever be so baffled with 〈…〉 glosses, je●uitical; 〈…〉 and c●●●ing Sophistry, as to be persuaded to hinder the re●●●● of Ireland? Do ●ut the sc 〈…〉 and 〈…〉 of those slaughtered men, women and children fill yo●● e●●s, 〈…〉 spruwlings and g●sping● appear in your eyes, while you hinder the just vengeance upon those b●rb●rous m●●there●●? What's become of those wonted bowels of love and affection to the honest party that did found in you? are they restrained ● can you resolve not only to deafen your ears to the cry of the dead for Justice, but will you stop them also against the cry of the living for mercy that are like to be slaughtered for want of relief? What Malignant, what Papist, what Jesuit, nay, what Devil, under the notion of an Angel of light, hath thus bewitched you, that you cannot see the crafty jugglism and jesuitism of your present transactions? Do not you perceive, not yet understand that under the pretence, shape, and vizard of zeal for your Countries good, you are furiously hurried and blindly cheated into such actions that threaten its ruin? Will the raising up of a third war, the utter extirpation of the Protestants in Ireland, the dividing, rending and b●●●king England's Army, the heating, firing, and enflaming the spirits of the honest and united party, the r●ising, increasing, and multiplying difficulties and troubles in this very juncture of time, when all contrivances, plots and projects that malice itself can study and invent by Sea or Land to prevent and hinder the hopeful change of the late Government for the happy promotion of the Liberties and Freedom of the people? will these things I say (the proper tendencies of your present practices) promote the Peace and Interest of England? Or can they be any other than the unhappy birth of the Romish, Malignant, Jesuitical and Satanical Faction? and shall L. Col. John Lilbur● and Mr Prince, professed friends to England's Interest, adjucate, help, and promote the same? or speak plainly, have you quitted the tents of Israel, and struck hands with the Philisti●s? Is your qu●ndam Religion and professed experiences thereof like ●●lt that hath lost its favour? is it now fit for nothing but the dunghill▪ do you make no other use of your old profession then to ret 〈…〉 your credit with your q●o 〈…〉 companio●● for your more 〈…〉 & quick dispatch of their utter ruin, by the course you take; that so you may do their grand Enemy and his party the greater work in a little time; if these things be the ab●o●●ing of your souls, what m 〈…〉 your present practices? Destroy the Parliament and council of State, break the Army in pi●●es, ●et the soldiers against the Officers, tell them 'tis 〈…〉 ●●●e ●●der M 〈…〉 ll Discipline, (though under pay) hinder the relief of Ireland, make way for the rebels to come over hither, let French, & Danes and Devils come with them; do not you think that all this will promote England's interest, the gospel's thoroughfare, and happy success, the peace and prosperity of Honest men? and have not your present ways, a direct face, yea, and a swift foot after these things? or hath the spirit of Tinmouth Lilburne, possessed you, that you have resolved to betray the interest of the whole Nation into the hands of the revengeful enemy. Well, if it be so, you are about a work which will devour the workman. For all they that hate Zion shall be turned backward and perish,   

Postscript.  
Reader,  
THe foolish, vain, inconsistent, malicious, and contradictions Scandals, falsities and absurdities of the late Pamplets, subscribed by these men, are so plain, clear and obviou●, that it would reflect disparagement upon thy judgement, and difficiency upon thy observation to insist upon the same, neverthless because they are a high-flown generation, presuming that unanswerable which others judge intolerable, and men's discretion in slighting their folly insufficiency to refute the same, thou shalt (as occasion i● offered, if thy nostrils can bear it) see the boils and botches of their ulcerous pens launched before thee, wherein thou mayst expect such heights of confidence, and depths of ignorance, such impudence and arrogance, such substantial vapours, such true falsities, such shallow deeps, such real vanities, such irrational reasonings, such dividing propositions for the settlement of peace, such reedy pillars for the establishment of the State, such warring principles for the people's Agreement, as it is hard to say, whether will move thy pity or laughter; but when men turn apostates from God, scoffers of Religion, deny the Scriptures, neglect, co●temn, and despise the means of Sanctification, grow haughty, pr●●d, vainglorious, passionate, froward, fierce, fiery, &c. they'll at last make nothing to strike hands with the Devil and his party, Atheists and Papists, and prop●ane Malignants, no longer help the Lord against the mighty, but the mighty against the Lord, b●tray Ireland, s●ttle the Prince upon the English throne, ruin the ●onest interest of the Nation, and then  
Farewell.