ENGLAND'S REMONSTRANCE.  
OR, A WORD in the EAR TO THE Scattered, Discontented MEMBERS of the late PARLIAMENT.  
SHOWING, That Self-seekers are Self losers; and that no Member ought to Feather his own Nest, but freely to permit every Bird to enjoy his own Feathers, and every Honest man to sit under his own Vine, and enjoy the Fruits thereof.  
Likewise, A Word to the present Assembly at Westminster, and the Council of State at White-Hall, in Order to their present Power, Rule, Government; and the People's Rights, Liberties, and Privileges.  
By ROBERT PURNEL.  Matth. 23. 13. 
Woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees, for ye shut up the Kingdom of Heaven; ye neither go in yourselves, nor suffer them that are entering, to go in.  Jer. 2. 13. 
For, ye have forsaken Me the Fountain of living Waters, and have digged pits, even broken pits, that can hold no Water.  
Oh would to God I had never Reigned! Oh that I had lived a solitary life with God, and not oppressed the People! What doth all my Honour profit me, but, that I have so much the more torment in my Death, and my day of Account is now very near.  Hist. Phil. 3d. K. Spain. 
LONDON: Printed by E. Alsop. 2653.   

A WORD to the Discontentd MEMBERS of the late PARLIAMENT.  
HAve ye sat so long at the Stern, and could ye not steer your Ship aright, but let it split against a Rock? Had ever any Parliament longer time to learn to do well then ye had? Had ever any Parliament such a prize put into their hands as ye? Had ever any Parliamen: so many Prayers, Tears, and Petitions, as ye had? Had ever any Parliament so many signal Testimonies of Gods free Love, in giving so many victories both by Land and Sea as you? Did ever a Parliament make more show of Piety and Reality than you did? Did ever Parliament make so many Protestations, Covenants, Engagements both to God and Man, to establish Righteousness, Truth and Equity, as you? And yet this Honourable, long standing, victorious, engaging Parliament, (if not falsified the trust reposed in them) they did frustrate the expectation of the People that had chosen them: and so at last came to be laid aside, either by God, or man, or both, and scarce a tear for them. And why so? Did ever Parliament promise more and perform less? Did ever Parliament seek greater things for themselves then this? Were I near them, and had the advantage of their Ear, I would whisper a Word of Advice unto them, I would entreat them to read, and seriously to consider, that portion of Scripture, Daniel 4. and 27.  
I would further desire them to do as our brother Zacheus did, Luke 19 8. And Zacheus stood forth and said unto the Lord Behold Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by for god Cavillation, (or they may say, Either upon Public Faith, or false Accusation) I will restore .  
If you take this advice, it may be you may be hid in the day of the Lords Anger, as in Zeph. 2. 3.  
Oh! let it never be truly said of you, that ye Gain while the Nation loseth; neither let it be said of you, that ye have spent your time in feathering your own nests: But now be willing to let every bird have his own feather, that every man may sit down under his own Vine, and eat his own bread, unless it be those that have been Instruments of our Troubles,  
I trust I may say of some of the late Parliament, as once was said of the Church of Sardis, Rev. 3. 4. Thou hast a few Names yet in Sardis which have not defiled their Garments, etc.  
But to the rest of that House, let me tell them, that if they do not lay these things to heart, but rather comfort themselves in the consideration of any good that they have done; Then I say unto you, that the Divine Wisdom knoweth how to use b●d men to good purposes; and in the end not only to cast them off but to punish them when the world is done. Remember the stories of Haman, jehu, and Saul, and you will find that in all Ages, self-seekers were self-losers, and self-destroyers, viz. Adam sought himself, and lost himself; Absalon sought himself, and thereby lost himself; Who ever sought himself and prospered? Who ever continued to seek himself, but perished?  
If ye say, we had a selfdenying Ordinance; I say, ye had not a selfdenying heart and principle; (I am sure, for mine own part, I know it to be so;) Besides, it appears by your endeavouring to make yourselves a perpetual Parliament, that the next might not question you: It seemeth that you had forgotten that next under God, all Power Fundamental, was in the People, and that persons entrusted with it as their trusties: and accordingly it is provided, that such trusties be Questioned for betraying, or ill managing their said Trust.  
Some of your Actions do call for sift, and the Lord will search you (as with candles) and turn your insides outward, that so ye may give an account of your Stewardship, for ye may be no longer Stewards; surely there is shame written upon some of your footsteps, who are standing in slippery places. Oh! might ever a Parliament have come off with more Honour than you, if you had but denied your Natural self, Sinful self, and Religious self?  
Well, I perceive that a bird hoppeth from tree to tree, so do the Honours and riches of this world from man to man: Nay, Honours and Riches are like the Moon and Tide, always changing, increasing or decreasing; The Moon hath been increasing, and the Tide coming in you (as is humbly conceived) these eight or ten years: but now the Moon being at full, and the Spring tide at highest, the Moon is upon decreasing, and the Tide upon returning.  
Well, I see a man may have enough of the world to sink him, but he can never have enough to save him; surely many times the worst of men have most of these outward things, and the best of men have least of the earth and most of heaven.  
I find in Scripture-record that a man may be great and Graceless with Pharaoh, Honourable and Damnable with Saul, Rich and miserable with Dives.  
Oh! I see, I see, that one storm at sea, one coal of fire, one false friend, one unadvised word, one false witness, may make a Rich man a Beggar and a Prisoner altogether: Surely if this had been considered, some things had been reform which were not. Did you never read Psa. 12. 5. Now for the oppression of the needy, and for the sighs of the poor, I will up saith the Lord and will set him at liberty, etc. and Psa. 126. 9 The Lord keeps the stanger, he relieveth the fatherless and widow.  
Did you not know that the oppressions of the poor, which was so great in the midst of us, would pull down the Judgements of God upon the heads of them that had power to relieve them, and would not?  
May not many of you hereafter say, as Philip the third of Spain (whose life was free from gross evils) yet being in the Agony of Death, fear struck into him, and these words burst out, O would to God I had never Reigned! Oh that I had lived a solitary life with God, and not oppressed the people! What doth all mine Honour profit me, but that I have so much the more torment in my Death! the day of my Account is very near. And let all men know, that the overflowing of Sin, and the overflowing of Oppression causeth the overflowing of Vengeance.  
Abused Opportunity will most certainly turn inro Fury; for God's long forbearance 〈…〉; the day is at hand, when he will pay negligent men and women for mispending precious time, and for the abuse of Old and New mercies in the day of Account. men's Actions are all (or will be in Print) and shall one day be read aloud in the ears of all the world, that all the righteour Nation that shall enter in may say Amen to that righteous sentence that Christ shall pass upon all those that had a prize put into their hands to mind his Glory, and to unload his people of their heavy burdens, that the oppressed might go free; but they had no mind to it, as in the Proverbs, but in stead thereof sought great things for themselves, as in Jeremy 45. 5. Nay, though Moses and Aaron (two choice Champions) did lead and Govern Israel for a long time, notwithstanding many dangers and difficulties, yet they were at last shut out of Canaan, because they did not sanctify the Lord in their hearts at the water of Meribah, Deut. 32. 15. Num. 14. 15. For ye were disobdient to my Word in the strife of the Assembly.   

A Word of Advice to the present Supreme Authority of England, etc.  
Most Noble and Honoured Sirs,  
WHom God even the God of the spirits of all flesh hath entrusted at present with the highest places not only in the field, but also in the seat of Justice: the prayers of the Godly for you are; that the Lord would rather make you gracious and inwardly holy, then outwardly happy; and give you a spirit of d●vine wisdom and valour, suitable to the work in hand, that ye may improve the present opportunity that is put into your hands, for the glory of God that gave it you; consider that the presence of God is in the midst of you, the prayers of the Saints and servants of God are continually poured out for you, the eyes of the people are upon you all, expecting some great things to be done by you; yea, and the other parts of the world look upon you (as if they intended) if you go on in any way of righteousness, to follow you; it will be a glory for the English nation to give a blessed example to all the people of the earth to free themselves from Tyranny and Slavery,  
If a worm might be thought worthy to advise you, then give me leave to tell you, there is but one thing in the main that God and his people do expect from you, viz. that you would eye the Lord Jesus in all your actings, and advance his Kingdom as much as in you lies, and if this be uppermost in your hearts, first in your thoughts, and constant in your purposes; so as you do in your judgements prefer, and in your wills deliberately mind the glory of God, the advancement of the Kingdom of his dear son, by the assistance of his holy spirit, then shall the work of the Lord prosper in your hands, and the day shall be light before you, and his footsteps that are not yet known, shall be discovered unto you, and ye shall see your work before you.  
Christ was once humbled that we might be exalted; let him be now exalted that we may be humbled by him.  
Although he be willing to give you grace, yet his glory he will not give to any other: let it be a comfort to you that he hath exalted you in the heart of his people, although you are a table-talk, and a byword, and a scorn, in the hearts of his enemies.  
Well, would you stand yourselves now others are fallen, and not only keep, but also add to the honour which God hath given you, then make it your business to exalt the Kingdom of Christ not only in yourselves, but also in the neighbouring nations; and remember that the rock of ages pulleth down some, to the end that others might not exalt themselves when they are in power; for the Lord hath decreed to slain the pride of all earthly honour, and to bring into contempt all the honourable of the earth, that so all flesh might be humbled, and the Lord alone exalted: Therefore seek you not great things for yourselves (as many of those before you did) lest you be also laid aside, and no eye pity you.  
Provide no more for yourselves than you have (I beseech you) but to seek the honour of Christ, and the freedom of the Saints, and these nations, wherein your own freedoms and safeties are involved: Consider that the Lord hath hitherto made you friends to some of his people, and a terror to their and his enemies: and our prayer to the Lord is, that he would teach you, as once he did good Nehemiah, to do many years hard service freely, because the payments were heavy on their brethren. Nehem. 5. 14. 18. That you may say as that servant of Christ did, to the glory of God. and the shame of the former selfseeking powers, ver. 15 but the former Governors that had been before me, were chargeable unto the people, and had taken of them their bread and wine, besides 40 shekels of silver, but so did not I (saith the good man) because of the fear of the Lord. I have but a few things more to beg (as upon my bended knees, and with weeping eyes) which if you will but hear and grant, it may make much for the glory of God, the honour of the three nations, and the comfort of your own souls.  
1. The first thing is, that you would set some time and persons apart to hear and receive the private Petitions of poor widows, and fatherless so much neglected by the former power; for they have poured out their complaints in the midst of their wants, and their cry came up before the Lord, before the dissolving the late Parliament.  
Consider (I request you) that the earth is the Lords, and all that is therein, (and not our Storehouse) and you are at present his Stewards, wherefore as in Prov. 3. 27. With hold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it. So shall you in the end be able to say with job, that you have not withhold the poor from their desire, nor caused the eyes of the widow and fatherless to sail, nor seen any perish for want of clothing nor seen any poor in the streets without covering.  
I could almost say to you, as Abraham did once to the Lord, Gen. 18. 27. behold now I have taken upon me to speak which am but dust and ashes; I would beg leave to present a few more things to your consideration.  
2. The next thing is, that when you make inquisition for Wolves prophesied of by Christ and his Apostles, Matth. 7, 15. compared with Acts. 20 19 That come to us insheeps' clothing; that you would not do as the late Parliament did, to stop the wolves mouth in one town, and let him go and devour in another; if he be adjudged unfit to by't or devour in one place, let him be held as unfit in another, lest you should do in effect as they did, put out the fire Can and send it to Marlbrough, or endeavour to stop the Plague at Bristol, by sending the infected persons to London.  
3. The next thing that I would beg of you for this poor nation, is, that whereas the last power did promise much and perform little; be you more like God, (I both humbly and earnestly request you) by promising less than you intent to perform; that you may in very deed appear to be like him: He promised the children of Israel only the land of Canaan; but besides that he gave them two other Kingdoms, which he did never promise to give them: and to Zacharias, Luk. 1. 20. he promised to give him his speech again at the birth of the child, but besides that he gave him the spirit of Prophecy; so that as Paul saith, he cau do abundantly above all that we are able to ask or think.  
And you that say ye abide in him, ought so to walk, as ye have him for an example; see Eph. 3. 20. 1 John 2. 6.  
4. The next thing that I would beg of you, Most Honourable Senators, is this, that you would endeavour to unite all the Saints sound in the faith to an union in the spirit of love. Though England be but as a garden to the whole world, and the people in it but a handful▪ and scarce one of twenty of this handful Godly men; yet were these few Saints united by the blessed spirit, so as their hearts might agree together, as touching any thing they ought to ask; and were so well affected to lift up one voice and one heart (according to the will of God) they would have the thing they ask for, so as nothing should be too hard for them to do; all the world could not stand before them, nor undermine them, for they would be wise in the Lord's wisdom, and strong in him, and in the power of his might: Shall Herod and Pilate agree? Turks and Pagans? Bears and Lions agree? Tigers and Wolves agree? and shall not Saints agree? if the Saints were but but once united, Antichrist would soon be destroyed. Oh! let not our Supreme power, under God, be angry, and I will speak but this once. Oh! let me then say as once Mordecai did to Hester. Hester 4. 14. If thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall deliverance arise from another place, or power, but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed, and who knoweth whether thou art come to the Kingdom for such a time as this? (And under Correction) let me tell you the work is the Lords, and if you will not carry it on, he will lay you aside with shame, and raise up those that he will own and bless.  
And whereas most of the Godly people in England, are crying to God mightly for you, to purge out selfseeking, and to plant a spirit of government in you, and to furnish you with natural and spiritual abilities suitable to the work that lieth before you; but if you begin to flag (as the former power did) and so let the work stick in the birth, and every one minding his own things, and not the things of Jesus Christ; Then let me tell you, that all the Lords people in England, and the other nations, will be praying to him, and wrestling with him, and give him no rest night nor day till the Lord turn you also out of doors, and bring in those that he will own and bless.  
FINIS.