PEACE and PLENTY coming unto us, If we be willing to entertain them and will bid them welcome: Manifested in some Observations upon the Motion lately made by certain persons sitting usually at Salters-H●ll in Bread-street London, and there employed about raising of new Regiments of HORSE and FOOT:  
Viz. 
 That all well-affected Families and Persons would forbear one Meal in a Week, and give the value thereof, for, and toward the Raising and Maintaining of the said Regiments.  
Written by one, who hath heard and seen somewhat said and done, for and against the same Motion, And desireth that it may be more fully understood and furthered, tending (as he conceiveth) so much unto the Public good.  
LONDON, Printed for John Rothw●ll, and are to be sold at his Shop at the sign of the Sun in Paul's Church yard. May 19 MDCXLIII.   

Peace and Plenty coming unto us, if we be willing to entertain them, and will bid them welcome.  
1. NOw Ireland, (from whence we formerly received much food) is so wasted, that it must be supplied from England, or else be pined; and now so many parts of England are also already, and the rest very likely without Gods great mercy, before it belong to be in no better condition: this Motion like the I epers' news, 2 King. 7. bringeth the glad ti●ings of peace and plenty. If we as the unbelieving Lord th●re, will not reject it as impossible; but as the Samaritans there make trial of it. Of peace; for as the Syrians there fled at the noise of Chariots and Horses, so happily may our enemies shortly hearing of these forces added unto the former, sent out against them, or else by the righteous judgement of God fall in battle before them, Of plenty: For if London begin, and England (except where the enemy's Armies hinder) follow her example, and abstain thus betime (as we may hope England, for so great a good will easily b● persuaded to so small a thing) then will plenty also follow, if the Lord please.  
2. If this Motion (in this particular design) succeed well, it may perhaps show this to be the best way to furnish all the necessities of the State, and move the Parliament, allowing only a part of the moneys raised hereby unto these new Regiments (who may levy the same in and within miles of London) to extend this way of raising money and the Kingdom over; and if they find it to yield a sufficient supply, ease themselves, and the people thereby, of, and from all other payments And this (unto some that have seriously considered thereof) seemeth not improbable. For if but the willing party would say unto the Parliament; We will cheerfully abstain from one meal in a week, and give you the value thereof, (yea from two if there be cause) so by an ordinance you will compel the Malignants to do the like: who can doubt but that the Parliament would readily answer; We will give power, if the Malignants refuse to pay their part, to distrain them for three times as much as they shall be assessed at, and also free you from all other payments, if we find these to be sufficient, as in truth they will readily appear to be; if, what one meals meat in all England cometh unto, be but reckoned and cast up, at a very easy and under rate.  
3 By this abstinence the rich men once in a week, may have the poor man's pleasant appetite: which alas they lose or lessen by their continual plenteous feeding, as Solomon showeth, prove. 27. 7. The full soul loathe them honeycomb, but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is ●weet. The rich, what sauces are they said to sharpen their appetites with? when by this abstinence they may find a delightful taste of every dish, yea, and withal have the favour of God, and the love of their Countries. The poor (the poorer they are, even down to the Almsman) in some respects have more reason to abstain, and cast in their mites; for, poor souls, they are not able many other ways (as the rich are) to express their love unto their Country: but this way they may, yea and highly please God thereby (as the widow of Zarephath did, by making Elijah a little cake first, of that handful of meal which was all that she had left, 1. Kings 17.) and withal, either provoke the rich to follow their examples, or shame them before God and men, if they will not. Again, famine first ●illeth the poor and the poorest first of all: and according to the degree of their poverty is plenty the greatest blessing unto them; therefore they have most reason to strive most to avoid famine, and to procure plenty: wherefore let them (for example sake) give even the fou●teenth farthing given to buy them food, if for the present they can give it, and live; therein shall they do wisely for themselves, for none of those that are more able (seeing them that are so poor, to do this) will be so shameless to refuse to do their parts, to avoid famine and to procure plenty. Yea God will move others to enlarge themselves, in relieving su●h poor, as they see (even of their nothing) yet to give something to support the Commonwealth.  
4 If this be done universally, victual must needs be the fourteenth penny cheaper, and thereby one pen ewil be gained in every fourteen laid out for victual, so that what one of jacob's sons said, Gen. 42. 28. My money to restored, and so, it us even in my sack: every one may as truly affirm of what he thus spareth and giveth, that it is restored, for he shall pay so much the less for another week's provision, and the longer he giveth it, still so much the less, for it will be so much the more plentiful, and by consequence the cheaper; which may move the covetous to contribute it, because it will be gainful unto him: and much more if it shall (as if it be observed generally it will) exempt him also from all other impositions. The money thus raised is better unto England, then if Holland or any foreign State gave it: for it is not only gained, but bringeth as (as it were in) all the victual which we save thereby.  
5 If two men in every Parish went with two Books, the one with a white book, and the other with a black book: and recorded in the white book the names of all that by this beneficence became been factors unto their Country, and in the black book theirs that refused, to the perpetual honour of the one, and infamy of the other and their posterities (as a witty Florentine in time of famine adviseth to do) surely very few would be set down in the black book: for the greatest Malignants beside the avoiding of such shame) would also fear left the Parliament might impose more upon them, if they refused this, and thereby shown the height of their malignancy, which moved them even with their own damage, to endeavour the undoing of the Commonwealth: and that all their neighbours would ready to leavy what they were assessed at with zeal enough.  
6 In besieged Cities (for saving of victual) it hath been usual to put out innocent old men, women and children; yea, though they were exposed thereby unto the pleasure of the enemy: how much more do such as refuse this abstinence and contribution deserve to be thrust out, from eating up that which is brought in to sustain this City? yea to be thrust not only out of the City but out of the kingdom also, toward both which (doubtless) they can bear no good affection, who shall refuse to do so little for their preservation and happiness.  
7 All that are religious and lovers of their Country, with all readiness and alacrity will abstain from, and give the value of the best ordinary meal in their families once every week, and not inconsiderately object that their children and servants will ea% as much either before or after such abstinence, as they spare by forbearing that meal. For if in a besieged City, the victual can be, and usually is proportioned, so as it may hold out happily until the siege be raised; how much easier may this be done by a man in his family, if he be Master in his own house; and if in a siege, seven small meals in a week, would be as so many feasts, and men and women be so well contented to feed more sparingly many days, that they might rejoice with their friends upon a feast day: will they not now abstain from one meal in a week, to avoid war and famine, and to procure peace, plenty, and many joyful feasts? If any (unterrified by the judgements which fell upon Ananias and Saphirah) shall keep back a part of the price, by estimating the family's meal at too low a value (beside their present baseness, manifested thereby unto all the Parish) the Parliament if they please to exercise their power therein, can easily appoint some of their neighbours, to give them a just and true reckoning what a meals meat for so many mouths, as they have in their families cometh unto (which would make but little for their credits) and if they refused to pay it, authorize some to levy the same (as in the like cases they have done) by distress, and sale of such Recusants' goods and chattels.  
8. If any be grieved, that for the cooking of dinners on the Lords days, some of their family cannot be at God's public worship in the morning; or that in the afternoon in the like duties, they are too drowsy and sleepy. Behold hereby a remedy for both, They may take (instead of a dinner) only so much as will keep them from fainting; and at supper (which though but ordinary, will seem a feast) they may rejoice that more have been at God's worship, and all become fit by this abstinence to worship him; and that no work (as some perhaps, if this abstinence were on a working day would conceive) were hindered thereby. And for doing of this, no man can doubt that his God will be offended, unless his God be his belly, as the Apostle, Phil. 3. 19 showeth some men's are.  
9 If we will do thus much for ourselves, we shall also hereby show unto our Brethren of Scotland, how without their own cost or ours, they also (if need require) may do the like, and thereby raise and maintain their forces, and come and help us: as we (reciprocally) shall be ready to do for them, whensoever our assistance may do them good.  
10. Joseph an accused stranger, and prisoners advice being harkened unto (when no danger appeared, but by a dream) what good thereby was done for Pharaoh, and all Egypt, the story showeth. Now War hath already wasted so far, that Famine is also come within every man's conjecture: Let England be persuaded to remove both these evils, and to procure Peace and Plenty at a cheaper rate than Egypt did; for the Egyptians lives were saved indeed, but that cost them all that they had, except their Idolatry, their Goods, Lands, and Liberties. But this abstinence, beside the saving of our Lives (with the lords blessing) will also preserve unto us our Goods, Lands, Laws, Liberties, and true Religion. Arguments enough, if any be sufficient to persuade people, with so much ease and accommodation to attain these four excellent aims or ends: 1. The completing of these so necessary new Regiments of Horse and Foot for our own safety. 2. The maintaining of the War (the only way to a good and godly Peace.) 3. The prevention of Famine (which otherwise seems unavoidable.) 4. And lastly, the easing all men from their Contributions, which otherwise must continue, yea, become more grievous, if this course be not taken.  
11. The Spiritual and Temporal Watchmen, Magistrates and Ministers, mentioned Ezek. 33. (except such as be contented God should require the soul, and body blood of the unwarned people at their hands) will doubtless give the people warning, and do what they can to move them to apply the remedies. And Neb. 5. 7. presenteth them a prevalent precedent; when he could not otherwise get the Usurers to remit their interest, he set a great Assembly against them, to cry shame of them: though the belly (as the Proverb speaketh) hath no ears, yet if almost a whole Parish cry out of one so brutish obedient unto his belly, that would not thus abstain and give, doubtless he would either hearken unto them, and come in, or else fly upon such a hue and cry.  
12. All good men now are as busy as Bees at this time of the year, exampling and provoking one another unto good works, especially such as tend to the advancement of Christ's Kingdom and his Church's deliverance, and now (as in Isaiahs' time, Ch. 37.) children are come to the birth, and there is no strength to bring forth: will women (●o ready to assist one another in child bearing) do nothing for Christ? (Hath he shown no love u●to them, or done nothing for them;) y●s, to do them no wrong by silence, they have (above what men have done) fasted and prayed, an● to do still; and in this City, how did many a Dorcus send lately, Shirts, Stockings, and other necessaries; yea, and meat and drink unto Christ's poor Soldiers that fight against Antichrists, and shall hear him at the last day say unto them, In as much as ye have done it unto the least of these my Brethren, yea have done it unto me? Let them not be weary in well doing, for Gal. 6. 9 i● due season they shall reap, if they faint not. The wise woman of Abel, 2 Sam. 20. was able to persuade the whole City for its own safety: if women will study (as they do to obtain their own desires in things concerning themselves) and make use of these and the like Arguments, which of them is there not, but with prayer, endeavour, and the Lords blessing, may prevail with all in their Families, to yield unto this abstinence and contribution? And if any wife to obtain thus much, bestowed upon an unwilling husband, some of those tears (if she had no more) which she useth to wash Christ's feet withal, in the days of her humiliation: without all question, the Lord Jesus would like it as well, as if she bestowed them more immediately upon himself. Have not women generally the disposing of meats and drinks in Families? Let them undertake (if they thus dispense) that God will so ●l●sse the food of that Family (though it were but pulse and water, and so much less of it) that all in the house (like Daniel and his fellows) shall look fairer and fatter in flesh, than any other that do eat daily of any Kings dainties. This work seemeth to be most proper for women, especially, now when men have so many other employments. And a few of the wisest of them here in London, (joining but together unanimously, and appointing some of their s●x, fittest and most active in every Parish) might both ease the men of this labour, and carry this good work thorough the City first, and Kingdom after ward, and be honoured for it both by God and men, in all Countries, and in all ages, and give the Parliament cause (as in the like case once the Dames of Rome did that Senate) to give them p●●●ike thanks for their love and care of the Commonwealth.  
FINIS.