ANIMADVERSIONS UPON A Letter and Paper, first sent to His Highness by certain Gentlemen and others in Wales: And since printed, and published to the world by some of the Subscribers.  
BY ONE Whose Desire and Endeavor is, TO Preserve Peace and Safety, By removing Offence and Enmity.  
Printed in the year 1656.   

A Preface to the Subscribers of the Paper.  
FRIENDS:  
I Have formerly been engaged in our public Affairs, but have since been so long disengaged, as may well free me from the suspicion of being a Courtier; being both offended at, and an offence to them that be in Power: I am free from all Parties that are in the Nation, and shall use my Liberty, in dealing as impartially as I can (or as my weakness will permit) 'twixt you and our present Governors, whom you oppose; if I do incline to either side, 'tis to you, as most needing Pity: 'Tis true, they are to be pitied rather than envied, yet your condition seems to me much worse than theirs every way, as much weaker and darker, in your way and spirits, as you are in outward place 〈◊〉 power. I am a man so much under Temptation, Offence, Persecution and Contempt, that if there be a Party of such, I am very natural to them; and, if there be any by as in my temper to incline me to any, it is to such: I assure you, upon the review of what I have written, my Judgement smites me, for having been more gentle to you, than in Justice and in true Love I ought to be, or than your case requires I should be; and therefore shall, I doubt, in transcribing of it, be necessitated to more sharpness than I intended: But if I were not conscious to myself of a Design of Love to you in it, and that in this work I should more serve you than them, I could not proceed in it.  
I have examined and observed all things of this nature (that I have met with) against this present Government, they have passed the private censure of my Pen, though not published; and this I must say of yours and the rest, That though this present state of things be very reprovable, having much evil in it; yet none of you have come forth in Righteousness and Judgement against it, nor in a Light that is able either to Convince or Instruct; but a deal of weak and dark Accusations, from minds uncasie and sick with Passion and Discontent, all tending to blow up a Spirit of Wrath and Violence, and so to multiply our Wounds and Maladies, not to cure them. I have hitherto been silent, thinking that those weak Passions that have looked out, would vanish quickly as smoke, and so they have: But in this Paper of yours the humours are more gross, are gathered together, and come out in an outward Tumour, as if you intended to make a business of it; and therefore I am drawn forth in public to Treat fairly with you, and to divert you from your course, which, I fear, is dangerous to yourselves and to us all: And this I do upon a double ground;  
I First, As one that hath an Interest in the common Peace of the Nation, and in the Safety of the Honest and Religious Party; both which are lodged, for the present, in this Government, be it never so corrupt: This Open and United declaring against it, with such Violence and Boldness, tends to undermine our Peace, by Raising a New War, and so to let in miserable Confusion amongst us: Your Design seems to be, To take the Power out of these men's hands into your own; which is, 〈◊〉, a vain and irrational Attempt, for the Sword is already d●●●sed of, and settled, not to be removed: You may Disturb, Wa●●e and Destroy, by opening a way for your and our Enemies, but not get it to yourselves; and if you had it, you would undo us, and make yourselves more miserable by your Reigning, than you can be by Suffering: God, I know, can bring Light out of Darkness, and Salvation out of Confusion; but as a Man, my Nature is much engaged to uphold this wretched Frame of things, in which our Peace and Safety seems to lie, till God be pleased to find a better way for us, rather than the whole work should run back into utter Desolation and Confusion: And therefore cannot but withstand your Spirit, in which there doth not appoar either Strength to get, or Wisdom to use Power; if you should have so much Wrath and Fury to administer, as to overthrow this Power, you might continue a time to Torment the Nation; but the same Violence and Wrath would hurry you on to such things, as would Ruin both yourselves and us.  
II. Secondly, I would deal with you as a Christian, and one that earnestly desire to see the least: Beam of the true Glory of that Kingdom of Christ that you profess for: True, you have the Name and Notion of it amongst you, and that too pitifully besmeared with Darkness and Folly; but for the thing itself, you are so short of it, yea so opposite to it, that when it shall come forth in Truth and Power, you will not be able to stand before it; I am very much persuaded, that if you had any thing of a sober and real sense of yourselves and it, of your own Vileness and Uncleanness, and of its Majesty and Purity, you would hid yourselves in Shame and Self-condemnation, and not appear openly for it: And therefore I cannot, but in that little knowledge that I have of Religion, appear against your  and Undue claim to the Kingdom of Christ: It may be you are confident you have it, and act for it, and do expect that all should bow to that broken Image of it that you have set up; whatever you now think, 'twill be at last found a great kindness to you, to tell you, That you in your present Actings are not so much as in a way to it; but are setting up Passion, Enmity, Darkness and Wrath, not the Grace of Christ and His Kingdom.  
O take no pleasure in meddling with Sin and Evil in any, God knows is a grief to me to deal with it; were it not necessary for your Instruction, I could not at all take notice of: I am sorry I am not able to do you good, without discovering your weakness to you and the world; my intention is not to condemn or dishonour you, but to direct you into a better path: You are now come forth against your Brethren in the common Road of Accusation and worldly Enmity, wherein you disturb the peace of your own house, where you may live quietly; you gratify your Enemies, and that railing, wrathful Spirit that is abroad in the world, and cannot but wound and vex your own souls: I shall only wish you to retire into yourselves and your own souls; you fight now with the Fame, Appearance and outward Show of Sin in your Brethren; you may at home deal with the very Spirit, Body and Root of the same Unrighteousness, where if you prevail, you may come forth to convince them and save us; whereas in that blind way in which you are, you can do nothing, but wound, provoke, build up Wrath, harden and strengthen Sin amongst us.  
As it is not my intent to condemn you so not to justify them that you condemn; The whole world cries out against them: I have not Love enough to wipe off all that is charged upon them, they must therefore patiently bear their Reproach, till God bring forth their Righteousness; I fear they are guilty, it may be, of more than you can accuse them of; but certainly, not of all you accuse them of: It's a small thing to be judged of man; If they have Innocency at home, 'twill make them think so: Man judges by appearance, God searches the heart; They are upon their Trial, and will in time show what is in them: All that I desire for them is, That they may not be disturbed in their Work, which is, To Protect as in Peace and Safety, till God bring forth some more excellent Glory amongst us: They are a People that profess the Name of God, and have appealed to him, and do daily; 'Tis much my mind, That they might stand against Man's violence, and that God would be pleased to judge their Cause himself: To his Justice and Mercy let us leave them.  
Friends, Bear with me, I am offended at them with you, and at you with them, and most of all at myself: I 〈◊〉 justify myself in what I do, but am in fear, lest while I ●●●●rpose, I may be guilty of greater Folly than either of you: As I cannot justify myself, so can I not condemn myself as guilty of any known Evil in it; for that Fear of the Lord that makes me doubt all my Actions; makes me likewise careful to avoid Evil. What I offer to you, is the frame of my Spirit concerning public Transactions, and the Observations that I have made upon things while I have been a Spectator; Thus far I may commend them to you, That what I administer to you (if you can receive it) will be more profitable and pleasant to you, than that Spirit in which you act: All that I desire of you is, but that you would lay aside Wrath, malice, etc. which darken the mind, and that you would with Meekness admit them to a friendly and ingenuous Consideration. If these Animadversions may but a little ease your troubled Spirits, temper and allay your Anger, 'twill be an ease to you, and a pleasure to  
Your unknown Friend,   

The LETTER and PAPER enclosed, Subscribed by certain Gentlemen and others in WALES, and sent to His Highness; viz.  
A WORD FOR GOD: OR, A Testimony on Truth's behalf; from several Churches, and divers hundreds of Christians in Wales (and some sew adjacent) against Wickedness in High places. With a Letter to the Lord General CROMWELL. Both, first presented to his own hands, and now published for further Information.  Job 36.1. 
Suffer me a little, and I will show thee that I have yet to speak on God's behalf.  Isa. 43.8, 9 
Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared it? ye are then my witnesses. Is there a God besides me? Yea there is no God, I know not any.  
They that make a graven image are all of them vanity, and their delectable things shall not profit; and they are their own witnesses, they see not, nor know, that they may be ashamed.  
To OLIVER CROMWELL Captain General of all the Forces in England, Scotland and Ireland.  
SIR;  
Forasmuch as you have caused great search of heart, and Divisions among many of God's people, by a sudden, strange and unexpected Alteration of Government, and other Actions, to the great astonishment of those who knew your former public Resolutions and Declarations; considering also how (contrary to foregoing Acts and Engagements) you have taken upon you a Power, by which you are utterly disenabled (and if there were in you a heart) to prosecate the good things covenanted and contended for, with so many great hazards, and the effusion of so much precious blood; and by reason whereof you are become justly suspected in your Ends in time past, and Actions for future, to very many of those, of whose Affections and faithful Services you have enjoyed no small share; in all the difficult Passages and Erterprises of the late War: These things considered by us (as we know they are by many Churches and Saints) and there being a deep sense upon our Spirits, of the Odium under which the Name of Christ, his Cause, People and Ways do lie, as it were buried) as also of the exceeding Contempt which the wonderful and excellent Operations of God are brought into, even those eminent Wonders which the Nations have been Spectators and Witnesses of, and wherein your hands have been partly engaged in. We cannot (after much serious consideration, and seeking of the Lord, many of us, both together and apart) but present to your hands the ensuing Testimony, which (however you may look thereon) is no more than Necessity exacts from us for the clearing of our own souls from guilt, and discharging of our duty to God and Men. Therefore we earnestly wish you to peruse and weigh it, as in the sight of God, with a calm and Christianlike Spirit, and harden not your neck against the Truth, as you will answer it to the great Judge, before whose impartial Tribunal you (as well as we) shall be very shortly cited, to give an account of things done in the body; whether good or evil, where the true Motives and Ends of all your Actions will be evident, where no Apology will be accepted of, for your slighting and blaspheming of the Spirit of God, nor for the hard measure you give his people, by Reproaches, Imprisonments, and other Oppressions; and, where Pride, Luxury, Lasciviousness, and Changing of Principles, and forsaking the good ways of Justice and Holiness, will not have the smalleft rag of pretence to hid them from the eyes of the Judge. Which things (whatsoever you say for yourself) are (even at, present to be read in your forehead) and have produced most sad effects every where; Especially (1) in filling of the Saints hearts and faces with an inexpressible grief and shame; and (2) the stopping (at least) the strong current of their prayers, which was once for you, if not the turning thereof directly against you: To these we might add, (3) the hardening of wicked men, yea the refreshing and justifying of them in their evil do and speakings against the Gospel, Name and Spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ; And lastly, God's signal withdrawing from you and your Designs. Oh that then you would lie down in the dust, and acknowledge your Iniquity, and return unto the Lord by unfeigned Repentance, doing your first work; and that you would make haste to do so, lest God's fury break forth like fire upon you, and there be no quenching of it. This would rejoice us much, as being real Wellwishers to your Souls everlasting Happiness, though we must with equal Pity and Detestation, Declare against your Designs and Way.  

A WORD for GOD.  
THe wise God that teacheth the fowls of Heaven to know their appointed times (who directs his people's work in Truth) hath, we hope, 
jer. 8.7.  directed us (after a long time of silence and carnest seeking the Lord) to express and declare what we finde in our consciences touching the transaction of this season; and though some may think (as we ourselves have been tempted to think) That this is a time wherein the prudent should hold his peace, it being such an evil time, that men are made Offenders, yea Traitors for Words; yet considering how the Lords Remembrancers should not keep silence, 
jer. 20.9.  and fearing that if we should altogether hold our peace at such a time as this (as Mordecai said to Hester) Deliverance would come another way; 
Isa. 62.6.  and we could expect no share in the enlargement of God's people, or safety in the day of trouble: 
Hest. 4.14.  Withal finding how Self would prompt us (like Issachar) to see that rest is good, and outward prosperity pleasant; 
Gen. 49. ●5.  and how the same temptations (which we finde and fear many of our dear Brethren. to be under) have set upon some of us, as to have men's persons in admiration because of advantage, and by good words, fair speeches and promises, to be deceived, and drawn away in simplicity, 
Ind. 16  especially by the example of some eminent in en (like Peter) insomuch that many Barnaba's are carried away with their dissimulation, 
Rom. 16 18.  and aswel Ministers as Military men willing, to serve the King for his work and wages: 
2 Sam. 15.7.  However, seeing every man must give an account unto God for himself, we have examined what particular duty was incumbent upon us, 
Gal. 2.13.  and how in faithfulness towards God, and meekness towards, Men, 
2 Chron 4.23.  we should perform the same. Moreover, considering how the Saints did formerly bear their testimony (not loving their lives unto the death) and by the blood of the Lamb and their testimony did overcome; 
Rom. 14.12.  and how God did heretofore stir up some of his people (both in England and Scotland) to bear witness to the Truth and ways of God, 
Rev. 12 7.  against the ways and wickedness of Men) as a Forlorn-hope, though they were in comparison but a few, 
Numb. 14.6, 7, 8, 9  like Joshua and Caleb, two of twelve; or li the two Witnesses, a small, yet suffcient number. Observing also, That there are present Truths, and every work being beautiful in its season, 
Rev. 11 3.  as (in the beginning of the late Wars) was the witnessing against the Book of Common Prayer, Surplice, Cross in Baptism, 
2 Pet. 1 12.  and other Ceremonies, (being Superstitious things imposed by the Bishops) and against Ship-Money, Monopolies, &c, (Civil things) imposed formerly by the King: All which were afterwards declared, protested and covenanted against; which Protestation and Covenant are fresh in the memories, and pressing the Consciences of some of us, even unto this day; besides the Engagement, and the several Acts of Parliament made against Monarchy or Kingly Government; All which now seem to be forgotten or neglected: And those that spoke or writ in defence of such things, as the Parliament, Army, and the Godly people in the three Nations approved, asserted, and purchased at a dear rate, are now accounted Fanatic Fools, Disturbers of Civil State, and Intermedlers in things that concern them not; under which notion many suffer Imprisonment, and other trials, as Evil-doers, from those men, who now build what they did once destroy, and justify what they did once condemn: 
Aug. 1. 1650. p. 11, 12  Witness their own Writings, particularly The Declaratio of the Officers and Soldiers of the English Army (whereof the Lord Cromwell was General) The words whereof are as followeth: We are persuaded in our Consciences, That the late King and His Monarchy, was one of the ten Horns of the Beast spoken of, Rev. 17.13, etc. And that we were called forth by the Lord, to be instrumental to bring about that which was our continual prayer unto God, viz. The destruction of Antichrist, and the deliverance of his Church and people: And upon this single account we engaged, not knowing the deep Policies of worldly Statesmen; and have ever since hazarded our lives in the high places of the field (where we have seen many wonders of the Lord) against all the Opposers of the work of jesus Christ, whom we have all along seen going with us, and making our way plain before us: And having these things singly in our eye, namely, The destruction of Antichrist, The advancement of the Kingdom of Christ, The deliverance of his Church, and the establishment thereof in the use of his Ordinances, in Purity, according to his Word, and the just Civil Liberties of English man. These, with many other expressions, both in the Declaration and several other Papers of the Army, Letters of the General, cited both in the Declaration of the Members of several Churches, and Petitions of the three Colonels, 
Sanders Okey & Alured  besides several other Papers which might be instanced in, which we leave to all  men to consider, and compare with actions done by the sarne men since that time. But in pursuance of our duty to God, our fellow Members and Countrymen, as we are Christians, having a right to the things of Christ, and as we are men having a right to our Native Privileges, We do Declare our real Apprehensions and Consciences, which (to the great grief of some of us) we have so long concealed, waiting if God might by his providence alter our minds.  
I. That the Sins and present condition of this Nation holds parallel in many things with the old Israelites, after the mighty wonders of God shown unto them in their great deliverance out of Egypt: For instance, 
Psal. 106.13.  They and we have soon forgot God our Saviour, and the great works which he did; we have not set our hearts aright, and our Spirits have not been steadfast with God, but have gone back, and dealt treacherously, 
Psa. 78.9.10.  and turned aside like, a deceitful Bow; and not trusting to his salvation, have provoked the Lord to anger with our invention; 
Ps. 106.28, 29.  so that men have dominion over our bodies, and over our , at their pleasure: 
〈…〉 37.  And we are in great distress, for this is a day of trouble and of blasphemy; for the children are come to the birth, and there is not strength to bring forth.  
II. That blessed Cause, and those noble Principles propounded and prosecuted by the old Parliament, and the Good, people of this Nation (in the maintaining of which God did miraculously appear) are now altogether laid aside and lost, and another Cause and Interest (quite contrary, as we conceive) espoused and maintained; for then the Advancement of Christ's Kingdom, the Extirpation of Popery, and Popish Innovations, the Privileges of Parliament, the Liberty of the Subjects, and an equal Distribution of Justice were declared and fought for; and Tyranny, Oppression, Injustice, Arbitrariness, Destroying the Privileges of Parliaments, we declared and engaged against: But how far some men have now receded from, and acted contrarily, to the dishonour of God, Scandal of Religion, great grief of many faithful men, and the strengthening of the wicked in their principles, and justifying their practices, we leave to the consideration of all those that are sober and wise.  
III. Moreover, the unadvised and unwarrantable changing of the Government, and a swearing thereunto, doth (as we judge) put a Necessity upon the chief Undertaker thereof, to overthrow the very foundation of a Commonwealth, and to maintain the things comprised in the said Instrument (whether right or wrong) And to turn the very edge and dint of his Sword against the faces and bowels of such, as should or shall declare their Consciences contrary thereunto.  
iv As a consequence and fruit of this Forbidden Tree, many of the choice Servants of God, and Faithful of the Nation (some Gentlemen, Ministers of the Gospel, Soldiers, etc.) are imprisoned, without knowing their Accusers, or having so much as was granted by the Heathens to the Apostles, or the benefit of a fair and public trial, according to the Fundamental Laws of this Nation.  
V Under pretence of Necessity, still to continue the heavy Burdens of Taxes, 
Art. 27. ●● 30.  Customs, Excize, etc. upon the Nation, without (yea contrary to) the consent of the People represented in Parliament, and contrary to their own Instrument.  
VI Notwithstanding all the fair pretences and promises of Reformation, yet what abominable and horrible Impieties, Injustice and Oppression, are there couched and covered under this new Form, from the head to the tail (as the Prophet saith) treading in the footsteps of their predecessors; witness the receiving of the Honours, Profits, Customs, Benefits, Tenths and First-fruits, coming in formerly to the Crown; the Exalting of Sons, Servants, Friends and Favourites (though some of them known to be wicked men) to the highest places and greatest preferments, which the good Rulers of old, as Gideon, Nehemiah, and others did not do, because of the fear of the Lord, & the bondage which was heavy upon the people. Witness also the Unreasonableness of the Army, to have so many Officers, which might easily be reduced to a lesser number, and both Officers and Soldiers, for many years to receive their pay (even in a time of Peace) when the poor Peasants or Tenants (who pay but Ten shillings Rend per Annum) do pay out of their Penury, to maintain them in their Pomp and Luxury.  
VII. We cannot, without grief, mention the sad eftects of the secret Design of Hispaniola, to the loss of so many men's Lives, Expense of so much Blood and Treasure, and the endangering of this Commonwealth by Invasion, as also thereby rendering us a scorn and a snuff to all the Nations round about.  
Lastly, We do Declare and publish to all from our very hearts and souls, That those of us that hand any hand in joining with the Parliament and Army heretofore, had no other Designs against the late King or his party, save as they were Enemies to the Lord Christ, his Kingdom and people, hinderers of his work, and Oppressors of the Nation; and that it never came into our hearts to think or intent the pulling down of one Person to set up another, or one Unrighteous Power to permit another; but as we aimed (primarily) at the Glory of God, so likewise at the general good of the Nation, and particular benefit and just Liberty of every man: And it grieves us that any just cause is given them to stumble at Professors, or complain that they are deprived of their Freedom, and several ways more oppressed, than in the days of the wickedest Kings.  
We do also believe in our hearts, That (though the worse; t things are not without God's permission and providence) yet that this Government is not of God's Approbation, or taken up by his counsel, or according to his Word; and therefore we do utterly disclaim having any hand or heart in it: And for the Contrivers and Undertakers thereof, we suspect and judge them to be great Transgressor's therein, and so much the more, because they are Professors of Religion, & Declarers, Engagers, and Fighters against the very things they now practise: And it is most evident to us, that they thereby build again what before they did destroy; and in so doing they render Themselves, the Cause, Religion, Name and People of God, abominable to Heathens, Papists, and profane Enemies; which is a grief to our souls to consider.  
We do also detest the practices of these men, in imprisoning the Saints of God for their Consciences and Testimony, and just men, who stand for Moral and just Principles, and the Freedom of the Nation and people; and their breaking of Parliaments to effect their own Designs.  
We do also from our souls witness against their new Modeling of Ministers (as Antichristian) and keeping up of Parishes and Tithes (as Popish Innovations;) and we disclaim all Adherents to, owning of, or joining with these men in their ways; and do withdraw, 
2 Tim. 3.  and desire all the Lords people to withdraw from these men, as those that are guilty of the Sins of the Latter days, 
Matth. 24.  and that have left following the Lord, and that God's people should avoid their sin, lest they partake with them in their plagues: Thus concluding our Testimony, we subscribe our Names hereunto.  

William Jones.  
John Morgan,  
John Thomas.  
Evan Jones.  
John Philips.  
Thomas Jones.  
John Beevan.  
Thomas Lewis.  
Gabriel Lewis.  
Howel Thomas.  
Thomas Philips.  
william Howels.  
William Waters.  
Howel John.  
John Price.  
Meredith Philips.  
William Jenkins.  
Thomas Prosser.  
Jenkin Grissith.  
Howel Williams.  
Thomas Williams.  
Richard Howel.  
Watkin Price.  
William Powel.  
Thomas Powel.  
Lewis Williams.  
Lewis Reece.  
Reece John.  
Howel Reece.  
Richard John.  
Richard Price.  
John David.  
David Morgan.  
Morgan William.  
Morgan Robert.  
John William.  
Lewis David.  
Thomas Edward's.  
Reece John.  
Jenkin Jones.  
William Jones.  
jenkin Rosser.  
Rice Rosser.  
Nicholas Griffiths.  
Lewelin Beevan.  
james Powel.  
Mirick Morgan.  
Evan Meredith.  
William Jones.  
Meredith Rees.  
William Edward.  
Richard Roberts.  
Lewis David.  
Morgan john.  
Richard Thomas.  
Meredith William.  
Wilkin Rice.  
William watkin.  
Reece David.  
Watkin David.  
David William.  
William Philips.  
john Williams.  
Henry Thomas.  
john jones.  
john Farmer.  
Henry Meredith.  
Trehern Morgan.  
Richard David.  
Evan john.  
Edward Evan.  
Thomas Evan.  
David Evan.  
Howel Waters.  
jenkin Waters.  
john Howel.  
Philip David.  
Rice Richard.  
Edward Matthews.  
Watkin Richard.  
Thomas Evan.  
Lewelin jenkin.  
jenkin William.  
Thomas William.  
Evan Lewelin,  
john Lewis.  
William waters.  
Morgan David.  
john David.  
David Walter.  
Reece jones.  
Philip jones.  
jervice jones.  
Edward jenkin's.  
Watkin jenkin's.  
David Thomas,  
Rice jones.  
Evan john  
David William.  
Henry Williams.  
john Bedward.  
Thomas Tunman.  
Robert Tunman.  
Roger Grissith.  
Thomas Morgan.  
William Price.  
David Davies.  
David Price.  
Richard Morris.  
john Evans.  
David Powel.  
Wal er Lewis.  
Richard Meredith.  
William Morris.  
james Haydock.  
William Bostock  
Philip Russel.  
Edward Williams.  
james Morgan.  
David Rutherch.  
William Bayes.  
Reece jones.  
Richard james.  
William Hopkins.  
Lewis jones.  
William Watkins.  
Richard Mils.  
john Thomas.  
john Smith.  
William Price.  
Vavasor Powel.  
john Williams.  
john Hammer.  
Morris Grissith.  
Edward owen's.  
Richard Grissith.  
Walter Davies.  
Thomas Gwin.  
Thomas Vaughan.  
john Powel,  
Rees Havard.  
Roger Thomas.  
Thomas Lewis.  
John Watkin.  
Walter Lewis.  
William Thomas.  
William Lewis.  
Richard Vaughan.  
David Jones.  
Rice Thomas.  
Henry Thomas.  
John Williams.  
Thomas Powel.  
John David.  
John Rowbuck.  
Evan Watkin.  
Charles Lloyd.  
Hugh Thomas.  
Rosser Watkin.  
Thomas Grissith.  
Lewis Price.  
Morgan Lloyd.  
William Thomas.  
Lewis James.  
John Thomas.  
Robert Thomas.  
Howel Watkin.  
Thomas Price.  
Roger Williams.  
John Baddam.  
John Powel.  
David Roberts.  
John Pugh.  
Thomas Parry.  
Howel Williams.  
Walter Price.  
William Bevan.  
Lewis Prytherch.  
David William.  
Lewelin ap john.  
jenkin Grissith.  
Peter Chidlow.  
Arthur Chidlow.  
William jones.  
Owen Humphrey.  
Evan Thomas.  
Samuel Breeze.  
john Lewis.  
William Bea●sley.  
Thomas Morgan's.  
john Symonds.  
William Beddoes.  
Morris Williams.  
james Williams.  
William Matthews.  
Lewis Price.  
Evan Ellis.  
Richard Tudge.  
William Fernel.  
Edward Gretholder.  
john Tomkins.  
Thomas Tudge.  
Hugh Evans.  
Owen Lewis.  
Owen jones.  
Edward Breeze.  
Ralph Robothom.  
William Lewis.  
john Powel.  
David Kadwalader.  
Rowland Tudge.  
David Evan.  
john Tibbots.  
Samuel Williams.  
Richard Bromley.  
Richard Baxter.  
john Crowther.  
Francis Mason.  
john Evans.  
David Philip's.  
William Evans.  
Thomas Ellis.  
Thomas Crowther.  
Thomas Fernel.  
Richard Irish.  
Henry jones.  
William Phipps.  
William Beeket.  
Daniel Breeze.  
Francis Hancock  
Edward Irish.  
Oliver David.  
William Dabellis.  
Lewis Pugh.  
Richard Rogers.  
Owen jones.  
Edmund Rosser.  
john Meredith.  
William Thomas.  
Llewelin Lewis.  
john Rowland.  
Lewis Williams.  
William Lewis.  
Edward Williams,  
Howel Rees.  
Rowland Morgan.  
Philip Gyles.  
james Watkins.  
john james.  
Lewis jones.  
Michael Watkins.  
Edmund Morgan.  
Rosser Thomas.  
john Rosser.  
Thomas john.  
james john.  
Elias Thomas.  
john Howel.  
William john.  
Rosser Watkin.  
Daniel john.  
Thomas ap john.  
Gilbert Morris.  
Matthew Prichard.  
Edward jones.  
Owen Edward.  
David Thomas.  
I●hn Pugh.  
Howel Thomas.  
Reece ap David.  
john Bevan.  
Thomas Lloyd.  
Kenrick jones.  
james Quarrel.  
Edward Williams.  
Edward Moor.  
john Roberts.  
john Brown.  
Alexander Powel.  
Hugh Powel.  
john Nicholas.  
Philip Williams.  
Robert Sanctley.  
john james.  
Edward Roberts.  
Walter Thimbleton.  
john Fowler.  
Hugh Prichard.  
Henry Williams.  
William Win.  
Richard Saltonstal.  
Rice jones.  
Richard Williams.  
Philip Rogers.  
Richard Roberts.  
Thomas ap Thomas.  
Ellice ap Roger.  
David ap Edward.  
David Lloyd,  
Thomas Edwards.  
Francis Lith.  
james Park  
john Meredith.  
john owen's.  
William jenning's.  
George jenkin's.  
William Heatley.  
john Lewis.  
David jones.  
jeffrey Parry.  
john Hughes.  
john Evans.  
Richard jones.  
William Rider.  
john Ratlieff.  
William jones.  
Ralph Hopley.  
Hugh Price.  
Grissith jones.  
Brian Sixsmith.  
Nathaniel Edward's.  
john Meredith.    

A POSTSCRIPT.  
READER,  
THis Paper had sooner come into thy hands, if the Subscribers hereof (who were willing to do nothing rashly) had not waited for further counsel and direction from God herein, than they had at the first intention of the publishing hereof; and withal it was deferred for a tim●, h●ping that God might some other way convince the Person chief concerned in it: And seeing; God gave him time to repent, and yet he repent not, (Rev 2.21.) we have published this our Testimony. To which you might hope had many more Subscribers (who were willing to own this Paper) If conveniency and providerce had made way for it to 〈◊〉 into their view: There hath been great endeavours to st●●le it in the 〈◊〉; to that end, some of the Subscribers were threatened w●th imprisonment, and Orders were issued out to imprison some (whereof one was ●●cured) namely Mr. Vavasor Powel, who was taken by a company of Soldiers, from a day of Fasting and Prayer at Aberbech●n in Montgomery shire, where many Saints were gathered together, which c●used much sadness, yea and much hearr-breaking to them all; and he remained for some time a prisoner upon that account.    

ANIMADVERSIONS Upon a LETTER and PAPER subscribed and sent to His Highness, by, etc.  
I Intent not a captious Answer to this Letter and Paper, but a friendly Treaty with the Subscribers, and such a Treaty as may be a service of Love to all honest minds that are offended at the present Government or Governors: My endeavour shall be, either to remove those Offences out of the way, or to enlarge men's minds, that they may walk in a way without Offence. I shall not therefore, to carp at words, examine every particular passage of the Letter and Paper; but shall choose out the knotty pieces which I conceive may, either in our Affairs, or in the minds of men, he an occasion of stumbling, and shall use the best skill I have to resolve them.  
The Title is, A Word for God, or A Testimony on Truth's behalf, from several Churches, etc. against Wickedness in High-places: 1 The Inscription, A Word for God, did at first grieve me, I thought the name of God was misplaced and abused; Wit offered its service, to show the vanity and falsity of the Title, Scripture would have confuted it and pulled it down: But Reverence to the Name of God, and Love to you, would not accept of either of these to oppose; but chooses rather to admit of your Title, and in the simplicity of what Light I have, to Treat with you concerning it.  
I will admit, that God hath a Controversy with those you testify against, because they have sinned against him; they have departed from him, and he seems to forsake them; and that you in this Division, are for God, against his People and their Sins: This, I think, is the best of your case. God withholds his Grace and Presence from his people, and suffers them to wander in Darkness and Trouble, and gives this reason, Your iniquities have separated 'twixt me and you, etc. You find this, and separate from them too, and testify your dislike of them, and detestation of their ways, and plead for God and his justice against them: And this, you think, cannot but be holy, and safe, and your duty to God. Before we question this, I shall propound another Case; which, though it differ from yours, yet it may have something in it like yours, which may give light to you, or at least offer something to you, which you have not yet considered:  
'Tis the Case of Elijah, 1 Kings 19 The Israelites were at that time great sinners: The man of God, so indeed he was, did oppose their sins; for the discharge of his duty, he was in danger of his life; and to save himself, is forced to say, and to hid himself in the wilderness, ver. 4. where he was sad to think how cross things went to his ministry: For, though God had appeared for him against his enemies, yet they went on still, and wickedness prevailed, which was more than he could bear; and therefore in a passion desired he might die: Being overcome, and even spent with the evil of the times and discontent, he is by an Angel refreshed, who feeds him twice, v. 5, 6, 7. and 'twas such miraculous food, that he walked forty days and forty nights in the strength of that meat, ver. 8. and so came to Horeb, the mount of God. He hath left Israel, and so by the help of Angels, being extraordinarily assisted, he arrives at God's mount, and waits upon God there, where at first he declared his Covenant with his people, by giving them his righteous Law. Such a man, so assisted, in such a way; you cannot think it an injury to you, to be set by him, though you meet with a reproof there: While he was here in a Cave, the word of the Lord came to him, What dost thou here Elijah? This is not thy place, thou art not in thy work; thy Ministry is hot, thy Spirit active, but I intended it to be employed in and with Israel, not against them; to keep alive that little good that is in them, not to separate from them, and destroy them.  
Elijah answers, and to save himself from the reproof, says, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of Hosts: That what he had done, was for the Lord God, and that in great zeal he had left them that left the Lord, Why should he continue any longer with the children of Israel? His heart was for God, for they have forsaken thy Covenant; not only broken their own Covenants, but thine too; Thrown down thine Altars: The Name of Christ and his Cause lies as it Were buried; They have killed thy Prophets and Ministers for their Testimony; and I, I only am left: He thought there was none true, because none of his temper; and none in Israel, because none in his cave; And they seek my life, to take it away; I must leave them or die, I can't live amongst them, ver. 10. Then God calls him forth of his private hole, his Cave, into which he was retired, and from his melancholic, jealous, narrow, fearful Spirit, where he could see nothing but himself and his own dark apprehensions, to consider God in his several ways and dispensations, ver. 11. Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the L●rd: And to discover to him, of what Spirit he is, shows him himself, and what things or spirits work or act before God, and yet God not in them: A great and strong wind rends the mountain, and breaks the rocks in pieces; after the wind an earthquake, more terrible than the wind; and after that a fire, more fierce than the earthquake: He expected to find God in these, but could not; therefore of each 'tis said, God was not in the wind, nor in the earthquake, nor in the fire: He had been exercised in such kind of Dispensations, which did either threaten or execute fierce wrath, but men were not converted by such violent and terrible works. At this he was troubled, and thinks that Israel, in refusing such mighty things, had for ever refused the Lord himself; but he was mistaken if he so thought, for God was not in these things: Neither was he himself moved by either of these, till the fourth came, which was a still small voice; He looked upon the other, but finding not God there, his very nature retired from them, being boisterous and violent: But as soon as the still small voice came, which was humane and gentle, of his own nature, heard best, and understood best within, at home in his very heart, this was one with him; and presently he wraps his face in his mantle, and goes forth, and stood in the entering in of the cave: This still small voice only had power upon his heart, to draw it forth from itself too God. All men, good and bad, that are turned aside from God by any kind of Lust or Passion, run into some secret dark Den, where they lie: Now all Legal blustering Ministry's, may for a while affect or affright, but draw not the creature out from himself, where he is lodged, till God sends a still small voice into his heart, which is the word in thy heart and mouth. This doth a little convince Elijah, That God was another thing than he for the present apprehended him; and therefore, ashamed of himselft, he wraps his face in his mantle, and yields to go forth to God; but is not yet fully convinced of his error. When men are strong and high in their spirits, wherein they think they are for God, 'tis hard to convince them, That their Zeal is not for God, but for their own Ministry and way, for their own Lives and Honours: When God had moved him a little nearer to himself, he falls upon him again, What dost thou here, Elijah? or, What hast thou to do here? Thou art an Israelite, one with them, of the same nature, hast sin in thee as well as they, and they righteousness as thou hast: Why dost thou separate from them, and become an Enemy to them? He stands stiffly for his way that it was Zeal for God, saying the same words that he said before, ver. 14 A confident and froward Spirit: God finding him so sixth in this angry way, as not to be instructed by the sight of God, he leads him forth into a work suitable to his mind; he was full of wrath, and therefore God employs him in a way wherein he might give him vent: If nothing will please thee, but to plague Israel my people for their sins, Elijah shall bring it forth, but not administer it by his own hand, Go on thy way to Damascus, & anoint Hazael king of Syria: what a terrible malignant and cruel enemy to poor Israel this Hazael proved, is afterward declared, 2 King. 8.12. Yet his name signifies visions of God, or seeing of God; he might have his strength from the same ground that Elijah had: Seeing what God had done to Israel, and how Israel had sinned against God, and that seeing upon this God had forsaken Israel, from this his Sword might he whetted against Israel: And this is the firstborn of Elijah his fiery Spirit, ver. 16. And jehu shalt thou anoint to be King over Israel; a man terrible enough against Idolatry, against Ahab, jezebel, and the Prophets of Baal; but constant to himself, so his name signifies, and so he was, though a great Zealot against the corruption in Court, and in the Prophets, and that according to the Word of the Lord; yet he had an eye to his own Honour: And this was Elijah his second Son, and doubtless there was much of self in Elijah; I have been very zealous: I, I only am left, and they seek my life.  
His third command was, Elisha shalt thou anoint Prophet in thy room: The meaning was this, this Spirit of Elijah was of too violent a temper; and therefore, like john, it must decrease; he must give over to another, to Elisha, the salvation of God, so his name signifies: And 'tis the best of this Spirit, it spends its fierceness, and is at last, being weary of itself, willing to resign to him, whose nature is, not to destroy, but to save.  
But poor Israel, that needs so many Rods, needs some Pity too, ver. 17. Him that escapeth the Sword of Hazael, shall jehu stay; and him that escapeth the Sword of jehu, shall Elisha slay; Slain and slain: yet at last, he that saves, slays most, slays himself, to slay Self, Death and Enmity.  
Yet, saith God, ver. 18. I have left me seven thousand in Israel, the knees that have not bowed unto Baal, etc. A complete number, a sufficient Army to carry on his work; These are reserved to me, kept by God in secret, whose hearts were inwardly and truly reserved to the Lord, so safe, that they could not departed from him.  
Now in all this it appears, That this Man of God was in a dark Spirit, for the present, in a high discontent; for he thought he had been f r God, but was not: Those things wherein he had been exercised, he overvalued them, and his Ministry with them; for God was not in them, but in the still voice: He was much out also concerning Israel, he thought they had been utterly lost, no good lest amongst them; but was seven thousand short in his measure.  
Lest you think I have misrepresented this Case of Elijah, you shall see it censured in the Gospel, Rom. 11.1. Hath G d cast away his people? God forbidden: Some, that measure things by their own private and separated Spirit, think he hath; but God forbidden, that there should be no more Mercy, nor Patience in God, than there is in the best of men. ver. 2. Wots ye not what the Scripture saith of Elias, how he makes intercession against Israel? saying, ver. 3. Lord, they have killed thy Prophets, digged down thy Altars, and I am left alone. He, though a Prophet, was in a great error; in stead of interceding for, he intercedes against Israel: it minds me of a Clause in this Letter, The strong current of their Prayers, which was once for you, the turning thereof against you: But this is not Prophet-like, 'tis rather like the worst malignant Spirit, like the Accuser.— And observe, That such declaring against Israel's sin, is plain interceding against them; 'tis indeed, to be instant and earnest for their destruction: This I desire the Subscribers to mark: And this Judgement, made upon some evil actions and outward appearance, by man darkened with passion, was very far from God, and the Election of his Grace. A humane and Legal Spirit, under a Covenant of Works, provoked into Enmity, is the nature of this Spirit; and so Paul brings it in here, whatever it pretended to be zeal for God, yet 'twas against God himself, and against the liberty of his Election, and the Freeness of his Grace: I'll but apply the words of the Apostle, ver. 5. Even so then at this time also, etc.  
It may be you will deny the Application of Elijahs Case to yours, and will not admit your Adversaries to be Israel; and I may also deny you to minister in the Holiness, Power, Truth and Evidence that Elijah ministered in: Therefore I choose rather to wave the parallel; only let this Case of Elijah be considered absolutely by itself, and it doth sufficiently evince these Conclusions:  
I 'Tis very common, for humane Passion to intrude itself into God's service, yea 'tis very ambitious of being his Attorney to speak for God; and while he seems to advance God, 'tis to prefer itself: For, who would not be on his side, where he may Spoil, Plunder, Revenge freely.  
II. If God be but angry a little, he will not want some to help it forward; he needs not now the Devil, nor Egypt or Babylon to minister Wrath, he may find enough Ministers or Prophets in Israel will sue for the employment; specially if it be against job, he will finde Religious Friends, that will handle him cruelly enough.  
III. That if Man be employed in any Ministry, wherein there seems to be any light or power, as coming from God; he is apt to magnify it above measure, and to account of it as God himself, to expect the same Honour and Subjection that is due to the Lord, though it be but a Whiffler, one that goes before to make way for him.  
iv If this Ministry obtain not, and his way be refused, he is apt to be highly displeased, and be foolishly angry beyond all reason; though all the works of man are to vanish, and to give place to that which is perfect, yet man commonly is so angry, that he will not outlive his Ministry.  
V. But foolishly adhering to his Ministry, though it be of Sin and Condemnation; when God reputes of his anger, as ordinarily he doth, he over-eagerly engaging himself, is left behind, and so lost in it: Fleshly Zeal is of a very slight and combustible nature, and if it get into the fire of God's anger against Sin, rarely comes off; but overacting in it, is commonly scorched and burnt up by it, and so may happily get to Heaven in a fiery chariot as Elijah did, but is altogether unfit for any saving or healing work. When Man's Enmity and Passion hath gotten into God's Name and Cause, if God should not withhold Spirit and Power from it, and render it vain, it would make mad work, destroy all but themselves; and therefore there is a necessity of turning it home upon itself, that it may hurt none but itself, which is a good and just end of it. These things well considered, might make men afraid to intermeddle with Divine displeasure against others Sins, in which men are ordinarily so busy, as if there were no other Religion.  
But sure there is a more excellent way: When God was very angry, and justly, with Israel, Exod. 32.10. Let me alone, says he to Moses, that my wrath may wax hot against them; this was a good Spirit, to interpose, and to offer to be blotted out of the book of God, ver. 32. rather than God should destroy his people: Thus Christ doth for us all, he is willing to become a sinner with us, and there suffer the displeasure of God as the worst of sinners, rather than suffer the wrath of God to break forth upon us: If he should take part with God against sinners, what would become of you? If he be an Advocate for God and his Justice, and not for Transgressor's, alas how miserable were we all! This might a little incline men's hearts, and bend them towards thoughts of Love, Pity, and interceding for others, though transgressors.  
You superscribe your Letter, To Oliver Cromwell, Captain General of all the Forces of England, Scotland and Ireland: This Title is a fair one, and so different from that which is ordinarily given him, that it cannot escape my Animadversions; and it contains in it the head of the Quarrel, Whether Captain General of the Forces of England, Scotland and Ireland, or Protector of the Commonwealth of England, etc. If we could find one the true nature and inward reason of both these, we might clear your understandings, and so in time compose the difference: I shall a little consider the Person, and then his Place or Title.  
'Tis better dealing with Things than Persons, they are so nice and curious, that a man can hardly handle them without offending, especially if they be Great ones; for there is a double temptation attends one in it: 1. To Flattery, to please the Court: and 2. Of Detraction, to please the People: However, this Person the Protector, being the chief subject of the Letter and Paper, I cannot avoid speaking my Apprehensions of him; and being sensible of some ingenuity and equality of mind in it, I shall do it without Apology.  
I shall only give you my Observation of his Original, what he was before these times, and then what share he hath had in these late public Transactions:  
I. First, this great Man is risen from a very low and an afflicted condition; one that hath suffered very great troubles of soul, lying a long time under sore terrors and temptations, and at the same time in a very low condition for outward things: in this School of Afflictions he was kept, till he had learned the Lesson of the Cross, till his Will was broken into Submission to the Will of God, etc. Religion that is thus laid into the soul with the hammer and fire, is ordinarily more solid, & more useful than what comes in only by Light into the Understanding. I have had opportunity to measure (as well as I was able) most men that have appeared in any eminency in these times, and have always observed his Spirit, as to the active or practical part of Religion, as through, as full, as sound, and as hearty in it as any, yea more: it may be, what I have now to say, is but my Fancy; but take it amongst other things, That the time of his extreme suffering was, when this Cause of Religion, in which we are now engaged, was at its lowest ebb; and that, when he came forth into comfort of Spirit, and enlargement of estate, Religion began then to spring forth into an interest divided from the Kingdom and Nation, though it was low, yet it began to look abroad, and to seek either a new state here, or in other Regions; and so he suffered and risen, or sprung forth with this cause, as if he had one life with it.  
II. Secondly, His manner of appearing in public Employment hath been visible to all: public work seemed to be exceeding natural to him, his soul was one with it, which made him act with more vigour than other men, and so constant and steady to it, as not to be discouraged by difficulties, nor taken off either by offence or by opinions of other ways, as many eminent men have been, a main pillar of the strength of it in all its changes; I must be excused if I tell my thoughts of him, I am the freer in it, because they have continued with me in a long time of offence and prejudice concerning him; There hath to me appeared in him a singular spirit of Brightness, Clearness, Largeness and Self-denial, of care for, and love to the cause of Religion and honest men, as much above other men, as Saul was higher than the people in stature of body; for which I did conclude before ever he had any Command in Chief, that if ever this Cause did succeed, he would be the Head of it: He had an honesty, an integrity, a nobleness in him, which did attract and unite honest men to him; a love and loveliness in which affections of good people did concentre, and a largeness to receive and comprehend all honest men of differing judgements, and this He did by the virtue and dignity of his Mind, long before he had the advantage of Supreme Command to do it, which was a proof to me that his inward worth, not any outward accident, hath given him his preeminence.  
To his great industry, faithfulness and wisdom in business, he hath been always attended with a singular blessing of Success in all his Affairs, and that constant both in the Field and Council, and often times in some great works the Word and Arm of the Lord hath been revealed to him; and with him (according to the manner of Gods speaking to his people in these days, by giving in to the heart some Scriptures with great power and spirit) whereby his Faith hath been strengthened to attempt great things; As he hath been often guided by the word of the Lord in his great Undertake, so I do think, and have particular reason to believe, that in that which is so much offensive to men, viz. The breaking of Civil and Worldly Powers, he hath had the same Authority and Word of Command.  
Consider now such a person rising from great afflictions, from whence he comes sanctified by grace, called forth into pablique action, and therein appearing in largeness, integrity and courage; assisted with the presence and blessing of God, guided and strengthened by the arm and word of the Lord, which above all sets the clearest stamp of Majesty upon a man, according to the words of Christ John 10.35. If he called them gods to whom the word of the Lord came: These things together are certainly a foundation, yea, the substance of greater and truer Honour, than these last Ages have had experience of.  
Yet he hath no reason at all to be proud, nor we much reason to boast of him; for though these are excellent things, yet they have been shadowed and sullied with very great weakness, that doth much eclipse their lustre; for besides the dirt that malice cast upon him, and the pollution contracted from the nature of his work, which hath been destroying work, and so impure; besides these, I say, there is personal weakness, rash passions, sudden engaging for, and as sudden turning from things, which shows want of foresight, incontinency and inconstancy of mind; some violent strains and leaps which have stretched conscience and credit, large promising to oblige parties and persons, and too short performance to give satisfaction, which show a mind not standing firmly upon its own basis of truth, but carried off into loser ways of policy; And though the tottering state of things may seem to excuse it, yet certainly such actings so disproportionable to the truth and faithfulness of God, do more shake him, and with him the public peace, than any thing in the world.  
But notwithstanding these (or if not these, what ever other weakness may cleave to him) I must prefer Oliver Cromwell in querpo, with the stamp of God upon him, before Oliver Protector and all His train of Greatness; and that His naked person, with what God hath done in him, and by him, hath really more dignity & majesty upon it, than if he had with his Protectorship fetched from Westminster all the Honours and Titles of all the kings of England; and therefore I think, what ever may be fancied, the Subscribers have done him no real injury, in writing, To Oliver Cromwell.  
I have done with the person, and I am glad I have done with it, I may say of my commending him, being a great person, as Paul said of his commending himself, 2 Cor. 12.11. I am become a fool in glorying, ye have compelled me: It looks foolishly and uncomely to me, and it may be to others more; but I have been compelled to it, to testify the truth against men's ignorance and malice.  
For the Title given him, Captain General of all the Forces in England, Scotland and Ireland, I am not offended at it, for though some may think His Highness is degraded by it, from Protector to General; yet he that will look beyond that vail of discontent, that for the present covers your faces, and will look into the more inward reason of your minds, in retaining this Title of General, will not be much troubled at it, though he be very zealous of His Highness' honour: That which I think either is or should be your intent in it, is this: if you consider;  
First, That the Forces and Armies in England, Scotland and Ireland, are the sole and proper interest of the godly party, being at first raised and since maintained for the safety of good people, their spirits have most freely and lively acted in them, and been the chief strength of them; so that the Forces are theirs, or rather they are virtually and truly the Forces of England, Scotland and Ireland, and that in distinction from, and opposition to all other people of the Nation; of which the honest party may say as Jacob said of Reuben, Gen. 49.3. Reuben thou art my firstborn, the beginning of my strength: This military Power is the firstborn, the beginning of strength that God hath given his people in the earth.  
Secondly, I suppose you may consider, that this Power of the Militia you now have, or are, is as Jacob said of Reuben, The excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power. The absolutest and perfectest power in the earth, having the substance of all Government in it, it gives both reason and being of all Government, Safety, & the name also; whence all Governments are called Powers and the Sword in scripture: and that which makes it very suitable to this season, that having the Forces in our hands, we have our Lives and Liberties secured, and so may quietly wait for more light, and are free to dispose of ourselves according to the best light and understanding that shall be brought forth amongst us; which is no small mercy, if we had hearts to improve it, to be once free from all the yokes that were upon our necks by the blind and malignant Constitutions of the Nations, and set free to follow the best light God shall shine forth to us.  
Thirdly, You have reason to consider, that as all former Powers are dissolved, viz. The Power of King and Parliament, by their irreconcilable Breaches and continued Wars; so this Title of Captain General of all the Forces of England, Scotland and Ireland, doth not only extinguish the three distinct Kingdoms and their Governments, and subject them to these Forces, but lays waste the pales whereby they were formerly divided, and turns them all into one Militia, under the command of one General; for the Command of the Forces of all three Kingdoms, is both a greater Power, and of another kind, and must needs swallow up the three particular Governments into itself, which is a large field that we are brought into: that now the General of these Forces hath an unlimited Power to enlarge his Militia, to take in all honest men if he please, and to give them what pay he judges reasonable; and in order to it, to raise what money he pleases in the three Nations, to restrain and secure what persons he suspects to be Disturbers of his Army and Command, to inflict what punishment he pleases upon his enemies, to make what Constitutions he will for the securing these Forces, and to repeal all Laws that are against their Safety and Quiet: These things are natural and essential to a General in and with his Army, which will be accounted absurd for either King or Protector of England to do: so royal and absolute Authority in the hands of an honest General entrusted for, and in fellowship with the whole Party, in a capacity distinct from the Nations, is a thing worth remembering.  
Fourthly, You cannot but consider that the General hath been the chief Instrument of getting the sword into the hands of honest men: You cannot but remember how industrious he was to have an honest Regiment, than an honest Army, at least under honest Officers, how he sent for honest men from all parts of the Nation, and employed and encouraged them; and this favour he shown to honest men, as honest men without partiality; when he had gathered them together, pleaded their Cause against their enemies: You know how constantly the Work prospered in their hands under his Conduct, and how they have been kept in union, and in order and discipline by his Wisdom and Government; so that if the honest people of the three Nations have obtained an outward and visible Power in the earth, and to be above their enemies, safe and secure, the General is the immediate Patron and Father of it, it being first conceived, and since brought forth and cherished, principally (as by an instrument) by his Counsel and Conduct; and if he that gave life to this Body, should not uphold and preserve it, it would in all probability fall into division and confusion; therefore you have reason to challenge him to be General of all the Forces, they consisting by him, and we in and by them.  
Fifthly, This his Authority is so bright and unquestionable that none can deny it, nor you, or any honest man a snare in it: This Title Captain General of all the Forces, and so of all the Armies of honest men in the three Nations; it hath been the product of Providence, after our many years wars, openly declared and sealed to by the Lord in all parts of the three Nations; therefore if you had but united yourselves to it, and taken in the interest and relation of all honest men, which is your and their due (and must be implied, though not expressed) it is then, I think, the honourablest Title in the world, a mercy beyond all we could expect, had we eyes to see it, and hearts to make a sober use of it.  
I judge these very fundamental Considerations: First, The union of all honest men to the Armies as their own. Secondly, The excellency and freedom of Military power. Thirdly, That the Forces of the three Nations being united under one General, are a Power larger and greater than their former civil and divided States, and fully comprehends them in itself. Fourthly, That the General is the Natural Father of this power. Fifthly, And all this the workmanship of Providence, justified by Success in the face of all the world; which put together, would make a good Ground for us to unite and stand upon.  
The reason why you refuse the common Title of Protector, is I suppose this, That as General he stood in a special relation to honest men, as divided from their enemies and all others in an Army, where you expect a more open, friendly and ingenious converse with him: You think he hath by being Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland, levelled this Distinction, and brought you into the common condition of the Nation, and now every man hath as much share in him as you or we: your discontent is jealousy, lest your Lord General should forsake the wife of his youth, the honest people of the Nation, his sister, his spouse, in the morning of her beauty, and commit adultery with that rotten harlot, Old worldly Power and Greatness.  
And that he should seem to desert you, and that general and unlimited Power that he had with you, and you with him, and this won and worn in the face of the three Nations, and take up a limited Power, a broken clipped Title, maimed and imperfect, and that a Mushroom, a thing that rises in a night, none knows from whence; that he should carry his and your conquering Sword, and hang it up amongst the Monuments in Westminster, and fetch out of the old Records, or the Lawyer's pates, a ceremonial empty thing without spirit or vigour, and therewith wrap up and invelope himself from the converse and enjoyment of his own body and spouse: Now in this I confess, I would a little indulge your jealousy, though it be mixed with an unseemly rage, yet I hope there is love at the bottom, and a sense that His Highness hath devested himself of too much of that Greatness and Power which he had, and which is necessary to uphold us and our cause in that state into which he hath brought us: But withal let us consider it is an error that deserves pity, it may be he intended it as an act of humility, not of disloyalty, that he considered himself as a private person, not as a General entrusted with all the Honour won by honest men in these wars, and if he hath wasted his strength and might by it, he will quickly feel the want of it, and will be ready to entertain a loving invitation back again; and if in stead of suing a Divorce, your Letter and Paper had been a loving Challenge and Claim of your right to him, it might for aught I know have had a very excellent effect.  
Meeting with these two considerable Questions in your Title, I could not but give them as serious a Consideration as I was able, in hope it may help to clear our Work for the future: I shall now hasten to your Letter.   

ANIMADVERSIONS UPON ALETTER sent to His HIGHNESS BY Certain GENTLEMEN and others in WALES.  
IN the beginning of your Letter you speak of A Sudden, Strange, and Unexpected alteration of Government, etc. to the great astonishment, etc. I doubt 'tis the vapours that do arise from your own passion, that do occasion this great astonishment in you; for, let a man but with a little Reason view our late public Transactions, and Change of Government will be no strange thing to him: From the beginning of these times, we have been little but Changes; we have changed from three States to two, from King, Lords and Commons, to Lords and Commons; for a while they governed us, and then we turned from two to one, the Commons only, without King and Lords: And this hath been turned, purged, dressed, broken and patched up again, divers times and ways; these are great changes of Government, but a greater yet followed: When the Remnant of the old Parliament was taken away, that wherein the Authority of the King in Calling, and the Liberty of the People in Choosing, met in one Constitution; And the then General and his Council, private persons, exercise the Authority of the King, and Liberty of the People, and merely out of their own wills create a Parliament: Now all Civil Power is changed into Military, and that triumphing in the highest Absoluteness, as if the Sword were the only Lord of the world, the Alpha and Omega of Government; as if it gave the King his Majesty, and the People their Freedom, and could challenge them when it pleased; yet this change did not so much astonish you, for some of you were Members of this Parliament: Neither had you reason to be offended at this, because by this change, your way had an opportunity to put in its Claim to Power; this was the Vertical point. The next change was rather downward again, into an Instrument, which sets up One as Supreme, and a Parliament chosen by the People; this is not altogether so strange to England as the former: Now which of these you mean, I know not; to complain of the former change from the long Parliament to the little Parliament, is against your own Interest; and to complain of a change from a Parliament imposed, to a Parliament chosen, is against the Interest of the People: I will not trouble you, to resolve which of these changes doth affect you most: Many are offended at the taking away the old Parliament, and that Cause you seem to undertake; whether it be really your Interest, I'll not determine: I shall only give you and others that are unsatisfied with that act, my thoughts concerning it.  
That long Parliament deserves to be mentioned with much Honour, by all Honest men in the Nation that did adhere to it; for that it had in it many sound and worthy men, and was a long time a Bulwark that kept off Slavery and Destruction from breaking in upon us, in many a hard brunt and desperate assult; yet the removing of them at that time, might be no injury to them or us:  
I. That Parliament, as they then stood, was no Legal Constitution, nor had they Right to the Government, by our Laws: What Right had they to take away the Life and Office of a King, by whose Authority they were made a Parliament? Or what Right had they to take away the House of Lords, a Constitution Ancienter than themselves? When this was done, what just Power had they to constitute themselves a Commonwealth? There was no act of the people that either made them so, or gave them power to make themselves so; they had no such power inherent in themselves, neither could they ever manifest any such stamp of Majesty set upon them by God and his providence. Now, if the Parliament did assume the Government, without any Rule or Authority, and impose It and Themselves upon the People, and so upon the Army; what Law is broken, in pulling down that which stands not by Law?  
II. That Government, such a Constitution as it had, was from the Army; the Army urged them to do justice upon the King, which they neither could nor durst do themselves: For, they and eveny Rational man must confess, that were it not for the Strength, Honour and Success of the Army, that which we call Parliament, Government and Commonwealth, would have been made Confederacy and Rebellion. 'Tis true, the Army did at least tolerate, and so far consent, as to submit to this Government; but I know not that they by any act did ratify it, or ever intent to perpetuate it: And that consent was not an act of Judgement and Righteousness; for in all our Affairs hitherto we have not had so much light and clearness, as to produce any work of true Wisdom and Understanding. But as in all other things, so in this, we are driven and thrust forward from one thing to that which is next, as the sense of Danger and the hopes of Ease lead us, in the dark, without Judgement: And so the Army set up, or admit of this Government, by a Parliament, without King and Lords, being at hand, knowing no better, finding some ease in being freed from worse Oppressors, and as a present conveniency: And if they had power to admit it, or set it up, when they found it useful; why may they not pull it down and reject it, when they felt it grievous and burdensome.  
III. That which you call the Government, as it never had a Formal Constitution either from God or men (that I know of) so before it was taken down, it had quite lost the nature and spirit of Government; a dry Tree, shrunk up into a private and selfish spirit: There were good men and good things amongst them; but as the Princes of Zoan, Isa. 19 mingled with a perverse & foolish spirit, that four or five of the best of them could not agree in any one Proposition for public good; though they were both wise & honest men, yet (they themselves know) they were absurdly and peevishly divided, in so great a confusion, that there could be no reason of expecting any more fruit from them: They were a long while a Burden to the Nation, and the People very sensible of it; and did, by a general dislike and scorn of them,  that choice that they had made of them, and the Honour they had put upon them; and would, if the Army had not guarded them, have expressed their rejecting of them from being their Representatives, by pulling them out of the House; they were indeed full ripe; and, had not the Army done it, the rage of Women, or some such base hand would have gathered them: 'Twas doubtless an Honour for them, to die by so Noble a hand, which had given and continued life to them: I believe they were self-condemned, and the more ingenuous of them were sensible of an Enlargement, by their being discharged from their sore and unprofitable travel; only having long enjoyed their places, they lingered and were loath to departed; and when they saw they must go, they would provide for their speedy return, and would have died to live again: which was the great incivility done to them, in their apprehensions, they were prevented in their propagating their likeness, and themselves also into A new Representative.  
iv The then General and Officers did not this work voluntarily, which (for aught I know) they might have done, had they had light and strength sufficient for it; but they were thrust upon it by the Soldiers and inferior Officers, which I suppose you may remember, and that your own spirit was busy and active in it, and much rejoiced in it when it was done, and you had indeed some more reason for it than others, for that body was very averse to your way, and to the things you would have done, yea far more averse than this present Power is: For you now to fetch your Enemies (so you counted them while they lived) out of their Graves, to oppose and accuse your Friends, for an act which you approved of, it is a strange change of your minds: If you could come out of this mist of Discontent, and behold your present posture, how you seem to love, and plead for that which is not; which, if it were again, you would seek the destroying of it again; and how you prosecute them with hatred, which did your work for you, and are your Friends, you would be greatly astonished at the strange form of your own spirits (a greater wonder than Change of Governments) and you would confess, I am apt to believe, That both your Love to them, and your Enmity to these, is feigned and not real.  
I must deal as nakedly as I can with you, and them, and all the world, and tell you, That I do think there was Iniquity in that action, and in all actions of that nature; for, pulling down is a dark and wrathful Ministry, and ordinarily performed by such a spirit as Jehu had, whose name shown his nature, sibi constans, constant to itself, or selfseeking, though employed by God: To destroy old worldly buildings, though very rotten, is not a work for a pure Evangelical spirit; the Vengeance administered may be righteous, but if there were not a deal of fleshly Zeal, Pride, Self love, and some brutish Cruelty or hardiness in us, we should not be fit for such a service. Therefore I fear, before God will make use of us in any Honourable work, to build a place of Rest for himself, he will wash away the stain of Blood that sticks upon us, make us to be ashamed and loath ourselves, for that Rashness, Fierceness and Violence, that have accompanied all our late Wars and Transactions: Indeed a right sight of this Evil, would make you and me, and all of us, not to condemn others, but ourselves, and the state or kind of the ministry we have been exercis d in: But for you to overlook the evil of the whole Party, and of the Parliament itself, in cutting down, by a long War and much Blood, King and Lords, two Estates superior to themselves; and to seem to be astonished, that an Army should gently lay aside that Parliament, which it had given life to and upheld, and in such a season, in such a manner, where no Blood spilt, no Tears shed, none made Fatherless, none Widows: This great trouble you express is some strange and new grief taken up of late, you and others did rejoice in it. To pull down old Houses, is a dusty and thankless work; they that live in them, or are part of them, and subsist by them, will be angry at it: But that you should be cordially offended at it, who expect another Kingdom and Monarchy, for whose sake this is done; yea that did do it, and would do it again, if it were undone: Or that you should complain of that done by these, while you are endeavouring to do the same thing upon these, I can't reach the reason of this Mys●●ry! For who sees not, that you are about to change the Government if you can, though it be by War? And therefore it is you express your fear that they are utterly disabled to prosecute, etc. Angry at former changes, and fear we shall have no more; that now things are bound up fast by an Oath and Instrument, that we shall go no further, you need not fear it: This Government was set up in haste, and not constituted with that Consideration and Wisdom, as to last many Ages: The Earth reels and staggers as a drunken man, 'tis not an Instrument that will keep it steady, and the minds of men so lose, as not to be bound by Oaths; wait with patience, another change may make room for you, before you be fit for action: Provide you Wisdom, Love, and Righteousness, our Necessities will call for them, I fear, before you will be able to administer them.  
The next thing I would note to you is, You say, Justly suspected ends in time past; and in your Paper, Not knowing the deep Policies of worldly Statesmen: You use to acknowledge God in all these things, and that this work was carried on with a high hand of Providence, beyond all the contrivance of men: Sure you have changed your station, you were within, and saw the inward Spring, God's hand; now you are without, and look upon the outside of the Hanging, and there you see Policy; our Judgements alter as our Sight, that which is a Man while we are nigh to it in Love, removed at a distance by a little Enmity, seems to be a Beast: Love thinks no evil, sees nothing but God in all; Enmity removes God from the sight, and sets up men and deep designs.  
I shall desire you to consider, 1. That Atheistical, worldly wise men use to talk at this rate, This was designed long ago. 2. That they talk thus, because they would seem to be wise, and to understand deep Policy. 3. Though they seem to be wise, yet are become Fools; for 'tis the greatest folly, not to acknowledge God in all things. 4. That men talk what they live, and do pretend to, but can't attain it, their attributing so much to Policy, shows they are wellwishers to it, which may make us fear you will begin to tread in these steps: But alas, how much better, safer and easier is it for you, to be Children, and to ascribe things, though a●●●●st us, to God's hand? May I not say to you, as Paul to the Corinthians? 2 Cor. 11.3. I fear, lest by any means, as the Serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ: You were children once, and thought as simply and childishly as I do, That neither the Protector himself, nor the wisest Heads amongst them, have the tenth part of that foresight that is required to lay such a Design; I imagine they are as weak as you and I, and other people, that know not what will be too morrow, nor have they foreseen the things that are come to pass. Now pray how came you to be so wise, as to understand these Politicians? who taught you this? I fear 'twas the Serpent, the Accuser; sure these deep reaches do but torture and vex your minds, therefore 'tis better to be children still, and to look up to God's hand in all things, be they good or evil: And if they are wise Statesmen, as I fear there is too much of it amongst them (but not as you imagine) let us that are standers by and overlook them, either pity them or laugh at them; for I am for either, so it be innocent and harmless.  
They have by their craft pulled down the King and his party, and set up themselves in their place; this is the plot: And by this have made their Enemies to hate them more than they did, and their Friends to hate them more than ever they hated the Cavaliers; which they cannot but expect, if they sit down in the King's state; for who so odious, as a treacherous and apostate Brother! Thus for a little forced Honour, they lift up themselves public objects of Scorn and despite to both sides: A fine policy.  
They may use their Policy, but God hath a Design upon them, which hath taken effect; they are brought in a snare, catched in a net of perplexities, where they are beset with Reproach, Danger and Trouble on every side, and know not which way to go for Safety, they can neither go backwards nor forwards; Papists and Cavaliers preparing against them abroad, their old Enemies at home more and more enraged against them, their Friends and Brethren disserting and opposing of them: If their worldly Policy hath brought them into this pit, I am confident, the more they devise, the deeper they will go into Confusion, and that it must be Simplicity, Humility, and a childish Obedience to the Lord, that must bring them out. 'Tis a fair warning to you, you are witnessing, declaring, subscribing, engaging a party against these, as they against the King, you begin to understand the way of it; if you should undermine them, as they have done others (which I think you will not do) you would, by getting the power and place, get the confusion, perplexity and trouble they have; and that as much more, as your strength or cunning will be greater than theirs.  
III. A third thing notable in your Letter, is a home Charge given the Protector; 'tis indeed a stout Accusation, both for matter and manner; of Slighting and Blaspheming the Spirit of God, Reproaching, Imprisoning and Oppressing his people; Pride, Luxury, Lasciviousness, Changing of Principles, Forsaking good ways, etc. and these to be read in his forehead; and that with a citation to appear before the great judge, and his impartial Tribunal: I am unwilling to say how this agrees to the Maxim of Machiavelli, Calumniate ●●●●ly, something will stick: I had rather say to you, as our Lord to his Disciples, when they were in such a passion, Luke 9.55. Ye know not what manner of Spirit ye are of; they thought 'twas nothing but Zeal for Christ, exercised in a way of God in Faith, and according to a good Scripture example, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from Heaven, and consume them, as Elias, did? But Christ disowns this, though it seems to be high Religion, yet 'tis but the Spirit of the Destroyer, not of a Saviour; The Son of Man is come, saith he, not to destroy men's lives, but to save them: Let me only desire you to turn your minds a little from your present Anger, and to consider and answer these few Questions:  
Q. 1. Whether have you these things upon your own knowledge, or upon, the report of others? Have all you that have subscribed this Paper, heard the Protector Blaspheme the Spirit of God, and Reproach his People? etc. Or have you seen His Pride, Luxury and Lasciviousness? I may well suppose you have not.  
Q. 2. You say this is your Testimony and Witness; Dare you, or can you be Witnesses of these things before any judge? You subscribe and publish them; but can any honest indifferent judge admit of you to be lawful Witnesses in the things you have not heard or seen?  
Q. 3. Consider then, whether in this you act according to the lowest line of Truth, according to the common Justice and Honesty that is amongst men? 'Tis a great abomination, though commonly practised amongst Professors, rashly to receive and give credit to evil and false Reports of them they hate, or that are of an opposite party, and that too in a way of Religion; which if examined, will be judged, by the common Light of Nature to be, not only Ungodly, but Unreasonable.  
Q. 4. Whether do you think, that the great judge will judge according to that appearance, wherein you now behold the Protector and his actions? which is not so good as by the sight of the Eye, and by the hearing of the Ear, but by others seeing and hearing.  
Q. 5. Whether, though you are now admitted to be Witnesses against the Protector, as innocent persons, in the judgements of yourselves and your own party (it may be to none but yourselves) yet when he and you (now two parties) shall stand before the impartial Tribunal of the great judge, whether then you will be able to lift up your heads to accuse him, and will not rather be found as guilty as he, and to stand in need of the same mercy with him?  
Q. 6. 'Tis true, God will judge the Protector, for any rash and unseemly word or act, against any persons or things that do but pretend to God; and for every motion and expression of Pride, Falshood, or vain Pleasures: But do you not think that this Eye of God will pierce through this Mist of Calumny that is upon him? Through this thick clay of worldly Greatness, with which he is now daubed over and oppressed; and through the vail of Flesh, which makes him walk unevenly; and search his Heart, whether it be Obedient and Upright, or true to God and his work, or false in it, and seek to set up himself? God will certainly prove and try him, the secret spirit of his mind, what it is in his work; and when he hath done that, do you not think he will search deeper than his Spirit in his work, which may be weak and mixed, and at last judge him according to the seed of Election, the seed of Christ and his Righteousness in him? And then let me ask you, whether God will not so judge you? Look through your vail of Duties, Profession and Ordinances; and try your Heart, with what Spirit of Love, Obedience and Truth you are in your work; and whether will you stand to this judgement? Or rather that God should judge you according to Grace, to the Name and Nature of Christ, written upon you and in you? Sure the great judge will thus judge us at last, by his great judgement or last judgement, not by the outward Conversation nor inward Intention, but finally by his eternal Election, according to the Book of Life.  
When you have considered these Questions, let me desire you to read the thoughts of my heart concerning the particulars of your Charge; which thoughts are not upon knowledge of Fact, but what account my Experience and Reason gives me of such things: For if I do meet with such Reports as these, as sometimes I do, and swallow them down without trying of them, and do bring them out again in Discourse; I find they do pollute my soul, and that it is a very naughty Spirit that made me either Receive or Report them: But when I have the exercise of any kind of Judgement concerning them, I find cause to reject them; the grief that I have received by them, makes me more expert in trying of them.  
Slighting and Blaspheming the Spirit of God; I suppose some men bring to the Protector, things in the Name of the Spirit, that he judges weak and foolish Fancies, those he slights; others bring him things that he judges , and that, as they think, from the Spirit, these he blasphemes or speaks evil of: And this he may do in Passion and fleshly hardness, not in tenderness to him that utters them, who being grieved in his spirit, says the Spirit is slighted: There is Blasphemy in one man against another, wherein both may pretend to the Spirit, and this is too common: There is Blasphemy against the Son of Man; I know not that any amongst us are guilty of this Blasphemy, because I see none come forth in the power and purity of his Spirit; and if they do, Christ saith, It shall be forgiven them. But for Blasphemy against the Spirit, in that sense wherein Christ expresses it, I dare not think any man guilty of it, because the Spirit itself in his own majesty doth not (to my sense) appear, but veiled with humane weakness.  
Reproaching and Imprisoning his people: We commonly call ourselves and our party, God's people; but that you are so, excluding them, or that they are so, excluding you, no third party or person can admit: And for Reproaches, you are even with them if not beforehand; and, I doubt, would be in Imprisoning also, if you had power. The conclusion that I make is this, Some of God's people may for their weakness deserve, and others in their weakness may inflict, Reproach and Imprisonment upon Brethren.  
Pride, Luxury, Lasciviousness: I suppose you intent only his high living, though your words seem to charge his person with very foul abominations; I am no Courtier, and therefore know not what his Conversation is in private: But in the times of my acquaintance with him, I did not observe any such temper in him; and in Reason, Age and multitude of Business, if not Virtue, should keep him from such Sensuality now: I have heard also some that have been his Servants, near to him, and strict observers of him, report, That his frequent Praying Fasting and Watching, with other conscientious and strict Observances, showed him inclined rather to turn Quaker than to looseness.  
His way of living, I confess, I have sometimes grudged at, as too Kingly, and not proportionable, either to his late condition; or to the present condition of his Brethren; or to his own affairs, being in such want of Money: But upon further examination of this Censure, I do find, that such as you and I are, living at distance from such Greatness, our Minds and Breed being as mean as our Conditions, and our Spirits narrow and rigid, being outcasts also from this present Glory, are troubled with a little Envy; and so not at all fit to judge of it. I find others that have known what Greatness is, of nibler and freer minds, and live nearer to it, say, That there is nothing but what hath been ordinary, amongst noble Persons; not the tenth of what Expense hath formerly been, and no more than is necessary for the Honour of the Nation: This I am sure, 'tis a mean and low Spirit this, that doth at once envy and over value such Greatness; Solomon, that lived at another rate than the Protector, gives us a true account of such men's conditions, Eccles. 5.11. When goods increase, they are increased that eat them; and what good is there to the owners thereof, saving the beholding them with their eyes?  
Changing of Principles: Your way of Writing, shows you as unable to judge or Principles as I am; our minds are so short and distempered by passion, that we cannot give a Rational account of the series of Actions: If any cross our wills and opinions, we are so much disturbed at the sense of the present evil done to us, that we cannot consider the good that such persons have done, or now do for us; All former things are forgotten, and we are nothing but Anger, and think them nothing but Mischief or Wickedness.  
And when we are enraged, we let fly at men's Principles, being not satisfied to rebuke men's Actions, Opinions and Works, but would be avenged of their Principles too; as if we would kill them at very heart, pull them up by the roots, and leave them in an incurcable condition, Rotten in their Principles. men's Actions are crooked and various, men's Opinions or Understandings, weak and uncertain; Affections change as the wind; yea we may see the Heart waver and stagger, sometimes Evil, sometimes Good carries it away: But how far goes Man in the trying of these things? Can he search the Heart, to know what it is? But Principles lie deeper than the Heart, and are indeed Christ, who is the Principle, and Beginning of all things, who, though Heart fail, and Flesh fail, yet he abides the root of all.  
'Tis worth considering, whether the Serpent may not, in directing the blindeness of Man to charge all the weakness of their Brethren upon Principles, intent to grieve and wound Christ himself: I do but propound it to consider, because this kind of Uncharitableness is common, most men thinking they don't charge home, nor speak to the purpose, if they don't reach men's Principles, which indeed are safe enough from all men's Enmity. But alas, what a pitiful thing it is for us, because by our expressing of ourselves in words or actions, in this mist of Confusion, we justle one against another, and offend one another, our impatience presently rises high, and we quarrel with the Principle; and would indeed (if we durst) be angry at God, that he leads not all men the same way with us.  
For the Protector, we do see plainly there is in him various Thoughts and Counsels, sometimes he looks this way, sometimes that way, tossed about into several stations and postures of Affairs; but of the Principles that move these things, what they are, and how they work, I know not, nor dare judge.  
Forsaking the good ways of Justice and Holiness: His way is in the wilderness, and 'tis crooked; and hath not our course been so from the beginning, reeling and staggering this way and that way? And this shows, there is unjustice and unholiness amongst us, which cannot be excused, but must be bewailed: But whether our late turns, which have been from your, mine, and many men's judgements, have been a forsaking the good ways of Justice and Holiness, I know not: In the way of Justice and Holiness, perfectly, I fear, we never yet were; we may have mistaken it now, but may, I hope, gain by mistake, and be led into it by a way we know not.  
For your confident affirming to the Protector, That these things are even at present to be read in his forehead; and, your citing him to answer it before the great Judge, etc. 'Tis such a high strain of Confidence, that I am not able to deal with it: You writ as if you never intended to question yourselves, or be questioned by any other: But I beseech you consider, if there should be found under these high Expressions, a Spirit of Enmity and Uncharitableness. If you should present before the Lord, the common dirt of Report, which you gather up in the streets of the World, and with it your own blind Passions and Discontents; what cause of sorrow and shame will there be, for mingling such profane stuff, and such highly holy things together? I'll tell you what I think, That you will repent of this business if you live, and that long before you shall come nigh the impartial Tribunal of God; and not only repent of this Spirit, but of your great confidence in it. Blessed is the man that feareth always; had you feared more, you would have been more happy: My Soul trembles at it, not daring to come, or to think that you should come to the Altar, much less to the impartial Tribunal of God; with such a Spirit.  
There is much of this Trade abroad in the world, men make it their work to take up Reports against them they are disaffected to, and dress them up with Religion, Scripture, a show of Zeal for God, and then cry them abroad, either in Pulpits or in private Discourse, ordinarily mingled with either a bitter curse, or a taunt and scorn: So that it is a very great part of the Religion abroad, to defame their Adversaries, and this with great pleasure and a show of Godliness.  
I do desire that you and others would seriously weigh these Considerations upon Exod. 23.1, 2, 3. Thou shalt not raise, or as in Marg. receive a false Report: Put not thine hand with the wicked, to be an unrighteous witness. 2. Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause, to decline after many to wrest judgement. 3. Neither shalt thou countenance a poor man in his cause.  
Let us consider what Reports are; generally, They are the echo or reflection that men's persons and actions make upon Empty, Malicious and Proud minds:  
I. Empty and hollow minds make a Report or noise; The solid Christian, his voice is not heard in the streets, his work is inward, at home upon his own soul, and his conversation is in heaven, with the glorious works of Christ;: But the formal Hypocrite is a Busy body, exercised in the base and vile things of other men's iniquities, or in the Report of them, which are vain and impure things, like himself.  
II. Reports are brought forth by Malice; did men love, they would cover iniquity: Charity thinketh no evil, rejoiceth not in iniquity, 1 Cor. 13.5, 6. If a man did either love God or his Brother, he would abominate evil, not take it into his thoughts, nor rejoice to hear or speak of iniquity, because iniquity is an enemy both to God and to his Brother. But Malice, which is the height of sin and wickedness, makes a man love sin, and delight in it, because it serves him to pull down them that he hates: So that he joins himself to Sin, and is Confederate with it, because it doth mischief to his Adversaries; and therefore it is, that though he seem to dislike it, yet he gives it the advantage of his gifts, his Zeal and Language to enlarge and advance it.  
Malice is a very base thing, but this kind of malice is the worst: A noble enemy trusts to the righteousness, truth and justice of his own Cause, and being satisfied with that, can wait with patience till God bring forth his righteousness; but scorns to defile himself, by making use either of the sins of his Adversaries, or the lying reports of the world, to help his Cause, or hurt his Enemies.  
III. Pride raises Reports; for were a soul truly sensible of his own and others miserable captivity in this world, and under this body of death, he would not take pleasure in speaking of other men's evil actions, or the fame of them, but his soul would be bowed down into secret mourning for the body and root of Sin and Death in himself and others.  
'Tis indeed a cruel kind of prido, either to make men sinners if they are not, or to make them worse than they are; or if they be indeed fallen, to trample upon them, and insult over them by bitter and public Accusations; or for men to exalt their own seeming Religion and Righteousness, by that which is an offence to God, and a wound to his name, and their brethren's souls.  
II. We see what is the root of reports, whence they come: Let us consider in the next place that the Text calls them false reports: They are generally so, they can't be true that are the children of such parents, as Hypocrisy, Malice and Pride: Man is a lie, he is so vain a thing, that he can hardly be true in the best temper; he is a false and broken glass, that gives very imperfect representations of things: Put a strait stick into the water, and it will seem crooked, especially if the water be moved with the wind, so are the minds of men naturally as water; and at this time water agitated by several winds of Passions, Fashions, Discontents, Jealousies, Prejudices and Enmities, so that 'tis impossible to meet with a right representation of any man, or his actions in the world: All sorts of men, good and bad, have been abused by reports, I have observed it from the beginning of these times, we never could have a just and true account of our Enemies, but very bad men have been made much worse by reports; if I find a man delighting to censure them he disaffects, though it be mingled with a demure look and Scripture language, yet if it come only as news, behind men's backs, to stir up rage against their Enemies, I conclude 'tis false, either totally or in part, a thing not done, or not done with that mind as is reported, or in that manner: And if any will trouble himself to examine such a report to the bottom, I do not doubt but he will find it so; but for my part, if I find him out of his way; in public, when it should be in private, and behind the back, when it should be to the persons face; or if I find him angry and biting, or idle jeering and quibbling, I conclude him a Vagabond, and count it more safe and easy to shut the door upon him; for if I do but give him a night's lodging, he leaves the sting wherewith he wounded another's name in my spirit, to my great pain; and this I often find by experience.  
III. Therefore a third observation have I leaned from the Text, and experience not to receive such false reports; The Receiver is guilty as well as the Reporter: He that loveth and maketh a lie, Rev. 22.15. they are thrust out together; for he that loves, entertains and rejoices in a lie, is of the same nature with him that made it; 'tis no excuse therefore, I heard it, and I heard it of many honest men: A lie is a base, void, foul thing, which a heart that loves truth may discern and reject, what ever tongue brings it; but hereby men are cheated, if a friend bring it, and it be against an Enemy, we think we shall do it wrong to question or suspect it, whereas we may justly suspect every man; Man and Lie being so much allied: Parties are never free from malice, nor malice free from lies, and therefore men had need take heed what they receive in these days.  
A second Branch of this Observation is, By receiving men raise a false report, it may be from a disturbed passionate tongue into a more serious mind, and from common idle talk, into devout and religious Considerations, and from them into Pulpits, into praying and preaching, and at last 'tis raised, as in this Letter, to the impartial Tribunal of God; so that which at first is either nothing or some humane frailty, it may be some rash word or action from a temptation, is made a great wickedness, for which the person and his way or work is condemned, and Religion, Scripture and the Name of God brought in to execute it: What follows in this Scripture, I would have the Subscribers and all discontented people consider, Put not thy hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness. The same things that you in this Letter and Paper testify against our Governors, the common people of the Nation which you judge wicked and profane, do exclaim against them: Change of Government, destroying the Foundations of a Commonwealth, pulling down others to set up themselves, Taxes upon pretence of necessity; These things are charged upon them by your and their Enemies; which if you had considered, you would not have put your hands to the Paper, neither will you any longer join with your wicked Enemies, to destroy your Friends. Verse 2. Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil, etc. All forts of people almost are against the present Power, Cavaliers, Presbyterians. Levellers, Anabaptists, reproaches are so general, and come so thick, upon us in all places, that 'tis a kind of a crime not to comply: A man can hardly keep the liberty of his own judgement; to think or hope well of the present Government without the censure of being a Courtier: to dislike Government is counted a virtue: 'Tis true, some of your Exceptions (and the weakest of them) are proper to you and your party, but the most and the strongest are Vox populi: Therefore your witness doth either follow or lead a multitude to do evil; which, if it doth not condemn your Cause, it renders it foully suspicious.  
Verse 3. Neither shalt thou countenance a poor man in his cause. This discovers a subtle temptation which draws men into the snare of injustice, while they seem to exercise mercy; there is a show of righteousness in Suffering, which is very attractive to poverty, and move the Affection, if not the Judgement to their Cause, be it right or wrong: Good men were lately low, and evil men high; people are apt to think 'tis so still, and that Greatness is oppression; and all suffering, righteousness: I doubt many are seduced by this in these times, wherein there is so much of blind affection, and so little of judgement: 'Tis surely good to be cautioned against the confidence of the wicked, the strength of the multitude, and the insinuations of the poor.  
'Tis not amiss to read and consider what follows, If thou meet thine enemy's ox or ass going astray, etc. If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee, lying under his burden, etc. Here you have not an ox or ass going astray, and lying under a burden, but men, your friends: The Text tells you your duty, if you be able to perform it, 'tis to bring back that which is gone astray, and to help that which lieth under its burden.  
These are the chief Things expressed in your Letter, which (as I conceive) do offend your mind; some generals that run through both your Letter and the Paper enclosed, we may consider hereafter. Your spirit comes forth more fully in the Paper, which is the substance of your Testimony; where we have the fairest opportunity of serving of you, by removing those stumbling-blocks that offend you; therefore I shall hasten to give you my thoughts of it.   

ANIMADVERSIONS UPON A PAPER enclosed in a LETTER, and sent to His Highness from some Gentlemen and others in Wales.  
IN this Paper there is a Preface to the Articles, and the Articles themselves: In the Preface you do as you do in your Letter, show us your Commission which yond have, after a long time, earnest seeking of the Lord, what we find in our consciences: and afterward, in faithfulness towards God, and meekness towards men, perform what duty is incumbent upon us: and at last, in pursuance of our duty to God, our fellow-members, as Christians, as men, etc.  
In these things I suppose you put much confidence, and think that none that are religious will oppose a Work that comes into the field, in the name of Duty & Conscience, accompanied with Prayer and Scriptures, etc. I deny not that these things are amongst you, and in a great measure, but I would advise you not to build too much upon them, for these Reasons:  
I. First, Because, if you will look abroad, you cannot but see, what with great grief; of heart I have observed, That in and with these things, viz. The kingdom of Christ, Glory of God, much seeking of God, Conscience, Duty, etc. in some, where there seems to be as much purity, sincerity and uprightness as in yourselves, I may say, more light, evidence and power; yet I say such vile things have come forth in them and with them, which you yourselves would abhor, and which they themselves that brought them forth have sadly repent of; do but therefore allow of a little suspicion of yourselves, and consider, that some while they honestly and hearty (for aught either themselves or others know) seek after Christ, they are led into unreasonable and absurd things, contrary to the light of Nature and Religion, and to the hurt of themselves and mankind; and why may not you in your religious Zeal and Duties, be carried into things contrary to the Law of Love, and destructive to yourselves and the public peace.  
II. Secondly, Because you come forth, not against a people that are profane, but such as are exercised in the same things that you are, a people that pray; that wait and seek for God and his Light to guide them, as highly professing and practising religious Duties as yourselves, and are in that wherein you oppose them in their duty to God and men, and for aught that you or I can judge, with as much sincerity as you, and such as have shined in the life of godliness equal to you, if not beyond you, so that 'tis but praying against praying, duty against duty, conscience against conscience, and sincerity against sincerity; therefore if you do indeed honour these things as part of the Grace and Kingdom of Christ, consider you do with Christ oppose Christ, you sight against your own life and strength: Is it not then far more honourable and Christianlike, to suffer the greatest loss of worldly Liberties and Privileges, of Parliaments and Governments, and to pay Taxes, Tithes and all that can be laid upon us, or that you contend against, rather than to war Christ against Christ, duty against duty, prayer against prayer.  
III. Thirdly, Because this Quarrel hath been fought already in duty and consicience to God, with prayer and seeking of the Lord, in defence of the kingdom of Christ, and his Way and Worship, against a people who in obedience to their King, maintained the Legal Rights and customary Worship of the Nation; and judgement given in the case, not only for you, but for all the honest people of the Nation which engaged for this cause; they therefore that will not rest in the sentence of God, but make another Quarrel about the same thing (wherein indeed there is none) will I think suffer as contentions in a high degree; setting the way and people of Christ, against the way and people of Christ; 'tis therefore but reason that good men and good things should now live peaceably together, or if there be a difference, that we do not arm ourselves as the outwardly-religious against the outwardly profane; not with Declarations, Accusations, nor with outward weapons, no nor with praying and preaching in enmity, and against one another, as formely we did against the Cavaliers; but with the spirit of God, which is a spirit of love and light, with more inward weapons that will pierce to the dividing of soul and spirit.  
IU. Fourthly, Because the things that you profess, and that we have spoken of, had their time and their work in public, in which they appeared in power and majesty against their enemies; but alas how much are they now polluted with folly, madness, gross error, vanity, wrath and violence, as if the Abomination of Desolation were in the holy place! 'Tis too visible in others, and visible enough in your Paper, where there is (it grieves me to say it) falsehood, wrath, deceit, and blowing the fire of War amongst brethren, which is abominable to humble and gracious spirits, yea, to nature and reason, and tends directly to lay us desolate, without safety or protection; therefore what ever you think of the glory of your Cause, as you have dressed it up, I must in faithfulness tell you my sense of it, (which I believe will be the sense of all rational men) I had rather engage for the honest principles of Necessity, Safety, public Peace, civil Government, though under many defects and corruptions, than for the highest things that you profess, so as you now profess them; and though this may appear to you profane, yet I know there is nothing more profane nor more likely to extirpate all Religion, and to set Atheism on the throne, than for honest and religious people to war upon one another.  
Therefore Friends, before you go any further, be persuaded to come forth of that private spirit in which you are, and with a little charity look abroad, and you will find the Sun doth not shine only into your window: That the law of God is wondrous broad, and spreads itself over, and into other men's consciences as well as yours, though with some difference, as the subject is disposed to receive it; and that others are as true and obedient to that word which is differently dispensed to them, as you are to what is manifest to you; and you cannot but in reason conclude, that those that you oppose are bound in duty to God and man, to keep the peace against all opposers whatsoever: and if you are not sunk into, and covered over with your own Religion as some are, their spirits being inferior to the Religion they profess, and so are mastered by it, and not suffered to behold any thing but the glory of it, if it be not so with you, you may see the same things in which you now come forth, in those you oppose, and that owned and testified to by God's providence, in giving them a complete victory over their enemies; there the same things that you now plead, have after long-sufferings and sore trials, attained more than we looked for, and indeed as much as the world can afford, liberty, and power to secure it: why then should not you rather, quietly enjoy and improve together that great Mercy obtained by your and their praying and earnest seeking of God, rather than begin a new and strange Contention 'twixt prayer and prayer, zeal and zeal; for this strife, if it should go on, would be most black and unchristian, and doth threaten the utter defacing of the honour Religion hath gotten in the earth, a miserable overthrowing of that liberty and safety we have, and the rooting out of Religion itself.  
II. Secondly, Having showed us your Commission, from Conscience, Duty and Faithfulness to God, etc. In the next place you in stead of propounding your Grievances, or manifesting when the Difference began, and wherein it now consists, or desiring satisfaction as brethren, you hasten to declare an irreconcilable Enmity in the highest nature, and choose your ground to fight upon, which is no worse than heaven, for which you quote Rev. 12.7. in the margin, And there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels fought against the Dragon, and the Dragon fought and his angels; and being engaged in the same quarrel upon the same ground, you expect the same success; considering, say you, they loved not their lives unto death, and by the blood of the Lamb and their testimony did overcome: Thus have you leaped into heaven, and entered yourselves soldiers under Michael with his angels: I am unwilling to think or say how unlike you are to the Lamb the Captain, or to such fellow-soldiers; I confess you are gotten out of my reach, I tremble to deal with men that will but say they are members of that Army, therefore if you intent to secure your Cause and selves by this high advance, you have your end; as to me, I shall not dispute it with you, you may stay there till the sense of your passions and weakness help you to understand the Revelations and yourselves better.  
But for the other Regiments that you are associated to, and speak of, that were stirred up in England and Scotland to bear witness, etc. against the Book of Common-prayer, Surplice, etc. and against Ship-money, Monopolies, etc. I may be a little bolder, being things within my own knowledge and sphere: If I should be too free with them, you would not be offended; if I should be too plain with you, they would not be offended, because you are (how ever listed here together) at a great distance in your opinions and affections.  
In sum, you put yourselves in the place of Micha●l and his angels, and the Protector and them that join with him, in the place of the Dragon and his angels; you are the heirs of the Saints, and of the honest old Puritan-party, the witnesses, and they succeed the King▪ and his party, Egypt, Babylon, Antichrist, etc. and by this devise,  
First, you cloth yourselves with heaven, purity, truth, and Christ his Cause, a blessed state, unerring and undoubtedly successful! and them with wickedness, falsehood, idolatry, a state of certain destruction.  
II. Secondly, You conclude the cause hath been heard, you have given in your witness, they are condemned, there's nothing left but execution; you may now fall on without any question, they will as surely fall before you as the Dragon fell before Michael, or as the Kings- party fell before the Parliament-party.  
III. Thirdly, This is your posture, an irreconcilable Enmity declared, no possibility of repenting in them or you, no way in the world left for healing or agreement, but desparately bound to fight it out; for this difference is not 'twixt brethren, nor between Israel back-slidden, and Israel abiding steadfast, nor between the seed of the bondwoman and the seed of the freewoman, nor between true Christians and hypocrites, nor between men enlightened and men yet in darkness unconvinc'd, for all these may live in civil peace together, upon the same earth, but a strife 'twixt Michael and the Dragon: 'twixt obstinate and reprobated sinners, and blessed elected saints, where one party must be saved in heaven, and the other must to hell.  
IU. And fourthly, this only upon a similitude, and that made only in enmity (which uses to put the highest stamp of wickedness upon enemies, and assume any glory to it self, that he may by it be an excellent Destroyer) This made comparison, and the consequent wrath, is without any real difference, either in your spirits or work; for this I may affirm, that in the habits or qualities of your minds to God, or in the work of God upon you, or your work for God, you differ not; that is (setting aside knaves and hypocrites on both sides, which I believe stir up enmity, & make the difference between you) they are not Babylon, nor you Zion; they not the seed of the serpent, and you of Christ, nor the contrary. We intent not to meddle with the great Judgement of God, but with your present standing, in which no indifferent man can have any show of reason, to judge one party wicked the other godly, or that it is the work and design of one to set up Christ, the other to set up Antichrist; but both of you are brethren, children of the same Father, servants of the same Lord, of the same repentance and faith, exercised in the same duties, with the same spirit, labouring to advance the same Religion and Liberty in the Nation, only being in darkness and under offence, you understand not wherein you either agree or differ, but the difference is only in circumstances of tune, and manner of doing things, and in outward condition; some have more, some less of the fallen parties honour and riches, some are habited with outward greatness, others have their lot in lowness and sufferings, some disguised with the outward palace of the king, others disguised with the prison of old sufferers, these with some petty differences in temper and natural disposition, some sudden and hot, others heavier and cooler, some simpler, others wiser; these little things have set up the standard of defiance: And besides these, I know no real difference between you and them, except it be this late act of an Instrument, etc. which is but one act, and that a sudden one, not set up or maintained in opposition to any more excellent thing, only made and used as a prudential thing to uphold a Government in the Nation, which you likewise would have upheld, though you dislike their way and manner of doing it; but be persuaded to consider where you are, and what you have done; you have blown up a deadly enmity 'twixt yourselves and your friends merely upon outward circumstances, or a false figure and shadow of difference: 'Tis a fire that burns fiercely, and seems to be implacable, but the fuel of it is very slight matter, or rather immaterial speculations: when I consider how much you are one, and how little you differ, how strongly and necessarily you are bound up in one Life, Religion and Safety, and how airy and childish your strife is; You will excuse me, if I be a little merry with your notional quarrel, these mistaken fancies may put you into a fret, make you scold a little, but I hope there will be never a broken pate in the cause.  
'Tis not at all a natural but a made and forced business, there being no material ground of a quarrel, therefore though discontent and trouble put you upon it rashly, yet me thinks you should not run so much hazard, with so much labour and pains to maintain a mere notion and shadow of difference; if they against whom you appear have but a little patience, and do nothing against you, you must needs be weary of the quarrel and the cause quickly: finding the foundation of the business so inconsiderable, I am almost inclined to leave it off; but because, though it be little in itself, yet 'tis much to you, & you seem to be serious in it, I shall endeavour what I can, to give you a better understanding of them and yourselves.  
Now because this particular that we are upon, viz. That our present Governors are in the place of, and Successors to the King and his party, and that you and other unsatisfied people are in the place of, or are the honest and godly party, I shall take a little pains to show the fallacy of this conceit, which doth abuse many.  
To clear this, let us search for, if we can find it, what was the real difference 'twixt the Cavalier and the Puritan, and so what was the root of the Quarrel 'twixt King and Parliament, and then see whether the same Quarrel be carried on 'twixt the Subscribers and our present Governors.  
In this controversy 'twixt the Religious and the Royal party, there was first an inward Cause or Root of Division; and secondly there were many Disputes and Questions, which were the effects of that Division: The first was less observed, but more effectual; the second made a greater noise, more outward, as if the Quarrel had been only about these things which were indeed but the effects of division of hearts.  
These outward things about which the Parliament and Parliamentary people were exercised, were the Prerogative of the King, and Privileges of Parliament, the Laws of the Land, the power of raising Money, Monopolies, Ship-money, etc. the power of the Militia; and in sum, where the Supreme Power was, whether in the King as Head, or in the Parliament the Representative of the People, the Body? concerning these things you may observe:  
I. First, They were but the outside of the Quarrel, wherein the more worldly minds were exercised, and very remote from the inward Spring of difference which lay deeper, as we shall see anon.  
II. Secondly, In these things (if I do not much mistake) the King had the better Cause, more justified by the ancient Laws of the Land, for though he had been guilty of some maladministration of Government, yet he offered very large satisfaction; neither were the Errors of his Government of so a high a nature, as to deserve to be prosecuted by so violent a war, to Deposing and Death: Some Princes I believe have done the same or worse things in Government, and never questioned for them; but there was more at the bottom: and it may be observed, that while the war was in the hands of men who only minded these outward things, the King prospered exceedingly, and risen from a very low condition to have far the greatest power; for those men that contended for worldly power, did lust after, and unjustly challenge from the King those Royal Prerogatives that our Laws had long given to the Crown, and for their lusting fell in the wilderness.  
III. Thirdly, These outward things of Law and Privilege, being but the clothing of the Work, are worn out, and we are for the present (in such respects) in a worse condition than formerly, Power more arbitrary, Taxes more heavy, Privileges of Parliament more violated, Laws of less authority; and if we could have fore-seen what effects War and change of Government would procure, we might in reason expect it; therefore they whose spirits are engaged in these outward and worldly privileges and freedom only or mostly, have a very hard bargain of it, and must needs be very much offended, if their hearts do not value Religion, and the Liberties of it at a high rate, and have a charitable opinion of it, that it will when it may attain some quiet and security, bring forth the people's liberties in more righteousness and largeness than they have yet appeared in.  
These Considerations premised concerning the outward part of the Quarrel 'twixt the two parties, let us now consider where the Original Division lay, and whence it was that their spirits stood at such a distance one from another.  
I. First, The honest or religious party, were by a work of God upon them, changed in their minds, and were born into another spirit by the word of God, converting and turning their hearts by Repentance and Faith towards God: this life coming from God, depended upon him, subjected itself to him, would be ruled by him, and not by man; the other party had no knowledge of this life, but hated it, scorned it, dealt cruelly with it, would not suffer this child to breathe its own breath in prayer, nor to speak its own language in preaching, nor to eat its own food, or allow it its own growth; as inhumanely cruel to it, as Egypt was to Israel, being strangely jealous of it, as if it was the heir, and would in time get power to call them to account for all their wickedness, they did bend the strength of the Government against it, and not only so, but devised new stratagems to suppress it: We will not dispute whether this life of godliness was in flesh or in spirit, 'twas doubtless much in flesh, but not without spirit, but it was real, and such as did denominate us to be the people and children of God, to be the seed of Israel, as the enmity of the other party denominated them to be Egypt and Babylon, and to be of Antichrist; so that here were two kinds of spirit or minds, one of God, another of the world, one seeming to spring from the old stock of Abraham, and of Christ and the Apostles; the other seeming to spring out of the world, out of the earth: and the first took in all the godly party, hardly a man left out, the other took in the chief of men maliciously bend against godliness: Now if you my friends, that have subscribed this Paper, will but reflect upon yourselves, and look with the same eye upon your brethren, you cannot think that there is in yourselves a work of grace or godliness, that is not in them you oppose, or that there is in them any such hatred to that grace of God, as was in the King's party; but you must conclude, that though they are a bone started aside one way, you a bone started aside another way, yet you are members of the same body.  
II. Secondly, As these two parties, the Religious and Royal party differed in the original and kind of their spirits, so did they in the law and rule of their spirits; the one were subject to Christ and his Law in the worship of God, and did see that he had given them Laws in his Word, far differing from those which were practised and commanded in the Nation, the other did stiffly adhere to the Religion of their forefathers as it was established by law, and would not admit of any other, but cruelly persecuted it, denying men to offer to God such sacrifices as he required of them, and which they judged their duty to serve him in; now pray consider, whether the case be so now 'twixt you and your brethren whom you oppose, whether are you denied to perform any duty of worship to God, that his word leads you to? nay, do not they do the same things with you? or do you bring forth any rule or law of Christ in Religion that they oppose; for civil things and Government, I think you done't pretend to any law instituted by Christ. The notions and motions of your spirits may in some circumstantial things clash, but you agree in your rule as to Religion, and to follow the same law and rule of Christ in all things, so far as it is revealed to you and them: freedom for your Consciences to serve the Lord in as much holiness and purity as you can, you have as much as you can desire; if there bea deviation from the rule in civil things, 'tis not in enmity to any rule, no law of that nature coming forth that pretends to be from God.  
It may be of good use both for you the Subscribers, and for the Protector and our Governors, seriously to consider the inward spirit and root of difference 'twixt us and our enemies, and by it we may know where the marrow and strength of our cause lies: 'Tis true, these things of godliness wrought in the heart, and conscientious following the Rule and Law of Christ, did not at first appear openly in Parliament or Army, and accordingly they thrived, but when they whose hearts were engaged in these things came into action, and the King had to do nakedly with such spirits, he fell before them, and was trampled under foot as dirt; and it must needs be so, a people that have the least stamp or mark of God, and his work and spirit upon them, and engaged to serve him, cannot but with its weight and authority press down the fleshly arm and power of man as nothing: I would propound it as a caution to both sides:  
First to our Governors, that they will in all their affairs attend the motion and growth of this spirit of godliness, and not to engage in Designs upon principles of worldly policy, be they never so specious, but rather to sit still, and to attend the cherishing and increasing of the life of godliness, than to move in public actions till this life leads them forth; and then, not out of prejudice or offence at the weakness and scruples of godly men to lay them aside, and to commit their business to worldly men, though never so wise and gallant men, but to lay the stress of all affairs upon this spirit, which is doubtless the steadiest and truest to the works of God.  
Secondly to the Subscribers and others, I would desire you to keep close to the first principles of real inward godliness, and that you sink your spirits more into Fundamentals, and not to suffer your minds to be elevated into high strains, forms and notions of things, nor to be carried away with those who never travelled in the way of godliness, and are either ignorant or unmindeful of the Power and substance of Religion, which is your danger in your present business; for many such we have that flutter about, and talk of Christ and his kingdom, that never were seasoned with the principles of true Religion, and are clouds without rain, wells without water; and while they profess for an outward and glorious Reformation, oppose and quarrel with the truth of godliness, and tall of outward freedom, while they are servants to Pride, Passion, Envy and such like corruptions.  
But upon a little more searching into the inward nature of things, you will find your Quarrel very ill bottomed upon the former War; for you and your brethren whom you now oppose, are as much one in the state and rule of your spirits, as ever you and they differed from the Cavalier.  
And now let rue desire you to compare our present Governors, in their standing and actings with the old royal party, and you will see a great dissimilitude 'twixt them; and then compare yourselves, in your present actings with the honest old Puritan party in their motions towards the War, and you will find as wide a difference.  
I. Those of the King and his party grew out of an old stock and root of Worldly Greatness, where they had continued many Ages, unmovably fixed in a State of outward pomp, far above, and opposite to the life and light of Religion, where being settled in Peace and Power, they had many opportunities and offers of the Light of Reformation, but they would not be healed; but being rich, and living at ease and pleasure, were haughty, scorned all reproof being lifted up upon the highest glory of the world, were beyond the reach of the instruction of the poor people, who knew the truth, and so were hardened against the Light, bending all the force of Government against that Light that did spring forth; so that godly People were so far from any hopes of doing any good upon them, that they might not live in the Nation without defiling their Consciences, but were forced to fly into all parts of the world for a being; now if these poor people being thus provoked by the brutish and un-natural cruelty of the State, denying their innocent and peaceable spirits, the common freedom of nature, of life and being, if they did when they were called forth to it, rise up against them, how justifiable it was?  
But on the other side, you know the original of our present Governors, that they are of late sprung from a low and mean condition wherein they served the Lord, and came forth with yourselves from the same bondage, through the same dangers, by the same zeal, courage, praying, fasting, etc. They never yet attained any settled and quiet State of Government, but are still struggling for life, and in perpetual danger of being overturned by the malice of their and your enemies, who are still labouring by secret plots, to do what they could not by outward force: They are very far from ease and pleasure, their work being full of difficulty, and men's minds and tongues bend against them: A persecuted people, maligned, envied, reproached, pushed and lifted at by all sorts of people at home and abroad, under the scourge of evil tongues, under the rod of dangers and fears, so closely followed with the cross, that they have not opportunity to do good, nor to harden in evil▪ They have gone as far as they have light to go, and profess they wait for more light; they seem to have an ear open to instruction, and not only to give access to their brethren to counsel them, but to invite them to it: And if they were not of themselves disposed to hearken to the voice of Wisdom, yet the miserable uneasiness, unsafety, and trouble of their way, should (me thinks) incline them to receive any rational Proposals: It's possible there is more wisdom in the Nation than is yet amongst them, and they may be guilty of not seeking it out, but I (that have been a looker on) have not observed any wisdom come forth in public, that I could judge worthy to be a guide to them: And whereas the former Powers did design against the liberty and safety of yourselves and other honest men; these do conscientiously, and I believe in obedience to God, study your and others safety and liberty; Now considering they are brethren of the same root with yourselves, their toil and labour, their difficulties, dangers and darkness, their sufferings and reproaches for performing their duties, in preserving your liberties, it appears to me to be as unjust, unnatural, and ingrateful for you to rise up against them, uncaled forth, as 'twas just and natural for us (being called forth to it) to appear against the King and his party.  
Let me now represent to you the spirit of the old honest Puritan, if you duly consider it, it had much worth in it; springing up from many great and long-sufferings, bonds, banishment, shame, death, persecutions of all sorts, which he endured with much meekness and long-suffering, never attempting any thing against the Government, but prayed for it honestly, laboured to preserve it: the sufferings of that party for many years at home and abroad, did amount to a very great sum, yet they never stirred till they were called forth by the great Council of the Nation, a visible Power; and then how solid, sober, obedient and peaceable they were in their motion, faithfully praying for their enemies, and seeking not their destruction but their repentance, aiming at nothing of Power to themselves, only liberty and safety in serving the Lord; carried on to this present state of things blindlyand simply, not designing the ruin of the King and his Power, but urged to it by necessity for their safety; for they did show a willingness to comply with the King, and to save him, but could not find him in the least natural to them, but all his Treaties and Concessions were not voluntary but forced, which was sufficiently manifest; And then he would in time, and as he had opportunity, have returned to his own natural course with more violence than before, which would have made the latter end to that poor people far worse than the beginning; so far as this was naked and simple, it will justify that party, and the honesty and peaceableness of their spirits, that they sought the preservation of their enemies to the last.  
But how different from this Copy are you in your present actings? your rise is not from sufferings, but from success and heights of Confidence, being fleshed with victory, not having a deep spring of simplicity and obedience, but a design laid upon outward observation of the Advantages of War, and having place and Greatness in your eye if you prevail, and accordingly your motion's are rash, heady, fiery, fierce, I may say, seeking War and Blood, and directly aiming at the destruction of your brethren: therefore bear with me for the present, you will, it may be, thank me hereafter: I must tell you what I really think, you come not near your pattern; for that spirit whose place you contend for was, though low and dark, yet solid, true, just, advancing from a great depth; after providence; in strength and integrity, and so endured much, waiting for its season to come forth, and then attained more than in ever expected or sought for; but yours in your present motion, which I believe is not yours neither, but a strange spirit of discontent, is flashy, slight, full of rage, and may, as smoke, offend and darken, but will quickly vanish.  
This is one of the chief Grounds of the Quarrel begun, and therefore I have taken the more pains to examine it; I hope when you and others find it a deceitful Ground, you will retreat from it, and not engage upon such false shadows of things against true friends.  
There is one thing more that doth offend you, and 'tis hinted here and there in your Paper, That the present public Transactions have, been covenanted and protested against: You urge the Engagement and Acts of Parliament made against Monarchy, and particularly quote the words of the Declaration of the Officers and Soldiers of the English Army, Aug. 1. 1650. page 11, 12. We are persuaded in our consciences, that the late King and his Monarchy was one of the ten horns of the beast, spoken of Rev. 17.13, etc.  
I know not well how to help you over this block: 'tis sad to me, to think how we have trifled with Oaths all along, swearing for every thing, and almost against every thing in the Nation; covenanting for King, and engaging directly against him: If the Land do not mourn, I wish it did in true repentance for these things, and that we did earnestly seek unto the Lord for a way out of the bonds that are upon our necks by sinful and rash Oaths.  
In the interim, I cannot see that you do justly urge these things against your brethren:  
I. Because our great evil in this thing, is; we have sworn rashly, not in Righteousness and Judgement, but in a heat and fit upon politic grounds for worldly advantages: 'twas a sin to make them, & 'tis a sin to break them, which is greatest I will not determine; burr this I am sure of, that you and all of us are guilty, and therefore 'tis not ingenuous to charge another for that which we are guilty of, without accusing ourselves also.  
II. Secondly, We may be ashamed to remember any of them, but if one, why not all? why not the Covenant, Protestations, and at last the Oath of Allegiance? for in all, the name of God was called upon: There is an oath for the King and his Posterity, an Engagement and Declaration against him: 'twill be of little use to inquire, whether an Oath required by a settled Government, and voluntarily sworn to, for an Ordinance of God, instituted in plain Scriptures both of old and new Testament (for so Kingly Government is) I say, whether such an Oath? Or an Engagement enjoined by a broken Power, or a Declaration of an Army, that never challenged any lawful Power, against an institution, upon an interpretation of a dark prophecy of the Revelation, whether of these two be most binding? 'Twill help you and us little to resolve it.  
III. Thirdly, This is most considerable how far the letter of Oaths bind? which may be in some doubtful, in others contradictory; and how far the equity and spirit of them bind? and then to inquire what is the pith and substance of all our Protestations and Covenants? which when sifted out, let them have their just and righteous consideration: And than 'twere good to consider which of them this present Government be against, whether it be not against those Oaths and Covenants made for the Right of the King; and if so, how came we to be acquitted from those former Oaths? or whether it be against the Engagements made against Monarchy? it seems to me to be another thing set up besides, rather than against that Engagement, being of another nature from that which we engaged against, as we shall see hereafter; But alas, these Questions do not heal nor help us, only they may serve as dust to put in our mouths to silence us, that we upbraid not, nor accuse one another.  
We have taken notice of the chief things in the Preface of your Paper, we shall now proceed to consider the Articles of Accusation themselves, which speak out plainly what it is that troubles you.  
YOur first Witness or Article is against Apostasy, which you express in a Parallel 'twixt this Nation and the old Israelites in their deliverance out of Egypt, saying, They and we have soon forgot God our Saviour, etc. We have not set our hearts right, etc. but have gone back and deals treacherously, and turned aside like a deceitful bow, etc. have provoked the Lord to anger by our inventions.  
This first is more honest and ingenuous than any thing that follows it; There is a serious truth in it, and 'tis soberly and humbly expressed, if you do indeed mean what you have written; For you say, WE have soon forgotten God, etc. WE have not, etc. If you are true in this WE, you have taken your share of the guilt and shame with your brethren, and the whole Nation, and have owned a union with them in this head sin or root-sin of Back sliding, which is but just; if it was a slip, 'twas an honest and a loving one, be persuaded to own it, and to number yourselves with us sinners, and to bear your part of guilt and punishment also if it comes: Sin is general, so will Judgement be, 'tis therefore safer for you to lie down under Self-condemnation, and either trust to mercy, or seek to avert calamity, than to justify yourselves as innocent persons and witnesses.  
I take no pleasure in speaking of it, but I fear what you writ is too true, that there is a general Apostasy amongst us; it may be they that are in great place, and so liable to great temptations, are more guilty than others, or else their guilt is more manifest; but sure there is a general declining in the visible Professors of Religion, and, as you say, Our hearts have not been right, nor our spirits steadfast to God, but we have turned aside like a deceitful bow: 'Tis most manifest in these particulars:  
I. First, We are in Religion divided into several opinions, forms, names, words and ways of worshipping God, in which we walk in enmity to our brethren of different judgements, which shows we have turned aside from God, who is one, and his name one, whose Law is exceeding large, who is love: he saves all, comprehends all under his wings: And that which is purely of God and his word, 'tis sweet, easy and delightful to all that are godly; but that which leads men into divided paths, and into opposition, whereby we grieve, afflict and offend godly ones, there is in all those things some inventions of our own, something of carnal reason: Therefore in all divisions that are amongst us, how ever we commend our own way as pure, and would impose it upon others, and not admit him to a share of the salvation that God hath wrought for all his people that denies it, yet there is in every one mixtures of our own, which while we zealously prosecute, we turn aside from God, and his law of Love.  
II. Secondly, We do as Israel, abound in performances, religious exercises, in new moons, solemn assemblies, where we offer rivers of oil, the beasts of a thousand mountains, expressions, enlargements, notions, scriptures, duties; yet Israel departed from God, and turned aside into themselves in these things: therefore are they called theirs own ways, and not that which God delighted in, Isa. 66.3, 4. Alas, how grossly are our preach, prayings, assemblings, churching, polluted with pride, vain glory, worldly ends? is it not apparent that we deal treacherously with God, while we seem to exalt his kingdom, we do indeed seek our own honour and advantage, and the exaltation of our own gifts, party and ministry? For when we engage the strength and might of our hearts in these things, and neglect to serve the Lord with our souls, in a soul humbling and soul-cleansing work, wherein the power of godlinese lies; and when by these things we life up ourselves above others, and as Lords over others, do we not as a deceitful bow? while we seem to shoot at God's enemy, we shoot at our own enemies, and while we seem to aim at his honour, aim at our own.  
III. Thirdly, We once were meek and lowly, contented with mean things in the world, so we might but enjoy Christ in his own Ordinances; Now how we employ our Gifts, our Light, our Zeal, our Way, to get uppermost, Diotrephes-like, to have the preeminence: what contending for dominion, envying, plotting, labouring either to maintain or got Greatness and Power? employing our light and gifts to pull down and destroy, not to save, and that which would destroy, would rise itself and get into place: If there be amongst us these three, or any of them, there is departing from God; enmity, self or pride, the constant companions of Apostasy.  
If we have departed from God, and the majesty and largeness of his salvation, into destroying enmity, into perverse self, into tyrannical pride, 'tis no wonder you complain that 'tis a day of rebuke, of trouble and blasphemy: And what kind of blasphemy, not from Rabshakeh sent from the King of Assyria, but from prophets and ministers which say they are sent from God, and should bring tidings of peace? this must needs be rebuke both to them that administer it, and to them against whom 'tis administered; it must needs be pitiful and sad work to blaspheme or speak evil of our brethren that profess the Name of the Lord, when every word wounds our friends, and the Name of God, it must also wound our selves: when if what we say be true, 'tis woeful: and sad, when the best of it is, that what is said is false, and a mistaken passion.  
You say further in the words of Hezek●ah, The children are come to the birth, and there is not strength to bring forth: Did you say it with his spirit and faith, you would do as he did, rend not your own clothes, nor others honours, but your hearts, and put on sackcloth and mourn before the Lord: Did you believe that the children were come to the birth, that deliverance were near, you would not be so angry; or did you travel with child yourselves, you would retire into the chambers of your own Souls, and not be quarrelling in the streets, or stirring up people to strife and contention: Or did you think our Governors, or any with them were in travel, and wanted strength to bring forth, you would not by contention weaken them as you do.  
Let it be supposed then, there is indeed a great turning aside from God our Saviour, etc. into enmity, self and pride, what can you think to be the way to recover us? Will the pulling down a Protector and his party, with Accusations, Wrath and Violence, and setting up yourselves or any other party in a way of Parliament? Will this bring us back to God in love, self denial, humility and true holiness? We cannot believe that you think it will, but that you must think with us, that love, instruction and forgiveness, administered in the grace and spirit of Christ, to melt and break men's hearts; these are the proper Remedies to recover a back-sliding people. Now I have glossed upon the sense of the Subscribers, I shall give you a more naked account of my own thoughts concerning this thing in these Animadversions.  
I. First, We are escaped from an outward Egypt, but are still in that great City Which is spiritually called Sodom and Egypt, Rev. 11.8. We and our consciences are free from men, but our souls and consciences are in bondage to darkness, to fleshly lusts, to wrath, pride and self love; while we were under the power of outward enemies these durst not look forth, but being now free from fear of others, our own naughtiness gins to appear.  
II. Secondly, These noisome lusts of envy, evil surmises, pride and self-exaltation, are of the same kind and spirit with that tyranny that men exercised over us; which being in and amongst ourselves, do pierce and wound us more than when they were over us in others.  
III. Thirdly, We have gotten a greater outward liberty and dominion, than we have wisdom and strength of grace to manage, which is a dangerous evil, to be over loaded with greatness, prosperity and honour, more than is proportionable to our spirits: 'Twas a wise desire of Agur, Neither poverty nor riches, but food convenie it for me. A little grace that shined clearly in a mean condition, may be smothered and choked with worldly Greatness: when I see how little of the majesty of the spirit of God there is, and how carnal men's minds are, I fear we risen too soon, and are come forth into Power before we are fit for it, or it fit for us; and if it be so, we may fear we shall lie down again in our old Egyptian graves, or a worse hell, till by some sharp suffering our spirits be more refined: we do hang over a dangerous pit of confusion and wrath, by a mere thread of God's good providence, therefore it concerns all, especially our Governors, to be very humble, very meek and patiented, tender and subject to what light shall come forth from God; for if God should be provoked but to cut this thread, or to take off his hand from protecting of us, we are like to be the most miserable, dishonourable and abominated people in the earth.  
IU. Fourthly, Our corruptions which before lay hid, and in this time of freedom break forth, are more than we expected, are noisome and foul, offensive to ourselves and visible to others, and they come in as a flood upon us in all places, in all things, in outward and inward things, in civil and Church affairs so much, that we know not how to resist them; neither is there visibly appearing in any sort of people a remedy for these evils, or a spirit able to deal with the huge Armies of Lusts, that overspread Religion, and men professing godliness: This is a great disappointment, we looked for Peace, Righteousness, Truth and Glory to flourish, but behold, Folly, Enmity, Distraction, Iniquity and Shame covers our faces: This doth vex and grieve men's hearts, and every man complains of this and that, and most with the Subscribers, fall upon them that are in power, because they do not cure these maladies, and lead us into a better state; generally it causes wrath, bitterness and rage against these evils in others, not in ourselves; not considering who it is that says, Isaiah 43.28. I have profaned the Princes of the sanctuary, and have given Jacob to the curse, and Israel to reproaches; not that the reason of this great displeasure of God lies at home in every man's heart, if they did consider this is a divine hand, and the ground of it is in ourselves, and in the very state in which we are, being much in the flesh and carnal, we should at least be still and silent, and not increase our evils by open and shameful Quarrels, but rather heal and hid them by Love and Repentance.  
V. Fifthly, We in the outward things, as matters of Government, are yet entangled in the manners and customs of Egypt, and ignorant of the Judgements and Statutes of the Lord, or of our own land; for a way or form of Government of our own that is proper for a godly people, we have not yet discovered to us; therefore every one lays hold of some broken pieces of Egypt. The Instrument patches up one and a Council, and the Old Law and Parliament, the Subscribers seem to be for a Parliament only; But all these things about which we contend, are parts of the Old Babel, and the Subscribers themselves as much in it as any, as we may see hereafter: Now these things must needs vex our spirits, having not yet found out a way suitable and sit for us: Though few know what we ail, or what will cure us, only our feet are in the stocks, and our minds uneasy and unsatisfied, we kick and spurn against those that are next us.  
But if the Subscribers or any others do think, that it is the design of the Protector Himself, or Himself and Council, to carry us back again into Egypt, into a Land of tyranny and oppression, or persecution, and to make himself and posterity Lords over us there, I will not persuade your charity to think otherwise: There is it may be so great a breach, and we have conceived such dismal apprehensions one of another, that there is no talking of love: But we may suppose that we have not quite lost our reason, though we have our faith and love, do then but use your reason, and you cannot think that the Protector can be so weak as to attempt such a design, or so strong as to effect it, if he should aim at it.  
For if he would carry us back to Egypt, his way were to heal Egypt, and to restore the old malignants, as the proper Supporters of Royalty and Greatness, and instruments of suppressing us and our principles of Liberty: One while all the cry of jealousy was, He favoured Malignants, that Malignants got up again; but His late acts against them take away this doubt, and tell us the breach 'twixt them and him can never be healed; neither can we in reason think that ever they should trust him, or he them; For though they do love outward pomp, and tyranny, and persecution, the companions of it, yet they could not but hate it in him, who is, as they think, a Destroyer and Persecutor of them and their way, neither can he expect any thing from them but all the revenge an enraged enemy can plot or act; therefore if he looks back to Egypt, he meets with a Red sea, which lately devoured Pharaoh and his host, the same sea of blood waits to receive him if he return.  
If his way to Egypt be blocked up, so that he must resolve to cleave to Israel, as his only hopes; Can he think then that Israel will turn Egyptians? Or do we think that he can debauch the honest party, so as to blot out of their souls all principles of Religion and Liberty, and to make them slaves to his lusts of Pride and Tyranny? Can he think to lull asleep all those lively awakenings of Courage and Zeal for Liberty, which move so highly amongst us, or to persuade that Day of Light that hath overspread men's minds (as to outward Freedom) to retire again, and to lie down in darkness, that he might tyrannize over us unseen and unfelt: can he or you think, that besides Dissenters, that hate the appearance and show of Tyranny, there are not thousands that abhor to bear the Yoke of Slavery from any, much less from him a Brother? and if they did not see and feel, or hope for (at least) an honesty and uprightness in him, would both desert and oppose him? If he should meet with some few weak hearted Mongrels that would flatter his Greatness, and fall before it; yet should he but discover a Heart to departed from principles of Liberty to Tyranny, not only Passion and Discontent, but the very heart, life, and spirit of Truth and Honesty in the whole party would with scorn reject him: Therefore be is engaged and hedged in, that if he should have a lust after Ambition, he knows not which way to have it, or how to compass it, without apparent ruin to his very standing and being, which is upon the Foundation of honest men and honest things; take him off from that bottom, he is the nakedest poorest wretch in the world, and the most subject to scorn and contempt; and this so evident, that he cannot but see it.  
Neither can I think it hardly possible for the Protector and they that join with him, knowingly and wilfully to desert that Religion and Cause, that hath been laid into their hearts by a deep work upon their Souls long before these times, in which they have been bred, born, and formed by a continual work of God upon them; for which they have often adventured their Lives, Names, Estates, and all that they had: A Cause and Work that is as natural to them as their lives; yea, now their very life and being, they having been brought forth with it, to what they are, having no other hopes of subsistence in the earth, but in it and with it. They may stagger and wander in much darkness, shortness and insufficiency, they may have passions and temptations; but that they should of a sudden, raze out of their souls all impressions made by God upon them, and the deep engagements of their spirits to this work, and in a sit forsake all and espouse another interest, cannot without much prejudice be received.  
Or should I conclude man's heart so deceitful and false as to do this, yet I must then doubt, that the very Religion, and the state in which we are, (when the eminentest and strongest pillars fail) is not what we have thought it, but that it likewise will corrupt and turn to rottenness, and all these appearings of Light and operations of God, will be utterly lost in Apostasy, and that we shall run back into Darkness and Profaneness, or Confusion; I confess, I cannot in reason admit the one, without sad apprehensions of the other.  
But then I consider also that this Work begun amongst us, is not so much carried on by an inward Spring of Grace, but upon the Wheels of Providence; drawing or driving men on into ways and paths, that their own light neither did nor could direct them into; and therefore it depends not upon the steadfastness and truth of men's spirits, they having the least share in it: but they and the Work have been carried on upon Engines of Providence, so far beyond men's knowledge, that if their hearts should fail, they know not which way to go back; they are caught in such a net, and so involved in and with the Work, that they must live and die in it, and cannot think how or where to live out of it: which might help to ease us of the pain of jealousy which troubles us, and unite all our hearts and spirits to do the utmost we can, to maintain what we have got; for we are gone too far to retreat, we must think of going forward, but backward we cannot go.  
Your second Witness or Article gins thus: That blessed Cause, and those noble Principles propounded and prosecuted by the old Parliament, etc. are now wholly laid aside, etc. and another quite contrary espoused, etc. I confess, I cannot but wonder why you should bless the old Parliament, except it be to ourse our new Government: and why you should bless them and ourse these, I do as much wonder, when I know they were much more opposite to your way than these are. Neither did the old Parliament ever propound or prosecute, the destroying of Parishes, taking away Tithes, or overthrowing of Ministers, which are your Cause now against the present Government, as you express in the close of your Paper; sure these men are apt for such Work than the old Parliament: And why you should so magnify any thing that is past, as to call it Blessed, I know not; I confess, I never yet saw any thing in agitation that could make all parties happy and blessed: surely nothing is truly blessed, but that wherein all good men may find rest. It may be you plate much of you happiness in a Parliament, for in this Article you plead for the Privileges of Parliaments; if you do not, many others do think it the only Cure of our Distemper: and therefore I shall freely give you my thoughts of Parliaments:  
A Parliament is a Constitution in which there is some Reason and Equity, and of late it hath been very benign to Liberty and Religion; for which we may remember it with Honour: but I fear it hath been made an Idol by many of us, and exalted above its place, for which, it hath been miserably blasted and cursed, rendered a vain and unprofitable thing, subjected to scorn and contempt, having lost its Union, Majesty and Wisdom. The Considerations that I have long had concerning a Parliament, are these:  
I. First, A Parliament is a Body, whereof the King is the head; and therefore 'twas called his Parliament, because formed and called by him at his own pleasure, for his own ends; and 'twas his Interest, which he much pleaded for in the beginning of these times, a Free Parliament; for, had they been Free in their Debates and Votes, he and all his had been undoubtedly safe: For the Parliament did zealously and hearty intent the advancing of him, and making him a great Prince, and engaged and protested to it; however they were afterward forced from their own Protestations, but not by any natural motion of their own, but by an overpowering hand. A Parliament is the Interest of the King, and a King as much the Interest of a Parliament.  
II. Secondly, A Parliament is a worldly earthly Constitution, consisting of worldly Matter, Gentlemen of Estates, and chosen by People, in the capacity only of possessing so much Land; without any respect at all had in Electors or Elected, to any Character of Grace or Anointing: and therefore 'tis the Interest of the World, not of the Saints; a part of the fourth Monarchy, not of the fifth; the strength of the Kingdoms of this world, not of the Kingdom of Christ; formed by custom in the Darkness and Enmity of the world, not in the Light and Wisdom of Christ.  
III. Thirdly, The Parliament had it had its Privileges, viz. Freedom for all its Members to Debate and Vote, would never have removed any thing of King, Lords or Bishops; they had all stood to this day, had not the Parliament been forced by the People. We may talk of Privileges of Parliament, but, alas, who doth not see that we did make bold with their Privileges, by driving some out, and driving some on beyond their reason, to what we and the People affected; and this so grossly, that though it might be a shame to do it, 'tis more a shame to deny it; or to seem now to plead for the standing of Parliaments and Privileges, when common sense or ingenuity will tell us, we have forced and violated them at our pleasures from the beginning.  
IU. Fourthly, We cannot in reason expect a Free Parliament at this time, because the People are not fit to have a free choice of Members, or at least not fit in the sense of the Subscribers; for, generally the spirit of the Nation at this time is complaining of Sects and Divisions in Religion, and jealous that the Anabaptist will get the upper hand, and pull down both Magistracy and Ministry; therefore we cannot but think, give them Freedom to choose, they would pitch upon sober wisemen, that should stop this inundation of Innovations in Church and State: Therefore you cannot have a Free Parliament, except you admit the People to a Free Choice, which is the foundation of a Free Parliament, which indeed, neither the Subscribers, nor any rational honest man can admit; for the greater number of the People of the Nation are either Malignant and opposing Reformation, or lately offended at it, or Neutral, and sottishly mindless of any thing but their profit; all these must be concluded unfit to be the root of that power that must carry on the great Work begun, and secure honest men and honest things: And should we restrain the Election to honest men, (for which there is no Law) yet they also are for the present unfit for choice, being divided into Sects and Parties, and so not competent judges of men's ability to govern, but will over value their Friends, and undervalue their Enemies; choose an unworthy man, because of our own party; and refuse a worthy man, because opposite to us: so that the Foundation of a Parliament would be laid (though chosen by the best men) not only in bitter strife and enmity, but in unrighteousness and partiality; and what fruit can we expect, but jangling and cavilling, from the root of blind and unjust Contention? But, alas, a Free Choice is out of use amongst us, for the custom hath been, either to awe the People out of their choice by greatness, or to cheat them of it by canvasing and importunities; and so either some great men, or busy factious men, have made Parliament-men in most places: and the People in whom we would place the original power, over our Lives, Liberties and Religion, are such fools or beasts, as to be thus driven in their Election. If we should have a Parliament at this time, I should fear it would be like that Beast spoken of, Rev. 13. 1, 2. which did rise out of the sea; so the People or Nation is at this time, a multitude of confused Tongues, Languages and Voices, carried this way and that way by the breath and spirits of men. And the Beast was like a leopard, full of spots of several and different colours, and of a monstrous shape; the lower parts the feet as a bear; the upper parts, the mouth as a lion: such would a Parliament be; They might roar as lions, speak high things, big words, some of them; others be fierce and cruel as a bear; but yet a beast, not of wisdom, meekness, or love, to heal our Distractions: for the fury and wrathful spirits of the People can blow up no better a Representative, than a fierce and raging Parliament.  
And should this Parliament assemble and sit, and assume the Royal power into their hands, will the Dragon (if I may allude to the Army) give them his Power, his Seat, and his great Authority? An Army we have and must have, and 'tis now Supreme; can we then think, that they that have the Sword in their hands, be they the Subscribers or any other, will be so time, as to suffer themselves to be voted Traitors by such a Lion's mouth, and to be laid hold on by such a Bears paws, and not remove them? For there is no Parliament that can meet, if they have the courage to own their Privileges, but must condemn, not only the late Acts; but the very Power and Being of the Army, as it now stands: And whether there be men to be found upon the earth that will suffer this, when they have the Sword, and so power to prevent it, and to save their heads, all may judge; and therefore a Free Parliament, as it is not possible to be had, so 'tis not rational to think, that they should freely sit and vote under a superior and different Power; for if they are not a beast, the Sword will make them one, and drive them which way it please.  
Let us now consider what hath been said, That a Parliament is the proper Body of the King its Head; that it is a worldly and dark Constitution, the Interest of the Nation, not of the Saints: and what it hath formerly done to establish our Bondage, how little it would have done towards a Reformation, had they had their Freedom and Privileges; and what an irrational and brutish thing it must needs be, if chosen by the People in their present condition, and sitting under another power in possession. And we must conclude, That a Parliament is not a seasonable remedy; and the Subscribers also, if they consider it, must confess, a Parliament is as Egyptian or Babylonish as a King. It hath been my mind a long time, I shall desire my Country men to bear with me if I offend, That a Government, wherein there is the least designation of Providence, yea, if it be but the product of success, if it have in it any thing of Love or Union, or the least spark or spirit of Honesty and Justice, I should prefer it at this time much before a Parliament of England; where I fear there will be little but violent storms of Contention.  
'Tis true, the Parliament hath been a nursing Mother to good people, and was kind to her nursling, while it was a nursling and a child; the more, because she was fallen out with her husband the King, and so expected to have some help from her child against him: I doubt her love was not natural, but as a nurse and hireling, for her own advantage; if she had ever thought it should have been weaned and taken from her, she would not have been so kind to it. But her breasts hath been long dry, and she grew froward and imperious, and therefore 'twas but time for the child when it grew to be a man, to leave sucking, and to shift for itself. If godly and honest men were a Body knit and jointed together, they need not fear standing upon their own legs, and being weaned from Parliaments; neither have we any reason to return to her, being in a womanish rage and distraction, for her loss of that absolute Power she lately had, and unjustly took upon her. But if these Subscribers and other New-lighted Men have a mind to be Children again, and to go to School to their Tutors and Governors, a Parliament, let them but lay down the Sword, and if Madam Nurse do not whip them back into Uniformity, to their old Baptism and Ministry, and at least to the Directory and Orthodox Catechism, let them never trust an unknown Friend more.  
Before I leave this Article, I have a little serious advice to commend to you my friends the Subscribers; I observe when you come to sum up your blessed Cause, you strangely jumble together heterogeneous matter of the Kingdom of Christ, the Privileges of Parliaments, the Liberty of the Subjects; and elsewhere, A right to our Native Privileges, and the just Liberty of every man. In confounding these things without giving them their place and order, you seem to me to be either extremely ignorant of your Cause, the Kingdom of Christ, or else in opposition to this present Power, have departed very much from it, in mingling such old worldly things with it; which are old Terms, but surely have no place in this new Kingdom.  
For, make the Kingdom of Christ what you will, it consists either in the person or spirit of Christ, as the anointed of God; or in the Saints, being partakers of the same anointing: Now for you to place the power only in a Parliament, whose original is in the choice of an ignorant, carnal, and divided people; of members like themselves, without mentioning Christ, or his Designation and Ordination to govern, or the anointing and grace of his Spirit in his Saints; you do in this wave the Interest of Christ and your own Cause, I fear, because you would oppose these Governors, who have a shadow of some such thing, viz. the appointment of Providence, and some of them a spirit of wisdom, largeness and righteousness, to govern. What ever these are, it is not your Interest to give the Common people of the Nation, that are malignant, or neutral and indifferent, or offended at you, equal privilege with the Saints.  
For the Liberty of the Subject; what is it more than to be under the Government of our Sovereign Lord the King, and to hold our Lands of him, or some mean Lord, under such Suits and Service? or to governed by his Laws and Ministers, Civil and Ecclesiastical? What Liberty else had we? and what is this to the heirs of the Kingdom of Christ, where the Saints shall reign as Kings? Or would you gratify the Common people, in pleading the Liberty of every man, what will be their portion when Christ reigns? Will it not be, think you, at best to bow to the soles of the feet of the Saints? 'Tis true, there is a large righteousness in Christ's Kingdom, and he will distribute Justice to every man, but not in the way wherein this hath been, and is now spoken of by you; but in first advancing his Saints, and in making others their servants.  
And what are our Native Privileges? Is it not, to be born in our own Parish, to be Christened by our own Minister, to go to our own Parish-Church to Divine Service, to follow our Trades and Callings, while the King secured our Estates by his Laws, and our Religion by his Bishops and Canons? Alas, we were born in Egpyt, in the house of Bondage; me thinks you are very much entangled with the Customs and Manners of Egypt, when you talk at this rate, and very ignorant of what you profess the Kingdom of Christ, and the Dignity of the Saints; or else you do out of discontent, throw yourselves back into the common state of the Nation, being angry with your Brethren.  
I am of this opinion, that there is a peculiar Friviledge and Right of Power or Government due to honest men, that have with the jeopardy of their lives, rescued themselves from Slavery; which is their due, not by a Natural birth, as Men; nor by a Spiritual birth, as Christians; but by a birth of Providence (if I may so call it) whereby they are brought forth into a Distinct, Outward, and Military Body, and entrusted with the power of the Sword, and so of the Nation: That Government that deryed these poor people the common Freedom of Life and Being, is totally dissolved; their Enemies overthrown, and they that were the Tail, made the Head; endowed with the most absolute Power. 'Tis a thing that the Protector hath seemed a long time to design, and that good people have talked of, That Honest men should only have place and power; and yet now we have it, we either mind it not, or know not which way to settle it: I do hearty wish, that we understood what a Prize we have in our hand, and had light and judgement, either to keep it justly, or to resign it wisely.  
Your third Article is this, The unadvised and unwarrantable changing of Government, and swearing thereunto, etc. This is the chief of your witness, The great offence taken against the Protector, and indeed the chief difference 'twixt you and him; the very substance of your Paper, other things being either appurtenances and flourishes, or petty inconsiderable things, brought in to make number and weight: but here is the stress of the business, and the chief ground of your quarrel, now you come to the point; 'tis an unadvised and unwarrantable act, and, swearing thereunto: You differ not in Principle, or in your Spirits, or in Work and Ends, only the Protector hath rashly and unadvisedly clapped up a Government, which you cannot warrant to be sound and good; or a private thing, that hath no public Warranty; neither the consent of the People, nor of the Honest party. I must confess, to form a standing Government for three Nations so unadvisedly, upon such slight and sudden Council; and to have no more Law, Authority, or Reason from men, nor any thing from Heaven to warrant it; and then as rashly by Oath to engage to it, and so to involve himself in it, as to render himself uncapable of better Counsels, and a better way if it should appear, is not a thing justified by that light either of Religion or Reason that I understand: And therefore, though I can submit, either to a forced and imposed, or an undue Authority or Government, (for I think all the Governments now in the world are no better) yet if I may speak my mind freely, 'tis this; To huddle up a business of so vast a concernment, as the Government of three Nations, in a corner, in such haste, upon so slender advice, without a Commission either from God or men, and to bind it by an Oath, is unjustifiable, and doth require repentance in them that did it.  
But, though I do agree with the Subscribers, That this act is unadvised and unwarrantable, yet it is upon a different ground; for they say, That change of Government and swearing thereunto doth put a necessity upon the chief Undertaker thereof, to overthrow the very Foundation of a Commonwealth; this is as they judge. Now I judge, that one great reason why that Government and Instrument was set up and sworn to, was to uphold the Foundation of the old Commonwealth: and this they did, as I suppose, in some kind of opposition to the Fifth Monarchy men; who, as these men judged, would have led them by their unsettled principles into a notion or cloud of a New Kingdom, from the very Foundations of an old Commomwealth; and to avoid this danger, they took the materials that were next, old Laws and Parliaments, and a new Protector and Council, which are all Fundamentals of Government, and so patched up the business in haste and fear, lest they should lose all their footing in a Commonwealth.  
Now here I think was their error, That they did rebuild what was really pulled down, and maintain what God had destroyed; and set themselves and that Power that God had given them, upon a rotten Foundation, which is dark and unclean, full of wrath and curse; which hath put a necessity upon the chief Undertaker, to uphold an old ruin'd House, and all the Breaches, Confusions, perplexed Suits and Quarrels, Enmities and Miseries occasioned by our late Civil Wars and Distractions; the weight of which must needs be so heavy, that he cannot but now feel that he did unadvisedly in taking up the burden of it.  
The Reasons why I thus judge, are, First, The ancient Form of this Kingdom or Commonwealth, and the Government thereof, is certainly dissolved; and the heart or life of its Union broken, by that irreconcilable breach 'twixt the Head and Body, the King and his Parliament, or People, A Kingdom so divided cannot stand; in its most essential or integral parts, by a continued War, which could never be composed, but in the utter destruction of one party. The Union betwixt these two principal parts being broken, there necessarily followed, by degrees, a dissolution and mouldering away of all the other parts; so that at last, there is not one stone left upon another, no one piece of the old Building whole: If there be any thing standing, 'tis not in its place, nor upon its own Basis, but upheld by force unduly, and to serve another Power, so miserably broken and sunk, like a millstone cast into the sea, so that none knows where her parts are, or which way to reunite them. All things are set at such a distance and enmity, in judgement, principles and affections, and things gone so far into Oaths and new Engagements; so many new Ways and Forms set up one upon another, and the old so confounded, that they that have the power to do it, cannot move one step rationally cowards a recovering the old frame.  
The ancient Government being irrecoverably lost, and the Kingdom divided into two Armies, and the King's Army subdued and wholly vanquished; you will easily conclude in what a condition the Conquerors are; which is this, A General of a gallant conquering Army; commanding all the Forces in three Kingdoms; in excellent order and discipline; sound jointed and knit together in love and affection; confirmed by long experience, in great service, with great success; that could never be divided by policy, nor shaken by force or difficulties; a religious, praying, believing, as well as a fight Army; having the royal stamp of such a constant success, as made them famous and terrible to the world.  
Within this Army lay the hearts and affections of all the Honest people of the Nation, having placed all their Safety, Liberty, and Lives in it; did hearty engage their Prayers, Purses, and Persons with them, as their only strength against their Enemies.  
In this Army, and the Honest people in it, and with it, was said all our Privileges, our Peace and Freedom, together with the Honour of the Nation, and all the good things that had been prayed for, spoken of, and expected in Reformation; and as secure as the Sword and Honest hearts could keep them, preserved and safely lodged within the strength of an Host: or Army encamping about them: an Army being a Government as ancient, as natural, as honourable, as rational, and as just, as any other kind of Government; I may say more, and for us at this time, most vigorous, united, absolute, and safe.  
This Army, with these People, under their General, having undoubted right to the Sword, which none would or could question; the Malignants felt the power and truth of it, being overcome by it; the Honest party have their Lives and Liberties secured by it: there was the truest sense and reason of the Nation for their standing; and the same sense and reason for convenient pay, according to ways and methods accustomed and beaten out for them.  
This Army and People had an absolute Freedom (with consent and in right judgement) to do what they would, and to dispose themselves into what state their reason should direct them. For as the opposite Army, had it prevailed, the King had been free to have settled himself upon what terms he and his party could have agreed upon, and none could resist: so this party, for aught I know, were as free to choose their own way and ground, to secure themselves and their Liberties, according to the best justice and wisdom they have.  
In this case, what might a General door not do? or what might be his work, having such an opportunity? so free, none to oppose; all laid level and flat before him; His Forces mighty, his Commission bright and clear, his people and friends united to him, full of vigour and life, fresh as the morning; though dappled with some spots of Division, troubled with some mists of Fancies, and some youthful extravagant Conceits. But me thinks here was an excellent ground to stay a while upon, and to spend some time in cherishing the life and power of Godliness; in strengthening of Amity and Union; in waiting upon, and encouraging the growth of Light, till it had dispersed those morning mists, which did darken the face of things, in humbling our souls, confessing our sins and unworthiness, and in seeking a way of the Lord. If we had spent some time in searching the records of Scripture, in reading and examining what was in the hearts of Gods hidden and holy ones, in enquiring what God might speak in all the Saints, or any one poor Saint; here might we have dwelled in our tents, and with much ease kept the peace, and rejoiced together in our liberty and safety; and taken a full time to consider and advise, where we were, what our rights were, what might be the design of God in these great Revolutions? and to what purpose God had brought forth his people into this outward condition, distinct from other people, and put such characters of grace upon them; in heaping, so many victories upon them in answer to their prayers: and seeing he had bestowed those favours upon them severed from others, owning them rather. than others, to be his own people: whether these distinguishing Mercies did not instruct us to reserve ourselves in a distinct state, wherein we might, even in outward things, walk according to Religion and Godliness, and not mingle ourselves again with the world in its profane courses and customs; or to have stayed here, at least, to know whether God had any more work for us to do, or any further favour to bestow upon us. And lastly, not to stir from this ground, till we were carried on and lead forth by the same Providence, by the same light and general consent of honest hearts, that carried us on in all our work, and brought us hither. And that truly had been but just and due to the Lord, That he that had the guiding of us in our troubles, and had delivered us, by answering of us, in calling upon his name together, should have been attended upon in the same public way, and had the dispose of us and our deliverance in the same way of direction, by his Word and Spirit, in the hearts of his own people, by which they were gotten.  
But now when we had gotten our Freedom, not to attend the moving of the same stream of Light and Providence, of a united and general seeking the Lord, in a free and open way; but for the then General to step into a private way, by a private spirit, of a sudden; it may be, not willing to bear the burden of so great a trust, or to bear the censure of setting up himself in so absolute and arbitrary a Power, etc. or, it may be, a modest distrust of himself, or a doubt of the spirits of his Army; or, whether it was a passion and offence taken against some opinions and ways of Honest people, or an opinion of and inclination to the old English Government; or an ignorance of, and present mindlesness of his own standing, and the foundation of his life and power, I know not: but evil there was in it, I fear. Let it be unadvised or ill advised, I doubt 'twas the counsel of some who had too great a power with him, either some wile States man, ignorant of the inward life and spirit of our work; or I most suspect some Lawyers, who wanted a great Name to begin their Writs, and uphold their Forms of Law. What ever was in it, to change a Commission for an Instrument, to blot out that Royal stamp set upon him by divine Providence, and to assume another from private hands; and to have the Coin both adulterated and clipped, his Power mingled with others of a base sort, & much diminished, 'twas unadvised.  
To extinguish an honourable and natural relation to a good People, full of life and love to him, engaged together by suffering, experience, and mercies, and to accept of a relation to the whole body of the Nation, full of filth and rottenness, unnatural to him, yea, hating and rejecting of him; who, to heal their Breaches and to recover their Losses, are as the Horseleech, that cries, Give, give; and being as unsatisfied as the Grave or as the barren Womb, that never says, 'Tis enough; they rage and fret against him, because he doth no more for them: to Head such a Body was unadvised.  
To leave a standing that was large and free, where he might have breathed out his heart amongst his Brethren in righteous honest ways; and walked upright in the full stature of what Light and Religion he had; and to go into the noisome and filthy Forms of the world, where his spirit is bowed down to old Laws and Customs, that have been always acted by a spirit of cunning, formality and falsehood, exceeding improper for a spirit of Simplicity, Truth and Nakedness; an outward pomp and state that used to be kept up and filled with flattery and deceit; the manners of Egypt, and where are Lice, Frogs and Sores, etc. the plagues of Egypt, and certainly uneasy for an honest heart: this was unadvised.  
And to change a Power that was his own, inherent in himself, formed and begotten by Providence, free and large; in which he might have done all honourable and just things: to change this for a borrowed one, and that from we know not who; and this, not only limited and lessened, but manacled and fettered by an Instrument, Laws, Parliaments, be they good or bad, wise or foolish: this was unadvised.  
And for him, who was as a natural Head and Father to the honest people in their Military state, to go and impose himself upon the whole Nation, undesired, unchosen: 'twas unwarrantable.  
And he being the Right of the Honest party, who were brought forth by him to this state, and he brought forth by their Prayers, Hearts and Courage, to what he was; for him to go and dispose of himself, without their consent, in a thing of so great concernment, it could not but be an offence to their spirits: and was unwarrantable.  
And to bring all their Labours and Adventures, all their expense of Blood and Treasure, all the Victories and Success, that were one common Stock and Treasury, to expend them, and dispose them to a final issue and settlement, without their knowledge and consent; and that those things that were won by the Sword, should be presently worn by the Robe; and that were gotten by the Faith, Prayer, Spirits, and Lives of Honest hearts, should be presently spent upon Law and Policy: 'tis unwarrantable.  
'Tis true, he might have given the Charter of the Laws, the common Protection that he did to the Charter of London, or to the Charters of the Universities, being necessary to preserve Property 'twixt man and man, 'twas but just and rational to uphold them as subordinate to him in their present work, for the administration of Justice; but to incorporate with them, to swear to them, to become subject to them, they being so great strangers and enemies to him and us in that way in which we now are: was both unadvised and unwarrantable.  
Now we are declaring our judgements, let us speak our thoughts of the Swearing to this Instrument. I think, with the Subscribers, 'twas unadvised and unwarrantable, but not of such dangerous consequence as they imagine: I would not encourage men in breaking Oaths, though rashly made, 'twere to add sin to sin; but yet I'll tell you my thought, that this Oath is likely to follow the former Protestations and Covenants, being much of the same nature; for if the matter or subject of an Oath cease and die, the Oath also ceases. A woman is bound to her husband no longer than he lives; therefore, if we Swear to dying and perishing things, their death doth discharge us. Besides, the People to whom the Protector hath sworn, will not accept of him nor his Government, but have refused him in open Parliament, and why he should be bound to them that will not engage with him, I know no reason. It was not intended that this new Obligation should dissolve the former Standing and Relation; that being more natural and substantial, this New one, but a circumstance and form, and an addition to the other: Therefore let him wear it as a garment, for ornament or state, as long as 'twill last, 'twill wear out as a vestment, when the life and body, his Military power will endure. He may therefore essay it, as David did saul's armour, but when he feels it burdensome, he'll say, He can't skill of it, and cast it off: These with'hs and new cords will not bind Samson next time danger is upon him, I imagine he will break them in pieces, and leave his new Subjects that refuse him, for his old Friends that love him; or else keep them in a state of subjection as Servants, and these in a state of favour as Brethren; them as a Concubine, and these as a Wife.  
Thus do your thoughts and my thoughts freely pass their judgements upon the Protector and his Actions; what pretty chequerwork our thoughts make! how we do ring the changes? we agree and we differ, and it matters not much whether we agree or differ. You say and I say, this Instrument and Oath was unadvised and unwarrantable; you judge, That it necessitates the Protector to destroy the Foundation of a Commonwealth: I judge, That it necessitates him to uphold the Foundation of an old decayed Commonwealth. You think his new government will destroy the Foundation of a Conmonwealth: he thinks your new Monarchy will destroy the Foundation of a Commonwealth. It may be, I think, both parties would do it, and would not do it; that both of you would uphold the old, and you would have a new, but know not well how to do either.  
These are our thoughts shot at rovers; it may be they hit, it may be they miss the mark. Indeed the thoughts of man are very vain things, and know very little of that divine Wisdom that moves and carries on the spirits of men in these great revolutions: and therefore, neither you nor I shall be so foolish, I hope, as to insist upon them, or make much account of them, it's enough we have freedom to give them vent. If they may do any good, so? If they be vain, let them die and perish? But for us to think, a State bound to steer their course by our judgements, is a little too much; if they should, contrary judgements would keep them in perpetual instability: therefore, Governors, as they should not refuse any light, so they should not be swayed by opinions and parties, for interest, but follow faithfully, steadily and uprightly, righteousness and truth, as it manifests itself to their own souls.  
Now, we have taken the liberty of expressing our thoughts, which are various and uncertain, let us consider, if there be not something more serious and certain to be our guide in point of Government; a more sure Word of Prophecy or Scripture, to which, we should do well to take heed: and in that sure Word we shall find these two things, in Rom. 13.1. The Powers that be, are ordained of God. The Emperors of Rome, that then were the powers, had usurped the ancient Rights of the Senate and People of Rome; and Nero, than Emperor, was a notorious beast: he got this power by his mother's poisoning the former Emperor, and kept it, by his poisoning the son, the true heir; and yet, this power that then was in being, was ordained of God: The word signifies an ordering or disposing things in their place, and that by Institution or Command. Be the powers good or bad, he that knows how to manage ill things to good ends, in wisdom orders them, and commands obedience to them: whence follow these Observations,  
I. First, That God doth himself wisely order and dispose of power; it being his own, he gives it to whom he pleases, pulls down one, and sets up another, as he hath use of them.  
II. Secondly, He can and doth ordain power, according to his mind, in wisdom and purity, through and by, not only unadvised and unwarrantable but wicked and abominable means, and to wicked persons.  
III. Thirdly, Christians should look through the mist of weakness, yea, through the thickest vail of wickedness, to the brightness of God's hand, in setting up of power; and ought willingly to acknowledge the excellency of one, though clouded with the darkness of the other.  
And then I would inquire, whether this present dispose of power, wherein it seems to be turned aside, or turned back, into worldly ways and forms; or to make a halt in them, and not to go forward into the Kingdom of Christ, be not in great wisdom? The Reasons of the Question are:  
I. First, I question, whether, that Saints, as Saints, are fit to Govern? and am satisfied, That they that offer at it, are in no wise prepared for it; having neither the wisdom, nor power, nor the love and righteousness, that will fit them to govern in Christ's name and way: and therefore, in love to them, I do dread the miserable consequences and miscarriages of such a power in such hands.  
II. Secondly, I doubt, whether the World be ripe for such a dispensation of power, if we had it; for such a dispensation, when it comes, will make a separation 'twixt the Precious and the Vile, in persons and things: and that spirit that pretends to such a dispensation, doth intent such a thing: but yet, not judging by the nature of things, but by the outward likeness or unlikeness of things and persons to itself, would thrust down violently all those persons that differed from them, and those things that were offensive to them, and as unreasonably exalt those that did agree with them; and this, the very nature of that dispensation which they profess, would lead them to. Now, while things are thus indigested, as they are, and mixed, there is some notable good, and great usefulness in many things and persons, which, we have great reason to think, their present standing to be in darkness and evil; many good men and things likewise, lie scattered abroad in various forms, and mixed with many evils: and therefore, for men, being in present passion and offence, and in great weakness and darkness, to undertake to judge and separate all these, what monstrous errors must needs follow? Therefore I inquire, whether, while things are in this confusion, a way and spirit of Government, suitable to it, and that hath something of Religion, something of worldly Policy, be not best? And, whether those that are more spiritual in their designs, and in the eagerness of their spirits, to such a way, be not in mercy laid aside, till they and the matter be riper and fit? And whether such have not reason to be content, that the World should be thrashed a while longer with the violence and hardness of its own ways of government, till it be fit to be fanned, and, till he come whose fan is in his hand, rather than to torture their spirits and the world too, with that which they can't possibly effect, nor the world bear.  
The Apostle gives one reason more of subjection to the powers that be, ver. 4. He is the minister of God to thee for good: The safety of thy person and family, the peace of the country, the liberty of thy religion, the enjoyment of thy goods, are administered from God to thee by them; therefore, subject for conscience sake, to Gods wise ordination, who knows what Governments are fit for a people; and to God's mercy, that conveys so great blessings by that means.  
This we cannot be insensible of, that we do by this Government enjoy great quiet, peace, and security, in our Religion, Relations, and Estates, to ourselves, and to the Nation, being not molested by any at home, nor by dangers abroad; we may therefore observe, That personal weakness, in attaining a Power, makes that Government, to him that hath it, harder, but to the people, easier. I think 'tis so with us, that though the Protector, by this unadvised and unwarrantable change of Government, hath brought a heavy burden of cares, dangers, and sore travel upon himself, yet I know not, but that the people are both eased, as to burdens at home, and secured from dangers abroad, by it. This very consideration, That we reap the quiet fruit of his hazards and toil, doth affect my heart with a very great desire of giving him all the ease and relief that I am able; for let men fancy what they will, so great and general a Liberty for the Honest party, guilty of so many distasteful and offensive Infirmities, with so great Divisions and Distractions, and their Enemies, so many and malicious, is to me a wonderful mercy; and is purchased for us, by the chief instrument of it, with perilous difficulties, and abilities stretched to the utmost.  
I fear, that out of an officious desire of removing and avoiding offence on both sides, I have been more large and intent, than the nature of the subject doth require; and therefore am resolved, the principal things being already discoursed, lightly to pass over what follows, only with some short Observations.  
The fourth Article contains the same thing, with part of the former, and gins thus; As a consequence and fruit of this forbidden tree, many of the choice servants of God, etc. are imprisoned, without knowing their accusers, etc. or a fair and public trial, according to the Fundamental Laws the Land.  
I. First, Government is indeed a Forbidden tree; it will not subject itself to be questioned by any, its work and authority being above private and captious reasonings.  
II. Secondly, Our Government, is in the substance and life of it, Military, and the Sword is active and vigilant, like that which the Cherubin had, which turned every way; therefore, which way soever danger comes, be it from Friends or Foes, it turns its edge against their faces, as you complain in your former Article, and is as hard as 'tis quick, it spares none to preserve a public Peace: This Sword is not borne in vain, but is a revenger, to execute wrath upon them that do evil, Rom. 13.4.  
III. Thirdly, This tree of life, the Kingdom of Christ, is fenced with a flaming Sword, you cannot press into this Paradise or Kingdom, by such force as you use; you cannot take it from others by violence, it is indeed within you; and you must bring forth the fruit of it, by your lips, for others, and there only 'tis to be tasted.  
IU. Fourthly, Military Government, as ours is, knows no form of Law; or, at least, will not submit itself to the Law, though it may require private Differences to subject to it, yet is itself above Law.  
V. Fifthly, I doubt the trial of such Gentlemen, etc. according to the Fundamental Laws, would not be to them a fuir trial, but a foul one, for it could not but cut them off, as the Law now, stands; and therefore, the Protector chooses a fair imprisonment, rather than a bloody trial, not willing to trust their lives in the hand of the Law, a Judge and a Jury; which to me is a testimony, that his Government, is not only in this, but in all things else, more fatherly to you, than the Laws for which you plead.  
Give me but leave to tell you the frequent thoughts of a spectator upon these transactions; they are these:  
Animad. I. That in the truest love of my heart, to them that are imprisoned, yea, in the same love I have to myself, I have thought, that while their spirits are thus acted, 'tis better for them to be in a Prison, than upon the Throne; to be under Restraint than in Action.  
Animad. II. That our Governors had much the better of the Prisoners, in meekness, moderation, and long-suffering, from what I have observed: In their desires of agreement, slowness to wrath, tenderness in inflicting restraint, seeking of peace after they were restrained; as if they would not touch a hair of their heads, only bind their hands from doing mischief.  
Animad. III. That the Prisoners were more fierce, and did more injury to our Governors, than our Governors to them, so that our Goeurnors are indeed the sufferers; for how small a thing is a gentle outward restraint? But tongues are swords, and when sharpened with Zeal, furbushed with Scriptures, Praying, Preaching, they cut deep into Name and Spirit; for public persons to be sentenced and condemned in the name of God, in public Assemblies, as thiefs, oppressors, perjured persons, hypocrites, apostates: If it be but in passion and discontent, 'tis a cross; but if there be any thing of the truth or righteousness of Man in it, or the displeasure of God, it would be a sore crucifying to any private person, and must be much more, to persons in authority, Government and public Safety suffering with them.  
There is an Objection in your former Article, which is a branch of this subject: They are imprisoned, say you, for declaring their Consciences; concerning which, I shall barely propound these Questions:  
Quest. I. Whether there be in any of these worldly things, an act of pure Conscience? Or whether the subject matter, being outward things, as Government, Power, etc. Conscience be not at least mixed with Interest, Faction and Passion.  
Quest. II. Whether there be not reason to judge, (according to the rate that Conscience now goes at) that the Protector is bound to keep Peace, and prevent a War; by the law of Conscience to preserve other men's lives, as well as by the law of Nature to save his own.  
Quest. III. Suppose one Conscience hath a mind to keep Peace, another hath a mind to make War, which of these should we, that are indifferent people, count the best Conscience?  
Quest. iv If in matters of public Concernment, the Consciences of public persons and private persons justle; which of them do you think should take place?  
Quest. V If two Consciences cross each other in their motions, whether that which hath most light and strength, and is most pure, should not yield to that which is darker and weaker.  
Quest. VI Whether then the Subscribers, who profess Conscience only, and stand in the single right of Conscience, ought not to yield to the Conscience of Governors, cumbered with reason of State, public Affairs?  
I dare not engage too far in this point of Conscience, nor be too serious in it, therefore have I thus slightly passed it over.  
The fifth Article says, Under pretence of Necessity, still to continue the heavy burdens of Taxes, Customs, Excise, etc.  
Animad. I. An Army is necessary, till there be a Government established, by the declared consent of the People, and that voluntary.  
Animad. II. 'Tis probable, such an established Government, were it never so firmly united, yet would not, as the state of Affairs are at this time, be without a standing Army, though well in proved and reduced.  
Animad. III. 'Tis the original and great Quarrel twixt us and the King, who should have the Militia; and we have prevailed, and got the Sword into honest men's hands; he that designs the overthrow of the Army, gives the whole Cause back to the Cavalier, and opens a way for him to return to his power and malice: 'twas force, not law or reason, which subdued him, and it must be force, not law or reason, that still subjects him.  
Animad. iv He that propounds a Power to stand now without an Army, requires from another, what he would not do himself; he doth but declare against the Sword, that he might get it into his hands: and this is the meaning, I think, of this Paper, to tell us of Peace, to persuade others to lay down the Sword, that they may take it up.  
Animad. V An Army is as necessary to preserve the Subscribers, as any sort of people, they being as much obnoxious to the malignity and rage of the people, as any others; and would first feel the wane of a Guard.  
Animad. VI If an Army be necessary, Pay is necessary; and so, Taxes, Customs, etc.  
But indeed, 'Tis not Saintlike to complain of Taxes, or to resist them. 'Tis the cry of the Malignant, and of the poor Neuter, Taxes, Excize, etc. and they may be pitied; for alas, they lose their Religion, and yet pay for our Liberty, to maintain that which is grievous to them: but we that once would have given half of our Estates, for half that Freedom that we now enjoy for our souls, in the things of God; now to complain, shows, either no love, the freedom of our souls, less, or our money, more.  
I think, 'tis visible, that our Governors impose no more than is necessary, and that they strain and stretch things to the utmost, being unwilling to exceed the lowest rate of Taxes; and that they really pinch themselves to save the people.  
The sixth Article says, Notwithstanding the fair pretences and promises of Reformation, yet what abominable and horrible Impieties, Injustice, and Oppression, etc.  
I could wish you did but see, how ill it becomes Saints to bestow their Rhetoric upon Sin, to set it forth in its bravery; and how ill it becomes Sin, to wear such gay clothes of high language from your mouths? And how sin is cherished, in being led forth into open view, by the hand of her best friend, Enmity, and enmity 'twixt brethren; and that you knew, that the pure and good spirit of love that covers sin, that buries it in inward sorrow, or in Christ his grave, or draws forth grace and mercy to wash it away, that's the spirit, that is sins only enemy.  
These great Epithets and Strains being misplaced, I doubt, they are also unjust; passionate and affected speech of others evils, are commonly inordinate and injurious. The particulars are:  
I. First, Receiving the Honours, Profits, Customs, Benefits, etc. coming in formerly to the Crown: If this be abominable and horrible, it's very common: I believe, there is scarce a Gentleman of the Subscribers, or any other person of quality, but receives, either Honour or Profit, that formerly belonged to the Crown: For, both the Honour and Profits, are shared generally amongst all sorts, Fee-farm Rents, and other Lands, the Honour and Power of all Committees over the people, to sequester, to levy money, to dispose livings, are of the Crown.  
II. Secondly, Tenths and First-fruits: 'Tis the continuing things in name, Jewish, but now in their use, Moral and Christian, as subservient to mercy, in relieving hundreds of poor families: And these upheld, not in opposition to light, nor in a superstitious love to the things, but, because they yet know not, nor do you instruct them, how to take them away without great injury to many people, that have no other livelihood in the earth. Love is the royal law, the fulfilling of the law; it may, and must, rule all things, yea, both Law and Gospel too; it makes that lawful, which were otherwise unlawful; and that unlawful, (if against love) which were other wise lawful: And therefore, a man may be a Pharisee in contending against Tithes, as well as in a rigid observance of them, if he either omit or oppose the weightier matters of the law, judgement and mercy; such a spirit seems to carry you in this zeal, to sacrifice Tithes and First-fruits, without either judgement, to show how it may be done in justice and righteousness, and without mercy, in considering the poor Ministers that live only upon them.  
III. Thirdly, The next branch of abominable and horrible Impieties, is, The exalting of Sons, Servants, Friends, etc. (though some of them known to be wicked men) to the highest places, etc. What Servants or Friends are preferred, that are suspected to be wicked, I know not, being no Courtier, but for Sons, they stand higher, and are obvious to most men's knowledge or observation: I dare not say, neither do I know that any of them are wicked; they are young men, and may have weakness; but wickedness is a malicious opposing of good▪ and practising evil.  
But would you consider the Protectors family, as an object of greater Envy, and subjected to more danger and malice than others are, may they not deserve a little more favour than ordinary? and what great matters have they? The eldest son is a Justice of Peace in the Country, the second son commands the Forces in Ireland, wherein there may be some favour showed to him, being an Employment possibly beyond his years and experience; I doubt this is the Offence, and the rather, because the fame goes he inclines to a differing party: For his sons by marriage, The Deputy of Ireland is a friend to the Subscribers, and may help to balance some kindness that goes another way: For the Master of the Horse, if he do but perform that part of a righteous man, to regard the life of his beast, you will not judge him a wicked man, nor unworthy of his Preferment; But if the Protector should be an indulgent father, and err in an excess of natural affection in preferring his children, it may find a better name than abominable and horrible impieties: For Gideon and Nehemiah, 'Tis not said expressly, that I know, in Scripture, what they did for their children; but there was as a good man, and as good a Governor, Samuel, who had but two sons, and he made them Judges in Israel, and yet very ill men, that were covetous, took bribes, perverted judgement, 1 Sam 8.3. and yet he was not thus upbraided.  
IU. Fourthly, The last particular of these horrible and abominable Impieties, is so many Officers in the Army, and both Officers and Soldiers to receive their pay in a time of peace, etc. What number of Officers, what their Pay is, and how they spend it, I do not know, being a stranger to all these things, only I would advise you of a mistake to call this a time of peace; for though the Enemy be not in the field, he is in the house. The enemy is broken and scattered, but you can't say, he is not: if he were not, we are enemies one to another: there is war in every man's heart, tongue, and would be in the hands, if they were not bound by an Army; There is nothing at all done in the Nation towards a civil or religious Peace or Accord, nothing declared wherein we agree either in Church or State.  
This very Paper of yours cannot but be interpreted War: for so great a number of people (a little Welsh Army) to declare against the present Power, to dissuade the people from their obedience, to endeavour to set up another, and that upon fight principles, is undoubtedly War; therefore if you would have the Army reduced, study to be quiet, and to follow your private occasions, for these insurrecting practices to disturb the people, and molest the present Government, do necessitate and establish the sword amongst us; and therefore we that do desire Peace, and an Ease of our Burdens, have cause to complain of the unquietness of your spirits, and of all that go fretting and railing about to raise up strife and War.  
The seventh Testimony mentions the sad effects of the secret Design of Hispaniola, etc. I am not able to judge absolutely of the good or evil of this Work; but this I know, 'tis not safe to judge by the Success, especially at first; for we ourselves succeeded but ill in the beginning of these wars; I fear you do but take advantage of our loss, to express your enmity: for if we are not mistaken in you, you are for war with all the world, and therefore can't be against the Design, though you grieve for the Success; and 'twere well if you don't miscall the Affection, and say 'tis Grief fox the Loss, when 'tis anger or enmity at the persons, and then you do not grieve, but rejoice at the evil that befalls your brethren.  
What ever the nature of the Design be, or what ever the Success may be, this I have observed, that this Quarrel with Spain, and about the West-Indies, hath been long in the hearts of many honest people, and that the well-affected of England have had a greater antipathy to this proud, cruel, and most antichristian Nation, the Spaniard, than to any Nation in Europe: Though the Design was laid in private, yet the public Declaration shows a true English and Protestant spirit, rather to engage in war than to submit to the Inquisition, and the usurped Tyranny over the West-Indies: I confess I much desire and love a General Agreement of Godly men in public and great Affairs; but if there be the spirit, reason and justice of the good party, I cannot but allow it, though it want the vote and outward suffrage.  
Your last Witness is various, consisting of divers parts, I confess I do not well understand all things in it: First you testify for yourselves, with what hearts you joined with the Parliament and Army against the King and his Party, that you had no other design, save as they were enemies to our Lord Christ, etc. I know your spirits are at a very great distance and enmity against the King and his Party, and therefore cannot think you intent to bespeak their good thoughts of you: yet your declaring only against the enmity, not against Office or Person, and your care of the general good of the Nation, particular benefit and just liberty of every man, and your grief that any just cause is given them to stumble, etc. or complain that they are deprived of their freedom, and several ways oppressed, etc. These Expressions make me doubt that you intent some subtle glances of favour to that Party, which doth mind me of an observation that I have made upon my own and others spirits: That if any through Offence at the great Weakness or Miscarriage of the honest party, do separate from them, and oppose them, they are, though unwillingly and unwittingly, carried into the spirit of the Malignants; we may hate their way, and to confederate with their persons or actions, yet our spirits may be tainted. The Nation is cleft into these two great Parties, the Royal and the Reforming party; or the King's party and the Army party; and he that by discontent goes far from the one, will be carried off to the other before he is ware: there is a kind of necessity, if the affections do engage, 'twill be with one of these two: Enmity strangely transforms the mind, and leads it into things exceeding contrary to itself, and its own interest, to things destructive to Friends, Relations and a man's own Life; therefore if malice prevail, 'twill make very honest men malignants presently; and hence it was that Elijah in a fit of anger became an enemy to Israel, and interceded against them, Romans 11.2. as we have formerly observed.  
You say, That it never came into your hearts to think or intent the pulling down of one person to set up another, or one unrighteous Power to promote another: If you did (as you say) join against the King only as an enemy to Christ, his kingdom and people, than you might design (and for aught I know justly) the pulling down of one that was an enemy, and setting up another that was a friend to the kingdom and people of Christ; But this I doubt is not your intention (however this clause came in against the King, save as an enemy) for it follows, nor one unrighteous Power to promote another; by which, and other things in your Paper, you seem to make Government by one, or Monarchy, to be an unrighteous Power.  
Because you seem to me to be either dark or various, in this Article, I shall freely give you my Animadversions, if they may be of use to you, I shall be glad.  
I. First, Power in one as supreme, is not unrighteous, because in one: That which is most agreeable to rule, is most righteous: Government by one as head, is most agreeable to the highest rule, the kingdom of Christ, which is a Monarchy, to the rule of Scriptures, to Nature, to Reason, to the Laws and Customs of Nations: And Power in the hands of one as supreme, with the assistance of a double Council; one more superior of the principal and honourable Worthies, and another more large of the wisest and justest of the people, is I think the best Constitution, and according to a divine pattern; therefore if either Heavenly things, Scripture, Nature, Reason or Custom be a Rule, Monarchy is more righteous than Oligarchy or Democracy.  
II. Secondly, If the kind of Government be admitted, let us come nearer and see whether this person have right to be this One supreme, or to be Protector; for this Person is chief concerned in your Paper, as you say in your Postscript, which puts us again upon the consideration of the Person, you have an account of him in 19, 20, and 21 pages, which is more it may be than will be judged fit for me to write, either by him or you: I am very sensible that I writ as Paul saith, 2 Cor. 11. Not after the Lord, but as it were foolishly, not in that wisdom that becomes one that professes the Lord, but foolishly, and knowing it to be weak, yet can't avoid it, the foolishness of men's ignorance and malice necessitating and bowing me to it.  
The common right of Succession, according to law, the Protector hath not: if this be rule, the King's power was righteous, this unrighteous.  
The Right of the Protector to be supreme, is not in relation to the people of the Nation in general, except it be by conquest: If you look upon him in this large consideration, his Power seems to be forced, there being no Law or Consent of the People to make him so; but the honest party are indeed the foundation of his Power: For they, and those that have adhered to this Cause, have by these Revolutions gotten the Power into their hands, not as Saints, but as the effect of Providence, arising out of the Nature, Reason and Necessity of things as they now are.  
I shall barely assert this, and not now stand to prove it, or to give the reason of it, supposing the Subscribers and others ready enough to receive it, and resolved to keep it; neither do I see how honest men can resign this Advantage they have, without giving up themselves and all they have, to their Enemy's rage: If we have a right to be superior to others, the Protector hath a very natural right to be our Chief, standing upon our shoulders, and hath, I think, as good a Title to be Supreme over this people, as any Gentleman in Wales or others, have to be a Committee man, Justice of the Peace, Captain, or to enjoy any Lands, or Revenues gotten by the sword: He that denies him to be what he is, may as well deny the whole party all the Advantage they have gotten by the war: I think we ought to consider the honest party, as a distinct people from and above others, and then his right to be their head, stands upon those two grounds expressed by the Israelites to David, 2 Sam. 5.1, 2.  
I. First, Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh, thou art natural to us, and we to thee, of the same kind of life, spirit and heart, the same bone and strength of Faith, Zeal, Power and Godliness: Of the same flesh, the same sense of good and evil, the same affections to God and Religion, the same gifts, the same interest, the same liberty for the same conscience, the same peace, the same enemies, loved and hated by the same, only He more eminently.  
II. Secondly, Also in times past, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: Thou hast deserved to head us, for thou hast had the Command of us, and hast led us forth upon Designs wisely, and brought us back with safety and victory, therefore thou shalt be Captain over Israel.  
I shall only let you see now the difference between the person pulled down, and this one set up, or the Righteousness and Mercy of this Power above that: That person was not only a stranger to us, but an enemy: This is according to rule, Deut. 17.15. From among thy brethren shalt thou set a King over thee: And according to promise Jer. 30.21. Their nobles shall be of themselves, and their Governor shall proceed from the midst them: And secondly, the other had the right of birth from an ill root: but this of merit and worth.  
III. Thirdly, That is a righteous Power which fulfils its end, and administers that good to the people that is appointed by God, and that good that is both general or public, and visible to all: Now the end and use of this Power that is evident even to nature and common reason, is to administer Safety and Peace to this Nation, and especially to honest people; and this the Protector doth do, and is excellently furnished with Abilities for that purpose: First in the might, vigour, vigilancy and courage of his spirit in resisting and suppressing the most industrious and unwearied Attempts of our old Enemies: Secondly, in a wise and large comprehending and moderating the Divisions and Factions amongst ourselves, if his spirit should despond or flag in the first, or narrow and shrink into any one party, and turn enemy to any others, 'twere a plain gap opened for ruin to come in upon us: I must be so foolish as to tell you my thoughts, when I have considered the desperate malice of his and our enemies, the cross and violent winds that move men's minds, the continual tempests of the people's rage, I have judged him the fittest man in the earth to govern us in this Scene of Action, and that Power was most rightly and duly placed in him: Let him have all the advantages of an Army, of civil Honour and Title of Protector, let him be allowed, all his weakness, his heights and heats, his policy and compliance, if he keeps the Ship from sinking, he deserves the honour of a good and right Pilate: Several persons and parties have different apprehensions of the work of this Power, that it is to, set up the kingdom of Christ, after our way, says the Presbyterian; after our way, says the Subscribers; to advance our way, say the Independents; to encourage godly spiritual men, say another sort; to give absolute liberty, say others; but these are but private opinions in things, and notions that are disputable and remote from Government, urged by Faction and Partiality, dangerous shelves and rocks; but to preserve us in Peace and Safety from violence, blood and confusion, is a work unquestionably evident in the Light of God, of Nature, of Religion, of Humanity; and so far as he doth this, he fulfils the end of power at this time.  
Now observe the difference 'twixt that which was pulled down, and this set up: That had Names and Titles, By the Grace of God, Defender of the Faith, etc. but either void and empty things, or filled with contrary and opposite qualities; either living to ease and worldly pomp, or else in enmity to the grace of God and true Faith: this is unrighteous, to have Power, and not to fulfil it; but in this Power we have stuff, substance & ability to perform the work of Power, which is, to protect us.  
IU. Fourthly, There is yet a fourth and higher sense wherein a Power may be said to be righteous (i.e.) with the righteousnesness of God or Christ, which is proper only to Christ and his kingdom, whose Sceptre is a righteous Sceptre: who is that King that shall reign in Righteousness, and whose Princes shall rule in judgement, Isa. 32.1. and the work of Righteousness shall be Peace, etc. ver. 17. Now if this be your witness, that this Power is not thus righteous, we are of the same mind, and so I suppose is he that hath the Power: so we admit your witness true, but not in judgement, being against a thing not in question nor challenged; for alas, what is there amongst us that looks like the Majesty, Beauty, Judgement, Peace and Glory of such a Kingdom? We are poor dark creatures, pudling in the dirt and rubbish of a broken world, only striving for a being and subsistence, with the best humane diligence, wisdom and honesty we have; but if this be the intent of your testimony;  
I. Why may not we testify more largely of persons, Churches and Ministry, that there is none righteous, no not one, all have sinned and come short of this glory; neither Ruler nor People righteous with this righteousness, no Church nor its Rulers, no family nor its ruler, no person in his own soul, and the Government of it, is thus righteous; but iniquity, deceit, vanity, impurity, injustice defiles us all, in all things.  
II. Whether a Testimony against the Subscribers be not more just; that they pretend to and profess for this righteous kingdom, as if they had it amongst them, and would or could set it up, if they had power, whereas they are as weak, as dark, as sinful as other men.  
But here lies I think a great mistake amongst us, and that which much troubles us, We had high looks, expected great matters, while we have only looked at the promises and prophecies, and what is contained in them, but have not humbly and soberly considered our own present state, which is indeed miserably corrupt and wretched; This hath raised expectations of greater Matters than it pleases God to do for us, or I fear will do till we return into ourselves, and are more sensible of our own great insufficiency for such things that we dream of; being disappointed, we vex and free against Governors, expecting they should be Gods to us, when we ought indeed to put our mouths in the dust, and confess we have all sinned, and come short of that glory which we have professed.  
It is not meet to say this kingdom is far from us, though there be a truth in it, as Christ tells them that looked that the kingdom of God should immediately appear, Luke 19.11. that he was to go into a far country, etc. But this however I may say: We we far from the kingdom of God, being in darkness, enmity, in sin, guilt & wrath, and administering little else one to another.  
And therefore this desire and hopes of great Glory, Honour and Dominion to be dispensed to us, and the wrath that is amongst us for want of it, is I judge, a lusting after a fleshly kingdom and glory, and that to our selves and our own party; whereas the kingdom of Christ will save all the Saints and the earth too; and it rises from a vain pride of ourselves, and some excellency we think to be in our gifts & ministries, without a sense of that deep and inward corruption that is within; Therefore before this kingdom come that you speak of, I expect a more pure Ministry, like that of john Baptist, That will make crocked things strait; rough things, plain; and exalt the valleys, bring down every mountain; that all flesh may see the salvation of God. This Ministry will levelly these high thoughts of yours; and therefore, in stead of quarrelling for a Kingdom, know you are but Servants, and be willing to travel and work with your brethren, in that mean and low state in which they are, for peace and safety.  
Let me desire you to consider a serious word of reproof to you: You are gotten a step higher than your Brethren in notions, are exercised with the thoughts of a future and more excellent state of things, and busy your heads and minds in pleasing speculations about Christ's Kingdom. First, I fear, this is a very imperfect, if not a false view, of the Kingdom of Christ; because, this Kingdom is within, enjoyed and possessed before 'tis seen, or seen by its own light when we do enjoy it. Secondly, If it be a true sight or view that you have, you do abuse that light. First, by applying the rule of God & Christ to man, by measuring the creature with the law of the Creator, or requiring that of poor man, which is the proper work of Christ himself. Secondly, You by this light or knowledge, administer nothing of the thing itself, which is Love, Peace, Righteousness, but your own passion, Wrath and Contention. Thirdly, You, as the Pharisees, sit in Moses chair, get into the highest seat and places of Scripture, of everlasting Righteousness; and by that light, bind heavy burdens upon others, but touch them not with one of your fingers; live not the least branch of that righteous and glorious Kingdom in your souls, families, or any of your conversations. Fourthly, if you had Power, and so opportunity, to show how little you have of the Spirit of this righteous Kingdom, you would be the most pitiful creatures that I know in the earth; the most deceived, and so the most unhappy, because deceived in the greatest thing, and in that which is your and our happiness.  
You are now ending your witness; We suppose you have spoken all the ill that you knew, and all that you could rake up against them; and he that will speak all the ill he can, will speak more than is true. Now you have done witnessing, you proceed to judge: You say, We suspect and judge them to be great transgressers therein: At last, all mounts but to suspicion, no evidence or demonstration; and you suspect, witness, and judge yourselves; you might leave the judgement to another; and suspect and judge, 'tis a judgement upon suspicion. I would not quibble upon words, if I did not think you did the tiling: That all this that you have writ, is but a suspicion and a rash judgement, drawn up in private, in your own dark and suspicious thoughts, wherein you evidence nothing; and therefore, I do think, you might have left out Witness and Testimony in your Paper: And my Reasons are,  
I. First, A true spiritual witness convinces of sin; now, I think, this will not convince them, because, it doth not me, who am a slander by, and ready to receive a Testimony against them. Your Paper renders them to me rather better than worse, and yourselves rather worse than better: I did really think your Spirits had been more pure and simple in opposing them, than now they do appear.  
II. Secondly, A true witness convinces of righteousness, as well as of sin: I find nothing here, either of their righteousness or Christ's righteousness, brought forth, to blot out or forgive their sin.  
III Thirdly, The two Witnesses spoken of in Scripture, which you think are your pattern, are Olive-trees, and empty the golden oil out of themselves; they pour forth light and healing love; now, I find not any drop of this oil here, either to enlighten them to come to God out of their sins, nor love or grate to heal or strengthen them, but a bare dry accusation of sin, and threatening of judgement.  
IU. Fourthly, Those Witnesses stand before the Lord of the whole earth, and declare what they see in him; which is undeniable truth: but you testify what you hear abroad, and what is in the mouths of the most profane people; therefore, I confess, I would have you have higher thoughts of Saints-witnessing, than to name such a Paper by it.  
After some other particulars, which I will not meddle with, you do Disclaim all adherence to, Owning of, or Joining with these Men in these ways.  
You may separate from them in some particular ways, but, I think, you are really one with them in their hearts and spirits: There is the same Good in them that is in you, and the same Evil in you that is in them: One in Nature and Grace, one in Cause and Quarrel, one in Religion, Liberty and Safety; and therefore disclaim, and utterly disclaim: but, brawling makes not a separation 'twixt brethren, nor every scolding a divorce 'twixt husband and wife; me thinks your Union appears in your Disclaiming of them. For,  
I. First, If you were not one with them, you would not be so much concerned in their miscarriage, not so much ashamed and grieved, as you express, for their evils; 'tis your feeling either the same or the like evils in yourselves, that doth wound and prick your hearts.  
II. Secondly, You likewise find and feel the same Good in them that is in yourselves, under their sins and sufferings which troubles you; if you did not, you would retire privately, and suffer them to sink and perish in their own ways.  
III. Thirdly, There is much jealousy in your minds; this jealousy arises from a secret union. You are within, sensible of some very good thing in the Protector, to which you have a right; and being jealous that his heart is not with you, nor for your way, you are enraged against him: yea, were you not sensible of a good spirit in him, and that much allied to you, I am persuaded, you neither would nor durst be so bold with him, as you are in your Paper. For if you thought him of a right Royal stamp, one that consulted only how to maintain his Greatness by force and policy, or, that his Judgement were but as hard to you as some Presbyterians, you would not thus provoke him; but would rather study how to deserve and preserve your present Liberties, by a quiet and sober use of them, than to adventure the loss of them, by offending of him. You know the Sword is in a Brother's hands, which are tied up by love and conscience, and that makes you so bold with him and his Power.  
IU. Fourthly, You here seem to disown and disclaim them; Alas, if your spirit were another from them, you might retire without noise: But you are by Interest, and by the frame of your Spirits engaged to the same kind of public Work; and therefore you may, as men that are angry, talk much more than you intent, and in a heat tumble out your passions, which differ much from your dispositions; for, I think, you neither can nor will leave them, nor the Work: for this contest, is not at all a division of Enemies, but an offence of Brethren; not in the main substance of your business, but in some remote things; which, either more sight and experience, or else the necessity of interest and safety, will overcome.  
Before you go, you would have some good company with you, and therefore, you desire all the Lords people to withdraw from them. If you have not a very good company to follow you, you will, I hope, be so good natured as to abide with them, or stay for them, till they come to your light; for you are not so melancholic as choleric, nor have you so good a Cause & Conscience (in your present contests) as to live alone with it.  
But tell us whither you would have us to withdraw; whether into our own souls, to mind a more inward and spiritual work, or into our families, callings and congregations, to attend the worship of God in a private way, and to leave Government and outward National work, to them that are engaged in it. But, I fear, you rather invite us into Wales to join with you there, or to raise a party here in England to begin another War: and if this be your mind, I shall only in telling you, why the Lords people cannot join with you, take my leave of you.  
I. First, We were urged and pricked on to the former War by a necessity of a being; for the spirit of the King and Bishops were such, that we could not live (with a Liberty of our Consciences) under their Government: Now having obtained this, though it be with great expense of Blood and Treasure, yea, of many of our outward Rights and Liberties, yet we had rather sit down quietly in this Freedom, with safety, than hazard this and all we have left us, by a New War.  
II. Secondly, War is a violent and desperate medicine, to be applied only in case of necessity upon incurable Enemies, whose spirits are set at such a distance from, and enmity to the light of Godliness itself, that they are beyond the reach of conviction; such beasts are fit for the sword, who never felt nor knew any power but outward force; But for brethren that have been and are enlightened, and become subject to the leadings of conscience, though they be fallen into a temptation and snare: the remedy for such is not carnal but spiritual, and that is Light to be administered with patience and long-suffering to the conscience, and that too, so long as there is any spark of life, or any sense at all of the fear of the Lord left in them; being by it, capable of reproof and instruction, they should be attended upon with suitable means, in love and mercy. If all means of this kind should prove ineffectual, and that they should go on to sin wilfully, after they have received the knowledge of the truth, yet an outward Sword would be improper, they being prepared and reserved for a greater punishment; a certain fearful looking for of judgement and fiery indignation, Heb. 10.26, 27.  
But I believe, you cannot think that our Governors are gone so far back into obstinate and wilful Wickedness; for those things about which you differ, are disputable things, and remote from Godliness, propounded and prosecuted with much carnal zeal, and offensive weakness: And therefore it cannot be interpreted Wilful Ignorance, not to be convinced, but Weakness: And alas, do not we see they are in a continual hurry, tossed with dangers, striving all they can for life, which occasions passions that darken the mind? Their spirits must needs be disturbed and distempered with a multitude of worldly perplexing Cares, and therefore 'tis no wonder they take in or give forth no more light, or that their spirits and way is dark and misty: From a State so sick as ours is, so dangerously shaken, cannot be expected any acts of clear Judgement, nor any progress in the work of Reformation. And now, while their Enemies are plotting Mischief, and watching for Advantage, and all they can do is little enough to preserve our Safety; for us, in this season, to impose our own Opinions upon them, and to withdraw from them, and threaten them with Division and War for not following them, is very unseasonable and unbrotherly, and weakens their hands that should be strengthened for our Defence.  
Thirdly, We do see, that in all reason a New War amongst ourselves, would open a way for the common Enemy to destroy both parties; 'tis well if all united can subsist against them: But our Divisions are their great hope, and the life of their Cause, the only thing that supports their spirits, and hardens them in opposition. You complain in your Paper, That they are offended, and that stumbling-blocks are laid in their way: But its evident, That nothing keeps them at such a distance from us and conviction, as our differences amongst ourselves, which gives them hopes of recovering all; and those hopes uphold pride and enmity. Therefore, to war upon our Brethren, were to take their work out of their hands, and to betray that remnant that is left us, to the sword first, & then to their malice.  
Fourthly, We are indeed weary of War, and do find that it is at best but a sad carnal thing: For, though this War was undertaken with some Honesty and Simplicity, against a Malignant and Oppressing Enemy, yet we see no cause of glorying or boasting of it; for we find, the Sword is a devouring thing, it wastes Treasure, impoverishes a Nation, and loads it with Taxes: We complain of Taxes, 'tis not the fault of Governors, but the nature of the Sword is such, it hath a great Mouth, and must be fed or worse, and to begin New War, would multiply Taxes, as we multiply Armies and Forces.  
War devours our Privileges, Rights and Freedoms; 'tis Iron that breaks all into pieces, 'tis rough and hard, and will tear down Councils, Laws, Governments, Property and Freedom: 'Tis not the men that use it, but the nature of the Sword and its ministry, is to tread down all things before it; and those that are exercised in it, must either obey its commands, and follow its rules, or else the Sword itself will go from them, or be taken from them, and be employed against them: This the Sword hath done amongst us; and they that draw it again, will certainly waste what is left us of Right and Property, and leave us quite destitute.  
War wastes the peace and quiet of men's minds, and fills them with Fury: For, Every battle of the Warrior is with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood, Isa. 9.5. Blood strangely stains the nature of man, makes him brutish, uncivil, unsubject to Law and Authority, and fills the minds of men with sounds, and voices of Confusion and Division, of Fire and of Wrath; which makes men tumultuous, proud, cruel and imperious: Men, after a War, are an unquiet Sea, apt to be moved upon every discontent to War again: And this Blood rolls and tumbles in your Fancies, that you know not how to settle to a quiet life, but long to be in action again.  
Although there was a Righteousness and Justice in our late War against our Enemies, yet it was not so pure a work, but if we look back upon it, we may see cause of Repentance; both from the nature of the work, and from the subject upon whom it was administered. War, when it is a Dispensation from God, yet it is a very low one, 'tis Sensual, Earthly and Devilish; if not in itself, yet the corruptions of man mingling itself with it, make it so; which, though it condemn not the Sword absolutely, yet it may make the ministry unpleasing to a humane and Gospel-spirit: The subject upon which 'twas administered, was mixed; there was a Legal Right the King and Bishops had: There was in some a Legal humane Honesty and Innocency, with much Ingenuity, natural Piety and Conscience; which when we consider, we cannot be without some relenting towards them, and repenting of that Violence and Wrath wherewith we prosecuted them. So that we are more ready to repent of War against Enemies, than to begin one upon Friends: Our spirits, our light we hope rises higher, into Meekness, Love and Moderation; so that though we condemn not former works, yet there may be a more excellent way: And, if it were to do again, considering all things, we should be cooler than we were, and not so hasty to War.  
Therefore it would become us all, to wash our souls in Sorrow and Repentance, to wipe away the spots and defilements of War, and the guilt of Blood, of Violence and Wrath. It would be an excellent thing in our Governors, to begin and Order a Universal Humiliation for the Evils of the late War; To offer up public Peace-offerings, and to beg pardon of the Lord, and peace in our spirits and consciences, that he that creates Peace, would be pleased to give it to us, first within, and then without: This, I think, would be the only foundation of Peace, the only way to soften our minds to others, and others to us, and to cleanse us from inward rancour, and from guilt, which makes men wrathful, contentious & unquiet.  
Fifthly, While the Sword is necessary for our Defence, as we yet conceive it is, we think it in the best hands, and best settled where it is; Because it is by Providence disposed to them in the ordinary course of War, the generality of them having carried on the work from the beginning, therefore they have a Right to their Power and Command: And we judge it wisely disposed by Providence into such hands, who are large in their spirits, to comprehend and to take into Employment and Love, all sorts of Honest men: Whereby, the Sword is more easy, the work more secure, and greater hopes of Peace. Whereas if we should join with you, to get the Sword into your hands, the Sword will be the Sword still, and in men's hands of narrower spirits, which would make it more dangerous and more cruel: So that we must deal plainly with you, if we attempt a New War, we shall but fight away that little of Money, that little of Right and Freedom, that little of Love and Peace that is left; and fight ourselves into new Troubles, new Sins and new Defilements of our brethren's Bloods, which will be Blood of a deep dye; and at last have no fruit but this, To be in worse hands than we are: who, though they seem to have more Light, yet we are sure have less Love, and so most unfit to Command the Sword.  
You have therefore no hope to draw us into your Design, if it be war; let us then persuade you to withdraw from it, and from those that would seduce you into it: 'Tis my earnest request to you, that you would wait at jerusalem in a holy and humble serving of the Lord, till you have power from on high, and then if our Governors do not prevent you, by bringing forth some better fruit, you will be able with wisdom and power to convince and restore them, or to carry on the work of the Lord upon yourselves and others, in spirit and judgement: And leave these men to the Lord, who will either lead them out of these present mists, if they humbly and sincerely attend upon him, or if they be unfaithful to him, he to whom they have appealed, and whose servants they are, will judge righteous Judgement upon them.  
Finis.   

THE POSTSCRIPT.  
YOur Postscript is very reprovable, but not administering to me any material thing wherein I might really serve you, I choose rather to wave is than to trouble you and myself with it: My intent and endeavour hath been, not to wound, but to heal your spirits, and if I have lanced, it hath been only to let out that corruption, which I know, must needs be painful to you; for 'tis some of that corrupt matter within, not the evils of others without, that is the true reason of your great Trouble and Discontent.