Salus Populi, Desperately ill Of a languishing Consumption: THE CAUSES DISCOVERED, THE CURE DISCOURSED;  
By THEOPHILUS P.  
If this Counsel or this Work be of men, it will come to nought:  
But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest happily ye be found even to fight against God,  ACTS 5.38,39. VIRG. 
Jam nova Progenies Coelo dimititur—  
Printed at LONDON, 1648.   

A Jove Principium. England's Genius: TO THE English Army, and to all other true hearted Englishmen, That desire and endeavour the Recovery of SALUS POPULI.  
Good General, and honest Gentlemen, my Darlings;  
SALUS POPULI through the redundant humours of injustice, superstition, oppression and hypocrisy, hath been long afflicted; and undertaken by skilful Physicians (as they were voiced and professed themselves) to recover her; but they to increase their own benefit finding her to be opulent) have neglected, and retarded her cure, by which her distemper is increased and a dangerous and extreme flux of blood added to her disease for which she declines them. You about twelve months since gave her a gentle purge, which did only move the Malignant humours, not carry them away, which increased her disease; you have lately set forth some bills, that makes her hopeful; she is willing to be your Patient, trusting, you will according to your engagement, only mind her recovery; and not your own interests. Have a care of her, for she is precious in the eyes of the Almighty. I have sent you by her poor servant Theophilus, such Simples as grew in her own garden; they be no Drugs from Utopia, or the new Atlantis, they may be of use, as your judgement shall prepare them, and proportion the Dose.  
God give a blessing to your endeavours.   

SALUS POPULI Desperately ill of a languishing CONSUMPTION, etc.  
ENgland, that was lately the Glory of Nations, the Refuge of her Friends, and Terror of her Enemies, how is she become the pity of such as affect her, the scorn and prey of her Adversaries! thyself, through thy Natives Divisions, giving Foreigners hope to attain that which they never durst have attempted, hadst thou been in some measure united. But Time that periods all Governments, is now determining of thine, by which this Political Estate flourished: It is now corrupted, rotten, and wasted, that little or nothing remains of it, scarce so much as was left of Jezabel, the hands and feet. It is like a sometime glorious Palace, that for want of suitable Inhabitants, and due repairing, through the injury of Time, and evil disposed people continuing of spoil and waste upon it to enrich themselves, have brought it to desolation; so that the heirs of it (Englishmen) cannot with security live in it; but a Rafter of Peerage, a Beam of Presbytery, or a Pillar of Independency may chance to cripple them, if not knock out their brains; 'tis so disjointed and crazed by the winds of Faction and Division, that it were an indiscretion to think of repairing it; it would require so great pains and charge, and yet be neither useful nor seemly: Therefore, lest a Tempest blow it down, let judicious workmen orderly take it in pieces, to prevent danger and loss, and save such materials as are solid and useful; and what among them is rotten and rubbish, let them be for the fire or the Dunghill.  
To begin at the top, as it now stands: Look upon the Lord's House, or House of Peers. I dispute not what they were in their first Institution, but survey them as they are at present. Nobility was first dispensed for a reward of Virtue: Do but consider how they are multiplied since King James his beginning; the Duke of Buckingham, but a younger Brother of an indifferent Family, became Minion to the Father and the Son; and what a crowd he brought into the House of Peers! as the Earls of Anglesea, Denbigh, Middlesex, Manchester, Newport, Portland, etc. But Ubi latet Virtus in these men's Ancestors or themselves; Or for what cause they were raised, I at present examine not, but behold them as they act for Salus Populi. The Commonwealth had better have given many millions, then have had that small distance of place between the House of Peers and House of Commons: For within these eight years, what with Conferences, Debates, Messages and Messengers of their own, how little have they done, and how much and many Businesses have they congested and heaped together? that had each individual the integrity of Job, and wisdom of Solomon, they can hardly do us right. What tugging, pulling, and drawing divers ways, as each faction can make its interest strong? whereas if Salus Populi is to be considered, why may not one room hold them without such punctilios of Honour? where it may come to a present conclusion, whether it be good for the Commonwealth or not; where Prince, Peers and Commons may all at one time agree. But if they shall insist upon their Privilege Jure Haereditario, I cannot see but that Arch-Bishops and Bishops had as ample and ancient a prescription Jure Divino, to their almost eradicated Hierarchy. And though old customs keep fast roots; yet when they prove obnoxious to Salus Populi, then malus usus abolendus: Therefore let one room contain you for your Debates and Results, and let none be admitted, but such whose virtue shall give assured proof, that they are worthy of so high a calling and so great a trust; and if they shall merit from the Commonwealth, either for Council or Action, let them according to their desert have compensation out of the public Treasury; so that their Posterity shall far the better for their Ancestors virtue: But their Issue which may prove dissolute or worthless, aught to have no claim to their Father's seat in Counsel; for that in time will revive the old Corruption: Let their virtue only give them admission; if they be of a generous spirit, it will stir up in them a glorious emulation, to outgo, at least to imitate their Progenitors worthy undertake. Thus shall Salus Populi be furnished with fitting Servants able to discharge the Trust reposed in them.  
The next piece that falls in course, that may be made to serve for use or ornament, to raise this new Fabric upon the old foundation, (and are worthy of reserving) are such members of the Commons, as have endeavoured to cherish Salus Populi; they have been nearest related to her, and by her have had her grand Trust reposed in them; but how performed, and by whom obstructed, the world takes too much notice of it. But how can it be otherwise? the course of Elections duly considered, which have the tracts of tyranny that still remain in them: for why should freeholders' or corporations only have voices in the choice? and not also the meanest he that lives, if endued with an understanding to distinguish between good and evil. Is it just that any should be obedient to that Law which he never assented to? Job left a doctrine to the contrary, Chap. 31. Vers. 13, 14, 15. The next inconvenience is, the disproportionable distribution of Burgesses, as they at present stand. What though they plead Antiquity for their Charters? Circumstance of time and place make great differences and alterations; for that which is necessary at one time in a place, may be destructive at another time in the same place; 'tis likely at the first, when those grants to several Corporations were made, they were then flourishing and populous, which now lie ruined and wasted; for instance, Dunwich sometime the Regal Seat of the East Angles, now a poor Sea-devoured-Towne, consisting of a few fishing Cottages; Rising in Norfolk more inconsiderable than that; there are many scores of Corporations of the like condition. Sedges est ubi Troja fuit. Therefore Sublatâ causâ tollitur effectus, when they cease to be what they were in their first institution, detur digniori. The last and greatest inconvenience is the manner and way of Electing: Tumultuary Faction and Parties bandying against each other; what canvasing, plodding, plotting, contriving, by friends, letters, bribings, drink, feast, are commonly used and employed to obtain a Burgeship! I have been grieved to see it, and am ashamed to speak what strong desires, labours, and pains have been taken (in my esteem) by the best of men to gain such places. I hope it hath been to keep out a worse, that hath aspired to it, and not to satisfy their own ambition. 'tis an easy matter to find a fault, but a most difficult and intricate business to redress a mischief, especially of this superlative nature. Here I were at a ne plus ultrà, had I not a Divine hand to uphold me, and to light and lead me through this dark Labyrinth; all what hath preceded, is man's, and may be subject to error: but what follows, is a rule from God, and aught to be obeyed by you; for it is a Divine, positive, absolute Institute, given, continued, approved by God and his Christ. Take it briefly, Make your Elections by Lots; this is the way that God divided Lands by, by these he detected Achan the Malefactor, by these he enthroned Saul, by these he discovered the delinquent jonah, by these he puts ends to controversies, by these he disposed of his Son's garments, by these after his Sons Consummatum est, when his elected Vessels the Apostles and Disciples (after his Ascension) had proceeded in their choice for a successor to supply judas his Apostleship as fare as true zeal and humane prudence could direct, two Competitors stood, the Lot fell to Mathias; I know nothing left more plain and absolute unto us, and less taken up; yet S. Paul writes, these things were left for our Examples. The Administration of the Sacraments de modo, we are not agreed upon; some will have the one performed by dipping, others by sprinkling: The other, taken as our Saviour at Supper, others at dinner; some sitting, others kneeling, a third standing; but this Rule is only used in all difficulties, both before and since our Saviour's Ascension, and therefore affords no dispute against it. The not using of it, I fear, is the main cause of our punishment. S. james tells we ask, and receive not because we ask amiss; we have missed the true way all this time, therefore have we been thus betrayed in our Elections, by Apostates and Hypocrites; and until you submit to this precedent which Almighty God left you, use and employ the utmost circumspection and reason that you can, yet you shall entertain into your Counsels Judasses', Hypocrites, Atheists, Devils incarnate, that shall enter among you in sheep's cloathings, but as Wolves they tear, rend and crush you into pieces. This I am confident is agreeable to God's Spirit, and will be acceptable unto him, and he will pour forth his blessing accordingly. I undertake not to direct; but what apprehensions it hath pleased the Lord to give me, that am the weakest of men, I shall out of my cordial affections to my distressed Country, lay down in persuance of this Divine Institution.  
You have all gone astray, and not performed the trust according to your own undertake, and our expectation, but have suffered us to become much more miserable, than you found us: Therefore before the Lords wrath break forth against you, and you be scattered from those slippery places, where you sit, humble yourselves before him, and kiss the Son, by being obedient unto him, in embracing his appointed Rule. In order unto which, resolve upon a determinate time to conclude your own Sitting, and limit a set time for another Parliament to begin, in which allow all the Natives and Denizens a free voice in their choice of their Representatives; next distribute and alter according to your wisdoms the number of Burgesses, as shall be most consistent with each Counties interest throughout the whole Kingdom: Lastly, issue forth your Summons for Members to be chosen in some course, as may be most agreeing to God's Rule; as for example, if you should proportion ten Divisions for the County of Essex, two Members in each Division; after the Sheriff hath your Writ, let him issue out his Warrants to the high Constables of each Division, of the certain day and place, than the high Counstables theirs, to the under-Constables of every Parish, where let every man have his free voice in choosing two Parish Electors, which are to be sent from the Parish to the Division: Now if the Inhabitants shall be divided into several interests, so that four Competitors stand, then let them come to the Lot, which may be performed in some such way as this; they having proceeded as fare as judgement and reason can carry them, they ought with prayer and all humility, to resign the Controversy to be decided by God, who is the only Searcher of hearts, who will undoubtedly upon such an humble resignation, dispose of the Lot to his own glory and his people's good. In Order to which, a child of six or seven years old, may draw the name of him out of a Box or Bag, that shall first come to the Lot; so the second, third, and fourth; this to avoid exceptions of Priority of calling to the Lot; the manner of the Lot itself, may be performed after some such way as this; Let there be an Instrument made into which two silver Bullets, and two golden Bullets are put; they being some time tumbled and shaked together, after the boy hath drawn the first name, a spring let's forth one Bullet, which if a silver one, he is rejected, if a golden one, he stands; these being thus chosen, repair to the Division at the appointed time, where they Elect Members, where if they be divided, as before, the same course as before is to be taken.  
This Rule may be emproved to the satisfying of all interests, in the choice of all Officers and Magistrates throughout the whole Kingdom. What just exception can be taken at this way, in which as much of reason is used as can be, and when all men according to their distinct affections shall have freedom of Nomination, and the Party so nominated, shall have equal admittance to the Lot? only after we poor blind mortals have according to our weak judgements and corrupt affections preferred who best pleases us: we in our contest submed to God to reconcile us, by disposing of the Lot according to his only All seeing Providence, to such a person as he judges meet for us.  
Some perhaps will be ready to make empty and vain Objections; But in answer to all that may be raised, let such but eye who assumes the dispose of the Lot to himself only, and let them be distrustful if they can, unless they be Pagans that make Chance or Fortune a God. To carnal and ambitious men, this will be a great vexation; what though I make friends, and a strong Party for my nomination, yet the Lot will not, cannot be bribed or circumvented, it frustrates all my endeavours and designs. If thou have any part of a Christian in thee, be contented, for it is the Lords doing, and when thou art fitted for it, the Lord will call thee by it. This is the only way to suppress all Court craft, all faction, avarice and ambition; this is the way that God will own us in for his people, when our eyes are towards him, and our dependence only upon him, if the Lord shall in his mercy to save you from destruction put it into your hearts to walk in this way. During the time that shall intervene between the ending of this Parliament and the beginning of another, make choice of the uprightest and wisest Compatriots to direct and govern the people, that you may not for the honour of Parliaments seem to do things (as you have too often done) out of fear and forced to do it. These being performed by you, in future provide for particular Interests, that have suffered much by Committees of Parliament; for if a party cannot be made by friends, or faction, the number that makes a Committee may be birds of a feather, and report the matter to the House as they affect, or distaste the parties; the parties most injured many times undergo censure, the House concluding them upon the Committees report; to avoid which abuse, let the parties have a certain day set them, and an hour allowed them to show cause why they should not be concluded according to the Committees report, and there receive your final sentence; thus shall justice be uprightly executed, and no man have cause to complain.  
The last acceptable work you can do for this exhausted wasted Commonwealth, is, by Commissioners Itenerants, to call all Money-mongers to an exact account, and there will be a considerable Sum regained from those miserable wretches (that have defrauded us) to ease the present burden of the people, as will be easily made to appear, if you will give a real encouragement thereunto. I had not thus presumed to have been so free, but that in the beginning of this Parliament, a Grandee told me it was lawful for any man to propound, it was you only could determine.  
A word to the Army, Verbum Sapienti, I will be Canis ad Nilum. Victory brings a very short glory, where Government is imperfect. You know wars are best overcome, either by preventing of an Enemy, or by diverting of him. Principally consider that dangers hasty and sudden, ought not to suffer delay, sudden mischiefs require speedy remedies; You have a necessity upon you, which is sufficient to make you resolute.  
If the Army grow distrustful,  
They will cease to be successful.  

Queries.  
1. Whether did the State of England do well in beheading the Queen of Scots, for privily endeavouring with Confederates in this Kingdom to disturb the peace thereof?  
2. Whether doth the State of England do well in not beheading Duke Hambleton, who actually invaded this Kingdom with homebred Traitors, and a foreign Army, but instead thereof Vote a mulct of 100000 l. upon him when they can get it, to put in the bottomless bag with waller's 10000 l. when Chaloner and Tomkins were hanged? look to him Army, for these things God visits.  
3. Whether did the State of England do well in affording Aid to the late honest Minor Party in the Parliament of Scotland, against the major corrupted Hambletonian Party?  
4. Whether ought not all honest upright conscientious men in Parliament and Kingdom, do the like against the Major corrupted Party for Recovery of Salus Populi?   
Jovis omnia plena.  
FINIS.