DEARELY Beloved Bretheren, and Siſters: It is true, this text is a Malignant one; the wick­ed and ungodly have abuſed it very frequently, but (thanks bee to God) it was to their owne Ruine; yet their abuſe ſhall not hinder us from making a right uſe of it. Every thing is Subject to bee abuſed, bee it never ſo holy or good: the men of God, the Creatures of God; all are ſubject to injuries and abuſe; the Counſell of State, the Parliament, the Army, the Generall have, been and dayly are abuſed; nay even my ſelfe have not eſcap­ed the violence of thoſe Seducers whoſe tongues are ſharper then a two-edged ſword; my very face and noſe are weekely malign'd and ſcandaliz'd by thoſe ſcribling Mercuries, Elencticus and Pragmaticus; inſomuch that were it poſſible, they would raiſe a Faction in my fore­head, and make mutinies amongſt my very teeth. It's true I have a hot liver, and thats the cauſe my face and noſe are red; for my valour lies in my liver, not in my heart, as other men's (never any man could ſay my heart was ſtout) indeede the Generalls lyes there, and that's the reaſon his face is pale. You all know I never was a2 drunkard, although when I was at the loweſt I had Beere enough (for you know I had neere relation to a Beere-Brewer) and I had alwaies money to buy Wine with, if I pleaſed; ſo that I might have beene a drunked if I would; yet you know I am a temperate ſober man, elſe I had never beene ſo good a Souldier. But what is it the Malignants will not abuſe, who let not to abuſe them­ſelves? I'le warrant you they would abuſe our very wives too if they durſt; and I fear ſome of them do — you know what I meane — but no more of that at pre­ſent.

My Text you ſee is Scripture and Scripture muſt bee believed next to our Diviner Revelations, bee it what it will, but the Malignants they would interpret it one way, and wee (the Saints) interpret it another: now let any body judge, whether they or wee are to bee believed: whether (I ſay) thoſe ungodly Cavaliers that fought to uphold Tyrannie and Antichriſt, or wee that in the up­rightneſſe of our hearts fought for Liberty and Freedome, and for Eſtabliſhing the Kingdome of King Jeſus: ſurely Beloved, it is wee that are in the Right of it, I think none of you will deny it.

But now that I ſpoke of Kings, the main queſtion is, whether by Higher Powers, are meant Kings, or the Com­moners? Truly (Beloved) it is a very great queſtion amongſt thoſe that ſay they are learned: But I think ve­rily they make more ſtirre about it then needs; for may not every body that can reade obſerve that Paul ſpeakes in the plurall number, the Higher Powers; now had hee meant ſubjection to a King, hee would have ſaid, Let every Soule bee ſubject to the Higher Power, that is if hee had meant one man, but by this you ſee hee intended more3 then one (for hee bids us bee subject to the Higher Powers) that is the Councell of State, the houſe of Commons and the Army. I hope I have cleared this Point: So now then I will come cloſer to the words themſelves, and ſhew you ▪ truly and plainly (without any gaudy Rheto­rique) what they ſignifie unto us, that you bee not decei­ved: and I tell you this is not to bee done by every Spi­rit, but only by ſuch who are more then ordinarily in­dowed with the Spirit of Di•cerning: I confeſſe there are many good men and women amongſt you, that intend well, and ſpeake well, and underſtand well, but yet can­not apprehend wel all things that lurke in Scripture Lan­guage, for lack of a ſufficient meaſure of the Spirit: they muſt bee inwardly called thereuneo, or elſe they are ſubject to errours and miſconſtructions.

Well then! you ſee who are fitteſt to interpret, and I preſume you believe God hath aboundantly ſupplyed mee; I doe not boaſt of it, but I ſpeake it to his glory that hath vouchſafed to take up his Lodging in ſo vile, contemptible, unſwept, unwaſhed, ungarniſhed a Roome as is this unworthy Cottage of mine. But It was his will, and I am thankfull for it.

Now the Words offer themſelves very natu­rally, they are plain, not difficult, but proſtrate their ſenſe in moſt perſpicuous manner.

For firſt (Beloved) by theſe words Let every Soule &c. wee may underſtand that every one of us have Soules; whence I raiſe this Doctrine, that it is an ungodly, irreli­gious, prophane and Idle Tenent amongſt the wicked to think or ſay that Women have no Soules. Marke (my Beloved) to think or ſay &c. for there are many now adaies that think, and will not ſpeake what they think,4 and others that ſpeake, and will not think what they ſpeake. But wee are, none ſuch — Deare Siſters it is a great abaſe to your honourable Sex — And now tru­ly I will turne to you only, for you have beene our day­ly and nightly comforters; indeede la yee have! you have raiſed our drooping Spirits, though never ſo much dej•cted; you have got us ſtomacks when wee had none, and furniſhed us with fleſh on all occaſions; wee never found you unwilling, or unready to help us, when wee were the fartheſt from home. Believe it when I lay be­fore Pembro•ke Caſtle my Landlady where I quarter'd (who had once beene a Malignant, and then but newly crept into the ſtate of grace) ſhee (I ſay) had a good Soul within her, ſhee was brimme full of the Spirit, and yet ſhee was very handſome; which is ſtrange, for ſeldom wee finde a perfection without an imperfection; commonly Women that are faire without, are ei­ther falſe or foule within; but to me ſhee was neither. And yet I doe not ſpeake this to condemne beauty, for it is of ſingular comfort and good uſe, and thoſe that bee faire may bee true and good: but this is ſecundum majus & minus (as the Logitians cant) ſome are better then other ſome (that's the Engliſh of the Lataine) and in­deede I have found great difference in Women. Then againe when I came in Yorkſhire, I met with Mrs. Lam­bert (the eſpouſed of that honourable and valiant Saint M. G. Lambert) ſhee (I ſay) is a Woman, not very faire I confeſſe, but of as large a Soule, and as full of the Spi­rit as any I ever yet met with: I profeſſe I never knew a woman more endowed with thoſe Heavenly bleſſings of love, meekneſſe, gentleneſſe, patience and long ſuffering; nay even with all things that may ſpeake her every way5 deſerving the name of a Saint: And yet I ſay ſhee was not very beautious or comly, for ſhee is ſomthing foggy and Sun-burnt (which is ſtrange in that cold Countrey) But what Nature had denyed her of Ornament without, I found ſhee had within her a ſoule, a devout ſweete foule; and God knowes I loved her for it.

Thus we finde then both by Scripture and experience, that all of us have ſoules, men and women. But then again (beloved) ſome have good ſoules and ſome have bad; Mrs. Lambert hath a good ſoule, and no doubt, nay (I know) many of you that bee here are (and have) good ſoules within you: the Cavalieres and their Queanes are the bad ſoules, they ſerve and are ſubject to bad and ungodly men (men did I call them?) nay Devills that would devoute us, and drink themſelves drunk with the blood of the Saints.

By this then it is evident who have, and who are the good Soules; Whence I raiſe this Doctrine, or rather point of Faith. That wee are not to beleeve, or account any to have, or to bee Soules, but thoſe that are of the Family of Saints (I would have ſaid Love, but that it is a parti­cular Sect, ſomthing differing from Ours.

Come on then, Let every Soule bee Subject, &c. Where­by by wee ſee all Soules, good and bad, are bound to bee Subject. All-Soules Colledg in Oxford muſt be Subject to the Viſitors, All-Soules day, though a ſuperſtitious holy­day and ſtrictly kept by the Papiſts) muſt bee ſubject to labour and toyle: Your Soules (Brethren and Siſters) muſt bee ſubject to perſwaſion, to love, familiarity and friendſhip, to all things that may increaſe or elevate the Spirit; to kindle and take fire (like Tindar) upon every ſparke and glace of our affections; O my deere Bre­thren6 and Siſters, Love, it is the fullfilling of the Lawe, what neede wee more then? It covers a multitude of ſinnes; Lo you there! It hides all our Infirmities: had one of us lov'd another, theſe differences and blood ſhed had never happend. But ſome will object and ſay; There is a Luſt as well as Love; and ſomtimes Luſt is falſly termed Love. I tell you beloved, theſe nice and criticall diſtinctions are things that once had like to have undone us: Luſt is nothing but a deſire of any thing, and if (my Beloved) wee deſire to enjoy one another, God forbid but wee ſhould helpe and comfort each other, and lay out our ſelves as farre, and freely as may bee, to Aſ­ſiſt each other in the free imbraces of the Spirit. The Lawes of Reaſon and Nature require it of us.

But let's looke yet a little further: Let every Soule bee ſubject to the higher-Powers, &c. What thoſe Higher-Powers are, I have told you before, they are the Counſell of State, the houſe of Commons, and the Army; and God forbid but all men ſhould obay them: that is, that the People bee ſubject to the Counſell of State, the Counſell of State to the houſe of Commons, they to the Army, the Army to the Generall, and the Generall to mee; to mee (I ſay) who have Plotted, Adviſed, Counſelled and Fought for both you and them theſe ſeven yeares; and now at laſt pur­chaſed your freedome and liberty. Deare bretheren and ſiſters, I ſpeake it not in oſtentation, but with thankfull­neſſe and glory to him who made me ſo uſefull an Inſtru­ment in this bleſſed worke of Reformation. For (belo­ved) it was I that jugled the late King into the Iſle of Wight, It was I diſſolved the Treaty, It was I that ſeized upon and hurried him to Hurſt Caſtle, It was I that ſet Petitions a foote throughout the Kingdome againſt the7 Perſonall Treaty, and for bringing the King, and other Capitall offenders to Juſtice, It was I that contriv'd with the help of my ſonne Ireton) the large Remonſtrance of the Army, It was I that preſcribed the erecting of the high Court of Juſtice, and which brought the King to his Tryall: In a word, it was I that cut oft his head, and with it all the ſhackles and ſetters of the Norman ſlavery and bondage, It was I that cut off the heads of Hamilton, Capell & Holland, It was I that ſurpriz'd the Levellers at Bur­ford, & in Northampton-Shire, It was I that broke their De­ſigne, deſtroy'd Thomaſon &c. diſpers'd and appeaſed the reſt, and which have healed the late diſtempers of the Army, whereby the Land is now reſtored to this bleſſed Peace, Tranquility and Plenty ▪ and therefore (I ſay) I may juſtly and without ambition ſtile my ſelfe the Au­thor of all the Kingdomes preſent and future Happi­neſſe.

It is true (Beloved) the Generall is a ſtout and vali­ant man, and hee hath great appearance of God in him; but fitter farre to bee paſſive then active in the Affaires of State, hee is fitter for a Charge then a Councell: and the truth is (as I may tell you under the Roſe) hee wants braines to doe any thing of moment. But indeede this I may ſay for him, hee is a man doth not ſeeke himſelfe, I never found him willfull, but willing allwaies to ſubmit to better judgements then his owne. For when Sedgwick (that faſt and looſe Prieſt) of Covent Garden, upon the Kings Tryall; had writ to his Lady, to adviſe him to remit the Execution of that juſt Sentence, and to waſh his hands of his death; hee (honeſt man) preſent­ly acquainted me with the buſineſſe and ſhewed mee the Arguments given to perſwade him againſt it; and freely8 referred all to my judgement: and the 28. of January (being the Lords day) at night I went to him in Queene-ſtreet attended with two Troopes of my owne Regiment, to remove the ſcruples hee made upon that Raſcally Prieſts Letter, or to ſecure him by force in caſe hee had contracted more, and would not bee ſatisfied. But hee (good man) gave me thanks for my paines and told me I had fully reſolved him. All this (beloved) I ſpeake in honour of the man; but truly hee is too great to bee ſo good as wee muſt have a Generall (for you know hee is a Lord) and unleſſe hee bee a Lord and no Gentleman, as I feare hee will not acknowledge himſelfe, hee is not for our turnes; the rather for that hee is eaſily ſeduced (I have experience of him) and led away by every wind of doctrine, by meere apparences and ſhadowes of Rea­ſon — Truly (beloved) I think my ſelfe and my ſonne Ireton may prove of greater uſe to the Re-publique then any other; and if wee bee but once the acknowledged Governors thereof by the People, wee believe wee ſhall anſwer their expectations to a haires bredth; which if ever wee bee, then beloved it is I and my ſonne who are the Higher Powers meant in my Text, to whom ſub­jection is commanded: For (as I told you before) it can­not bee to one ſingle man, it muſt bee to two, or more; and truly, if the people ſhall think us (as wee think our ſelves) worthy of that truſt, wee ſhall diſcharge it faith­fully, and ſtudy to merrit it at their hands: but miſtake mee not, I doe not meane by merrit as the Papiſts doe, that is, to deſerve it at (their hands for the good workes wee have done; no no, wee will acknowledge it to bee meerely out of the free grace and mercy of the people; for when wee have done all wee can for them, wee con­feſſe9 wee are but unprofitable ſervants.

I thank them they have made mee Generall for Ireland, and you know I am upon the point of going thither, in great hopes of reducing thoſe Rebellious Traytors to our obedience. But then (beloved) ſo many of you as goe along with me, muſt bee mindfull of my text; that is, you muſt bee Subject to me and my Lieutenant Generall. Whenſoever wee bid you goe, you muſt runne; when wee bid you Storme, you muſt doe it, though it bee a­gainſt nothing but ſtone-walls: you owe us your lives and your limbs, and all that you have; whenſoever wee demand them you ought to ſurrender, and that freely, not grumbling, for you muſt ſubmit to the Higher Powers &c.

The veritie is, this expedition againſt Ireland is like to prove a very hard task, unleſſe I can in policy engage Owen Roe, if not joyne with Jones, Munk and Coote, yet to keepe off at a diſtance with Ormond: I am (beloved) about it, and I ſhall doe my endeavour too, to ſet Inche­queene and him at variance: and yet at that very inſtant will I looſe no oportunity to re-obliege him to the Par­liament; for you all know what Inchequeene is — I have him — I will not ſay how — But it's very pro­bable an Act of Indempnity tyed in the ſtrings of a 5000.l. bag may worke a miracle. For hee (good man) is but miſguided, hee ſtands not upon ſuch punctilioes of honour as Ormond doth — In truth (beloved) this Ormond is a ſhrewd fellow, and (were hee not one of the wicked) a man highly deſerving; not ſo much for his knowledg and experience in Military Affaires, (which yet may challenge ſome proportion of honour) as for his diligence and faithfullneſſe in the truſt committed to10 him (valour I will not allow him any; 'tis only deſpe­rateneſſe, and that hee wants not, but) remember wee not how politiquely hee carried himſelfe in the buſineſſe of Dublin, after wee ſubdued the Common-Enemie here the firſt time? How dexterouſly hee avoided the Meſſages and Commands of the late King (which wee extorted from him) for the ſurrender of that City? How ſhamefully hee baffled our Commiſſioners which were ſent to Treat with him about it, at what diſtance hee kept them, ſtill urging the Captivity of the King to excuſe his diſobedience; and how oft, and on what ſleeveleſſe Errands hee ſent them back to re inforce their Inſtructions; whil'ſt all that while hee was under­hand indeavouring to know the King Pleaſure, by the hands of his owne Meſſenger? — And when hee was ſatiſfied with the Reality of the Kings Deſires, and Con­dition; how notably hee truck'd with us for his owne ſecurity and ſatisfaction? — Nay more, when hee ſtood upon the receipt of ſome thouſands before hee would ſurrender; you ſhall heare how hee there ſerv'd us — For notwithſtanding that I cauſed the parliament by their letters volutarily to aſſure him the full double of the ſum he demanded, upon condition hee would quit the Kings (& declare for our) Intereſt; and that hereun­to hee had return'd a fine ſilver-tongu'd Reſponſe in an­ſwer to the parliament, & had therupon return'd him the authority of the parliament to Indempnifie him and his Followers for all things ſaid or done in relation to the Engliſh or Iriſh Warres, and 4000.l. in recompenſe for his loſſes; with this additionall aſſurance; that hee ſhould ſoone after the ſurrender bee re-inveſted ▪ with full po­wer and government of Dublin by Commiſſion from the13 Parliament; yet no ſooner was Dublin delivered to us (upon the Kings letters) and his Paſport ſent him, but in contempt of all our faire and civill proffers, hee tranſports himſelfe for France, abruptly waving both our proffers and protection. — This Be­loved, I inſtance not to juſtifie him in his Rebellious courſes a­gainſt the Nation (thoſe I will uſe my utmoſt to deſtroy him for, but) to let you ſee how gloriouſly, even a wicked and ungodly man (as this Ormond is) appeares in the Eies of the World, who but approves himſelfe true to his truſt, that ſcornes to bee cor­rupted with gold, and continues ſo to the laſt; wherunto (Beloved) you are all of you enjoyed by the words of my Text — Bee ſub­ject to the Higher Powers &c.

Nor will I let to acknowledge him leſſe formidable then faith­full; for doubtleſſe hee hath gone very neare to parcify all Intereſts, and pick't out of them a numerous Army, over whom hee hath placed good Officers (good ſaid I?) I doe not meane (beloved) Godly Officers (for they are all of them Papiſts or Popiſhly aff•…­cted) but tryed ſoldiers; ſuch as will not eaſily turne their backs of an Enemie — I muſt ingenuouſly confeſſe too, they have a great ſtrength by Sea, and a number of wilfull Fellowes for Mar­riners, who are in great heart by reaſon of the many, and great Pri­zes they have taken from our Merchants, and ſo forth; but what of all this? ſhall were therefore bee diſcouraged? God forbid ▪ the more numerous the Enemy is, the greater ſhall be the victory over them; the more difficult the worke is, the more our honour; the fuller their pockets are the worſe they will fight: you know by ex­perience the plunder of Leiceſter gave us the victory at Naſeby; there you ſaw the Cavaliers chuſe rather to leave their King to His ſhifts, then ſhift from behind themtheir Cloake-bags — Be­lieve it (Bretheren) wee ſhall meete with many advantages againſt them — Rupert himſelfe (I know) will doe us ſome good, though it bee but in Croſſing of Proverbs: and heare I but once that Culpepper or Hyde is there, — doubt it not, all is owne — I cannot recount a Tithe of them. But this I am ſure, the honeſt Citizens have feaſted us to good purpoſe, for upon that occaſion, wee had their Promiſe to advance moneys a freſh for Ireland — Sans Nombre on Menſure (that's French b•loved) the Engliſh12 whereof is, without Weight or Meaſure) — Verily they are of a ſtiffe-necked generation, become very tractable, and obedient ſer­vants: of a turbulent and mutinous, an exceeding meeke and hum­ble People.

And indeede (my Beloved) it was no ſmall worke wee had, to ſubdue thoſe Malignant Spirits of the Citty, conſidering how au­d•ciouſly they once withſtood our Authority, and deſpiſed our Government; how peremptorily they Petitioned for Perſonall-Treaty with the King, and ſent their Servants into Colcheſter, Surrey and Kent, to enforce us thereunto: how bitterly they inveighed & railed againſt the honourable Proceedings of the Parliament and Army: How largely they contributed to bring in a forraigne Na­tion to Invade us, whileſt yet they denied us the payment of our Arreares, or to continue the neceſſary Taxes, or Exciſe, for our fu­ture maintenance, who had preſerved them and their Families from the Rapine and Cruelty of a Barbarous Enemy. but (beloved Brethren) I meane not to rip up old Matters: Let is ſuffice, that being thus warned by their miſhap, you fall not into the like ſinne of Diſobedience to higher Powers; there being no Powers but of God, the Powers that bee being ordained of God.

Object. But it may be ſome here may object & ſay; how ſhall we be ſecured, in your abſence, from the malicious Plotts & contrivan­ces of the Presbyterians, Malignants and Levellers: Since wee can­not but expect they will bee Complotting our Ruine, eſpecially Lilburne and the reſt with him in durance, whoſe Spirits can never bee quelled but by a Crumwell, they being ſo implacable and deſperate?

Anſw. Truly Beloved, you that doe, doe very well to make theſe doubts; I like theſe doubting Chriſtians above all Chriſtians, provided they bee not jealous: and yet (my beloved) a Man or Woman may bee jealous without Cauſe, as that holy Man of God, Major-Generall Lambert is of his Wife, which truly proceeds not ſo much out of any corruption in Judgement, as Manners; yet the Man was well Bred, though not educated ſo well as wee are in the South: But as to this point, you ſhall heare how carefull I have beene to provide for your ſafety, and the Peace of the Nation, in my Abſence. For ſuppoſing that Lilburne and his Faction, and13 the reſt of our Enemies (as God knowes wee have too many) will ſtrive to alienate the Hearts of the People from mee, and to uſurp•the Rule and Dominion to themſelves, if a convenient ſtrength, and ſome one or other were not left, fitted with Policy and Cou­rage to reſtraine them; I have taken care that my ſonne Ireton ſhall ſtay amongſt you, and that my Corrivall, (noble Lambert) ſhall goe in his ſtead, as my Lievetenant-Generall into Ireland: And my Sonne (you all know) wants no Spirit (if hee did, hee ſhould never have married my Daughter, that you may well think) As for his Policy, I ſuppoſe you have as little reaſon to doubt of it, as I have of his Fidelity: The large Remonſtrance, renders him (as I take it) very cleane handed and ſubtle; and with him Ile ſee a ſufficient ſtrength both of Horſe and Foote bee left, which (toge­ther with the City-forces which wee have engaged, and are aſcer­tained will ſtick to us; the Generall (ſo popular and valiant a Man) ſtaying here alſo to overſee them) ſhall (I warrant you) ſuppreſſe all inſurrections & tumults whatſoever. However I have given ſuch Or­der to my Son Ireton concerning Lilburne and the reſt, that if ever hereafter hee obſerve him, or them, to ſtirre up the People to Se­dition, or ſcribble any thing (as formerly) againſt Our lawfull Proceedings; that forth with hee ſhall execute Juſtice upon them: And I thinke (deere Brethren) you will judge it but neceſſary, ſince neither our Mercy, nor the ſenſe they have of the uprightneſſe of our Cauſe will invite them to forbeare beſpattering the Innocent Robes of this Infant-State.

And now (Beloved) as wee muſt not conceale any thing from one another, I ſhall make bold to requite your ingenuitie by the in­ſtancing one other doubt, with a danger at the end of it; which although it may ſtartle you at the firſt ſight, yet bee of good cou­rage, bee faithfull and ſtrong; it admits of an eaſy ſolution. And that's the Accord of the Scots with their new-King — Truly I muſt confeſſe my Deſignes were never till now ſo diverted and confounded; for I muſt tell you, I have Reverenced that ſhort, but pithiy Precept of my father Machiavell [Divide & Impera] ſo long as I could keepe them at odds amongſt themſelves, I feared not but order them as I pleaſed. But now it is too true, that both the Parliament and Prieſts of that Kingdome, have attainted Argyle14 of high Treaſon [That is, for holding the hands of the Scots untill wee Exe­cuted that Exemplary peece of Juſtice on the King.] And that therefore they intend to cut his head off; which if they doe, then (Beloved) they deſtroy our only friend in that Kingdome, and the differences on foote there muſt needs expire with his breath; which being once done, they will have nothing left to doe, but vye Authority with us, and threaten a ſecond Invaſion. For you muſt underſtand the Scots are a Warlike People, and that there is nothing will make them ſooner Rebell, then Idleneſſe and Peace; ſo that if this bee ſo, wee ſhall bee ſure to have them amongſt us — Now beloved, to preſerve our ſelves againſt them in this great Garriſon of our Engliſh Common-Wealth: It is for our ſafety that wee quit thoſe out houſes of Ireland; and if they were burnt it matters not, ſo wee maintaine but what wee have already in poſſeſſion. To which end I have reſolv'd, that if they cut off the head of Argyle or other­wiſe diſable him to proſecute our Intereſt there, that then I will wave the War of Ireland, and keeping the fore-doore of this Nation cloſe ſhut, bend all Powers to defend the Back doore againſt that perfidious Nation. And this (I conceive to bee the ſureſt way: provided I can but make choice of able and Truſty men to ſecure the Ports, Townes, and In-land Garriſons without Revolts or Treachery — And this will bee eaſily done, conſidering the men and moneyes wee have at our pleaſure — I tell you bretheren, our thouſand ſhall ſlay their ten thouſands, and in a ſhort ſpace make the a miſe­rable little People, and at length root them out from off the face of the Earth and poſſeſſe us of their lands, for an Inheritance to us and our Generations for ever.

But I have ſtrayed too farre from my Text; I will now come to the remain­ing words thereof, and ſo conclude — For there are no Powers but of God &c. the Councell of State, the Houſe of Commons, the Councell of Warre, and the High Court of Juſtice (when it was) were all Powers of God; and the following words of my Text give you the Reaſon. For the Powers that bee are Ordained of God: Bee they Juſt or Unjuſt, they are all of God, God ordained them; and ſo hee did that Tyrannicall Power of the late King, an thoſe Belly-Gods the Biſhops, to puniſh us for our Infirmities. But now that bee hath graciouſly removed thoſe Powers, hee hath Ordained ours to Preſerve, Cherriſh, Elevate, Comfort and Delight the Saints and to Rule and Governe the Land, in Sincerity and in Truth; to diſtribute Juſtice equally and Im­partially according to His Will — But the times is ſpent, and I muſt bee marching — I deſire therefore (my deare bretheren and ſiſters) that you daily poure out your Prayers and Supplications for us, and for our ſucceſſe a­gainſt the wicked and ungodly, that are riſen up againſt us: and that you ceaſe not to comfort one another with mutuall Imbraces, and Spirituall kiſſes, to delight and ſweeten your paſſage through this vaile of miſery; And that you take eſpeciall care to ſtrengthen and corroborate your ſelves with Capon and Cock-broth, that I may find Oyle in your Lamps at my Returne,