For Colonell Windham.

I Have made bold to write unto you, propoſing certain ſeveral que­ſtions, with your own anſwers (as I ſuppoſe) to each particular queſtion, upon what grounds you ſtand to maintain the true Pro­teſtant Religion, the Laws and Liberties of the Subject, and Priviled­ges of Parliament (as you ſay) and yet by your actions you ſeeke to deſtroy them all. The firſt queſtion, what profeſſion are you? Anſw. A Gentleman, and a Souldier. The ſecond, what Religion are you off? Anſ. The Proteſtant Religion. The third queſtion, who doe you fight for? An. For the King. The 4. queſtion, Doth the King ſtand to main­tain the true Proteſtant Religion, the Laws of the Land, Liberties of the Subject, and Priviledges of Parliament? As. Yes, he doth ſo, wit­neſſe all his Declarations, Proclamations, and Proteſtations. The fifth queſtion, Why doth the King ſuffer all the Papiſts, and Iriſh Rebels (ſome who have been proclaimed traytors both by King and Parlia­ment) to joyn with him againſt his Parl. to deſtroy it? An. Becauſe they are better Subjects then his Parliament are, who indeavour to deprive him of his Sinck-Ports, and all his ſhipping, and alſo his Pre­rogative Royall. The 6. queſtion, But do all theſe things of right be­long unto the King only? An. Yes, they are all to be at his diſpoſing for the good of his Kingdoms, or elſe I would not fight for him. The 7. queſtion, but now I pray you tell me what you think of the Parlia­ment: what Religion are they off? An. I muſt confeſſe, that I think they are Proteſtants, but there are a great many Sects and Schiſmes among them, which makes them far worſe then any Papiſt, or Iriſh Rebels; there is the Puritane, alias Round-head there is the Browniſt, the Anabaptiſt, the Separatiſt, ſome Antinomians, and ſome Indepen­dants, and theſe are the men that ſeek to deprive the King of all His Rights and Priviledges, and raiſe up arms to fight againſt their King. The 8. queſtion, But what do you think would be become of the Law if the Parl. ſhould be deſtroyed? An. I think we ſhould enjoy the ſame ſtill, for our King have ſet forth many Declarations, wherein he hath made many gracious promiſes, and bound it by many Proteſtations, that we ſhall enjoy all our own with advantage, if we will but ſticke2 cloſe to him, and fight for him againſt thoſe Parliament Rebels and Traytors, and that man is worſe then a Rebell or a Traytor that will not take the word of a King, and believe his King: theſe and the like grounds, I ſuppoſe you have to fight for your King, which you ſo much deifie, that if it were poſſible you would ſet him in Gods throne, or above him, as you do in your heart, which doth appear plainly by your anſwer to ſome of theſe Queſtions, or elſe you fawn upon him for ſome by-ſiniſter ends of your own to be great in the eſteem of the world; but I ſhall by Gods bleſſing indeavour to give you certain e­vident Rules, in the handling of each particuler, that will demonſtrate unto you, what groſſe errours you have committed, what dangers you are in both ſoule and body, and a remedy how to avoid and eſcape theſe dangers. I ſhall handle them in order, and ſo make particuler application according to the times. I ſhall begin with the firſt an­ſwer, which is touching your profeſſion: you ſay you are a Gentle­man and a Souldier. I anſwer, If you are ſo, then you are in a very good condition; but I muſt tell you, that all Souldiers are called Gentle­men Souldiers, and thoſe are Gentlemen Souldiers in a more ſpeciall manner that fights the Lords battell, he that fights under Chriſts ban­ner, he that fights againſt ſinne and Sathan and to deſtroy the workes of the Divell, he that indeavours to beat down Popery, Superſtition, Idolatry, and Tyrannie, he that endeavours to ſet up Chriſt in his heart, and regulates his life and converſation according to the Rules he hath preſcribed in his Word, he that indeavours a Reformation, and loves the Brethren, which are the Members of Chriſt, & will joyn with them, and fight for them, to free them from wrong and oppreſ­ſion, he that keepes himſelf free from plundering and ſpoyling the Countrey, and doing any wrong or injury to any man by his will, or the like: theſe are true properties of a Gentleman Souldier. I could wiſh Gentlemen Souldiers to be better adviſed, and not raſhly goe to warre; but firſt look into their own heart, and ſee what grounds they have for it, and aske councell of God, for he is the God of warre; he taught Davids hands to warre, and his fingers to fight, and if you ſee your enterpriſes tends to Gods glory, then you may aſſure your ſelves of the victory by him, who is onely the Almighty, and can turne all fleſh into duſt with the breath of his mouth, and now I ſhall appeal to your own conſcience to make particuler application, if it be ſo that Gentlemen Souldiers muſt be thus and thus qualified, what will bee become of all you Cavaliers? I would intreat you in the fear of the3 Lord to begin firſt with your ſelf, and examine your own conſcience, ſee by your actions whether your enterpriſes tends to Gods glory, or no; & then I preſume your actions will be a ſhrode evidence againſt you (if you try your ſelf by the touch-ſtone of the Sanctuary, & now I ſhall tell you, how true Gentility firſt came in, Gentility came in firſt by ſome heroick vertues by the ſword, or by ſome extraordinary va­liant acts of Chivalry, or elſe by ſome extraordinary gifts of Learning, wherby they were had in high eſtimation above other men in reſpect of their qualifications & endowments; but moſt of your Gentlemen have bin ſo notoriouſly wicked along time, that they have caſt a foul ſtain upon their Gentility, and at this preſent day, there lyes a ſtaine upon their ſoules as black as Hell it ſelf; beſides there have bin many Generations, ſince Gentility firſt came in, and ſo conſequently many baſtards; for all Cavaliers do but do the Divels drudgery they doe the works of the Divell; [ye are of your Father the Divell, & the Luſts of your Father ye will do] Iohn 8.44. Now certainly if the Divel be their Father, they muſt of neceſſity be baſtards, and ſo I come to the ſecond particuler; You ſay you are of the Proteſtant Religion. I anſwer, that the Proteſtant Religion, is a Chriſtian Profeſſion of the Goſpell of Chriſt, according to the Word of God, wherein men did enter into a Covenant, and bound themſelves both to God and Man each to other, proteſting that they would ſtand to maintain the true Faith in Chriſt Jeſus and him crucified, which they then profeſſed, even to the hazard of their lives, lands, and perſonall eſtates; & hence it came to paſſe that ſo many godly and holy Patriarks, ſuffered martyrdome in the time of Q. Mary, and this proteſtation of theirs was in the nature of our Covenant that was lately ſet forth by the Honourable Court of Par­liament, and both for God and his Glory, for Gods hand ſhall be either for us, or againſt us, according to the performance of the duty, either by truth, or deceit: thoſe godly men in their Proteſtation entred into an Oath, and into a Curſe, Neh. 10.29. and ſo have we in our Cove­nant ſo that every one that taketh an oath, doth bind himſelf either to the performance, or to the puniſhment, Num. 30.2, 3. ſo that we make God our witneſſe, our Party, and our Judge; beſides we entred into a Covenant in our Baptiſme, there we promiſed to forſake the Divel & all his works, &c. and Baptiſm is a Seal of the Covenant of Grace: but we have commited all manner of actual rebellions ſince that time all manner of ſin & impiety, and now at this time here is a Nationall ſin raigning amongſt us, & it deſervs a National judgment & puniſhment4 and when a Nation, or a People are a guilty of an extraordinary hei­nous ſinne, it is both lawfull, and needfull for them to enter in a Co­venant, and to renew their Covenant, to bind themſelvs againſt ſinne, to forſake it in their own perſons and to hinder & puniſh it in others, Eſa 10.3. — 8. and this ſhall ſuffice for the ſecond particuler.

I come now to the third you ſay you fight for the King, but becauſe the fourth particuler have ſo neer a relation and dependencie on the third I ſhall therfore handle them, both jointly and ſeverally; you ſay likewiſe that the King ſtands to maintain the true Proteſtant Religi­on the Laws of the Land, the Liberties of the Subject, and Priviledges of Parliament, and call all his Declarations, Proclamations, and Pro­teſtations to witneſſe. I anſwer, Its true, there have bin many ſet forth in his Name, and ſigned with C. R. although he never knew of the publiſhing of them, therefore do not deceive your ſelf: there are and have bin many evill Councellors about him, and a Porter keepes the Seal; beſides, how can you ſay that you fight for the King, whereas the King himſelf fights to deſtroy his Kingdoms; Its true, you fight for him ſo far forth, as to help him do it. To proceed farther, ſuppoſe the King ſhould offer violence to his own Perſon to deſtroy Himſelf (which God forbid he ſhould) would you help further him in it? Cer­tainly you are in a moſt miſerable condition as the caſe ſtands; but if it were lawfull for the King to go to warre againſt his Subjects, then it were lawfull for you to fight for him: but I ſhall make it evident­ly appear, that you fight cleerly againſt him, againſt God himſelf, his Church and People, againſt your ſelf, & againſt the whole Kingdom and State.

Firſt, you fight againſt the King, in ſtriving to ſet up an Arbitrary Government, which no Earthly King can have (unleſſe of Subjects we ſhould become Slaves as they are in France) but the King of Kings who ſits in Heaven, and ſeeth all things here below, and is preſent in all places, and diſpoſeth of all things according to his own will and pleaſure; but if it were poſſible that our King could be preſent in all places as the King of Kings is, then he might claime and chal•enge an Arbitrary Government to himſelf, and govern his People according to his own will, and we as Subjects would obey him according to the French faſhion.

Secondly, you fight againſt God, and againſt Chriſt; nay you fight againſt all the members of Chriſt; for all thoſe which make a profeſ­ſion of Chriſt, and indeavour to regulate their lives and converſations5 according to the goſpell of Chriſt you doe not onely hate their per­ſon, but their very profeſſion. Thirdly, you fight not onely againſt you ſelfe, but againſt the whole Kingdome and ſtate; for you fight to deſtroy the law by which every men ought to poſſeſſe and injoy that which he had ſucceſſive•y from his predeceſſors, or purchaſt with his owne money. 4, You fight againſt the Parliament, which the King himſelfe both by law and oath is bound to maintayne, beſides all this although you Cavileeres have ſtole away the Kings Perſon from his Parliament, yet his Power is their with them ſtill: for the King is ſubject to his inferiour Courts of Juſtice, much more is he ſubject to his high Court of Parliament, which commands all other inferiour Courts; for if the Kings Writ be iſſued out of his inferiour Courts of Juſtice, and put in due execution, although he be a hundred, or two hundred miles off, yet the Law goes on in as full force and power as if he himſelf were perſonally preſent, and the King himſelf ought to be with his Parliament, in which he ought to joyn with them in the or­dination and eſtabliſhment of Lawes. Thus you ſee, you fight againſt God, and againſt Chriſt and all his Members, you fight againſt your ſelf, and againſt the whole Kingdom and State; you fight againſt the Law, and indeavour to deſtroy the Parliament the repreſentative bo­dy of the whole Kingdom, and ſo conſequently you fight againſt the King: [But the Lord ſits in Heaven and ſhall laugh, he will have you in deriſion] Pſalm 1.2.4. He lets you alone, till the meaſure of your ini­quities be full, as it was with the Amorites, Gen. 15.26. Then the Lord will power forth the cup of his fury, and will deſtroy them ut­terly becauſe you are ſo incenſed and inraged againſt the Church & people of God, Iſa 41.11. you ſhall be as nothing, and as a thing of naught, verſ. 22. Now is not this a fooliſh madneſſe for you, to rage & vent your malice againſt Gods people, and all in vain; for ſayes the Prophet DAVID in the 2 Pſal. 1. [Why do the heathen ſo furiouſly rage, and the people imagine a vaine thing] and in the next verſe he ſaith [the Kings of the earth ſtand up, and the Rulers take counſell together againſt God and againſt Chriſt,] and although they ſtand up and take counſell together, and rage and rent their malice againſt the people of God, yet the Lord ſhall ſpeake to them in his wrath, and vex them in his ſore diſpleaſure as in the 5 verſe, and in the 10 verſe, there the Prophet gives them wholeſome inſtructions, and exhorteth them to repentance. [Be wiſe now therefore O ye Kings, be inſtru­cted ye Judges of the earth ſerue the Lord with feare; &c. and thus you may ſee plainly, that all you Cavaliers do fight againſt the King, and the King againſt himſelf & his Kingdoms: & now I ſhal ſhew you who you fight for, you fight for the Divel & the Pope, & Goring & his ſoldiers are of the Divels Life-guard (as his ſoldiers ſay themſelvs) Go­ring is Captain, and the Divel is their General over that black Regi­ment, whoſe foul ſins are as black as Hell it ſelf; for you ſtrive to ſet up Popery, Superſtition, Idolatry, and Tyrannie, the Kingdom of An­tichriſt above Chriſts Kingdom; you joyn with all the Papiſts in the Kingdome, both Engliſh, Dutch, French, Walloons, nay Iriſh Rebels too, who have had their hands imbrued in the blood of many thou­ſand poor Proteſtants there, and yet theſe curſed Rebels muſt be cal­led his Maj. Catholike Subjects, and muſt fight for him againſt his beſt Subjects for the Proteſtant Religion too: O monſtrous, horrid, and prodigeous prodegie, is there any man can be ſo ſottiſhly ignorant as to believe it, I ſhall endeavour to cleer it by the teſtimony of many wicked Plots, Trecheries, and Conſpiracies, which the Popiſh faction thoſe wicked Enemies of God have uſed, conſpired and contrived a­gainſt the Church and People of God, in K. Iames his time, and ever ſince the beginning of this Kings Reign, to bring their wicked deſigns to paſſe: Firſt, in K. Iames his Reign that deſperate Powder-plot, ne­ver to be forgotten, wherof many of the Contrivers ſuffered for it as traytors and yet not many yeares after the Papiſts prevailed ſo farre with the King as to grant them a toleration of Religion, he being a timerous fearfull man granted their deſires, it being done, they might the better contrive and work ſome other miſchiefe: but that tolle­ration did not long continue, the King was better adviſed by his Councell; yet notwithſtanding they would not leave their deſign ſo naked, & without hopes, but that they went again to the King & pre­vailed ſo farre with him as to grant a tolleration for all manner of Sports and Paſtimes on the Sabbath day, dancing at May-poles, and the like fooleries; this continued till his dying day, and ſince revived by K. Charles, and thus came the ſluce and fludgate to be opened to all manner of licentiouſneſſe and liberty, together with a ſtrange wife, as if they were twins born at a birth: then the Biſhops & rotten Cler­gie ſaw which way the King and Queen, and the young gallant Lords and Courtiers were inclined; then they began preſently to fawn up­on them like ſo many puppie Dogs, and ſome pillowes under their elbowes; and make ſuch flattering Sermons with ſo much quaint­neſſe of wit, and flaſhes, as they termed it, that you ſhould have them ſo hum'd up, as if they had been at the Black-Fryers, or the Cockpit at a St•ge-Play; but I muſt tell them, that ſuch fawning Spannels, are far worſe then dumb Dogs; but yet they grew more & more in fa­vour at Court, inſomuch that godly and painfull conſcientious Mini­ſters were disfavoured & diſcountenanced, & many of them put to ſ•…­lence that could not endure their fooliſh ſuperſtitious ſopperies, then there muſt be new Canons impoſed on them for a Church-Govern­ment; the Communion Table muſt be turned Altar-wiſe forſooth, where you might ſee ſo much bowings, curchings, and cringings, as if they were going to dance an Antick; but yet they endeavoured to make the people believe, that Gods ſpeciall pre•ents was there, and theſe actions were a part of Gods Worſhip, w•en alas they worſhipt they knew not what like unto the woman of Samaria, Iohn 4. [where ſhe told our Saviour Chriſt, that our Fathers worſhipped in this Moun­tain and Ieruſalem is the place where men ought to worſhip; but our Saviour Chriſt ſaith unto her, [woman believe me the hour cometh, when ye ſhall neither in this Mountain, nor at Ieruſalem worſhip the Father; ye worſhip ye know not what;] but the houre cometh, and now is, when the true Worſhippers ſhall worſhip the Father in Spirit and Truth: then after this they muſt have the new Oath, &c, that men ſhould ſwear to that they know not, or if they refuſed it at their own perill be it and ſo many an honeſt man ſuffered deeply for it: then af­ter this began all the Monopolies that could be deviſed To back Pat­tents, and Soap Pattents, and the like and by this time the Court was grown to a mighty height of pride, Superſtition and Idolatry; & ſome­times you might find the Biſhop of Canterbury at White Hall to ſee a Maſque or a Stage-Play on the Sabbath Day in the Afternoon inſo­much that it was a great griefe to the godly to ſee Popery ſo coun­tenanced, & creep in by degrees, yet durſt not ſpeak againſt it, for fear of puniſhment in the high Commiſſion Court, either by ſilencing or by ſuſpention: But then it pleaſed God after a little while, our Bre­thren the Scots had a fellow-feeling of our miſeries, & ſomwhat ſen­ſible of their own, what would follow after; then they began with their own Biſhops, and preſently took them off, of their Epiſcopall Digni­ties; then our Biſhops began to ſtir & wince and preſently muſt labor with the King to call a Parliament in all poſt-haſt, certain Articles of Church-government muſt be propounded unto them, and a new book of Prayer ſent, but the Scots refuſing their Popiſh kind of Diſcipline, would not condiſcend thereunto; then preſently a Proclamation of8 Rebellion muſt go forth againſt them; the Parl. muſt be diſſolved, an Army muſt be raiſed to ſtop this Rebellion all manner of unjuſt taxes & impoſition muſt be laid upon the poor Subjects, as Coat and con­duct money, and the like; the unjuſt preſſing of Train Souldiers, and buying and ſelling them by Deputy Lieutenants, and Popiſh Com­manders, like horſes in Smithfield: then the King muſt go himſelfe in Perſon into Scotland; the Nobility and Gentry muſt wait on him; the Biſhops and rotten Clergy, whoſe war it was, muſt contribute large ſums of mony to uphold their Hierarchy; hence it came to paſſe, that it was called Bellum Epiſcopale; but howſoever they found the Scots a ſtout and ſturdy Nation, their cauſe being good they met us upon our Engliſh ground; then the Biſhops found it not according to their ex­pectation, a treaty of Peace muſt be proclaimed, and a Pacification muſt be concluded the Scots received into his Maj. gracious favour, & called by this Epethite, our Brethren the Scots, then there muſt be a Parliament ſummoned, differences muſt be compoſed & reconciled, there muſt be an Act of Oblivion betwixt our Brethren the Scots & Us and the Kingdoms muſt be ſetled in peace & tranquility, but that the Lord had otherwiſe determined it: the Parliament began, & had not ſate long, but preſently the Rebellion in Ireland burſt forth, their bloody Plots being contrived before-hand, & what they did they had good warrant for it under the Kings own Hand and Seal (as they ſaid) but certainly it was ſigned with C. R. and it might very well be ſo, for a Porter kept the Seal as I ſaid before, but it did not alwayes lye dor­ment with Endimion, but howſoever Delinquents muſt be puniſhed here in England by the Parl. Straffords head muſt be cut off, Finch and Windebank muſt fly for it, an Act had paſſed for the continuance of this Parl. and for a tryannal Parliament under the Kings own Hand, ſigned with C. R. ſo that it could not be diſſolved; after this, the King with his Cavaliers came to the Parl. to demand the five members & Kym­bolton as traytors, and proclaimed them ſo, but being croſſed & diſap­pointed of his purpoſe and reſolution, he returned in much wrath to White-Hall, where the Queen was exceedingly vexed and troubled, being croſt in her deſign; then the Biſhops, with the Popiſh, Spaniſh, and French Factions, together with the Monopoliſts, and ſuch as were not Parliament proof, ſeduced the King from his Parl. into the North Country, the Standard muſt be ſet up at Nottingham, the Commiſſion of Array muſt bee put in execution in thoſe Heatheniſh Northern Counties by the E. of Newcaſtle, and others of the like ſtamp; the Com­miſſion9 of Array muſt b•put in execution in the Weſt Country by the Marquis of Hartford, & Hopton, ſuch as had a kind of profeſſion of Religion, having a forme of godlineſſe, but denying the power therof, and they as the Divels Inſtruments ſet a work, drew on all their un­godly Tenants, & acquaintance, which were not grounded upon good principals, to be on that ſide; Rupert and Maurice muſt be Overſeers of the ruines of their Unckles Kingdoms; they muſt ſee the ruines of thoſe who gave them their firſt milk as it were, and have paid for the very breeding of them ever ſince they were born: Thus I have ſhew­ed you who you fight for, what ſort of people you ſide withal, & how and where the King have raiſed his Armies; he hath got them from all parts of the Earth even among the very worſt of the Sons of men, the very ſcum of the Earth (as it were a company of Dammee-boyes) ſuch heatheniſh & ungodly wretches, as if he had rak'd Hell, & ſcum'd the Divel for them, and ſo from Bellum Epiſcapale, it was come to bee Bellum Regale: the Biſhops ſtir'd up the Wales, and the King with his Monopo iſts blowed them up into a flame. I had almoſt forgot the ceſſation of arms in Ireland (after the ſurrender of Briſtol) a moſt di­velliſh Plot, hatcht in the bottome of Hell it ſelfe, meerly to cut the throats of the reſt of the Proteſtants, and do the like for us if they can; for the greateſt Rebels that were in that grand Rebellion were ſent for hither, and received into great favour, and called his Maj. Catho­like Subjects: then after the ceſſation of arms in Ireland, there muſt be a new Faſt proclaimed here in England, as if all had been well in Ireland, but it was for nothing elſe but to blind the eyes of the world, to make them beleive it was out of pure zeal to the Proteſtant cauſe, and the publike good of his Maj. Kingdoms; but certainly your Faſt was invented of your ſelves; Did you faſt un•o me ſaith the Lord? doe I approve it? and when ye did eat, and when ye did drinke, did you not eat for your ſelves, and drink for your ſelves? Zach. 7.5, 6. you did abſtain accor­ding to your own fantiſies, and not after the preſcript of the Law of God, nor yet looking upon the right object for which Faſting & Hu­miliation was ordained, and ſo I paſſe to the other particulers, which ſhall be very brief in the handling; becauſe I know that any thing that hath a ſavour of Religion and Godlineſſe will be very tedious to you Cavaliers, although Godlineſſe is profitable to all things, it hath the promiſe of this life, and of that which is to come. I ſhall give you a hint of the particulers, and but a little touch them and ſo come to the application according to the Times, and ſo conclude. Firſt, you ſay that10 Papiſts and Iriſh Rebels are better ſubjects to the King then the Par­liament are: and that the Parliament ſeek to deprive him of his Pre­rogative Royal his Sinck-Ports and Shipping, you ſay alſo, that they do of right belong to the King only, and are to be at his diſpoſing, or elſe you would not fight for him; Furthermore, you do believe that the Parliament are Proteſtants, but becauſe there are ſo many Sects and Schiſmes amongſt them, that they are far worſe then Papiſts and Iriſh Rebels for you ſay they raiſe up arms againſt the King & ſeek to deprive him of his rights and priviledges: And laſtly, you do believe that if the Parliament ſhould be deſtroyed, that you ſhould enjoy the ſame Law ſtill as before, and that you ſhall enjoy all your own with advantage, if you ſtick cloſe to the King, and help him to deſtroy the Parliament rebels and traitors. Now if it be ſo, that the Parliament do ſeek to deprive the King of his Prerogative Royal his Sinck-Ports and Shipping as you ſay they do; then certainly they are worſe then Papiſts and Iriſh Rebels, but the Parliament have alwayes ſtrived to maintain him in all theſe, witneſſe thoſe many Petitions ſent unto him in the North, with this gracious Epethite, Your ſacred Majeſty, &c. with many ſolicitations, and invitations, expreſſing much ſorrow for his abſence, with loyalty, obedience & fidelity towards him hum­bly praying his Sacred Majeſty to return home unto them & forſake thoſe wicked Councellours that they might receive condigne puniſh­ment according to their ſeverall offences, ergo, the Parliament are his beſt Subjects; for his Sink-Ports and Shipping do not of right belong unto him only but to the whole Kindgdom and State in generall for their preſervation from all forraign invaſion; for if ſo be they did of right belong unto Him only, then he might joyn with thoſe wicked Councellours that are about him (without the knowledge or adviſe of his good Councell) to let in the Turk or any forraign Enemy to invade his Kingdoms and would do it, rather then to be croſt in their wills; for I am perſwaded, that they had rather the Turk or the Pope ſhould enjoy his Crown, then the Parliament, together with all his beſt Subjects, ſhould enjoy their Laws, Liberties, and Priviledges; which doth evidently appeare by his entertaining ſo many Popiſh Rebels, and Traytors, and all to cut the throats of his poor Prote­ſtant Subjects, but certainly he have had many a free pardon and in­dulgence for theſe things, and thoſe many Declarations, Proclama­tions, and Proteſtations, for of all that ever was yet ſet forth in his11 Name, there hath not been any performance at all in the leaſt tittle, if it be ſo that you can tell me of any one Proclamation or Declara­tion that hath been performed on his part, then will I turn Cavaleer, and joyne with you to fight againſt the Parliament; and as for His Prerogative Royall ſo much talkt off, certainly it was ever maintai­ned by the Law, and what would become of it, if the Parliament ſhould be deſtroyed; beſides the glory of a King, is to governe His Kingdoms with his Subjects love; and Mercurius Problematicus will tell you, that the ſafeſt Armour for a King is his Subjects love, and a good head-piece and if he had had ſuch Armour, he need not have ſet up his Standard, nor put the Commiſſion of Array in execution, which was done contrary to Law, unleſſe it had been againſt a forraign E­nemy; for what neceſſity was there for the execution thereof, when as the Parliament had made proviſion for the defence of the whole Kingdome, againſt any forraign Enemy, ſuch was their provident care for the Kingdoms ſafety, but that the Lord had a ſcourage for his People for their ſinnes, and made you Cavaliers to be the Executio­ners thereof, but it was to bring them more neere unto himſelfe, and although you rob, plunder, and ſpoyle them of all their goods and good Name, yet they will be but afflictions unto them and will take away their ſinne; for by this the Iniquity of Iacob ſhall bee purged, Iſai 27.9. and this is all the fruit of it; nay ſometimes the Lord ſets wicked Kings to reign over his People &c.

But I haſten and this much I can aſſure you, that the Parliament have alwayes ſtood faithfully for the Vindication of the Kings Ho­nour, Crown and Dignity, for His Lawes, Rights, and Priviledges, for the Liberty of the Subject, and Priviledges of Parliament, as much as ever any PARLIAMENT did ſince the Kingdome ever Being.

And whereas you ſcandalize them by the Name of Schiſmaticks, Round-heads, Rebels, and Traytors, I can aſſure you they are Reli­gious, Godly, and Holy Patriarks, placed there by God him elſe for the Vindication of his own Honour and Glory: for they endeavour a Reformation, which is the main cauſe of your inveterate hatred and malice againſt them.

You cannot endure ſuch a curb for your ſins, and your old courſe of living, which you ſo often accuſtomed your ſelves unto, which makes all you Cavaliers to hate a Reformation, you are ſo oppoſite to the Doctrine of Chriſt; but commonly where God will have his Church, there the Divel will have his Chappel, and you Cavaliers are as In­ſtruments and fellow-Labourers, ſet on work by him, againſt the Church and People of God; and although there are Errours in the Church now, (as there hath bin in the Apoſtles times) yet it is but er­rour in judgment & opinion, but we will agree in the Fundamentals, & it is ſomtimes neceſſary that there ſhould be errours, that the truth may the better appear in its luſtre and glory, & ſhine the more cleer­ly in its purity; beſides, if the Parl. and their Armies are Rebels and Traytors to the King as you ſay they are, yet I am confident their Re­bellion is lawfull as the caſe ſtands; for if you do but look into the 2 of Kings 17.7. there you ſhal find that Hezekiah rebelled againſt the King of Aſhur, and ſerved him not, and yet he proſpered in all things he took in hand, he put down the brazen Serpent, and deſtroyed their Idols, & this you may ſee cleerly in the text, that it was for their Ido­latry: Then how can you look to proſper in your Armies, where Ido­latry is ſet up, and ſo highly priſed amongſt you: but the Lord ſeeth your doings, and puts up all your iniquities in a Bag; and although you may proſper and flouriſh for a while, yet the Lord will ſuddenly cut you off: for the very prayers and ſupplications of his ſervants will aſcend up unto Heaven, which will cauſe the Lord to make you de­ſtroy one another, as he did the Children of Moab and Ammon, 2 Chr. 20.23. certainly the Lord will be glorified in his own work, and will deliver his People out of your hands; ſo if you look into the 32. chap. of the ſame Book of Chron. there you ſhall find how Zenacharis King of Aſhur came to war againſt Iudah & Ieruſalem, and if you pleaſe to read the whole Chapter throughout, it will be worth your pains there you ſhal find how Zenacharis blaſphemed God ſaying What God is be that can deliver his people out of my hands, and this is juſt the condition of you Cavaliers; for you will blaſpheme the Name of God, & are ſo over-ſweld with pride, that you think your ſelvs able to reſiſt & over­come even God himſelf, and comparing fooliſh and vain Idols (which were invented and made by Man) to the living God, as in the 19. verſ. of that chap. and in the 20. verſ. there you ſhall ſee how Hezekiah and the Prophet Iſaiah prayed unto the Lord againſt theſe things, and cryed unto Heaven; and in the 21. verſ. there you ſhall finde the iſſue13 and ſucceſſe they had by prayer, the Lord heard their prayers, for hee ſent an Angel and deſtroyed all the valiant men, and the Princes, and the Captains of the Hoſt of the King of Aſhur, and what became of the King of Aſhur and his mighty great Army, which contained in number one hundred fourſcore and five thouſand: why ſurely they came to nothing, for they deſtroyed one another, and the King himſelf returned with ſhame to his own Land, and as the text ſaith, when he came to the houſe of his God they that came out of his own bowels ſlew him there with the ſword; intimating unto us, how prevalent and effectua l the prayers of the faithfull are with God, eſpecially a­gainſt ſuch Tyrants, for where a Tyrant & an Idolator raigneth, there can be no peace and quietneſſe; for the very plagues of God are al­wayes among ſuch people: And thus you ſee how theſe Kingdomes are diſquieted by Tyranny and Idolatry, and what diſtractions & di­ſtempers there are, and have bin even among Kings and Princes, and mighty men of this world and you your ſelf have a ſhare in the exer­ciſe of their cruelty, in upholding Idolatry and Tyranny againſt the people of God; and now by this time I have ſhewed unto you who you fight for, and what dangers you are in both ſoule and body; and now I come to ſhew you how to avoid & eſcape theſe dangers, which ſhall be by way of exhortation and admonition; let me now exhort and entreat you in the fear of the Lord to repentance and humiliation; humble your ſelf before the Lord in duſt and aſhes come out from a­mong thoſe curſed Crue of Infidels, whoſe tongues ſpeakes nothing but blaſphemy, & ſo long as thou continue there with them, thou can­not but participate of their filthy abominations and tranſgreſſion, for if you do but conive and wink at other mens ſins you are as guilty of the ſame ſinne, without reproof, as if you your ſelves had perſonally committed it; therefore if you will avoid ſin, and eſcape the danger therof, then you muſt ſhun the occaſion of it, and conſequently ſhake off ſuch wicked company. David ſaid [depart from me ye wicked, I will keep the Commandements of my God] intimating thereby, that he could not ſet himſelfe to the performance of any holy duty as hee ought, ſo long as ſuch wicked company were about him; yea, it hath been a grief to the godly to have bin in the company of ungodly per­ſons, as Let living in Sodome, when he ſaw their filth and abominations it vexed his righteous ſoule; and this was it that made David bemone himſelf, and his eſtate and condition, when he was conſtrained to live among the uncircumciſed people: [Woe is me, that I remain in Me­ſech, and to dwell in the Tents of Kedar, my ſoule hath long dwelt a­mong thoſe that be enemies to Peace. Now you ſee how careful theſe god•y men were to ſhun and avoid the lewd oompany of the wicked, and if you will imitate them in goodneſſe, you muſt carefully labour to live in the practice of holineſſe, and avoid the company of ſuch Idolatrous Papiſts and Atheiſts as are amongſt you.

Sir, I have wrote to you ſomwhat largely, and the truth of it is far more largely then I intended, but yet I hope it will not be labour in vain, but that it may pleaſe God to make me an Iſtrument of your converſion, if you will but carefully, diligently, & ſeriouſly read over this poor weak piece, and weigh every particuler according to its ſe­verall weight, and conſcionably practice it in your li•e and converſa­tion, walking in newneſſe of life, and obedience to the Goſpel of Chriſt, with earneſt and fervent prayers to the Almighty God of hea­ven, to create a new heart and renew a right ſpirit within you, and if we humble our ſelves, and turn from our wicked wayes then the Lord will be mercifull to us, and will heal our Land, 2 Chron 7.14. and if o­therwiſe, that we do not humble our ſelves, it will prove to be miſery upon miſeries and we ſhal•heap up wrath againſt the day of wrath; and ſo the Lord of his mercy direct your heart, and divert his Judg­ments from Us and give us patience to undergo theſe afflictions, and then the Lord in his due time will accompliſh his own ends, and ſend us a happy and bleſſed peace, by a bleſſed Reformation. Now I would intreat you in the name of the Lord, and for your own ſoules healths ſake, that you will take this my counſell and admonitions to ſhake of your wicked company, or if it be poſſible to reduce them to the obe­dience of the Parliament; but if there be any thing herein expreſſed whereof you make any ſcruple or doubt of the truth of it, I ſhall bee ready to give you more full and ample ſatisfaction, if you pleaſe to appoint the time and place, (God willing) I will give you a meeting, or any Cavalier whatſoever, there to uſe liberty of Conſcience, and freedom of Spirit to diſpute the point without any manner of wrong or violence, each to other, and that there may be nothing but reality intended betwixt us, let there be ſufficient engagements to each and I ſhall for ever remain

For M^r. Francis Freeman in Dunſter, theſe. Three — in Print.