IS not the very reading of this Petition more then ſufficient to vindicate it from the Aſperſions and Calnmniations of this Pamphleter I have to deal with? I prethee tell me, I am in earneſt, Is it not a fair, ſober, moderate, plain, and peaceable Pe­tition? Can envy it ſelf quarrel with it? Can malice pick any thing that is ill out of it? If not, let this man bear his own doom, I think in my conſcience ſome men will finde fault with any thing. But let us hear what the man ſaith of it in his uſeleſſe Dialogue, it is a very dangerous Peti­tion, and there is more miſchief couch'd in it then you are aware of: A dangerous Petition, Reader, peruſe it again, it is worth thy reading twice over: In the Preface it commends the Honorable Court of Common-Councel for promoting the cauſe of God, gives them hearty thanks for what they have done for the Publike good, promiſing to adhere to them in all their juſt and legal proceedings, mark that, Reader, this is according to our Covenant, thanking them for endeavoring to remove the heavy preſſing grievances that lie upon us, in that free and neceſſary, yet humble and dutiful Remonſtrance: There is no danger in all this, unleſſe the man thinks it is dangerous to keep our Covenant, and all the danger is if we break our Covenant. Let's hear what the Petitionary part is, ſure the dangerouſneſſe of it lies there, and the miſchief is couch'd in that part; ſure they Petition for perſecution of the Saints, and for rigid and harſh uſage of peaceable well minded men; not ſo, or elſe to deſert the Parliament, and make a breach between them and the City, which God forbid: Not ſo neither. What is it then, where is the danger? Thus, they pray that Ho­norable Court to perſevere and go on; what, in any rude and pro­poſtrous or violent courſes? No, but in all pious and prudent means, to ſetle Religion, the Peace of the Kingdom, the Union of both Nations; In a word, the keeping of the Covenant, in which we are engaged unto God, the Righteous iudge of all the world. All this is in the Letter of our Covenant, and pray them ſtill to go on in their humble Addreſſes to the Parliament for a gracious Anſwer to their Remonſtrance, and for all other things that may put a happy period to our miſerable Diſtractions; and that them­ſelves would put in Execution what the Laws of the Kingdom en­abled3 them to do for the ſafety of the City. Where the danger and miſchief is, I profeſſe Reader, I cannot tell: But lets hear what the man can ſay againſt this harmleſſe Petition, and againſt the Subſcribers of it: He confeſſeth, though honeſt and underſtand­ing men Subſcribe it, and that with mature deliberation, yet he can­not, becauſe he lacks reaſon to rule him in this action; and he is ſo Bru•iſh to tell us, Honeſt men do Knaves Work, when they move regularly and honeſtly, and according to their Covenant, which bindes them heartily, ſincerely, and conſtantly to endeavor the Reformation of Religion, the total of this Petition. Knaves work, he means the honeſt man that wrote theſe Obſervations, whileſt he was writing them, and buſie in this work, was buſie in Knaves work, dixit, out of his own mouth he is condemned: He then talks of cunning ſtrains of deſperate Malignancy, and here he would have ſpoken ſenſe if his wit would have done it; but where is the Malignancy? Reader, it lies here, that whereas he was formerly a Ma­lignant that would not take the Covenant, now time hath had ſuch a turn, that to take the ſolemn League and Covenant, and to make con­ſcience in keeping of it, is Malignancy either in the Root or Branches. The next charge of this innocent Petition, is Sedition in the abſtract; But why Sedition? Let's hear his reaſon for it; for he ſaith of himſelf, he is reputed an underſtanding man, not raſh, but rational.

Firſt, It may prove an utter breach betwixt the City and Par­liament: But Reader, this may be doth no make it Sedition; it may be, yea, it is like to be the means to unite and ſement the Par­liament and City together; and this is the end of the honeſt heart­ed Petitioners, and curſed be ſuch Deſigns that endeavor to divide them.

Secondly, it is Sedition, becauſe the City hath Petitioned and Remonſtrated to the Houſe, the Houſe ſhewed no teſtimony of their acceptance, but rather diſliked it: What means the man by the Houſe? This Houſe he calls the Parliament afterwards: Now if the Parliament doth diſlike the Petition, it muſt be the Houſes of Lords and Commons; but if neither of theſe have given teſtimony of diſlike, then the man ſpeaks falſly. The man cannot be igno­rant of the kinde acceptance and gracious Anſwer the Remon­ſtrance had from the Houſe of Peers; but by this mans Obſerva­tion they be not the Houſe, nor no part of the Parliament: See, here is Sedition indeed, to divide betwixt the Houſe of Lords and Commons, ſure this man is one of Mr. Lilburns Diſciples; and as4 for the Houſe of Commons, they have not declared their diſlike to i•: An did not this a high breach of their Priviledge, to anticipate their ſenſe, their weighty occaſions permit them no•leaſure to con­ſider of it, they ſay they will in due time, and•he City hopes to have a gr•cious and real Anſwer from them alſo: For though this man can ſpeak of nothing elſe but Malignancy in the Root, and Se­dition, the Ci•y is no•conſcious to it ſelf, but that in making the Remonſtrance the•diſcharged their du•ies, and m•rited blood for the Parliam•nt: And thus this Famous City will do again, whileſt Se­ctaries deſert them, and endeavor to al•er the Foundation and con­ſti•uti•n of the Government of this Kingdom, and no longer will cry up Parliaments, then they judge them ſavoring of them; and when they appear otherwiſe, then they can talk and write of cal­ling•he Parliament to an Accompt, and they that gave them the Power can take it from them: is not this Sedition, Friend? But the man would know, Why the Names of thoſe that Subſcribe not the Petition muſt be taken, and from what Authority? If any did do ſo, it was not Authority that commanded it, but it was their own diſcretion that put them on it, for theſe Reaſons:

1. That we might know who they were that Subſcribed the laſt Independent Petition, becauſe we would fain know their Names, and can prove forgery, pro confeſſo, out of their own mouthes, that mens Names were to it, that never ſaw, nor at that time heard of their Petition.

2. That we might make it appear that the Sectaries are not ſo numerous, ſo formicable as they would be eſteemed, they are very inconſiderable comparatively; and for all your witleſſe Obſerva­tions upon this Petition, in many Pariſhes the reſuſers are ſo few, that we can write their Number with one Figure, without the help of a cypher: Nay, the more hands will be got to it, becauſe they ſee Envy it ſelf cannot charge the Petition with any crime; but let the man make up a probable Tale if he can: He tells us, Malig­nant Miniſters come in and compound, and theſe may joyn with the Remonſtrants; ſo he meaneth, and theſe with the Scots may make a party, &c. The man talks of Sedition, but no ſuch Sedition as this, to divide betwixt the City and the City, the City and the Parlia­ment, England with Scotland, one Houſe of Parliament with the other, and joyn theſe with Malignant Miniſters and Popiſh Prieſts: But take this Obſervation by the way, though all the Sects in the5 Kingdom ſhelter themſelves under the wings of Independents, yet the plain hearted Petitioners ſeek not Malignants to make up their number; but though the Diſſenting party will not joyn with them in Petitioning what their own principles lead them to, yet we ſhall be willing to joyn with them for the removing of theſe or any other Grievances, which our Covenant obligeth us to. Then the man findes fault with our godly Miniſters that Exerciſe every morn­ing, Some out of conſcience, others byaſed with baſe ends have done, What? ſtirring up the Magiſtrate in their popular Sermons at Weſtminiſter and Pauls, (to what man) to keep their Covenant, to be zealous for God and for the Publike good? Let all that love God and the Peace of the Kingdoms, ſay, Gods bleſſing to their hearts. But in your next take this Obſervation, That there are no Miniſters in the City pray more hearaily for the Parliament and the Armies then they do, (and that all our Victories ſince our New Model hath been, and then begun when this Lecture was ſet up) I thought good to give him this hint, leſt his impudence leads him at laſt to blaſpheme an Ordinance of God, which God hath honored with incredible ſucceſſe. (To ſpeak a word to the particular charge) hearken Reader, the great charge that is laid upon this honeſt Pe­tition, what is it? they Petition for ſetlement of Religion, the letter of the Covenant; well, if this be Malignancy and Sedition, we will account it our honor to be ſo, and till we can be diſingaged from our Covenant, we will Petition, and Petition, and Petition again for the ſetling of Religion: This doubtleſſe is our duty, and cannot be any breach of Priviledge. Reader, take notice, no Word in the Petition can be excepted againſt but Religion, but this he faith is meant Pres­byterial Government; but who told him ſo? how came he to know the ſenſe of our Petition? we did not make any Malignants or Se­ctaries of our counſel (the man in ſtead of aſperſing hath vindicated the Petition) Religion is the worſt word in it: well then, to conclude, they that would have Religion (a word in our Covenant) ſetled and reformed they that would have a happy period put to all our preſ­ſing grievances, Ireland (poor bleeding dying Ireland) that lately hath received a mortal blow (if God prevent not) relieved, reco­vered; that would have Peace ſetled upon the Foundation of truth, and a firm Union betwixt us and our aſperſed Brethren of Scotland, & an end of this uncivil Civil wars, come and ſubſcribe to this pious, prudent and peaceable Petition, and eccho back, We will all ſubſcribe.