IT is too manifest, That, in the first Warre, some of you (I mean the Outragious Royallists) did more pre­judice the KING your Master, then the Swords of his Enemies; many of you brought [Page 4] more Scandall on Him, then their tongues; And as Divines tell us, It was not only Judas that Betrayed, nor Pilate that Condemned, nor the Jews that Buffeted our Saviour, but every pre­sumptuous sinner acted, and still acts his Part, in the Tragedie: so by Gods just Permission, and for our deserved Punishment, your Exorbitances (I fear) conspired with the malice of others, in bringing that sacred and innocent head to the Scaffold: What an odium brought you upon his Actions? What a jealousie upon his Coun­sels? Nay, what contempt upon his Person and Authority? The worst of their Proceedings from thence received, (I will not say, Justice) nor scarce Colour; but sure I am, that what pre­tence they had, they borrowed of you: Other­wise, his Innocency fighting with Armes (Cha­rity bindes me to believe in his judgement) purely defensive, and with frequent Sollicitations pursu­ing Peace, would either have prevailed with the Parliament for an Accommodation, or left them generally condemned, as malicious Contrivers, and obstinate Continuers of the WAR, whereby most of the good people of England, but especially of London, and the Associated Counties, would soon have been undeceived, as they have since been by late and wofull experience; for it is well known, that many (then) the fiercest Zealots for our unhappy Reformation, never hated the Person of their SOVERAIGN, nor envied his just Power, but sincerely loved him, and heartily embraced his Govenment; yet being first terrified [Page 5] by your threats, and exasperated with your Pro­vocations, were, afterwards, by their factious Teachers and Ringleaders, too easily cheated of their Loyalty, and led captive, as it were, into meer Sedi­tion, under the specious (but stale) pretence of re­moving evill Counsellours, and rescuing his Ma­jesties Authority and Person (as they were told) out of the hands of a desperate Crew, which abused his goodness and facility: The truth whereof, doth since evidently appear, by their frank confession, hearty contrition, and late most effectual endeavours, with sober and generous Actions, to cancel the memory of their former errors, and satisfie the World (at least the judicious) they never sinned presumptuously; for insolent and malicious Treason commonly festers the soul, and ends in the gangrene of a despairing and implacable Guilt; whereas, their desire to trust that Prince, whom once they disobliged, savours, though of much Errour at first, yet now of more Ingenuity, and must be construed to proceed only from such soundness of heart, and clearness of spirit, as by good men ought to be highly cherished; and, perhaps, far better esteemed, then the meer ostentation of per­severance in pretended Loyalty, but real Animosity: Wherefore, Gentlemen, in true friendship to you, (whom I would willingly, in part, excuse, upon the score of your great Suffering, and Oppression, which transports even wise men) but especially, in zeal of his service, whom we all professe equally to desire, give me leave without offence, a little to expostulate with you.

[Page 6] Do you think it a small matter, That after a long consumption of our bloud and spirits in a civil War, or a Peace, more hostile then it, God hath, at length, miraculously afforded us a possibility of Settlement? That after a tedious night of Egyptian darkness and bondage, God hath given you a glimpse, and indeed as yet, but a glimpse of hope, That you, as Englishmen, may in due time, with others, enjoy your birthright, (viz.) an Equal Pro­tection and Benefit of the Law; and will nothing, now, already, content you but absolute Dominion, and to have all things prostrate at your feet? Is this a fitting return of thankfulness to God, for your deliverance begun, or a probable means of prevailing with him, to continue and perfect his mighty worke? Have you so soon forgotten your Sequestrations, Prisons, and Scaffolds? Can you remember no sins of yours, that entitled you to those Punishments, or might modestly oblige you, at least to confess the justice of God, in the un­justice of Men; but must all your sufferings be imputed to meer supererogation and glorious Martyr­dome? Was it a Crime, unpardonable, in your Adversaries, as you pretend, to rebel, though many of them transgressed, more out of ignorance, then contempt of their Duty; and is it no fault in you, who glory in being so Orthodox, to breath out Violence, cherish your lusts, and steep your souls in Revenge? Are you of the Nature of those Ele­ments, which, in our Proverbial dialect, are good Servants, but ill Masters, and which, if not con­fin'd, will drown and devoure all? Were you fa­tally [Page 7] design'd either to be Slaves, or Tyrants, Gi­beonites, or Bashawes? Are you like those in Bed­lam, not to be tamed but with hunger and stripes? Can you imagine, the lofty pretences of a Party, which hath been so often foyled, so long supprest, so much suspected, will consist with the satisfacti­on of others more considerable, the Settlement of the Nation, the Exigence of Affairs? Or can you ever hope to carry it with a high hand by your silly Rhodomontado's? Hath not experience yet made you sensible, That the People of this Nation, having tasted the forbidden fruit, are now become sinfully wise; That their eyes being indeed opened, but withall their natures vitiated, and wils depra­ved, they are quite fallen from their primitive inno­cency, so as I fear, the KING, if restored, must buckle to inconveniences, and Reign, at least, for some time, rather as a Probationer then a Prince? Were not some of you drinking your late Masters health, whilst his Cause, nay, perhaps, himself was bleeding his last? Have not you since served his Son, much at the same rate, and with like success? Will you never learn to govern your Passions, to allay your Cups, or turn, if not truly Virtuous, yet ordinarily Discreet, so, at least, as not to fall mi­serably into the Pitty of your Friends, the Scorn of your Enemies, and Obloquie of the People: That a Righteous cause may no more be blasted with your Scandals, Good men branded for your Li­centiousness, and the sober and numerous Royal Party (which certainly hath no Peer for constan­cy, justice, and modesty) decimated, as it were, [Page 8] again in its reputation, for the Enormities, of a few (that being God be thanked your number) Do you not know, how the KING disowne's you, the People dislike you, your Friends blush for you, and the Enemies of our quiet now make use of your exorbitances or treacheries (a belief of the latter your irrational Rantings extort from me) to obstruct a lawfull and happy Settlement. And if (which God in mercy prevent) now in this great Crysis of our hopes, and fears, through your folly and frenzie (I wish I could forbear to say, some of your falshood) the hands of true Englishmen should be weakned, the Factions exasperated, the jealous alarm'd (though falsly) the tender sprouts of Loyalty nipped and discouraged, so that our hopes and en­devours should prove abortive, and your poor Countrey return to its thraldom, would not the present Age and Posterity, have cause to curse you, more then any of our late Tyrants and Taskma­sters? And who indeed would then, be accounted such Traytors, and firebrands, as you? However, think seriously, if you can, whether (you persisting) the Nation (now enclin'd to vomiting) will not spue you out amongst the Phanaticks, as a morsel, which if it were swallowed, can never be digested, but must oppress nature, putrifie in the stomach, and poyson the bloud; in fine, a meer Faction, and an Extreme, no lesse nauseous and dangerous, then the Rump it self.

[Page 9] AND you my good Friends of the Presbyte­rian Party, know, that you are generally distinguished into Two Classes, (viz.) Moderate and Rigid. You of the First rank are by all sober men acknowledged, now, to be of the best sort of English-men, not differing (materially at least) from the Moderate Royallist; Generous Assertors of our Liberties, stout Oppugners of encroaching (and consequently) Maintainers of Just Preroga­tive; above all, you are considered as Persons, that will modestly acquiesce in Freedome of Par­liament, the only Cure proper to our Distem­pers. For we suppose your Moderation, which to you was naturall, cannot but be greatly im­proved, by your Experience, since many, even the Principall of you, having been for your Loyalty, and Temper, forcibly excluded from the Government, more then Eleven years, have, thereby, had leisure to reflect on Errors, to ob­serve passages, and to design Expedients, with­out the Partiality of Gamesters; Great reason therefore, we have, to promise our selves, That you, who have not only, with others, seen, and felt the fatal consequences of the Swords interpo­sing in our Laws, but more signally, in your own Persons, suffered those memorable insolencies and indignities from Red-coats, will be for ever most tenderly concerned for the honour of Parliaments, and careful never to encourage, much lesse (un­der any pretence, how specious soever) your selves to practice that Violence, which you have [Page 10] so justly and notably branded in others, when exercised on you; And this honest Principle, wherein the Sober Royallists shake hands with you, I take for the only basis, upon which, we can, possibly be setled.

But for you, of the other sort, (viz.) The Vi­olent and Rigid, I must tell you Plainly; You are esteemed, but a kinde of Franticks, and very paltry ones; In your Policy, Pedantick, in your Justice, Narrow and Mechanick, selvish in Con­versation, Waspish in Argument or Debate, Per­verse in Business, Excentrick in your Motions, and true to no Principle; You are observed not to walk by the Golden rule of doing as you would be done to; nor think your selves concerned in that Sacred Precept, of doing no evill, that good may follow; Per fas, aut nefas, and Flectere si nequeo superos, &c. are no small part of your Decalogue. Waving therefore the design of con­vincing your Judgments, as impertinent, if not impossible, give me leave to acquaint you, That the Nation hath, hitherto, seen little of yov to enamour them; That the most Extravagant of Sectaries are more grateful to us, then you, in re­gard they allow others the same freedom, they ar­rogate to themselves; That the Discipline of Ge­neva is every where censured, as a Government, by Princes justly suspected and feared, by Nobility scorned, and by the People of England, loathed; That it will never be setled here, by fair means, nor surely, I hope, by foul, or if it be, it must come, like Mahomet, with a Turkish Cimitar in its hand, [Page 11] and desolation at its heels: You may, therefore, do well, for our sakes, and your own, to desist from so hopeless a pursute, and content your selves with the Liberty of Christians, and English­men, without contending for a Dominion, so distaste­full to all, but your selves; However, I beseech you, refrain your factious and unworthy Arts, in spreading and fomenting those Calumnies, which your selves know to have no other ground then the levity of a few Malecontents, no deeper root, then the Tavern, nor any Reputation, but what you delight to give them, and which would vanish of their own accord, like froth, or bubbles, if you were not as ready to uphold, as industrious to propagate discord; as the indiscretest Cavaliers are apt, (and alas, too apt they are) to vent their follies.

Finally, you Church-men, whether of the Classicall or Episcopall Judgement, Remember, you are Ministers of the Gospel, not of the State: For which purpose, our Pious Lawes have provi­ded you a peculiar Maintenance, to depend on no man, have both Sequestred you from Publick Offices, and exempted you from Civil Duties: Thrust not then your Sickles into any other Har­vest; Act not the parts of News-mongers and Politicians; wherein, as your Errors are of them­selves Presumptuous, to the People most Con­tagious, so your best Abilities savour of Imper­tinency, Ostentation, and a worldly minde: What say your Adversaries? You, no question, struck the first stroak; for our Statesmen turned not Preachers, till our Preachers turn'd Statesmen. It [Page 12] is, surely, high time, you redeem the Credit, you have lost, whether as Evangelists, Christians, or good Citizens; and stop their mouths, who have too much colour to Object, That your Blessings and Curses arr like those of Balaam; and that, indeed, you deliver not Christs Ordinances, but your own Passions; wherein, though, perhaps, you may not alwayes ere in the Main, yet, commonly, you transgress, in the measure. I could much have enlarged upon these Subjects, but this, I hope, may suffice, if it be read with the same spirit, where with it is written.