HAving underſtood, that you have of late been much converſant in ſeeking the Lord, in this day of diſtreſs, and enquiring (as becomes you) into the cauſes of his diſpleaſure againſt us (which ſeems to wax hot) all which if performed in a right ſence, obſerving right rules and ends, may be of ſingular uſe to help in time of need. Yet knowing the aptneſs of my own with others hearts to miſcarry in ſuch duties, and thereby miſs of the deſired ſucceſs, by either ſetting up the ſtumbling-block of our iniquity before our eyes, or having any ſecret regard thereto in our hearts, the effect of which is to ſhut out prayer; I held it my duty to contribute my mite to this work of weight, by preſenting you with a preſident once famous amongſt us, by the ſucceſs the Lord crown'd it with, and us in that path, in a day of very great diſtreſs round about: and deſire that ſo far as you ſhall ſee this practiſe here preſented, with the method therein obſerved, to agree with the revealed will of God contained in the Scripture, relating to the duty of his people, in ſuch a poſture, that you will not be affraid to make it your patern, ſince the Lord hath formerly born ſuch a witneſs to it, and written ſuch bleſſing upon it, as may well be ſet up as a Pillar of remembrance in the midſt of us, to his praiſe, as well as our direction to, and in like duties in future ſtreights.

In the year 47. you may remember, we in the Army were engaged in actions of a very high nature, leading us to very untroden paths, both in our conteſts with the then Parliament, as alſo conferences with the King; in which great works wanting a ſpirit of faith, and the fear of the Lord, and alſo unduly ſurprized with the fear of man, which alwaies brings a ſnare; we, to make haſte, as we thought, out of ſuch perplexities, meaſuring our way by a wiſdom of our own, fell into Treaties with the King and his party; which proved ſuch a ſnare to us, and led into ſuch labyrinths by the end of that year, that the very things we thought to avoid, by the means we uſed of our own deviſing, were all, with many more of a far worſe and more perplexing nature, brought back upon us, to the overwhelming our ſpirits, weakning our hands and hearts, filling us with diviſions, confuſions, tumults and every evil work, and thereby endangering the ruine of that bleſſed cauſe we had with ſuch ſucceſs been proſpered in till this time: for now the King and his party, ſeeing us not anſwer their ends, began to provide for themſelves, by a Treaty with the then Parliament, ſet on foot about the beginning of 48. The Parliament alſo was at the ſame time highly diſpleaſed with us, for what we had done, both as to the King and themſelves; the good people likewiſe, even our moſt cordial friends in the Nation, beholding our turning aſide from that path of ſimplicity we had formerly walkt (and been bleſt) in, and thereby much endeared to their hearts, began now to fear and withdraw their affections from us in this politick path into which we had ſtept, and walkt in, to our hurt, the year before. And as a farther fruit of the waies of our own backſliding hearts, we were alſo filled with a ſpirit of great jealouſie and diviſions amongſt our ſelves, having left that wiſdom of the word, that is firſt pure, and then peaceable, that we were now fit for little but to tear and rend one another, and thereby prepare our ſelves, and the work in our hands, to be ruined by the common Enemy, as theſe that were ready to ſay, as many others of like ſpirit in this day, of the like ſad occaſions amongſt us, Lo, this is the day, we looked for. The King and his party prepare accordingly to ruine all, by ſuddain inſurrections in moſt parts of the Nation; the Scot concurring with the ſame deſigns, comes in with a potent Army under Duke Hamilton. We in the Army in a low, weak, divided, perplext condition in all reſpects, as aforeſaid, ſome of us judging it a duty to lay down Arms, and quit our ſtations, putting our ſelves into the capacities of private men, ſince what we had done, or was yet in our hearts to do, tending as we judged to the good of theſe poor Nations, was not accepted by them.

Some alſo encouraging themſelves and us to ſuch a thing, by urging for ſuch a practice the example of our Lord Jeſus, who when he had born an eminent Teſtimony, to the pleaſure of his Father, in an active way, ſealed to it at laſt by his ſufferings; which was preſented to us as our patern for imitation.

Others of us were different minded, thinking ſomthing of another nature might be farther yet our duty, and therefore were by joynt advice, by a good hand of the Lord led to this reſult, viz. to go ſolemnly to ſearch out (and humble our ſouls before the Lord in the ſence of) our iniquities, which we were perſwaded had provoked the Lord againſt us, to bring ſuch ſad perplexities upon us, as at that day, out of which we ſaw no way elſe to extricate our ſelves.

Accordingly we did agree to meet at Windſore Caſtle, about the beginning of 48. and there ſpent one day together in Prayer, inquiring into the cauſes of that ſad diſpenſation. Coming to no farther reſult that day, but that it was ſtill our duty to ſeek; and on the morrow we met again in the morning, where many ſpake from the Word, and Prayed; and the then Lieutenant-General Cromwell did preſs very earneſtly, on all there preſent, to a thorough conſideration of our actions as an Army, as well as our waies particularly, as private Chriſtians, to ſee if any iniquity could be found in them; and what it was, that if poſſible we might find out, and ſo remove the cauſe of ſuch ſad rebukes, as were upon us by reaſon of our iniquities, as we judged at that time. And the way more particularly the Lord led us to herein, was to look back, and conſider what time it was that we could with joynt ſatisfaction, ſay to the beſt of our Judgements, the preſence of the Lord was amongſt us, and rebukes and judgements were not as then upon us. Which time the Lord led us joyntly to find out and agree in; and having done ſo, to proceed, as we then judged it our duty, to ſearch into all our publick actions as an Army; afterwards duly weighing (as the Lord helpt us) each of them, with their Grounds, Rules and Ends, as neer as we could; and ſo concluded this ſecond day with agreeing to meet again on the morrow: which we accordingly did, upon the ſame occaſion, reaſſuming the conſideration of our debates the day before, and reviewing our actions again; by which means we were by a gracious hand of the Lord led to find out the very ſteps (as we were then all joyntly convinc'd) by which we had departed from the Lord, & provoked him to depart from us; which we found to be thoſe curſed carnal conferences, our own wiſdom, fears, and want of faith, had prompted us the year before, to entertain with the King and his party. And at this time, and on this occaſion, did the then Major Goff (as I remember was his title) make uſe of that good word, Prov. 1.23, Turn you at my reproof, &c. which (we having found out our ſin) he urged as our duty from thoſe words, and the Lord ſo accompanied by his Spirit, that it had a kindly effect, like a word of his, upon moſt of our hearts that were then preſent; which begot in us great ſence, ſhame, and loathing our ſelves for our iniquities, and juſtifying the Lord as righteous in his proceedings againſt us: and in this path the Lord led us not only to ſee our ſin, but alſo our duty; and this ſo unanimouſly ſet with vveight upon each heart, that none vvas able hardly to ſpeak a vvord to each other for bitter vveeping, partly in the ſenſe and ſhame of our iniquities of unbelief, baſe fear of men, and carnal conſultations, (as the fruit thereof) vvith our ovvn vviſdoms, and not vvith the vvord of the Lord, vvhich only is a vvay of vviſdom, ſtrength and ſafety, and all beſides it vvaies of ſnares: and yet vvere alſo helpt vvith fear and trembling, to rejoyce in the Lord, vvhoſe faithfulneſs and loving kindneſs vve vvere made to ſee yet fail'd us not; but remembred us ſtill, even in our lovv eſtate, becauſe his mercy endures for ever. Who no ſooner brought us to his feet, acknovvledging him in that vvay of his, viz. ſearching for, being aſhamed of, and vvilling to turn from our iniquities, but he did direct our ſteps, and preſently we vvere led, and helpt to a cleer agreement amongſt our ſelves, not any diſſenting, that it vvas the duty of our day, with the forces we had, to go out and fight againſt thoſe potent enemies, which that year in all places appeared againſt us, with an humble confidence in the name of the Lord only, that we ſhould deſtroy them; alſo enabling us then, after ſerious ſeeking his face, to come to a very cleer and joynt reſolution, on many grounds at large then debated amongſt us, that it was our duty, if ever the Lord brought us back again in peace, to call Charles Stuart, that man of bloud, to an account, for that bloud he had ſhed, and miſchief he had done, to his utmoſt, againſt the Lords cauſe and people in theſe poor Nations: and how the Lord led and proſpered us in all our undertakings this year, in this way, cutting his work ſhort in righteouſneſs, making it a year of mercy equal, if not tranſcendent to any ſince theſe Wars began, and making it worthy of remembrance by every gracious ſoul, who was wife to obſerve the Lord and the operations of his hands; I wiſh may never beforgotten; bringing us together again, from all parts ſhortly after, with admiration; each ones heart as it were filled with the wonders beheld, and occaſion given to all to ſay each to other, Lo, what hath God wrought! the Kings Armies in all places broken, his ſtrong holds moſt of them taken: he himſelf all that time treating with the then Parliament, and both of them deſirous to conclude; yet by an over-ruling Providence hindred, and the King ſo infatuated, as he ſtands diſputing Punctilio's till he loſes all, and himſelf with it, and is fetcht away from his place of Treaty to a Priſon, in order to execution, which ſuddenly followed accordingly; and all this done within leſs then three quarters of a year, even to aſtoniſhment of our ſelves, and other beholders both at home and abroad; yea our very enemies then were made to ſay, God was amongſt us of a truth, and therefore they could not ſtand againſt us.

But alas, who would have thought that ſo few years would have worn out the memory of ſuch a not-to-be-forgotten mercy, or that any of thoſe that then ſaw his works, and ſang his praiſe, ſhould ſo ſoon forget what their eyes had ſeen, as not to wait for his faithful counſel in future ſtreights! Yet behold, how ſome directly, and others conſequentially are now ſaying, All theſe things were but the product of a potent politick partie fluſht with ſucceſs; and others, though more modeſt & moderate, yet it's to be feared, in too eager a purſuit of falling in with, or fear of being hurt by what is uppermoſt, if not timely complying, at once in the lump adventure to cry up abſolute obedience to the powers that are, though thereby they condemn themſelves and others, as tranſgreſſors and rebels for oppoſing thoſe that were; together with the whole ſeries of action made glorious by Gods appearances with us, beyond parallel of any late years: and thus doth the name and works of the Lord ſuffer (as Chriſt of old) between theſe two, who almoſt equally, though not alike intentionally, rob the Lord of his glory, and give great occaſion to the worſt of our enemies the more to blaſpheme.

This is the brief, yet true account of this matter, with the bleſſed effects of it, as a manifeſtation of the Lords inclination & diſpoſition to poor returners; who is ſtill the ſame, becauſe he hath ſaid, and will perform it, as in Jer. 29.12, 13. Then ſhall ye call upon me, and ye ſhall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye ſhall ſeek me and finde me, when ye ſhall ſearch for me with all your hearts. And I have a little hope that this precious patern, thus preſented, may not be without ſome uſe to you in this day, if the Lord lead your hearts rightly to conſider it. That vve are a poor broken, divided, intangled, bevvildered people in our publick affairs; none but they that are very great ſtrangers in our Iſrael can be ignorant: for vvho hath known and obſerved former daies, when the Candle of the Lord ſhin'd on our Tabernacles, by the light of which we walkt thorough darkneſs, and ſhall compare thoſe daies with theſe four or five years paſt, can look upon them without a heart deeply affected, to think vvhat once we vvere (vvhen vve follovved the Lord, though in a land that vvas not ſovvn, vvhen vve vvere a more plain ſimple-hearted people, yet proſpered by the Lord to the terrour of enemies abroad and at home, through an eminent preſence of God vvith us) and vvhat novv vve are, ſince we have turned aſide into the carnal, empty, formal ſhews of the Nations, admiring, (and acting by) their Policies, and ſaying a confederacy with them, fearing their fear, and not ſanctifying the Lord in a way of believing: how are we become the tail, and not the head, a hiſſing, yea, a ſcorn to the baſeſt of Nations! what rebukes at Sea, at Land! what diſappointments of enterprizes! what ſtroaks on many formerly eminent publick inſtruments! what impoveriſhing of theſe poors Nations, by decay of Trade in all parts, to the ruine of many! what ſore viſitations, and of long continuance on the Nations thoroughout, by deaths, and lingering pining diſeaſes! Yea, what heart-dividings are amongſt thoſe that have been as one ſtick together, uſed in the hand of the Lord, in his works of wonder in the midſt of us, and thereby endangering the whole intereſt we have fought for, into the hands of ſuch as are known enemies, or at beſt have been but faint friends to it and us, in daies of diſtreſs? And are not all theſe things worth conſidering and enquiring into, by every gracious heart, with the cauſes of them? for ſure the Lord afflicts not without cauſe, nor grieves not the ſons of men willingly.

And would you inquire aright, purſue the method laid down in the Caſe preſented; inquire when could you with joynt ſatisfaction, ſay, At ſuch a time the preſence of the Lord was with you; and theſe ſore hands of diſpleaſure that have of late years attended you, were not upon you, nor works in your hands as now. And if you can but find that, let me adviſe and beſeech you, as you tender the delivery of your own ſouls, and good of theſe Nations, weigh action by action ſince, and ſee where you have gone out of that proſperous path you were formerly in, and fear not to look into any action you are or may be concerned to look into, in which you think evil may be at the botom; for that remaining, will cauſe greater ſhakings then the moſt ſtrict enquiry you make can do: and conſider what as an Army you have done, with the grounds of it, and what you have engaged before God, Angels and Men to do; and either, if it be your ſin, make your repentance as publick as your evil hath been, and ſo clear your ſelves; or elſe up and be doing, whatever you judge your duty, in the face of whatever difficulties you meet with; and in that path doubt not of Gods being with you, while you are with him: but if you will neither purſue your duties in one reſpect or other, know of a certain, the Lord who is a jealous God, will not be mockt by any that is not ſtronger then he, but will be above men, and make them know, he will be ſo in thoſe things in which they deal moſt proudly, and deliverance ſhall ariſe ſome other way, with ſore rebuke to you, for your ſhameful neglects of duty in ſuch a work of weight which you have been entruſted with, and muſt ere long be called to an account how you have diſcharged it.

Alas, may we not ſay, & ſhall we be afraid to ſay, We, our Rulers, Prophets, Armies, People have ſin'd; yea, have grievouſly departed from the Lord, and help nor healing is not to be had, but in returning from what evil ſoever is in our hands or hearts? It is not Power, nor Policy, nor Forraign confederacies; 'tis not Prayers, though frequent, or ſeemingly fervent, no, though attended with tears and confeſſions, without thorough forſakings, will be a path of ſafety for us, Iſa. 58. No, the voice of the Lord is plain to Rulers, Armies, People, Thus ſaith the Lord, Conſider your waies: Why do we labour in the fire for very vanity? Why is wiſdom hid from the Prudent? Why do we ſow much in prayers, tears, confeſſions and hazardous undertakings at home and abroad, and bring in little, and what we get is as it were put into a bag with holes, and the Lord in a way of rebuke ſeems to blow upon it? is it not that we ſhould conſider our waies! Oh ſearch and try, yea call in the help of God and good men in this, to ſee if there be any way of iniquity in your hearts or hands, and clear your ſelves of it, with manifeſting moſt indignation againſt it. And for your help herein, if it may be, let me humbly caution you to take heed of adviſing only with ſuch that may be moſt pleaſing to you; ſelf-love is apt in ſuch caſes to blind much: yea, or with ſuch only or chiefly, that are or may be under the influencing power of profitable imployments, ſteer'd by the favours, or fear of the frowns of Rulers; but rather with ſuch who have been perſons of known integrity, and ancient conſtant friends to the good old cauſe of God, and their Country, in all its viciſſitudes and loweſt ebbs; not Shimei-like curſing and deſerting in a day of diſtreſs, and changing their Languages when it tended to the change of their conditions, for outward advantage; but ſuch as have not been pleaſed with their higheſt, moſt profitableſt promotions and preferments, when they could not ſee the cauſe of God and their Country promoted alſo; and let not thoſe names of odium, of diſſatisfied, &c. (that they have been clothed with, the better to anſwer the evil deſigns of ſome) affright you in this matter: and if you dare thus purſue duty in this path of ſimplicity preſented to you, without ſetting up the ſtumbling-block of any your iniquities before you, I am perſwaded (not without many demonſtrable grounds producible from the word) you will find it a path of peace, through the Lords bleſſing it; and you, in the ſincere applying to it, will be directed and led to grounds more cleerly laid, for an unanimous, vigorous proſecution of the old dying cauſe, by its beſt and trueſt friends, then hitherto you have found; or at leaſt will find it effectual to the reſcue of your own ſouls out of paths of danger, which for want of pondering according to the Word, you may be walking in to your great hurt. And therefore, let me beſeech you in all ſincerity, as you tender your own, and theſe poor Nations welfare, apply to it with ſpeed. For your betaking your ſelves to any other courſes, will prove fruitleſs as aforeſaid; for the Lord hath ſmitten, and only can heal; and if ever he do, he will do it in this way, Hoſ. 5. If what I have propoſed, prove any way advantagious to the ends for which it is offer'd, viz. to cauſe you to ſearch, try, and turn from the evil of your ways; I have my end, and let the Lord have glory: but if this poor means, in much faithfulneſs and tenderneſs preſented to you, be rejected or ſlighted by you; I ſhall, I hope, be inabled to mourn in ſecret for you before the Lord: and ſhall have this ſatisfaction, when I ſhall come to lye down in the duſt, which how ſoon it maybe I know not, that I have in ſome meaſure delivered my own ſoul, and endeavour'd the like for yours; and ſhall earneſtly entreat the Lord, that this poor word of warning amongſt many others in this day preſented to you, may not one day meet you, as a witneſs againſt you, for not regarding it: for I am well aſſured it ſhall live, ſpeak, and have its fruit, when you and I ſhall ceaſe to be.