IT is a solemn and sacred saying, That a wise man fore­seeth an evil, and preventeth it, but fools go on, and are pu­nished: That there is such an eminent evil impending, as your eye hath not seen since first you sate in your Seats, or wore swords by your sides; such an Evil as will (if the wisdome and goodness of God prevent not) bee the inevitable Ruine of that Interest you have been the Assertors of, is most certain; or no less than all your friends in Eng­land are in an extream errour.

But a little to convince you hereof (because man is a rational creature, and ought not to stir one step in any Act, but as hee is led thereto, by the light thereof) I shall indeavour to spread before you the danger, and then pray the Father of Mercies to give you hearts to do your duty in preventing it.

• 1 Your Army is unsetled.
• 2 Your House divided.
• 3 Your Friends discouraged.
• 4 Your Trade decayed.
• 5 Your Treasure exhausted.
• 6 Your Enemies increased and heightned.

1 That your Army is unsetled, is most certain; Neither can the course you take settle it, but discompose it more every minute; for you fill it with strange faces, which will make as strange effects. It is true, the Heads of Regiments (yea and Captains) that have been Capital Offenders, it is not your prudence to trust; but for the Inferiour Fry, (who ever yet have been the fastest friends to your power, and the publick) to bee turned out by whole-sale, without a fair and legal hearing, is not for your honour, nor interest. You have seen how little a Collonel signifies, where his acquaintance is but green; souldiers love to bee lead by them, they have bled withall.

Again, How many men have you turned out even for their Judgements sake, that never sinned against your power at that rate, as many that are kept in? If an Anabaptist hath behaved himself equal with one of another perswasion; Let their incouragement bee equal also: how will you perswade the people you intend a Common-wealth, whiles thus par­tial in your petty proceeds? it is not what hee is, but what hee hath done ought to bee the question to all. I know a Quaker in Arms, that eminently served you▪ yet me [...] I not with one that is willing to serve him. If you will call in the Conduct of the Army, as in 46. (which was as Presby­terian as ever) they will lose it before a year bee over, as then they did. The Anabaptist was thicker in Office, than any other perswasion but immediately before this turn, yet could hee not keep it, nor stem the tyde, when the turn came; and just is it with the Great Jehovah, that that party that pretends to Common Liberty, and yet grasps at all, should lose even what hee already hath. Much Reason might also bee urged for this; for naturally all parties con­spire against any that alone injoyes the Power▪ as nine at a Table would at the tenth, when hee ingrosses the entertain­ment of the whole.

Moreover, that party that is so industriously set upon in­croaching all, can least bee credited, because of their many former defections, and attempts to betray the Cause: Love was belyed, if not a Presbyterian, and Booth no less. I speak it not to reflect, for there are that I love and honour of that [Page 3] perswasion, as convinced they do indeed deserve it, both as [...]uly pious persons, and friends to the publick: As of the o­ther hand, I do beleeve there is more than a remnant of that opinion; Royal. Whereas the Sectarian party cannot bee charged by envy it self, with treason of that nature, nor is this a bare surmise issuing from a jealous brain, whiles we see even one of the Commissioners refuse the Oath against the Stuarts claim, and Sir Authony Ashly Cooper (an old Ca­valleer) made a Collonel, whiles his Malignancy incapaci­tates him to bee a member of the Council; Officers gene­rally are most civil, and pocket up injuries silently; but when you come to model the Troops, as you have done the Con­duct, your work will recoyl; or if you do it not, your New Officers will have no command over the old fouldiers. Thus the further and faster you go in your Settlement, the more unsetled are you; like one that mends his pace when his way is wrong.

Secondly, Your House is divided. I will onely Reminde you of the Word of the Lord Christ, from whose lips never came guile, and who certainly may bee beleeved. A house divided against it self cannot stand, which carries conviction with it, that your Ruine (except prevented) is ready to en­ter. And I think, you think, the Cause and you must fall to­gether.

Thirdly, Your Friends are discouraged. Many waies, and for many things: your new modelling the Army, putting the Sword into the hands of Rigid, Royal, Neutral spirits, that ne­ver yet were judged worthy to bee trusted with the Cause, that never bled, nor fought, nor prayed for it, that have nei­ther Courage, nor Conduct. They see you prone to pardon a spirit beneath your own, but not above; they that would carry you back, or halt you in the work, but not they that press you forward: they see you shrunk, and less in your Publick Declarations than many years ago; you were taller by the head and shoulders in your publick words and works, in 49. and 51. than now, they saw greater reason to rejoyce at what you said and did then, than now; They had higher hopes of true Liberty, both as men and Christians then, than now: which shews that the Rebukes that have been upon you, have [Page 4] not been Sanctified, nor you bettered and improved thereby At your first sitting, you were an apparent blessing to the Nation, which begat in all good people longings for your rerurn again, in hopes to finde you yet better: but not so; you were a second time interrupted, and good men ingaged for your Return, with heightned expectation you would rule righteously and purely for God and your Generation; but behold worst of all. I beseech you lay it to heart, exa­mine and see what is the reason you dye and wither in the esteem of good men; see whether you have answered those private and personal Obligations to good people at Ports­mouth, the Fleet, London, and every where, which made them not value their lives for your sakes; and see whether all this gives not Great Ground of Fear, that your (and our) glass is run, and an overflowing scourge just ready to seize upon us.

Again, Lesser faults in good men are punished severely, while greater in others are let go scot-free; which doth demonstrate your spirit is rather united to evil than good; what else can bee the reason that Sir Henry Vane's expell'd your house, for framing onely a form of Government, never received nor practised (though I desire not to bee understood, as adjust­ing his Act, or condemning yours simply considered) and Oliver St. John, one that was both, yet hee can keep his Seat, have impunity, and rule the Rost? it is true, the Act was private and personal, yet did it, and the secluding Major Salloway, liberally discover the Complexion and Temperature of your house.

Again, You kiss and hug them, that scorn and hate you, and sleight such as faithfully served you. Your declaration (a pit­tiful dull confused sapless peece) courteth the Clergy and the Lawyer, a brace of birds, that ever yet have indeavoured to pick out your eyes; Oh Lord! what sad fate must needs at­tend that power that accounts it their interest to exalt their Eminentest Enemies, and shake off their surest friends? was it the Lawyer brought you back to the exercise of your power? Or did hee not rather laugh and scorn you? was it Oxford and Cambridge, Calamy and Case, that steered your Fleet? raised your Siege? incensed your souldiers so, as they would [Page 5] either die or set you in your seats again? Was there no Sectarian put their neek in the Noose for you? and did what none else either could or dared to do? and must they now despond, hang their heads, and be ashamed to look their friends in the face, through your abuse of the adventure of their blood?

Furthermore, 'tis a great discouragement to your friends, to see the giddiness and instability of your actings. One day solemnly thank Col. Rich for his good ser­vice; the next, conspiring to cut his throat: if he did indeed serve you, your latter proceeds are ugly: If otherwise, your thanks was grounded upon ignorance; so that whe­ther hee served you, or served you not, you do much dis­serve your selves by such actings. For the veil is too thin, all men do see and say, 'tis not Rich or Ludlow, but the whole Sectarian party, some among your selves design to ruine; and to the end, they m [...]y the better usher in the ex­iled Interest.

Moreover consider, Can you at once suppress the Sec­tarian, and keep out the King? I know not what you may imagine, but the wisest without doors think otherwise. Now if this be impossible, then an ideot may make the in­ference, that look how much you lay aside the Sectarian, just so much you lay aside of your strength, and propa­gate the interest of Charls Stuart. How behoveful there­fore is it, that you eye this evil betimes, and suffer not your Forces nor Fleets to bee baptized too much into the Boothian Spirit; Enfeebling your selves, and laying fur­ther pressures and discouragements upon the hearts of your Friends. Many other discouragements I might e­numerate. But your time is precious, so also is mine.

4 Your Trade's decayed. I presume you will give mee your faith (without proof) that it is so: how it came and why it continues; every one satisfies himself with his own reason, and therefore I shall spare my pain and your trouble: onely let mee tell you, this is the dame of all, idleness; and no vice can bee your friend, if you intend a Common-wealth. Lack of imployment first fo­ments, [Page 6] then fosters discontents. No men of metal will starve while meat is to bee had, if they cannot have it by a civil imployment, they will by a military, and if you cannot list them, others shall; for it is not choice but necessity which brings them to you, and that also shall carry them from you. Thus you see how nature hath distressed your affairs, and all men lay all their lacks on you. A speedy applying of your selves therefore effec­tually to remedy this distemper, is certainly your duty, or this single evil, which is not easily buried, will sink you.

5 Your Treasure's exhausted; yet would not this dis­ease bee incureable, were not your Army and Navy in Arrear; invert therefore, that proverb that mony answers all things, and you will take a true accompt of your own condition: how you will fill the empty purse, con­sidering the difficulties, as well forreign as domestick, that you must encounter, is worthy your serious thoughts. You may assess, but the humour of a Free Parleament, support­ed by all the art and interest of the Royallist and Secluded Members, gives too good reason to doubt the Collections will bee but slow in the Country. Adde heteunto the E­nemies you make your selves (to wit) all the Sectarian in­terest, (who certainly will most unwillingly maintain their oppressors) together with the general want of Trade, as aforesaid: and I fear you will finde such a dulness, as (if I mistake not) your Exigents cannot indure: How har­dy you are, I know not, but I assure you this conside­ration hath a very grim and gastly aspect, and hath in very legible characters (at least in my apprehension) the death of our Cause ingraven on it. I shall not so much as mention the infinite inconveniences that are entailed to this; only will say (what you may observe) this Army serves you not on principle, but [...]or pay; I will not deny but there are among them that would have me by the ears, should they know I said so: but deceive not your selves: could Dick have kept them, they had never been yours; and they staid with Fleetwood till they had eat up the three last months Assessement; nor had they left him yet, could he have got or lent them more.

Lastly, Your Enemies increase, and that both in Nnmber and Nature; for you create Enemies to your selves, and this with so great an industry, that were I an alien, I should think it your interest to do so; For no man ever could imagine any power should bee so busily oc­cupied in kicking off its fastest friends. Are not your Old Enemies enough, but you must make New? This carries conviction with it, that you intend to take your Old Ene­mies, for New Friends, but woful is this advice; and una­voidable ruine will bee the effect, and if you enter not in­to new Counsels, farewel for ever the Old Cause. The waies to save you, are but two. Espouse again, and indulge the Sectarian Interest; for a little time will tell you, you can­not keep out the King without their aid, his interest or theirs you must make yours. The Presbyter alone can­not preserve you if they would, and three parts of four would not, if they could; think not I speak at ran­dome.

The other is, the speedy filling up your house; contempt's upon you, because of your paucity; nor will the secluded Members give up their claime, till others are in their room.

Besides, as you are, you are not a Competent Represen­tative, for so large a Territory, as England is. Many pla­ces have none to represent them at all, and you have ost declared no Laws shall bee made, nor m [...]ny raised, but by the peoples Representatives in Parliament, so that you your selves have tied their purse; nor will you get it o­pen without knocks till then. Moreover, your enemies increase upon you, because no man sees you have any maw to this work, but rather think of keeping the power in your own clutches. This also is the reason of your want of Trade, because every wise man sees you cannot hold it as you are; and no man will manage af­fairs, and adventure his stock, whiles affairs of State are at this uncertainty; and they who would minde their bu­siness, and imploy themselves and others, growing idle, and their monies lying dead, become enemies to you, as the cause thereof, nor can any excuse bee formed for you.

To conclude, how many would bee thorow Com­mon-wealths-men, saw they you so? but whiles you are uncertain, so are they, and judge it imprudent to out­pace the power; to abjure Monarchy, and the Monarch also, till the State doth it; after you is good manners, because if you vary, they are undone; would you tye a­ny faster than your selves? that is most unrighteous; if you will reserve a turn to the King, quarrel not others for being reserved also; Lead the Van therefore over Rubi­con, doubt not enough will follow, but it must bee also for a free, just, and equal Common-wealth; not that one party or perswasion must have all the Magistracies in their own hands, and all the rest as Servitors attend­ing it; no, this is but the name, it is the thing you must set up, or the name of Charls Stuart will bee better, and finde more followers than it. Sirs, your Vessel's leaky, and your Pump too little; carreen her quickly, or you sink past all recovery. This is the humble, but hearty ad­vice of