THough my knowledge and acquaintance with you be not over­much, yet neither am I so very a stranger as to be wholly uncon­cern'd in what you doe; for beside that Civill respect I bear you as a Friend, I am so doubly a kin to you, both as a Christian and a Minister, that in whatsoever you behave your self contrary to those Professions, I cannot but resent it as a Taint and Blemish upon our Bloud: As for those who have cut themselves off long ago from our Family, and, I fear, at last from the Body of Christ, They shall bear their own shame: But a blush is the least we can be put to, to hear of a Member and Minister of our Church, and a Subject of the same Kingdome (for such I conceive you professe your self still to be) helping on, and perswading to this State-En­gagement: Though Christ must be wounded in the house of his friends, yet I am sorry any of his Apostles should give the Blow.

For, I beseech you Sir to consider, what it can be other than a spear in the side of Christ, to encorporate and plight ones Faith to that Power which have slaughter'd his Anointed, and rais'd themselves meerly upon the Bones and Ruines and of his Vice-gerent. The King is, without peradventure, the greatest Image, and clearest Representation of God amongst us; and if there be such a Sin possible now to be committed as the Crucifying our Savi­our, they are certainly not over-far from it who have kill'd their Soveraigne.

But here you wash your hands, I believe, and protest your owne Innocency and abhorrence from so foul a wickednesse; you know what S. Paul sayes, [...], you know what our Law sayes, There are no accessaries in Trea­son, a little finger brings one within the compasse of having a hand in the bu­sinesse: And though the fact be past and done, yet à parte post, will still en­title one to the Dolebit that belongs unto it. 'Twas our Saviours Argument against the Jewes in his time, That they had kill'd the Prophets, in that they allowed the deeds of their Fathers; yet, which is very observable, not by any plain or explicite allowance, nor very far from this: If we had been in the dayes of our Fathers, say they, we would not have been partakers with them in the Bloud of the Prophets: And therefore to Subscribe, or set ones Hand to those words in the Engagement, [Without a King] for so I remember it runs, will be a louder and more open allowance, and so consequently bring a greater guilt upon us, in the Blood of the King, and pulling down of Monarchy, than [Page 2]could be charg'd upon the Jewes in Abel or Zacharias. Touch nothing of these Mens, is Moses's charge to the Congregation in the case of Corah, Lest ye be consumed in all their sinnes; a Touch onely, and we may be consumed in All their sinnes. And truly, where God has set so manifest a Brand upon'em, by giving them over to such a deep incarnate Sin, unheard of among all Christi­ans, and exalted many degrees beyond the designes, and modest attempts of Corah and his Covenanters; 'tis to a true Beleever, who does not fancy with Epicurus, that God is an Idle spectatour of what is done here below, as im­portunate a Call, and warning to Touch nothing of these Mens, nothing espe­cially of their Contracts and Engagements, as if the Earth should immediate­ly open and swallow them up.

Sir, if there be any Aguments to salve this [...] now, and make firme ground and footing of the Engagement for all this, they must be of another manner and mould than any I have yet met with; however, leaving this with you, such as they are, I shall not think it altogether lost labour to examine them.

1. And first by True and Faithfull, say some, we onely promise that we will sit still and be quiet: I Answer, this is first an interpretation barely of our owne, and may not therefore be rely'd upon as the sence of the Engagement; which, in that it is put in the same words to us, and their whole Army seemes to require, something, at least, of Acting for them, else 'twould be no secu­rity for 'em at all, if the Souldiers, as being engag'd, only, by this, not to fight against them, might lawfully sit still, and suffer the King to enter without striking a Blow. But then secondly, to be Faithfull here, and sit still when the King may, perhaps, Summon us to shew our selves for him, is a breach doubtlesse of our Faith and Truth in the Oath of Allegeance, where those words are explain'd, not to mean only a sitting still, a not rising up against the King and his Heires, but that we will defend and preserve them with the utmost hazard of our Lives.

Two Replyes may may be started, I foresee, against these two Answers. To the first, it will be said, what obligation soever, these words True and Faithfull may lay upon the Army to be active and fighting for them, in that they are Souldiers, and 'tis their Profession; yet to others it must be understood onely, and by the same Reason within the limits of their own Calling; which is, not to be Souldiers, or Fighting Men, but Farmers, Trades-men, Lawyers, Ministers, and the like. And therefore not fighting, or sitting still; as to such, is all that is impos'd, or can be pretended to be impos'd upon them by this Engagement.

1. Sir, whatsoever may be said of Ministers, whose hands seeme tyed up indeed by the Apostle from being strikers, and very expressely by the Lawes and Canons of the Church, yet for Lay-men, all Lay-men whatsoever, it is [Page 3]very consistent with their Vocation, and within the limits of their Calling to be Souldiers: Souldiery and Fighting being not any particular Trade to be ingross'd, or taken up by such or such a Company, but the generall calling of all under Authority, in relation, and for the defence of that Authoriuy they are under, when they are so summon'd to it. A Souldier of Fortune is, I confesse, as unfortunate a piece as any the Christian world groanes under; and to think, because I have skill and dexterity to slay Men, I may therefore lawfully, as by my Calling, draw my Sword, and engage in the wars and quarrels of other Princes, on that side, at least, that seemes fair and just unto me; is beyond the bounds of my Christian Calling to run before I am sent, for who hath made me a Judg or a Divider? and not having, as all this while, 'tis suppos'd, I have not, any Grant or Commission from that Authority, which only under God has lawfull power over my Life, not I my selfe; if I am kill'd, thus fighting, I am fouly accessary to my own Death; and if I kill, whatever the Enemy be, (for sure 'tis possible to commit murder upon a Jew or Turk) I am dangerously guilty of Murder: Authority is the only Call that can make Fighting to any man a lawfull Calling; and having that, no particular Calling whatsoever (the Ministery only excepted) does so ex­empt, or free a Man, as he may not lawfully, and in some cases ought to Fight. But say it should never come to this, yet True and Faithfull will oblige us, in the mean time in our particular Callings and Professions, to governe our selves by their Lawes, and in all things to acknowledge and promote their Authority; the Lawyer at the Bar, the Judge on the Bench, to make their Acts the Standard for Aequum and Iniquum, and all of us to serve at their Courts and Assizes, to submit with chearfulnesse to their Award, and Sen­tence, as of Right and Justice, to be aiding and assisting to them in our se­verall places, if need be, for the execution of it upon others: And so the Mi­nister in his Calling to observe their Fasts, to rejoyce with them before the Lord, on their Victories and Dayes of Thanksgiving, to pray for their Successe; and being sent into the Desk or Pulpit by them, upon Balaams arrand, Come curse me Jacob, and come defie me Israel, to Curse and Pray against the King from thence, and all that take part with him.

To the second, wherein we urge it, even in that first qualifi'd sence, of sitting still, if True and Faithfull, should mean no more then so, to be a Breach; however, of our Faith and true Allegiance sworn to the King and his Heires; your neighbour possibly has never taken that Oath, and so has no obligation upon him, by that it may be said against this Engagement.

2. It is very clear, that by the Law, he ought to have taken it, and 'twill be then as clear, among all Casuists, that no man acquires any priviledge by his own failing and default: And therefore, though he have not taken the [Page 4]Oath, he is not exempted or execus'd, by this (because he ought to have taken it) from that Duty and Allegeance required by it. But, I answer further, every man is brought forth into the world by the Providence of God, in the same tearmes of freedome or subjection wherein their Father that begat them then actually stood. Thus the son of a Bond-servant, of old, was born a Bond-ser­vant, and S. Paul tells us of himself, that he was Free-borne; not absolutely free he does not meane, so as to be absolv'd from all Obedience and Subjecti­on to Authority; for he makes his appeal to Caesar, and so we have him stan­ding afterwards at Caesars Judgement seat, where sayes he, I ought to be judged; but free-born, as to some certain Priviledges and Immunities, in which, that he was a Citizen of Rome, above the Bond-servants. Whence it appears evi­dently, that our Actuall, Personall assent is not at all necessary to make us Subjects, for that we are born so; and withall, that we are bond or free, born subject; that is to say, in the same degree, with the same burthen of duty and obligations upon us, greater or lesse, as lies upon our Parents when they beget us. And therefore our Fathers taking the Oath of Allegeance does make the duty and burthen of it descend upon us, though we doe not take it, or were not obliged by the Law to take it in our own persons: So Livi is said to pay tythes in the Loynes of his Father Abraham: And Saul is accounted to have made that Oath to the Gibeonites, as is plain by Gods avenging his breach of it on seven of his Posterity, which yet was made by his Fore-fathers the Israelites, and their leader Joshua many years before he was borne.

Sir, from our former instance of S. Paul, give me leave to observe unto you one main fallacy that has been put upon us; for, because we are in some records and pas­sages of our Law, acknowledg'd by the name of Free-borne English-men, and the Free-borne people of England, hence diverse pregnant apprehensions have taken advantage to tell us, because Free-born, Ergo, the Dominion and Authority is doubtlesse in our selves, and our Govornours no longer to be look't upon as such; but while they proceed according to our Law and Dictates, and to be accountable and punishable by us therefore, in case they shall transgresse. Whereas S. Paul greater in Power, as free-born as M. Lilburne himself, thought not himselfe priviledg'd by this to bring against them a railing Accusation, much lesse to rise up against the Ruler of the People, though Ananias, an inferiour Magistrate, sitting to Judge him according to Law, he commanded him to be smitten (and sure if any thing could have made it lawfull, Blowes would have done it, and from an inferiour Magistrate, and in his own defence, and in a case of Religion) contrary to Law. But to returne to the Engagement.

2. The second Argument is, we may Subscribe, so it be without a purpose to be oblig'd by it. He that shall urge this, acquits himself fairly, I must needs say, to be no Heathen: Poor ignorant men, they liv'd in meer darknesse from [Page 5]this new Light, so absolutely destructive indeed, to all society and commerce, so directly opposite to the Being and Creation of Man, who is [...], that unlesse we can beleeve, Christ took not on him the nature of Man, but of some other thing which I dare not mention; and that he came to destroy the Law of Nature, and common Honesty, to condemne and abrogate all that was praise-worthy, or of good report among us, unlesse we can take Machi­avels writings for Quintum Evangelium in opposition to the other four, we cannot hope to be Christians upon these termes: But then, it would be consi­der'd withall, how glibly so ever a Lie would goe downe with us, a solemne and deliberate Lie; yet to enter into this Engagement, does necessarily involve us in Perjury, whether we performe it, or no; if we keep it, 'tis then a Breach, to be sure, of our Oath of Allegeance, or, though we doe not, but resolve against it: Yet the very Subscribing to the Common-wealth of England as 'tis established without a King, is a plain denying and going against that So­veraignty, in the King and his Heires, over this Realme, which we swore, and acknowledg'd in the Oath of Supremacy; and we are ipsissimis Verbis, though it should never come to ipso facto, formally and directly perjur'd. An assertory Oath, for such is the Oath of Supremacy, (if it can be broken at all a parte post) being violated, doubtlesse, by saying, or subscribing against it, as a promissory Oath; for example, the Oath of Allegeance, by not doing it, or doing against it, though we should not de novo, Swear against either of them.

Sir, my Answer to the second Reply in the former Argument will, if you please to apply it, ease me of all Consideration here, whether your Neighbour have taken this Oath of Supremacy, or no.

3. But then thirdly, 'tis said the King is not able to protect us, and there­fore we are freed from our Allegeance and Subjection to him. We know what they were who said, Can this Man save us? And the doom that fol­low'd upon, Nolumus hunc Regnare, because their Lord was gone (not driven, which will make our Sin, and our Doom, much the heavier) into a far Coun­try. To lay the absurdity therefore at their own doors, if their servants should rise up against them, and cast them out of the Family, would they sup­pose it reasonable, or lawfull, in their Wife to engage her self to be True and Faithfull to another Man? Truly this Objection might yet carry some seem­ing force with it, if we were to be subject, namely, for wrath; which, God knowes, we have no great occasion to fear, and not also for Conscience sake if our obedience were terminated in the King, and not directed further by the Apostle, as to the Lord, and not to Man; Or, if we could say, this Lord is not able to protect us, will it be lawfull for us to deny or forswear Christ because he shewes himself to us in much weaknesse, and under the Crosse? Or, is not a Son to Honour, and acknowledge his Father because he is poor and [Page 6]impotent? And sure 'twould be full out as strange, that our naturall and sworn Duty of helping the King should be avoided by this Reason, because he has no power to help himself.

4. The fourth Plea therefore is, that what we doe, is in Loyalty and pure affection to the King, that we may preserve our selves and our Estates for his Service: To doe evill that good may come of it will be so far from justifying us, as it does justifie our Damnation, for what is this, but to be wiser than God? and to seek out the seeming failings of his Providence, with our owne Pru­dence? He has no end, sayes the son of Syrach, of a wicked Man, and can doubtlesse, bring about his Ends, and work out his Glory, though we should keep our selves within the bounds that he has set us: Better the Ark should totter to the ground than Ʋzzah stretch forth an unlawfull hand to hold it up.

The summe of the whole Argument is briefly this: It is more probable and we are better able to restore the King without God, than God without us.

5. In the fifth place it is objected, that by taking this Engagement we doe but the same thing, as in paying Contribution: Truly I am not over-forward to be a party or stickler, so as to contribute, in the least, for Contribution: And to him that makes this Objection, and shall apprehend the same unlaw­fulnesse in submitting to Taxes, as is evident in Subscribing the Engagement. I shall advise, and propound it, as the onely safe way to keep himself from both, and not from that sinfulnesse he has indulg'd to himself, perhaps in one, if he think, or doubt it to be Sin, frame an Argument from thence to engage himself in a second. But, I must confesse, there is, to my apprehension, a very manifest difference between these two: My paying of Contribution being but Actus simplex, a bare single Act, without any Tie or Obligation upon me, as in the Engagement for hereafter: And you know many things be lawfully and commendably done, pro hie & nunc, here, and at this time, which by change of the Circumstances, and at another time, will be utterly unlawfull; and I may not therefore, be engaged, or oblige my selfe unto them. But then Secondly, paying of Taxes or Contribution is none of mine owne Act; and I cannot be thought to be any more accssary to the assisting and maintaining the present Usurpation, by this, then I might be thought Accessary, to the robbery of my selfe, and the enriching and strengthning of Theeves, against Honest men, when being assaulted by a strong Force for my Purse upon the High-way, I put my hand in my Pocket and deliver it: This will not be the case now in the Engagement, which however I am under a strong Temptation in­deed, must yet be interpreted my own Act, if I take it since no Force could put it upon me; they could not have my promise unlesse I gave it them, nor could I possibly be engag'd but by my selfe; whereas in the case of Taxes, [Page 7]as in that of being robb'd on the High-way, my Mony would have been taken from me, and the Theeves enrich'd and made strong by this means, doe I what I could: And therfore I may be allow'd here it, as a piece of sinlesse Pru­dence, not to enrage them needlessely against me; and for the saving my Life, and the rest of my Estate; as suppose a little parcell of Gold about me, which by not provoking the Theeves to strip me I goe clear away with, when as the very same considerations will make nothing at all for the Engagement; since, they are not, or cannot be urg'd, this saving my Life, or Estate, to make the assisting and enriching of Rebels by my contribution lawfull, but onely Prudent: the lawfullnesse, or sinlesnesse rather, being first suppos'd, in this, (which can by no meanes be said of the Engagement) that it is not in my power to prevent it, or keep my Money from them.

6. From hence we shall be readily able to draw out an Answer to the Ob­jection of Force, whereby our subscription is pretended lawfull, and excusable, in respect to the great Fear, and strong Temptation that is upon us: for, we fall not here, God be thanked, within the reach, or power of Force: And, as to Force, I can no more be forc'd to promise my fidelity to these Men, than I can be forc'd to deny, or renounce my Saviour; which, if a strong fear might be interpreted force, for force I shall grant does excuse; S. Peter lavish'd a­way abundance of Tears to no purpose. The unequalnesse of these two sinnes comes not within the case; for, as to force, they are the same: and supposing them both unlawfull, and in genere mali, I am, without peradventure, to lay down my life, rather than be guilty of either. To commit a Veniall sin, say the Romish Doctors, thinking it to be Veniall it becomes Mortall: And let the Engagement be suppos'd as diminutive, and minute a Transgression, as Art can make it, or your own heart could wish it, it will be no longer so when it is presumptuous. He that is unjust in the least, our Saviour tells us, is unjust also in much: And truly, they that upon these tearmes and qualifications only, think fit to take the Engagement, acknowledging it otherwise, and of it self sinfull, I should very much wonder at their nicenesse, to finde them stick at Nebuchanezzars Image, when the force is greater, the Furnace heated seven times hotter; and, while their Bodyes bow down to Worship, their Soules may be as upright in them, as their hearts are firme to the King, and their former sacred Oaths, and Obligations, while they set their hands to the En­gagement. Fear, though it should be of that [...], even of death it self, will no more excuse me from Sin, than that other passion of Love, which is stronger than death, would excuse one from all the adultery and for­nication he should commit, where he were so in Love. And as to a strong temptation, if there be any vertue in that, 'tis the onely best Argument I have heard, I must needs say, for giving over the Lords Prayer; for 'twould be a [Page 8]very inconsiderate and ill advis'd Petition to pray against Temptation, as we do there, Lead us not into Temptation, if the Temptation, the very being led into this temptation, be the same thing which we Pray for; so immediately in the next words, But deliver us from evill.

7. But, must we be Martyrs, say some, for the King and Government? if it were for Christ, we knew what we had to do, rather suffer many deaths than Subscribe, or set so much as a little finger against him. Here is the mistake which runs through every Argument, remember what our Saviour sayes; In as much as ye have not done it unto these, ye have not done it unto me. For obe­dience to the King, in that he is the Minister of God, is to be interpreted as direct an obedience to Christ our King, as our Charity to the Poor, in that they are his Members, will be interpreted, and rewarded, as done unto him­self; which, yet, will not give me a liberty of obeying the King in unlawfull things, no more than in Almes to the Poor, (for so unlawfull things are none of mine) I may take liberty to steal from another. And therefore, though the King should be willing, and desire we would subscribe the Engagement, we may not do it for all that, because I am commanded by a higher Law, which therefore the King cannot dispence with; not to dissemble with a double heart, not to let my mouth speak guile, much lesse my hand attest it. Or if (to answer that exception with a wild supposall) he should be willing that we should performe it too; Really abdicate his right of Soveraignty over us, accept of a place in the Councell of State, and be one of the Common-wealth; yet when that is done, if it could be so done, there is still a Noli me tangere, upon the Engagement, in as much as the Right of the Crowne, and the Soveraignty of a Monarch, reverts immediately upon his abdication of it to the Duke of York; and so, as long as there are any of the Bloud to lay claim unto it, for that is the nature of an Hereditary Kingdome; and that this is such, appears most demonstrably to any man, by our Oaths taken to the King, and his Heirs: 'Tis not therefore that we are Martyrs for the King, or Government; for supposing we were free, & at liberty to choose, though we should infinite­ly prefer Monarchy before a Common-wealth, and this King by what we have heard of him, and for that he comes of so good a Breed, before any other, yet not perhaps at the price of our Lives. A King and Monarchy are but by accident in our Case, 'tis to free our selves from Blood and Perjury, and in regard of the Oath of God, to avoid Sin, that we think it fit to embrace suf­ferings, and submit our Heads to the Axe, rather than set our Hands to this Engagement.

8. There are some you may meet with perhaps, have a fine way yet to mince the matter, and make it lawfull enough, as being but a Paroll, which no body therefore needs to Scruple at. I answer, a Paroll may be drawn, doubtlesse, [Page 9]in such a Forme, and upon such Terms, as 'twill be unlawfull to signe it or oblige my selfe by it; And therefore the liker it is to such a Paroll, it is but the more like to be unlawfull. Yet every Paroll I conceive, will differ mainly from the Engagement, in that Eo Nomine as it is a Paroll, it presumes and necessarily supposes we are Enemies between whom such a Paroll is given and received, for there is no Paroll passes between friends: Whereas the Engagement has no such distinguishing note upon it, but being taken by them­selves and put to all men, promiscuously, and indifferently, in the same termes it must be look't upon, not as a Paroll to Enemies, but as our absolute Matriculation and employing our selves with them; and I am as very a Common-wealths man by it, if I take it as Mr. Martin, or the greatest Re­publican of them all. But then Secondly, giving my Paroll to the Enemy, is therefore lawfull, because by giving of it, I give nothing, give nothing to his Authority, nor Secondly, give my selfe at all out of my owne Power; since by rend'ring my selfe againe, at any time a Prisoner, (which is alwayes in my Power, and which 'tis supposed I would doe, when it were better and honester, and therefore more Eligible for me to doe so) I am, where I was, before my Paroll, and under no Tie or Obligation, not to doe 'em the utmost disservice I am able, whereas the Engagement, being limited to no time, and entred into upon no Conditions, or Capitulations, (I wonder what there is in it now like a Parol) is in the mildest sence of it, a publike disclaiming and de­nying the good Cause for which I suffer'd, and a disavowing my Allegiance for ever. For no man can suppose, that if I should bring them their Engagement, the next day after I have taken it, professing not to be Engaged by it, I were any more discharg'd from the Obligation of it by so doing, then I could be free of my Bond which I Sealed yesterday, by saying to day I would not be Bound by it, or, that they were to take such a discharge for good payment: Ipse videris, would be the Answer, as from the Jewish Councell to Judas, so to us, from the Councell of State, what is that to us? See thou to that. But then Thirdly, however we could dispence with the time, yet that it be mutuall and Conditionall, is so necessary to the Nature of a Paroll, that after it be given and accepted on both sides, the Obligation on either side holds no longer, then while the other side performes the Conditions. As for example, if I should be let out of the Tower to walke in London, upon my Paroll of doing no differvice to the State, and be then seiz'd on as a Spie, and clapt up in Newgate, My Paroll layes no Tie upon me that I shall not break Prison now, as soone as I can, and doe what lies in my power against them: So on the other side, they allow me the Liberty of the Town, upon my Peroll, as before, of doing no disservice to the State: if I should make use of this Liber­ty, to lay a Traine for the blowing up of the Councell of State, I could not [Page 10]plead my Paroll, or suppose they were Engag'd by vertue of that to save me harmelesse. I can see nothing of this now in the Engagement, but if they should clap me close Prisoner, tye me neck and heeles together, Sequester and sell my whole Estate, as soon as ever I have taken it, or use any extremity upon me, This would not quit me at all from having the same Obligation, of being True and Faithfull to them, as if they did not so use me, or impose any hardships upon me, that the Cavaliers by their taking it, may be unbewitch'd, perhaps out of their five Miles Circle, will be nothing to this purpose; for so perhaps they may not, sub Judice lis est, Their Cause comes, but then to scanning, and they have little reason to assume over hastily, since their Jud­ges are so sufficiently brib'd against them; However it should fare with them, they could accuse no body of dealing falsely with them in relation to this Engagement any more, then because the Law sayes, he that has an Estate of forty pounds a yeare, above the degree of a Yeoman, may be chosen Knight of the Shire, for that Country where he lives, a Gentleman of such an Estate should complaine, he had Injury done him; and it were against the Law, if he were not sent up to serve in Parliament at the next Session.

9. A pretty Sullen kinde of Argument there is, in the Mouthes of some men, 'tis a Snare, a trap meerely intended say they, to catch our Estates, and therefore whatever becomes of us, as long as we can help it, they shall not have their Ends upon us, or gain any thing by the Bargain: Here I am put to turne the Tables indeed, and prove Advocate, for the Councell of State; they had no such designe, good Men, I dare promise, to wrong you of a Farthing, for if Money or Estates had beene the english of the Engagement, it would without peradventure, have beene put into an Oath, drawne up in such grosse, open, and Notorious Terms, (which they have endeavour'd we see by True and Faithfull, to disguize and sweeten what they could) as like a Gorgons head might affright and appale every one at the sight of it, and that no Man might any way be deluded or deceiv'd into it. Nor secondly, could they hope any would be, or thinke themselves greatly oblig'd by This, to be a whit more True, or more Faithfull to them. And therefore to unfold the Riddle, 'tis a draught and Coppy of the same Policy, which Balaam advis'd the King of Moab against Israel, and while they can Engage the Cavaliers with the rest of the Kingdom to their Sin, to Commit Whoredom as it were, with the Daughters of Moab, prevail with 'em to worship their Gods, and the Cōmon­wealth which they have set up, 'tis the only sure weapon that can prosper against so good a Cause, or secure and prolong these Men in their unjust possession.

10. There is yet one way more of taking the Engagement, which may seem to be untouch'd in all we have hitherto say'd, and that in Seeming to take it, procuring and producing a Ticket as if we had Subscribed. Sir, I need not [Page 11]tell you how much this Seemingnesse and dissimulation is oppos'd, to that pious simplicity which becommeth Christians. Without Guile, being a maine necessary qualification, to denominate us True Israelites. Nor secondly, how besides the certainty bringing guilt upon him whom we tempt to this Ticket, we cannot dissemble it so well, but it will lay us open to the sin of Scandall in respect to our Brother, and give the Adversary occasion to blaspheme and cast out our Religion to pride, and harden themselves in all their Impieties, while they shall see the designe of their Soules accomplished by this Meanes, and their Bramble Government set up. And whereby they shall be better able, and upon more reasonable Terms to justifie all those after Injuries, and Oppres­sions, and Persecutions, they shall thinke fit to bring upon us, if we should not rise up with them hereafter in every thing. Since we shall now seeme to be under some Tye and Obligation to them, and our pleadings of Conscience, with good shew of Conscience, may be rejected by them, in that we have given them just Cause to believe, it is not Conscience, when we so hold off, but Stomach, a perversnesse onely and stubbornnesse in our Spirits; nothing being supposeable of a more Cammell Temper, in relation to our Oathes and Duties, (if such had indeed any True power with us) then this Engagement, which now we shall seem, & that is the same thing to whom we shall so seem to have taken downe and swallow'd. Ecclesiasticall Story tells us what severe penance was inflicted on the Libellatici in the primitive Church, and we have a famous example you may remember, in the 2 of Macchab. of old Eleazar a Jew, when being Commanded by Antiochus, to eate Swines flesh, which was against their Law, he refus'd; and his friends and acquaintance, in much favour to him, bringing him other Lawfull Meat, only, that by eating of this, he might seeme to Antiochus to have eaten of the unlawfull, and so save him­selfe from Death. He willed them straightway to send him to the Grave, (which they accordingly did with extreame Torments) rather then he would staine the Holy Law, and the Excellency of his Antient yeares, or lay a stumbling Blocke in the way of his Brethren through his Hypocrisie. But there is a further and much stronger Argument in our Case, against this artificiall Dawbing and Dissimulation, for that there is a Dissimulation in our very Dissimu­lation; and it does not really as it does pretend, deliver us from the Engagement. For, the formallity and essence of being Engag'd, does not stand in writing my Name, or having my Name written in a Pa­per, (a Eleazar indeed could not be defil'd with Swines flesh, but by eating it) but in my assent and owning it, my taking it upon me, before those to whom I am requir'd to Engage, by any way of expression whatsoever, though but with a Nod of my Head (whence annuere to nod, signifies to as­sent) if they should tell me before hand, this should be interpreted, and taken [Page 12]by them, as the signe and assurance that I were Engaged with them. [...]: And therefore the producing, and shewing a Ticket, which way soever we come by it, is in figures at least the same thing, as writeing my Name is in words at Length, really and in good Earnest taking the Engagement.

11. But then in the last place, these may, for ought we know, say some, be set in Authority over us by God, having outed the King, and gain'd the Do­minion by strange and admirable successes. I answer, a wrong can never be­get a Right, and when there cannot be a lawfull War, as in Subjects against their Soveraign, there can never be a Rightfull Conquest. Jus Victoriae, in those that are the stiffest Assertors of it, does alwayes suppose, Justos Adversarios, as between England and Spain, Spain and France, and the like: But then, to conclude from that successe wherewith God has been pleas'd to harden, and give them up to this height of Impiety, that he does thereby invest them with any Just power or Authority over us, were to overthrow the whole Oecono­my under the Gospell, and to fight for Mahomet against Christ. Nothing can go beyond his Majesties own words, in his Divine, and most incomparable [...]. The winde which fills the Pyrates sailes (when there is nothing at all of Man in it, and so more immediately the hand of Heaven) does not at all justifie their Pyracy, or give 'em a right to those ill-gotten goods they are pos­sess'd of, though it bring 'em save into the Harbour. If it be not of God, sayes Gamaliel, it will come to nought: But because we cannot promise our selves so long a time to make the experiment, and may not girt up God to our short moment; our Saviour has given us a much surer rule in his, ab initio: if it were unlawfull in the beginning if they came not in by the door, by lawfull and just wayes, but have Climed up some other way, by Perjury, Treason, Rebellion and Regicide, though they are got in, and seiz'd upon the Regalia, the Sheep-hook and the Scrip, pretending by these Ensignes to be [...], they are yet no other then Theeves and Robbers; and the Sheep owe them neither Audi­ence, nor Obedience,, neither to hear, nor follow them. I need not be told this was meant by our Saviour, especially in relation to False Teachers; for, however it serves to prove what I only urge it for, that a violent, and forcible, and injurious Entry; however it succeeds, is not to be look'd upon as Gods Providence, for then climing up would be the same thing as comming in by the door. God onely can be said to transfer, or translate a Kingdome (since he Rules not immediately among us, as among the Jewes) when his Provi­dence so disposes and orders, that by the Lawes and Rights among Men, it is remov'd to another.

Sir, these are all the Objections and Evasions my memory could readily supply me with; and though, I believe, some of them might have spar'd, yet [Page 13]not knowing which was your Achillium whereon you ground your perswasion, I could not tell which to omit: As for my Answers, I have not every where marshall'd 'em into that Posture and Array, as to fight 'em at best advantage; for, considering to whom I write, you would be able to improve 'em in your own thoughts, I knew, to their full force and importance. And, when that is done, and you are convinc'd of the utter absolute unlawfullnesse of this En­gagement, 'twill be no new task, I trow, to fortifie you against the losses and sufferings, may light upon you perhaps in this behalf: For, beside the Reward and Glories of another life, there is so much Epicurisme and Volup­tuousness: let me mind you in the Feast of a good Conscience, as the whole world and the fulnesse thereof, cannot be cook't out into any Comparison, or Re­semblance with it; and the hundred fold return even in this life with Persecu­tions, is as particularly and expresly our Saviours promise, (if we can count him faithfull that has promis'd) as in the world to come Life Everlasting. But I hum­bly crave pardon for my over-importuning you in this unnecessary length, and beseech you to accept it, with the same Right▪ hand of Charity, and Good­will, as 'tis presented to you. I have my Ends, if it may take you off from being any offence, or scandall in this matter: And as not to bring the Kings Bloud upon you by listing your self in the Engagement; so nor your Peoples Bloud, by holding your peace when need requires; It is no time to provoke God when his wrath is already in so high and hot displeasure gone out against us. Take thy Censer and goe quickly, say Moses, thats our proper Ʋbi, between the living and the dead, and in Joel between the Proch and the Altar, saying, Spare thy people O Lord, and give not thine Heritrge to this reproach, which I shall no longer divert you from, then to renew my suit for your fair and friendly Interpretation of what is meant, and offer'd you in this Letter, though you should suppose it from Dead Elijah.