WHen the Apostle makes a prediction of the evils and miscariages of the last daies, 2 Tim. 3. he doth not instance in such wickednesses as are of a grosse and visible cognizance, but in those of a more spirituall and refined nature, men shall be lovers of themselves, without naturall affection, highminded, &c. For as in the appea­rances of heavenly glory the best wine is kept till last, and the compleatest enjoyments served up at the end of the feast; so darknesse treasures up her most deceava­ble workes till the last shew and appearance of all her sorceries: The reason is, because the world being now ripened in understanding and judgement, by long and costly experience, is not so apt to be imposed upon by such evils, as lye open to the redargution of sence and common principles; but is advanced into error by chang­able fallacies and deceits, through all gradations and methods of subtilties, according to the wisdom of him who is wiser in his generation then the children of light, amongst those dark and sable appearances which hight­ned the danger of the last times; the Apostle gives the last place to a form of godlinesse, without the power, ver. 5. & truly (Reader) when thou seest self love, love of plea­sure, covetousnesse, fiercenesse &c clothed with a form of Religion, then judge that this prophecy is fulfilled, and that thou art fallen into the very last of the last dayes, (i.) into the lees of all danger, and the very dreggs of times. And indeed the world in a great mea­sure labours under this deceit at this very time, when [Page 2]selfe and selfe interests are advanced, under notions, and pretences more specious and taking then their own; who is there almost that lives in the true being and power of Religion, and delights in it for its own sake? but we embrace the outward huske and shell, mixing the pre­tences of divine and humane interest for worldly advan­tages, which is the most fordid and degenerous of all ac­compts; how happy were it if the world were unde­ceaved in this particular, and could attaine to the true understanding and discernance of all things, untwisting all interests, unfolding all mysteries, giving unto Caesar that which is Caesars, and unto God that which is Gods? As I cannot acquit many of our owne from this evill, so thou hast here a pregnant instance of this deceit in the ensuing discourse. Our brethren of Scotland (us we formerly called them) in the flood of all their designes made their own interests and advantages the mid chan­nell, the heart, and center, which acted and informed the course of their undertaking here amongst us. The pretended appearance of religion and zeale had at first wonne them great r [...]ute amongst the credulous and well meaning English, especially in their first and best designes; I myselfe was a great Proselite of theirs till I had experimented their oppressions, self-seekings and cruelty at the siege before Hereford; where though they were sufficiently provided for, by the care of the hono­rable Commissioners from the Parliament of England, who were pleased to imploy me to get in provission from the Country; Yet the great spoyle and havocke they made, almost to the impoverishing and ruining many poore families in that Country, did wofully expe­riment the disagreement between their intentions and pretences in this particular: I speak not of the Hamilto­nians [Page 3]party, whose deceit was more grosse, and by con­sequence sooner found out, and deeply punished by him, who judgeth the fatherlesse and pleadeth the cause of the widdow; but of the Army under Generall Leven, cemented in a pretended Kirk-interest; these were the men that in five weekes endamaged this small County so many thousands, when they were setled in the siege before Hereford, and an orderly course taken for their subsistance far above the ability of that poore County; yet they soon found out waies to carpe at the proceedings of the Parliaments Commissioners, to dis­oblidge them, to weary them out, that so they might be their own carvers, and impose what charge they plea­sed upon the Country, which was taxed by them five times above what the Parliaments Commissioners thought it able to beare; of which thou hast here an ac­compt in the ensuing discourse, as to some Parishes; if I had not been impeded in my work by malignant, neu­trall, and disaffected persons I had brought in a com­pleat catologue from the remaining parishes amounting to neare so much more; Is not neare 60000 li. a great losse for one County in five weeks, and that by preten­ded friends? Let not Religion be abused hereafter; let pollicy and piety go by distinct names; let lucre ap­peare as it is; let not selfe and self interest be ashamed to appeare to be what they are; let us learne to di­stinguish persons, interests, and things hereafter; let Re­ligion go for no more then it weighs; (i.) let us ascribe no more truth or realty [...]men, then we can experiment in them; let not pretences cheate us. Naturallists ob­serve that those bruites which come nearest the shape, but fall short of the true being of man, are most ugly; tis so here, the more seemingly religious a pretence is, [Page 4]the nearer a kin to the outward forme, the more loath­some, despicable and deformed. Yet, how are weapt to be deceived? how are we transported? how many proselytes have these false pretences, and interests a­mongst us? what children are we when toys and fancies please us? I write this (if possible) to caution and unde­ceive my Country men from harkening to the Syren layes of Kirke seducers, these are the men that foment warres, strifes, divisions, in the world, for the mainte­nance of their own dominations and discontents; if their stratagems were but seene, they were prevented, let us rather joyn hand in hand, and quietly sit under our own vines and figtrees in submission to the present power, then to make merchandize of our peace estates and lives by huckstering for any corrupt party or faction what­soever; if their little singer were so heavy, what wil their loynes be? It is eccentricall to my purpose to enumerate all their miscarriages in their marches to and from Hereford, and in the Northerne Countrys, I shall leave that to those who are fellow sufferers with us in the like miseries, hoping that they may be awakened to some such discovery as I doe here present thee with; I shall say no more to thee, but wishing thee not to sacrifice thy wife and children to the bare pretences of a Cove­nant, Loyalty, Religion; I leave thee to the perusall of the ensuing discourse by which thy conviction as to the true understanding of the persons and designes herein mentioned (through Gods blessing may be more cheap and easie then ours (to our so [...]ow and smart) was.