THE imminent dangers and pressing calamities of this Kingdome are notoriously known to all, and to some by sad and wofull experience, who have already tasted of that bitter cup of misery, of which we must all drink the dregs, except GOD in mercy prevent, and give us hearts to make use of the means which he hath put into our hands: our Religion bleeds, our Lawes, Liberties and Priviledges are languishing at the last gasp, this all men know, this all men fear, of this every man talks and discourses, and this is all they do to prevent and recover these almost irrecoverable wounds: This generall deluge and flood of misery, wherein the particular welfare of every man is like to be drowned, (as every man well knows) is on­ly the subject of our discourse, which should be the onely object of our imployments to remedy: we see our selves deeply plunged into a deep ditch of distresse, and all that we doe is to crie (God help us) hath not GOD in great mercy given us an Army, Men, Ammunition and Money, what is wanting that can be desired, but only active hearts and hands to make use of these blessings, which I pray God to grant unto us, otherwise these which should be the means of our support, will prove the instruments of our greater down­fall, and who may we thank but our own dull and drowsie selves? Rouze up your selves then you noble Citizens of LONDON, you that have been hitherto the chief and great Patriot to the whole Kingdome, who are not to be parallelled in your great and liberall Contributions, and in your forwardnesse in all actions tending to the support and recovery of this oppressed Nation: my humble advice unto you is, that you persevere in this your good beginning, that you crown the work with your constant and unwearied resolutions, that (now at this time of need) according to your late Protestation, you put in practice all just and honourable wayes, for the preservation of your Religion, Lawes, Liberties and Privi­ledges, which (together with your lives) are in immergent danger. Lose not the honour you have got by your good beginning: should you now prove faint-hearted or negligent, would not the burden of that speech of our Saviour, Luke 14. 28. fall flat upon your renowned City, to the perpetuall disgrace of it? That when a man having begun a worke, and through want of advised forecast, or diligent prosecution, is not able to finish the same, he becomes a reproach to all that heare it. The eys of the whole Kingdome are fixed upon you, such as are in di­stresse, and in the hands of cruell enemies expecting assistance from you, and from whence els should they expect it, but from your Magazine of strength? O let not their just expectations fail them at their need; some are resolved to live and die in your assistance, let not your remisnesse prove a discouragement to them: and others there are who daily expect and plot your ruine: O let your diligent wisdomes prevent that: Be not so overtaken and pussed with your own private affaires, which can be no way advantagious when the publike goes to wrack. Can the City flourish when the Countrey decayes? if the Countreys be desolated, how long I pray you will the City subsist? But you may say you have done your parts, you have freely contributed of your estates, you have set forth men horse, arms, all ammunition and provision for the defence and preservation of the Kingdome: this cannot but be confest and acknowledged to your perpetuall honour. 'Tis true, God hath blest you with a­bilities, and nothing is wanting, neither money, munition, nor men, neither do your men want courage: but why then doth the de­stroyer thus go on, destroying and making havock without controul? or why do not these means raised by you prove the instruments of defence and preservation to the Kingdome? You complain that you suspect that things are not rightly carried in the managing of these means, you su­spect (and that not without grounds) that there are false brethren and trecherous Counsellours in the Army, you suppose that many of your Commanders are such as aim at their own particular gains, more then at the publike weal, and therefore desire rather to protract and prolong the war, then to dispatch and put a period to it: those things you fear (and certainly not without cause:) but why then do you not by your wis­doms search and sift out the matter, by your humble desires and petitions to the high Court of Parliament, and to his Excellency the Earl of Es­sex, who are always most ready and willing to hear and redresse such things as shall appear to be amisse, especially such matters of great concern­ment. I do not presume to propose any way for the prosecuting of this particular, but do leave it by you to be considered of, but being a matter of such high concernment, whereon the welfare of the Nation doth depend, let it not be by any means neglected: neglect rather your private occasions for a while, and apply your selves to the publike affairs. What will it avail you to be getting by your trades, when in the mean time through your too much security or negligence you are made meer bondslaves, and the estates you have taken so much pains for shall be spoiled be­fore your faces, and taken away by villains and rascals. Nay what hopes can you have of any thing but losses by your trading, so long as those wicked spoilers and robbers are abroad, robbing and spoiling your Countrey-Chapmen, in whose hands you trust your estates. Me thinks there­fore it were better policy rather to secure what you already have, then by a covetous desire of more, to hazzard the losse of all. Me thinks it is strange, that a businesse of such importance (as this must needs be) should be so much feared, so much talked of, and no course taken for prevention; will you give your money to become slaves? will you willingly and wittingly be undone? can you suffer your selves and your posterity to be thus betraid? But you will say, there is at this time a Treaty on foot, and you have hopes of peace, which with truth I pray God to grant (our de­sire is if it were possible to have peace with all men:) But it is feared this Treaty (if there be any) will prove as a small calm or breathing time between two storms, that the latter may be more grievous and vehement then the former. Had we an absolute peace and quietnesse amongst us; it were good policy to have our Pax armata, our peace in every respect provided for war, much more in these trecherous and dangerous times. Is not the cause just and honourable? what do we stand for, but the glory of God in the purity of Religion? the honour of our King, in rescuing him out of the hands of evill Counsellours, desperate Cavaliers and cruell robbers, our own just Liberties and Priviledges? the least whereof de­serves our utmost indeavours to maintain. Let us then speedily put in execution all possible means to defend it according to its deserts. Remem­ber the resolution of a heathen, Emori per virtutem mihi praestat, quàm per dedecus vivere: it is better to die honourably in defence of an honou­rable cause, then to live in disgrace. I might multiply motives upon you to this purpose, but will not tire your patience nor my own with these abrupt lines. Remember the words of wise King Salomon, with which I conclude, Be circumspect and diligent inmannaging of these great af­faires, Prov. 5. 9, 10, 11, 12. lest thou give thine honour unto others, and thy yeers unto the cruell: lest strangers be filled with thy wealth, and thy labours be in the house of a stranger, and thou mourn at last when thy flesh and thy body are consumed, and say, How have I hated instructi­on, and my heart despised reproof?