OH the Citie of London, and the Kingdome of England! What mercies hast thou en­joyed, or rather, what mercy have you not both abused: How may thy freinds and true lovers stand weeping over thee, and say­ing, Oh the great metropolitaine Citie, the Kingdome of England, hadst thou known the things which be­long to thy peace; but now they are hid from thine eies, I say, hadst thou known, thou hadst not necessitated an Armie, (which generally hath used to be furthest from Righteousnesse, Justice and equitie) to doe that for thee which thou thy self shouldest have looked after: oh thou great Citie, thy sinnes are many, thy provocations great, thy temptations increasing within thee, to oppose thine own good, thine own peace.

And now I shall tell thee, that the Armies intentions, art and their actions will be for thine and the Kingdomes good, peace, welfare, be you but passive, seeing that through your neglect, if not contrary activenesse, you have compelled them to be active; they intend not your trouble, impoverishing, or ruine: but first, that Justice may be impartially administred without respect of per­sons, without which they judge there can be no esta­blishment either of righteousnesse or true and lasting peace, that which your selves long after, and be yee as­sured, its not the plunder of your City, nor the decay or decrease of your trade that is intended: but rather that you might be settled in a more free way of liberty in your tradings,

Secondly, That this way be effected, viz. the execu­tion of Justice, they intend onely to question those both in Parliament and City, which have been the obstru­ctours of it, that so they may be expunged from any farther power, in betraying their trust, as of late, in whee­ling round so fast into an unitie with those whom for­merly they opposed, as the great occasioners of our trou­ble and miseries.

Thirdly, That by this means the Justice of God may be taken off the Kingdome, which is not like to be, un­till justice be executed; for God is a just God and will make inquisition for blood; and blood cryeth for blood, and its far better justice take hold of a few, if God so please, then of many thousands as must be expected, if justice be not executed; for believe it, the way of the Treatie is the high way of ruine even to those who cry it up, work it and manage it, and you will finde the Army to be in the hands of God, your saviours in delivering you from it. This is that others see, although you see it not: and that which you cry up as the onely way of Peace and Libertie, others see it to be the high way of bondage and ruine; give them therefore Libertie to save you with feare pulling you out of the fire, &c.

Fourthly, That they might once see this poore bleed­ing and dying Kingdome delivered from its oppressions and burdens, and established in its just Rights and Free­domes; and this is that which God will effect, whatever shall say him nay, although at present to many, the re­medie seems worse then the disease, yet the end shall be glorious.

Object. But perhaps you will say, this is that which belongs to the Parliament and we are to look to them; and to acquies in what they doe, they being chosen for that end.

Answ. Its true, it properly belongs to them indeed, but they betraying their trust in making peace with men of blood, contrary to Law and Religion, contrary to the [Page 3]Law of Nature or of God; they are to be questioned by those for whom they are imployed: For if we will allow of Arbitrary Will and Power in the Parliament, as good in the King; as good an unlimitted power were in the hands of one, as of many; for this is a truth con­fest by all, that the Parliament are servants of State un­to the People, and I hope the servant may be questi­oned by his Master if he betray his Trust and that wil­fully too, as a great part of this Parliament hath done, in Voting and carrying on a Treaty of Peace with the Enemies of Peace, and that not onely ignorantly but wilfully, contrary to the mindes of those who trusted them, as appears in their rejecting of all Petitions from all Counties who Petitioned them the contrary: and se­condly, in their not freeing the Kingdome from burdens, but rather increasing of them.

Object. But those Petitions came not from the major party in the City and Counties to the Parliament.

Answ. True, for the major party are such as have be­trayed their interest in the Parliament, in fighting against them, and are not to have any Vote in the choice of them; and so are not to be looked upon as within the liberty of propounding grievances, or judging the acti­ons of those whose ruine they have so long d [...]sired: they are capable to receive government from them, but not govern or vote in governing; therefore the Parliament is proper to the honest wel affected party that have stood by them and with them in all difficulties, and they it is, who are ca [...]led to have an eye to their Parliaments pro­ceedings, and they it is who have Petitioned their Parlia­ment time after time, but could not be heard; and now their eyes are greatly upon the Army, waiting what God will doe by the Army for them, the Army being the Kingdomes servants as well as the Parliament, the Army being in the hands of God, the only visible power in and of the Kingdome, by whom the enemy is subdued, upon whom the eyes of all those who expect Righteousnesse [Page 4]and Justice are for the accomplishment of it; and therefore I must tell you that if the Army should altogether be si­lent, they should likewise be perfideous and traytors to that trust reposed in them, betraying both the Lives and Liberties of themselves and friends into the hands of implacable and murtherous men.

Secondly, I answer, that the Army is very tender of a Parliamentary power and intend not to act things themselves, but to see those who have betrayed their trust purged forth, that so there may be a free course of Justice in a lawfull Parliamentary way.

Object. But its reported that the Army are Levellers, and intend to make all things common.

Answ. Its very false and untrue raised by those who are enemies to truth and peace, its true they desire to levell all powers which are contrary to and against God: and this is that assure your selves the great God will beare them out in, for its God indeed who is the great leveller both within and without his people; and who art thou O great mountaine that will stand up before him, thou shalt be made plaine.

Object. But there is not unity in the Army in their pro­ceedings, they are much divided amongst themselves.

Answ. That is likewise an untruth, for God hath pow­red down a mighty spirit of unity and courage amongst them that as one man they are united for the common good, and this I must tell you likewise that God hath not only given them that spirit of unity but a spirit of prayer and faith likewise, beleeving a deliverance before they in­gage they are in good earnest, a praying, a beleeving peo­ple, therefore I shall now proceed to a word of advice un­to you and that first be advised how you entertaine thoughts of opposition & so of the beginning of another Warr in England, and that for these reasons first before if you oppose you will have the great God against you: second, then be sure you shal fal before him for he is able, and will dash you to peices like a potters vessell, it is nei­ther [Page 5]multitudes nor tumults can save before him.

2 According to principles of reason, you of all people in the Kingdome declare your folly and weaknesse: if you should begin a tumult, for be sure if ever you strike stroke you are undone; if not by the Army, yet have you not so much wisdome as to fore; see that there are those amongst your selves who waite for a pray to be inriched in your fall; O London, London, dost thou not yet know what belongs to thy peace; shall it be hid from thine eyes or wilt thou not doe good, nor suffer good to be done, mine eye and my heart pittieth thee, if thou wilt worke out thine own ruine,

3 And be you therefore advised as you tender the safe­ty of your Persons, Estates, Trading, the Peace of the Kingdome, the honour of the great Jehovah that you op­pose not his worke in hand, lest you perish in your way, for who is he that shall stand before him; I must tell you that God hath a dispensation of righteousnesse to bring forth in the worke and he will effect it though all the world say-him nay; and he will make his people his batle and weapon of Warr, by whom he will breake all that shall oppose him; have you not seene God breaking to pieces great and mighty powers by them, O when will you see that its God fights our batles for us and delivers enemies into our hands; take heed how you are found fighters against God.

4 Consider you have for the most part all the godly people in this Kingdome, as one in this act, and as one a­gainst you, if you oppose and they are the great interest of the Kingdome; for first, they are a praying people, secondly, they are a beleeving people: thirdly they are made a couragious fighting people, and then with them you will have their God and Father to be against you, in a word you will have all the powers of Heaven against you, and nothing but the powers of darknesse and confu­sion to be for you.

5. And finally be you sure to perish in any designe you [Page 6]undertake against them for there is neither pollisie nor power against them, God undermines it all and brings it to nothing Faith is given in already in this particular, and that which I have said to the City, I say to the whole Kingdome of England: be not perverse seek not to raise new troubles be at the least passive, suffer good when it commeth for all that oppose must be led forth with the workers of iniquity into confusion and misery: God will punish them with astonishment and madnesse, and will recompence unto them the fruite of their own waies: thus have I very briefly and that with much bowels and tendernesse, given you this word of warning, that if God so please thy ruine may be prevented, but if you will not heare my soule shall weep in secre [...] for thy pride; yet know that thou hast had a word of warning from him who foresees both thy sin and misery; and if notwith­standing this thou will be rebellious and oppose the work of the great Jehovah, and so perish in thy opposition, thy Destruction is of thy selfe and thy Judgement will be the more just: hearken not to flatterers neither flatter thy self, it will be to late to repent when the judgement is past: consider that thou thy selfe by thy clamourous petitions to the Parliament, hast been the cause of this approaching storme, add not therefore sin to sin, but repent and amend looke not at dishonour in thy submitting, beter be disho­nourable in receiving good then honourable in opposing it: better be dishonourable in being passive in receaving them: to lose al in opposing, and your greatest honor now at least will be to conquer lust and pride; before you are conquered for your pride, you know what sad doomes have been past upon you by many, I cannot yet say that is past upon you by God; I desire the Lord to deliver you from that fiery destruction threatened, therefore have I written that you might be prevented from working out your one ruine that so you might have peace