I Shall assume the boldness to speak a little unto you, (O you men of Westminster) and I pray ob­serve my words, if Providence shall please to bring this my Paper unto your view. And first, let me desire of you not to be angry, if I speak ra­ther to profit then to please you, forbearing altoge­ther those false and clawing expressions which your Adorers use when they address themselves to speak unto you: I dare not tell you of any humble tenders of my small constant devotion to serve you in your way, for I am sure 'tis not the way of Christ and God, nor can I acknowledge your spurious Good old Cause under the pretence of Reformation and preservation of Church and Commonwealth; for I know no such matter, but rather the direct contrary. This being premised, I do now address my self unto you for the present in this manner. Tell us, O unhappy men that have been the principal instruments of all our woes, and have given life and motion to all our miseries.

1. With what impudence could you affirm that there was a necessity to dethrone his late Highness, and to abolish the free choise and election of the people, the Representatives: it hath been observed that in all innovations and rebellions (which ordi­narily have their rise from pretences of Religion or reformation, or both,) the breach and neglect of [Page 2] Laws hath been authorised by that great Patroness of illegal actions Necessity. But let that great rule be received, that no man can be necessitated to sin, our Divines generally damn an officious lie, and the equity binds from any officious sin; it would soon cut the nerves of the eighth Commandment, if necessities and urgencies, though real, were propounded a suf­ficient excuse for stealing; but that (which you) the Jesuitical powder-Traitors call necessity, is no more then necessity of convenience, nor so much, except we interpret that convenience, may favour your own ends, and so is convenient for your design; but you use necessity as the old Philosophers did an occult quality, though to a different purpose; that was their refuge for ignorance, this is your sanctuary for sin. It is a maxime that you have out of Livy to maintain that, That war must needs be just that is ne­cessary, and those arms pious that are all our livelyhood; I must confess it was a thing very incongruous in the late interrupted Parliament, to desire that those un­gratefull men should leave their crutches, and to walk without them; 'tis no less unnatural to invite these Gentlemen to quit their swords whose lives and fortunes lean intirely upon them, and that this Juncto of Tyrants who will admit of no rule to go­vern by, but their own wills; we know it was the un­happy misery of Athens, when it suffered under the thirty Tyrants: You that take to your selves the title of the Lords worthies, forsooth, but good names do not alwayes prove good men, titles with­out truth, serve but to enhance and disexcuse dam­nation.

2. Tell me, you cursed Cannibals, was not his late Highness proclaimed as Protector and Supream [Page 3] Magistrate by the Commanders in chief of the Ar­my, in the greatest solemnity imaginable, first at the Exchange in London, Westminster, and afterwards through the three Nations, with the greatest testi­monies of the souldiers good will and liking, and of the peoples reception and entertainment with a ne­mine contra dicente?

3. Have not the Officers and Souldiers of the Ar­my afterwards upon more serious deliberation ad­dressed themselves unto the Protector as a supream Magistrate, and so did further thereby oblige them­selves, and by such a kinde of transaction subject themselves by way of the most solemn engagements unto him as supream Magistrate?

4. Did not our addle-brain'd Senators Fleetwood, Desborow, Lambert, cobling Hewson, Cooper, thimbling Barkstead, Bury, and the rest of their Confederates, swear to be true to him as Protector, and how hate­full to God and men, yea, to the very Heathen have such things been, Ezek. 17. 12, 13, 14, 15. speaking of the faith which the Hebrew Kings had given to the Babilonian, Shall he prosper, shall he escape that breaks the Covenant and be delivered, ver. 16, 18. As I live saith the Lord God, surely in the place where the King dwelleth that made him King, whose oath he despised and whose Covenant he brake, even with him in the midst of Ba­bilon he shall die, seeing he despised the oath by breaking the Covenant, and hath done all these things, shall he not escape.

5. Tell us you Sear-soul'd men that will swear pro and con, tell me what an oath is? is it not a Re­ligious affirmation, a promise with Gods Seal, and therefore it should concern Christians to be caute­lous before swearing to swear liquidly, and to observe [Page 4] conscionably, 'tis pity such slender evasions should satisfie us as hath been scorned by Heathen? sad ex­perience tell us how that you English Tigers, in pro­pounding of oaths, requiring promises, and other solemnities, have induced multitudes to binde them­selves upon some secret, loose and mental reservation, which you have framed to your selves as a salvo in case of breach: But I see these Babylonian Sprats have advised more with corrupt wit, then sound con­science: Tis an huge advantage that you (Delphick Devils) have in this world that can easily say and swear to any thing, and yet withall so palliate your falsifications and perjuries, as to hide them from the connusance of most. I know conscionable Lenthal hath already defended your perjuries with this Axiome; that though you swore (sayes he) to a thing not materially unlawfull, if it impedes a moral good, it becomes void, and though you have taken liberty to swear, yet in my judgement (sayes he) the person to whom you swore was incapable of an oath; just as Cicero defends the breach of an oath to a thief, from perjury; and Brutus to a Tyrant; as it is in Appion, the Athenians esteem it an honest perjury to violate their faith with Tyrants. I see it is not diffi­cult for you to cast your desires into such soft glib ex­pressions, as will down with most of you; yea, with many that would absolutely disavow the same thing in rough language. O Countrymen consider whether this way wherein you have gone be not also contradi­ctive to the law of the land, and against common equi­ty, to practice the taking away from any one that which comes unto him by lawfull inheritance, succes­sion or just election? whether you would not so judge it, if any should divest you of what was left you by [Page 5] your parents? Indeed if men come to power and authority by fraud and violence, as you our new Ma­sters have done, and for yon to concur in oppressing the supream Magistrate, and in taking from him what belongs unto him, if conscience be suffered to make report, it will be confessed to be the highest injustice; for as to detract from the Standard which is the rule of measures, is the greatest sin; so it is to detract from Carolus Rex, or Protector Richard, who are the Standards of righteousness in this Kingdom; and for these incarnate devils, to subject, dispose both King, Protector and People to their own lawless Ar­bitrary Power and Government, which is but the product of a rabble of vanish'd Libertinism, Quakers, monstrous Anabaptists, King-killers, Covenant-break­ers, Jesuites, Seminaries and Papists, old Gun­powder Traitors contrived that Good old Cause, Treason beyond the Seas, and in private secret Con­venticles here, but now avowed in open general Councels of the Army, by whose design it is and al­wayes hath been to alter the whole frame of Monar­chy (both of Church and State) which is the best of Governments, Deut. 17. 14. being that of God himself over the whole world, Psal. 10. 16. and of Christ himself in and over his Church, Psal. 2. 6. O God brand these jesuitical, popish, antichristian practises with the highest temporal punishment, eternal torments and condemnation in this and ano­ther world.

6. Did the late Protector (for so it seems he must be called) ever give any ground at all for you Gen­tlemen, to dethrone him and protest against him and his Government. I could wish and many thou­sands more, the reasons might be seen, for nothing [Page 6] hath passed or bin observ'd by diligent observers, that might render him unlovely or inacceptable to any person whatsoever: however if there be any grounds or considerations that might induce the Army to such a grand transaction as this: first to reject and slight him, and then to give reasons, (if there be any) is to hang a man first, and to try him afterwards, seeing there can be no substantial grounds, as its presumed there none can be, even as little as you may blame the Sun for running his course, so harmelesse hath he been: whether then there hath been in any age more unfaithfulness, injustice, greater covenant-brea­kers, persons so rebellious, men that have rendred the blessed Gospel of Christ, and professours there­of, more uncomely, then this adulterous generation hath done, let the world judge; for indeed they have already given their verdict in the case, which more is the pity.

That mammonistical Hypocrite, Hon. Vane, had the impudencie to affirme to the rest of his sociates, that they might without want of modesty and duty depose him, & return to the discharge of their trust: is not this a transparent figment! who trusted them, the people? but the people since have delivered their trust elsewhere, for when his late Highness did send out Writs, the people might have staid at home, there was none forced to choose▪ but freely they have elected others, & if so be the free choice and election of the people make a Parliament, & they are also free to choose, as often the providence of God shall put opportunity into their hands, then its very doubtful, whether this be any other thing then onely a Parliament so called, the people having freely declared otherwise: are these the onely persons [Page 7] whom God and the Law hath trusted, and may they do what their own i [...]clination and fury leades them to? can it be presum'd that they were trusted with a power to destroy and dissolve our Antient setled Government by Kings, Lords, and Commons, to a sneaking Oligar­chial Tyranny, under the bare name of a bastard Good old Cause, which is as changable as the addle heads that con­trive it, and to make themselves perpetual Dictators over the Protector and his People? what doe you intend that the Law it self shall be subject to your votes, and that whatsoever you say or do should be lawful, because you declare it so? Seeing that these hellish designes and actings of a malignant party of this Kingdome, work­ing to regard the progresse, or subvert the being of the true Protestants, and therein to bereave us of all our hopes of reformation, or future peace or happinesse to this Church and Kingdome; It shall be a peece of my daly oraizons, that God would brand these Iesuitical Doctrins with the markes of perpetual scorn and In­dignation.

7ly. Are not these our new State-mongers or this Par­liament (if it needs must be so called) like to infringe the peoples rights, and give lesse satisfaction than one sin­gle person with a Parliament? for my reason is, this Par­liament of 40. or 50. or there abouts, and 70 more Sena­tors besides, have every one of them a long train, there is never a one but is a file-leader, that is, hath at least 16. or 20. in a family, to be provided one way or other, and all hungry as Hawkes, ready to catch at any thing, and nothing will serve but the blood of the people, for they must be fed with something; a reason it is against the standing rules of reason, the professed principles of the Army, for any power or Authoritie to have the Militia and the Command of the Peoples purses which these Cormorants hath, which is both destructive and pernici­ous.

[Page 8] Though the command of the peoples purses was never de­sired or practised by a single person, and was not the Go­vernment setled by Parliament, under one head?

To Execute the Laws of the Government so made by Parliament, more pleasing and rational, than to have a body consisting of so many Knaves, Drunkards, and Whore-masters, which is monster like.

I desire all Christian people to consider also the condi­tion of this factious Generation, that have done more dis­grace and wrong to Chrifts Gospel, than ever was offered since Christs time: never did any in so short a space as­cend to that zenith of villany, as they have done, or pre­tend more Godlinesse, with the practice of so much wickednesse. I confesse they promise fair, like those Gala­thians whom St. Paul writes unto, they begin in the Spi­rit, with the mention of Sin and Mercy; they have the faces of men, but observe them well, we shall find they have the teeth of Lions, and the tail of Scorpions: my en­deavours shall be on purpose to detect their wiles, that men may avoid them, and not be hurt by them, for they have got above board in these times, and stile themselves in their scandalous Pamphlets, the Army of God, Gods only good Children; but in very deed their works speak them not to be of God. La [...]my may their name and title properly be. We have two grand Impostors amongst us Rogers, and Canne, who are very zealous in their scurrulous pasquils for that whorish Old Cause, which is only to re­vive that Tragedy which Mr. Hocker relates of the Anabap­tist in Germany; Who talking of nothing but Faith, and the true fear of God, and that riches and honour were vanity, at first upon the greater opinion of their Humility, Zeal, and Devotion, procured much Reverence and estimation with the people: A [...]ter finding how many persons they had ensnared with their Hypoc [...]isie, they began to pro­pose [Page 9] to themselves to reform both the Ecclesiastical and Civil Government of State; then because possibly they might meet with some opposition, they secretly entred into a League of Association; and shortly after (find­ing the power they had got with the credulous people) en­riched themselves with all kind of spoyl, and pillage, and justified it upon our Saviours promise, The Meek shall inhe­rit the Earth; and declared their title was the same which the Righteous Israelites had unto the goods of the wicked Egyptians. This story is worth the reading at large, and needs no application. For the avoiding of this shadow of Religion, I shall add an Antidote: External holinesse invites awful regards: there is no mask that becomes Re­bellion, Innovation, so well as Religion; nothing that so much conceals deformity, and pretends beauty. 'Tis an excellent thing so to dissimulate piety, that when we act strongly against it, in that very artick of wickednesse the people Saint us. Herod would fain worship, when he means to worry. This is that which leads the world in a string, that hallows the most Hellish enterprises: for the Common people (which are the [...]) never see behind the Curtain, a handsome glosse is with them as good as the Text: ('Tis the Ethick of these Hypocrites) Let us in­joy the temporal advantages of Religion, and let others take the eternal; Let us use it for a cloak or a crutch, and let others expect from it a Crown. The River Atheneus is my embleme, whose upper waters were sweet and grate­full, but towards the bottom brackish; But let all sober Christians know, that this shell of Religion (which our new Masters do so hotly persue) though it may be of ex­ternal conducement, that there is nothing that Gods pure and undeluded eye looks on with more abhorrency: we may possibly deceive men, but it is in vain to put Ironies upon God. A counterfeit Religion, shall find a real Hell, [Page 9] and 'tis pitty that such a sacred thing should be violen­ced, and made subservient to rebellious irregular de­signs.

As for you gentlemen, who have conspired with the wrath of God in the stupefaction of your conscierc [...]s, though you may for a time struggle with those inward checks, yet there will be a day (if not in this life) when that Witnesse, that Judge, that Jury, will not be bribed.

God hath fixed it in the Soul, as an internal Register, as an impartial Diary, as the Censor of the affections, and the pedagogue of the passions, and you that have by an inveterate wickednesse conquered the oppositions which God seated in your hearts to sin, may possibly consult well with your present advantage and greatness, but not at all with his future comforts, for besides the losse of that intimate pleasure which waits upon inno­cency. There is another wile that these Gibeonites have to seduce multitudes, and is so prevalent with most people; Their successe in all enterpises, as their Demi-God Rogers, the forge and bellowes of sedition, Infernal Emisarie, stiles in his Pamphlet against Mr. Prynne, the blessed and successefull Parliament. Seeing it is so great a Plea with these men, I will first shew, that successe is no argument of a good cause; and then, that the wicked­est men have most used it. Concerning the first, David in the 73 Psalm, describing the outward estate of evil men, sayes, they were successfull in their affaires; inso­much that the people thereupon came in apace unto them; yea, so prosperous they were in their way, that in a manner, he was non-plus'd at the matter. And Jere­my the Prophet argues with God about the same thing, Jerem. 12. why it should be so, That they who dealt ve­ry [Page 10] treacherously, should be so very happy; whose con­ditions also in another place he describes more fully in these words, Jeremy 5 chapt. 26, 27. Among my people are found wicked men, who lie in wait, and set traps and snares to catch their brethren, their houses are full of deceit and wrong, yea, they do (in their Justice and cruelty) surpasse wic­ked men: they take upon them to be Judges, and yet judge not the cause, no not so much as the cause of the fatherlesse, or the right of the needy; and yet they prosper, are become great, grown rich, waxen fat, and shine. Here was prosperity we see, here was successe, but no honesty, no goodnesse. In the 11. of Daniel, 36. certain vile persons (so intitled) are prophesied of, who should do much mischief against the holy people, whom they should kill and destroy, and speak blasphemous things against the God of Gods; they should honour onely the god of forces, i. e. they should trust only in their Militia, or strength of weapons, for safety and protection: (all these it seems, are the conditions of vile persons, and should prosper for an appointed time, untill the indignation be accomplished (saies the Text) which was determined to be done.) VVe know that Cain prevailed against Abel, yet Abel was the better man, and offered the better sacrifice: nay the Pharisees (we know) prevailed a­gainst Christ himself for a season, had their wills of him, got him Crucified by the common vote and con­sent of the people, even according to the desires of their own hearts. And from hence it was believed by a great many, that Christ was even such a man as his enemies re­ported him, a deceiver, and a malefactor: & that it was the Judgement of God upon him for his sins. He was despised, rejected of men, Esay 53. 4. Hence it is that some of his Disciples themselves were so staggered at the mat­ter, that even they made a question, whether he were the [Page 12] man whom they took him to be, because of that suc­cesse which his enemies had against him. Indeed it is the humor of men to passe sentence upon others, from a view of their outward conditions; if they prosper, then they conclude them good, and beloved of God; if not, then wicked presently. When the viper was seen hang­ing on St. Pauls hand, he was judged a murtherer imme­diately, and the worst of men in all the Company. Does not Scripture throughout, and dayly experience both, inform us, that the best men are usually the most afflicted? and thus we see that to argue from suc­cesse is but a weak kind of arguing. But I shall pro­ceed to the next place, that the worst men have alwayes been wont to plead this Argument; one or two exam­ples amongst many shall be alleged to this purpose. The Scripture tells of Rabshaketh, when he moved the people of Jerusalem (as these men do us) to make a ge­neral revolt from good Hezekiah, he pretended that God had set him on work, and had said, Go up against this Land, and destroy it, and his main argument was, his Masters extraordinary great successe, Isay. 36. 10, 19. to which purpose he reckoned up (as our Tyrants doe) a great many Cities and Castles which he had taken, as Hamah, and Arphad, Sepharvaim, and Ivah. And so the Turks to this day argue against the Christians, that their Religion excells ours, because they have pros­pered better, and prevailed more than we have done. Indeed there is no Argument more popular than suc­cesse, because the bulk of men is not able to distinguish the permission of God from his approbation: and al­though it be in it self fallacions and feeble, yet the mi­sery of the conquered denies them the opportunity to dispute it; for the opposition of the sword will never be [Page 13] confuted by the bare fist of Logick. I wonder that any would be so importunate to preach Laws and Moral reasons to these men with swords by their sides; who are like those in Livy; That all Laws are engraven on the hilt of a victorious sword, to whose Mandamus all other Statutes must submit. But our new Masters by quoting the successe of their undertakings, besides the plausiblenesse and insinuating nature of the proposition it self, have the advantage of power to make us believe them; nor is this bait contemptible; many of parts and prudence, yea and of Religion, have been stag­gered by it. The Heathen could say, happy Pira­cy is a thing of unhappy presidency; fortunate sins may prove dangerous temptations; But for these men to say that God doth signally attest the actions of their persons, or the Justice of their cause, by per­mitting it to prosper and taper up in the World, is such a deceit, as deserves our serious abhorrency. And now (Reader) let us mix our prayers, that God would for ever banish this cur [...]d policy out of Europe, and the whole Christian VVorld; and Damn it down to Hell, from whence originally it came: and let such as delight to abuse others, think of that self-cousenage, with which in the interim they abuse themselves. God permitting the Devil to re­venge the Imposture. And whilst we are busie with politick Stratagems, and tortious arms to invade the rights of others, let us all consider, that this is not the violence which takes Heaven. It is ma­nifest that we are fallen into the dregs of time, we live in the rust of the Iron age, and must accor­dingly expect to feel the dotages of a decrepit VVorld: what is become of truth, sincerity, chari­ty, [Page 14] humility, those Antiqui mores, whether are they gone? did they attend Astraea, and have left such de­generous successors, as cruelty, pride, fraud, envy, oppression, &c? O God be thou pleased to magnifie thy power, and thy mercy in converting these men, bring them upon their Knees, (good Lord) before thee and before the Nation, and perswade their proud and Rebellious Spirits, to beg pardon for all their evils done, and to this end let them feel that Hell which is in their own bosomes, let the blood which they have shed cry, and the evils they have committed roar within them; Let them seriously think of those Devouring flames, of those everlasting burnings, upon the worm that never dieth, and upon the fire that never shall be quenched.