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<DATE>2-26-15</DATE>
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<NAME>John Latta</NAME>
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<FRONT>
<DIV1 TYPE="title page">
<PB REF="1" MS="y">
<P>SIR GEORGE BOOTHS LETTER Of the 2^d of <HI>Augu&s;t,</HI> 1659. Shewing the Rea&s;ons of his pre&s;ent Engagement.</P>
<P>TOGETHER WITH An An&s;wer to the &s;aid Letter, invalidating the &s;aid Rea&s;ons.</P>
<P><HI>LONDON;</HI> Printed in the Yeare 1659.</P>
</DIV1>
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<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="letter">
<PB REF="2">
<PB N="3" REF="2">
<HEAD>SIR GEORGE BOOTH'S LETTER Of the 2^d of <HI>Augu&s;t,</HI> 1659. Shewing the Rea&s;ons of his pre&s;ent Engagement.</HEAD>
<DIV2 TYPE="excerpt of letter">
<BYLINE><HI>Sir</HI> George Booth.</BYLINE>
<P><HI>_SIR, I think my &s;elf, and the Gentlemen, and others you know to be now engaged with me, have no hopes, by new troubles, to better our pre&s;ent condition.</HI></P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="answer">
<P>Sir, What your thoughts are in this kinde, whence they came, and whether they are going, are knowne unto God and your owne Con&s;cience, and not unto me, and therefore, are the object of my wonderment, not of my cen|&s;ure. Sure I am, that &s;uch thoughts, and purpo&s;es, as travell through the blood of your owne brethren in the Fle&s;h, and in the Faith, can hardly produce any authentick warrant from the word of God for their voucher therein; who&s;e <HI>condition you &s;eeke to better by</HI> the&s;e <HI>new troubles</HI> of your owne making, ex|cept the <HI>condition</HI> of the Idolatrous Papi&s;ts, the &s;uper&s;titious Prelates, and the old profane, conquered Cavaliers, and their
<PB N="4" REF="3">wicked crew, I cannot well imagine; but if you, and <HI>the Gen|tlemen and others with you,</HI>
<NOTE PLACE="marg">Jo&s;h. 6.26. 1 King. 16.34.</NOTE> &s;hall like <HI>Hiel</HI> the <HI>Bethelite,</HI> endea|vour to build up <HI>Jerico,</HI> which the cur&s;e of God hath turned in|to rubbi&s;h: the foundation and gates thereof &s;hall be laid, and rai&s;ed in the de&s;truction of your family's. No; you will finde it no ea&s;ie worke, to ble&s;s, whom God hath cur&s;ed, to plant, what he hath pluck't up, and to build what he hath throwne downe.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="excerpt of letter">
<BYLINE><HI>Sir</HI> George Booth.</BYLINE>
<P><HI>With thankfullne&s;s we may &s;ay it, God hath made our lot larger then our de&s;ires in that kinde, and we &s;uppo&s;e by that ble&s;&s;ing put an obligation upon us, as we are con&s;iderable mem|bers of our Countrey, to have more &s;ober and couragious thoughts in time of extremity then other men have.</HI></P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="answer">
<P>The plentifull and <HI>large lot</HI> of your inheritance in the good things of this life <HI>larger then your very de&s;ires in that kinde</HI> doe call for a better and more acceptable thanck offering unto God, then the peace of your Countrey, and the blood of your Country-men, and what ever your former practice hath been, to ble&s;&s;e your neighbourhood with your earthly ble&s;&s;ings; yet, you cannot but know, that your pre&s;ent pro|ceeding in rai&s;ing a Warre in the mid'&s;t of the Nation, and in making your Countrey the &s;eat thereof, have a naturall ten|dency to take away by the Ephah, what you have given by the Omer, and to pull downe with your loines, what you have built up with your little finger. God never ble&s;t you, to ble&s;&s;e his enemies, and bla&s;t his people, that your abundance &s;hould be to their mi&s;ery, and your plenty to their undoing. Which is the naturall tendency of your pre&s;ent practice, and the very quarrell of the old enemy, who&s;e part you take in the pre|&s;ent action. How many (yet) happy, and plentifull familyes, men, women and children, and &s;uch as never &s;aw the Sunne, are like to have cau&s;e to cur&s;e the day wherein you were borne, and the night wherein you were conceived, the womb
<PB N="5" REF="3">that bare you, and the paps that gave you &s;uck; your name, your family, and the very mention thereof as loath&s;ome and burthen&s;ome to them. And if you pro&s;per in your pre&s;ent worke, which (you cannot but believe) is again&s;t the &s;trong cryes, and deprecations of many thou&s;ands of &s;uch as are deare and precious in the &s;ight of God: and whom he hath owned, and delivered from time to time, in the day of their feare] the mo&s;t pious of all your party will mo&s;t bewaile it in the lat|ter end. The <HI>Obligation</HI> which God hath put upon you, and <HI>the Gentlemen and others now ingaged with you,</HI> in ble&s;&s;ing and making you <HI>con&s;iderable members of your Countrey,</HI> &s;hould have induced you to more <HI>&s;ober thoughts</HI> of your &s;elfe <HI>in time of ex|tremity,</HI> then to take upon you to rai&s;e up a warre, to head partyes, to &s;ummon the people to obey your commands, with the hazard of their lives, and fortunes, without the lea&s;t pre|tence of any vi&s;ible authority for your &s;o doing. Is the great|ne&s;&s;e of your e&s;tate, and intere&s;t, above others, the warrant of your actions? then meer power is a good plea for practice, and potency for tyranny, is the impul&s;e of your &s;pirit, the ground of your ingagement? is not this fanatick Quakei&s;me? and pure Mun&s;teri&s;me? have per&s;onall di&s;contents, and re|venge, upon pre&s;umed wrongs by denying your acce&s;&s;e to &s;it in Parliament, put you in Armes? &s;hall <HI>the root</HI> of your re|venge <HI>be watered with the blood</HI> of your Country? is not this irreligion in extremity? if you have any other Commi&s;&s;ion; why is it concealed as matter of &s;hame, let's under&s;tand it, that we may judge of it, the greatne&s;&s;e of your e&s;tate above others, calls for your courage to &s;ecure your Countrey in time of warre; and not to rai&s;e up a warre in time of peace.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="excerpt of letter">
<BYLINE><HI>Sir</HI> George Booth.</BYLINE>
<P><HI>And though the indifferency that lies upon other mens &s;pi|rits might flat ours; yet we cannot thinke, but if it were re|pre&s;ented to them, how the pre&s;ent power doth oblige us to put out our right eyes when they require us to acknowledge them
<PB N="6" REF="4">as a Parliament, and lay upon us &s;uch heavy and grievous burthens, and &s;uch deceiptfull ones as a yeares Tax in three moneths, be&s;ides the many other impo&s;itions of Exci&s;e,</HI> &amp;c. <HI>and by rai&s;ing among us a</HI> Militia, <HI>they cut off our right hand by &s;ubjecti<GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="missing" EXTENT="1 letter">g us under the meane&s;t and fanatick &s;pi|rits of the Nation, under pretence of protection, their &s;pi|rits would be warmed into the &s;ame zeale that ours are kind|led with.</HI></P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="answer">
<P>It is other mens piety, peaceablene&s;&s;e, and love to their Country's, and not their <HI>indifferency</HI> which way things goe; that di&s;po&s;e them to peace; which might have been more ex|pected from you (all things con&s;idered) then from many of them: what hath been <HI>repre&s;ented</HI> unto you, more then unto others? what can you <HI>repre&s;ent</HI> to others more, then others to you? why &s;hould you conceive that others have not their eyes in their heads, to di&s;cern times, and &s;ea&s;ons, and their duty's therein, as well as you? whether the pre&s;ent powers be a Parliament or no Parliament, free or not free, &s;ull or not full, they are the higher powers, and &s;o ordeined of God, whe|ther by his approbation, or meer permi&s;&s;ion, is unto them and not unto us. How they came by it concernes them, how they act in it concernes us. When? wherein? and how have they obliged us <HI>to put out our right eyes,</HI> by requiring us to owne their action, and to ju&s;tifie the meanes of getting into their power? if they be &s;atisfied; what is it to us? they mu&s;t &s;tand or fall to their owne Ma&s;ter: they are the onely vi&s;ible Su|preame Authority, by what name, or title &s;oever di&s;tingui&s;h|ed, dignified, or vilified, under whom we may lead a peace|able and quiet life in all godline&s;&s;e and hone&s;ty. And this is &s;ufficiently obliging upon us (without the lea&s;t touch of of|fence to <HI>the right eyes</HI> of our under&s;tanding) to pray for them, and &s;ubmit unto them in all lawfull commands, yea to defend, and &s;ecure them, and not to levie Forces, and warre again&s;t them. The <HI>heavie and grievous burthens, and taxes, impo&s;itions of Exci&s;e,</HI> &amp;c. are no more <HI>heavie, grievous,</HI> and impo&s;ing, then have been made by their Predece&s;&s;ors, and when your
<PB N="7" REF="4">&s;elfe made one of them in times of nece&s;&s;itie. And whether this cour&s;e which you now take by rai&s;ing another civill warre, when the Nation was in peace, be hopefully promi&s;ing to ren|der our <HI>burdens</HI> le&s;&s;e <HI>heavie and grievous,</HI> let rea&s;on judge. Is not this a <HI>deceiptfull</HI> in&s;inuation of complaint to declaime a|gain&s;t a <HI>deceiptfull burthen of a yeares tax in three moneths;</HI> not onely without mention of the knowne nece&s;&s;ities and pub|lique debts of the Nation, but al&s;o to multiply their nece&s;&s;i|ties and greaten their wants by new troubles, charges, and ex|pences, which you bring upon them? what is this but to quench fire with oyle, and to put it out with gun-powder? And why blame you the pre&s;ent Authority for <HI>cutting off the right hand</HI> of power, that is &s;o apt and dexterous in &s;natching up and u|&s;ing the &s;word to cut their throats? had they tru&s;ted the <HI>Mili|tia</HI> in your hands, together with <HI>the Gentlemen and others in|gaged with you,</HI> well might you have called them <HI>fanatick and meane &s;pirited men.</HI> Sir, if the glory of God, the love of your Country, the pro&s;perity of the Saints, the progre&s;&s;e and &s;ucce&s;&s;e of the Go&s;pel be precious in your eyes, you will well examine the originall of the <HI>zeale and indignation with which your &s;pirit is warmed,</HI> and carried out in your pre&s;ent engage|ments, &s;urely Sir, there is evidence of rea&s;on to &s;u&s;pect that this fire cometh not from heaven, but is &s;ubtilly in&s;inuated by the great enemy of Gods people, and his Je&s;uiticall agents, who have a long time endeavoured to &s;ow the &s;eeds of divi&s;i|ons among&s;t them, engaging each again&s;t his brother, to the ruine of them all, and the u&s;hering in of Popery, Idolatry, &s;u|per&s;tition and profanene&s;&s;e in the end.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="excerpt of letter">
<BYLINE><HI>Sir</HI> George Booth.</BYLINE>
<P><HI>Now con&s;ider what it is we aske, and con&s;ider whether it be not the &s;ame thing we have a&s;&s;erted with our lives and for|tunes, A free Parliament.</HI></P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="answer">
<P>You aske that which is worthy to be <HI>con&s;idered and con&s;ide|red</HI> before it be granted in the &s;ence by you explained, <HI>A free
<PB N="8" REF="5">Parliament</HI> &s;ay you; a King &s;ay others, a kingly Parliament &s;ay all; for you tell us your meaning towards the clo&s;e of your Letter; <HI>A Parliament freely cho&s;en by the Nation, and freely &s;it|ting without force of Souldiery, or an admi&s;&s;ion of the old mem|bers of both Hou&s;es.</HI> Now con&s;ider what it is you aske, whether &s;uch <HI>a free Parliament</HI> in the one &s;ence, or the other, would not <HI>make a &s;hort worke</HI> with tho&s;e now in Power, the Army, and all per&s;ons that without defection have and &s;hall per&s;e|vere <HI>in the &s;ame things they have a&s;&s;erted with their lives and fortunes;</HI> would you have the choice of &s;uch a Parliament with re&s;trictions, or without? if with re&s;trictions; then is it not <HI>a free Parliament;</HI> if without re&s;trictions; is that rea&s;onable? who knows not that (by the &s;ubtile artifice of the Pulpit, the Pre&s;&s;e, by the Je&s;uiticall influences of Papi&s;ts, the di&s;contents of the malignant party and &s;uppre&s;&s;ed adver&s;ary, and the great number of profane people) they will choo&s;e per&s;ons of their own characters, and principles, who&s;e endeavours in Parlia|ment will be the de&s;troying of tho&s;e things formerly <HI>a&s;&s;erted with our lives and fortunes</HI> in the great expence of &s;o much trea&s;ure and blood. I be&s;eech you Sir, deale ingeniou&s;ly, doe not you think in your con&s;cience, that &s;uch a <HI>free Parliament,</HI> as you demand (the pre&s;ent &s;tate and temper of the Nation con&s;idered) will not be &s;o cho&s;en, and being cho&s;en &s;o act? And if &s;o; <HI>why doe not you aske</HI> the re&s;tauration of King, Bi|&s;hops, High Commi&s;&s;ion Court, Starre-Chamber, Court of Wards? <HI>why doe not you aske</HI> the re&s;tauration of High Altars, &s;econd &s;ervice, Coapes, Crucifixes, Cro&s;&s;es, with all the re&s;t of tho&s;e &s;uper&s;titious trumperies? <HI>Why doe not you aske</HI> the e&s;tates, liberties, and lives of the pre&s;ent Parliament, Army, and the totall ruine and de&s;truction of all tho&s;e with their fa|milies that have any wayes engaged in the late warres again&s;t the King? <HI>Why doe not you aske</HI> the re&s;tauration of your idle, and profane &s;uper&s;titious, ignorant and &s;candalous &s;uppre&s;&s;ed Mini&s;ters, the re&s;titution of unju&s;t Judges, profane Magi&s;trates, and oppre&s;&s;ing Monopolizers? <HI>Why doe not you aske</HI> the calling together of the mo&s;t profane, cur&s;ing, &s;wearing, drinking, bla&s;|pheming Royall Reformadoes, and their cur&s;ed crew of Pa|pi&s;ts,
<PB N="9" REF="5">Athei&s;ts, and blooddy men, and form them into Armyes for the defence of Lawes, Religion, and liberties of this Na|tion, and the protection of the Saints and people of God there|in? <HI>Why doe not you aske</HI> the calling home of the bani&s;hed Re|bells of <HI>Ireland,</HI> and traytors of <HI>England</HI> and <HI>Scotland,</HI> that have fled from Ju&s;tice, and that the&s;e may be encouraged, counte|nanced, and advanced? <HI>Why doe you not aske</HI> the eares, the no&s;es, the impri&s;oning, pillorying, whipping, bani&s;hing of all tho&s;e that &s;hall not conforme their judgements, con&s;ciences, and practi&s;es unto the wills and plea&s;ures of wicked men in the things appertaining to Gods wor&s;hip &amp; &s;ervice? in a word, <HI>Why doe not you aske</HI> the pulling downe what&s;oever hath been built up, and the building up, what&s;oever hath been pull'd downe by all the Parliaments &s;ucce&s;&s;es in the late warres? <HI>Now con&s;i|der what it is you aske, and whether</HI> you can have any probable, yea po&s;&s;ible &s;ecurity, that the&s;e (with many others of the like nature) &s;hall not be the unavoydable &s;ucce&s;&s;es and con&s;e|quences of &s;uch <HI>a free Parliament,</HI> &s;o cho&s;en, &s;o &s;itting, and whether the <HI>admi&s;&s;ion of the old members of both Hou&s;es</HI> of this pre&s;ent Parliament be not of the &s;ame con&s;ideration, and argu|ment? For <HI>by the old members of both Hou&s;es,</HI> you mu&s;t meane either &s;ome, or all of them; if &s;ome, then is it not <HI>a free Par|liament,</HI> and &s;o not the thing you <HI>aske;</HI> if all of them mu&s;t be admitted; I demand againe, is that rea&s;onable? &s;hall they that have de&s;erted their tru&s;t, that did withdraw from the Par|liament, joyn'd with the King, in &s;etting up his Standard, and wageing warre with his people, &s;ate with him at <HI>Oxford,</HI> a&s;&s;i|&s;ted him in killing his Subjects, wa&s;ting their Countryes, burn|ing their hou&s;es, and in bringing upon them all the &s;ad and mi&s;erable effects of a long, chargeable, and de&s;tructive warre; &s;hall the&s;e be againe admitted into the &s;ame honour, privi|ledges, powers, capacities, and betru&s;tments with tho&s;e that have a&s;&s;erted their Countryes rights and liberties, and that with all con&s;tancy, during the whole time of the late long dan|gerous, and doubtfull warre. Good Sir, con&s;ider, was &s;uch <HI>a free Parliament the &s;ame thing a&s;&s;erted with our lives and for|tunes?</HI> with your favour Sir, though that was &s;ometimes a cau&s;e
<PB N="10" REF="6">of difference, (as when the King demanded the delivering up of &s;ome members of Parliament, &amp;c.) yet was it not the ground of the quarrell between him and his people, and <HI>the thing a&s;&s;erted with our lives and fortunes,</HI> the civill and religi|ous ju&s;t rights, and liberties of the people, and their common &s;afety, defence, and protection in the enjoyment thereof were <HI>the things a&s;&s;erted with our lives and fortunes,</HI> in all the con|te&s;ts with the late King, and the &s;ame things &s;till in&s;i&s;ted upon by tho&s;e, who&s;e judgements, and con&s;ciences are not turned a&s;ide from their fir&s;t ju&s;t honourable, and Engli&s;h principles, and which will be alwayes <HI>a&s;&s;erted</HI> by them <HI>with their lives and fortunes,</HI> to the la&s;t drop of blood in their veines, and denier in their pur&s;es. Sir, you are much mi&s;taken; if you judge us meer creatures to ho&s;e in power, ready at other commands (like poore fauneing tenants at the beck of their Land-lords, at who&s;e will and plea&s;ure they enjoy what they have) to en|danger our lives, and fortunes, to &s;hed other mens blood, or hazard our owne. No Sir, publique &s;afety, and undoubted ju&s;t liber<GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="missing" EXTENT="1 letter">ies were, are, and ever &s;hall be by all ju&s;t wayes and meanes <HI>a&s;&s;erted by us with our lives and fortunes,</HI> again&s;t all op|po&s;ers.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="excerpt of letter">
<BYLINE><HI>Sir</HI> George Booth.</BYLINE>
<P><HI>And what a &s;tavory it is to our under&s;tanding, that the&s;e men that now call them&s;elves a Parliament, &s;hould declare it an act of illegality and violence in the late a&s;piring Generall</HI> Cromwell, <HI>to di&s;&s;olve their body in</HI> (53) <HI>and not to make it the like in the garbling the whole body of the Parliament from</HI> 400 <HI>to</HI> 40 <HI>in</HI> 1648. <HI>what is this but to act what they con|demne in others.</HI></P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="answer">
<P><HI>And what a &s;lavery is it to our</HI> memories to tell us of <HI>gar|bling the whole body of the Parliament from</HI> 400 <HI>to</HI> 40 <HI>in</HI> 1648? I pre&s;ume you might well have &s;ub&s;tracted above 100, from the 400, and added above 100, to the 40 by you mentioned, and have &s;poken the words of truth and &s;oberne&s;&s;e, which if you
<PB N="11" REF="6">call to mind the Lords and Commons that went away with the King and &s;ate at <HI>Oxford,</HI> and al&s;o the ju&s;t number of tho&s;e left after that garbling; you will not deny. I could heartily wi&s;h that he, whom you call <HI>a&s;piring Cromwell,</HI> had not left be|hind him more a&s;piring &s;pirits, tempers, and di&s;po&s;itions then his was: well, what ever he was, he was a true lover and Pro|tector of all good men, though of different judgements, and in that re&s;pect, not unworthy the imitation of Sir <HI>George Booth</HI> him&s;elfe. <HI>And what a &s;lavery had it been both to the judgement</HI> and per&s;ons of the Army, the well affected party of the Parlia|ment, and to the whole Nation, had they not made that <HI>gar|bling of the Parliament</HI> at that time you &s;peake off? Have you not read what <HI>David</HI> did when he was an hungry? <HI>viz.</HI> that, in that <HI>nece&s;&s;ity,</HI> which otherwi&s;e was not lawfull? would you have the Army to have &s;uffered them&s;elves, their friends in Parliament, the hone&s;t and well affected party of the Nation, the ju&s;t-religious, and civill intere&s;t, and liberties of the peo|ple, to be utterly ruined and de&s;troyed by the <HI>Ay's</HI> and <HI>no's</HI> of an apo&s;tatizing, evill, and di&s;affected &s;pirited party in the hou&s;e, after the expence of &s;o much trea&s;ure, and blood? and at that time, when their enemies were quite vanqui&s;hed, and de&s;troyed? &s;hould they have &s;uffered all to be lo&s;t by a vote, which they had fought for &s;o many yeares, and maintained by a warre? and to be led even by tho&s;e whom they had conque|red to the Gallyes or Gallow&s;e? You &s;eeme even in this Let|ter to ju&s;tifie the Souldiers declaration of him&s;elfe, <HI>no merci|nary, but an Engli&s;h freeman.</HI> And therefore not to &s;uffer him&s;elfe to be led into chains, and to be tru&s;t up with hal|ters by a conquered enemy. And <HI>may not the&s;e men that now call them&s;elves a Parliament, declare it an act of illegality and violence to di&s;&s;olve their body</HI> without cau&s;e under no nece&s;&s;ity, but through mi&s;pri&s;&s;ions and mi&s;takes &s;ugge&s;ted; and which have been &s;ince acknowledged by them that did it, <HI>and not make it the like in that garbling</HI> you mention under the fore|&s;aid circum&s;tances, and nece&s;&s;ities? And might not they then take upon them to be <HI>Judge of that nece&s;&s;ity;</HI> as well as Sir <HI>George Booth</HI> now take upon him to be Judge of a nece&s;&s;ity,
<PB N="12" REF="7">even to rai&s;e a warre, and put his Country into blood, and ha|zard the lives and families of many thou&s;ands of his hone&s;t and innocent Countrymen? Will you blame others for doing that, under importune nece&s;&s;ities, to keep downe a conquered ene|my, and thereby to pre&s;erve their Countryes peace, after a tedrous, de&s;tructive, and chargeable warre; and yet ju&s;tifie your &s;elfe in rai&s;ing up a like dangerous, de&s;tructive, and chargeable warre under no nece&s;&s;ity, when the whole Nation was in peace? <HI>What is this but to act what</HI> (yea wor&s;e then what) <HI>you condemne in others?</HI></P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="excerpt of letter">
<BYLINE><HI>Sir</HI> George Booth.</BYLINE>
<P><HI>Why doe they a&s;&s;ociate them&s;elves to the pre&s;ent Army, or indeed to the pre&s;ent Commanders in Chiefe, and keep out their numerous and fellow-members; if committing violence upon a Parliament be &s;o notorious a crime?</HI></P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="answer">
<P><HI>Becau&s;e their numerous, and fellow-members</HI> de&s;erted that good old cau&s;e when time was (<HI>viz.</HI> the bringing Delinquents to condigne puni&s;hment, the a&s;&s;erting, and maintaining the ci|vill and religious liberties of the people) in the pro&s;ecution whereof, the formerly united together,) as <HI>fellow-members</HI> in the &s;ame &s;ocieties, and &s;ervice, as al&s;o becau&s;e, they are &s;till apt, and ready, upon all occa&s;ions, opportunities, and advan|tages, to de&s;troy that cau&s;e, to re&s;tore Delinquents, to power, and dignities, and to take away tho&s;e liberties which have been &s;o a&s;&s;erted and maintained: the &s;afety and pre&s;ervation where|of being the great and &s;overaigne end, even of the Parliament it &s;elfe.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="excerpt of letter">
<BYLINE><HI>Sir</HI> George Booth.</BYLINE>
<P><HI>And how doe they teach the Souldiers boldly to doe that, which them&s;elves practice, and make them in&s;truments of? what is this but under another &s;hape to act the condemned acts of &V;&s;urpation and Tyranny in their old Generall? what is
<PB N="13" REF="7">this but to nece&s;&s;itate men to complaine? And upon complaint to be invaded by their power, &s;o to rai&s;e (if the Engli&s;h &s;pirits be not di&s;&s;olved into ba&s;ene&s;&s;e and aptitude for &s;lavery) a ci|vill warre; and to endeavour to water their owne roote with the blood of many thou&s;ands of their Countrymen, or to gape af|ter tho&s;e confi&s;cations, which by a victory upon pre&s;umption of the unity of their Army they hope to gaine over all tho&s;e that dare with danger a&s;&s;ert their liberties, (which pre&s;umption yet may faile them; for the Souldier hath and may declare him|&s;elfe no Mercenary, but an Engli&s;h freeman; which indeed though it be now contrary to his actions, may returne to his thoughts againe.</HI></P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="answer">
<P>And do not all the&s;e angry queries, and doubled interroga|tions, the &s;ame things over and over againe, argue the violent ebullitions and fomentations of a pre&s;ent di&s;temper, &amp; the pre|cipitate &s;tearage of keene and rai&s;ed pa&s;&s;ions and di&s;contents, and that <HI>your &s;pirits are warmed into that zeale and indignation,</HI> even unto the eating up of your wonted moderation, and de|portment? Are not your <HI>why's, how's,</HI> and <HI>what's,</HI> retortable unto your &s;elfe? and your party? WHY did the Presbyte|rians drive away the Speaker, and the well affected party of the Parliament, forceing them to fly to the Army for refuge and protection, and their party remaining in the Hou&s;e choo&s;e another Speaker (M^r <HI>Pellam) If committing violence up|on a Parliament be &s;o notorious a crime?</HI> HOW comes it to pa&s;&s;e, that we never heare either your &s;elfe or any other of your party reprove them for it? By WHAT authority doe you take up Armes, rai&s;e partyes, levy a warre, kill and &s;lay tho&s;e that oppo&s;e you, and would impo&s;e tearmes and condi|tions upon tho&s;e in pre&s;ent power and authority? <HI>WHAT is this but under another &s;hape to act the eondemned acts of &V;&s;urpa|tion and Tyranny</HI> of other men? Why doe you <HI>invade</HI> men by force of Armes, when the people were in peace; and joyne with the old Cavalier <HI>(if the Engli&s;h &s;pirits be not di&s;&s;olved into ba&s;ene&s;&s;e and aptitude for &s;lavery)</HI> to rai&s;e a civill warre, and to reduce us unto the old bondage and tyranny of tho&s;e very fa|milyes,
<PB N="14" REF="8">and per&s;ons that (through fire and &s;word) have attemp|ted our &s;lavery's? WHAT is this, but to endeavour <HI>to wa|ter your owne root,</HI> yea and the <HI>root</HI> of Tyranny, Popery, Prela|cy, &amp;c. <HI>with the blood of your Countrymen? and to gape after tho&s;e confi&s;cations,</HI> greatnes, and preferments, <HI>which by a victo|ry (upon pre&s;umption of the unity</HI> of the Cavalier, Popi&s;h, Epi&s;|copall, Presbyteriall, malignant, prophane party (all ri&s;ing up as one man in the &s;everall County's and parts of the Nation) <HI>you hope to gaine over all tho&s;e that dare with danger &s;till conti|nue to a&s;&s;ert their liberties? which pre&s;umption yet may faile you? for the Souldier</HI> and the old well affected party, (that have adhered unto the ju&s;t, civill, and religious liberties of their Countrymen) <HI>have and will declare them&s;elves, no Mercenary but Engli&s;h freemen, and which indeed</HI> (however you may judge, or hope the contrary) are &s;till <HI>in their thoughts,</HI> purpo&s;es, and re&s;olutions, unto the very la&s;t breath in their bodyes. <HI>And WHAT a &s;lavery is this to our under&s;tanding</HI> that you &s;hould pretend &s;o much tenderne&s;&s;e of your Countryes good, to &s;o much care again&s;t another <HI>civill warre,</HI> and yet be the fir&s;t and principall promoter and a&s;&s;erter thereof? To &s;peake of <HI>peace</HI> even then, when you prepare for warre: to thru&s;t the &s;word up to the hilts in the bowels of your Country with a <HI>pax vobis</HI> in your mouth? to treat of liberty, and yet a&s;&s;i&s;t the <HI>Scotch</HI> King, and his party by force of armes to reduce us to &s;lavery's.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="excerpt of letter">
<BYLINE><HI>Sir</HI> George Booth.</BYLINE>
<P><HI>And what will be the i&s;&s;ue of all this? A mean and &s;chi&s;|maticall party mu&s;t depre&s;&s;e the Nobility, and under&s;tanding Commons, the land mu&s;t wa&s;t it &s;elfe, and forraigners or others mu&s;t take the advantage of all?</HI></P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="answer">
<P>And what will be the i&s;&s;ue of all this? a Tyrannicall, Popi&s;h, Prelaticall, profane and wicked party <HI>mu&s;t depre&s;&s;e</HI> the mo&s;t pious and ingenious of the <HI>Nobility,</HI> religious Gentry, and <HI>un|der&s;tanding Commons? the land mu&s;t groane and wa&s;t it &s;elfe</HI> un|der its intollerable burthens, upon their per&s;ons, e&s;tates, and
<PB N="15" REF="8">con&s;ciences, the flud-gates of Tyranny, Popery, Idolatry, and all manner of wickedne&s;&s;e and bla&s;phemy mu&s;t be opened, the truely religious, and con&s;cientious people of the land (of what|&s;oever forme or judgement in matters of wor&s;hip) mu&s;t hide their heads in holes, and corners, fly to the remote&s;t parts of the world, or take Sanctuary at the Gallow&s;e. Such is like <HI>to be the i&s;&s;ue</HI> of your pre&s;ent engagement (if you prevaile, which God forbid) what ever you may flatter your &s;elfe to the con|trary) as will make the hearts of all the godly party of the Na|tion to faint, their faces to gather blackne&s;&s;e, their hands to hang downe, their knees to wax feeble, and their &s;pirits to &s;ink within them. Surely Sir, you cannot but doubt [at lea&s;t] that this <HI>may be</HI> the i&s;&s;ue of your pre&s;ent undertakings; and if &s;o; how you can latisfie your con&s;cience therein, is beyond my imagination. What private per&s;wa&s;ions you may have that it &s;hall not be thus, I know not, let not my &s;oule enter into tho&s;e &s;ecrets, yea let me rather dye with the people of God by the &s;word of per&s;ecution for the keeping of faith and a good con|&s;cience, then live with tho&s;e that &s;hall be the unhappy in&s;tru|ments to bring it to pa&s;s. Your pre&s;ent actions have indeed a proper and mo&s;t &s;wift tendency to cau&s;e <HI>the land to wa&s;t it &s;elfe</HI> by a bloudy warre, and to make way that <HI>forrainers and others may take the advantage of all</HI> at la&s;t.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="excerpt of letter">
<BYLINE><HI>Sir</HI> George Booth.</BYLINE>
<P><HI>I dare &s;ay, I profe&s;&s;e for my &s;elfe, and the greate&s;t part with me, have no a&s;pect, but this &s;ingly, that we be not po&s;&s;e&s;t as wa&s;t ground is, only by the title of occupancie, or that the next that gets into the &s;addle, ride us.</HI></P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="answer">
<P><HI>I dare &s;ay, for my &s;elfe, and the greate&s;t part</HI> that differ from you, <HI>have no a&s;pect but &s;ingly this,</HI> that we be not en&s;laved in our civill, and religious liberries, and priviledges, that we be neither charmed, nor oudgel'd by the frauds, or force of any, out of ho&s;e publick bleffings, and benefits, which have been the price of &s;o much trea&s;ure and blood. <HI>We would not be po&s;&s;e&s;t</HI> as
<PB N="16" REF="9">va&s;&s;alls by their captors, or a&s;&s;es by their owners, nor &s;uffer &s;uch to <HI>get into the &s;addle,</HI> as (we know) <HI>will ride us</HI> with whip and &s;pur, like po&s;t hor&s;es, having (now) not &s;o much <HI>title</HI> to us as &s;ome have <HI>unto wa&s;t ground,</HI> even that of <HI>occupencie.</HI> Sir, we are not either for Kings, Protectors, or Parliaments, for this go|vernment, or for that, but as it re&s;pects the end of all Gover|nours, and governments, publicke &s;afety, and ju&s;t libertie. We are not fond of men, neither have we their per&s;ons in admira|tion for advantage, we wi&s;h, that all per&s;ons in authority, were &s;uch (every way) as God requires, and if any be otherwayes, that is our affliction, not our &s;in. But &s;hall we engage the Na|tion in blood, becau&s;e every thing doth not an&s;wer our de&s;ires? Would you have a good Parliament, good Magi&s;trates, good Mini&s;ters, a good &s;ettlement of all things in Church and State? &s;o would we, would you have errors, here&s;ies, and bla&s;phemies duely &s;uppre&s;&s;ed, the ble&s;&s;ed Go&s;pel of Je&s;us Chri&s;t run, and be glorified among'&s;t us? &s;o would we. Are you troubled and afflicted in your minds, that all things are not as God would have them to be among&s;t us? &s;o are we. We differ not in our de&s;ires, but in the means to attain them. We cannot imagine that <HI>a free Parliament</HI> as you &s;peak of, is the way hereunto; that this new, and unhappie war, which you have now begun, can be our Countryes peace, that killing one another can be their &s;afe|ty. That Papi&s;ts would &s;ettle the Prote&s;tant Religion, and that the profane party of the Nation (that are not with you in your pre&s;ent undertakings) would promote piety, that <HI>Charls Ste|wart</HI> will be &s;o great a friend, favourer, and Protector of tho&s;e that a&s;&s;i&s;ted in the late wars again&s;t his father, either of them that brought him to the block, or that cut off his head. You may as &s;oon per&s;wade us out of our wits, rea&s;on, and under&s;tandings, as to believe the&s;e things.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="excerpt of letter">
<BYLINE><HI>Sir</HI> George Booth.</BYLINE>
<P><HI>Let the Nation freely choo&s;e their Repre&s;entatives, and they as freely &s;it, without awe, or force of Souldiary, and what ever, in &s;uch an A&s;&s;embly, is determined; &s;hall be by us freely and cheerfully &s;ubmitted unto.</HI></P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="answer">
<PB N="17" REF="9">
<P>Such a <HI>free Parliament,</HI> &s;o freely cho&s;en, &s;o freely &s;itting, will doubtle&s;&s;e be free enough of our Engli&s;h freedomes. You pro|pound to choo&s;e <HI>a free Parliament</HI> without re&s;trictions (for you name none) M^r <HI>Baxter</HI> (with a greater care of Religion and righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e) propounds another way and manner of choice; &s;ome other perhaps propounds a third, what authoritie have you to force and cram your Propo&s;alls at the &s;words poynt down the throats of tho&s;e in authoritie, more then others to force others? I confe&s;&s;e &s;uch arguments are forceable; but I pre&s;ume through Gods a&s;&s;i&s;tance, you will not finde them in|vincible. Well might the plau&s;ible and taking terme of <HI>A free Parliament</HI> affect the mindes of the giddy multitude, that like Gudgeons, &s;warme in &s;hoals with much greedines, and ha&s;t, to &s;natch at the bait, and di&s;cern not the hooke that de&s;troy's them at la&s;t: or like children, that will be couzened out of any thing, of true worth, and value, upon the bare promi&s;e, of <HI>a fine, new pair of nothings to hang about their necks.</HI> I have heard of a poore &s;imple <HI>Indian,</HI> that &s;old his wife and children for a fiddle, and having &s;hipt them, being aboard the ve&s;&s;ell, and received the fiddle, his chapman carried him al&s;o away into bondage with the re&s;t, however the merry noi&s;e of the fiddle paid for all, and gave him great content: at la&s;t his fiddle was taken from him, the poore fellow then would have ca&s;t him&s;elfe over|board, and had time enough after with his mi&s;erable &s;elfe, wife, and children, to repent of his bargain. Of the truth of which &s;tory, my Author a&s;&s;ured me he was an eye-witne&s;&s;e being in the &s;ame ve&s;&s;ell at that time. Sir, I hope you will not finde all <HI>Engli&s;h</HI> men &s;uch <HI>Indians,</HI> that will &s;ell them&s;elves &amp; po&s;terity into bondage and &s;lavery for the plea&s;ant &s;ound-&s;ake of the &s;id|dle of <HI>a free Parliament.</HI> But will you indeed <HI>freely and chcer|fully &s;ubmit unto what ever in &s;uch an a&s;&s;emblie, &s;hall be deter|mined?</HI> What? thoug it be the e&s;tabli&s;hment of Popery? the extirpation of true Religion? the introduction of tyranny? the propagation of Idolatry? error, here&s;ie, and bla&s;phemy? the burning, butchering, and de&s;troying of men and women truely fearing God, for keeping faith and a good con&s;cience? Will you &s;ay, I &s;uppo&s;e things not to be &s;uppo&s;ed, have not &s;uch
<PB N="18" REF="10">things been the tragicall effects of &s;uch <HI>free Parliaments,</HI> for|merly &s;o freely cho&s;en, and &s;o freely &s;itting? and have we not rea&s;on to &s;uppo&s;e, that the Popi&s;h party, with all their intere&s;t, forrain, and in our own Nation, doe contribute their concur|rence, and a&s;&s;i&s;tance unto you in your pre&s;ent action, with hopes, to live to &s;ee &s;uch a Parliament, &s;o acting? Although, you might have comfort in your active, or pa&s;&s;ive <HI>&s;ubmi&s;&s;ion, unto what e|ver be determined in &s;uch an a&s;&s;embly,</HI> ve&s;ted with the &s;upreme Authority of the Nation; yet will you have little comfort in &s;etting up &s;uch per&s;ons in authority, that &s;hall &s;o act. I would &s;ubmit, actively or pa&s;&s;ively to the Turke, or Pope, were I un|der eyther of their Juri&s;dictions; but I would not help eyther of them to that authority, and power over me.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="excerpt of letter">
<BYLINE><HI>Sir</HI> George Booth.</BYLINE>
<P><HI>If this &s;atisfie you, I am glad of it; for you are my noble friend. I u&s;e it not as an artifice eyther to engage you, or make other Counties follow our example, which if they doe not, let their po&s;terity judge of their action and ours; for we are borne for our Country, and our Country, our Religion, and our lives are in danger; and we will not be unconcerned.</HI></P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="answer">
<P>How this hath <HI>&s;atisfied</HI> your di&s;&s;atisfied friends, you may per|ceive by their non-complyance with you herein. Who doe not a little admire, that a per&s;on of your wi&s;dome, and character, &s;hould ever be &s;o en&s;nared by the &s;ubtile <HI>artifice</HI> of doubtle&s;s your enemies, as well as theirs, to take part with them in their bloody attempts upon the religion, liberties, and peace of the Nation. Surely this argues that the be&s;t of men are but men at be&s;t, and that the wi&s;e&s;t are &s;ometimes weak. Although I &s;hall not conclude concerning your &s;elfe, from your many confede|rates of Papi&s;ts, Athei&s;ts, and the profane people of the land, <HI>no&s;citur ex comite,</HI> yet may I &s;o conclude concerning your cau&s;e, being theirs throughout, and am not a little troubled, that your &s;elfe, and &s;uch as you are, and (as I hear) &s;everall of your Mi|ni&s;ters with you, that have done worthily in <HI>Ephrata,</HI> and been
<PB N="19" REF="10">famous in <HI>Bethlem,</HI> &s;hould &s;o readily comply with the de&s;ires of <HI>Balacke,</HI> and his Courtiers, to cur&s;e <HI>Jacob,</HI> and defie <HI>I&s;rael;</HI> and &s;o frequently, and freely contribute their e&s;tates, families, lives, and fortunes, for a &s;acrifice to that purpo&s;e. This is the fourth or fifth time, of E&s;&s;ay's, and attempts of this kinde, wherein, the zealous, and mo&s;t religious of your partie, (<HI>Ba|laam</HI>-wi&s;e) have endeavoured in a way of &s;acrifice, and zeale for the wor&s;hip, honour, and &s;ervice of God, to cur&s;e <HI>I&s;rael,</HI> have built Altars, and multiplyed offerings at <HI>Kiriath-Huzoth,</HI> at Mount <HI>Pi&s;gah,</HI> at Mount <HI>Peor,</HI> at <HI>London, Kent, E&s;&s;ex, Wales, Scotland, Worce&s;ter,</HI> and now at <HI>Che&s;ter,</HI> &s;triving, if po&s;&s;ible, in one place or other to cur&s;e them from thence. But God is not as man that he &s;hould lye, nor as the &s;on of man that he &s;hould repent; he hath given commandement to ble&s;&s;e, and he hath ble&s;&s;ed and will not rever&s;e it. I &s;hall not &s;ay, you have made u&s;e of your Letter <HI>as an artifiece to make other Counties to fol|low your example,</HI> though the printing and publi&s;hing thereof, (throwing them up and downe the &s;treets, and into mens hou|&s;es and &s;hops, as fi&s;hers doe their baits when they are about to angle, (though perhaps not by your order) could have no other de&s;igne. The truth is, there is too little of art, and le&s;&s;e of ar|gument therein to make it effective that way; <HI>viz. to follow your example, which if they &s;hould, their po&s;terity</HI> with abhor|rence, and amazement, would bewail and cen&s;ure the &s;ame, <HI>viz.</HI> that when God and their Country by a long and bloody wa<GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="missing" EXTENT="1 letter">re, at la&s;t had made them the free&s;t people under the hea|vens, and had po&s;&s;e&s;t them with the ble&s;&s;ed Go&s;pel of Je&s;us Chri&s;t, in the greate&s;t libertie, and power thereof that ever was in any part of the world &s;ince the coming of it into the world, even their Ance&s;ters, their unhappy Ance&s;ters, of their own accord, in time of peace, and &s;ettlement, did ri&s;e up and le|vie a warre, &s;triking hands together with Papi&s;ts, and all &s;orts of wicked men, and by meanes thereof &s;ubjected both their mi&s;erable &s;elves and po&s;terity under the in&s;upportable yoak of &s;lavery and Popery. But you will (I hope) finde that the &s;tone wherewith you have begun to burthen your &s;elfe, will be too heavie for you, for hitherto all that have burthen'd
<PB N="20" REF="11">them&s;elves with it have been broken in peices by it, for there is a con&s;iderable party in <HI>England</HI> full of that truth you &s;peak of, <HI>viz: We are born for our Country, and our Country, our religi|on, and our lawes are in dangtr</HI> of Tyranny Popery and &s;lavery, <HI>and we will not be unconcerned.</HI></P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="excerpt of letter">
<BYLINE><HI>Sir</HI> George Booth.</BYLINE>
<P><HI>But we are faithfull and peacefull in the land, and if they in authority will decline ho&s;tility, and agree of a means to admit the old members of both Hou&s;es, or to call a new free Parlia|ment, let him be, and he onely is truly a Traitor that re&s;olves not his judgement, and obedience into their determinations. I am</HI></P>
<CLOSER><SALUTE>Sir</SALUTE> <SIGNED><HI>Your humble &s;ervant,</HI><LB> George Booth.</SIGNED>
<DATELINE>Che&s;ter <DATE><HI>Augu&s;t</HI> 2^d.<LB> 1659.</DATE></DATELINE></CLOSER>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="answer">
<P>UNto whom you are <HI>faithful and peacefull in the land,</HI> is now well known, <HI>faithfull and peacefull</HI> unto the old Roy|ali&s;t, and their crew of Papi&s;ts Athei&s;ts; <HI>&amp;c.</HI> on who&s;e behalfe you have now engaged, having (it &s;eems) quitted your old <HI>faithfulne&s;&s;e</HI> unto the contrary party, and di&s;turbed, yea de|&s;troyed the publick <HI>pe<GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="faint" EXTENT="1 letter">ce of the land,</HI> what <HI>authority</HI> you have to impo&s;e termes upon tho&s;e whom you confe&s;&s;e and &s;ub&s;cribe to <HI>be in authority,</HI> and who gave you that <HI>authority</HI> I would gladly know; the per&s;ons you <HI>re&s;i&s;t</HI> you acknowledge to <HI>be in authority,</HI> and cannot deny, but that under them, you may lead a quiet and peaceable life, in all Godline&s;&s;e and hone&s;ty, and if &s;o, tho&s;e Mini&s;ters and others that have provoked you unto this <HI>ho&s;tility,</HI> have manife&s;ted but little divinity, and &s;oundne&s;&s;e in the faith. It was little expected, that the Ambapti&s;ts of <HI>Mun&s;ter</HI> &s;hould thus appeare in the Presbyters of <HI>Che&s;hire,</HI> taking up arms again&s;t their &s;uperiours <HI>in authority,</HI> and at the &s;ame time with their &s;words in their hands write them&s;elves the <HI>falthfull and peacefull in the land,</HI> but your termes are con|&s;iderable, <HI>If they in authority will decline ho&s;tility</HI> (and &s;uffer you
<PB N="21" REF="11">to continue yours) <HI>and agree of a means to admit the old mem|bers of both Hou&s;es,</HI> (to undo all, that they <HI>in authority</HI> have done, build up what they have thrown down, throw down what they have built up, and at la&s;t cut off the heads of them, that &s;hall &s;o <HI>admit</HI> them) <HI>or call a new free Parliament</HI> (for the ends afore&s;aid) <HI>let him be (and he only is truly) a Traitor thet re&s;olves not his judgement and obedience unto their determination,</HI> yea ra|ther <HI>let him be</HI> (for <HI>he is truly) a Traitor</HI> that &s;hall attempt by force of armes, to bring this to pa&s;&s;e, and that <HI>re&s;olves his judge|ment</HI> and endeavors according <HI>to &s;uch determinations.</HI></P>
<P>Sir, You have had (and I beleeve very de&s;etvedly) the re|putation of a Gentleman of honour, prudence and piety, and therefore can &s;avour things, as well religious, as rea&s;onable, for my part, I know you not &s;o much as by face, but by fame, and had not &s;uppo&s;ed my &s;elfe at all concerned in your Letter, had I not very lately met with it in Print, endeavouring to pro&s;elite all that read it (but they are but flyes that are catcht by cob|webs) the report I heare of you, doth much encourage me to be free with you. Sir, Be plea&s;ed to con&s;ider your pre&s;ent &s;tanding, before you make any further progre&s;&s;e. And whether you have not levied, and rai&s;ed a war, for tho&s;e ends (for I pre|&s;ume them good) which may be more hopefully attained by a victory again&s;t you, then on your &s;ide. I be&s;eech you Sir, what are your aimes? Is it PUBLICK PEACE? the Nation had it; why did you di&s;turb it by a publick war? Is it PUBLICK SAFETY? Is that to be had in fields of blood? Is it PUBLICK PLENTY? Peace brings plenty, but wars wants, Is it PUB|LICK LIBERTY? Is there any tyranny to that of war? Is it to ea&s;e the people of PUBLICK BURTHENS? what bur|thens to tho&s;e of war? Is it PUBLICK SETTLEMENT of religion and laws? war is the confu&s;ion and ruine of both, if the&s;e be not your <HI>aims;</HI> what are your <HI>Ailments?</HI> ARE YOU DISSATISFIED WITH THOSE IN AUTHORITY HOW THEY CAME TO IT? Will you purcha&s;e this &s;atisfaction with the price of blood? by what command from Gods word is it incumbent upon you, to &s;eek &s;atisfaction in that particular upon tho&s;e terms? ARE YOU TROUBLED
<PB N="22" REF="12" MS="y">AT OUR STATE UNSETTLEMENT? why doe you in|terrupt the &s;ettlement thereof? though our Governours have been un&s;ettled and our governments un&s;etled, yet have we not had &s;etled lawes and executions thereof, under them all? and is not un&s;ettlement of Governments, and Governours, where the Laws notwith&s;tanding are duly executed, better then a co|ercive &s;ettlement, under tyranny, where the wills and lu&s;ts of men mu&s;t goe for laws? ARE YOU TROUBLED AT OUR CHURCH UNSETTLEMENT? &s;o am I, as well, as you, and could heartily wi&s;h, we were all &s;etled in the unity of faith, truth, and love; but is war the way to this &s;ettlement, is not un&s;ettlement about the truth better then &s;ettlement in error, Popery, Idolatry, and &s;u&s;per&s;ticious formality? may not a pious mind be of an un&s;etled judgement, about &s;ome particulars in faith and wor&s;hip? Is war the way to &s;et le mens judgements in the things of God? what? by beating their brains together like addle eggs? what would you have tho&s;e <HI>in authority</HI> to do about this &s;etlement, which they have not done? Have they not &s;etled Presbyttery (your own religion and form of Govern|ment) by a Law, as the onely National Church government&s;t Hath not that form only the civill &s;anction of Parliamentary authority, and publick maintenance for the encouragement thereof? Is there any thing wanting but compul&s;ive power to enforce all men unto that form? and is that &s;uch a grievance? Is other mens peace their perfecution, other mens liberty, their bonds? Are there not pious per&s;ons of the Epi&s;copal, Congre|gational, Anabapti&s;tical, as well as of the Presbyterial way? ARE YOU AFFRAID THAT THOSE IN AUTHORI|TY WILL PUT DOWN THE MINISTERS (for that's the clamor among &s;ome) have not tho&s;e in authority <GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="blotted" EXTENT="1 word"> o|ther to fear, that the Mini&s;ters will de&s;troy them? What have the Parliament done again&s;t them? have they not e&s;tabli&s;hed their government by a Law? put out many of the Epi&s;copall party from their livings, and placed them in their rooms? have they not confirm'd their tythes, notwith&s;tanding the Petitions of many well affected to the Parliament, to the contrary? have they not &s;etled many thou&s;ands (if I am not much mi&s;taken,
<PB N="23" REF="12" MS="y">above one hundred thou&s;and pounds <HI>per annum</HI>) augmentation, where their livings have been &s;mall? have they done for other Mini&s;ters, or people, of any other way, or form of Govern|ment, as for them? and have the Mini&s;ters, or people of any o|ther form (&s;ince their e&s;tabli&s;hment) engaged again&s;t tho&s;e in authority, as the&s;e have done? have not many of them (I &s;peak not of all, no, &s;ome are of more holy, meek, merciful, moderate, quiet, and of good tempers, &s;pirits, and deportments, whom I love, and honour in my heart, and the Lord increa&s;e their num|ber) but (I &s;ay) have not many of the Presbyterian way, yea and &s;ome, that have received greate&s;t favours from the Parliament, fomented, levied, and rai&s;ed actual wars again&s;t them? and have been the principall contrivers, complotters, and promo|ters thereof? Have they not joyned with Cavaliers, Papi&s;ts, Athei&s;ts, any who&s;oever would lend them their hand unto that work, and hath not this been their practice not once or twice but 4 or 5 times, as oft as any po&s;&s;ible opportunity, or advan|tage occurs them hereunto? Have not the&s;e things a tendency in them to beget &s;uch a thought as this in the hearts of tho&s;e that are in authority; that either the&s;e Mini&s;ters will down with us, or we mu&s;t down with them, for they are not obligeible, but doe alwayes return evil for good, I verily believe, nothing doth more weaken the authority, and &s;hake the very &s;tanding of tho&s;e men in the thoughts of &s;everal thou&s;ands in the Land, then the&s;e ways of theirs, for who can abide a bloody Mini&s;try, that &s;tirs up the people (in&s;tead of being Gods to one another, in mercifulne&s;s, kindne&s;s, and goodne&s;s) to become even De|vils, and Furies to one another, cutting the throats, and knock|ing out the brains one of another, but ble&s;&s;ed be God it is not thus with them all, for tho &s;everal intelligences do impute our pre&s;ent commotions unto many of their Mini&s;ters in their &s;eve|ral Counties; yet is there a con&s;iderable party of the Presbyte|rian way that are not guilty of the&s;e things.</P>
<P>La&s;tly, ARE YOU OFFENDED AT THE GREAT GROVVTH, OF ERRORS, HERESIES AND BLAS|PHEMIES IN THE LAND? &s;o am I as well as you. But is that warre, which is a&s;&s;i&s;ted by Papi&s;ts, Athei&s;ts, and open
<PB N="24" REF="13">bla&s;phemers, that again&s;t their principles of their own profe&s;&s;ed faith, doe bla&s;pheme, and cur&s;e God, any way hopefull unto the de&s;troying of the&s;e errors, here&s;ies, and bla&s;phemies? It is true, errors were never (in our dayes at lea&s;t) more progre&s;|&s;ive then now. It is as true, that the truths of the Go&s;pel were never more freely preached then now; neither were there ever in former dayes here in our own Nation, or in all the world &s;o many good Mini&s;ters, with &s;uch freedome of truth as at this time in the&s;e Countryes; nor ever &s;uch advantages put into the hands of tho&s;e <HI>duely and in Gods way</HI> to &s;uppre&s;&s;e errors, here&s;ies, and blr&s;phemies, (I &s;ay) if they who&s;e worke it is &s;o to doe, would make it their worke to doe it. Sir, upon an impartiall peru&s;all of all, that you affirm, for the ju&s;tification of your pre&s;ent engagement, in rai&s;ing a warre; I cannot perceive the lea&s;t <HI>iota</HI> of Gods holy word, or good rea&s;on, for your vou|cher therein. To begin a war in times of peace (e&s;pecially the blood of thou&s;ands of the Saints of God of both parties being in danger thereby) requires a call from the mouth of heaven, as audible, as the very thunder. And ble&s;&s;ed be God, that we are nor the beginners of this war, but on the defen&s;ive &s;ide. Sir, we are for your liberties, though you again&s;t ours; we pray for you, though you war again&s;t us: your liberties, for your &s;akes, are as dear unto us, as our own, for our own &s;akes, That the cau&s;e of God, and his truth, whether it be on your &s;ide, or on ours, may take place and pro&s;per, and that you, and we, and all the people of God with you and us, (if it will &s;tand with the good plea&s;ure of God) may be pre&s;erved from violence, and blood, and blood-guiltine&s;&s;e, is my mo&s;t &s;ollicitous, and ha|bittuall de&s;ire, and for which I &s;hall</P>
<CLOSER>CRI IN HOPE.<LB>
<SALUTE>Sir,</SALUTE> <SIGNED>I am your humble &s;ervant,<LB> unknowne to you, and there|fore unnam'd.<LB> <HI><GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="missing" EXTENT="1 letter"> S.</HI></SIGNED>
<DATE>20th <HI>Augu&s;t.</HI> 1659.</DATE></CLOSER>
<TRAILER>FINIS.</TRAILER>
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