us here at home, for the most confcientious. Certainly, if the great Officers and Souldiers of the Holland, French or Venetian Forces, fhould thus fit in Council, and write from Garison to Garison against their Superiors, they might as easily reduce the King of France, or Duke of Venice, and put the United Provinces in like Disorder and Confufion. Why do they not, being most of them held ignorant of true Religion? because the Light of Nature, the Laws of Human Society, the Reverence of their Magiftrates, Covenants, Engagements, Loyalty, Allegiance, keeps them in awe. How grievous will it then be? how infamous to the true Religion which we profess? how dishonorable to the Name of God, that his Fear and the power of his Knowledg in an Army profeffing to be his, fhould not work that Obedience, that Fidelity to thir Supream Magiftrates, that levied them, and paid them, when the Light of Nature, the Laws of Human Society, Covenants, and Contracts, yea common Shame works in other Armies, amongst the worst of them? Which will undoubtedly pull down the heavy Judgment of God among us, who cannot but avenge thefe Hypocrifies, Violations of Truth and Holines; if they be indeed fo as they yet seem. For, neither do I speak this in reproach to the Army, but as jealous of thir Honour, inciting them to manifest and publish, with all speed, fome better cause of these thir late Actions, than hath hitherto appear'd, and to find out the Achan amongst them, whofe clofe Ambition in all likelihood abuses thir honeft Natures against thir meaning to these Disorders; thir readiest way to bring in again the common Enemy, and with him the Deftruction of true Religion, and civil Liberty. But, because our Evils are now grown more dangerous and extream, than to be remedi'd by Complaints, it concerns us now to find out what Remedies may be likelieft to fave us

from approaching Ruin. Being now in Anarchy, without a counselling and governing Power; and the Army, I fuppofe, finding themselves infufficient to discharge at once both Military and Civil Affairs, the first thing to be found out with all speed, without which no Commonwealth can fubfift, must be a Senate, or General Council of State, in whom must be the Power, first, to preserve the publick Peace, next the Commerce with Foreign Nations; and lastly, to raise Monies for the Management of these Affairs: this must either be the Parliament readmitted to fit, or a Council of State allow'd of by the Army, fince they only now have the Power. The Terms to be stood on are, Liberty of Conscience to all profeffing Scripture to be the Rule of thir Faith and Worship; and the Abjuration of a single Person. If the Parliament be again thought on, to falve Honour on both fides, the well-affected Party of the City, and the congregated Churches, may be induced to mediate by publick Addreffes, and brotherly befeechings, which, if there be that Saintship among us which is talk'd of, ought to be of highest and undeniable Perfwafion to Reconcilement. If the Parliament be thought well diffolv'd, as not complying fully to grant Liberty of Confcience, and the neceffary Confequence therof, the removal of a forc'd Maintenance from Minifters, then must the Army forthwith choose a Council of State, wherof as many to be of the Parliament, as are undoubtedly affected to these two Conditions propos'd. That which I conceive only able to cement, and unite for ever the Army, either to the Parliament recall'd, or this chofen Council, must be a mutual League and Oath, private or publick, not to defert one another till Death: That is to say, that the Army be kept up, and all thefe Officers in thir places during Life, and fo likewise the Parliament, or Counfellors of State; which will be no way unjuft, confi

dering thir known Merits on either fide, in Councel or in Field, unless any be found false to any of these two Principles, or otherwise perfonally criminous in the Judgment of both Parties. If fuch a Union as this be not accepted on the Army's part, be confident there is a fingle Person underneath. That the Army be upheld, the neceflity of our Affairs and Factions will conftrain long enough perhaps, to content the longest Liver in the Army. And whether the Civil Government be an annual Democracy, or a perpetual Ariftocracy, is not to me a Confideration for the Extremities wherin we are, and the hazard of our Safety from our common Enemy, gaping at present to devour us. That it be not an Oligarchy, or the Faction of a few, may be eafily prevented by the Numbers of thir own choofing, who may be found infallibly constant to those two Conditions forenam'd, full Liberty of Conscience, and the Abjuration of Monarchy propos'd: and the well-order'd Committies of thir faithfulleft Adherents in every County may give this Government the refemblance and effects of a perfect Democracy. As for the Reformation of Laws, and the places of Judicature, whether to be here, as at prefent, or in every County, as hath bin long aim'd at, and many such Proposals, tending no doubt to publick good, they may be confider'd in due time when we are past these pernicious Pangs, in a hopeful way of Health, and firm Conftitution. But unless these things, which I have above propos'd, one way or other, be once fettl'd, in my fear, which God avert, we inftantly ruin; or at best become the Servants of one or other fingle Perfon, the fecret Author and Fomenter of these Disturbances. You have the fum of my present Thoughts, as much as I understand of thefe Affairs freely imparted, at your requeft, and the Perfwafion you wrought in me, that I might chance herby to be

fome way serviceable to the Commonwealth, in a time when all ought to be endeavouring what good they can, whether much, or but little. With this you may do what you please, put out, put in, communicate or fupprefs: you offend not me, who only have obey'd your Opinion, that in doing what I have don, I might happen to offer fomthing which might be of fom use in this great time of need. However, I have not bin wanting to the opportunity which you prefented before me, of fhewing the readines which I have in the midst of my Unfitnes, to what ever may be requir'd of me, as a publick Duty.

True Religion, Herefie, Schifm, Toleration,

And what best means may be us'd against the growth of Popery.

T is unknown to no man, who knows ought of concernment among us, that the increase of Popery is at this day no small trouble and offence to greatest part of the Nation; and the rejoycing of all good men that it is fo; the more their rejoycing, that God hath giv'n a heart to the people to remember still their great and happy deliverance from Popish Thraldom, and to esteem fo highly the precious benefit of his Gofpel, fo freely and fo peaceably injoy'd among them. Since therefore fome have already in Publick with many confiderable Arguments exhorted the people to beware the growth of this Romish Weed; I thought it no lefs then a common duty to lend my hand, how unable foever, to fo good a Purpose. I will not now enter into the Labyrinth of Councels and Fathers, an intangl'd wood which the Papift loves to fight in, not with hope of Victory, but to obfcure the shame of an open overthrow : which yet in that kind of Combate, many heretofore, and one of late, hath eminently giv'n them. And fuch manner of difpute with them, to Learned Men,