YOur importunity hath prevailed, and I could wish my Answers to your Quaeres might gaine this with you that they are rather sent to please you then my selfe, whose knowledge lies rather in the Hyssop on the wall then the Cedars of Lebanon: I assure you I would now goe home and know my self, and study it throughly, ‘ Nam miser ille qui notus nimis omnibus ignotus moritur sibi.’

First, In that you heard not from me upon the sur­render of Oxford, I heare so much of it on both eares, and the distance was so little from London, that I for­bore to report that to you, which you might have beene an eye-witnesse of at so little charge and trouble: onely let me be your true informer, that you had nothing committed then by ours, that had not its rise from integrity and faithfulnesse to the State, accompanied with such skill, as the Lord was pleased to dispence; and let me tell you, men upon the place (in such case) can better judge, then lookers on afarre off, I hope you will not lose by that bar­gaine [Page 4] in the end, though it seeme for present an ill penniworth.

Secondly, For Worcester, I am sorry so little is spoken of it, where so much worth and gallantry ap­peared, and indeed I cannot remember where I have seene so much done in so short a time; where, when that valiant Commander of Horse Colonell Whaley had done his duty, and with the helpe of Countrey forces had blockt up part of the Towne; foure Regi­ments of foote under the command of Colonell Rainborow came, and raised works within Pistoll shot of their royall Sconce and the City, the Enemy play­ing upon them with Case-shot out of Sakers all the time, wherein Lieutenant Colonell Pride, and Lieut. Colonell Ewers had a chiefe share; whereupon the Enemy accepts of those Propositions you have seene: Master Richard Salwey a Member of the House who was of our Councell in this Worke deserves well of his Countrey and the Kingdome for his wisedome and faithfulnesse many wayes: and truely I wish Colonell Rainborow a sutable imployment by Sea or Land, for both which God hath especially fitted him, foraine States would be proud of such a Servant: I Preached at Worcester at our comming in, and afterwards, and did observe a doore open to the Gospell.

I am now fully satisfied with the Answer of my many many Petitions that I might live to see this day, this blessed day, and the last towne of the Ene­mies taken: I am thinking whether to goe a few dayes more in this Vale to admire what I have seene upon [Page 5] Earth, and then dye, that I may praise him as he would be praised, who hath founded mercies for his servants, and brought forth deliverance to miracle through Jesus Christ. I finde our Souldiers general­ly in the old forme, rather wondring then boasting, admired by the Enemy for their gallantry and Conduct.

Thirdly, Your demand about the disposing the Army, is not so proper for a private Pen to ingage in; yet this I may say, that other Nations in our con­dition would thinke, if they lookt round about them and within them, the disbanding an Army (if trusty) ought not to be a worke of hast: when the seas are down in England, I thinke the passage unto Ireland will be easier, and if we can maintaine a defensive warre this Winter, I trust the Spring will invite ma­ny over thither: onely I wish the English a good Ma­gazine of all things, and that they would attend two things in the Irish warre besides, viz. not to spend time about Castles and Forts, but to become Master of the Field: and secondly, to burne up the Enemies provisions every where. The wild Irish and the Indian doe not much differ, and therefore would be handled alike: yet I could tell you a more excellent way; In the meane, if these faithfull Commanders were in Garrisons (without any designe be it spoken) you have alwayes an Army ready, the private souldier will still run to his honest and well-known Comman­der; yea, so firme they are, that if their Officer should be changed, I beleeve those souldiers must be prest to stay with others.

[Page 6] Briefely, this I say to your Question, that this Army was hardly gotten, and I wish it may be as hardly disbanded; if you have no present imploy­ment, were I perswaded that forein threatnings were in earnest; I wish this Army might be sent to encounter them, and teach Peasants to understand liberty, and I would not doubt but to see good fruit of it soone, I would rather our men should live upon their wine, then they upon our Beere: It is one of the great interests of this State to keepe warre at di­stance: Feare not that Army whose Commanders (like Samuel) can aske any County or Towne where they have been whose, Oxe or Asse they have taken? never fewer complaints, not many men of such quali­ty, whose designe is onely to obey their Masters: viz. The Parliament, the slighting the Army is their mo­ney, triumphant chariots would have broke our necks.

Fourthly, Whereas you desire some expedient to the difference: I assure you the question in hand: and the Lord walking in the clouds towards us, it is no wonder we walke in the darke among our selves. And truly it woundes my soule, when I thinke Ireland would perish, and England continue her misery through the disagreement of ten or 20. learned men: but if you will pardon and pitty my folly, I will state the disease, and then we have half, won the cure. To omit the three common enemies that befoole lear­ned and unlearned, noble and ignoble, Gentleman and Peasant, I meane the flesh, the world, and the devill. You shall find our; First and maine mischiefe [Page 7] lies in our spirits, which are now made so keene and thorny, that they cannot be touch'd but by a paire of iron gloves, could wee but conquer each others spirit, wee should soone befoole the divell, and his Instruments: to which end I could wish we that are Ministers might pray together, if that can­not be, let us speake together, eate and drinke toge­ther, because if I mistake not, estrangement hath boyled us up to jealousie and hatred.

2. Let us much studie, hold forth, and rejoyce in what we agree, as please our selves, and grieve others in what we differ, our animosities may con­tent our selves, but wrong the Gospell.

3. Let us remember England, as it was never con­quered but by faction, so it can never be ruled but by love; the same Last will not fit an English and a Scotish foote, they come not suddenly to what they enjoy, and therefore should give England a little brea­thing over what is propounded, It will be their mer­cy to keepe what they have, and our to be growing up to what we desire.

4. An evill lies in this, that we unwillingly drive on our enemies designes: Barnevelsh laid his project upon an Arminian bottome, and so made Religion a stalking horse to his Politick ends.

5. Let the present Church-government goe on, and walke softly and tenderly, let those that lon­ged for it improve it, & valeat quantum valere potest: Let others that are godly know it may helpe, at least to hew stone, and square timber for a more glorious building, to bring from one extreamitie to another, God useth his owne media onely, violence becometh [Page 8] not Saints: In Popish times the Clergie had not the coercive power, but subjected the civill magistrate to doe their worke; I wish the State keepe a good bolt upon that doore: I am confident the chiefe meanes to greater an error will be by violence and opposition, when slighted it dyes. Coales blowne get heat and strength, neglected grow cold. I wish every one might be severely punished that spoke a­gainst either Presbytery or Independencie till they could define that aright, and distinguisht about them and their wayes, them I beleeve we stole hvee altum silentium.

Lastly, men are not in their proper worke, which excentrick motions produce many things uncoucht: I need not particularize, but when I see the langui­shing perishing conditions of many Counties, tho­rough want of preaching I must be bold to say to wrangling is none of our proper worke; I think we might doe God more service in Studie and Pulpits, then in waiting at great mens doores, and working them up to their selvish interests. I could adde that we take causam pro non causa, we put our troubles up­on schismaticks, and opinionists, and never attend the true cause: There may shortly be a great change in the Nether-Lands, but you shall finde the cause not in the harmelesse Anabaptists, whereof there are swarmes, but in some Hispaniolized Statesmen.

Fifthly, Your demand of my thoughts of Eng­land in order to forraigne States, I answer with a wish, viz. That forthwith we might have some choise agents sent out as two to Sweden, two to the [Page 9] Cantons our good friends, two to the Netherlands, and so to other parts as we see cause, and these ac­companied with a Manifest of Gods gracious dealings with this State, letting them to know we omitted this worke in our misery lest our friends might feare us for beggers, but now being upon an even foot with them, we let them know our condition, and how ready we are to owne them against a common ene­my: every man in this Nation pretending to soul­diery upon good experience. This being done, and our Navey in its true English beauty, I would not doubt but others may be as glad to know an English man, as we desire acquaintance with them. And if our back-doore were well shut at home, how might Euphrates be dried up; I meane the West Indies and the East too offer themselves to our devotion. Let us still remember the support of Trade is the strength of this Island, discountenance the Merchant, and take beggery by the hand. This is the misery of England whilest others are beate into slavery, they are apt to be complemented into it.

Other Kingdomes and Countries are therefore terrible to us, because we are so little terrible to them: Were we not more effeminate then our Pre­decessors in Queene Elizabeths time, I know not why three Kingdomes should doe lesse then one; you see we can fight if we must, I dare undertake if you can finde worke abroad, it will not be hard to finde men: nay it were easie to finde both, if we were agreed at home: What you heare of a conjunction between the Prince of Wales and his Lieutenant Generall the Duke of Lorrayne with some promises from his [Page 10] Uncle Bavaria need not trouble you, the Danes and Saxons never mastered this Island by power, but by our home-bred distempers. To prevent those feares let English men keepe to their proper Interests, and Scots to theirs, and I know not why we might not march into Bavaria and Lorrayne before they come unto us, and make them pay all old Arreares. I must confesse I am divided between Ireland and the Pala­tinate, onely I quiet my selfe in this that we may doe both.

Sixthly, Touching the preserving and improving the Conquests and mercies: I onely commend unto you these few rules.

1. By the same meanes the mercy is gained it may be preserved, if men, yea good men were instrumen­tall in the one, they must be in the other; confide when you see reason to confide: thy friend and thy fathers friend put price upon, he that loves you and your Countrey may be trusted to conserve what is wonne: to which adde praying, and beleeving, for in all these God hath appeared: I would as soon credit a garrison to a knowne honest godly English man, differing from me in his opinion, as all France being most Catholicke trust it selfe to their Protestant Leaders.

2. Walke plainely in your Counsells, God needs no mans lyes to carry on his worke. Commonly these Arcana Imperii and ruina populi, let your yea be yea, and your nay nay. God preserveth the simple: Doe but observe the Historie of Europe, and you shall finde those admired deepe set counsells of men [Page 11] mingled with so much flesh, have proved but grasse.

3. If England be now a conquered Kingdome, we cannot have much to begge of a conquered ene­my, and therefore I could wish all markes of slave­ry might be taken off, and since God hath invested us with our almost lost liberty, let it be our care that after ages may not say we conquered our selves into a new slavery.

4. Because not onely our selves, but also the wi­sest of our late enemies confesse the influence of the City is such, that we could not have wanted it, and therefore their highest designe now is to make it royall, you may remember how willing I was once to have made a match, my weakenesse was such that I did not study whether both parties were well agreed, and my simplicity kept me from thinking of a Corrivall, yet now I pray improve your In­terests, and let London know that if they thinke a Parliament sits the quieter by being so neare them, so [...] thinke when the Parliament doores are shut up [...] Westminster, their shops will hardly stand open at London: If the clashing of swords cannot be heard, yet death clinching up their windowes by the in­crease of the plague calls for something.

5. Justice will exalt and maintaine a Nation, I wish they might be first sharers in it, that first ad­ventured their estates and lives; had the Citizens remonstrated more about their debts due, and lesse about their wills, they might had more thankes, and (it may be) by this time some might have kept Orphanes from their doores, that crie for the mo­ney [Page 12] lent to supply the States use, he that will ride a free horse to death, may in time be spurring a dull Jade to no purpose. And for distributive Justice, let it be impartiall. Two things may breake the Axle-tree of any State, viz. First, Opposition to knowne truthes, or slighting that Religion in the purity of it, which we owne in mixtures, and inno­cent bloud not wiped off by the hand of Justice. A State may stand upon any frame of Government, if fastened together with Justice, Charity, and In­dustry, the onely upholders of that flourishing Neighbour-Nation the Netherlands.

Lastly, Because England is devout, and Religion of one kind or another carries most prevalency, and that this Nation acts generally upon religious ap­prehensions, above any I know, therefore that which hath been our wound must be our cure (preaching and Preachers I meane) the Gentry must be base, and so the Parliament unsupplyed of good members; the common-people will worship any dunghill-god, the City is full of blacke iniquity, if preaching be neglected: how long therefore shall I intreat some three or foure Itinerary Ministers in a County? E­vangelists went out before Churches were setled, how easily might the Land be (in some measure) re­duced to God, and their owne civill Interests, if provision was laid in of this kinde? but you will object we have above nine thousand parishes, and not a thousand able men: I answer, you see the need of Itinerants, and secondly, Why may we not follow the practise of other Reformed Churches? [Page 13] and gather up godly youths out of shops, and send them for improvement somewhere, why not a Col­ledge of Oxford set apart to that use? and if men cannot answer the narrow examen of an Assembly, why might there not be a Committee to judge of some competency in some men for the present to send out, though they should fall short of Arts and Tongues? John Alasco was a Baron, yet in Edward the sixts time, you may see what Church worke he did: why not learned godly Gentry, Lawyers, that might be spared some of them, physicians, &c. im­ployed this way? teaching their tenants were a better Trade, then racking of Rents by some of our Gentry. How ripe have I found Herefordshire and Worcestershire for the Gospell, and many other Counties? Helpe Lord!

To the Question concerning my self; I answer, I am at present upon a good Study, ever how to want what the Lord is not willing to give: I am turning my cheeke to the smiter: I have been think­ing to answer sixe or seven Pamphlets that name me either enviously or disgracefully, but yet remaine doubting. The Lord rebuke Satan. I see (with Ie­remy) though I neither borrow nor lend, &c. yet this may be my portion. This I must say, if either in Doctrine or Practise I have failed, the time is not yet wherein any Brother in a way of God hath dealt with me: and if my different judgement offend any, my Answer is, that with much expence of money and time, with diligent inquiry into reformed Churches, I have taken paines to satisfie my selfe, [Page 14] and remaine now where I was for substance fifteene yeares since, resolving by that experience to keepe a window open to more light and truth, though scoft and slighted; my care hath beene to acquaint my selfe with the most learned and godly in the Countrey where I travell, first I lived about sixe yeares neere that famous Scotchman Mr. John Forbes, with whom I travelled into Germany, & injoyed him in much love and sweetnes constantly, from whom I never had but incouragement though we differed in the way of our Churches. Learned Amesius breathed his last breath into my bosome, who left his profes­sorship in Friezland to live with me because of my Churches Independency at Rotterdam, and charged me often, even to his death, so to look to it, and if there were a way of publik worship in the world, that God would owne it was that: he was my Colleague and chosen Brother to the Church where I was an unworthy Pastor: and I thanke the Lord such a Church it continues to this day; that truely I sli [...]t­ly tooke up nothing in that kind, nor did I los [...] my seven years being in New England, amongst those faithfull, learned, godly brethren, whose way of worship if wee professe, it will not be groundlesse when their Writings are examined. But to those Printed Scribles against me I may provide shortly a more satisfactory Answer, where I may plainly charge home untrue and unworthy passages upon the Authors; though I know, Et facere & pati fortia Christianorum est. Now the good Lord who hath led Captivity captive for us, suodue us to himselfe, and [Page 15] grant that in these tossing, tumbling, foaming Seas we depart not from our Principles of Reason, Ho­nour, Liberty, much lesse Religion; which is the Prayer of