LEt not any mans impatience, prejudice, or strong affecti­on, carry him to the practise of, or an endeavouring to a settlement of the Nations on such Foundations, as may and will prove absolutely prejudiciall to the safety, peace and welfare of us, and our posterities.

We have for a long time prayed to our God in these words; Lead us not into Temptation, but deliver us from all Evill; which is to be taken in a double sense: As,

Not to act Iniquity, from or by a Law, but to prevent it: and to be upon our watch, is in some measure, the answer of that part of the Lords Prayer.

Have not the English Nation, and the good, wise Senators therein experienced, how a single Persons Government, hath point blanck crossed their prayers, & their good intents when they were redy to put them into Laws for the good of posterity.

The whole prayer called the Lords Prayer, is not understood, nor doe most men understand what they doe, when they use it: for if they did but once understand what they pray for, they would act accordingly; Thy will be done O Lord, on earth as it is in Heaven, &c. And yet men, nay wise men, that daily use thiss prayer, will daily act contrary things, and lead themselve into temptations, to act one part of the Lords prayer.

But they will thrust us into the highest temptations that po­sible [Page 2]can be on earth, and cunningly creep after themselves: What greater temptation was ever any man led into, than the late Protector was; was he not led from one degree to another, till he grew so great and mightie, that his looks and threats could fright all men but fools.

Was he not a dread and terrour to that very Armie, that raised him from the mean condition he was once in, to all his greatnesse: What is the L. Fawcon­bridge! & what has Thurloe done, but help subvert the Right, Liberty & Priviledge of the people of England. And could he not reward men at his will & pleasure, some that ne­ver did the least service for the Nation, nor ever did venture a haire of their heads, nor spend a penny of mony in the Parliaments Cause with great places of trust & profit, others that ventured their lives and estates, and received wounds and scars, First Mr. Hollis, Maj. Gen. Broun, Cor. Joyce M.G. Harrison, Quar­term. Courtney, Mr. Can Sr. H Vaine, M.G. O­verton, Col. Ock [...]y, and many others. did he reward with Ignominie and Reproach, Prisons, Banishment and great threats to others, that did but speak for a righteous Government; What may otherwayes be now expected?

Was he not led into Temptations, when neither Law nor Justice could reach him.

Have men eyes & will not see, & ears & will not hear; & still go on in hardning their hearts: Friends, My advise is, consider and take heed, least God come unaware & smite us with a curse, and destroy our Nation for our hypocrisy, and sinning against light and our own prayers.

Was not his case sad, when his temptations led him to sin a­gainst God, and his own prayers; also the light of his under­standing and conscience; his praiers and appeals to the righ­teous God standeth registred in Heaven and on Earth also; and yet will men follow his steps, and lead themselves into tem­tation: such men I would advise to leave of praying, and dis­semble no more with God nor your Countrie-men.

Was there ever any man in our daies raised to that name and fame of Religion and profession, and led into somany snares and temptations. Its true, Christ Jesus was taken up to a Pi­nacle, and showed all the glory of the Earth; Then said the Devil, all this I will give unto thee, if thou wile fall down and [Page 3]worship me, Its worth our remembrance at this time.

Who would now be led or thrust into temptation; Is it for nought, that God raiseth up some poor worms to remind you of these things: Consider, ye wise in heart, and prudent in un­derstanding, and harden not your hearts in the dayes of tem­ptation, when your fathers tempted you, least Gods signal hand of judgement follow you and yours.

Was he not fed by the subtiltie and craft of some that knew his disposition and temper, and heightned by them, For that was good Law and Justice, that formerly was Treason, Inju­stice, and breach of Pri­viledge, &c. un­till his Kingly Domination and stroke fell on their heads.

And is not the like now in this our day, hath not the subtil­tie of some begotten Addresses from several parts; as if they were to the son of God, whilest others nearer home are lead­ing him into temptations, or thrusting him upon them; re­member what is said before: And it may be in time, you that are most eager for a fingle Person, may feele the first stroke in bodie or soule, if not in both. Princes enthroned, when once their turns are ended, hue down those staires by which themselves ascen­ded. It was the late Protectors own Distitch. Its true, if you can touch Pitch, and not be defiled, you may do well; its a hard matter; did not the late great Governour in­snare some of all sorts that ever came to him; and had he not a kinde of vertue that did run into men by his presence, & had not the late King the same vertue, for no sooner had any man kiss'd their hands, & talked with him, but presently cried him up; & is not the same vertue still in one man when so lifted up; is he not cried up for a brave man and so forth, though he may be a Devill at heart: Lead us not into temptation, nor your posterities, I beg.

How many degrees beyond the ordinary sphear, Will you build again, that God once de­stroyed. have you thrust good nature into; and will you still go on, & bring him into all manner of temptations, & hereby besot or bewitch the poor & ignorant men, makes me wonder & ask what's God doing.

But its like you will set him as high as you can, and get gra­dually after him, and at length teach him to do as bad things as the old man did and his Predecessor, I mean the late King, until the poor Nation be in the like condition, as it was, under Oppression and Tirannie, against which was much [Page 4]blood and treasure spilt, & is like now to be contracted on them that did it: And many of [...]ou were Law makers for it. by the craft and subtilty of such as would be above or beyond law and reason, and unto this will the Lawyers lend their assistance; that so their work might increase, For the greatest part of the Lawyers did assist the King against the publick interest of the good peo­ple; also they that preten­ded to the good old cause, are since corrupted. and will ere long draw up Indict­ments against all and every particular man that fought against the late King, for and in the Cause of the late Parlia­ments quarrell against him, there being law enough, say they, to hang every one of those that so fought or lent moneies; and is not this the best that is like to come to us, a setting men together by the ears, one family against another, till at length we come to miserie and confusion, ruine and desolation.

Lead us not into temptations, but deliver us from all evill O Lord.

And from a Lord above Law, though (never so just &c.) he pretend to protect us; least his little singer prove heavier than his fathers hand, which was bad enough.

The old mans principles, are not his sons; and that wise men see and know. [...] am perswa­ [...]ed that the [...]e Protector [...]as the wisest [...]d best that [...]er England [...]ill have.

Which makes men at this time strugle and strive, who shall lead him by—one is for this, & another for that; good reason will tell us, & also lead us out of Temptation, & not put us fur­ther into it: I pray confider & agree, put of the works of dark­ness & put on the Armor of light, who is for things & not men.

My meaning is this: God hath by a signall stroke of Justice taken away your King; and by his divine hand of Provi­dence your Protector; and yet will you thrust your selves and one another into temptations, Make your heges and diches, bars, gates and stiles, never so strong, and he shall leap over them if not wholy beat them downe; and spoyle the best laws you can make, and men will be tempted to lift him up, (which need not) and he, when lifted up and setled, will pull them after, which is no new thing: such is & will be our opression.

Your sons must go to Court for preferment, your daughters must do the like, and doth not this lead into temptations: Galantry is a snare, voluptiousnesse is a snare; wantonesse is a delight, and naturall to a Court though of the meanest rank [Page 5]or stamp, what iniquities is there, and you have not done it, and led us into? Pray consider, before it be too late; time tarries for no man; do not die while you are alive: I speak to all of all sorts and all Powers: Your Fathers are dead, and some of us had been happy if we had never seen this day, and had been taken away from the evill, that is and is like to come; but a word to the wise is enough, onely let me mind you of one thing more, & then I shall by the mercy of God & his assist­ance be at rest, & wait Gods further appearances & follow him.

The wise and praying man foreseeth an evill and prevent­eth it; also God hath said, the secrets of the Almighty are with them that fear him; and they shall not fear what man can do unto them; nor create fears and jealousies to themselves as some doe, nor subtilly make Bug-bears to fright poore igno­rant men, as some do while some great ones act Machivel, & turn Atheists under a pretence of good, piety, & preservation of the Libertie of Gods people; which Gods people hope they can trust God with all; and so must doe when all vain hopes faile and fair pretences deceive us.

Let now our just Rights and Liberties be Asserted, and then no one single Person can hurt another, then if he kill or hurt any, the law will hang the Murderer, though he be a mighty man; and if he steale away our monies and estates the Law will defend us; and the true genuine Law is and ought to be such, and so settled and secured, that no man should be above it, or out of the reacht thereof; but all men should be put into such a capacity, as he would they should do to him, so he to doe to others, rest.