A

LETTER TO A FRIEND,

CONCERNING

The RUPTURES of the COMMONWEALTH.

SIR,

UPO

Published from the Manufcript.

PON the fad and ferious difcourfe which we fell into last night, concerning thefe dangerous ruptures of the Commonwealth, scarce yet in her infancy, which cannot be without fome inward flaw in her bowels; I began to confider more intenfely thereon than hitherto I have been wont, refigning myfelf to the wifdom and care of those who had the government; and not finding that either God, or the public required more of me, than my prayers for them that govern. And fince you have not only stirred up my thoughts, by acquainting me with the ftate of affairs, more inwardly than I knew before; but also have defired me to fet down my opinion thereof, trusting to your ingenuity, I fhall give you freely my apprehenfion, both or our prefent evils, and what expedients, if God in mercy regard us, may remove them. I will begin with telling you how I was overjoyed, when I heard that the army, under the working of God's holy fpirit, as I thought, and ftill hope well, had been so far wrought to chriftian humility, and felf-denial, as to confefs in public their backfliding from the good old cause, and to how the fruits of their repentance, in the righteoufnets of their reftoring the old famous parliament, which they had without juft authority diffolved: I call it the famous parliament, though not the harmless, fince none well-affected, but will confefs, they have deserved much more of thefe nations, than they have undeferved. And I perfuade me, that God was pleased with their reftitution, figning it, as he did, with fuch a

fignal victory, when fo great a part of the nation were defperately conspired to call back again their Ægyptian bondage. So much the more it now amazes me, that they, whofe lips were yet fcarce clofed from giving thanks for that great deliverance, fhould be now relapfing, and fo foon again backfliding into the fame fault, which they confeffed to lately, and fo folemnly to God and the world, and more lately punished in thofe Chefhire rebels; that they fhould now diffolve that parliament, which they themfelves re-established, and acknowledged for their fupreme power in their other day's humble reprefentation: and all this, for no apparent caufe of public concemment to the church or commonwealth, but only for dif commiffioning nine great officers in the army; which had not boen done, as is reported, but upon notice of their intentions againft the parliament. I prefume not to give my cenfure on this action, not knowing, as yet I do not, the bottom of it. I fpeak only what it appears to us without doors,, till better caufe be declared, and I am fure to all other nations moft illegal and fcandalous, I fear me barbarous, or rather fcarce to be exampled among any barbarians, that a paid army fhould, for no other caufe, thus fubdue the fupreme power that let them up. This, I fay, other nations will judge to the fad difhonour of that army, lately fo renowned for the civileft and beft ordered in the world, and by us here at home, for the most confcientious. Certainly, if the great officers and foldiers of the Holland, French, or Venetian forces, fhould thus fit in council, and write from garrison to garrifon againft their fuperiours, they might as eafily reduce the king of France, or duke of Venice, and put the United Provinces in like diforder and confufion. Why do they not, being moft of them held ignorant of true religion? because the light of nature, the laws of human fociety, the reverence of their magiftrates, cove nants, engagements, loyalty, allegiance, kecps them in

awe.

How grievous will it then be? how infamous to the true religion which we profcis? how difhonourable to the name of God, that his fear and the power of his knowledge in an army profeffing to be his, fhould not work that obedience, that fidelity to their fupreme magiftrates,

giftrates, that levied them and paid them; when the light of nature, the laws of human fociety, covenants and contracts, yea common fhame works in other armies, amongst the worft of them? Which will undoubtedly pull down the heavy judgment of God among us, who cannot but avenge thefe hypocrifics, violations of truth and holinets; if they be indeed fo as they yet feem. For neither do I fpeak this in reproach to the army, but as jealous of their honour, inciting them to manifeft and publifh with all fpeed, fome better caufe of thefe their late actions, than hath hitherto appeared, and to find out the Achan amongst them, whofe clofe ambition in all likelihood abufes their honeft natures againft their meaning to these diforders; their readieft 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 extreme, than to be remedied 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 counfelling and governing power; and the army, I fuppofe, finding themtelves infufficient to difcharge at once both military and civil affairs, the firit thing to be found out with all speed, without which no commonwealth can fubfift, must be a fenate, or general council of ftate, in whom must be the, power, firft, to preferve the public peace; next, the commerce with foreign nations; and laftly, to raise moneys for the management of thefe affairs: this muft either be the parliament readmitted to fit, or a council of state allowed of by the army, fince they only now have the power. The terms to be ftood on are, liberty of confcience to all profeffing fcripture to be the rule of their faith and worship; and the abjuration of a fingle perfon. 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 public addreffes, and brotherly befeechings; which, if there be that faintfhip among us which is talked of, ought to be of higheft and undeniable perfuafion to reconcilement. If the parliament be thought well diffolved, as not complying fully to grant liberty of confcience, and

the

the neceffary confequence thereof, the removal of a forced maintenance from minifters, then muft the army forthwith choose a council of ftate, whereof as many to be of the parliament, as are undoubtedly affected to thete two conditions propofed. That which I conceive only able to cement, and unite for ever the army, either to the parliament recalled, or this chofen council, must be a mutual league and oath, private or public, not to defert one another till death: that is to fay, that the army be kept up, and all thefe officers in their places during life, and fo likewife the parliament, or counfellors of frate; which will be no way unjuft, confidering their known merits on either fide, in council or in field, unlets any be found falfe to any of thefe two principles, or otherwite 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 perfon underneath. Inat the army be upheld, the neceflity of our affairs and factions will conftrain long enough perhaps, to content the longeft liver in the army. And whether the civil government be an annual democracy, or a perpetual arifiocracy, is not to me a confideration for the extremities wherein we are, and the hazard of our fafety from our common enemy, gaping at prefent to devour us. That it be not an oligarchy, or the faction of a few, may be eafily prevented by the numbers of their own choofing, who may be found infallibly conftant to those two conditions forenamed, full liberty of confcience, and the abjuration of monarchy propofed: and the well-ordered committees of their 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 been long aimed at, and many fuch propofals, tending no doubt to public good, they may be confidered in due time, when we are paft thefe pernicious pangs, in a hopeful way of health, and firm conftitution. But unlefs thefe things, which I have above propofed, one way or other, be once fettled, in my fear, which God avert, we inftantly ruin; or at beft become the fervants of one or other fingle perfon, the fecret author

and

and fomenter of thefe disturbances. You have the fum of my prefent thoughts, as much I understand of thefe affairs freely imparted; at your requeft, and the perfuafion you wrought in me, that I might chance hereby to be fome way ferviceable 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 obeyed your opinion, that in doing what I have done, I might happen to offer fomething which might be of fome ufe in this great time of need However, I have not been wanting to the opportunity which you prefented before me, of fhowing the readinefs which I have in the midft of my unfitness, to whatever may be required of me, as a public duty.

October 20, 1659.