MR. Baxter in the Preface of his Book intitled , The world crucified , addresseth himself unto the Nobility and Gentry , and all that have the riches of this world , in this manner .

Were but your senses rational , or were your will but dis-engaged and morally free , — what a shaking would Satans kingdom feel ? then neither SEDUCERS ] A word derived from Sea and Duck .

Should have this pretence , nor the Seduced ] Or such as follow like Sea-Ducks .

This temptation to call their various Models ] Or Decoys .

By such splendid names ] As Leviathan , that glowes like a Smelt ; and Oceana , that foams Moonshine .

And to think Christ reigns when they reign . ] It was the judgement indeed of the Heathens , that where Laws reigned , there God reigned : but the Clergie know , that where such men as themselves reign , there onely can Christ reign .

Or that it is the onely Government , to have all to be Governours ] As in the 20 of Judges , where the whole people of Israel , or at least four hundred thousand of them , are all Governours .

Which is but to have the greatest liberty to be bad . ] Seeing that but for dealing with a Priests Leman , they destroyed Benjamin . It appears by the Text , that the four hundred thousand in Israel who did this , were foot ; and it is thought that half the Horses in England are now dead : for whereas in the late Monarchy men might have been lucky unto Horseflesh ; later Parliaments , being all Governours , have quite spoiled the possibility .

No Forms will reform us , till we are reformed within . ] No Goal will hold a thief , till there be no thief .

Lead will not be Gold , what form soever you mold it into . ] Therefore dough cannot be molded and baked into bread .

And though some ways may be more effectual to restrain the evil , ] As the murderous and incestuous .

And improve the good , ] As industry .

Yet still the wicked will do wickedly . ] So that you had as good have no Laws at all against Murder , Incest , of Idleness , seeing they are not to be reformed , but at home or within .

The Sword-fish and the Thresher . ] Being good fishes , & reformed within .

Would be the tormentors of Leviathan . ] But never look that men should be able to do that by Forms , or by their heads , which I tell you fishes can do with their snouts , or with their tayls .

And the brother of Leviathan ] For a Tyranny and a free Commonwealth are of the same venter .

Would mend the matter , who by giving the power to the vast tumultuous Ocean it self . ] For whatever is called Oceana , is first splendid in the name , and secondly tumultuous in the thing . But the Author's Commonwealth is called Oceana : Therefore the Author's Commonwealth , name and thing , is splendid and tumultuous .

He , I say , may finde ] I warrant you , somewhere or other in his Book , though I have not had the leasure to look in it .

That his Republike ( an high commendation ) is not onely inconsistent with a Clergie , ] Forasmuch as it excludeth all such interest and ignorance as give sufficient latitude , and so forth .

But may possbly ] Though , for the reasons mentioned , I cannot readily say where .

Be as injurious to his moral honestie , ] Much better known then mine .

As any other sort of Tyranny . ] For , in the 20 of Judges , where the whole people have the making of their own Laws , it is of that sort of Tyranny which was invented by Moses .

He might have learnt of his chief Master Seneca , ] For the chief Master of your Political Heads must be Seneca or Euclide .

That the free citie of Athens ] Free , as being then newly recovered of the Thirty Tyrants , otherwise greatly disordered in the Frame or Policy .

Could less endure Socrates . ] Being still invective against their corruptions .

Then the tyrants . ] Whom perforce they were to endure .

And did put him whom the tyrants had tolerated , unto death . ] Though according to Law , yet upon the testimony of false Witnesses , whose fraud ( it is true ) being afterwards discovered , the people put them also to death , or banished them , and erected a Statue for Socrates ; a thing not yet done for Sir Thomas More or Sir Walter Raleigh . But of this , or , as some think , that in the Monarchies there have been thousands of like examples for one in the Commonwealths , or that Seneca himself was put to death by Nero without either Law or accusers , I do not finde he maketh any mention .

Gentlemen ] Let me be plain and rouzing .

For the Lords sake , for your souls sake , give up your selves and all that you have ] In such manner as is directed by my Catalogue of good works , that is , under the superintendencie of a Minister , or of a Clergie .

Unto God and Christ . Convince all self-conceited founders or troublers of the Commonwealth . ] For Reason unanswerable , is Self-conceitedness , and to such of the Clergie who as my self are new christned with Courtholywater , so exceedingly troublesome , that we are agreed as one man to declare them that shall dare to use it , to be Seducers , self-conceited and absurd .

Convince them , I say , that you have hit the way of true Reformation ] Or of disbanding all Armies , abolishing all Taxes , and remedying all the grievances of this Nation .

Without any alteration of the Form ] Called , The humble Petition and Advice .

By correcting your selves the principal materials . ] Or by reducing all Government unto internal Principles , and resigning all internal principles unto the direction of the Clergie . That Jethro was able to advise Moses , and that the wisdom of Ahitophel was as the Oracles of God , came from being reformed within : there , there lie the Principles of all Government .

And let them see , by your seeking the weal of all ] As we may think some Christians do in Turkie , and some Protestants in France .

That your Form is as truly a Commonwealth as theirs , and that they absurdly ] Licurgly and with Burgly .

Appropriate the title to their own . If you deny us this ] Question which we beg for the Lords sake , namely , That all Government consisteth in internal principles , and so forth .

On you be the blame and shame ] That you will not swallow gudgeons .

And not on our want of a Popular form ] Who have made foot-balls of Parliaments .