TO You of the Army I write , to whom is committed the appointing of men to Govern and Rule in these Nations , my Councel is to you in the fear of the Lord , and in true love that you turn your minds to Gods manifestation in you , and by it you will first see what is amiss in your selves , before you choose others ; For how can you chuse men fearing God and hating covetousness , when out of Gods fear you are your selves , and seeking your own ends ? Therefore turn to Gods witness in you , and bring your deeds to it , that by it either you may be Justified or Condemned , for it will deal plainly with you . Think not your undertakings will prosper , whilst you are at enmity with that of God in you ; I know Friends , once truth was precious amongst you , and the welfare of it was your aim , but you are most grievously backslidden and degenerated , as though you had never been the men , to the grief of heart of all that fear the Lord ; and in plainness I tell you , that since your zeal for truth hath been lost , and the honesty turned from , you have never recovered your selves of the Apostacy since , nor come to the same principle again as yet , though you have often made shews as if you would , but to this day the Judgements of God are upon you and among you for your thus dealing , and great is your misery , for your darkness is such , that you know not the reason , you must find out Achans wedge of gold which hath been stoln , and hath been this many years hide amongst you , before you see the Judgements of God which are heaped on you , removed ; But alas ! instead of making true search for it , devices and inventions in the deceit are still made to cover it , and would bury it for ever , if it were possible ; but know Gods Judgements will in no wise give ease or rest till that cursed thing be removed from amongst you ; you may remember though many years be passed over your heads since , that when the Lord gave into your hand the grand enemy of these Nations welfare , which stood in opposition to the way and work of the Lord at that time , true Justice was done on him , for his shedding and causing to be shed so much innocent blood in these Nations , at length his blood was shed , which was Just , for his life paid for his transgression , according to Gods Law and his own , which he pretented to Govern by ; Hitherto Friends , you kept your integrity , I am a witnesse with many more , but it was quickly lost , as shall be made appear ; for when Justice was faithfully performed upon the murderer for his proper fact , then the wrong he had done to the Nation by his cruel oppression and his Army should have been satisfied out of his Estate and Revenue whilst a penny of it had lasted , and likewise out of their Estates , who were partners with him in his tyrannical actions , and the publick debs should have been paid ; But alas ! here you let in the tempter and entred the temptation , there appeared goodly buildings , great and stately houses , pleasant vineyards , large parks , with many other pleasant things which he kept in his life-time to serve his insatiable lusts ; and letting your minds out a whoring after this beautiful Harlot which hath bewitched you , here you lost your integrity for God and truth , here you turned from his measure in you , and so gave up your selves to your covetous desires , which was received as an Angel by you , but it is become and will be a Devil to torment you for ever , except you come to be reconciled to Gods witness in you , which cannot be , unless true repentance and pure self-denial be made manifest from you ; here the Good Old Cause was left to purchase Lands to your selves , and the back was turned off the honest principle then , which was found precious to many of you ; and many Officers who could not procure money to purchase to themselves the curse , made means to buy Souldiers debentures , some for 8 shillings in the pound , some five , some half a crown ; here the inferiour Officers found out a way to Merchandize and traffick ; but know this , the fields you have purchased are but so many Aceldeme's , & assuredly the price of blood : I was not Ignorant of these things , for I was one of them that sold my Arrears for not half the worth , I do not envy any of you in the least who hath made your selves rich by this way and means , the Lord bears me witness , but in love I mind you of them , and shew you the very time and way where you turned out from truth , and entred into the falshood and deceit ; and if ever you return to the same principle again , you must restore the wedge , and vomit up again what in your excess you have swallowed down ; and so give that of God in you his due , and the Common-wealth his due , and your due you will find to be your lawful pay , from time to time , for Kings Lands , or Bishops , or other delinquents estates belonged not to you , that which was yours , or you might demand was , your just pay for your just service , and no otherwise , and you should have been content with that which was your lot , and then violence you would have stood clear of ; & this is true which we have found by experience , that since you turned from that of God in you , you have lost that which kept the conscience tender in you , and so you being out of the sence of it , hath given up to persecution all tender consciences to be used according to the will and pleasure of both wicked Magistrates , wicked Ministers and wicked people , and so havock hath been and is made of all that fear the Lord , and this lyeth at your doors , neither can you ever free your selves of it , till you through true repentance to the Lord , and pure self-denial make it appear otherwise , and whereas you countenance , and say you will maintain a godly learned Ministry , you are out of the knowledge of those sort of men , that are really so , while you and the measure of Gods Spirit in you is separated , your discerning is lost , for you are , and stand in that which calls darkness light , and light darkness , errour , truth , and truth error , and so knoweth not the hypocrite from the godly , but if you will persist in your imaginations to approve & to try , take this along in your enterprize , that they that will have of your godly Ministry , & will be taught by them , let such maintain them , for I am far from envying those sort of men , that I matter it not , if every man take a Priest into his house to him , if we that are brought from under their cheat be no more troubled with them , neither compelled to hear nor maintain them , which thing is but honest , just and right ; for which of you would be compelled to hear our Ministers , or would you think it well to be compelled to maintain them ? ( I trow not ) neither do we ; but know this , in the presence of God we challenge and claim the same Liberty as you your selves have in matters of conscience which concerns worship , for you are not Judges of our consciences , neither is it your place or duty , for he who is Judge of the conscience we know , and witness his teaching and exercising .

And Friends , think not with your selves that you can make , or be instrumental in making Just Laws or settle a good Government in these Nations , while you are at distance from the pure measure of God in you , upon which all Just Lawes are grounded ; for while you stand in that state , the Just Law condemns you , though you were very zealous for Justice in that nature , you could not bring it forth , for the true Prophet of the Lord in you , declareth it unto you , you are the men that are against true Justice and Liberty , neither can that which hath swarved from it , bear it , when it is brought forth , for the greatest burthen you unrighteous men must bear ( is Gods pure truth ) and so being seperated from the just Principle in you , you labour in the fire , and wearies your selves with vanity , and this is your portion till you come honestly and unfeignedly to search your selves with Gods witness in you , which will bring you to true repentance indeed , and forsaking and true self-denial , which will be of good savour amongst you and all that fear the Lord , and then we may take that as a sign that something that is good and just will follow ; But till then , we cannot hope of better things to be brought forth then at present is ; and if ever you come singly to give up to Gods manifestation in you to be taught and guided , then you will deny your selves of your honour , and Titles of honour , which at present you seek one of another , which savours still of that old filthy sowre mouldy leaven , King , or single person ; consider these things and lay them to heart in the fear of the Lord , wage not your Souls , which is mortal , with these trifling vanities , which will stand you in no stead in the day of the Lord ; and consider though the people of this Nation have been made to draw in the deceitful yoke these many years , and have bowed down their necks under it , but now their eyes are open , and fair words will no longer serve their turns , as they have done formerly , it is now the substance they look at , and a real thing done that must answer their expectations from you , so to the end of your line and limit are you run in this particular , and your last visitation and tryal I do truly believe it is to most of you ; therefore prize it in love I councel you .

And my dear Friends , with whom I spent most of my youthful dayes and strength , in love and much plainness of heart I write unto you , not out of any end to my self , that of God in me is my record , but that you might acquit your selves like men , in this great work wch is brought once more before you , I know with most of you this is the truth which I have written ( Gods witness in you will seal it ) when ever these things are brought to minde ; and this I know , had you stood in Gods Councel , in which once was your delight , that temptation had never entered you which hath led you into all the confusion and distraction which you have been in ever since , and not brought out of it this very present , neither can you , till such time as you come to act singly and honestly , from that good Principle of God in you , and then faithfulness and truth will be seen , and felt in every of your undertakings , and then a blessing will you be made upon earth , and in those few days you have to live , you may redeem many , which hath been evil spent , but if you reject the Councel of the Lord , and still go on in the old way of deceit , by daubing with the untempered morter ( know this friends , the Lord will make use of other Instruments , and will bring his purpose which he hath decreed to pass , and you will be east by , as making your selves unworthy through your unfaithfulness . ) Lay it to heart .