IN several of you I know there hath stirred , and doth oft stir a pure , true living principle of God , which hath begot , ( and doth beget ) true , honest and upright desires , and breathings in you after righteousnesse , true liberty and freedom , ( and loathings of oppression and Tyranny ) and it hath been in the hearts of some of you , & much upon you to break down oppression and tyranny , and to remove oppressors , and to make void all such laws as makes provision for tyranny and oppression , whereby the oppressors hath long been strengthened in their oppressing the people of this Nation ; and some of you have felt the weight and burthen of oppression and tyranny , ( under which the innocent suffers ) and it hath been much in your hearts to set up righteous lawes , whereby all people might have equity and justice done to them , and for them , by such as you have had thoughts to put in authority , which would do just and equal things between man and man , without respect to persons .

These things the Lords witnesse ( in you ) hath shewed unto you , that they ought to be done by you , and some of you have breathed and desired much to do these things , when ye have owned the pure movings and stirrings of the measure of the life and power of God ( in you ) which hath stired and moved in you ) towards righteousnesse , equity , mercy , and justice ; But hitherto ye have been much hindred in this work .

And truly Friends , there are many things yet remaining in and among you , ( Mark that ) which hinders and stops you in this work of true reformation , and they will stop you therein ( Mark that ) so long as they bear rule in and among you , and are consented to ( and regarded ) by you , many of those things are as followeth .

First , There are many that pretends that they are of you , ( Mark that ) which hath joyned unto you in some outward appearance ; but it is more for fear of losing their places , and the riches and honour of this World , then for love to the cause of equity , Justice and true liberty ; And these are in the Priests nature , who for covetousnesse , and self-ends , can change with the times , and governments , and pretend they are for them ( so long a they will hold them up ) and such are neither true to God , nor their Countrey ; for they can lay down their Religion , which they have pretended to stand for , and deny the Cause of their Countrey , if it will make most for their own gain , and then say , It was the Lords doing , and they are satisfied in it , though it be quite contrary to that which they have formerly contended for ; and of this sort there are many among you which stops the work you ought to do .

And several of you also , in whom the Truth of God have stirred against oppression and tyranny , verily your mindes are yet so much in your Commissions and places , and in the love , and honour , and wisdom of this World , that this stops you in the work ye ought to do . And some of you have so many Relations , mark that , that have such a great gain , in those very things which greatly oppresseth the people of this Nation ; and also some of your selves are concerned in these things , that so ye cannot tell how to take away oppression wholly , without taking away their and your own gain ; and these things being looked at by you , they exceedingly stops you in the work you ought to do ; because herein private self-ends , and respect to persons , by you is preferred before the general good of all .

Now Friends , whilest your mindes , and thoughts and hearts runs into , or after any of these things , They ( with the enemy of your souls ) will not suffer you to do that which is equall , no further ( to be sure ) then will stand safe for the upholding and prefering of your Relations , and your own private , particular self-ends .

Therefore all wait in that which is pure and living of God , in you , which will shew you all deceit , if ye keep to it , that so by it your mindes may be redeemed out of all self , and respect to persons , that so all particular private self ends , and respect to persons , may be denied , and utterly trampled upon by you , and that the general good and freedom of all , without respect of persons , may be minded and acted for , by you , that so ye may serve the Lord God , and your generation in singlenesse and uprightnesse of heart , and then the Lord will honour you , and he will be your sufficient reward .

Verily it is a mighty thing , and it is highly to be prized by you , especially ye of the Army , that ever the Lord God should make use of you again , and again put an oppertunity into your hands , to do that which you formerly promised and vowd unto the Lord [ and your Nation ] to do , seeing ye so sleighted ( Mark that ) the former opertunities which the Lord God gave you , and acted so treacherously and deceitfully as ye did in your backslidings ; and if ye should sleight this opertunity also , do not expect another , ( be not deceived , God will not be mocked ) Therefore , consider these things , and mind to answer the Lords love yet continued unto you .

But if ye look out at , or suffer your minds to run into , ( Mark ) the greatnesse of your places , or after your gain , or the honour of the World ; or if ye look out at love or hatred of your pretended Friends or known enemies , or at any particular self-end whatsoever ; These things will strangle the principle of God in you , which moves to do that which is equal and just unto all , and then the tender seed in you which feels the weight and burthen of oppression that will be murthered ; and then deadnesse and hardnesse of heart will come upon you more and more , and ye will settle deeper and deeper in the death ; and verily , if ye should do thus , ye would become even as Sodom and Gomorah unto the Lord , and he would overturn you with a great and mighty destruction ( as he did them ) Therefore remember you have been warned .

So look at none of these things , but look ye to the Lord God , and mind the movings of his life [ in you ] and be obedient thereto , and as oppression , and tyranny and in justice is made manifest unto you [ by the light of the Lord in you ] in the power of the Lord committed unto you , break it down and overturn it , and set up and establish righteous laws , equity , mercy , and Justice , and true liberty in its place , and then you need not fear what man can do unto you , for the Lord would then be your preserver .

So the Lord God hath once more tryed you ; Now if you love Father , Mother , Wife , Children , Houses , Lands , Commissions , Honours of the World , or any particular self-end whatsoever more then the Work of the Lord , or if ye prefe● any of them so as thereby to stop the Lords Work , or if ye do the Lords work negligently ( which he hath once more pu● into your hands ) verily ye shall not be counted worthy to be the Lords workmen .

So remember Saul ( who was made an example that others might take warning ) who slew but part , ( of that which was to be destroyod ) and saved a part alive , and therein he was stubborn and disobedient ; Now if ye should destroy but part of the Tyranny and oppression which is utterly to be destroyed , [ Mark that ] and preserve part of it , take heed least the Lord rent ye from your places for your stubbornnesse , and disobedience , as he rent Saul from his Kingdom , for his .

Therefore awake , awake , and wait in the light , to feel the Lords strength , that therein your zeal and courage for him may be renewed , and linger not in things as ye have done , but dwell in the power of the Lord , ( ye who have felt it , and do not abuse it , or resist it any longer ) and in his power act for the freedom and just liberty of all his Creatures , and this will bring honour unto the Lord , that so ye in whose hearts there is a singlenesse , an honesty and an uprightnesse unto the Lord , ( may keep your selves from being defiled with the corruptnesse of others ) and so be preserved in his wisdom and power , in the breakings , overturnings , or purgings , and separating , that yet must be in the Nation .

And Freinds in the Army , when will the spirit of Righteousnesse and equity be clearly manifested among you , to Rule you thus , that so long as ye bear an outward sword , it might be onely turned against evil doers , and not for the upholding any oppression whatsoever , but for the breaking down of all oppression and Tyranny wheresoever it is found , and for keeping the outward peace , whilest equal and just Laws be established , whereby the just liberties and outward freedom of the Nation might be enjoyed ; and not to make a trade of using your swords to enrich your selves by them , by heaping up outward riches , and to feed your lusts ; But whilest ye use your swords , to be content with such wages , as might but even finde you things necessary and convenient for your places ?

Now if this spirit lead you , then self-denial will be manifested in you indeed , and they that called you a mercenary Army , then should be ashamed ; for if tyranny and oppression were destroyed , and equity , true outward liberty and freedom were established , and the enemies of it so brought to n●ught , that so there were no need of you , this spirit if it ruled you , would make you as freely wiling then , to lay down your places and swords , as ever any of you were made free to take them up ; and then to fall upon improving the Creation in the fear and wisdom of the Lord , and to be content to enjoy an equal proportion & share of the liberty ( with your fellow-creatures ) which you have fought for ; and if it were thus , then ye might truly be called the Common wealths-men , or servants .

But if ye carry a sword , and expect and desire still to carry or uphold a sword , to make a trade of ( mark that ) then I know you will not utterly bring down oppressors , and oppression , and firmly establish outward liberty , though yee could , least your trade should fall ; Now if you do not act fingly for your Nations good ( and stand out of all self ends whatsoever ) but still continue , making a trade of using your swords , then you cannot truly be called the Common-wealths Servants ; but such as serves your selves , and such as are their masters , though you receive wages of them .

And Friends , there are many things done lately in the name of the keepers of the liberty of England ; Now ( Mark ) ye should first make England a Free Nation , and set it at liberty from all its oppression and bondage that it is in [ before ye take such a name upon you ] and then in the fear and wisdom of the Lord , see to preserve and keep its liberty , and then ye might truly be called the keepers of the liberty of England , but if ye do not first set it at liberty , and then keep it , and yet be called the keepers of the liberty of it , ye will be but like unto those which had a name that they lived , and yet were dead and like the false Christians who are puffed up with a name but are out of the nature which belongs to the name .

This from me , who have a tender love going forth unto all , both in Parliament , Army and others , who have any true breathings or desire ( in them ) after Righteousnesse , Truth , Equity Mercy , Justice and true Judgement ( which wait to see set up and established ; ) And I honour the higher power , and am subject thereunto where ever , or in whomsoever it doth appear which Power hath made me a Watch-man unto you , to warn you , and to watch for your souls and for peace ; And in obeying this Power , I am clear of , and free from the blood of all men .