I would not be so unwise as to grieve the wise, if I were wise enough to foresee it: I would speake nothing to the Cause or Continuance of these wearisome Warres hitherto; the one is enough debated, the other more than enough peracted. Nor would I declaime of the uncomlinesse, unbrotherlinesse, unseasonablenesse and unreasonablenesse of these direfull digladiations: every stroak strucke sounds too loud upon this harsh string. I would much rather speake perswasives to a comely brotherly seasonable and reasonable cessation of Armes on both sides, by a drawn battaile: Wherein if I shall adventure a few over-bold words, I intreat my ignorance, impartiality, and Loyalty may plead pardon for me.
Foure meanes there are, and no more, within the compasse of my consideration, conducing to what is desired. Either to get the Standard fixed in heaven by the Lord of Hosts taken downe, I meane by Re
formation: Or to set up white colours instead of red, on one side or other, I meane by Composition: Or by furling up all the Ensignes on both sides, I meane by mutuall and generall Cessation: Or by still displaying all the Colours and Cornets of every batallion, I mean by prosecution: without Reformation there will hardly be any Composition; without Composition little hope of Cessation; without Cessation there must and will be Prosecution; which God forbid.
Reformation.
When the Roman Standard was defixed with such difficulty at the battell between Hanniball and Flaminius at Thrasimene, it proved an ill Omen. When God gives quietnesse, who can make trouble; when he hideth his face, who can behold him? Whether it be against a nation or a man onely. That the Hypocrite reigne not, lest the people be insnared, Job 34. 29, 30. How can the sword of the Lord put it selfe up into its scabbard and be quiet, when himself hath given it a charge to the contrary? Jer. 47. 6, 7. It was a Cardinall Truth which Cardinall Poole spake to H. 8. Penes Reges est inferre bellum, penes autem Deum terminare. If Kings will make their beginnings, God will make his ends: much more when himselfe begins: When I begin I will also make an end, 1 Sam. 3. 12. Farre better were it, for men to make an end with him in time, than put him to make such an end with them as he there intends.
Politicall Reformation he seemes to call for now indigitanter. When he beholds Christian Kingdomes
and States unsound in their foundations, illineall in their superstructures, unjust in their administrations; he kicks them in peeces with the foot of his Indignation: But when Religious Statesmen frame and build by the levell and plummet of his wisdome, then people may say as his servants of old, Looke upon Zion the City of our Solemnities; Your eyes shall see it a quiet habitation, a Tabernacle that shall not be taken down; not one of the stakes thereof shall be removed, neither shall any of the coards thereof bee broken; Isa. 33. 20. neither by civill Commotions nor foraign Invasions. When the coards of a State are exquisitely tight, and the stakes firmely pitched; such a Tent though but a Tent shall not easily flutter or fall: But if the Tacklings be so loose, that the maine Mast cannot stand steady, nor the Saile be well spread; then may the lame take and divide a great prey, ver. 23. If Religion, Laws, Liberties, Affections, Conversations, and foraigne Federacies be slight; the strength of strong men shall be weaknesse, and the weaknesse of the weak victorious.
Pura politeja ne unum admittit solæcismulum, neque valet, præscriptio in politicis aut moralibus. It may maintain a bright conjecture, against a rusty Truth: a legible possession, against an obliterate Claime: an inconvenience, against a convenience; where no cleare remedy may be had: but never any thing that is formally sinfull, or materially mischievous. When rotten States are soundly mended from head to foot, proportions duly admeasured, Justice justly dispenced; then shall Rulers and Subjects have peace with God
and themselves: but till then, the gayest Kingdomes shall be but ruffling scuffling, removing and commoving hovells. For England, however the upper Stories are shroadly shattered; yet the foundations and frame being good or mendable by the Architectors now at worke, there is good hope, when peace is setled, people shall dwell more wind-tight and water-tight than formerly. I earnestly wish our Mr. Builders to remember, that punctuality in Divinity and Politie, is but regularity; that what is amisse in the mould, will misfashion the prosult: and that if this market be slipt, things may grow as deare as ever they were. Most expert Gentlemen, bee intreated at length to set our Head right on our shoulders, that we may once look upwards and goe forwards like proper Englishmen.