The glorious name of God, The Lord of Hosts opened in two sermons, at…

Whereupon the conclusion from all is, There is nothing required of you in this service by both Houses of Parliament, but what you may with a good conscience undertake, by Commission from this great General The Lord of Hosts. Be not therefore daunted with such words as those, What? will you fight against the King? If you fight against the King, who do you fight for? surely it must be for his enemies? and who are they? You know, and all the world may know you fight for none but the Parliament and the Kingdom; what shall the Parliament and the Kingdom be accounted enemies to the King? how can they be under his protection if they be his enemies? and if the King should put them out of his protection, what do you think would follow upon this? No certainly, when things come to be examined, you see there is no such matter: No, this business is for no hurt to the King. Those men who go up and down pillaging and plundering, and doing mischief to all extremity wheresoever they come, who make a spoil of this Kingdom, and that of Ireland, and all under the name of the King: These are the men who wrong the King, rendering him to the Subject as if he were another Maxentius, who reduced the City of Rome into such a condition, as there was no forrest of thieves wherein the lives of Citizens were not more safe then in their houses. In his Orations he made to ⟨p. 68⟩his soldiers, no words were more frequent then these, Fruimini, dissipate, prodigite, Enjoy, riot, spend. These men do what lies in them to put men upon examining, Whether the relation between King and people may not possibly be broke? Whether Kingly power be such an indelible character upon any person, as nothing can ever possibly put it out? Whether that which is by compact and covenant, do not bind mutually? Are not they then like to prejudice the King more then any? If there be any possibility of such thoughts risen in people, what can occasion them sooner then the doing such open violence, and committing such outrages against the Subjects in all places, and that with boldness and confidence in the name of the King? If it were as they say, if people did believe these men, it might cause strange thoughts of heart in them, even such thoughts, as these, How can we be in a worse condition under any?

Whereupon the conclusion from all is, There is nothing required of you in this service by both Houses of Parliament, but what you may with a good conscience undertake, by Commission from this great Generall The Lord of Hosts. Be not therefore daunted with such words as those, What? will you fight against the King? If you fight against the King, who doe you fight for? surely it must be for his enemies? and who are they? You know, and all the world may know you fight for none but the Parliament and the Kingdome; what shall the Parliament and the Kingdome be accounted enemies to the King? how can they be under his protection if they be his enemies? and if the King should put them out of his protection, what doe you thinke would follow upon this? No certainly, when things come to be examined, you see there is no such matter: No, this businesse is for no hurt to the King. Those men who goe up and downe pillaging and plundring, and doing mischiefe to all extremity wheresoever they come, who make a spoile of this Kingdome, and that of Ireland, and all under the name of the King: These are the men who wrong the King, rendring him to the Subject as if he were another Maxentius, who reduced the City of Rome into such a condition, as there was no forrest of theeves wherein the lives of Citizens were not more safe then in their houses. In his Orations he made to