The mistake of the times,: written by a faithfull sonne of the late flourishing Church of England, observing present differences betweene the Parliament and Army. Being written by one much bemoaning the the [sic] sad condition of his native kingdome. From a scholler in Cambridge to his friend in London.

THE MISTAKE OF THE TIMES, WHEREIN Is observed the present difference betweene the PAR∣LIAMENT and ARMY.

IT hath ever been held an unfit course to Intermeddle with other mens actions, especially when one hath no∣thing to do with the matters in question, yet here me∣thinks every good subject as well as every great subject, may challinge an interest; I have therefore (though in the midst of my own private distr••ctions) lent thy observations to those publick distances between Parliament and Army. Indeed I have often heard it that a King is the husband, and the Common-wealth is the wife, now whom God hath joy∣ned together let no man nor malice seeke to seperate; ye•• if any differences arise, I shall pray they may compose them themselves, or else they throw themselves upon the c••••••u••e of others, but sometimes they may be lyable to such distem∣pers, that they may need a Physitian, and Parliaments have been held the fittest and best Physitians to cure disquiets in either; For as houshold jarrs may rend and ruin a family, the husband pulling one way, and the wife another, to their own infinite disquiets; So when theose differences are com∣posed, it doth knit the bond of affection the firmer, that ma∣ny times they may cry out, we are happier by our failings and falling out; But if any go about to make the breach wi∣der now horrid a taske they undertake, they and they only can tell, who have been lyable to such mischances, for when bad perswasions meet with such untoward humours as are

apt to entertaine ill conceits of one another, how easie a thing it is to make that irr〈…〉〈…〉, which by 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and sea∣sonable advice is soone composed, even so in a distempered Kingdome, where either the Prince playes the wanton with his prerogatives, and gives others power to abuse his Sub∣jects, thinking his people bound to suffer any thing he layeth upon them, or where a distempered Nation ••egin•• to thinke evill of their Princes, ••…••…pi••…••…ing to see any in grea••er power then themselves, how easie is it for any siding with either, to make the sparkes of devision grow to such a flame as may set the whole Kingdome in combustion. And how easie is it on the other side to procure a faire composure, if any will mo∣destly and mannerly shew their Prince how he is abused by his instruments, and what a derrogation it is to his Princly dignity to imploy bad agents, because the worst of the evill ••••flects upon himself, Therefore intreate him in time to pre∣vent such growing evils by taking advice by a Parliament, and no the other side to perswade the people to have a reve∣rent esteeme of their Prince, as of one God hath set over them and that as soone as the world became populous, there was a necessity of diff••rence and distinction of persons, and that supreame powers are ordained by God, and those that resist them resist the Ordinance of God. And so having brought both to see their sicknesse, to perswade both to make their refuge to the Physitian; but now if this Physition shall pro∣ceed so cunningly with both, as to refuse to undertake the cure, unlesse all the power they both have be conferred on him, presuming the Prince will indure no such corasives if there be occasion to use them, nor the people being of an un∣tamed humour) will not be kept in fitting bounds, if I say the Parliament be so cau••ious (as out of these considerations), not to undertake the cure unlesse it be invested with this power the danger will be, and is but to apparant, the cure man be worse then the disease.

For could it have been imagined that the King for his vo∣lun••ary desire to satisfy his subjects in granting the continu∣ance of this Parliament, that they should not onely make it

perpetuall, but deprive the King of all subjection to him, nay of all livelihood, and did the Common-wealth immagine, that out of a desire to be freed from all Monopolies, and all illegall demands, as Shipmony, and the rest, they should have been thus ensnared, as to pay greater Taxes, new Ex∣cises, such Contributions, as do not onely farre exceede all former demands, but are still so increasing, that they not onely groane under the burthen of them, but grow not a∣ble to discharge them, and yet they are made beleeve this is for the liberty of the Subject, I have heard that none can mannage an estate so well, as those that are breed in the fa∣miliar use of it, which is the reason, that the Sonnes of those men that suddenly grow rich, are for the most part prodi∣galls; so I wonder not that this Parliament having such an expected power put in their hands, prove and play the Pro∣digall with it, what vast summs have been raysed, and how disposed, not the wisest amongst them (I verily beleeve) can tell, why Armies have been listed, hummunition provided, so many Innocents killed, can any of them give a reason? for what good hath all our fighting produced, but breed an inviterate hate against one another, nay after all our glori∣ous (as they call them) victories, are we any whit the nea∣rer happinesse? nay (I feare) we are rather falling into greater distractions; for doth not the Army prescribe rules to the Parliament, nay to the King himselfe, by fetching him violently from Holmby, and still dispo∣sing of him as they not he pleaseth, so as I feare they guard him for danger, not from danger, and do they not impeach the Members of the House of Com∣mons, and require a perfect time for determination of this Parliament, and divers other things, and do not the Quer••es object against the Army, nay may not the Parliament justly wonder that an Army should at one and the same time require pay from them, and infringe their priviledges, is not this strange bandying at one another, & offing one another from hazard to hazard, even to the hazard of one anothers ruine, for

are we not next doore to be againe imbroyled in a new warre, and so to be made (and what is worse to make our selves) the scorne of all our Neighbour Nations, but was it not so with the Children of Izrael when they had no King? did not every man what seemed good in his owne eyes and I pray consider what strange thinge have been acted both in Church and Common wealth in this Kingdome of la••e, may it not truly be said? Thy holy Temples they have defiled, and made Ierusalem an he••p•• of stones, so as it is a wonder to me that the stones do not cry out, and now must we ex∣pect our happinesse from further divisions, certainely no, I wish therefore we would prevent so neere an approaching evill before it come upon us; for let us once more be inga∣ged in justifying our severall conceits by the sword, it will then be too late to wish a reconcilement.

O that both Parliament and Army would therefore (be∣fore it be too late,) throw themselves at the Kings feete, and humbly acknowledge thinge are done improperly on both sides, for as it is mans weaknesse to err, so it is mans wick∣ednesse to persist in errour; for I am perswaded if we would yet at last put all our mistries into the Kings hands, it will prove the likelyest way to cure our overspreading maladies before they grow to such an height, as they will be impossi∣ble to be cured, and that we would desire him to settle things as seemes best in his eyes; for certainly, as God hath endowed him with knowledge above his fellowes, or else he could never have borne those high and strange affronts as have been put upon him with so admirable a patience, so I am confident, affliction hath been prepared him to mannage the Scepters of his three Kingdomes, with more safety to his Subjects, and honour to himselfe, then he hath done before; for new he sees plainly, freeborne subjects will not indure indirect demands, and therefore there is no doubt his own pious heart desires so to mannage those things are commit∣ted to his charge, as to prepare and secure his way to Hea∣ven, and future happinesse; for here we have no abaling City.

O Lord (for thy mercies sake) open the eyes of this si••∣full Nation, that not trusting to their own 〈◊〉〈◊〉, nor ••••…••••…∣ing to their own conceite, they may reinvest His Majesty in his just rights, and learne and resolve to submit to his Com∣mands, and then upon the dissolution of this Parliament▪ it is not to be doubted but His Majesty will call another, and so settle the Peace of this (now totterring) Kingdome, but if still we keepe him at distance, and continue our thwar∣ting and crossing one another, we may undoubtedly (and that very shortly) say, we might have been happy but would not; therefore woe, woe, woe, is but too likely to be our portion, let us O let us, therefore devote with all re∣verence a day of generall humiliation for our crying sins, so may our generall desolations be Preuented, nay let us (for 〈◊〉〈◊〉 we had needs) 〈…〉〈…〉 mi••••••ily to the Lord) to ••••ver•• his ••udgements 〈…〉〈…〉, King, meete with condigne punishment, we were of all Na∣tions most miserable, but there is mercy with him that he should be feared, if therefore we can truly humble our selves, and implore his mercies in an humble, lowly, penni∣tent, and obedient manner, there is yet hope, we may not quite perish; for as man cannot commit greater sins then God can forgive, yet if we persist in these crying impieties, it is to be feared, we may commit those sins God will not forgive, but that other Nations and our future Generation, may have cause to bemoane our just desolations, and that our gardens be given to those will make a better use of them then we have done; for if famine, murther, rape, (which are the bitter Attendants of warre) be the effects of our re∣formed religion, how will the mother be detested that bringeth forth such loath some issue; let us therefore take heede we not onely wound, but altogether destroy our reli∣gion we seeme with so much zeale to establish, I wish there∣fore we would take warning by the parable of him that planted a Vineyard, and let it out unto husbandmen, and when he expected fruite, and sent a servant to them, they

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beat him, and sent him away empty, and ceased not there, but used two others in the like or worse manner, nay they killed the Sonne himselfe, but what the Lord of the Vine∣yard did I tremble to think on, least the like punishment for the like impieties befall us.

FINIS.