Rome ruin'd by VVhite Hall, or, The papall crown demolisht

To his Excellency the Lord Generall Fairfax, the Lord Lievtenant of Ireland, with the Colonels, and all the other Officers, and Souldiers, under their Command.

Christian Champions:

THat which I intend to you by way of Epistle, is humbly to desire you to compare your past, and present condition, with that of the Israelites, during their Aegyptian bondage, as also untill they had passed the flood Jordan, and pitched their tents in Gilgall, in the plaine of Jericho, which I take to be your now present condition; for proofe of which (submitting to bet∣ter judgements) I shall give you some few hints (of many) by way of Simily, which I conceive will fitly parallel with our condition, from our bondage unto this present season; in which Embleme, I shall resemble their Aegypt, to our Antichristian slavery. 2. Our late King, to their Pharaoh. 3. The Monopolists, to Pharaohs Task-masters. 4. Our then Parliament, and Sinod, to their Moses, and Aaron, (who were brethren in judgement) 5. The red Sea to Prelacy, through which we passed, and in which, Pharaoh and all his Host was destroyed. 6. The Wildernesse, I take to be the various judgements amongst us in point of Religion. 7. As their Host mar∣ched, or not marched, but as the cloudy pillar moved, no more did the Army under the Earle of Essex command, but as the Parlia∣ments Commission ordered them. 8. As their Aaron offended by making an Aegyptian Idol for the Israelites to worship, so likewise did our Sinod, by setting up their Presbitery, it being a limbe of that Antichrist we are in bondage unto. 9. As their Moses was called to mount Nebo, where he dyed, so was Essex, to the Parliament. 10. As Joshua was appointed Commander of the Host, before Moses dyed, so was our present Generall chosen before Essex dyed. 11. As their Joshua was not bound up to the motion of the cloudy Pillar, but was at liberty to march when, and where he pleased; so neither

was our present Generell, tyed to observe the Parliaments order for his marches, or enterprises. 12. As their Joshua did lead them over the flood Jordan, when it over-flowed all its bankes, so hath our Joshua, or Generall, led us over the Jordan of Presbitery, even when the promoters of that Tenent, was in the greatest hopes to have established it. Instance their Treaty with the late King in the Isle of Wight. Which twelve observations may serve as a me∣moriall to our insuing posterities, as them twelves stones set up in Jordan, was to the Israelites. And now thrice Worthies, having under God so well discharged your places, by bringing the Con∣gregation of this our Israel through so many ••minent dan∣gers, I doe desire to inlarge my selfe a little further, in reference to your present condition, (which I have told you I conceive to be as in the plaines of Jericho, beyond Jordan) by hinting unto you, what I conceive the Lord would have you doe, in reference to his designe; which is onely the very same in effect which he commanded Joshua, Chap. 5. & 6. in which I desire you, to observe with me, these ensuing particulars, viz. 1. The feare and dread which fell upon all the Kings of the Amorites, and all the Kings of the Cana∣nites, that were round about them, ver. 1. 2. How the Lord is said to put Joshua in minde, of renewing the ancient Covenant of Circumcision, made formerly to Abraham, ver. 2. 3. The free, and willing obedience of Joshua, in reference to the injunction laid upon him, in relation to the Circumcising of the people, ver. 3. 4. The cause of their being so Circumcised laid down from ver. 6. to ver. 8. 5. The Lords approbation and confirmation of Joshua's complyance with his commands, ver. 9. 6. In that the Passe-over was likewise celebrated by them, presently after their Circumcising, upon which their Manna ceased; and after which they are said to ••ate the old Corne of the Land, yea they are said never to have any more Manna amongst them, but that they did eate of the fruit of the Land of Canaan that yeare. Thrice Honoured Valiants, I shall take on me to minde you of something, in relation to each of these particulars, as they parallel with our present condition.

1. It is well knowne to the Camp of our Israel, what the Lord hath done by us, and for us, whereof we rejoyce. And is it not also taken notice of in all the Kingdomes about us, how the Lord hath dryed up before us, the Euphrates of Papacy, the red Sea of Pre∣lacy,

and the Jordan of Presbitery; as also how he hath destroyed our Aegyptian Pharaoh, and all his Host. Yea, doth not all the Nations about us, exceedingly feare, and tremble; yea so, as that their hearts melt, yea is there any more spirit left in them?

2. Have we not the Spirit of the Lord, at this very instant of time, putting us in minde to renew the ancient Sacraments of Bap¦tisme, and the Lords Supper, answerable to their Circumcision▪ and the Paschall Lambe?

3. Ought not you the Joshuas of our Host, to be like obedient to the heavenly voyce, as the other?

4. Is there not the like cause as was then? Have either your selves, or any other in the Congregation, been Baptized (during our wildernesse condition,) according to the primative practise of the A∣postles? Or hath the Sacrament of the Lords Supper been celebra∣ted of late, according to the Apostles institution? Yea, have not all the holy Ordinances been slighted, and contemned of us, since our Antichristian bondage? Have not all the posterities since Luthers time perished in the Wildernesse, because they obeyed not the voyce of the Lord in these particulars (unto whom he sware that he would not shew them the Land of Canaan, which the Lord sware unto their Fathers that he would give us, a Land flowing with Milke and Honey, upon which your feet now standeth) I beseech you therefore give the Lord cause (in this his day) to say unto you, as he did then to Joshua, viz. that he hath rolled away the reproach of Antichrist (in the use of his Ordinances) from amongst us, (which have been so long abused, and slighted by us, even to this present day;) and then be you well assured, that you shall be fed with the old Corne, and fruit of the Land of Canaan, and your wildernesse Manna shall ••ease, viz. you shall be brought under the old primative Govern∣ment of Christ, and his Apostles, by Doctrine, Baptisme, and the Lords Supper, by which meanes, your confused, and dislocated Socie∣ties shall cease to be, when you come once to be united, by the Word▪ and Sacraments, into peculiar, and intire Bodies, (as in the prima∣tive times before mentioned.) There be also many other things wor∣thy your observation, which for brevity sake I have omitted, being well assured, that your descerning spirit, will ••••y them out; as also make that use of them, which the Lord requireth of you.

Right Noble Spirits, I have made choyce of this method, in re∣gard

I know you can as well exercise the Sword of the Spirit, as the materiall one; yea I am well assured, that you have as well conquered by the one, as the other. I shall now only commend your eye, to the reading, and your persons, to the practise of what is contained in this ensuing Treatice, so farre, as it hath relation to your particulars, which if you become like obedient, (as was your president Joshua, and those under his command) you will then have the Postscript of the Booke appeare unto you, as the Prince, or Captaine of the Lords Host, did unto the aforesaid Joshua; decla∣ring himselfe for you, by whose directions you may be put into a way, whereby you may conquer the City Jericho, which you, and the Host of our present Israel, now lye before, to subdue; but if you refuse to be obedient to what this Treatice doth enjoyne you to ac∣complish, you are as like to perish, though beyond Jordan, as the other on this side have done before you; but being confident of your ready complyance, with the heavenly pleasure, I rest,

Your most humble Servant. J. S.