ays wished so well to Parliament and Citie, that I was
sorry to see them do or suffer any thing unworthy such great and
considerable Bodies in this Kingdom.

I was glad to see them onely scared and humbled, not broken by that
shaking: I never had so ill a thought of those Cities, as to despair
of their Loyaltie to Me; which mistakes might eclipse, but I never
beleeved malice had quite put out.

I pray God the storm be yet wholly passed over them, upon whom I look
as Christ did sometime over _Jerusalem_, as objects of my prayers and
tears, with compassionate grief, foreseeing those severer scatterings
which will certainly befall such as wantonly refuse to be gathered
to their duty: fatall blindnesse frequently attending and punishing
wilfulnesse, so that men shall not be able at last to prevent their
sorrows, who would not timely repent of their sins; nor shall they
be suffered to enjoy the comforts, who securely neglect the counsels
belonging to their peace. They will finde that brethren in iniquitie
are not far from becoming insolent Enemies, there being nothing harder
then to keep ill men long in one minde.

Nor is it possible to gain a fair period for those notions which go
rather in a round and circle of fansie, then in a right line of reason
tending to the Law, the onely center of publike consistency; whither I
pray God at last bring all sides.

Which will easily be done, when we shall fully see how much more
happie we are, to be subject to the known Laws, then to the various
wils of any men, seem they never so plausible at first.

Vulgar compliance with any illegal and extravagant wayes, like
violent motions in nature, soon grows weary of itself, and ends in a
refractory sullennesse: Peoples rebounds are oft in their faces, who
first put them upon those violent strokes.

For the Army (which is so far excusable, as they act according to
Souldiers principles, and interests, demanding pay and indemnity) I
think it necessary, in order to the publike peace, that they should be
satisfied, as far as is just; no man being more prone to consider them
then my Self: though they have fought against Me, yet I cannot but so
far esteem that valour and gallantry they have sometime shewed, as to
wish I may never want such men to maintain my Self, my Laws, and my
Kingdoms, in such a peace, as wherein they may enjoy their share and
proportion, as much as any men.

_But thou, O Lord, who art perfect Unity in a sacred Trinit