RELATION Ofthe Progress of the ParlamentsForces in SCOTLAND: Together with the KINGS Wholly abandoning Scotland, and, in defpair, with what Forces were left them, marching into England: with part of our Forces in his Van: and my LORD GENERAL following in his Reer. By an Express Meflenger to the Council of State. London, Printed by William Du-Gard, by the appointment of the Council of State, Anno Dom. 1651, Beloved Freinds. It often falls out whilst some have thought it nothing to quit the outworks, and have blamed the watch that guarded them, the enemy hath goten within the ports, & the chiefe Cittadell hath been endangered. Give mee leave to tell you, that the cause of all uneven walking, carnall fearing, & painted profession amongst you, ariseth from a hart either unbroken or unbottomed. For the former of these, you have had amongst you my poore endevours, I wish they had been more spirituall, more prevalent. You had my liberty, and I wish my life had gone with it, could that have accomplished the end of my labours, the salvation of your soules in the day of the Lord. I complaine not of unanswerable love from you. For the second, I send you this token, not that you want Catechismes, but that you may still know how much Water cannot quench my love. Commend mee to your Children and Servants and give them this. And know, that good things, if they bee not esteemd in the abundance of them, will be better valued by their want. Oh walke worthy of the Gospell, lest with some desolate Churches you once say: Wee had the Gospell. I commend you all to his grace, who is able to keepe you in the Fellowship of the Gospel and rest. Epistle. Yours in him To those, whom my Ministry may concerne in the Netherlands, especially these of Rotterdam, who have had most of my Labours. Loving Freinds. I know what meanes, what mercies you injoy in these parts, & yet I am not ignorant, what disadvantages Godlines in the power of it hath, by errour in judgment, and loosenes in life; Look well, and you will finde, it is not all gold that glistereth: Beleeve it, A compleate Christian, is allmost as dainty as the man the Lord lookt for, Ezech. 22. Wherfore as you meet with my labours in publicke, so accept of this for you, & yours in private. You have many other helps; but having resolved to pitch upon something of this kind, and finding all said before that could bee sayd, I pitcht upon this ground-worke, which I put into this order, for your Fartherance. Never dreame of building without foundations, when you have well disgested this Milke, you must then bee fit for stronger Meat. The Lord makes us wise with Ioseph, it is getting time, there will |