AS we are Englishmen and Christians, as we have been imbarked from the beginning of the Wars, have born our share in the burden and heat of the day, are Commissioned by the Parliament, as other Officers of the Army are; and look upon our selves, and our Families as concerned in the Weal, or the Woe of the Land of our Nativity, we cannot neglect any means that may prevent, or be parties to any thing that may promote the destruction of this poor Nation: And therefore beholding with sad and bleeding hearts, the late renewed Breach made upon this Parliament, the Consequents whereof will be in more then probable Conjecture, not only the rendring of all the blood and Treasure shed and spent for the deliverance of poor England, fruitless; but also the bringing of these Nations into Blood, Destruction and Confusion; Than which no­thing can be more advantagious to Papists, and all bloody enemies to Justice and true Godliness: so that we cannot [Page 4]with just Peace and satisfaction to our own Consciences sit down altogether in silence, but as in some measure, we do pour out our hearts before the Lord, so we think it our Duty to present you with some of our serious Thoughts, Appre­hensions and Fears, As also our desires, that you would con­sider in time before the Lord, what a Floodgate is opened for a Deluge of miseries to be poured down upon this Nati­on, and how much you are concerned, as you tender the honour of God, the Vindication of Religion, the Credit of the Gospel, the Recouery of your own Reputation that now lies at stake, the just satisfaction that all sober Christians and true Englishmen may challenge from you, and the Relief of your native Countrey that is now sinking in her dearest con­cernments, and cries out for help, That you would (before it is too late) improve your utmost Interest and Power, to put a stop to that destructive Cariere that the Army now is ingaged in, to obviate the too great advantages that for­reign and domestick enemies have now put into their hands, and seasonably to hinder these new Counsels that have no Parlimentary Sanction, and so must be grievous to the free born people of England in any thing they do. We address our selves to you, not only as being of eminent interest, but because you have profest Religion, and strictness of Godli­ness at a high rate, and much tenderness of spirit. Many sober Christians have had great hopes of you, and we are not without confidence our selves, yet we know that you are in a very great Tempration; the Lord grant that your Temptation may not be seconded with a divine Desertion, we are jealous over you; many are at a stand what to think of you, it was believed that when English Liberties were in late years so much infringed, that you did rather bewail them, then fully consent to what was done, give us leave in faithfulness, and with breakings of heart to tell you, that present Actings do seem more transcendently to strike at the Liberties of the [Page 5]English Nation, and there is none now upon the stage of Action, that can pretend to the same advantages the for­mer Protector had. Let not our hopes as to you be fruitless, nor our desires altogether rejected, if you will not hear the cries of the condition of this poor Nation, the Lord will in his time, and believe it, there are thousands of precious souls in England (whatever some may think of them) and will be found precious at the day of Christs appearing, who are at this day weeping in secret places for the unwarrantableness of these undertakings, and therefore let us speak this once to you, enter into your Chamber, yea into the Closet of your own heart, come with your heart in the sight of that God whose cies are a flame of fire, and whose eie-lids try the Children of men, and then labour to give to England Scot­land & Ireland a through proof of your faithfulness, humility, selfe denial, and publick spiritedness by timely retracting of late unjustifiable actings, in violating that authority whom we have all lately owned, and by whom we have lately been intrusted by Commissions. The good people of this Nation have been formerly deceived by good words and fair promises; Setting daies a part for seeking God in fasting, when the way is not good, will not hereafter blind English eyes, doing things unwarrantably, and then intituling God to them, as they will never the more be owned by God, so they will be never the more acceptable to decerning men; He that doth Righteousness is righteous; The fear of the Lord is to depart from evil: and true Godliness can­not be without a denying of self in all ungodliness and wordly lusts. They are just indeed who have opportunity and power to be unjust, and yet dare not, because of the fear of God; they are truly faithfull, who when they are tempted and provoked to be treacherous, yea and have op­portunity and power so to do, yet will not, dare not [Page 6]wound their Trust; They have the name of God written in their hearts who stand in awe of his Precepts, and dare do nothing meerly because their sword is long enough to do it; and if this be according to the rule of Truth, the question will be, Whether the late and present actings of so many Officers of the Army be suitable yea or no? The Parliament is interrupted, and that by a great part of the Army; and what Parliament? is it not the long Parliament? under whose Counsels, the Army (by the blessing of God) hath wonne so many glorious Battles in the field, both in England, Scotland and Ireland; That Parliament which through the Mercy of God, together with the subordinate Concurrence of Land and Sea-Forces, was a Terrour to Enemies both abroad and at home: That Parliament which was so constantly, willing and ready, both to satisfie Publick Debs and contracted Arreares, and to provide constant pay for the Army and Navy: That Parliament whose former interruption was found to be no wayes advantagious to the Nation. Have not the Affairs of England both abroad, and at home been declining ever since? And was not this Army brought into such a perplexed condition by an over-ruling hand of Providence that it was forced to profess before God and Man its sence of backslidings, and its duty to take shame to it self even for that force it had offered to this Parliament? Did not this Army acknowledge this Parliament, the only visible Authority of this Nation? And thereupon solemnly de­sire and invite them to the discharge of their remaining Trust, promising all Faithfulness and assistance therein; Is it not to be considered, that this Parliament, notwithstand­ing they could not but see that they must sit again under great difficulties & disadvantages because the Treasure was exhaust­ed, vast debts were contracted, and the Souldiery and Sea­men [Page 7]unpaid, yet being invited, how did they break through those dis-couragements, and undertooke difficillimam Pro­vinciam, who were no sooner assembled, but a general, desperate and deep laid-plot, stares them in the face, and in many places breaks forth upon them; and can it be denyed? that the Lord was pleased in every part of the Na­tion where the plot brake forth to take the honour of the success chiefly to himself, and we may truly say, that by Grace we were outwardly saved least any man should boast: and can any be so injurious as not to acknow­ledge that by the late sudden Calming of the storm, God was pleased afresh to own, and that signally the Counsels of this Parliament? Yet this Parliament must againe be interrupted, and that by those who had seve­ral wayes engaged solemnly to them afresh, and in the late Petition, how many times do the Officers engaged therein seem to take a pleasure in styling themselves the faithfull servants and faithfull Army of this Parliament. Yet now, with what reality, we shall with griefe of heart consider, and the world will judge; especially because al­ready there are so many at worke with Tongue, yea some with pen to bespatter the Armies acknowledged Masters, and consequentialy to bring Parliaments out of credit, if possible, so as to besool people into a belief, that Parliaments will not do the work, but the eys of Englishmen are not so easily put out: We have not forgotten that it was an old Court designe, not only to allure, but to affright Englishmen out of their love to, and their very discourse of a Parliament; yet there was a Parliament at last which found work enough for all the Courtiers in the Nation: We are not ignorant how that there have been Attempts of later date to wean this English Na­tion [Page 8]from love unto their Parliament; and fair things have been promised, and some good things have been endeavoured to have been done by another hand, yet there was still a necessity of calling Parliaments; and when an intire house of Commons would not doe, a part thereof shall be made use of; and when a part would not serve the turn, it also must take its turne to goe off the stage; and when now Parliaments seem­ed troublesome, the long Parliament (styled by the Army the famous long Parliament) must be called again; which is not an obscure evidence that the spi­rit of the free-born Englishmen (notwithstanding Par­liament interruptions yet) is still working towards a Parliament, and that old Maxime will not easily be ob­literated out of the Tables of English hearts, Quod om­nes tangit, ab omnibus tractari debet: This English Nati­on will be loth to lose their Hereditary and Birth­right priviledge of making their own Laws by which they shall be governed: We have had such experien­ces of a Parlamentary States-Physitians that have at­tempted in an uncouth way to heale the Nation, and this with so little success, as that we (and we do believe that there are many thousands of our minde) doe know no helpe under God like that of a Par­liament: But now wee are told, that as there is noe Authority in the Nation, so all Authority is devol­ved upon, and resides in the Army, that is, in the Officers, and our Government must be a Sword-Go­vernment; And shall this be spoaken by any that shall preesume to take the name of an holy just God in­to his mouth? Is Englands Dear bought free­dome come to this? Our hearts would sinke, but [Page 7]that we know the Lord doth raign, and if it were possi­ble for to prevent it, we would say, Tell it not in Gath, and let it not be published in the gates of Ashkelon, lest the Daughters of the Philistims triumph. Have men been beheaded, banished, and slain in the Field for do­ing things contrary to English Lawes, and shall this Ar­my bury English Lawes and the Legislature it self all at once, and take all into their own hands? But no que­stion some will say, there shall be just things. It is not the doing of some seeming righteous things, that will satis­fie the just expectations and Claims of this English Nati­on, when they see that all that they have lyes at the mercy of their Fellow-servants. We have not forgot­ten what was once told to the late King, and that by a Parliament, That it is better to rule in the hearts of men by love and justice, then to rule over them by force and power. An Arbitrary Sword may tyrannize over mens persons and estates for a time, but it doth never conquer Spirits. We would have hoped that no part of this Army that professeth so much for Christ and his Kingdome, would have ever so much as coasted upon the course of the Egyptian Mamalukes, or the Romane Pretorian Bands. But let men make sure of this, that what God did seem to wink at amongst ignorant Hea­thens that were no better taught, he will not so easily o­verlook when acted by those who should have better learned Christ: For Christ hath said it, That he that takes the Sword shall perish with the Sword. And for certain, what was lately acted and now acting, will come under the judgement of Christ who is no respecter of persons, and before whom all the power and force of this world is as nothing, but as the drop of the Bucket, and as the dust of the Ballance. We are not ignorant of the great Argument why this Parliament was interrupt­ed; What? Must nine Families be undone at once? Far be it from us to desire the undoing of any, much less of those for whom we have so great a respect: And we could heartily wish, that affairs might be composed to [Page 8]mutuall satisfaction, and we are apt to fear that all good men will at the long-run find the smart and inconveni­ence of these unhappy Divisions. But what? are Mili­tary Commands so essential to the well being of men, if not to their beings, that they shall count themselves undone, if their Commissions be but vacated by Parlia­ment? If vacating of Commissions be an undoing, how many hundreds of Families have been undone time after time at the pleasure of the Parliament? Did not the Par­liament in the year 1645, think fit to lay aside these Ge­neral Officers ensuing, namely the Earl of Essex, the Earl of Warweck, the Earl of Manchester, Ferdinando Lord Fairfax, Sir William Waller, Major General Massey, Sir William Brereton, Collonel Ressiter, and many other Offi­cers? Yea how many Commissions have been vacated lately by the Committee of Nominations, and the former have for many years sate down in silence and peaceably at home, who have been known in their time to have done as good service; and happily divers of them might be thought to deserve a Military trust, as well as some others: But let the utmost be granted, which cannot be imagined, that it were a kind of outward undoing: must the Parliament be broken up? Must the only Authority of the Nation be trampled upon to prevent such an un­doing? Nay more, must the saving of nine Commissi­ons be of such weight in the Ballance of Consideration, as that the undoing of so many Millions of Fa­milies in these Nations shall be put to open hazard? but it may be presumed that all will go well, because there is such a seeming compliance: we well re­member that generall Subscriptions and often Addresses, have in very late experience, proved but a rotten prop or sandy foundation, to some who have ei­ther leaned or built too much upon them: we call to mind, that at first, that as the Warre was, so it was asserted to be, defensive on the Parliaments part; and we do believe, that when we formerly with such heat and activity did prosecute the Cavileere, [Page 9]as the declared Enemy to English Freedomes asser­ted in Parliament, and when we were in the dayes of our extremity amongst Garments rouled in bloud, and many times expecting our entrance into eternity by some instruments of death; that it was not then judg­ed by any to be part of the good Old Cause, to wrest all Power and Authority out of the hands of the peo­ples Representatives in Parliament, and to fix it in an Army. We have the rather taken upon us the li­berty thus to express our moans unto your Lordship, relating to these Affairs now in hand, because some of us were desired (which we took for a command) to withdraw from the Councell of the Officers, though we are Commissionated Officers by Parliamentary Authority as well as others; and therefore we cannot willingly Subscribe to the freedome of those debates, where any without any just allegation are secluded or suspended: and then we did desire that we might not be concluded by, or lookt upon as Parties to any thing which should be there concluded on. We are English-men born and bred, and have adventured our dearest blood with others for our freedomes, and by the mercy of God, the common Enemy could not withhold them from us; we shall not willingly by any act of ours give them away: If any of our fel­low Servants will (because they can) by force take our freedomes from us; If we have no appeal on Earth, yet our eyes shall be towards him that judgeth righ­teously, and our Prayers shall be, Lord help us, for thou art the helper of the oppressed. We have not much further to say unto your Lordship but this, we must lay before you, that in what you now do, you run three Nations into most desperate hazard, all lies at stake, and all lies a bleeding. The Question now is, Whether it be not more honourable upon a Chri­stian account, and safe for you and others, to sound a seasonable Retreat, then to March on in waies which one day will not be justified before him who is a [Page 10]consuming fire. The Parliament of England never raised or maintained Souldiers to be Law-makers, but to defend this Nation against those who were Law-breakers. Let not, Oh let not any who have any stirrings of Conscience, justifie that in their own practice which they have fought down in others; Re­ligion and the Gospell should be, and we hope will be dearer to us then our lives, our Liberties and E­states which in their place we must value. We know that the Lord of Heaven is he alone upon whom (for the maintenance of these) we must chiefly depend. But according to humane consideration, and as we are English Freemen, and in this age have been beaten into the knowledg where our English Freedomes may be most safely lodged, so we must in all humility bear our open testimony to you, that we know, nor can willingly own no safer meanes for the securing of all these, then in the Parliament, the people of Eng­land Assembled in Parliament by their Representatives, we must own to be our proper Law-makers, and to have Legislative power, and to have power Legally to levy Taxes upon the People. We must own it that the Militia and standing Forces of England, Scotland, and Ireland, ought to be subordinate to, and to be disposed by commands of Parliament, and of such Powers as are delegated by Parliament. And therefore again it is the earnest desire of our hearts to your Lordship, that you would lay Englands sad condition and the interest of Christ in the world to heart, and consider the hopes of all sorts of enemies by the late sad breach, and lay to heart the sad sighs, tears, and groans of thou­sands of precious souls in this Nation, as also the fears of many, that the glory is departing from our Israel: and also consider your own danger and the danger of the Army, in the wayes they now are; and that you would effectually endeavour the removing of the present force upon the Parliament, that they may sit in safety and without interruption, for this we [Page 11]judg (as the Army not long since have done) the most likely expedient to make way for Englands settlement, and therefore why should you not interpose? it will be your honour, that by your meanes the door be once more opened, that this Parliament may take some effectuall course, for as comprehensive an election of a succeed [...] Parliament, as the safety of the Cause will bear. [...] to common enemies themselves we can tru­ly say, that we wish them equall benefit with our selves under Parliamentary Lawes. We only desire, That provision may be made, that the Parliament and well affected of the Nation may not be at the Enemies mer­cy. In this our address to you, We have desired in faith­fullness to bear our testimony, and when we have done, we must leave all to the dispose of Him that rules all the world, and lay it before your serious and retired consi­deration. We remain