To the Parliament of the Commonvvealth of ENGLAND. The Humble Petition of many of the well-affected of the County of KENT,

SHEWETH,

THat though the Kings of the Earth have been unwil­ling that the Anointed IESUS should Reign: yet the observation of the outgoings of the most High in these latter daies, causeth your Petitioners to believe that the day of the accomplishment of the Promises on the behalf of the Son of Righteousness is dawned, if not ap­proached very neer its Noon, who is weary alwaies to behold the Burthens on the Backs, the Yoaks on the Necks, & to hear the Groans & Cryes from the mouths of his People, wherefore he hath powred forth a Spirit which hath encountred and vanquished our open Oppressors, and powred contempt upon those who would be but partiall deliverers, the Sun of whose power sat at Noon, because it ripened not the Desires and Petitions of Gods People by a favorable influence, but suffered their Hopes to blast, after so many Promises and Protestations, and so much expence of Treasure and blood. The same God who hath pulled them down hath set you up; but not to rule for your selves, but for the People of God; not to seek your own, but the Honor of Christ; And we can do no lesse than hope and pray that the Spirit of the Lord may fall down upon you (and teach you to rule after the heart of Christ) to whom we make bold to make this hum­ble Addresse, not to interrupt your weighty Affairs, or misdoubting your Wis­dome and Faithfulness, But onely to shew how our hearts own you as our Par­liament, and to confesse we dare not neglect our assistance to the great work of the Lord, though it be but in being your Remembrancers of what you have proposed to us of your desires in your late Declaration, to the breaking of all our Yoaks, & removing all our Burthens, at which our souls joy. And to keep warm the Breathing of that Spirit, We humbly crave leave to spred before you one Grand Burthen, under which we have groaned till our hearts ake;

Humbly desiring that Tyths of all Sorts, Root and Branch, may be abolished, That that Iewish and Antichristian, Bondage and Burthen on the Estates and Con­sciences of the Godly may cease, And that we may not be insnared with for­ced Maintenance, or any thing like it in the stead thereof.

And your Petitioners shall own the Lord in you, and blesse the Lord for you, and pray, hope and wait to see your hands stretched out for the Lord, till you shall help to tear the flesh of the Whore, and burn her with fire.

This Petition being subscribed by above two thousand persons, whereof four were Justices of the Peace, and presented on Thursday the fourth of August, the Speaker returned the Petitioners this Gracious Answer;

Gentlemen, I am commanded by the House to give you thanks for your good affecti­ons to the Parliament, That the Businesse of your Petition is, and shall be, under Con­sideration, and that the House will do therein as the Lord shall direct them.

London, Printed by Henry Hills, living at the sign of Sir John Old Castle in Py-Corner, MDCLIII.

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