IT hath pleased the good and onely wise GOD for our and the Nations crying sins to manifest his displeasure for many years toge­ther against these once flourishing, now sadly divided, distracted, and almost ruined Nations: and yet blessed be God, this Honoura­ble City hitherto hath been no proportionable sharer in the calamities which our Brethren in other parts of these now miserable Na­tions have suffered, which are now aggravated by our divisions, and such a generall decay of trading, as doth exceed the worst of for­mer times; all which we look upon, as a most sad presage of some heavy & dismal judgment very near at hand, if not our sudden ruin: together with the destruction and utter dissolution both of Church and State, which will inevitably ensue as a just reward upon our multipli'd provocations, under the most signal manifestations of Gods most gracious presence & the most engaging mercies that ever people did enjoy (unlesse it please our most gracious GOD whose name hath been exceedingly dishonoured by the violation of many sacred and solemn Oaths) amongst us to work our deliverance out of this contexture of dangerous mischiefs, into which we have already wound our selves: or which as the inundations of mighty waters may suddenly break in upon us: and being sadly sensible of the calamities, under which the three Nations groan for want of a well ordered and established Government. We being members in the same politicall body cannot but sympathize with the rest of our Brethren: and forasmuch as your endeavours may contribute very much thereto, and the well or ill management of your Talents, in the discharge of your Trusts may now make these Nations happy or else leave them irrecoverably miserable. We hold our selves obliged in conscience to GOD and our Countrey, both by the Lawes of GOD and the Land, in the behalfe of our selves, and all good and peaceable people in the Land, and the many thou­sands that know not their right hand from their left; and in the behalfe of the Children unborn who in time to come, may have cause to blesse or curse the day of their birth for your sakes, do make this humble Addresse to you, as the onely means under GOD now left us to redresse these growing mis­chiefs which make us and the three Nations in these times of our great trouble cry unto you (as those of Macedonia did in the Apostles Vision) Come and help us. And we beseech you, our most Grave and Worthy Senatours, as you tender the welfare of these bleeding Nations to stand in the wide gap of our breaches, with your prayers, improving your Councils, and every Talent (which God hathreposed in you) for the honour of God, and the peace of his Church by a reall reformation, and we question not but our most gracious GOD will then break through the thick Clouds of these black and dark providences, and return unto us our Iudges as at the first, and our Counsellours as at the beginning, with the abundance of the blessings of peace, that Iudge­ment may run down our streets, and righteousnesse as a mighty stream. And we humbly desire the two great Pillars of the Land Magistracy and Ministry may be asserted and encouraged: in order unto which, we humbly present to your Grave and serious Considerations;

First, the Priviledges of the Gospel which we do enjoy at this day in the faithfull preaching & dispensing of Gods holy Word and Sacraments, together with the labours of so many of his faithfull servants in the Ministry, and the libertie of these sacred Ordinances being the best and choisest of our National blessings; in respect of which, we may well say (with holy David) God hath not dealt so with any Nation: which with thankfulnesse we desire to acknow­ledge as a great mercy to this Land: And should the Lord remove his Candlestick out of his place (as we have just cause to fear he will, unlesse we do repent.) Then may we indeed complain with Phineas his Wife, the glory is departed from our Israel, and a dark and dismal night of black and gloomy Ignorance, Error and Prophanenefse will invelope our valley of vision. And to th'end that this choice Blessing (which we account more precious then our lives) may be conveyed to Posterity. We most humbly desire the Ministry may be countenanced and encouraged, the Universities upheld and maintained, which have nursed many famous Preachers for piety and learning in this and former ages, and your Authourity used for the terrour of evil doers, but the praise of them that doe well.

Secondly, we esteem and assert as our undoubted birth right, the freedome and priviledges of our Parliaments, as being the great Charter of the peo­ple of England, which we account equally dear with our lives, in the enjoyment of which we yet hope under GOD to see a happy and lasting settlement both in Church and State. Therefore we most humbly desire that a new election may be made, or else that those worthy Gentlemen chosen to serve as members in the late free Parliament, may be restored to their priviledges, and sit without disturbance or force from the Army. That they may consi­der in this evil time, what England, Scotland and Ireland ought to doe, which (with submission to your Grave judgements) we humbly conceive to be the most probable means under GOD to establish the true Protestant Religion, reform the Lawes, secure our Liberties and preserve our lives and out­ward concernments, to promote Learning, and encourage Virtue, whereby peace with our neighbour Nations may be renewed and established, the Ar­my satisfied, their Arrears paid, and Trading restored. In all which, most Grave and worthy Senatours, your own concernments (as well as ours) are so deeply engaged, that we perswade our selves you will be instrumentall to further our desires, by all peaceable and lawfull means, and we hope it will put an end to our divisions, which (if GOD in mercy prevent not) may soon break out into another civil War, and render us as a prey to a forreign enemy, For a Kingdome divided against it self cannot stand.

Now we leave it unto you our most grave and worthy Senatours, duely to consider if you part with these our great National blessings, whether you will not discover a palpable breach of trust, and leave your names for a reproach to the generations following, who will in the ages to come rise up and call you bles­sed, if you be carefull to preserve them now, and convey them to Posterity: And now We beseech the Lord to strengthen both your hearts and hands; and give you wisedome from on high to direct you in all your Consultations, as may be most for the honour of God, the peace of his Church throughout the World, and the settlement, safety, and happinesse of these poor Nations; And by his assistance we resolve to stand by you and with you to the utmost hazard of our lives and all that is dear unto us, to promote the same.