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.