THis is, of all the dayes of Trouble God hath brought upon Us, the saddest that ever our Eyes saw in these poor Nations; We have had to do often with the Common Enemy, but never before Engaged against Our Friends, the very thoughts of which is a wound, deeper in our Spirits than the Sword can make in our Bowels.

Above all things therefore it is our earnest prayer, and shall be our Endea­vour, to Reconcile the Differences in that which to our Consciences seemes the most equitable and just Medium for us to agree in, namely, To intreat you (as we have interposed with the superiour Officers of the Army) to labour a due understanding between your selves and the Parliament, the Necessity and Equity of which Re­quest, we cannot but believe you must subscribe to, if you seriously consider a few Proposals.

1. Whether the asserting of a Free Parliament, duly qualified, of faithfull Men to GOD, and his People in these Nations, to be the Supream Legislative Authority of these Nations, was not the Good Old Cause we fought for, as that onely which vindicated in Spirituals [Page 3]our Consciences from Imposition up­on them, contrary to the Liberty of the Subjects of JESUS CHRIST, and our Persons, and Estates, and Poste­rity in Civils, from the Usurpations of the late King upon the Liberties and ancient Rights of the Free-born People of England.

2. Whether it be not the only vin­dication of your late laying aside the Son and Successor of our old General, because you did verily believe, as you have protested to the world, That the Government of any single person might in time, ruine the afore mentioned Li­berties, purchased by our Bloud, and the vast Treasures of this Common­wealth; Monarchy, however bounded, necessarily requiring Uniformity as to Religion, and Prerogative as to Civil, both which must needs be oppressive [Page 4]and destructive to our Consciences and Rights.

3. Whether, when you set up again this Famous Old Parliament, you did not believe in your Consciences that it was a Return to the Good Old Cause, from which you had Apostatized, and the best Expedient to heal the sad Breaches of this poor Commonwealth, which the Lusts of men have made; witness your Declaration presented by the Lord Lambert, and the rest (the sixth of May) to the Speaker, as the Representee of the House.

4. Whether, this Parliament hath ever yet endangered or disowned you, or the Nation in these Great Ends (which can only acquit all the Bloud­shed from Murther) your Liberties as English-men, and your Priviledges as Christians, but rather have given Se­curity [Page 5]for both, in such Votes as they had time to passe, by such Promises as they are too honest to forget, and by a Progress large enough, considering the Confusions and difficulties they found the Government in, by our setting up the things, of which we are now asha­med.

5. Whether, if your Consciences be better informed, it can satisfie ours, or any Christian Consciences in the Nation, to act according to your parti­cular apprehensions, when we see them cross so much the plain Rule of the Word; which, as it requires obedi­ence to all Authority, So, much more to that which is asserted and setled up­on the surest Foundation of the Peoples Rights, and to which you are so so­lemnly engaged by Protestations, as in the presence of God, who will not hold [Page 6]them guiltless that take His Name in vaine.

6. Whether, if upon this occasion of our Dissentings, the Common Ene­my should arise with a stronger party, and make use of our Divisions to yoke us in bondage worse than ever: That their little finger should be heavier than the Loyns of those preceded them, the people of these Nations would not have sad Cause to leave at your Doors the Bloud of those Innocents they must sa­crifice to their Cruelty, Considering especially that the Redemption of these old Usurpations, must be by the Heads of Gods People, and bring worse upon us, the Bloud of Saints, whose death is precious in the sight of the Lord. We Begg you therefore, to lay to heart the Premisses, and believe we are Men of such Consciences, as cannot close with [Page 7]this Action and Acquiesce in it, But would cordially Desire, that God may humble us for the evill of our wayes, That in making Peace with Him, we may Unite in love to each other: And we shall also assure you, that though the present Emergencie hath made Our Commander in Chief, to put some of the Officers from their Commands, whose Actings have not been such as might promise they can cordially joyn in this business, yet he hath continued to them their Sallaries out of the Con­tingencies of the Army, till the Parlia­ments pleasure be further known: And we shall also assure you, That whatever endeavours may be for the settling of this Parliament again in a free capacitie to Act for us in these Nations, we hall be as ready as you to bear a Testimony against them suitable to our station, if [Page 8]they should violate the so often promi­sed and engaged-for Liberties of these Nations, whether Spiritual or Civil, There being a witness against them in their late Votes, that the Representative of the People, is entrusted not for the Ruine, but the Safety of the Common­wealth.