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To the Right Honorable, The Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament: The humble Petition of the Major, Magistrates, Ministers and Commons of the Town of Ply∣mouth, and others well-affected and desirous of the Peace of God to rule in this Kingdom;
THat your Petitioners being conscious of their Solemn Engagement with you in Protestation, Vow and Covenant before the Searcher of Hearts, and Judge of Spirits, for Reformation according to Gods Word, Extirpation of Popery and Prelacy, Restitution of Civil Rights and Liberties, Main∣tenance of the Just Priviledges of Parliament, and the Defence and Preservation of His Majesties Person and Authority in the Preservation and Defence of all the former, do finde themselves bound upon just grounds to make this recognition of their Duty unto you at this time.
For first, knowing that this general Engagement was undertaken in order to procure a just, holy and safe Peace, which God might own, We desire humbly to minde you, as our selves desire sadly to consider, and to bear the iniquity in bitterness of Soul before God, whether the breach of Covenant in retarding the work of Gods house, and too much sparing Malignant wickedness against God and man, have not pro∣voked the Lord to keep this Peace far off from us.
Secondly, having seen strange actings of many, and (as we humbly conceive) irregular pressing upon your Authority to Byass you several ways, formerly and of late; and having heard of much Treachery of men in betraying their Trusts both by Sea and Land, and of impetuous Petitions and unreasonable for a Personal Treaty upon any terms, without due Satisfaction and Security given for the effecting those neces∣sary and just ends of the Covenant (which we are consident many of those Petitioners have sworn also to the Almighty) and for Cessation, and laying aside your Arms in such a time when the cruel and Malignant Enemy is prepared to ruine you and the Kingdom, we are sensible that these perverse workings must be grievous to you, and cause many obstructions to the work of God in your hands, as well as to the King∣doms Peace, which we are confident God will require of those Authors.
Thirdly, considering that ye are of the same mould with us, though called of God, and set up over us for good at this time, and that ye are subject to discouragement, and to wax feeble by defections and oppo∣sitions of men, we that are your weakest and lowest parts desire to be supplying to you what strength the Lord gives in, who alone is the life of you and us: Whom that we may not make our Enemy,
Your Petitioners for themselves, and in the name of many thousands, do humbly pray you in the midst of all distractions, to be incouraged in the Lord, to look strictly to the performance of the Solemn Covenant, as you have to the making of it, that Gods work in establishing Religion and Government according to his Word be hastned, That your bands be strong to do Iustice early and impartially among men, That you do not precipitate your Counsels and Resolutions for a Treaty prejudicial to the end of our Covenant, at which God should be angry: For as the Petitioners profess them∣selves to pray and long for the Peace of our Native and Neighboring Kingdoms; yet such a Peace do we desire, whereof God may be the Author, Rule and End, which alone will keep us in true safety. And forasmuch as ye have engaged all the true hearted, godly and well-affected in these Kingdoms to undertake with you to their Estates and Lives, We humbly pray you faithfully to persevere in acting your Declarations frequently made for their common safety, and notwithstanding specious pretences made by Petition, not to swerve from your first just Principles of our general Covenanting with you to make God angry, and let in the common Enemy to spoil. And furthermore our humble request is, seeing God hath made this poor place and people serviceable for the Kingdoms good, and preserva∣tion of your power through your Supplies to them (for which we desire uncessantly to bless the Lord) that still through your gracious influence it may be enabled to serve God and you against the common Enemy by Sea and Land; and that such Authority may be derived from you unto us, as may enable us to act again for our own and Kingdoms Defence: In doing all which ye shall please God, encourage the hearts of the faithful in the Land, strike fear on your enemies; The Lord of Hosts himself shall be still your shield and great reward, but a terror and confusion to and deceitful men.