Selected quad for the lemma: lord_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
lord_n	charles_n	francis_n	thomas_n	11,749	5	7.4746	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85281	The fifth monarchy, or Kingdom of Christ, in opposition to the beasts, asserted, by the Solemn League and Covenant, several learned divines, the late General and Army, (viz.) in their declaration at Muslebrough, August 1650. wherein the old cause is stated, appeals made, the Scottish blood spilt, and the banners yet in Westminster-Hall witnessing the great decision then given on Christs side. Also, by a letter from the officers of the Army in England, to their brethren in Ireland, the 11 of May, 1653. justifying on Christs accompt, the dissolution of the Parliament; and consonant thereunto, the Generals speech to those that succeeded in the government, the fourth of July following ...		1659 (1659)	Wing F890; Thomason E993_31; ESTC R207791	44,997	55

all the people of God that this great Change may have the extraordinary blessing of God upon it By this inclosed Declaration you will perceive what provision is made for the present management of Affairs till persons of approved Fidelity and Honesty may be called to take upon them the Supreme Authority of this Commonwealth which being done we may have cause to hope the Lord will make them a future blessing to us Dear Friends we are perswaded this is the Lords own work and ought to be mavellous in our eyes the Lord hath once and again pulled down the Mighty from their seats and we trust it is that himself may raign and therefore let the earth rejoyce and these our Islands be glad thereof for though clouds and darkness be round about him yet Righteousness and Judgment are the habitation of his Throne The Lord is terrible in his doings therefore the guilty world will tremble but Sionshall hear and be glad and the daughters of Judah shall rejoyce because of his judgments Let us therefore dear Brethren serve the Lord with fear and rejoyce with trembling for we are not without hope that our Lord Jesus Christ who is the King of Saints will henceforth shew himself to be the King of Nations also We do not doubt but the Lord will make your hearts as ours in this great business and that as the Lord hath wonderfully stirred up the heart of his Excellency the Lord General to put himself upon God in this great undertaking for the interest of Jesus Christ and his people so we shall adhere to him and one to another therein We know your sincere love to Christ and his people is such that we shall use no Arguments unto you but onely mind you That when the Lord called you to the service of Ireland at a solemn meeting of the Officers designed for Ireland with those that remained here after that we had with many prayers and tears recommended one another into the bosome of Christ we did also in the presence of each other and before the Lord solemnly submit our selves and all our affairs to be whollyat his dispose resolving through the influence of his Spirit in all our politick undertakings not to seek our selves but the advancement of the affairs and kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ In this Spirit and with these Resolutions we parted with one another and the Lord hath blessed us hitherto and lo we are yet alive though thousands of our dear Brethren who engaged with us are dead The Lord grant we may with our lives be instrumental to carry on and preserve that Cause and Interest which was by them valued above their lives and whose blood cryeth loud to us to persevere therein unto the end Let us therefore we beseech you provoke both you and our selves not to consult with carnal reason in these great Mutations but let us labour by faith to see the Lord carry on his own work and to manifest our selves whom God hath called and chosen to these stations wherein we stand to be also faithful in doing the work unto which he shall appoint us Dear Brethren the work hath hitherto been to break and pull down which every one almost seemeth to be good at but it 's now the expectation of good men that Building and Establishing work shall follow for which yet there are not in our view many fit and therefore it will be your duty and ours to pray without ceasing that those whom God shall call to the Government may be men full of the Holy Ghost and of Power and may have his continual presence in the carrying on of so great a work on the issue whereof depends as we are perswaded the interest of the Saints throughout the whole world Now the Lord keep our hearts close to himself that so however things go about we may be found walking as becometh the Gospel of Christ in faith towards God in love one towards another and in Peace and Righteousness towards all men Which that we may do let us earnestly beg your continual and servent Prayers even as we desire to make mention of you as often as we encompass the Throne of Grace in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ in whom we are Your most affectionate Friends and Brethren John Lambert John Disbrow Edward Whalley Thomas Harrison William Constable Adrian Scroop Nathaniel Rich Matthew Tomlinson Philip Twisleton Thomas Pride Thomas Cooper William Goffe Ralph Coblet Francis Hacker Charles Worsley Francis White Thomas Kelsey Thomas Biscoe Robert Swallow Roger Alsopp Arthur Husbands Griffith Lloyd John Mason Thomas Saunders John Hodgson Jeoffrey Elatson Edward Orpin Samuel Lark John Caitnes John Wigan Edward Walley Richard Merest John Robinson Edmund Chillenden George Smithson William Packer William Style Francis Allen William Farley William Malin Richard Hatter Phil. 1.18 What then notwithstanding every way whether in pretence or in truth Christ is preached and I therein do rejoyce yea and will rejoyce The spiritually wise cannot but soon discern whether the breathings of the Lords holy Spirit are more visible in this then the Armies late as it 's called repentance and the chief Officers may do well to consider whether it were not better with them when they avouched the Lord to be their God even Christ to be the King of Nations then since changing their glory into shame they are found amongst the scoffers saying Where is the promise of his coming and they may observe the dissolution of the Parliament however many now would have it accompted onely a precipitate Act of their General yet it had a very serious and deliberate owning by them who can no otherwise be justified in that or formet undertakings thereby following the Lord in paths untroden contradictory to this old Antichristian worlds frame and constitution or as their own expression in their Letter is By resigning themselves and all their affairs to be wholly at the Lords dispose resolving through the influence of his Spirit in all their publick undertakings not to seek themselves but the advansement of the Affairs and Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ But how faithfully this hath been observed the light in their own consciences can best satisfie them if they dare ask the question The Lord General CROMWEL His SPEECH At the Council-Chamber to the Persons then Assembled by Summons July 4. 1653. GENTLEMEN I Suppose the Summons that hath been instrumental to bring you hither gives you well to understand the cause of your being here Howbeit having something to impart which is an Instrument drawn up by the consent and advice of the principal Officers of the Army which is a little as we conceive more significant then that other of Summons we have that here to tender you And we have somewhat likewise further to say to you for our own exoneration and we hope it may be somewhat further to your satisfaction And therefore seeing you sit here somewhat uneasie by reason of the scantness of the

The Fifth Monarchy OR KINGDOM OF CHRIST In opposition to the BEAST'S Asserted By the Solemn League and Covenant several learned Divines the late General and Army viz. in their Declaration at Muslebrough August 1650. wherein the Old Cause is Stated Appeals made the Scotish blood spilt and the Banners yet in Westminster-Hall witnessing the great decision then given on Christs side Also by a Letter from the Officers of the Army in England to their Brethren in Ireland the 11 of May 1653. justifying on Christs accompt the Dissolution of the Parliament and consonant thereunto the Generals Speech to those that succeeded in the Government the fourth of July following With a short Application and some brief Proposals grounded on Scripture in order to a lasting Settlement in this hour of distraction the Foundations being out of course Luk. 17.32 Remember Lots Wife Zach. 12.23 Behold I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all people and in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it LONDON Printed for Livewel Chapman 1659. PREFACE IT being manifest that very many formerly engaged in the work of God with their lives in their hands in much appearing zeal and self-denial have as their own expression is warped aside soon forgetting his works with their vows and promises in the day of distress and falling in love with this worlds glory the profitable pleasant things thereof have some of them in the last past years set themselves in opposition to such as plead for the prosecution of the Lords work and full following of him therein sometime loading them with reproaches of discontented giddy fanatick Munster-spirited people It may not be unseasonable when the least ground of hope is given that they are not wholly fallen under the Lords displeasure so as no more to be owned in his work in sincere and unfeigned love to present to their view if the Lord please to improve and bless it for their further recovery what was held forth formerly by the Parliament and Army and some who in those days were esteemed Seers consented unto also in solemn Engagements by the dispersed throughout the Land lovers of God his Ways and People in asserting The Cause then contended for unto blood and which still remains as an Obligation unto others to be pressing after Englands Engagement by all sorts in the Solemn League and Covenant WE Noble-men Barons Knights Gentlemen Citizens Burgesses Ministers of the Gospel and Commons of all sorts of the Kingdom of England Scotland and Ireland Having before our eyes the Glory of God and the Advancement of the Kingdom of JESUS CHRIST Each of us for himself with our hands lifted up-to the most high God do swear that we shall sincerely really and constantly through the grace of God in our several places and callings endeavour The Reformation of Religion in the Kingdoms of England and Ireland in Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government according to the Word of God and the Example of the best Reformed Churches and that we shall in like manner without respect of persons endeavour the extirpation of Popery Prelacy that is Church-Government by Archbishops Bishops their Chancellours and Commissaries Deans Deans and Chapters Archdeacons and all other Ecclesiastical Officers depending on that Hierarchy Superstition Heresy Schism and Profaneness and whatsoever shall be found contrary to sound Doctrine and the Power of Godliness lest we partake in other mens sins and thereby be in danger to receive of their plagues and that the Lord may be one and his Name one in the three Kingdoms c. And this Covenant we make in the presence of Almighty God the Searcher of all hearts with a true intention to perform the same as we shall answer at the great day when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed most humbly beseeching the Lord to strengthen us by his holy Spirit for this end and to bless our designs and proceedings with such success as may be deliverance and safety to his people and encouragement to other Christian Churches groaning under or in danger of the yoke of Antichristian Tyranny to joyn in the same or like Association or Covenant to the glory of God the enlargement of the KINGDOM OF JESUS CHRIST and the peace and tranquillity of Christian Kingdoms and Commonwealths And consonant hereunto the Army in their Declaration of Muslebrough tell the Scots We did many of us rejoyce at the Covenant because we found in it strains towards these ends viz. the destruction of Antichrist the advancement of the KINGDOM OF JESUS CHRIST the Deliverance and Reformation of his Church in the establishment of his ordinances amongst us according to his Word and the just civil Liberties of English men although some being more enlightned did apprehend it to be so mixt with worldly interest that they justly seared the INTEREST OF JESUS CHIST would be but onely pretended to and the interest of this world and of Antichrist himself carryed on in a vizard as we have since had abundance experience of And let us in the presence of the Lord further assure you that we have already examined our Conscience as before the Lord and have a clear assurance in our hearts that he will countenance us in this action and that we do not break any Covenant which we have sworn before God Angels and Men but would be content should we not thereby idolize the Covenant to march to any Engagement with you if called thereunto by the Lord with the Covenant on the tops of our Pikes and let the Lord judge who hath observed the ends of the Covenant best we or you In Mr. Burrough's Sermon before the House at the publick Thanksgiving Sept 7. 1641. for the peace concluded betwixt England and Scotland he hath this passage Page 44. God in this latter age is about to raise himself a glorious Name in the world to set up his King upon his holy Hill to make Jerusalem the praise of the whole earth This that hath been already done viz. by the Scots and Parliaments Conjunction against King and Bishops is a preparation for a fore-runner of and a furtherance to this great and glorious work of God and blessed are those men whom God shall please to make instrumental herein The greatest-blow that ever was given to the Antichristian Government is that which now it hath had Babylon is fallen is fallen so fallen as it shall never rise again in power We hear a noyse not onely from many waters but from the thunder saying Hallelujah the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth Rev. 19.6 The voyce from the many waters was from the people but that was despised contemned but the voyce from the thunder is from those in places of dignity and power and this voyce is terrible to the Adversary Mr. Thomas Goodwin in his Sermons many years since at Antholins

upon Ephe. 1.21,22 called The world to come Page 28 29. This Kingdom of Christ shall break in pieces and consume all other Kingdoms this will eat out all the Monarchies and glory of the world And not onely destroy Heathenism and Judaism but will not cease till he hath thrown down every rag all that dross and defilement that Antichrist and Popery brought into the world which dispensation we are now under we are working up still to a purer world it is still this new world working up to its perfection and Jesus Christ will never rest till he hath not onely thrown out all the dross of this world both of Doctrine and Worship which conformity to the world ha●h brought in but for a further degree of this work Jesus Christ will not rest till he hath brought in the generality of men in the world to be subject to himself The world according to Scripture consists of Jews and Gentiles and how bitterly doth the Apostle complain in his time of Gods outting off the Jews the generality of the Nation being cast off and for the Gentiles saith he Who hath believed our report There was a very few of them in comparison that did come in to Christ but there will come a time when this new world shall have a further perfection when the generality of man-kind Jew and Gentile shall come in to Christ The world was made for him and he shall have it before he has done Rom. 11.26 All Israel shall be saved there he tells us of a new world of the Jews and for the Gentiles he tells you They shall be cast in The vail shall be taken from off all Nations Esay 25.1 There shall be one shepherd and one sheepfold of Jews and Gentiles and that as large as all the world John 10.16 This was never yet fulfilled Read the Prophets and you shall read strange things of glorious times that shall be here on earth of all Nations coming into the Church the mountain of the Lords house being set on the top of the mountains and all Nations flowing unto it and of the great Prosperity that shall be which was never yet fulfilled Further Mr. Thomas Goodwin in his Sermon before the House Feb. 25. 1645. call'd The great Interest of States and Kingdoms Page 8 9 Having been giving some instances how God had reproved Kings for the sakes of his people mentions that eminent instance of Abrahams subduing the four Kings Gen. 14. the Type of the four Monarchs and the Saints subduing of them Page 10. Thus saith he he began the world at first and this very Victory is made a leading case a standing incouragement to the sons of Abraham the Saints for ever after Esa 41.2 Who raised up the righteous man from the East namely this Abraham and called him to his foot gave the Nations before him and made him rule over Kings he means those very Kings in the 14 of Genesis he gave them as dust to his sword and as driven stubble to his bow he pursued them and past safely Did God do this for one or two of the Saints and will he not go on What saith the fourth verse Who hath wrought and done it calling the Generations from the beginning I the Lord am the first and with the last I am he I began to do thus with Abraham and I will go on to do so even to the last for the sons of Abraham and that this is his meaning read 8 10 14 verses Page 32. As he caught the Jewish Princes and Priests in their craftiness against Christ so will he for ever do those that offer violence to his Saints especially when out of state and worldly ends and interests Page 39. And he shall overcome for he is Lord of lords and King of kings and they that are with him are called Chosen and faithful you know the little Stone Christ and his Saints shall dash all to pieces Page 45. Christ being peculiarly the King of Saints his interest is to maintain defend and take part with them against all those that do malign them as he did the Nation of the Jews It is his title and his most royal title and the greatest title that he is King of Saints he preferreth it to his title of being King of Nations that vanisheth and is not mentioned in comparison of it This therefore answerably must be his greatest interest which of all other he now pursueth And therefore if all those Nations in which his Saints are do not bow to and comply with it he will shew himself that he is King of Saints and of Nations by ruining of them As the greatest interest of the Devils Kingdom is to persecute those that keep the Commandments of God and the faith of Jesus so is it the greatest interest of the kingdom of Jesus Christ to preserve his Saints and to confound those that injure them for he is King of Saints And further in the old Testament when this his Kingdom was further off and longer to come yet you see how strongly he drove on this design then but in the New Testament he is ascended and personally as man invested into it We see Jesus crowned with glory and honour Heb. 12. whose faith was as real in this as our sight can be and he sits there expecting as thinking the time long till all his enemies are subdued Heb. 10.13 which the same Apostle elsewhere interpreteth and therein speaks home to the point in hand the putting down all Rule and Dominion that are opposite to his Saints 1 Cor. 15.24,25 And accordingly in all those Psalms where ever his ascention and investiture into his Kingdom at Gods right hand is prophesied of there the ruine or conversion of Kings and Kingdoms are also spoken and prophesied of read Psalm 2. Psalm 68. Psalm 110. And let me add this to all That as the shorter time Satan hath the more is his rage so the shorter time Christ hath and the neerer he is to the possession of his Kingdom the more is his zeal for his Saints and indignation against his Enemies His heart is set upon it and the more eager doth his desire become every day to attain his long-expected Kingdom and to throw down all that oppose it and therefore we see that in this latter age he hath made such changes in the world we have seen him do that in a few years that he hath not done in a hundred years before for he being King of Nations he pursues his interest and being more neer his Kingdom he takes it with violence we are now within the whirl of it therefore his motions are rapt Hence therefore all States and Kingdoms had need now of all times else to be instructed and accordingly comply with this interest of Christ it is more especially now then ever their greatest interest it is well for us that Jesus Christ is our King who is the King of kings and King of Saints and

you have sought his face with us about the same that so we may further know through you his will concerning us And we shall not fail in this and all other opportunities to seek the Lord for you that you may be preserved from every evil to his glorious Kingdom that you may be kept blameless and harmless the sons of God without rebuke And we beseech you in the spirit of love and meekness to stir up all that fear God amongst whom you converse yea though of different judgments as to the form of Church-government to seek the Lord with us in these things for sure it cannot but be the desire of every one that is a living member of Christs body that the work of Christ should prosper and that all that fear the Lord may be of one heart and one mind in the things that concern his great affairs in a time when his work is to establish his own Kingdom in the ruine of BABYLON as in the apprehension of many of his people it is this day Thus presenting our most indeared affection to you we heartily recommend you into the Bosome of Jesus Christ and rest Your Christian Friends and fellow Souldiers White-hall May 20. 1650. To all our dear Friends and fellow-Souldiers that fear the Lord. Will. Constable William Roe Rich. Sa●key Griffith Lloyd T. Harrison He. Haynes Will. Style Stephen White Nath. Rich W. Stane Tobias Bridge Nic. Lockier Edw Whalley Will. Goffe Jo. Merreman Thomas Hancock Charles Fleetwood Azariah Husbands Will. Gough George Joyce Tho. Pride John Blackwel Edw. Orpin Tho. Else Math. Tomlinson Jo. Mason Robert Barrow Tho. Bayley John Okey Jenkin Lloyd Samson Larke Isaac Knight Paul Sismey We desire that what Return you make hereof be directed to Colonel Barkestead at White-Hall to be by him communicated to the Officers at the Head-quarters A DECLARATION OF The English ARMY now in SCOTLAND TO The people of SCOTLAND especially those a mong them that know and fear the LORD We the Officers and Souldiers of the English Army do send Greeting AT the beginning of the great and wonderful workings of GOD in these two Nations of England and Scotland we the Under-Officers and Souldiers of the English Army now in Scotland were most of us if not all men of private Callings and not at all interested in matters of Publick and State-affairs but yet very many of us in whom the Lord had begun to reveal himself in the Face of Jesus Christ were sensible of the ANTICHRISTIAN Tyranny that was exercised by the late King and his Prelates over the Coxsciences Bodies and Estates of the true Spiritual Church of Jesus Christ namely those that were born again and united to him hy his Spirit who were then by that Antichristian crew termed Puritans Sectaries Schismaticks c. and for not conforming to all the Canons and Ordinances of their Nation-Church were frequently imprisoned banished and otherwise grievously molested at the pleasure of those that then ruled amongst us Under these sad sufferings of the people of God our souls mourned and understanding by the manifold gracious promises in the Word of God that a time of deliverance was to be expected to the Church of CHRIST and destruction and ruine to BABYLON Our hearts together with all truly godly in England were exceedingly stirred up to pray to the Lord even day and night that he would Arise to dectroy ANTICHRIST and to save his people Whilst this Spirit of Prayer was poured forth upon Gods people in England attempts are made upon Scotland to bring them to a conformity in religious Worship by endeavouring to impose upon them a Popish Service-Book which was through the great goodness of God by his people in Scotland rejected which made the wrath of the late King and his Prelates wax so hot against them so as Scotland had no other way to preserve it self but by coming into England with an Army which the godly in England did not then count an Invasion to destroy England no more then they do this our present march for the ruine of Scotland but rejoyced to see some appearing against that ANTICHRISTIAN power that had persecuted the Saints and were assured That the LORD was come forth to answer the many Prayers and Tears that were then poured and pouring forth for that purpose and therefore so far as we had any opportunity farthered the designs of that Army some of us hazzarding our lives by spreading their Book intituled The SCOTS INTENTIONS and pleading for the justness of their Proceedings Let us remember how the Lord was pleased gratiously to answer the prayers of his people at that time in their deliverance from the Army raised by the late King and his Prelates for the destruction of all the people of God in England and Scotland insomuch That soon after Scotland sits in Peace enjoying their former Liberties without being imposed upon by the Antichristian Prelacy in England and England obtains a Parliament to whom they have opportunity to complain of their grievances and through the great goodness of God so constituted that grievances are heard and overtures made to the late King for their redress which was so irksome to his Oppressing Tyrannical and Bloody Spirit that he again betook himself to overthrew the Parliament by force and to that end entertains the Officers of the Army that had gone forth against our Brethren of Scotland and withdrawing himself from his Parliament an appearance of a Civil War begins which being made known to us the inseriout Officers and Souldiers of this Army then in our private Callings we found our hearts extraordinarily stirred up by the LORD to assist the Parliament against the King being abundantly satisfied in our judgments and consciences that we were called forth by the Lord to be instrumental to bring about that which was our continual prayer to God viz. The DESTRUCTION of ANTICHRIST and the deliverance of his CHURCH and PEOPLE And upon this simple accompt we engaged not knowing the deep policies of worldly Statesmen and have ever since hazarded our lives in the high places of the field where we have seen the wonders of the Lord against all the opposers of this work of Jesus Christ whom we have all along seen going with us and making our way plain before us And having these things singly in our eye namely the destrustion of Antichrist the advancement of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ the Deliverance and Reiormation of his Church in the Establishment of his Ordinances amongst them in purity according to his Word and the just civil Liberties of Englishmen we did many of us rejoyce at the Covenant because we found in it a strain towards these ends although some being more enlightned did apprehend it to be so mixt with worldly interest that they justly feared the interest of JESUS CHRIST would be onely pretended to and the interests of this world yea of ANTICHRIST himself carried under a vizard as we have since had abundant experience

indeed we account our best way of contending with those slanders is to pray the Lord to make our hearts sound in his Statutes that we be not ashamed that so we sanctifying the Lord God in our hearts and having a good conscience they that speak evil of us as of evildoers may be ashamed whilst they falsly accuse our good conversation in Christ And thus have we in the naked plainness of our souls opened our hearts unto you our dear Brethren that fear the Lord in Scotland where ever you be found whether in the highest Councils or the pooest Cottages who though you now be scattered the Lord will in his due time bring you together and bind you up as his Jewels and make you one with those that fear the Lord amongst us which the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and in him our God and Father also bring to pass in his due time and in the mean time make both you and us wise to understand the things that concern the exalting of Christs Kingdom That in all our undertakings we may be subservient to the Affairs of Jesus Christ and above all things take heed how we stir up any of the powers or strength of this world to destroy one another The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ the Prince of Peace be with you Amen From the Leaguer at Muslebrough August 1. 1650. VVhich said Declaration was sent to the Scots inclosed in a Letter of the General to this purpose viz. That the under-Officers and Souldiers in the English Army had desired him to send to them this their Declaration which he tells them was not a crafty politick one but a plain simple spiritual one such as it is God knoweth and God also will in due time make manifest And do we multiply these words as men Or do we them for the Lord Christ and his peoples sake c. concluding Your humble Servant O. Cromwel And further in their Declaration Agust 16. in answer to the Paper of the general Assembly they conclude thus We shall close with our hearty supplications That the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ would in due time cast down all the Earthly Combinations of all sorts of men that set up themselves and their own corrupt interest in the room of that Scepter of Righteousness which he hath given into the hands of his Son Published by the special appointment of the Council of State For the Right Honourable Charles Fleetwood Esq Commander in chief of the Forces in Ireland to be communicated to our dear friends the Officers under his Command Right Honourable and our dear Christian Friends WHen we consider the many and wonderful things which the Lord hath of late years brought to pass in these three Nations in the subduing of great Armies and casting down all the strong Holds of the Enemy in pouring contempt upon Princes and great men that have not kissed but opposed the Lord Jesus in the work he hath been and is still carrying on in the World and in taking down and altering forms of Government that have been in these Nations both Civil and Ecclesiastical we cannot but cry out Great and marvellous are thy works Lord God Almighty just and true are thy ways thou King of Saints who shall not fear thee O Lord and glorifie thy Name for thy judgments are made manifest As you were witnesses of and active in some of those great changes that have formerly been made so we doubt not but you have though at a distance felt the late Earth-quake and have heard of the suddain Dissolution of the Parliament which yet being so great a Revolution we thought it our duty to send you this Letter to the end we might therein let you know the frame of our hearts and how desirous we are that you and we may in the midst of the great dispensations of God still continue stedfast in one spirit that so if it be the Will of t he Lord we may be further instrumental in bringing about those things which may be to the glory of God the good of his people and the peace and welfare of the Commonwealth It would require more time then we have now to spare to give you a particular and full account of all the grounds and reasons upon which this great Action was undertaken and therefore therein we shall refer you to the Declaration of the Lord General and his Council of Officers of the 22 of April last and to your own observations concerning the ill management of Affairs by the late Parliament onely we shall say that this last dangerous remedy of a Dissolution was not used till all other ways had been by us assayed and by them rejected And therefore after four years expectation since the change of the Government finding no performance of those things that tend to the settlement of the Commonwealth in Peace and Righteousness and being abundantly satisfied upon long experience That the Parliament as it was constituted were so far from being the instruments of perfecting the work of the Lord that this whole Cause was in great danger to perish under their hands for which there hath been so vast an expence of Blood and Treasure After much seeking the Face of God taking counsel one with another it was generally apprehended that the only way left us was To endeavor a speedy Change in the Supreme Authority that so the perpetual fitting of the Parliament may be prevented and the Government laid upon the shoulders of such men as might hopefully give us the fruit of all our Labour and Blood and encourage good men to be still willing to hazard their lives against the common Enemy which as things lately stood many had little heart to do And it was in our hearts to seek this thing in such a way that the Parliament might have had the honour of it but it pleased not the Lord to give them an heart to incline to the Motions made in order thereunto by the General in the name of himself and his Officers many of which were present but rather to endeavour a hasty and inconsiderate passing of an Act for a new Representative the danger whereof was very evident and was by the General at a Meeting with many of the Members of Parliament and Officers of the Army abundantly demonstrated to them which yet the next day was so earnestly and precipitantly persisted in that it was found necessary to put them to a sudden Dissolution which also we hope the Lord will make the Medium to future good of which there is the more expectation because it hath pleased God who hath the hearts of all men in his own hand so to order the spirits of men that not onely the Army and Fleet do most unanimously concur and agree but also the generality of all sorts of people do rejoyce therein insomuch that there is not the appearance of the least disturbance And it is the continual and fervent prayers of