And that we might not be in doubt about these matters: having had that Conference among ourselves which I gave you an account of, we did desire one more,-and indeed it was the night before the Dissolution; it had been desired two or three nights before: we did desire that we might speak with some of the principal persons of the House. That we might with ingenuity open our hearts to them; that we might either be convinced of the certainty of their intentions; or else that they would be pleased to hear our expedients to prevent these inconveniences. And indeed we could not attain our desire till the night before the Dissolution. There is a touch of this in our Declaration. As I said before, at that time we had often desired it, and at that time we obtained it: where about Twenty of them were, none of the least in consideration for their interest and ability; with whom we desired some discourse upon these things and had it. And it pleased these Gentlemen, who are here, the Officers of the Army, to desire me to offer their sense for them, which I did, and it was shortly thus: We told them "the reason of our desire to wait upon them now was, that we might know from them, What security lay in their manner of proceeding, so hastened, for a New Representative; wherein they had made a few qualifications, such as they were: and How the whole business would, ' in actual practice,' be executed: Of which we had as yet no account; and yet we had our interest, our lives, estates and families therein concerned: and, we thought likewise, the Honest People had interest in us: 'How all this was to be?' That so, if it did seem they meant to appear in such honest and just ways as might be security to the Honest Interest, we might therein acquiesce: or else that they would hear what we had to offer." Indeed, when this desire was made, the answer was, "That nothing would do good for this Nation but the continuance of this Parliament !" We wondered we should have such a return. We said little to that: but seeing they would not give us satisfaction that their ways were honorable and just, we craved their leave to make our objections. We then told them, That the way they were going in would be impracticable. That' we could not tell how to send out an Act, with such qualifications as to be a rule for electing and for being elected, Until we first knew who the persons were that should be admitted to elect. And above all, Whether any of the qualifications reached 'so far as to include' the Presbyterian Party. And we were bold to tell them, That none of that judgment who had deserted this Cause and Interest should have

* Of April 22; referred to, not given, at vol. i., p. 547. Presbytery' in orig.·

None of your Royalist, Hamilton Invasion Presbyterians.

any power therein. We did think we should profess it, That we had as good deliver up our Cause into the hands of any as into the hands of those who had deserted us, or who were as neuters! For it's one thing to love a brother, to bear with and love a person of different judgment in matters of religion; and another thing to have anybody so far set in the saddle on that account, as to have all the rest of his brethren at mercy.

Truly, Gentlemen, having this discourse concerning the impracticableness of the thing, the bringing-in of neuters, and such as had deserted this Cause, whom we very well knew; objecting likewise how dangerous it would be by drawing concourses of people in the several Counties (every person that was within the qualification or without); and how it did fall obvious to us that the power would come into the hands of men who had very little affection to this Cause: the answer again was made, and that by very eminent persons, "That nothing would save the Nation but the continuance of this Parliament." This being so, we humbly proposed,—since neither our counsels, our objections to their way of proceeding, nor their answers to justify that, did give us satisfaction; nor did we think they ever intended to give us any, which indeed some of them have since declared to be the fact,'-we proposed to them, I say, our expedient; which was indeed this: That the Government of the Nation being in such a condition as we saw, and things being' under so much ill sense abroad, and likely to end in confusion 'if we so proceeded,'-we desired they would devolve the trust over to some Wellaffected Men, such as had an interest in the Nation, and were known to be of good affection to the Commonwealth. Which, we told them, was no new thing when this Land was under the like hurlyburlies. And we had been laboring to get precedents' out of History' to convince them of it; and it was confessed by them it had been no new thing. This expedient we offered out of the deep sense we had of the Cause of Christ; and were answered so as I told you, That nothing would save this Nation but the continuance of that Parliament. The continuance :' they would not be brought to' say the perpetuating of it, at this time; yet we found their endeavors did directly tend that way; they gave us this answer, "That the thing we offered was of a very high nature and of tender consideration: How would money be raised ?” -and made some other objections. We told them how;' and that we here offered an expedient five times better than that of theirs,' for which no reason was given, nor we thought could be given [Why should the Fag-End of this poor old Parliament, now fallen impotent except to raise money for itself, continue? No reason is given, nor we think can be, that will convince mankind.]: and desired them that they would lay

things seriously to heart! They told us, They would take time for the consideration of these things till to-morrow; they would sleep upon them, and consult some friends: 'some friends,'—though, as I said, there were about Twenty-three of them here,' and not above Fifty-three in the House. And at parting, two or three of the chief of them, one of the chief [O Sir Harry Vane !], and two or three more, did tell us, That they would endeavor to suspend farther proceedings about their Bill for a New Representative until they had another conference with us. And upon this we had great satisfaction; and had hope, if our expedient could receive a loving debate, that the next day we should have some such issue thereof as would give satisfaction to all.* And herewith they went away, 'it' being late at night.

The next morning, we considering how to order what we had farther to offer to them in the evening, word was brought us that the House was proceeding with all speed upon the New Representative! We could not believe it, that such persons would be so unworthy; we remained there till a second and a third messenger came, with tidings, That the House was really upon that business, and had brought it near to the issue, and with that height† as was never before exercised: leaving out all things relating to the due exercise of the qualifications (which had appeared all along 'in it till now '); and 'meaning,' as we heard, to pass it only on paper, without engrossing, for the quicker despatch of it. Thus, as we apprehend, would the Liberties of the Nation have been thrown away into the hands of those who had never fought for it. And upon this we thought it our duty not to suffer it [No!].And upon this the House was dissolved, even when the Speaker was going to put the last question [Let HIM travel, at any rate!]

I have too much troubled you with this: but we have made this relation that you might know that what hath been done in the Dissolution of the Parliament was as necessary to be done as the preservation of this Cause. And the necessity which led us to do that, hath brought us to this 'present' issue, Of exercising an extraordinary way and course to draw You together 'here;' upon this account, that you are men who know the Lord, and have made observations of His marvellous Dispensations; and may be trusted, as far as men may be trusted, with this Cause.

6

It remains now for me to acquaint you 'a little' farther with what relates to your taking upon you this great Business. But indeed' that is contained in the Paper‡ here in my hand, which will be offered pre

* hoping by conference to have satisfaction to all' in orig. violence, height of temper.

✦ An Indenture or Instrument of Government, some account of which

sently to you to read.* But having done that we have done [Dissolving of the Parliament: which cannot be repented of, and need not be boasted of!] upon such ground of necessity as we have 'now' declared which was not a feigned necessity but a real, it did behove us,' to the end we might manifest to the world the singleness of our hearts and our integrity who did these things, Not to grasp at the power ourselves or keep it in military hands, no not for a day; but, as far as God ena bled us with strength and ability, to put it into the hands of Proper Per sons that might be called from the several parts of the Nation. Thi necessity; and I hope we may say for ourselves, this integrity of con cluding to divest the Sword of all power in the Civil Administration,— hath been that that hath moved us to put You to this trouble' of coming hither;' and having done that, truly we think we cannot, with the dis charge of our own consciences, but offer somewhat to you on the devolving of the burden on your shoulders. It hath been the practice of others who have, voluntarily and out of a sense of duty, divested them selves, and devolved the Government into new hands; I say, it hath been the practice of those that have done so; it hath been practised and is very consonant to reason, To lay down,' together with their Authority, some Charge 'how to employ it (as we hope we have done), and to press the duty of employing it well; concerning which we have a word or two to offer you.

Truly God hath called you to this Work by, I think, as wonderful providences as ever passed upon the sons of men in so short a time. And truly I think, taking the argument of necessity, for the Govern ment must not fall; taking the appearance of the hand of God in this thing, I think' you would have been loath it should have been recan be found, if any one is curious about it, in Parliamentary History

xx. 175.

• Considerable discrepancies in the Two Reports throughout this paragraph; indicating some embarrassment and intricacy in the Speaker. Which with our best industry we endeavor to reconcile; to elicit from them what the real utterance, or thought and attempted utterance, of the Speaker may have been. The two Reporters being faithful according to their ability, and the Speaker faithful according to his, all discrepancies ought to dissolve themselves in clearer insight and conviction; as we hope they do.

† for our own exoneration' in orig.

He seems embarrassed lest he be thought to assume authority over this new Little Parliament, and to treat them as if he were their King. The dissolving of the old Parliament has also its embarrassment, though not so prominent here; and both together make an intricate paragraph. Our Two Reports, from this point, virtually coincide again.

signed into the hands of wicked men and enemies! I am sure, God would not have it so. It's come, therefore, to you by the way of necessity by the way of the wise Providence of God,-through weak hands. And therefore I think, coming through our hands, though such as we are, it may not be ill taken if we do offer somewhat (as I said before) as to the discharge of the Trust which is now incumbent upon you [Certainly not!]. And although I seem to speak of that which may have the face and interpretation of a Charge, it's a very humble one: and if he that means to be a Servant to you, who hath now called you to the exercise of the Supreme Authority, discharge what he conceives to be a duty to you, we hope you will take it in good part.

And truly I shall not hold you long in it; because I hope it's written in your hearts to approve yourselves to God. Only this Scripture I shall remember to you, which hath been much upon my spirit: Hosea, xi. 12, “Judah yet ruleth with God, and is faithful with the Saints.” It's said before, that "Ephraim compassed God about with lies, and the house of Israel with deceit." How God hath been compassed about by fastings and thanksgivings,* and other exercises and transactions, I think we have all cause to lament. Truly you are called by God, ‘as Judah was,' to "rule with Him," and for Him. And you are called to be faithful with the Saints who have been instrumental to your call. Again,' Second Samuel, xxi. 3, “He that ruleth over men," the Scripture saith, "must be just, ruling in the fear of God" [Groans from Dryasdust. Patience, my friend! Really, does not all this seem an incredibility;—a palpable hypocrisy, since it is not the mouth of an imbecile that speaks it? My estimable, timber-headed, leaden-hearted friend, can there be any doubt of it!]

And truly it's better to pray for you than to counsel you in that matter, That you may exercise the judgment of mercy and truth! It's better, I say, to pray for you than counsel you; to ask wisdom from Heaven for you; which I am confident many thousands of Saints do this day, 'and' have done, and will do, through the permission of God

* There was a Monthly Fast, the Last Wednesday of every Month, held duly for about Seven Years; till, after the King's Death, we abolished it Immense preaching and howling, all over the country, there has been on these stated Wednesdays; sincere and insincere. Not to speak of due Thanksgivings for victories and felicities innumerable; all ending in this infelicitous condition! His Excellency thinks we ought to restrain such habits; not to imitate Ephraim, or the Long Parliament in such. The rest of this Discourse is properly a Sermon of his; and one conceived in a different style.