principals and body of our Company, as
those who esteeme it an honour to call the Church of England, from
whence we rise, our deare Mother, and cannot part from our native
countrie, where she specially resideth, without much sadness of heart
and many tears in our eyes, ever acknowledging that such hope and part
as we have obtained in the common salvation, we have received it in her
bosome, and suckt it from her breasts: Wee leave it not, therefore, as
loathing the milk wherewith wee were nourished there; but blessing God
for the parentage and education, as members of the same body shall
always rejoice in her good, and unfeignedly grieve for any sorrow that
shall ever betide her; and, while we have breath, sincerely desire and
endeavour the continuance and abundance of her welfare, with the
enlargement of her bounds in the kingdome of Christ Jesus.

"Be pleased, therefore, Reverend Fathers and Brethren, to helpe forward
this worke now in hand; which, if it prosper, you shall be the more
glorious; howsoever, your judgment is with the Lord, and your reward
with your God. It is an usuall and laudable exercise of your charity to
recommend to the prayers of your congregations the necessities and
straights of your private neighbours. Doe the like for a Church
springing out of your owne bowels. Wee conceive much hope that this
remembrance of us, if it be frequent and fervent, will bee a most
prosperous gale in our sailes, and provide such a passage and welcome
for us from the God of the whole earth, as both we which shall finde it,
and yourselves with the rest of our friends who shall heare of it, shall
be much enlarged to bring in such daily returns of thanksgivings, as the
specialties of his Providence and Goodnes may justly challenge at all
our hands. You are not ignorant that the Spirit of God stirred up the
Apostle Paul to make continuall mention of the Church of Philippi (which
was a colonie of Rome); let the same Spirit, we beseech you, put you in
mind, that are the Lord's Remembrancers, to pray for us without ceasing
(who are a weake Colony from yourselves), making continuall request for
us to God in all your prayers.

"What we entreat of you, that are the ministers of God, that we crave at
the hands of all the rest of our Brethren, that they would at no time
forget us in their private solicitations at the throne of grace.

"If any there be, who, through want of clear intelligence of our course,
or tendernesses of af