rocured (upon Treaty) your Majesties re-establishment, and
a solide Peace, or laid open the expedience and necessity of a lawfull
War, and have united this Kingdom therein for the good of Religion, of
your Majestie, and of your Kingdoms. When the Parliament was pleased
without satisfaction to any of these desires, to go on towards the
determining of a War upon the grounds contained in their Declaration, As
many of their own Members who have been faithfull in the Cause of GOD from
the beginning, did dissent from their preceedings, so most of all the
Presbyteries and Synods of this Kingdom, and the Committees of War in
severall Shires did by humble Supplication represent to the Parliament,
how unsatisfied they were in their consciences concerning the present
Engagement: Notwithstanding of all which, the Engagement hath been carried
on without clearing either of the lawfulnesse or necessity thereof.
Therefore, We having now examined the same by the Rule of Gods Word, and
having found it unlawfull, as we have warned the whole Kingdom of the
danger thereof, So we hold it our Duty also to warne your Majestie as the
Servants of the most High GOD, and in Name of the Lord _Jesus Christ_, who
must Judge the quick and dead, Earnestly beseeching your Majestie that as
ye would not draw new guilt upon your Majesties Throne, and make these
Kingdoms again a field of Blood, you would be far from owning or having
any hand in this so unlawfull an Engagement; Which as it hath already been
the cause of so much sorrow and many sufferings to the People of God in
this Land, who choose affliction rather then sin, So it tendeth to the
undoing of the Covenant and Work of Reformation: As we do not oppose the
restitution of your Majestie to the exercise of your Royall Power; So we
must needs desire that that which is GODS be given unto Him in the first
place, and that Religion may be secured before the setling of any humane
interest; Being confident that this way is not only most for the Honour of
GOD, but also for your Majesties Honor and Safety. And therefore as it was
one of our Desires to the High and Honourable Court of Parliament that
they would solicitie your Majestie for securing of Religion, and
establishing the Solemn League and Covenant in all your Dominions, that
your Majestie might know what they intend on your behalf was with a
subordination to Religion; So we do now from our selves make this humble
address unto your Majestie, intreating