THe humble request of certain Christians reproachfully called Anabaptists, who only desire to own, embrace, profess and maintain the pure truths of God in the hatred of all errors, as namely universal redemption, freewill and falling away, with all other things contrary to wholesome doctrine, who are accused as factious movers of sedition and rebellion, and the cause of these unnatural wars, and of the difference betwixt His Majesty and the Parliament, that seeing such a common defamation is raised upon them, by reason that perhaps some professing and owning some truths of God in outward profession which they hold, being hypocrites, do walk very scandalously in the broaching and practising of damnable errors and heresies, even denying the Lord that visibly seemed to have bought them, and bring upon themselves swift damnation, and many follow their pernicious ways, by reason of whom the ways of truth are evil spoken of, 2 Pet. 2. 1. 2. and indeed now this Scripture is fulfilled, whereby we, according to that which our Saviour Lord and Master said, do undergo the hatred, revilings, and all manner of evil speakings of many, which although it be a sign to us of our blessedness, Matth. 5. 11. inasmuch as they speak it of us falsely for his name sake, yet considering he saith, that they that kill us will think they do God service, although indeed he saith withal, it is because they have not known the Father nor himself, John. 16. 2. 3. and seeing he hath a time to reveal himself to his own, and hath promised that the knowledge of God shall cover the earth as the waters cover the sea, Esa. 11. 9 and that all shall know him from the least to the greatest, Jer. 31. 34. mark, it seems knowledge shall begin at the least. And whereas we now see God stirring up the Magistrates to take part with his poor despised Saints against their antichristian great opposers, wherein he hath made them his sword to land off the heads of them already, which we acknowledge with all thankfulness, first to God, and secondly to them, and are further encouraged to entreat them as they are just and godly, for God's sake to hear our cause, and do us justice, that if God be God, we may follow him altogether, then will wrath and stripes flee away, and peace, plenty and prosperity with true joy and gladness will come in the room thereof: for when our ways please the Lord, he will make our enemies at peace with us, Prov. 16. 7. we therefore desire all that fear God, that they that are the most affectionate Christians would get the hands of all in their Parish that fear God, who may be many more than they expect, for there were seven thousand that had not bowed to Baal, 1 King. 19 18. when Eliah thought he had been left alone: therefore go to all in your Parishes, and desire their hands to so reasonable a request as this, namely, that inasmuch as there are such accusations against us as aforesaid, that the Parliament would be favourably pleased for the glory of God and the clearing of his truths, and the farther shining forth of Jesus Christ in his glorious gospel to his people, to call us before them, and also of the Doctors of the Synod as many as they please, and proclaim that all the accusers of what we hold contrary to the truth of God, may here accuse us; and if those Doctors can prove their ministry, baptism or Sabbath to be commanded of God, or owned by Christ, or any thing we hold to be contrary to godliness, than we will thankfully be reduced to the truth, and repent and revoke our error, and suffer for our presumption, but if it shall be made evident, that neither their ministry, baptism nor Sabbath be commanded of God, although it be a light but very new sprung forth to bring us out of ignorance, whereout when it pleased not God to give us the means to see and come forth, the time of that ignorance God regarded not, but now will command all his people everywhere to repent, and walk after the light, and give them repentance for his glory, and their eternal comfort. Even so come Lord Jesus. Thus entreating all that fear God, as they pity poor souls, that desire to be reduced from all errors to all truths, and be confirmed and settled therein, to get in their several Parishes as man y hands as they can to a Petition to the Parliament for this so reasonable a desire, the which Petition you shall have at M. Barbers in Thredneedle-street             at the horse-shoe, from Thomas Nutt, one for every Parish.