Word of seasonable and sound Counsel, Laid down in several Proposals, which takes in very much of the Sense and Agreement of the good People of these Nations, both touching the Work, and touching the suitable Workmen thereunto, which the wonderful Appearance and Providences of the Righteous Lord, seems to Point at in this our day.  
Humbly Tendered and Presented unto those that are in eminent Place in this juncture of Affairs, both in a Civil and in a Military Capacity. By divers well Affected persons to the general Peace, Prosperity and Liberty of these Nations; Inhabiting in and about the City of Westminster.  
As an Essay in order to a well grounded Unity, Peace, and Settlement, etc.  
1. FIrst, It is humbly proposed, That you would so set the Lord of Hosts before your eyes, who hath very eminently appeared in your sight all along, on the behalf of his People, and that good and righteous Cause, that hath been still on your hearts to travel with, that you may stand in awe of his Majesty, and walk in his fear all the day long, yea all the days of your lives, and so in his fear as not at any time, to step before him, start aside from him, or stay behind him, but to adhear unto him, and to follow him both closely and fully.  
2. Secondly, That you would in his fear diligently search and try your hearts and ways, to the end you may find out, what hath been your great Evils, and Miscarriages & unsuitable behaviour before his Majesty, in reference either to selfseeking, treacherous dealing, covenant breaking, or such like Provocations whether heretofore or in this late hour of temptation. And having found out what is amiss in any of these respects, that you would humble your souls before the Lord of Hosts for the same, give glory to him, and take shame to yourselves, if perhaps your Provocations may be forgiven you, so as further to delight to make use of you in carring on those great and glorious designs of his, which undoubtedly he is about to effect (and that according to Prophecies) in these last days of the world, in which we live.  
3. Thirdly, That having done thus, you that have the fear of the Lord and his goodness upon your hearts, and favour that righteous Cause that he and his People have appeared in, that you, we say, laying aside all selfseeking, animosity and Prejudice, would endeavour in a peaceable and friendly uniting each to other, and as one man in this juncture of time, to improve your wisdom and interest the utmost, to Prevent the great design of your grand Adversary, which is to divide and destroy both you and us: And that you will seek to effect this by a speedy, unanimous, and vigorous resolving upon such things, as tends to the uniting the hearts of, the honest party in these Nations and to the bringing forth those good things, which takes in the common just concernments of all men, & have been so much Pretended to, & so often declared for; which being effected, cannot fail to be accompanied with such a Presence and blessing from the Lord, and with such a common concurrence of all unbyased men, as will undoubtedly secure yourselves and these Nations from such hazards, as in such a Posture as this they are every moment exposed unto, and to exalt them above other Nations, in the enjoyment of abundance of Peace, Prosperity and Liberty.  

The things humbly tendered, as meet to be by you in the fear of the Lord speedily resolved upon, and in his strength (in this juncture of Affairs) unanimously and vigorously Prosecuted, in order to attain the end before specified, are as followeth.  
1. First, Let it be in the fear of the Lord resolved; That singular care shall be taken from time to time, that the Arrears of the poor Soldiers, the Pentions of the poor Pensioners, and the Public faith debts, of the poor Creditors of these Nations, (whose straits presseth them sore, and makes them to sigh, and whose sighs and cries goes up unto Heaven, and will have their returns) may be speedily and out of the first receipts discharged and cleared.  
2. Secondly, That singular care shall be taken from time to time, that the poor in general throughout these Nations, which are very numerous now, (by reason of the decay of Trade, and other ways) may be so provided for, and in such sort, that all the Impotent may be relieved, and all the able may be employed.  
3. Thirdly, That there shall be a speedy and effectual course taken to rectify the Laws, and the maladministration thereof, by bringing them into a Brief, Plain, and easy Method and Form; and as near the Laws of that famous Commonwealth of Israel, as the nature and Constitution of a Gentile State (under the present dispensation of light and grace) will admit; and so, that as much strife and contention between man and man as may be, might be prevented, and what by such a Provision cannot be prevented, might be with as much ease and speed, and with as little expense of Money and irritation of spirit as may be, fully redressed, so that loving kindness, judgement and righteousness, which the righteous Lord himself delights to be exercised in on the earth, may be found and felt in our Land, to the great contentment and rejoicing of the inhabitants thereof.  
4. Fourthly, That singular care shall be forthwith taken about that perplexing business of Tithes, which being continued as now it is, stands but as a relict of Monarchy, and as a witness against these Nations, as if they denied the change of the Priesthood that was under the Law, or that Christ Jesus was come in the flesh, is also a thing that looks, so unlike the maintenance of a true Gospel Ministry, and which is as some conceive the very fomenter, and nourisher of a Persecuting, and imposing Spirit in these Nations; by reason whereof, even under the greatest Profession of liberty, many tender Consciences have been daily perplexed, and very much of the Land of the Nation hath lain unimproved, which is rendered by many, as a great reason of the scarceness of Corn, which hazards a Famine of times in the Nation.  
5. Fifthly, That the very much decayed Trade of this Nation, both in these famous Cities of London and Westminster, and other Places (so universally complained of) and by the many sad effects so fully Demonstrated, may now thorough special care be forthwith revived, by easing the troublesome and vexatious burdens that lies upon it, and by putting it under a good regulation and Government; That the Seas may be so guarded, that being propounded as the ground of the Customs; that the Trade, Treasure, and strength of these Nations, may not so often fall into the hands of the enemies.  
6. Sixtly, That all the Relics and Props of corrupt Monarchy, throughout these Nations, which do but wait and serve for its return, and have entrenched upon the freeborn People's Rights, and Liberties upon a Civil account, shall be forthwith diligently enquired into, and speedily removed.  
7. Seventhly, That all the Relics and Props of Hierchy, throughout these Nations, which do but wait and serve for its return, and have entrenched upon the People's Rights, and Liberties, upon a Religious account, shall be forthwith diligently enquired into, and speedily removed.  
8. Eightly, That all those horrible corruptions, abuses, and mischiefs, which have crept into houses that have been erected and maintained by free Donation, for Charitable uses, and also all those corruptions and abuses, that are found in the Prisons throughout these Nations, and especially those of the King's Bench, the Fleet, Newgate, and Ludgate, shall be forthwith diligently enquired into, and speedily removed.  
9 Ninthly, That none shall be forced upon any Public employment in this Commonwealth against his will and consent, and that whosoever is employed from time to time in the management of the affairs thereof, from the highest unto the lowest, shall receive out of the public Revenue, a suitable recompense and encouragement for his service therein: and then in case any shall be found taking bribes, either directly, or indirectly, or otherwise unfaithful in the trust committed to him, he shall be severely punished, and forthwith cashiered.  
10. Tenthly, that some substantial Laws, relating to Liberty and Freedom, both upon a Civil, and upon a Religious account, whereby every man may be preserved safe in his person, name and estate, from the violence of another, under what pretence soever; that such we say, may be laid as Fundamentals in the bottom of your Government, as that which hath been gotten with so much difficulty, and is the price of so much blood and treasure; Let these be known to be as the Laws of the Meads and Persians, that cannot be altered, no not by future Representatives; and among other, let this be one; That in case any Representive of the people, shall presume by the Major vote to alter or make void these or any of these first Fundamentals, they shall be looked upon as violating the trust committed to them, and such act and acts of theirs, shall be deemed void and null to all intents and purpuses, as if the same had never been, and shall be no ways obleiging upon the consciences of the good people of these three Nations. And moreover, that the person, or persons, that first moved therein, shall be judged Traitors to the Liberties of the People, and of his Country in the highest degree, and proceeded against accordingly.  
11. Eleventhly, That none of the freeborn People of these Nations, shall be arrested, imprisoned, banished, condemned, or sentenced to the loss of Life, Limb, Estate, or Liberty, or be any otherways molested, or distressed, after a very short time prefixed, but by the lawful Judgement of their Peers, or by virtue of, and according to some known, approved, published Law, or Laws of these Nations.  
12. Lastly, That for the more certain, speedy and thorough effecting hereof, whereby deeds may demonstrate, that these are not only words, but even resolves by the finger of God set on your hearts; Let men be found out and employed of a suitable Spirit to these resolves, with whom you may in the name and fear of the Lord engage and resolve to stand, or fall, live or die together, in a thorough pursuit thereof, in order to the putting of all sorts of men into a better and more flourishing capacity then that wherein now they are; so that interest may engage them there to remain, and as one man to rise up and withstand a return; and in order to enjoy, as in ancient times, their free Representatives; Let the Persons be according to Jethroes Counsel, able men, fearing God, men of truth, hating covetousness, and such as are in a good measure freed by the Spirit of the Gospel, from imposing upon the consciences of others, in things that relate to the worship and service of God, as having learned by experience, that it is not by might, nor by power, that things of that nature are carried on, and that the wrath of man doth not at all accomplish the righteousness of God.   
Thus doing, you will demonstrate that the Lord of Hosts, who hath from time to time so wonderfully saved us, is now indeed become our Judge, our Lawgiver, and our King, and that he hath put it into your hearts, to proclaim that fast which he hath chosen, and so much delighted in, throughout these Nations, which is to lose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke; to deal your bread to the hungry, to bring the poor that are cast out to your house, when you see the naked to cover him, and not to hid yourselves from your own flesh.  
Thus doing, you may be sure, that your light shall break forth as the morning, and your health shall spring forth speedily, and your righteousness shall go before you, and the glory of the Lord shall be your reerward; so shall you call and the Lord shall answer; you shall cry, and he shall say, here I am. Thus your light shall rise in obscurity, & your darkness be as the noon day, & the Lord shall guide you continually and  your soul in drought, and make fat your bones, and you shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water whose waters shall not fail. Thus doing you shall build the old waste places, and shall raise up the foundations of many generations, and be called the Repairers of the breach, and the Restorers of paths to dwell in. And thus Judgement shall return unto righteousness, and all the upright in heart in these Nations shall follow it, which that the Lord of Hosts will graciously grant, is and shall be the humble, earnest, and constant prayer, and request, of his, and your unworthy Servants, etc.  
Consider what we say, and the Lord give you understanding and Courage to do his Will.   

LONDON, Printed for Francis Smith, and are to be sold at his Shop, at the Elephant and Castle near Temple-bar, 1659.