THat your Petitioners with all cheer­fulness and contentation affying in the happy settlement both of Church and State, by the prudent and Religious endeavours of His Highness the Lord Protector and this Honourable As­sembly, and with due humility and obedience submit­ing to the unanimous Conclusions of this Supreme power, do conceive themselves bound in duty, thank­fully to acknowledge that they are much comforted, that in this time of Jacobs trouble, Revel. 12.15. wherein the Ser­pent hath cast out of his mouth a floud of Heresies and Errours, God hath even beyond hope, called toge­ther such Men of stature in Religion, and such wor­thy Champions for Religion, as are resolved vigo­rously [Page 2] to oppose the enemies of the Truth and King­dom of Jesus Christ, Jude 3. and earnestly to contend for the Faith, which was once for all delivered unto the Saints.

As the end of your calling and meeting together, is to serve the Lord God and these Nations: so your way most surely and powerfully to effect both, is by settling the Distractions of the Church of Christ; for as the Church is part of Christ himself: Eph. 5.23. so is it a principal part of these Nations, even the Pillar and stay of all; for the State and Welfare of the Com­mon-wealth have their subsistence by true Godliness. Therefore as Religion is the whole duty of Man: Eccles. 12.13. so the whole work of a Parliament. It is the Basis and bottom on which all Happiness of a People are groun­ded, Doctor Usher. the Soder of all Societies, the Rule of right ru­ling, the Mother of entire and hearty love and obe­dience, the Life and Cement of Laws, the Nurse of Peace, the Bond of Unity, the Strength of all De­fence, and such a Blessing as blesseth all other bles­sings unto any People. Therefore now at your first Entrance, whilst your thoughts are free and devoted to God, Your Petitioners do mind you of nothing else, but only of setling the Doctrine and Discipline of the true Reformed Religion. By Sir Ben. Rudy­erd.

This hath often heretofore been Petitioned and mo­ved for in Parliaments, and will now lye heavy upon Parliaments until it be effected; for when God is neg­lected of Man, Man shall be contemned of God; when man abridgeth God of his honour, God will shorten man of his happiness. But now if you do indeed make Religion your Business, you will become a Heavenly [Page 3] Parliament; for that will be your guide and stay in all other businesses, you will Steer your course by that Compass, it will new model your desires and affecti­ons, and direct, limit and circumstantiate all your De­bates, Votes and Acts. And in securing Religion, you will also secure His Highness and your Selves, not on­ly by maintaining His and your best Interest (the U­nion and Love of the People) but by defeating any Plots that are or may be conspired by the enemies of Religion, whose factious and seditious Spirits, as they do already much disquiet the Church, and discontent all good people: So they do evidently endanger the Peace of the State, subversion of the Civil Govern­ment, and destruction of the Governours; for Church-Rebels will soon become State-Rebels, and their Do­ctrine and practice have ever been, Master Hooker. either to Level Common-wealths, or to assume Magistracy unto them­selves.

They that drave on so furiously in the late Parlia­ments, will again undoubtedly contrive to encounter you with their Faction; for having already unrivet­ted the Fabrick of Civil and Ecclesiastical Govern­ment, they do now imagin nothing is too difficult for them to attempt. It needeth not be instanced, how they therefore exclude all Order, that they themselves may rule; mean while setting up so many different and contrary Congregations one against another, that they have almost rendred themselves uncapable to be reduced into the Body either of Church or State; yet still think themselves the only fit men for the Keys and Scepter. So that greater Divisions and more hor­rible Factions will inevitably ensue, to the breach of [Page 4] that Union; which is the sacred bond and preserva­tion of the Common Peace of Church and State. Wherefore, unless you will be undermined by them, surely you will not so silently and patiently tollerate them.

If you please to consider with what vehemency of Spirit they prosecute their Designs, how plausible their popular Infusions are in their poysoning Ser­mons and pestilent Pamphlets, how industrious and earnest some of them were to be elected into this pre­sent Parliament, and what insolent speeches, terrible menaces, and liberal promises they then publickly u­sed, offering unto the people for their Suffrages, no less than the Tithes of this Nation, and scandalizing honest men that Voted for most worthy Members; you will with your Petitioners soon acknowledge, that of all the Distempers that at present threaten the Welfare of this Realm, no one more imploreth the speedy, mature, and effectual consideration of your most High and Honourable Council, than the Tor­rent of such Violent spirits to be stopped, ere ever they swell beyond the Banks of Government; the o­ver-flowing of which Torrent is easily foreseen, but will very hardly be remedied, unless the vigilancy of your Zeal do the more seasonably prevent.

You are now the Governours, you are the Nursing-Fathers of Gods Church, unto you is committed the care of all the Churches in all the three Nations; wherefore your Petitioners do further presume to point out unto you some other Troublers of our Is­rael, and to lay open before you some other sore Grie­vances of the Church of Christ, humbly beseeching [Page 5] you with pitty to behold the miserable disorder and breaches thereof, for alas it shaketh, Psal. 60.2. and to foresee the Calamities that will (unless by your great wisdom prevented) unavoydably follow. It is a work worthy the labour of a Parlament to redress them, none but a Parlament can do it, and none can do it more succes­fully than this Triple-Parlament. For most of the Churches of Ireland are unprovided of sufficient Mi­nisters and maintenance; many Churches of Scotland and Wales are deprived of their maintenance, and con­sequently of Ministers; in the Marches or utmost Bor­ders of England are few good Ministers; and through­out this Nation in Country Parishes generally, where there is so great Contempt begun, so heavy a Burthen continued, and so mean a Reward left to be had, and with so much difficulty to be received, what marvail if good Ministers are and will be rare? All Labou­rers and Artificers have their hire increased; only he that laboureth and sweateth in the Vineyard of the Lord, hath his hire abridged and abated. Is not this a shame for England, that ever since the knowledge of the Gospel hath been increasing amongst us, the main­tenance of the Church hath been decaying? and will not this be the destruction of the Gospel and of the Nation too?

As God in his Law took strict order for the main­tenance of the Levites, Num. 35.2. so hath he given his Ministers of the Gospel his own Portion, Tithes and Offerings; Matth. 23.23. that so the splendour of the Church should hold a par­ticipation and proportion with the prosperity of the temporal State. Both these have been confirmed un­to the Ministry in all Ages since: but now so it is, that [Page 6] some, and chiefly they that are or should be Patrons of the Church, are become Merchants in the Church, and a great deal more intollerable than were they whom Christ whipped and chased out of the Tem­ple; John 2.15. for these muzzle the Oxe that treadeth out the Corn, and encourage others so to do by their ill exam­ple; none of them considering that by deteining Tithes and Offerings, they rob God himself, and draw a Curse on their own Estates. Mala. 3.8, 9.

Now what Consequences will the Forcible Entry into the Inheritance of the Church, and this Forcible Deteiner of the Ministers Portion produce, but (that which succeeded in the like case in Jeroboam's time, when he robbed the Priests & Levites) Ignorance, Bar­barism, 1 Kings 12.31. & the lowest of the people to be the Preachers of Gods word? whereby the blind will lead the blind, until both do fall into the Ditch? Matth. 15.13. Poor scandalous Livings will cause scandalous Ministers, and the po­verty of Ministers will make them despised; for be their Calling of it self never so glorious, yet outward Poverty will soon bring Contempt upon them, Eccles. 9.16. es­pecially amongst those who measure men by the Acre, and weigh them by the pound, which indeed is the greatest part of men. And the contempt of the Prea­chers will quickly make the Word of God despised, and so consequently God himself; 1 Thes. 4.8. For he that despi­seth these, despiseth not man, but God. And can any think, the Great God will allow his holy Name to be despised? Nay, as some of these evil Events are al­ready come to pass, so are his Judgements already begun, and his wrath is already manifestly kindled, in-so-much as in several places the people do already [Page 7] wander abroad as Sheep having no Shepherd. Matth. 9.36. In Ire­land and Wales there are few that can discover unto the people the Iniquity of their Sins, few that can move them to seek Faith and Repentance, few that can Preach unto them Forgiveness through Christ, few that can forewarn them against Temptations to Evil, few that can build them upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Eph. 2.20. few that can instruct them con­cerning the hope of everlasting Life. For the same cause multitudes in England also live still in their Sins, Rom. 1.28. Phil. 3.18. like Heathens which know not God, without any feeling of Conscience, without any fear of God; many walk as enemies of the Cross of Christ, who blaspheme the blessed Name of God, and rent his Church; There­fore it is but just if the Kingdom of God be taken from us, and that He send a Famine in this Land, Amos 8.11. not a Fa­mine of Bread, but of hearing the Word.

Thus, as the establishing of Religion in these Nati­ons is your main Business and of greatest importance, so your Petitioners trust you will take it into your first and tenderest thoughts: for if Religion have the first Vote from you, and God the precedence within you, other things will surer and sooner be granted unto you; because Christ himself hath said it: Matth. 6.33. Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.

It was well observed by that Honourable City of London, Presented Sept. 2. 1653. in their last years Petition (to the same effect with this) That whilst the first of these Parliaments did promote the Interest of Christ in taking care of all able and faithful Ministers, setting them at liberty from persecutions, giving them encouragement in [Page 8] the exercise of their Ministry and adding to their main­tenance; Also in their encouraging Learning, by Reforming the Universities, and increasing the main­tenance of the Governours of Colledges; the Lord did bless their Councils and Forces by Land and Sea even to admiration. And now it is as experimentally observed by your Petitioners, that our later Parlia­ments were therefore less prosperous; because they preferred other matters before Religion. What they did in the Church, proved most unhappily against the Church; witness their pulling down the established Maintenance and Discipline, and setting up none in stead thereof. So that whilst they endeavoured to shut out Superstition, they let in a crowd of Innova­tions, and such as give grievous scandal to the Refor­med Religion, great advantage to our enemies of Rome, and encouragement to all turbulent Spirits in this Island, as appears by the late increase of Atheists, Anabaptists, Hereticks, Ranters, Quakers and Blas­phemers; who walk after their own ungodly lusts.

Jude 18, 19.These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit. They take Liberty of Con­science to Tyrannize over the Consciences of others, by introducing into the Church, and imposing upon others all things which themselves do affect. They revile the Protestant Churches, holiest Ministers and publick Congregations as Anti-Christian; and in this vacancy of Church-Discipline, many (even in con­tempt of Authority) do what seemeth good in their own eys only; they seize on Ministers Livings, and usurp their Function and Pulpits, belching out Blas­phemy, Schism, Sedition and Heresy, without dread [Page 9] or punishment. They teach that the Civil Magistrate hath nothing to do in matters of Religion, though it be written: Rom. 13.1. Let every Soul be Subject unto the higher powers. Every Man, saith Chrysostom, whether Lay or Clergy.

They perswade that there is no need of a Ministe­ry, especially of a learned one; therefore they would destroy the Universities, and do labour to alienate the hearts of the people from their Pastors, and to take away the setled maintenance of Ministers by Tithes, and to suppress Learning and Studious Divines, by allowing double Honour to none but themselves: And in all these they do gratify and assist the Papists and Jesuits in their designs against our established Re­ligion, and do manifest unto all the World, that they intend no less than the ruin of all Order and Govern­ment both in Church and State.

They boast of the Spirit: Gal, 5.22.23. but shew not the fruit of the Spirit, viz. Love, Joy, Peace, Long-suffering, Gentle­ness, Goodness, Faith, Meekness, Temperance. But the works of the Flesh are so abundantly manifested in them, that your Petitioners in all humiliy do desire to prostrate before you the dangerous Consequences of these Innovators and their Innovations, that so you may Cordially and Unanimously hasten to stop all their Exorbitances and Incroachments; lest these un­godly men over-run His Highness Dominions, Anno. 1533. 2 Tim. 3.13. and over-whelm them in Bloud, as others did Germany; For evil men and seducers will wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

Be pleased therefore to take notice, that the bles­sed Sacraments, and other holy Ordinances of God, [Page 10] are not only depraved by many of those who should teach conformity to established Laws: but in contempt of them, in many places wholy neglected, or admini­stred by the hands of unfitting men, that have no out­ward calling to the Ministry, audaciously and with­out any punishment. Marriage (an Ordinance of God also) is exposed to contempt, and that by virtue of an Act of Parliament. Excommunication layd aside. Catechising but seldom used. Matth. 6.9. That absolute Model the Lords Prayer reviled.

Our only and blessed Saviour in his Deity and Scriptures blasphemed. His Ministers reproached. Many Houses of God robbed, wasted and made de­solate. The Moral Law abrogated. Obedience to Ci­vil Magistrates denyed, and in these the foundation both of Religion and the Common-wealth over­turned. By all which evils Almighty God is highly provoked, the present Government dishonoured, the Peace of the Nations disturbed, the Consciences of Gods people disquieted, the Ministers of Gods word discouraged, the glory of our Israel departed, and the enemies of the Church emboldned in their enter­prizes.

Now not only to redress these Grievances, and prevent these sad Events, but that all may come into the Uni­ty of the Faith, Eph. 4.3, 13, 14, 15. and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect Man; and may all keep the U­nity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace, and may henceforth be no more Children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of Doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, where­by [Page 11] they lie in wait to deceive; but may grow up un­to him in all things, which is the Head, even Christ: May it please this Great and Honourable Court speedily to command throughout these Do­minions, a general due observation of the true Reformed Religion by Law established, in such manner as may seem best to the piety and wisdom of His Highness and this most Honourable Coun­cel; For your Petitioners do in no wise presume to prescribe Rules, only these are their humble and ardent Desires.

1. That to prevent a Combustion, you would please to blow out the sparks, and constrain irregular and disorderly Schismaticks and Heretical Sects (now the most dangerous Incendiaries of all) into right Paths of serving God, to frequent his House as well to pray as to hear, to be under a Discipline, to bow to Autho­rity, and to live in Peace and Order: Else variety of Opinions will beget variety of Affections; and when mens hearts become Flinty each to other, if they meet, they will strike Fire.

2. That the Word of God be not blasphemed, nor any Innovation of Doctrine admitted or tollerated, nor the holy Administrations prophaned; you would please speedily to commit to Justice all known Blas­phemers, to suppress all Schismatical Pamphlets, to provide against Heretical Sermons, and to make some severe Law against Lay mens during to arrogate to themselves, and to execute the holy Function of the Ministery in publick.

3. That to dispel the Darkness of Ignorance, you [Page 12] would please to let in the Light of divine knowledge; by appointing publick Catechising every Lords Day in every Church. And to propagate the Gospel more effectually. You would please sadly to consider the desolation of the Churches in Ireland, and the In both their Books. crys of the Churches in Wales, and to restore unto them their former maintenances, and to send forth able Pa­stors into every Parish.

1 Cor. 9.13.4. That they that Minister at the Altar may live by the Altar, and without Contempt; you would please to enact some Law for Parsons and Vicars re­covery of Tithes and Offerings, in such a way as may be most speedy and least chargeable, and to grant Augmentations to such as have the smallest Livings.

5. That learning may be cherished, and a supply of able Divines continued; you would please to maintain the just rights and properties of the Univer­sities, which are the Seminaries of good Literature, and the Schools of the Prophets, and to reduce them to the due observation of their Statutes, and to place worthy Governours in them.

6. That the study of Divinity, and the faithful Dis­pensors of the Gospel may be incouraged; you would please not only to confirm unto them the set­led maintenances without further diminution; but al­so propound good Preferments to men able in this Heavenly Calling, that thereby men of worthiest Gifts may be won unto it: For herein the Papists shew themselves wiser than the true Church of God.

7. Lastly, that the precious Truths of the Gospel and the holy Ordinances of God may be preserved in their purity and brightness, and all Differences con­cerning [Page 13] Doctrine and Ceremonies of Religion may be composed; you would please that a free and Na­tional Synod may speedily be convened of most grave, learned, pious, judicious and unbyassed Divines, to be chosen by all the Clergy, because all the Clergy are to be bound by their resolutions; And the deter­mination of this Synod to bind all persons, after you have formed them into a Law. And this your Petitio­ners humbly conceive to be according to the antient and fundamental Law of this Land, confirmed by Magna Charta.

All which your Petitioners do humbly offer to the grave wisdom and pious consideration of this most Ho­nourable Assembly, as the thoughts and desires (as they are perswaded) of multitudes of the sound Members of the Church of Christ. And in confi­dence of your forward Zeal for the Lord, in ad­vancing the true Religion, they hold it needless to press you with Subscriptions of any of their Names; but humbly beseech the Almighty God to direct and prosper all your Counsels and Results, and ye to pardon their Errours and Presumptions herein.

Be of good Courage, Psal. 31.24. & 73.1. and God shall strengthen your Heart, all ye that hope in the Lord. For truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart.