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A91013 The Prime vvork of the first tripple-Parlament [sic]; or, The modest motion of religion's friends, humbly tendered by way of petition to the first representative of Great Britain and Ireland. Thus published, that some good men of every county may present a copy thereof to the Members of Parliament by them elected. 1654 (1654) Wing P3460; Thomason E809_13; ESTC R207566 7,095 15

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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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 PSALM 25.22 Redeem Israel O God out of all his Troubles Amen FINIS