Englands Parliamentary Chronicle, Chronicle · Floating text 19 – Letter 56
To the Right Honourable the Houſe of Lords now Aſſembled in PARLIAMENT.
The Humble Petition of the Miniſters of the Counties of Suffolk and Eſſex. concerning the Church-Government, preſented to the Right Honourable Houſes of Parliament.
Sheweth,
THat your ſolemne League and Covenant, great and glorious Victories, the expectation of the Reformed Churches beyond the Seas, the longing deſires of our Brethren of Scotland, the humble Petitions of the Reverend Aſſembly, and the great City of this Kingdome, the preſſing miſeries of the Orthodox and well-affected Miniſters and People in the Country, cry aloud to your Honours for a ſettling of Church-Government according to the Word. From the want of this it is, Right Honourable, that the name of the moſt High God is blaſphemed, his precious truths corrupted, his Word deſpiſed, his Miniſters diſcouraged, his Ordinances vilified. Hence it is, that Schiſme, Hereſie, Ignorance, Prophaneneſſe, and Atheiſme, flow in upon us, Seducers multiply, grow daring and inſolent, pernicious Bookes poyſon many ſouls, …ety and learning decay apace, very many Congregations ly waſte without Paſtours, the Sacrament of Baptiſme by many neglected, and by many re-iterated, the Lords Supper generally diſ-uſed or exceedingly prophaned, confuſion and ruine threatning us in all our Quarters.
In all humility therefore acknowledging your unwearied labours for the publique good, your ſucceſſefull endeavours for ſaving this Kingdome, your hopefull beginnings of a bleſſed Reformation; we out of conſcience and in tender regard to the glory of God, and the ſalvation of our people, beſeech your Honours, That a forme of Church-Government, according to the Word of God, and the example of the beſt Reformed Churches, may with all poſſible ſpeede be perfected, and confirmed by your civill ſanction; that Schiſmaticks, Hereticks, ſeducing Teachers, and ſoul-ſubverting Books, be effectually ſuppreſſed; That further care may be had of Ordination for a ſupply of able and Orthodox Miniſters, and all good meanes uſed to make up the ſad breaches in this our Sion. So ſhall the Church of God be ſetled, your hands ſtrengthened, the ſacred Covenant performed, our feares prevented, the Judgements of God diverted.
And your Petitioners ſhall ever pray, &c.
The Lords Anſwer to the ſaid Petition.
THe Lords are glad to finde this zeale and care in the Miniſtery of the Counties of Suffolk and Eſſex, for the preventing the further increaſe of Hereſie and Profaneneſſe, and for the promoting a growth in the power of godlineſſe. The Lords deſire you to continue ſtill in your endeavours therein, and they will not be wanting to give you all encouragement. They have commanded me to give you thanks for your expreſſions of your good affections to the Parliament and this Cauſe, and do aſſure you that they will improve their power for the ſuppreſſing of Errour, Hereſie, ſeducing Teachers, and ſoul-ſubverting Booke, and likewiſe for the ſetling of Church Government according to the Word of God, and the example of the beſt reformed Churches, to which they hold themſelves obliged by their ſolemne League and Covenant, and that their Lordſhips have appointed that their Petition with this anſwer ſhall be printed and publiſhed.
John Brown Cler. Parliamentorum.
The Anſwer of the Houſe of Commons to the Miniſter Petition.
Die Mercurii 27. Maii. 1646.
THe Houſe being informed that divers Miniſters of the Counties of folke and Eſſex were at the doore, they were called in, and preſented to the Houſe a Petition, intituled, The humble Petition of the Miniſters of Suffolke and Eſſex, the which was read.
The Miniſters were againe called in, and Maſter Speaker by command of the Houſe acquainted them, That moſt of the particular deſires of their Petition are now under conſideration, and they hope will be brought to a ſettlement ſpeedily: That the Houſe is very ſenſible, that through ſome intervening obſtructions the Church-Government hath not beene ſo fully ſettled as they deſire, and that they give them thankes for their good affections, and deſire them to put all Ordinances in execution concerning Church-Government as lye within their power.
H. Elſynge Cler. Parl. D. Com.
This ſpeciall act alſo of Divine providence ſo oportunely bringing in theſe Miniſters Petition, much to the very ſame effect as the Cities Remonſtrance was, and full of much piety and zeale for God and his Great Cauſe the preſent miſerably diſtracted and diſtorted Church by abhominable Errours and Sciſmes, I could not but moſt gratefully and gladly record in theſe our Parliamentarie-Annals, as no ſmall merciemercy of the Lord unto us and worthy to be taken notice of to the glory of God and honour of thoſe two moſt worthily to be honoured Counties.
Salcoomb Regis Surrendred. Boſtol-Houſe alſo yeilded up to the Parliament.And about the third of June,1646. We were certainely informed of the taking of Salcomb-Regis which was ſurrendred to Colonell Welden; and alſo that Boſtol-houſe a moſt peſtilent and pernicious Garriſon of the Enemies, was alſo yeeled up unto the power and poſſeſſion of the Parliament.
And upon the 4. of June, it pleaſed the Lord to put into the hearts of our moſt worthy Parliamentarie worthies to ſet forth an Ordinance of Parliament for the better ſettlement of Preſbyterian Church Government.Ordinance of Parliament for the ſettlement of that great ſcruple and Queſtion among Gods people as touching the point of worthy or unworthy Communicants at the Sacrament of the Lords Supper; and for the more full and certaine eſtabliſhment of the Presbyterian Church Government; a merciemercy long and moſt earneſtly deſired by all, except our moſt pernicious and diſorderly Se…aries and Libertines: And the Ordinance to continue thus for the ſpace of three yeares.
And whereas I gave a hint or touch before, of our Cauſe of jealouſie that the Kings putting himſelfe into the hands of our loving and loyall brethren of Scotland, and his writting of faire and ſmoth Letters was not ſo Cordiall as we did and could have deſired (how ever we truſt and pray the Lord who hath the hearts of Kings in his hands and can turne them as the Rivers of water, May and will in his good time heare the prayers of his people therein alſo) I ſhall here give the Reader a notable Demonſtration that our ſaid jelouſie was not groundleſſe, as may too evidently appeare, by this enſuing Letter of his Majeſties (if it were his Majeſties owne act whereof there is ſome uncertai…ty it being aſſured that his Majeſtie diſclaimed it, and ſo tis hoped it was not his, but that moſt wicked Agents, Secretarie Nicholaſes) ſent to the Marq Marquis of Ormond in Ireland, a little before he departed from Oxford, which ſhewed his ſtill hollow and unholy heart to plot and foment new inlargements of our bloody broyles and Civill warres, which Letter being ſent by Ormond to that loyall and brave Commander in Armes Major Generall Monroe in Ireland, and by him to the Commiſſioners of the Parliament of Scotland by Sir Robert King, I have here thought fit to inſert it verbatim, as it was printed and publiſhed by order of Parliament which was as followeth.
CHARLES REX.
RIght truſt and entirely beloved Couſins and Concellors, We greet you well, having uſed all poſſible and honorable meanes, by ſending many gracious Meſſages to the two Houſes of Parliament, wherein wee have offered them all they have heretofore deſired, few or none will believe this that have had any knowledge of the Parliaments juſt deſires, and what the anſwers have beene to them,) and deſire from them nothing but what they themſelves (ſince theſe unhappy wars) have offered, to procure Our Perſonall Treaty with them, for a ſafe and well grounded Peace, and having in ſtead of a dutifull and peaceable returne to Our ſaid Meſſages, received in ſtead thereof either no anſwer at all, or ſuch as argues nothing will ſatisfie them, but the ruine not only of Ʋs, Our Poſterity and Friends, but even of Monarchy it ſelfe; and having lately received very good ſecurity, that We and all that doe or ſhall adhere to Ʋs, ſhall be ſafe in Our Honors, Perſons and Conferences, in the Scottiſh Army, and that they ſhall really and effectually joyne with Ʋs, and with ſuch as will come in unto Ʋs and joyne with them, for Our preſervation, and ſhall imploy their Armes, and Forces to aſſiſt Ʋs to the procuring of a happy and well grounded Peace for the good of Ʋs and our Kingdomes, in the recovery of Our juſt Right: We have reſolved to put our ſelves to the hazard of paſſing into the Scots Armie now lying before Newarke, and if it ſhall pleaſe God that We come ſafe thither, We are reſolved to uſe our beſt endeavors with their aſſiſtance, and with the conjunction of the Forces under the Marqueſſe of Montroſſe, and ſuch of Our well affected Subjects of England as ſhall riſe for Ʋs, to procure if it may be an honorable and ſpeedy Peace, and thoſe who hitherto refuſed to give eare to any means tending therunto, of which Our reſolution We held it neceſſary to give you this advertiſement, as well to ſatisfie you and all Our Counſell and Loyall Subjects with you (to whom We will that you communicate theſe Our Letters (that failling in Our earneſt and ſincere endeavors by Treaty to put an end to the miſeries of theſe Kingdomes; We eſteemed Our ſelfe obliged to leave no probable expedition unattempted to preſerve Our Crowne and Friends from the uſurpation and tyranny of thoſe whoſe actions declare ſo manifeſtly their Deſigne to overthrow the Lawes and happy eſtabliſhed Government of this Kingdome. And now We have made knowne to you Our Reſolvtion, We recommend to your ſpeciall care the diſpoſing and managing of Our affaires on that ſide as you ſhall conceive moſt for Our Honor and ſervice, being confident the courſe We have taken (though with ſome hazard to Our Perſon) will have a good influence on that Our Kingdom and defer, if not altogether prevent the Rebels (meaning the Parliament) tranſporting of Forces from them into that Kingdome. And We deſire you to ſatisfie all Our well affected Subjects on that ſide, of Our Princely care of them, whereof they ſhall receive the effect as ſoone as God ſhall enable Ʋs.
We deſire you to uſe ſome meanes to let Ʋs and Our Councell at Oxon here frequently from you, and of your actions and conditions there; and ſo God proſper your Loyall Endeavors.
SATURDAY, June 6.
Thus have you ſeene the Kings Letter full indeede, of much evill, and Demonſtration of no change of heart from his former bloody, cruell and unkingly practiſes of the ruine of himſelfe and his Kingdomes, as much in as him lay, if indeede, it were his owne act, as it was too ſtrongly preſumed to be: upon which many jelouſies being raiſed and founded againſt our Loyall brethren of Scotland; they therefore in vindication of their owne integritie preſented a Declaration to the Houſes of Parliament in the name of the Commiſſioners of Scotland, which was read accordingly, and which I have here thought fit to inſert, for the Readers better content and ſatisfaction, which was as followeth.