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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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THE PRIME WORK OF THE FIRST TRIPPLE-PARLAMENT 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 Praemonitus praemunitus He that taketh warning shall deliver his Soul Ezek. 33.5 As they went through the Cities they delivered them the Decrees for to keep that were ordained of the Apostles and Elders and so were the Churches established in the Faith and increased in number daily Acts 16.4.5 London Printed by T. W. 1654. To the Supreme Authority of the Common-wealth of Great BRITTAIN and IRELAND The most HIGH and HONOURABLE Court of PARLIAMENT The humble Petition of divers wel-affected in behalf of the CHURCH of CHRIST in all the three NATIONS Humbly sheweth 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 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 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 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 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