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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
church_n	bishop_n	ordination_n	presbyter_n	9,874	5	10.5221	5	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A26103	A collection of svndry petitions presented to the Kings Most Excellent Majestie as also to the two most honourable houses, now assembled in Parliament, and others, already signed, by most of the gentry, ministers, and free-holders of severall counties, in behalfe of episcopacie, liturgie, and supportation of church-revenues, and suppression of schismaticks / collected by a faithful lover of the church, for the comfort of the dejected clergy, and all moderately affected Protestants.	Aston, Thomas, Sir, 1600-1645.; Charles I, King of England, 1600-1649.; England and Wales. Parliament.	1642 (1642)	Wing A4073; ESTC R208748	30,703	48

pursuance of their pious intendments and in allowance of their Reasons doe also presse to your great Tribunal and begge of you that which is the honour of Kings to be Nutricij of the Church and her most ancient and successive Government Wee therefore humbly beg of you to leave us in that state the Apostles left the Church in That the three Ages of Martyrs were governed by That the thirteene Ages since them have alwayes gloried in by their Succession of Bishops from the Apostles proving themselves members of the Catholike and Apostolike Church that our Lawes have established so many Kings and Parliaments have protected into which we were baptized as certainely Apostolicall as the observation of the Lords Day as the distinction of Books Apocryphall from Canonicall as that such Bookes were written by such Evangelists and Apostles as the consecration of the Eucharist by Presbyters as any thing which you will doe by upholding the Government of the Church by Bishops which we againe and againe begge of you to doe having pitty on our Consciences and not forcing of us to seeke Communion as yet we know not where So shall we be bound to pray with a multiplyed Devotion for the increase of publike and personall blessings to your Honourably assembly to your Noble Persons Wee also doe with all Humility begge leave to represent these our Considerations subjoyned which wee hope you will favourably expound to be a well-meant zeale and at least a confidence of duty and charity to those our Fathers from whom wee have received and daily hope to receive many issues of spirituall Benison 1 WEe consider that Christ either left his Church without a lasting Government or else Bishops and Presbyters under them are that Government the former wee feare to say lest wee might seeme to accuse the Wisdome of the Father of Improvidence in the not providing for his Family the Feeder and the Ruler in Scripture being all one in Office ●n expression in person So that if hee left no Rulers hee left no Feeders The latter wee are more confident of for that Christ did clearely institute a disparity in the Clergy which is the maine Stone of offence appeares in the Apostles and seventy two Disciples to whom according to the voyce of Christendome and traditive Interpretation of the Church Bishops and Presbyters respectively doe succeed and also many actually did succeed the Apostles in their Chaires being ordained Bishops by the Apostles themselves that did survive and also beyond all exception that Christ did institute a Government appeares in those Evangelicall words who then is that Faithfull and wise Steward whom his Lord shal make Ruler over his houshold c. which Rulers are Bishops and Priests under them or else the Church hath beene Apostate from her Lord shee having clearely for fifteene hundred yeares had no other Rulers then such 2. Wee consider that whether it can be a Church or no without Bishops is at least a question of great consideration and the Negative is maintained by Apostolicall and Primitive men and Martyrs and by the greatest part of Christendome and those few in respect of the whole that dissent being most certainely not infallible to bee sure with Episcopacy it may be a Church eatenus therefore it is the surest course to retaine it for feare we separate from the Church the Pillar and ground of Truth 3 No Ordination never was without a Bishop and if any Presbyter did impose hands unlesse in conjunction with a Bishop hee was accounted an Usurper and anathematized by publike and unquestioned authority and so without Bishops no Presbyter then no absolution no consecration of the Sacraments of the Lords Supper and for these wants no man can make a recompence or satisfaction 4 No Presbyter did ever impose hands on a Bishop which if so famous a resolve or publike voice of Christendome may have an estimate shewes their disparity and that a Bishop hath a Character which cannot be imprinted without at least an equall hand 5 VVithout Bishops no Confirmation of Children and yet confirmation called in Scripture Imposition of hands Saint Paul in his famous Catechisme accounts a Fundamentall point and the Church hath alwayes used it and it was appropriate to Bishops by the laudable custome of Christendome and by the example of the Apostles in the case of the Samaritane Christians whom Phillip the Evangelist had converted and is charged upon the Parents of Children that they bring their children to Bishops to be confirmed and it was never otherwise but just as in the case of Ordination videlicet by singularity and usurpation till of late that the Iesuits to enlarge their Philacteries have striven to make Bishops not necessary by communicating Confirmation to the Priests of their Order 6 To take away Bishops is against the Wisdome of the State of England ever since the Reformation and having beene attempted by clancular practises was checked by the Princes respectively and their Councell and confidently by the wisdome of preceeding Parliaments and this although the Bishops then were lesse learned and as much infamed 7 We are sure that Episcopall Government hath consisted with Monarchy ever since the English Monarchy was Christian we are to try whether any innovated Government can or will 8 Wee consider that if it could consist with Monarchy when it was byassed by the Popes prevalent incroachment much more since the Reformation when the King hath the raines in his owne hand and can give them Lawes and ascertaines them by their immediate dependance both for their Baronies and Election and personall Iurisdiction on the Crowne and by the Statute of Submission 9 Wee consider that Saint Hierome pretented as the maine Authenticke enemy against Episcopacy yet sayes That Bishops were constituted as an antidote and deletory to dis-improve the issues of Schisme and that by the Apostles who best knew the remedies And now that Schismes multiply there is more need of Bishops so that they cannot be taken away upon pretence their Regiment is not necessary for the taking them away makes them more necessary by the multiplication of Schismes 10 All Learning will be discountenanced if not extinguished upon the demolition of Episcopacy the Bishops being parties for the advancement of Learning and on the other side if the Government should be in the hands of Presbitery or lay Elders we know no reason sufficient to stifle our feares lest preferment be given to people unlearned and unfit to have the mannaging of Soules especially since a learned Clergy will be suspected by their Lay-Elders as too knowing to be ruled by their Dictates which will not have so much artifice and finenesse as to command by strength of reason which our feares are also increased by considering that by the multiplication of Lay-Elders or other Governours their personall interest being increased partiality must be more frequent and all this is besides their incompetency of judging the abilities of Schollers 11 The remove all

better supply of able Ministers and the removing of all Innovation and wee doubt not but in your great Wisedomes you will regulate the rigour of Ecclesiasticall Courts to suit with the temper of our Lawes and the nature of Free-men Yet when wee consider that Bishops were instituted in the time of the Apostles That they were the great lights of the Church in all the first generall Counsels That so many of them sowed the seeds of Religion in their bloods and rescued Christianity from utter extirpation in the Primitive Heathen persecutions That to them wee owe the redemption of the purity of the Gospell wee now professe from Romish corruption That many of them for the propagation of the truth became such glorious Martyrs That divers of them lately and yet living with us have beene so great assertours of our Religion against its common enemy of Rome And that their Government hath beene so long approved so oft established by the Common and Statute-lawes of this Kingdome And as yet nothing in their Doctrine generally taught dissonant from the Word of God or the Articles ratified by Law In this case to call their Government a perpetuall Vassalage an intollerable Bondage And prima facie inaudita altera parte to pray the present removall of them or as in some of their Petitions to seeke the utter dissolution and ruine of their offices as Antichristian we cannot conceive to relish o● justice or charity nor can wee joyne with them But on the contrary when wee consider the tenour of such writings as in the name of Petitions are spread amongst the Common-people the tenents preached publiquely in Pulpits and the contents of many printed Pamphlets swarming amongst us all of them dangerously exciting a disobedience to the established forme of Government and their severall intimations of the desire of the power of the Keyes and that their Congregations may execute Ecclesiasticall censures within themselves wee cannot but expresse our just feares that their desire is to introduce an absolute Innovation of Presbyterall Government whereby wee who are now governed by the Canon and Civill Lawes dispensed by twenty-six Ordinaries easily responsall to Parliaments for any deviation from the rule of Law conceive wee should become exposed to the meere Arbitrary Government of a numerous Presbitery who together with their ruling Elders will arise to neere forty thousand Church Governours and with their adherents must needs beare so great a sway in the Common-wealth that if future inconvenience shall be found in that Government wee humbly offer to consideration how these shall bee reducible by Parliaments how consistent with a Monarchy and how dangerously conducible to an Anarchy which wee have just cause to pray against as fearing the consequences would prove the utter losse of Learning and Lawes which must necessarily produce an extermination of Nobility Gentry and Order if not of Religion With what vehemency of Spirit these things are prosecuted and how plausibly such popular infusions spread as incline to a parity wee held it our duty to represent to this Honourable assembly And humbly pray That some such present course be taken as in your Wisdomes shall bee thought fit to suppresse the future dispersing of such dangerous discontents amongst the Common-people Wee having great cause to feare that of all the distempers that at present threaten the well-fare of this State there is none more worthy the mature and grave consideration of this Honourable assembly then to stop the Torrent of such Spirits before they swell beyond the bounds of Government Then wee doubt not but his Majesty persevering in his gracious inclination to heare the complaints and relieve the grievances of his Subjects in frequent Parliaments it will so unite the Head and the Body so indissolubly cement the affections of his people to our Royall Soveraigne that without any other change of Government Hee can never want revenue nor wee justice Wee have presumed to annex a Coppy of a Petition or Libell dispersed and certaine positions preacht in this County which wee conceive imply matter of dangerous consequence to the peace both of Church and State All which wee humbly submit to your great Judgements praying they may bee read And shall ever pray Subscribed to this Petition Foure Noblemen Knight Baronets Knights and Esquires fourescore and odde Divines threescore and tenne Gentlemen three hundred and odde Free-holders and other Inhabitants above six thousand All of the same County To the High and Honourable Court of PARLIAMENT The humble Petition of the Vniversity of OXFORD Sheweth THat whereas the Vniversity hath beene informed of severall Petitions concerning the present Government of this Church and maintenance of the Clergy which have of late beene exhibited to this Honourable Assembly Wee could not but thinke our selves bound in duty to God and this whole Nation charity to our selves and Successours who have and are like to have more then ordinary interest in any resolution that shall bee taken concerning Church-affaires in all humility to desire the continuance of that forme of Government which is now established here and hath beene preserved in some of the Easterne and Westnerne Churches in a continued Succession of Bishops downe from the very Apostles to this present time the like whereof cannot bee affirmed of any other forme of Government in any Church Vpon which consideration and such other motives as have beene already represented to this Honourable Parliament from other Persons and places with whom Wee concurre in behalfe of Episcopacy Wee earnestly desire that you would protect that ancient and Apostolicall Order from ruine or diminution And become farther Suiters for the continuance of those pious Foundations of Cathedrall Churches with their Lands and Revenues As dedicate to the Service and Honour of God soone after the Plantation of Christianity in the English Nation As thought fit and usefull to bee preserved for that end when the Nurseries of Superstition were demolished and so continued in the last and best times since the blessed Reformation under King Edward 6. Queen Elizabeth and King James Princes renowned through the World for their piety and wisdome As approved and confirmed by the Lawes of this Land ancient and moderne As the principall outward motive and encouragement of all Students especially in Divinity and the fittest reward of some deepe and eminent Schollars As producing or nourishing in all ages many godly and learned Men who have most strongly asserted the truth of that Religion Wee professe against the many fierce oppositions of our adversaries of Rome As affording a competent portion in an ingenuous way to many younger Brothers of good Parentage who devote themselves to the Ministery of the Gospell As the onely meanes of subsistence to a multitude of Officers and other Ministers who with their Families depend upon them and are wholly maintained by them As the maine authours or upholders of diverse Schooles Hospitals High-wayes Bridges and other publique and pious Workes As speciall causes of much

established may continue in force with such alteration if there bee cause as to your Honours Wisdomes shall seeme meet And as in Duty bound Wee shall dayly pray c. Subscribed by one Viscount five Knights above a hundred Gentlemen of quality all the Clergy of the County and above six thousand Commoners being all of them Communicants The Remonstrance and Petition of the County of Huntington the Knights Gentlemen Clergy Free-holders and Inhabitants To the Right Honourable the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament for the continuance of the Church-Government and Divine Service or Booke of Common-prayer Presented to the House of Peeres by the Lord Privy Seale the 8. of December 1641. We humbly shew THat whereas many attempts have beene practised and divers Petitions from severall Counties and other places within this Kingdome framed and penned in a close and subtle manner to import more than is at first discernable by any ordinary eye or that was imparted to those who signed the same have beene carried about to most places against the present forme and frame of Church-Government and Divine-Service or Common Prayers and the hands of many persons of ordinary quality sollicited to the same with pretence to bee presented to this Honourable assembly in Parliament and under colour of removing some Innovations lately crept into the Church and Worship of God and reforming some abuses in the Ecclesiasticall Courts which wee conceiving and fearing not so much to aime at the taking away of the said Innovations and Reformation of abuses as tending to an absolute Innovation of Church-Government and subversion of that Order and Forme of Divine Service which hath happily continued amongst us ever since the Reformation of Religion Out of a tender and zealous regard hereunto wee have thought it our duty not onely to disavow all such Petitions but also to manifest our publike affections and desires to continue the Forme of Divine Service and Common-prayers and the present Government of the Church as the same have beene continued since the first Reformation and stand so established by the Lawes and Statutes of this Kingdome For when wee consider that the Forme of Divine Service expressed and contained in the Booke of Common prayer was with great care piety and sincerity revised and reduced from all former corruptions and Romish Superstitions by those holy and selected Instruments of the Reformation of Religion within this Church and was by them restored to its first purity according as it was instituted and practised in the Primitive times standeth confirmed established and enjoyned by Act of Parliament and Royall Injunctions and hath ever since had the generall approbation of the godly and a publike use and continuance within this Church And that Bishops were instituted and have had their being and continuance ever since the first planting of Christian Religion amongst us and the rest of the Christian World that they were the lights and glorious Lamps of Gods Church that so many of them sowed the seeds of Christian Religion in their blouds which they willingly powred out therefore that by them Christianity was rescued and preserved from utter extirpation in the fierce and most cruell Persecutions of Pagan Emperous that to them wee owe the redemption of the purity of the Gospell and the Reformation of the Religion wee now professe from Romish corruption that many of them for the propagation of that Truth became glorious Martyrs leaving unto us an holy example and an honourable remembrance of their faith and Christian fortitude that divers of them lately and yet living with us have beene so great Assertours and Champions of our Religion against the Common enemy of Rome and that their Government hath beene so ancient so long approved and so often established by the Lawes and Statutes of this Kingdome and as yet nothing in their Doctrine generally taught dissonant from the Word of God or the Articles established by Law and that most of them are of singular learning and piety In this case to call the forme of Divine Service and Common-prayers Erronious Popish Superstitious Idolatrous and Blasphemous and to call the Government by Bishops a perpetuall vassallage and intollerable bondage and at the first step and before the parties concerned bee heard to pray the present removall of them or the utter dissolution and extirpation of them their Courts and their Officers as Antichristian and Diabolicall wee cannot conceive to savour or relish of piety justice or charity nor can wee joyne with them herein but rather humbly pray a Reformation of the abuses and punishment of the Offenders but not the ruine or abolition of the Innocent Now on the contrary when wee consider the tenour of such writings as in the name of Petitions are spread amongst the Common people the contents of many printed Pamphlets swarming at London and over all Countries the Sermons preached publikely in Pulpits and other private places and the bitter invectives divulged and commonly spoken by many disaffected persons all of them shewing an extreme aversenesse and dislike of the present Government of the Church and Divine Service or Common Prayers dangerously exciting a disobedience to the established forme of Government and Church Service their severall intimations of the desire of the power of the keyes and that their congregations may bee independent and may execute Ecclesiasticall censures within themselves whereby many Sects and severall and contrary opinions will soone grow and arise whereby great divisions and horrible factions will soone ensue thereupon to the breach of that union which is the sacred band and preservation of the Common peace of Church and State their peremptory desires and bold assuming to themselves the liberty of conscience to introduce into the Church whatsoever they affect and to refuse and oppose all things which themselves shall dislike and what they dislike must not onely to themselves but also to all others bee scandalous and burdensome and must bee cried out upon as great and unsupportable grievances yea though the things in themselves bee never so indifferent of never so long continuance in use and practise and never so much desired and affected of others so that where three or foure of them bee in a Parish though five hundred others desire the use and continuance of things long used all must bee altered or taken away as scandals and grievances for these three or foure though to the offence of many others and whatsoever they will have introduced must bee imposed upon all others and must by all bee admitted without scandall or offence whereby multitudes of godly and wel-affected people are in some things deprived or abridged of what they desire and take comfort in and have had a long and lawfull use and practise of and other things imposed upon them against their wils and liking as if no accompt were to bee made of them or no liberty of conscience were left unto them which bold attempts of some few to arrogate to themselves and to exercise over

all others what high presumption is it and how great a tyranny may it prove over the minds and consciences of men The great increase of late of Schismaticks and Sectaries and of persons not onely separating and sequestring themselves from the publike Assembly at Common Prayers and Divine Service but also opposing and tumultuously interrupting others in the performance thereof in the publike Congregation the frequent and many Conventicles held amongst them and their often meetings at all publike conventions of Assizes Sessions Faires Markets and other publike Assemblies their earnest labouring to sollicit and draw the people to them and the generall correspondence held amongst them to advance their ends herein Of these things wee cannot but take notice and must needs expresse our just feares that their desires and endeavours are to worke some great change and mutation in the present state of the Church Government and in the Forme of the publique Worship of God and Divine Service and Common Prayers Of the Common grievances of the Kingdome wee as others have beene and are sensible and doe professe that wee have just cause with joy and comfort to remember and with thankefulnesse to acknowledge the pious care which is already taken for the suppressing of the grouth of Popery the better supply of able and painefull Ministers and the removing of all Innovation and wee doubt not but in your great Wisdomes you will regulate the rigour and exorbitancy of the Ecclesiasticall Courts to suit with the temper of our Common Lawes and the nature and condition of Freemen And wee hope and humbly pray that the present Forme of Church Government and of Church Service and Common Prayers now established by the Statutes of this Kingdome shall bee setled and that all such as shall oppose themselves against the same or shall doe or speake any thing in derogation or depraving of the said Divine Service or Booke of Common Prayer may without any further tolleration or connivence undergoe the paines punishment and forfeitures due therefore and that such care shall bee taken for placing of Orthodox and peaceable men Lecturers in all places whose Doctrine may tend rather to sound instruction and edification then lead to Schisme and Faction All which wee humbly submit to your great judgements and shall pray to God to assist and direct you from above with his heavenly wisdome to guide and bring all your consultations to happy conclusions To the High and Honourable Court of Parliament now sitting The humble Petition and Remonstrance of the Knights Gentry Clergy Freeholders and Inhabitants of the County of Somerset Delivered to the House of Peers by the Lord Marquesse Hartford the 10. of December 1641. Wee humbly shew THat having with griefe of mind heard of sundry Petitions which have beene exhibited to this Right Honourable Assembly by some of the Clergy and Laity about London and some Counties tending to the subversion of the Church-government established in this Kingdome Wee therefore tendring the Peace and Welfare of Both Doe in all humblenesse presume to make knowne our Opinions and Desires concerning the same Nothing doubting of the like good acceptance of our humble Petition and Remonstrance in this behalfe being tendred with no lesse good Affection to the Peace and Happinesse of the Church the prosperity of His Sacred Majesty and this whole Kingdome For the present government of the Church we are most thankefull to God believing it in our hearts to be the most pious and the wisest that any People or Kingdome upon earth hath beene blest withall since the Apostles dayes though wee may not deny but through the frailty of Men and corruption of Times some things of ill consequence and other needlesse are stollen or thrust into it which wee heartily wish may be reformed and the Church restored to its former Purity And to the end it may be the better preserved from present and future Innovation We wish the wittingly and maliciously guilty of what condition soever they be whether Bishops or inferior Clergy may receive condigne punishment But for the miscarriage of Governours to destroy the Government we trust it shall never enter into the hearts of this wise and Honourable assembly Wee will not presume to dispute the Right of Episcopacy whether it be Divine or not It sufficeth us to know that the Church-government by Bishops is ancient even neere to the Apostles dayes and that it hath pleased God from time to time to make them most glorious instruments for the propagation and preservation of Christian Religion which with their blood they have frequently sealed to Posterity And how much this Kingdome in particular is indebted to them for their Piety their Wisedomes and Sufferings wee trust shall never be forgotten Our hearts desire therefore is That the Precious may be separated from the Vile that the bad may be rejected and the good retayned Furthermore having credibly heard that our Common Prayer hath beene interrupted and despised of some mis-understanding or mis-led people to the great scandall of the Religion professed in our Church Wee humbly beseech you to take into your care the Redresse therof as of an Impiety not to be endured as also to take order for the severe punishment of those men if they may be discovered who frequently publish Pamphlets under a veile of Religion yet conducing to confusion and Rebellion All which wee humbly offer to your Wisedomes as the thoughts and desires of this County And as wee are perswaded of multitudes of the sound Members of the Church of England and his Sacred Majesties most loyall Subjects Beseeching God to direct and prosper your Counsels and yee to pardon our Errors Wee rest At your Commands Knights Esquires Divines Gentlemen Free-holders Inhabitants of the County of Somerset none of them Papists but all Protestants of the Church of England and his Majesties loyall Subjects 14350 Whereof Knights Esquires and Gentlemen 200 Divines 221 Io BROVVNE Cler. Parliament To the high and honourable Court of PARLIAMENT The humble Petition of the Knights Esquires Gentlemen and Housholders in the County of RVTLAND in behalfe of our selves and our Families And of the Parsons Vicars and Curats for the Clergy in behalfe of themselves and their Families Humbly shewing THat whereas there have beene divers Petitions exhibited to this Honourable Court by persons disaffected to the present Government for the utter extirpation of the apostolicall Government of the Church by Bishops They by sedulity and zeale supplying the want of faire pretences for the abolition of that which wee hope no just reason can condemne and on the otherside many pious persons true sonnes of the Church of England have represented their just desires of the continuance of it upon great and weighty causes both in Divinity and true Policy wee also lest we might seem unconcerned and for feare lest our silence should be exacted as a crime at our hands if wee be deficient to what wee are perswaded is the cause of God In

of Bishops would be a scandall not onely to many weake Christians who feare all Innovation as guilty of some ill intendments upon their consciences but also to the strongest which shewes it to be the fault of the giver not the weaknesse of the receiver and if we must not scandalize our weake brethren much lesse our strong since this will intrench upon us in a high measure they not being apt to be scandalized upon umbrages and impertinencies 12 Where Bishops are not there is not an Honourable but Familike Clergy against the Apostolicall rule of double honour 13 By putting downe Episcopacy wee deprive our selves of those solemne benedictions which the Faith of Christendome and the profession of the Church of England enjoyning the Bishop rather to pronounce the blessing at the end of the Communion appropriates to Episcopall preheminence above Priestly authority 14 Two parts of three of the Reformed Churches are governed by Bishops or Superintendents which is properly the Latine word of Bishops and the other part that wants them have often wished them as their owne Doctors doe professe 15 It is against the liberties of the Clergy indulged to them by the Magna Charta granted and confirmed by so many Kings and about thirty Parliaments in expresse act and the violation of any part of it by intrenchment upon the right of the lay Subject justly accounted a great grievance the Charter it selfe being as Fundamentall a Law as we conceive as any other and any of us may feare lest his Liberties may be next in question 16 The foure great Generall Councels in estimation next the foure Evangelists and by the Statutes of the Kingdome made the rules of judging Heresies were held by Bishops the greatest fires and pests of Christendome the old Heresies were by their Industry extinct Church Discipline and pious constitutions by them established many Nations by them converted many Miracles done for the confirmation of Christian Faith one of the Gospels written by a Bishop Saint Marke of Alexandria if wee beleeve as authentike Records as any are extant Three Epistles of Saint Paul written to Bishops Seven Epistles by the Holy Ghost himselfe recorded in the Revelation and sent to seven Asian Bishops as all ancient Fathers accord the names of twelve men beside Apostles mentioned in Holy Scripture which all antiquity reports to have beene Bishops Most of the Fathers whose workes all Posterity embraces with much zeale and admiration were Bishops these also in our apprehensions advance that holy Function to a high and unalterable estimate 17 Very many of the fairest Churches and Colledges and places of Religion were built by Bishops which are faire Caracters to shew their promptnesse to doe publike acts of Piety and that persons so qualified as they were that is Governours and Clergy and fairly endowed is an excellent composition to advance publike designes for the honour of God in the Promotion of publike Piety 18 Since it hath pleased this Honourable Court of late to commend a Protestation to us which we by solemne Vow engaged our selves to attest with our lives and fortunes the established Doctrine of the Church of England wee consider that since the 36. article hath approved and established the booke of Consecration of Bishops the abolition of Episcopacy would nullifie that article and should not we make humble Remonstrance to the contrary we should suddenly recede from our great and solemne Protestation for maintenance of our Church Doctrine But may it please this Honourable Assembly wee consider on the other side 19 The introducing of Lay Elders must needs bring an insupportable burthen to all Parishes by maintaining them at the Parish charge for they must bee maintained or else a transgression is made against an Apostolicall Rule For the principall and indeed the onely colourable pretended place for Lay Elders injoynes their maintenance So that either the people must bee oppressed with so great burthens or else Saint Pauls Rule not obeyed or else there is no authority for Lay Elders as indeed there is not 20 And also there can bee no lesse feare of Vsurpation upon the Temporall power by the Presbitery then is pretended from Episcopacy since that Presbitery challenges cognisance of more causes and persons then the Episcopacy does so making a dangerous entrenchment upon the Supremacy and derives its pretence from Divine Institution with more confidence and more immediate derivation then Episcopacy though indeed most vainely as wee conceive 21 Wee crave leave also to adde this that these two viz. Episcopacy and Presbitery being the onely two in contestation if any new designe should justle Episcopacy wee are confident that as it hitherto wants a name so it will want a face or forme of reason in case of Conscience when it shall appeare Signed by Knights Justices Gentry and Freeholders about 800. By Ministers about the number of 40. The Cheshire Petition for establishing of the Common-Prayer-Booke and Suppression of Schismatiques presented to the Kings Majesty and from him recommended to the House of Peeres by the Lord KEEPER To the Kings most Excellent Majesty and to the Right Honourable the Lords and the Honourable the House of Commons Assembled in Parliament The humble Petition of divers of the Nobility Justices Gentry Ministers Freeholders and other Inhabitants of the County Palatine of Chester whose Names are nominated in the Schedule annexed Your Petitioners with all cheerefulnesse and contentation ●ffying in the happy settlement of the distractions both of Church and State by His Majesties pious care and the prudent and religious endeavours of this Honourable Assembly and with due humility and obedience submitting to the unanimous conclusions thereof yet conceive themselves bound in Duty HVmbly to represent to your mature considerations that the present disorders of many turbulent and ill disposed Spirits are such as give not onely occasion of present discontent to your Petitioners but seeme to import some ill event without early prevention The pure seed of our Faith the Doctrine of the true Reformed Protestant Religion established by so many Acts of Parliament and so harmoniously concurring with the confessions of all other Reformed Churches being tainted with the Tares of divers Sects and Schismes lately sprung up amongst us Our pious laudable and ancient forme of Divine Service composed by the holy Martyrs and worthy Instruments of Reformation established by the prudent Sages of State your religious Predecessours honoured by the approbation of many learned forraigne Divines subscribed by the Ministery of the whole Kingdome and with such generall content received by all the Laity that scarse any Family or person that can read but are furnished with the Bookes of Common Prayer In the conscionable use whereof many Christian hearts have found unspeakable joy and comfort wherein the famous Church of England our deare Mother hath just cause to glory And may shee long flourish in the practise of so blessed a Liturgy yet it is now not onely depraved by many of those who