A REMONSTRANCE On the behalf of COMBERLAND And WESTMERLAND, Published.  
For their moderate Vindication from a late scandal.  
AND For a true representation of the State of the Ministry in the diocese of carlisle.  
Printed in the year, 1641.   

A REMONSTRANCE Published, Upon occasion of a much noted Passage in the Right honourable, 
Note, That there are two Pages which bear die number 107. This passage is in the former.  the Lord brook his Discourse upon Episcopacy, P. 107.  
WHereas it is by the most diffusive means, and under the stamp of Honour,( that it might be the more currant) published to the World, That scarce a Minister can bee seen in some whole Shiers; as namely, in Cumberland, Westmerland, &c. And That( as lies faire to be taken up from the following words) There is not so much as a show of a Church in those parts. Wee apprehending this( as far as it concerns the two Countries of Cumberland and Westmerland) to be a foul imputation of impious negligence on the Bishop and the clergy of that diocese: And of atheism and irreligious security on th● Gentry, and all the Inhabitants; do publicly Declare,  
That, Although we do with true grief aclowledge the want of able Ministers, and the ignorance of the people: Yet, to see Ministers there, is not so impossible or unusual, as ●is Lordship would persuade the World: For, there are to be found some of ancient growth amongst us, whose gravity, Integrity, Learning, and Industry, would perhaps make them appear eminent in the crowd of southern Divines. And to these there have been, by later presentations from the Bishop and other Patrons, drawn in from the universities many able men, who deserve a warmer sun, and a fatter soil; These are resident on the places of most considerable value: The rest are generally supplied by men, though perhaps to weak for that heavy charge, yet not unworthy of their small maintenance; Men, though not of choice abilities, yet surely not recommended to the Bishop, and his ignorant, or drunken, chaplain, by the sole gift of Angells; and by them of Tapsters, 
These seemly expressions his Lordship affords us in the next page..  cobblers, or Butchers, transformed into Preachers; but such as by their best and entire endeavours, addict themselves to that sacred study, and have improved their gifts as high as theirs, whose arguments his Lordship there exhibits; And thus in some sort GOD hath provided for those poor souls and places that we may truly affirm, That throughout Westmerland, there is not any one Cure destitute of a preaching Minister, and not many in Cumberland; and that generally throughout both Sheirs, the ministry doth fully answer the maintenance.  
For a fuller satisfaction to the World, Wee further declare,  
That the pitied, or rather reproached ignorance of the common people in those parts, hath not the original rise from the defect of the ministry, but is caused principally, by the common fate of bordering people; Who being exposed to the daily effects of ill neighbourhood, and to the first fury of war from that side, and never secure of the fruits of their industry, of their liberties or lives, do by the secret dispensations of nature, r●ceive dispositions suitable to their condition, and daily improve them to more aptness: So that they are generally observed to bee of fierce and warlike spirits, careless of wealth, greedy of spoil, impatient of peace or government, and despisers of all Trades, Arts, and Professions. And this fate, whereto our country was by situation submitted, did so frame the mindes and manners of the common people, especially on the extreme borders, that, under the names of Subjects and Christians, they lived without acknowledgement of GOD or KING, of Law or gospel: So that amongst these, we may from the union of the Crownes, compute the Plantation of our Religion: And shall the blessed effects thereof be presently expected? There was in them lawlesnesse to be restrained, fierceness to be civilized, ignorance to be informed; besides the common corruptions of our nature, which in the most ingenious do slowly yield to the impressions of grace; All which to go through is a work of longer time then forty yeares, unless the instruments bee eminent, and very industrious, and the free grace of God extraordinarily operative. And here lies a second cause of their ignorance, in the de●ect of those outward means which should advance the work: For to the plantation of the gospel( which work, as we said, was in a manner to begin with the union) is requisite an extraordinary ministery, men of grave and unblamable behaviour, powerful eloquence, great wisdom and resolution; and to draw Agents so excellent, to a work so difficult, and hazardous, into a country remote from the sun, their friends and hopes, there need●d more then common allurements: Yea, were that work done, and the people become as apprehensive of the worth and necessity of Gods word, and as respectful towards the ministry, as they are in this city( whose greatest honour and happiness it is to be so affencted) yet, Who? unless invited by a very faire fortune, will retire into a corner where he sees his hopes shall be terminated, and himself nailed fast: But alas, such allurements do not there appear; the Church-maintenance falls so short of this proportion, that in most parts it doth not extend to a competency: In large Parishes slender husbandry makes mean tithes; and of that their due portion in some places impropriations take all, and leave a Viccaradge scarce able to satisfy the crown, or a stipend that would hardly content a falconer: In other places ancient compositions forced on the Ministers by the violence of the people, or condition of the times, and continued into prescriptions, together with many pretended customs, take half, or the better part, and leave to the person onely so much, as may stumble his reason to resolve how the fortieth or the hundreth part should bee the tenth, not enough to advance his Divinity by the supply of books: And generally the people( being not satisfied of the necessity and worth of a painful Minister) are too ready to defraud him, and force him into costly suits, for the recovery of what is his due; his due confessed by the common Law; which surely is not so favourable to the Clergy, as that it may encourage them to unnecessary and unconstrained suits. And this the people so well apprehended, together with their second advantage from the interest of the Jury, that of late seeing ecclesiastic Courts half shut up, they have given reason to some of our worthiest Divines to complain of their hard case betwixt the States impositions, and the peoples injuries.  
Therefore, In direct opposition to that which drew u● into this field, we in brief declare,  
That there are to be found in those Countries many sufficient Ministers; enough to take of this imputation, though not enough to take the several Cures; whereof the rest nevertheless are not neglected because the means will not allow them to be better cared for: And herein is the onely defect; Which wee hope the mercy of GOD will in his good time supply to us by contributions from these more flourishing parts, and by the pious consultations of the State: And if his Lordship had on any such design represented us in this lamentable condition, we should have esteemed this a happy scandal, and kissed his hands for the wounds we have received from his Pen, as humbly as though it had dropped balsam, not gull: But we are sorry that we cannot make this construction of those hard words: For, they are here put into the mouth of those Pretenders to inspiration, and miraculous gifts, as a zealous motive for their unhallowed sacrifices. And whether this be indeed one of their arguments, or now commodiously offered them by his Lordship, yet since he leaves it in all the parts thereof, both Position and Consequence unanswered, wee have reason to conceive that his Lordship would have the World believe the first, That we are in this unchristian state; and permit the consequence. The intrusion of uncalled men into Christs Harvest, for a remedy. But GOD sand us, and his whole Church a better; for in this, we rather expect a ruin,  
FINIS.