CERTAIN MODEST OBSERVATIONS AND CONSIDERATIONS of the true Protestants of the Church of ENGLAND. For their right choice of Church Governors, and Church Ceremonies, together with the Church Liturgy, according to the word of God.  
Presented in all humility to the high and Honourable houses of PARLIAMENT to be voted and enacted, and to maintain against all opposers.  
With the good means to expedite the same.  
Leaving the Author's judgement to your Wisdom's best Considerations.  
LONDON, Printed for JOHN THOMAS. 1641.   

Certain modest Observations and Considerations of the true Protestants Right, in the just choice of the Church Governors, Church Ceremonies, and Church Liturgy, according to the Word, for the Honourable Houses of Parliament to vote, enact, and maintain against all oppositions: The Author's best judgement left to their wise Considerations.  
MOst Noble and Wise Senators of this famous and well hoped Parliament, I have stood long musing (upon the excellent Reports of your grave proceed concerning the Church of England) whether to forbear or to present my plain and Rigid lines, knowing that many hath writ and printed to your views divers Books, some judicial, and some fanatical. And seeing the necessity of some solid truth to be performed and judged of speedily without delay for the glory of God and good of this Church and State, for settled Right and Government to be held in this our Nation, which might not savour of Customs, which ofttimes prevails and proves a Tyrant, and well by some so called, where it is maintained from undue and unjust beginnings and proceed, as in our Lord Bishops too plainly hath appeared, amongst whom to have Lord Archbishops to be Overseers of Overseers is the most seeming groundless without reason and Religion: Groundless, because high Priests to the jews, Christ and the Apostles over the Church Ministry is no true precedent for them to ground Archbishops by, for in the Gospel it ceased, and Christ jesus was the high Priest, yea and the only Archbishop of our Souls, by that Government he hath prescribed unto Bishops of his Church, his Apostles after him, which to plead custom for higher Government, is an abuse to Christ, and if there be any substitute to Christ to take place of Archbishops, it must be he whom is the Defender of the Faith of Christ, our King and his high Council to be Arch-Overseers, for it is too plain that such will oversee the Errors of their Brother Bishops, nay more bring them to errors too, I shall not need to repeat them, This Parliament hath found examples too many.  
The Second Consideration, is to beat bacl the fears of the learned and wise, that think this Change is a Novelty of as great consequence as the late Innovations of our Church by the Bishops: Let this satisfy if they fear God as I verily think some that spoke it doth, and will take satisfaction, this change and Novelty is no further then to Renovate the old Truth of Gods revealed word to his people: The other is an addition, and so draws in a curse to add or diminash, and sure these Honourable Houses have taken notice of the Protestants Testimony, and redressed their Innovations in some part, and there are many more grows upon us, if not prevented betimes, so many Sectaries labouring with Petitions to these Honourable Houses to support their own opinions which would turn to a great confusion, if this High Court of Parliament should not speedily Rectify as well against the Papists and their Priests which are indeed the true accounted Puritans, worthy of that scornful Nickname in the world, and fare more exceeding the Sect of the Brownists so called: But they with others of multitude named to the number of 29. or 30. several Sexes and Schisms (besides Atheists) whom I fear are too many amongst us, which could wish every Sectary might have liberty to use their own consciences and opinions, as if there were no Rule of conscience: I need not name them, all take upon them no less than the Sword of the Spirit to defend their errors, but it is of the evil Spirit the Prince of darkness, because indeed their several ground work to persuade them is like the Devil's Logic, that used Scripture to our Saviour Christ though falsely: But him he could not deceive, no more I hope shall they to us Protestants, whose truth is Christ, and we protesting for Christ are the more truly to be accounted Christians of Christ if we stand to make choice, and to enact and maintain the true sincerity of Protestants Religion in Preaching, Prayers, and Ceremonies.  
The third Consideration, I have partly known and considered your Honourable actions and good Resolutions crossed and hindered by strong hand both for the good intended to the Church and Commonwealth, by their evil intentions to intercept you if they can: And it is from that potent power of malice the Prince of darkness aforesaid, that sows his tares among your Wheat, that endeavours to cross all good intentions by preventions of which I need not tell you his further manner of power, in so great a troubled Government both in Church and Commonwealth, as the like hath not been seen or heard of in this state, these hundred of years; and therefore, you must first seek to vanquish him and all your foes, and factious heads must be made higher by a pole than their bodies, for how can the Sheepfold be quiet, while yet amongst them there be some Woolves, you have a great work and a great many to rule and wrestle with, so fight that you may conquer too, and cut off those that raise tumults and errors, for if they get a head the Kingdom is divided, Separations are the wound of a Crown whereby neglected it will bleed to death (I fear by it some quarrels and divisions) at last: You have begun well, why stick ye upon Aristippus or Diotrephes, who loveth to have the pre-eminence, and worketh Kings unto it, I fear to make more such, as then will prove as bad to him and us, as the Vine-plants did of good Noah's own planting, if the Protestants Council, which is yourselves do not order the planting of it: An example appears in the Archbishops, etc. The last Deputy of Ireland, etc. that is fled away, and some no doubt at home that hopes of a King's power to quit them, de●e●vers of the King and others.  
The 4. Consideration, For which causes as your greatest danger amongst all Heresies and Schisms amongst us, this greatly marvailed that they the Papists are not chief parted from Britain's Court, and elsewhere in this Kingdom, not yet fully Banished nor disarmed, for it is my poor opinion, which I conceive under favour nor groundless to establish Christ in his Throne, and his truth to be advanced in the Protestant Religion, Religion, is first the chief evil to avoid them that are open enemies to Protestants, and yet under the name of Christians too, and jesuites of Jesus, that so counterfeit the name and practise contrary to Jesus and Christ, whom only taking and making away them with a more stricter addition to all their favourites, more than our Laws, have yet truly executed, you would then seek and settle the good of this Protestant Church, the brightness of the Renovation and settling of the true Gourenors and Government of the Church by your Renovation settled of the true Governors and Government, by which means all Sects, Schisms, and opinions, with their Abettors will vanish of themselves away by the Sunshine light of the Protestants Church and truth, or be brought home from their sepetated opinions, some of which profess one truth with us in Doctrine though not in their departure and separation: For now as it standeth undecided and not done, to settle the right way by your honoured Acts, Atheists hold themselves good Christians, thinking the best way to be Newters, and all Sectaries lives in hope, so as the Land is polluted with their infecting and seducing simple people: And therefore after removing the Adversaries, the Papists, it is the chief care as at first, your Honourable purposes in all your excellent caused Orations and Speeches there, to have begun and settled the house of God; which by dumb Dogs, wicked Ministers, etc. to abolish clean, in which it is well known, you have laboured in greatly, if it were effected without opposition.  
The 5. Consideration. If there be any opposition against the good meaning, you voting of this your good purposes, It is in them that are either Malevolent to the State of Protestancy, and such are not fit to be allowed vote at all, or such that are ignorant wise, and have not perused the unlawfulness of ill custom by Antiquity from right ways, and them rather to be disputed withal by forcible arguments, but I should humbly refer them only to one Book among others concerning the danger of Limited Prelacy, not well answerable; and yet answered by some slightly in the Prelate's behalf under the colour and title of a modest Advertisement, and in a calm examination so called, as if the first did arise from some storm, which I perceive not at all, but as a good gale of wind to sale by, and the Answere● seems to becalm the voyage of Grace, and would cause it to lie at his Anchor to hinder the true ways proceeding, already honourably and Religiously intended to arrive at the Port of Truth. As this Parliament hath partly voted already: So as if his title of calmness may signify weakness, his whose answer lays it open upon him, for sure it is better to have a ●●e-growing storm to increase the groundwork to goodness, then to have a dry Calm to hinder it; for under his Calm seems but a Cavil, as from his Reasons may be well seen. It were too large here for to discuss them all to so wise a Senate, showing in him merely a natural politic brain to find out fair Reasons in a foul understanding. As for instance in our accustomed Discipline to defend the Answers by way of Cueres.  
1. Whether it is so bad as men living under it are not capable of Salvation, a stout Argument, when as they may be capable without it, and that Salvation may be under the Government of Turks and Papists, although not by it, and so in other places: And why should Episcopal Martyrs be allowed a ground to make good that which is bad of itself in their Discipline of truth pretended no● erroneous, and yet no doubt those Martyrs may be saved too, for standing to the true Faith against Heresy.  
2. By way of ●uaere saith, if any desire a better Discipline instead, are they all agreed what they shall be from Scripture, or by evidence of necessary consequence of Logical differences: Wherein if Divines must chop Logic for maintenance of truth directed by the Scriptures already, as if that were not plain without Logic Rules: We shall make the Scripture like a nose of Wax, as Logic can do, and Papists uphold.  
3. And his third and ●ast Reason by ●uare. Whether the new Discipline be a plain Commandment or forbidden in the old, I admit of neither of both: It is sufficient Answer, That the examples of a true Discipline desired is appointed by the Apostles directions in the Church in their times, where the truth and true Church was known, it is sale for us to ●unta●e and follow as near as we can, as a precept and ●ule to us, because they were especially directed by the Spirit of God, and so by inference a certain Rule and Example for the Protestant Church so near to follow, and on the contrary side the old Discipline being contrary to the Apostles and Churches practise therein in their time is a forbidding in way of Truth, though otherwise seeming to the Prelates never so good, and I partly know ye have given order concerning the Examination of the Litturgy, Apocrip●●, and singing Psalms, to amend by Learned and wise Divines, as to your great commendation it may with other things be spoken: But the said three Reasons so calmly put with the rest of the Book we may calmly reject, is but indeed a Calm C●vill not fit in common reason, much less for so wise and honourable a Senate, since it is to no purpose but to uphold the Prelates, and their Discipline and Government, which made their voyage from old ill customs and examples, from bad Precedents and places corrupt, and brought it into England in the Nonage of our Church.  
1 And if it be a Puritanical pack as the Archbishop and other Bishops do conceive it, to maintain the unlawfulness of Pluralities and nonresidency.  
2 By Unpreaching Prelates and Ministers.  
3 Sole Ordination, and Election, Excommunication, etc.  
4 To abate the Clergies pomp, Ambition, lordliness, and Riches.  
5 The misemploying the Temporalities of the Church.  
6 To restrain the Clergy from meddling with temporal Offices and affairs.  
7 To abhor the ill use of the Oath Ex Officio.  
8 The Reformation of the Lethargy, all offensive, which by divers men have been complained of by Books in print, and by way of Petition for remedy and most especially in a noble defence of Church Prayers, Objected by Separatists: Which the Scots used not, nor reformed Churches, a most Learned Lord of the Upper house of Peers, had solidly and wisely opened the truth for some separation for ill use of the same, as disagreeing to the work of God's holy Spirit, which settling our Church in the foresaid grievances it will open the way as I said to bring the Separatists and others in obedience with us.  
And if for these matters of Reformation aforesaid, men dare think or count you Puritans, let not these Honourable Houses and Grave Senators therein think it no harm so to be so accounted by lose libertines, for your wise endeavours to vote and enact these things to be done, for thereby you shall be purer than they, and find that beatitude: Blessed are the pure in heart, for these your Votes & Acts must be done from your heart, and then it brings you to see God by the purest of all men Christ Jesus, yea you shall see Christ clearly in his Throne of Majesty, which they and other Sectaries have endeavoured to put out, yea also you shall see Christ by such Acts and Votes performed therein, as in his word most lively.  
And lastly by the true Concord and agreement of both Honourable Houses effecting this work, you shall see Heaven opened to you hereafter for your soul's comfort and honour on Eternity.  
The 6. and last Consideration concluding all is, I herefore humbly to move the House of Peers and Commons to stick close to Christ as by confessing and professing him (so by redressing) before men, Christ will then profess you his friends before his Father in Heaven (there is your reward above) get it by Petition of right too from the King, as you have done for the Common Law, & this will be an extraordinary common good to the Protestants faith, hope, and love, as all your Christian minds I doubt not are settled therein to strengthen yourselves noble Senators against all oppositions, that you may stand fast in the Liberties wherewith Christ hath made you free too, if you should doubt the Royalty of his Majesty's will by him expressed to this Parliament, and since from Scotland as is supposed that he will keep the Government of Queen Elizabeth and his Royal Father good patterns for those times, that then was used for want of better helps, they were like the good King david's that Religiously meant well, but Solomon his Son must build the Temple, and he is a good Prince that will be like his good Progenitors, but he is a better Prince that will amend and be a more clearer way, when it makes more for the glory of God, the honour and comfort of the King and to his people peace and godliness, so shall our King be like Solomon, not only to imitate the worth of Queen Elizabeth and King James in their Religions, but fare more edify and build the Temple of jerusalem, a new, much decayed in England, and every true Protestant is committed the Temple of the Holy Ghost, for assuredly as Protestants were many in Queen Elizabeth and King james times, so by this Reformation there will be many more and better in our King salomon's time, I mean King Charles.  
Some think his Majesty being in Scotland would not write such a Letter there concerning his will about Church-Government and Discipline of England, because what is allowed good there, is from the same truth good here, and to have the like were but a true Piety and Unity for the Church to the peace of both King and Kingdoms, but then since to turn this Letter into a book tituled King Charles his Speech in Scotland concerning the same by no authority known for that there is used irrefragrant terms, as if the King should conceive if Lord Bishops were put down, as the Protestants seem to desire it, that then the Tryeniall Parliament next may thrust out the Lords also, which is a bitter disposition to breed discord between the two houses, at least a terror to their new proceed, for it is well known our Parliaments cannot stand good without the Peers, though without Lord Bishops they may.  
And as I shown before, Queen Elizabeth and King james did not alter those things they then might and which now we may, for Q. Elizabeth came to the Crown a Virgin Queen persecuted before, and in time of persecution they found Bishops more zealous and willing helps to establish her Reign in Church-Government; as for truth she best could have against Popery, and were very frequent in preaching both in Court, City, and Country in these times, and a true Lover of their Protestant Brethren the Ministers, and King james following after her to the Crown in that settled Government and Governors wherein for her time she was famous over the world, & finding the people of England more gentle and passive than the Scots who were more active and practive to work their own ends in evil before, as they were counted Rebels of the North, and thereby a Scot was an odious name in England as King james knew, as also sometimes too busy upon King's consciences, who yet after his Reign here in England, procured them to entertain some Lord Bishops in Scotland he was a King of exceeding great wisdom and knowledge to dispute and discern (as ever at his Table here in England Bishops attending him) he was schooling them in Arguments and Conferences did thereby keep them in awe of truth, and favoured no lying or flattery, but shown himself like good King David in the 101 Psal. To rule both his house and them in sincerity, and so refused for Reasons aforesaid to make any alterations in his time according to the Scots Government.  
Now could King Charles do as he did since his Marriage with our gracious Queen, and did the Bishops no worse since, by too much inclining to Arminianism and Popery, and leaning too much on their side as appears divers ways, but especially by the Innovations of Government, which was not in Queen Elizabeth or King James time (who withstood them both) I should conceive a Reformation of evils in our now Lord Bishops might be rather than a deformation of them qu●te in this state, which is not possible to be so long as Popery hath such a power & hand (in England unexecuted Lord Bishops first arising from them, and having never had any warrant from God's word, is now more safer to Reform then to keep up and so to look forward, them backward to amend that which is amiss both for God's glory and the Kingdom's good, and so let the Protestants by this their Honourable Council of Parliament have the true choice both of Governors and government, and settle the liturgy according to sincere truth and examples. So shall our King be accounted as glorious as wise Solomon for renewing and rebuilding of the decayed Temples of the holy Ghost, as he doth of St. Paul's Church a material Temple and so both renews together.  
Therefore it shall be no doubt by your grave Senators Wisdoms still to persuade our King, that ye must book forward not backward in Regal government, and you are both for the King and his Subjects in the ploughing season, and it may seem a hard work and task to go forward to Christ without looking bacl, yet Kings as other men must set their wills, apt and imitate that Doctrine and Discipline which is nearest to our Father and Saviour in Heaven; Worldly policy must bend to this plough lest looking bacl we be turned like Lot's wife into a pillar of unsavoury Salt.  
Thus much for your encouragement to hope well in our King when you have done your best to plough rightly, that at last you may say with St. Paul, We have fought a great fight, and sought to finish the Parliaments true course, and for to keep the Protestants most Christian faith for which the Crown of England for building up these broken walls of jerusalem, and the glorious Crown of Heaven shall honour you highly: Therefore noble Senators slack no time nor suffer opposition of your wisdom's votes, unto speedy Acts by all good means for settling of the peace of our jerusalem, the King and his people, and stop the mouths of those which say; That English men are more passive than active, all than will have cause to pray and praise you, and God in you, and other Nations and Christian Reform Churches that listens after your proceed extol you duly, and then it will follow in the next degree of your Temporal Reformation by ploughing up of the Briers and Thorns, when God's Temples hath found his blessing, their hearts and hands will follow you for the good of the commonwealth, Let England pray therefore for true Concord between these two famous houses of Parliament, that without separation & division you may be like Jonathan and David, and then it is not to be feared that your wisdoms and gracious heart of our King Charles as the head of England's Protestant's body, will be ready to fulfil all your just votes & desires, as the same body hath yielded for the King their head, such nutrimental supplies not of English Milk and honey, compared like the Land of Canaan which flew above his other Nation for his comfort and pleasure, but with such gold and silver money weakening themselves for his honour's credit to all Nations from free hearts and loving Subjects, and so I cannot better ●nd these Considerations, then to desire God to preserve you all, and in all your proceed, from your enemies, and that this Kingdom may be kept from Civil dissensions by your blessed labours and Counsels.  
FINIS.