A DECLARATION OF THE Protestant Clergy Of the City of DUBLIN, Showing the Reasons why they cannot consent to the taking away of the Book of Common Prayer, and comply with the Directory.  
Presented To the Honourable Commissioners for the PARLIAMENT of ENGLAND, July 9 1647.   printer's device, consisting of the Irish harp surmounted by a crown 
July 22 th'. Printed in the Year 1647.   

To the Honourable Commissiomers from the Parliament of ENGLAND, The humble Answer and Petition of the Protestant Clergy of the City of Dublin;  
Humbly showing,  
THat whereas we have received from your Honours by Anthony Dopping Esquire, a message consisting of two branches; one of a Demand, Whether the Ministers will officiate in their several Churches, not using the Book of Common Prayer.  
The other a Concession to this effect; That such as will officiate, may use the Directory, or such service as is agreeable to the Word of God; but not use the Book of Common Prayer.  
We hereto with all meekness and lowliness of minds return this our joint Answer.  
1 That forasmuch as we see and know, that the Protestants of this City, for the most part, are much grieved in heart for the want of the daily accustomed Service of God in the two cathedrals, and the Parish Churches of this City, and for their late being deprived of us and our Ministry, which they have long enjoyed: We are very much troubled, and are very sorrowful in our souls for their grief: We acknowledge ourselves bound to preach the Gospel of Christ unto the People, and are so fare from a voluntary desertion of our Churches, People, Ministry, and the exercise thereof, as that we shall rejoice in nothing more, then that we may finish our course with joy, and the Ministry which we have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the grace of God.  
2. That we have been and still are effectually debarred from our Churches, and the exercise of our Ministry by your Honour's Injunction and Command, bearing date the 24. of June, 1647. 〈…〉 you require the discontinuance of the Book of Common-Prayer, and the receiving of the Directory, etc. which injunction lies still upon us, with the danger of non-protection in case we disobey the same.  
3. That we cannot consent with a good conscience to the discontinuance of the Book of Common-Prayer, & receiving the Directory in lieu thereof, or any other private form of public service, for the reasons exhibited, and alleged in our Answer the 22. of June last; whereto we humbly annex these reasons following, amongst others which we debated upon in our mutual conference the 25. of June, and on the same day touched some of the heads of them before your Honours.  
I. We all at our Ordination or being made Presbyters, have (among other things) made this solemn promise before G●d, which we account the same with or little different from an Oath, that we would so minister the Doctrine and Sacraments, and Discipline of Christ, as the Lord hath commanded, and as this Realm hath received the same.  
II. We have often taken the Oath of Supremacy, and sworn that the King's Highness is the only supreme governor of this Realm, as well in all spiritual or Ecclesiast call things, or causes, as temporal, and that we shall assist and defend all jurisdictions, etc. granted or belonging to the King's Highness, his Heirs and Successors, or united a●d annexed to the Imperial Crown of this Realm. Now should we receive a Directory printed, or any other form without royal Authority, we do not conceive how this can stand with this our Oath.  
III. As the Act of Parliament 2. Eliz. still in force in this Kingdom, expressly commands the use of this Book of Common-Prayer, so it forbids Common-Prayer or Administration of the Sacraments, otherwise or after any other manner or form, with any private dispensation whereof we cannot comply, we being bound to the obedience thereof, not only for fear of penalty, but for conscience sake, Rom. 13.5.  
FOUR Whereas the Book of Common-Prayer is one main part of the Reformation established in the Churches of England and Ireland, the laying aside thereof and the receiving of the Directory or any other form would be, we conceive (considering the present state and circumstances of things) a departing in this from the Communion of the Church of England and Ireland.  
V It is evident, that as the Constitution of a Law in any matter Ecclesiastical, the order ever observed in the Church since Kings became nursing fathers thereto, was, is, and aught to be this, That it first pass the consultation and determination of a lawful Ecclesiastical Council; and then, that it receive the sanction and confirmation of the civil supreme Magistrate; for this gives it the formal strength and vigour of a Law outwardly obliging, and that gives it materiality and substance, and supplies ground sufficient to make it a Law inwardly obliging Christian People to receive it. So in the promulgation and execution of that Law, concerning a matter Ecclesiastical, there was and is this order observed: First, the supreme civil Magistrate remands and recommends it to the Ecclesiastical Governors, and they deliver it to the rest of the Pastors, and they to the People. So that the immediate actual reception of an Order Ecclesiastical by the Ministers, is from the hand of the Bishop or Ordinary. And upon this is founded that solemn promise made before God by every Minister at his Ordination, That he will reverently obey his Ordinary, and other chief Ministers, unto whom the government and charge over him is committed, following with a glad mind their godly admonitions, and submitting himself to their godly judgements.  
Since then in this matter concerning the Book of Common Prayer, all the required premises were fulfilled, and that any other form, that for the present we can use, wants all of them, we cannot without breach of our promise forementioned, and disordered anticipation or neglect of the judgement of our Ordinances, receive any such or other form, considering the Kings command concerning the only use of the Book of Common-Prayer expressed in the Act of Parliament is still in force, and the commands and constitutions of our lawful Convocation of the Bishops and Clergy, still live and speak unto us, in the Canons made in the year, 1634. whereof the third thus expressly, That Form of Liturgy or divine Service and no other shall be used in any Church of this Realm, but that which is established by Law, and comprised in the Book of Common-Prayer, and Administration of the Sacraments. Which Canon with all the rest is confirmed and published by his Majesty's Authority under the great Seal of Ireland.  
VI It may be added, that the Reformed Church of Ireland, under the Government of our dread Sovereign the King, is and ever was reputed a free Nationall Church, and not subordinate unto or depending upon the convocation of any other Church. And hence it was, that till the convocation held at Dublin, Anno, 1634. the Articles of the Church of England were not held, or reputed the Articles of the Church of Ireland, and when they were received, they were not received in any acknowledged subordination to the Church of England, but for manifestation of our agreement with that Church in the confession of the same Christian Faith, and the Doctrine of the Sacraments, as is expressed in the first Canon. Hence it is, besides that our Canons were not imposed by the Church of England, nay when somewhat highly the Clergy was invited to submit to the Book of English Canons, the Convocation utterly refused the same, and framed a new Book of Canons for the Church of Ireland. Should we therefore receive or admit of any other form, without the Authority of this Church, we should be held and esteemed before God and the world, guilty of unconscionably betraying of the Liberty of the free Nationall Church of Ireland.  
VII. The Book of Common-Prayer hath been in use in this Church from the beginning of the Reformation, we have preached for it, and recommended it to the people as a form of God's public Worhip and Service: the people of God in this City for the most part, generally do love it, have been edified by it, are loath to part from it, and earnestly desire the continuance of it. Now should we consent to the taking of it away, and receive or use any other form not established by Law, we should not avoid the guilt of sin, it being all one to destroy that which is well built, as to build that which a man once destroyed, which in the Apostles judgement (Gal. 2.8.) renders a man a transgressor.  
And withal we should, as matters stand, give great offence and scandal to the consciences of our brethren, and so sin against them, who deserve better at our hand, and for whom Christ died.  
VIII. Lastly, that reason given by the Uuniversity of Oxford in this point is not to be forgotten, that by our leaving of the Book of Common-Prayer and receiving any other Former, we should condemn the Church and State for the penalties and censures against Recusants, and justify them in their accusations and imputations of injustice and tyranny, wherewith they boldly charge both our Churches of England and Ireland.  
The premises considered, as we hope your Honours discern hereby, that we have not lightly or obstinately or out of faction, or any spirit of opposition for borne the exercise of our Ministry since your Honour's injunction; so we do now with all humility present these our fervent Petitions to your Honours.  
1. That you would be pleased, in pity and compassion to the Protestants of this City and to us the Ministers, who else by your Injunction aforesaid, are endangered to be exposed to banishment, loss of estate, and of present subsistence, with our wives and families, to restore us to our Churches, Ministry and exercise thereof, by permitting of us to use the Book of Common Prayer, in our several Cathedral and Parish Churches, as formerly we used the same, before your Injunction aforesaid, and to grant us your Protection therein, till such time as further order be taken by a Convocation of the Clergy, and an act of Parliament in this Kingdom, and in the mean time we shall endeavour to demean ourselves in the whole course of our Ministry, with such Christian faithfulness and moderation, as that we shall (by the help of God) give no just occasion of offence.  
2. That in case your Honours shallbe pleased to grant this Petition, which we hope you will, if after our stay and residence here, we, or any of us shall by the imposall of any thing against our consciences be forced hereafter to departed the Kingdom, we may then respectively have free passes and convenient time to remove our persons families and goods.  
3. That during the time of our residence here, we may enjoy the profits, benefits and means of our several Church-livings for our subsistence, which are due or allotted to us by the Law of the Land and Acts of State.  
4. That whereas the monthly fast observed hitherto by command of authority on a Friday, was grounded upon the horrid Rebellion of the Irish Papists, begun, and the danger we were all in, as on that day, wherein the Rebels came to this City to surprise it, and the evening of that day, was the time wherein that bloody treachery, and conspiracy was disovered, that we may be permitted still to keep the monthly Fast on that day, being a day of preparation for the monthly Communion according to our custom these five years past.  
And we shall ever pray etc.  
Delivered the 9 day of July, 1647. Subscribed as followeth. 

Ed. Laonensis.  
Jer. Margetson.  
Ben. Culme.  
Ambr. Anngier.  
In. Sybald.  
Godf. Rhodes.  
Hen. Hall.  
Ios. War.  
Io. Brookbank.  
Gilbert Deane.  
Dud. Bo●well.  
Rob. Parry.  
joan. Creighton, Can.  
Edw. Sing.  
Rob. Dickson.  
Rand. Ince.  
Henry Byrch.  
Rich. powel.