An Humble REMONSTRANCE OF THE REPRESENTATIONS OF Divers Moderate, and peaceable Citizens of LONDON, to both Houses of PARLIAMENT: WITH TWELVE Propositions, for the settling of a firm and lasting Peace, and reconciling all differences in the Church of ENGLAND: Which being granted will give much satisfaction to all pious, godly, moderate men, whether they be Presbyterians, Independents, prelatical or ROYALISTS.  
Printed in the year 1647.   

An Humble REMONSTRANCE OF THE Representations of divers Moderate, and peaceable Citizens of LONDON, to both Houses of PARLIAMENT.  
Right Honourable.  
WHen violent spirits are let loose, ambition mounts high, hatching their arils in the highest torrets, to dwell unbounded, and so draw Churches and States into combustion.  
If such dangerous enemies to the public and private peace, be cockered, they will advance to touch the clouds, and cope with Juno himself.  
Sylla, could take no rest, till( by the terror of his legions) he was created dictatory,( by the Law Valerian) for eight years; As Caesar perpetual, by the Law Servia. But the Empire gave neither of them rest from Trouble.  
The safest way to seek peace, is to refrain these Icarian thoughts, whose soaring wings, are ever laved in the depth of ruin.  
WEE therefore( the peaceable freeborn Subjects of England,) do humbly Remonstrate unto your Honours the great danger of an unlimited Presbytery, set in violent opposition to all other, peaceable and pious judgements.  
Let there be the Presbyterian Government, but confine their Orders within an equal limit: and let not their projectments be above hope of effecting: And remember what befell those braving builders of Babel, who would have raised too high a story: Let the foundation be laid( with love) on good ground, and the work will prosper better.  
restrain the fury of Frenzied mindes, who are too violent: and with timely Moderation, let them be so bound in, and confined to that humility, and love, which Christ requires from the Church: as no aspiring thought may enter that Office, which becomes the Sons of peace: So shall we all enjoy more glorious peace in restraining, then enlarging the Clergy, and Elderships, to the motives of ambition, to have thoughts of settling the Church by answering all the desires of the Presbyterians, and leave both the episcopal and congregational parties, altogether unsatisfied in all their expectations, is like to Domitians sports all day to catch flies: and can( probably) produce no better ends, then the misty conclusions of the deluded alchemist.  
To every action we are to propose a certain end: which being once attained, we are at rest.  
Thus do we, Right Honourable, lay down Moderation before your eyes, making it a subduer of all things, which fight against the peace of this Church and kingdom.  
The effects hereof are rare, and incomparable, it being a virtue necessary, and well-deserving the acquaintance of your honours.  
look not scornfully upon us, because wee seek for a Moderation in things; Oh it is an excellent ornament for you, and will be your best councillor( if followed) for the peace of the kingdom. Would any of you be great, and famous in the World, bee moderate and humble that will open to you a gate of glory: whereas ambition is the high-way to ruin.  
Would you have great estates, be moderate in your places, that the kingdom may be settled in a firm and lasting peace; That is the way to enjoy plenty.  
Would you live in pleasure, and delight. Be moderate, and join all your hearts and hands, for an happy composure of all our differences, to Gods glory and the peace of the Land? that so wee may bee all joined in love with one heart, to seek the one onely ever living God.  
And this will give you that inward and spiritual joy with the true peace of Conscience which none can take from you.  

Now for the making of a way to this moderation in Church-government, wee do humbly Remonstrate these particulars, to the consideration of your honours( as followeth)  
1 THat a Committee of some twelve learned moderate, pious, indifferent men,( whereof six to be Layicks) that are neither rigid Presbyterians, nor independents, may bee chosen out of the kingdom, to confer with the Presbyterians and with the independents, and receive their several moddells of Church-discipline and out of both to present to the Houses such a composure as may( so far, as the word of God will bear) give content to the Godly moderate parties on both sides: And all hope of looseness and Liberty to sin, bee utterly taken away.  
2 That Doctor Gouge,( who is Moderator of London) may bee called Bishop of the Province, and so all others who shall be chosen in all the Provinces of the kingdom? seeing that they have always confessed, that the names Bishop and Presbyter are all one, and( though nothing else be done in that particular, but giving way to call the Moderator of every Province, a Bishop, yet) that will give great satisfaction to many, and stop a great quarrel in the Church of England.  
3 That Mr. Herle( and so still whosoever shall be hereafter) Prolocutor of the general Assembly of Divines, may be called Arch-Bishop, seeing that that place is the greatest of any of the Clergies in England. But that no more power may be given therein( as Arch-Bishop) then is now, as Prolocutor.  
4 That an Act may be passed, that no Bishop( alias Moderator of any Province, nor Arch-Bishop( alias Prolocutor) of the general Assembly, shall ever hereafter, by his place, be made a Baron, nor enjoy the Title of a Lord: Except by the common right of noble birth it fall to him, as it did to the late Honourable the Deceased earl of Kent, who lived, and dyed a preaching Minister, as well after his Lordship fell to him as before.  
5 That the power of punishing sin, may be very severely by the Magistrate, and Instructions given to all Justices of peace, and others, how all manner of punishments shall be inflicted upon all sorts of persons, for the several sorts of sins, and those persons who are found guilty of any, to be the scandalous persons who are to be exempted the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, until such time as they shall declare their repentance for the first offence before the Magistrate, for the second, before the Magistrate, the Minister, and Officers of the Church: and for the third offence( publicly) before the whole Congregation.  
6 That all such persons who are free from scandal; And shall confess Jesus Christ, and their hope in him for salvation, may be admitted to the Sacrament, seeing that( by the rule of the Scripture) the rest of their Examination is to be by themselves, to which the Minister is to direct them by Instruction, adding the other doctrinal parts, reproofs and comfort.  
7 That all scandalous persons may be put out of the Eldership, both Clergy and Laity.  
8 That the King joining with the Parliament, may have the Title formerly given to his Majesty, and to all the Kings and Queens of England,( who have been styled defenders OF THE FAITH) since Henry the eight first received it.  
9 That no Minister or lay-elder, shall at any time hereafter upon pain of suspension) ask any maid or woman her bosom or darling sin, or infirmity, or go about to purge any of them, of the sins of their thoughts, least thereby bee occasioned a temptation to looseness in knowing the lustful actions or affections of such Examinants, in case they should( being guilty in such kind) confess it to them.  
10 That all godly Professors of the Protestant Religion may go under one notion and bee protected by the power of Parliaments, and the Laws of the Land, to the stoppings and breakings out of factions. That so we may not quarrel for circumstances, but have a full joint fruition of the substance of that Protestant Religion so long professed and practised in the Church of England.  
11 That Congregations may be admitted to bee gathered, provided that they make choice of such as are free from scandal and heresy, and use no sinister means to traduce the people from the parochial ministry, and that there bee no dividing of families, but that husband wife, parents, children, master,( and mistress, and servants all do walk together.  
12 That there may bee some course taken to settle a sufficient subsistence for all parochial Ministers of the Presbytery in all places through the kingdom in such away as that the falling off of any of their Parishioners from them may not lessen their living now the collecting of their Anuities be so troublesone to them nor uncertain, to occasion suits, and vexations( by tithes and otherways) as hath been the custom in former times, but that a certainty of sufficient allowance may be confirmed to the Minister of every Parish in England.   
FINIS.