TO THE Honourable the COMMONS House Of PARLIAMENT: The humble Petition of the Ministers of the City of London.
THat your Petitioners with joyfulnesse have entertained, and with all thankfulnesse doe acknowledge the frequent and affectionate expressions of your pious resolutions for the firme setling of this Churches peace, especially in your first Remonstrance; wherein you are pleased to declare, That it is farre from your thoughts, purpose or desire, to let loose the golden reines of Discipline and Governement in the Church; to leave private persons or particular Congregations to take up what forme of service they please; As likewise in the late Nationall COVENANT, wherein both Houses of Parliament and the three Kingdomes stand solemnly engaged to the MOST HIGH GOD, for a full Reformation and uniformity in Doctrine, Worship, Discipline and Governement, and in Convening an Assembly of godly and Learned Divines for that end.
Yet notwithstanding, sore are the pressures under which we groane; Give us leave therefore we beseech you (in pursuance of our Nationall COVENANT) to sigh out our sorrowes at the feet of this HONOURABLE SENATE.
Through many erroneous opinions, ruinating Schismes and damnable heresies (unhappily fomented in City and Countrey) the Orthodox Ministry is neglected; the people seduced; Congregations torne asunder; families distracted; rights and duties of relations, Nationall, Civill and Spirituall, scandalously violated; the power of godlinesse decayed; Parliamentary Authority undermined; fearfull confusion introduced; imminent destruction threatned, and in part inflicted upon us lately in the West;
May it therefore please your Wisedomes (as a soveraigne remedy for the removall (as we humbly conceive) of our present miseries and prevention of their farther progresse) to expedite a Directory for publike Worship, and to accelerate the establishment of a pure Discipline and Governement (according to the Word of GOD and the example of the best Reformed Churches) and to take away all obstructions that may impede and retard our humble desires.
And your Petitioners shall ever pray, &c.
This Petition was by the Ministers of the City of London, presented to the Honourable House of COMMONS, Septemb. 18, 1644. And received with great acceptation.