A sermon preached before the Right Honourable the House of Peers, in the Abbey…A sermon preached before the Right Honourable the House of Peeres, in the Abbey…

There are at this day, thousands of Congregations in England, who want able Preachers, especially in remote ⟨p. 48⟩parts, as Cumberland, Westmorland, divers parts of York-shire, many live like Heathens, scarce knowing that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, whether there be a Christ, or a holy Ghost or no. Now there are divers godly, learned young men, who have been called into those parts, and have been willing from their pity to those poor souls, to quit those places, in Lords, Knights, and Gentlemen's houses, where they had comfortable maintenance, to go into those places; but they not having yet studied the Controversies of Church-government, could not for the present see sufficient ground to satisfy their consciences in that way of Ordination, by a company of Ministers of several Congregations, made up into a Presbytery, only by the Civill power, limited to the power of Ordination, having no Church act to make them a Presbytery, nor no power of government in them; or if government that extended beyond their ministerial charge for Word and Sacraments, there being so many Controversies in this point, and being new to most men, it is no marvel though young men who are conscientious, and love to search into things that they may understand that which may bear up their consciences, have doubts arising, which for the present they know not how to satisfy themselves in: Now shall these who are every way (otherwise) fitted for the Ministry, be denied the preaching of the Gospel in such remote dark places of the Kingdom, though they agree in all other things with their brethren, merely because they cannot satisfy themselves in this scruple of conscience? God forbid.

There are at this day, thousands of Congregations in England, who want able Preachers, especially in remote ⟨p. 48⟩parts, as Cumberland, Westmerland, divers parts of York-shire, many live like Heathens, scarce knowing that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, whether there be a Christ, or a holy Ghost or no. Now there are divers godly, learned young men, who have been called into those parts, and have been willing from their pitty to those poore soules, to quit those places, in Lords, Knights, and Gentlemens houses, where they had comfortable maintenance, to goe into those places; but they not having yet studied the Controversies of Church-government, could not for the present see sufficient ground to satisfie their consciences in that way of Ordination, by a company of Ministers of severall Congregations, made up into a Presbytery, onely by the Civill power, limited to the power of Ordination, having no Church act to make them a Presbyterie, nor no power of government in them; or if government that extended beyond their ministerial charge for Word and Sacraments, there being so many Controversies in this point, and being new to most men, it is no marvaile though young men who are conscientious, and love to search into things that they may understand that which may beare up their consciences, have doubts arising, which for the present they know not how to satisfie themselves in: Now shall these who are every way (otherwise) fitted for the Ministery, be denyed the preaching of the Gospel in such remote dark places of the Kingdome, though they agree in all other things with their brethren, meerly because they cannot satisfie themselves in this scruple of conscience? God forbid.