Ministers and People not required by Law For the reforming of these Evils we first crave leave to offer to your Majesty 1. The late most Reverend Primate of Ireland his Reduction of Episcopacy unto the Form of a Synodical Government received in the Ancient Church as a Ground-work towards an Accommodation and Fraternal-Agreement in this point of Ecclesiastical Government which we rather do not only in regard of his eminent Piety and singular Abilities as in all other parts of Learning so in that especially of the Antiquities of the Church but also because therein Expedients are offered towards in the Healing of these Grievances 2. And in order to the same End we further humbly desire That the Suffragans Chorepiscopi mentioned in the Primate's Reduction may be Chosen by the respective Synods and by that Election may be sufficiently Authorized to discharge their Trust and that the Associations may not be so Large as to make the Discipline impossible or to take off the Ministers from the rest of their necessary Work 3. That no Oathes or Promises of Obedience to the Bishops nor any unnecessary Subscriptions or Engagements be made Necessary to Ordination Institution or Induction Ministration Communion or Immunities of Ministers they being Responsible for any Transgression of the Law And that no Bishop nor any Ecclesiastical Governor may at any time Exercise their Government by their private Will or Pleasure but only by such Rules Canons and Constitutions as shall be by Act of Parliament ratified and established And that sufficient Provision may be made to secure both Ministers and People against the Rules of Arbitrary Government Secondly Liturgy 1. We are satisfied in our Judgments concerning the Lawfulness of a Liturgy or Form of Worship Provided it be for the Matter agreeable to the Word of God and fitly suited to the Nature of the several Ordinances and Necessities of the Church neither too tedious in the whole nor composed of too short Prayers or Responsals not dissonant from the Liturgies of the Reformed Churches nor too rigorously imposed nor the Minister confined thereunto but that he may also make use of the Gifts for Prayer and Exhortation which Christ hath given him for the Service and Edification of the Church 2. Inasmuch as the Book of Common Prayer hath in it many things which are justly offensive and need amendment hath been long discontinued and very many both Ministers and people and persons of pious loyal and peaceable Minds therein greatly dis-satisfied whereupon if it should be again imposed will inevitably follow sad Divisions and widening of the Breaches which your Majesty is endeavouring to heal We do most humbly offer to your Masties Wisdome that for preventing of so great Evils and for setling the Church in Vnity and Peace some Learned Godly and Moderate Divines of both Perswasions indifferently chosen may be imployed to Compile such a Form as is before Described as much as may be in Scripture-Words or at least to Revise and effectually Reform the Old together with an Addition or Insertion of other Varying Forms in Scripture-phrase to be used at the Ministers choice of which Variety and Liberty there be Instances in the Book of Common Prayer Thirdly Concerning Ceremonies We humbly Represent That we hold our selves obliged in Every part of Divine Worship to do All Things Decently in Order and to Edification and are willing therein to be determined by Authority in such things as being meerly circumstantial are common to Humane Actions and are to be ordered by the Light of Nature and Humane Prudence according to the general Rules of the Word which are alwaies to be observed And as to divers Ceremonies formerly retained in the Church of England we do in all humility offer to your Majesty these ensuing Considerations That the Worship of God is in it self Pure and Perfect and Decent without having any such Ceremonies affixed thereunto for did they contribute any thing to that necessary Decency which the Apostle requires we might expect to meet with them in the Apostles time there being no Reason to induce us to the use of them which might not have induced them That the Lord hath declared Himself in the matters that concern his Worship to be a Jealous God and this Worship of His is certainly then most pure and most agreeable to the simplicity of the Gospel and to his Holy and Jealous Eyes when it hath least of Humane admixtures in things of themselves confessedly unnecessary adjoyned and appropriated thereunto Upon these accounts many faithful Servants of the Lord knowing his Word to be a perfect Rule of Faith and Worship by which they must judge of his acceptance of their Services and must be themselves judg'd have ever been exceeding fearful of varying from his Will and of the danger of displeasing him by additions or detractions in such Duties wherein they must daily expect the communication of his Grace and comfort especially in seeing these Ceremonies have been imposed and urged upon such Considerations as draw too near to the significacy and Moral efficacy of Sacraments themselves that they have together with Popery been rejected by many of the Reformed Churches abroad amongst whom notwithstanding we doubt not but the Lord is Worshipped decently orderly and in the beauty of Holiliness And ever since the Reformation they have been a matter of Contention and endless Dispute in this Church and have been a cause of depriving the Church of the fruit and benefit they might have reaped from the labors of many learned and godly Divines some of whom judging them unlawful others inexpedient were in Conscience unwilling to be brought under the power of them And they have occasioned through the offence taken at them by many of the people heretofore great separation in our Church and so have rather prejudiced than promoted the Vnity thereof And at this time by reason of their long disuse may be more likely than ever heretofore to produce the same inconvenience And they are at best indifferent and in their nature mutable And that it is especially in various Exigencies of the Church very needful and expedient that things in themselves mutable be sometimes actually changed lest they should by perpetual permanency and constant use be judged by the people as necessary as the Substantials of Worship themselves And though we do most heartily acknowledge your Majesty to be Custos utriusque Tabulae and to be supream Governor over all Persons and in all Things and Causes as well Ecclesiastical as Civil in these your Majesties Dominions yet we humbly crave leave to beseech your Majesty to consider Whether as a Christian Magistrate you be not as well obliged by that doctrine of the holy Apostle touching things indifferent in not occasioning offence to weak Brethren as the Apostle himself then one of the highest Officers in the Church of Christ judged himself to be obliged by and whether the great Work wherein the Lord hath intrusted your Majesty be not rather
to provide by your sacred Authority that the things which are necessary by Divine Command in Gods Worship should be duly performed than that things unnessary should be made by humane command necessary and penal And how greatly pleasing will it be to the Lord that your Majesties heart is so tenderly and religiously compassionate to such of his poor Servants differing in some matters who prefer the peace of their Consciences in God's Worship above their own civil concernments whatsoever May it therefore please your Majesty out of your Princely Care for the healing of our Breaches graciously to grant That Kneeling at the Lords Supper and such Holy Daies as are but of humane Institution may not be imposed upon such as do conscienciously scruple the observation of them And that the use of the Surplice and Cross in Baptism and Bowing at the Name of Jesus rather than Christ or Emmanuel or any other names whereby the Divine Person or either of the other Divine Persons is denominated may be Abolished These things being in the judgment of the Imposers themselves but indifferent and mutable and in the judgment of others a Rock of Offence and in the judgment of all not to be valued with the peace of the Church We likewise represent to your Majesty that divers Ceremonies which we conceive have no foundation in the Law of the Land as erecting Altars Bowing towards them and such like have not only been introduced but in some places imposed whereby an Arbitrary power was usurped divers Ministers of the Gospel though conformable to the established Ceremonies troubled some reverend and learned Bishops offended Protestants grieved and the Papists pleased as hoping these Innovations might make way to greater changes May it therefore please your Majesty in such waies as your Royal Wisdome shall judge meet effectually to prevent the imposing and using such Innovations for the future that so according to the pious intention of your Royal Grandfather King James of blessed memory the publick Worship may be free not only from blame but from suspition In obedience to your Majesties Royal Pleasure signified to us we have tendered to your Sacred Majesty what we humbly conceive may most conduce to the Glory of God to the Peace and Reformation of the Church and to the taking away not only our Differences but the roots and causes of them We humbly beg your Majesties favourable Acceptance of these our loyal and consciencious Endeavours to serve the Church of Christ and your Majesties gracious Pardon if in any thing or expression we answer not your Majesties expectation professing before your Majesâ—â—â— and before the Lord the Searcher of all hearts that we have done nothing out of strife and vain-glory or emulation but have sincerely offered what we apprehend most seasonable as conducing to that happy end of Vnity and Peace which your Majesty doth so piously prosecute We humbly lay ourselves and these our Addresses at your Majesties feet professing our unfeigned Resolution to live and die your Majesties real faithful and obedient Subjects And humbly implore your gracious Majesty according to your Princely Wisdom and Fatherly Compassion to lay your Hands upon the bleeding Rents and Divisions that are among us that there may be an healing of them So shall your Throne be greater than the Throne of your Fathers and in your daies the Righteous shall flourish Peace run down like a River and the Generations to come shall call you Blessed The Second PAPER May it please your Majesty SO great was the Comfort created in our mindes by your Majesties oft expressed Resolution to become the Effectual Moderator in our Differences and your self to bring us together by procuring such mutual condescentions as are necessarie thereto and also by your gracious Acceptance of our Proposals which your Majesty heard and received not onely without blame but with acknowledgement of their moderatioâ— and as such as would infer a Reconciliation between the differing Parties That we must needs say that the least abatement of our hopes is much the more unwelcome and grievous to us in finding so much of the proposed necessarie means for our Agreement especially in the point of Government here passed by in your Majesties Declaration as if it were denied us But yet remembring the gracious and encouraging Promises of your Majestie and observing your Majesties Clemencie in what is here granted us and your great Condescention in vouchsafing not only so graciously to hear us in these our humble addresses and Requests but also to grant us the fight of our Declaration before it is resolved on with libertie of returning our Additional Desires and hope that they shall not be rejected We reassume our confidence and comfortably expect that what is not granted us in this Declaration that is reasonable and necessary to our Agreement shall yet be granted upon fuller consideration of the Equity of our Requests As our designs and desires are not for any worldly Advantages or Dignities to our selves So have we not presumed to meddle with any Civil Interest of your Majesty or any of your Officers nor in matters of meer convenience to cast our Reason into the ballance against your Majesties Prudence But meerly to speak for the Laws and Worship and Servants of the Lord and for the Peace of our Consciences and for the safety of our own and our Brethrens Souls It lifts us up with joy to think what happy Consequences will ensue if your Majesty shall entertain these healing motions How happily our differences will be reconciled and the exasperated minds of men composed How temptations to contention and uncharitableness will be removed How comfortably your Majesty will reign in the dearest affections of your Subjects and how firmly they will adhere to your Interest as their own How chearfully and zealously the united Parts and Interests of the Nation will conspire to serve You What a strength and honour a Righteous Magistracy a Learned Loyal Holy Ministry and a faithful praying People will be to your Throne and how it will be your glory to be King of the most Religious Nation in the World that hath no considerable parties but what are centred under Christ in You. What a comfort it will be to the Bishops and Pastors of the Church to be honoured and loved by all the most Religious of their Flocks to see the success of their labours and the Beauty of the Church promoted by our Common Concord and Brethren to assemble and dwell together in unity serving one God according to one Rule with one heart and mouth And on the contrary should we lose the opportunity of our desired Reconciliation and Vnion it astonisheth us to foresee what dolefull effects our divisions would produce which we will not so much as mention in particular lest our words should be misunderstood And seeing all this may be safely and easily prevented We humbly beseech the Lord in mercy to vouchsafe to your Majesty an heart to discern aright of
chiefest care and whereunto the controverted Points subserve Viz. 1. That private Exercises of Piety may be encouraged 2. That an able faithful Ministry may be kept up and the insufficient negligent and non-resident and scandalous cast out 3. That a credible profession of Faith and Obedience be pre-required of Communicants 4. That the Lords day may be appropriated to holy Exercises without unnecessary devertisements I. For Church-Government In this your Majesties Declaration Parish-Discipline is not sufficiently granted us Inferior Synod with their Presidents are passed by and the Bishop which your Majesty here declareth for is not Episcopus praeses but Episcopus princeps endued with sole Power both of Ordination and Jurisdiction For though it be sayd The Bishop shall do nothing without the Advise of the Presbyters yet their Consent is not made necessary but he may go contrary to the Counsel of them all And this Advice is not to be given by the Diocesan Synod or any other Representatives of the Clergy but by the Dean and Chapter and so many and such others as he please to call In all which there being nothing yeilded us which is sufficient to the desired Accommodation and Vnion we humbly prosecute our Petition to your Majesty That the Primitive presidency with their respective Synods described by the late Reverend Primate of Ireland may be the Form of Church-Government established among us at least in these three needful Points 1. That the Pastors of the respective Parishes may be allowed not only publickly to Preach but personally to Catechise or otherwise Instruct the several Families admitting none to the Lord's Table that have not personally owned their Baptismal Covenants by a credible profession of Faith and Obedience and to Admonish and Exhort the Scandalous in order to their Repentance to hear the Witnesses and the accused party and to appoint fit Times and Places for these Things And to deny such persons the Communion of the Church and the holy Eucharist that remain Impenitent or that wilfully refuse to come to their Pastors to be Instructed or to Answer such probable Accusations and to continue such Exclusion of them till they have made a credible profession of their Repentance â— and then to receive them again to the Communion of the Church Provided there be place for due Appeals to Superior Power Al this we beseech your Majesty to Express under your Fifth Concession because it is to us of very great Weight and the Rubrick is unsatisfactory to which we are referred 2. That all the Pastors of each Rural Deanry having a stated President chosen by themselves if your Majesty please to grant them that liberty may meet once a Month and may receive Presentments of all such persons as notwithstanding Suspention from Communion of the Church continue impenitent and unreformed and having further admonished them may proceed to the Sentence of solemn Excommunication if after due patience they cannot prevail And may receive the Appeals of those that conceive themselves injuriously suspended and may decide the Cause Or if this cannot be attained at least that the Pastors of each Rural Deanry with their President may have power to meet monthly and receive all such Presentments and Appeals and judge whether they are fit to be transmitted to the Diocesan or not And to call before them and admonish the Offenders so presented yet if the Presentments against Magistrates and Ministers be resolved only to the Diocesan Synod and their Appeals immediately put in we shall therein submit to your Majesties pleasure 3. That a Diocesan Synod consisting of the Delegates of the several Rural Synods be called as often as need requireth and that without the consent of the major part of them the Diocesan may not ordain or exercise any Spiritual Censures on any of the Ministers nor Excommunicate any of the people but by the consent of the Synod or of the Pastors of the particular Parishes where they had Communion And that not only Chancellors but also Archdeacons Commissaries and Officials as such may pass no Censures purely spiritual but for the exercise of civil Government coercively by Mulcts or corporal Penalties by power derived from your Majesty as Supream over Persons and Things Ecclesiastical we presume not at all to interpose but shall submit to any that act by your Majesties Commission Our Reasons for the first part of Discipline Viz. In particular Parishes are these It is necessary to the honour of the Christian profession to the integrity of Worship to the destruction of Impiety and Vice to the preservation of the Sound the raising them that are fallen the comforting of the penitent the strengthning of the weak the purity order strength and beauty of our Churches the Unity of Believers and the pleasing of Christ who hath required it by his Laws And withall it 's agreeable to the ancient Canons and practice of the Churches and is consented to by our Reverend Brethren and so is no matter of controversie now between us Yet is not the Rubrick Satisfactory to which we are referred 1. Because it leaves the people at liberty whether they will let us know of their intention to communicate till the night or morning before and alloweth us then only to admonish them when in great Parishes 't is impossible for want of time 2. Because it alloweth us to deny the Sacrament to those only that maliciously refuse reconciliation with their Neighbors and only to admonish other scandalous sinners to forbear though the Canon forbid us to deliver them the Sacrament The Reasons why we insist on the second Proposal are these It being agreed on between us that the younger less discreeter sort of Ministers are unfit to pass the sentence of Excommunication without advice and moderation by others And every Church is not like to be provided with grave discreet judicious Guides the necessity of these frequent lesser Synods for such moderation and advice and guidance will appear by these two general Evidences 1. It is the very nature and substance of the Office of a Presbyter to have the power of the Keys for binding or loosing retaining or remitting sin which therefore together or apart as there is occasion they are bound to exercise And this being the Institution of Jesus Christ cannot be altered by man In their Ordination according to the established Order in England it is sayd Whose sins thou dost remit they are remitted whose sins thou dost retain they are retained And they are commanded to minister the Doctrine Sacraments and Discipline of Christ as the Lord hath commanded and as this Realm hath received the same as expresly as the Bishops are And as the late Primate of Ireland observeth in his Reduction that they may the better understand what the Lord hath commanded the Exhortation of S. Paul to the Elders of the Church of Ephesus is appointed to be read to them at the time of their Ordination Take heed to your selves and to all the Flock over