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A64644 Episcopal and Presbyterial government conjoyned proposed as an expedient for the compremising of the differences, and preventing of those troubles about the matter of Church-Government / written in the late times by ... Ja. Usher ... Ussher, James, 1581-1656. 1679 (1679) Wing U175; ESTC R11050 8,086 14

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EPISCOPAL AND Presbyterial Government CONJOYNED Proposed as an Expedient for the compremising of the Differences and preventing of those Troubles about the matter of CHURCH-GOVERNMENT Written in the Late times by the late Learned and Famous Ja. Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh and Primate of Ireland And now published seriously to be considered by all sober conscientious Persons and tendred to all the Sons of Peace and Truth in the three Nations for recovering the Peace of the Church and setling its Government Tolle jano nominis crimen nihil restat nisi criminis nomen Tert. Apol. Contra rationem nemo sobritis contra Scripturam nemo Christianus contra Ecclesiam nemo pacificus senserit Aug. de Trin. London Printed in the Year 1679. THE PREFACE IF any one ask who is He presumes to Publish the Papers of that Learned Pious and peacable Prelate worthy of eternal Memory without approbation first had of such as hold the Chair in the several Parts of controverted Discipline I Answer The Learned men of each Party are not yet agreed nor do I know when they will be and the times require that some means be used to advance the Peace of the Church and preserve the Nation That Peace I mean whereby the minds of men may be disposed to lay aside all old animosities and upon a common Principle of Union become charitable and so perpetual Friends The Faithfull and true Ministers of the Gospel of Peace will I hope give their allowance to this attempt Pious and Charitable in its intention For the contrary minded who would have Fire come from Heaven to consume all those who receive not their Dictates I shall only rebuke them with that of our Saviour to his Disciples ye know not of what manner of Spirit ye are Peace therefore and Christian Concord is not the matter these men seek but perpetual Parties and Sidings wherein perhaps they hope to appear Somebody which temper even in the minds where it ought least to be hath embroyl'd the world in miserable Feuds And this being perceiv'd by men experienced in Publick business hath produced variety of complaints Sir Edwyn Sandys discoursing of the division of Protestants abroad into Lutherans and Calvinists complains That the Ministers of each side have so far bestirr'd themselves that the Coal which a wise man with a little moisture of his mouth would soon have quenched they with the wind of their breath have contrariwise so enflamed that it threatneth a great ruine and Calamity on both sides And a little after reprehending the heat and extremity of contention They make more account says he of some empty Syllogism than of the Peace of the Church and happiness of the World The most Learned and Pious Hugo Grotius bemoaning the Discords of Christian Leaders Says Si in eorum Bellorum quibus tam diu vastatur Europa causas inquirimus inveniemus hoc incendium maximè ab ijs quos pacis praecones esse debuerunt excitatum And Mr. Dury after all his Travells in the matter of Ecclesiastical Peace found at last the difficulty to lie at home among those of his own Profession which caused him to lay down this Maxim That neither can a Civil Confederation be truly framed among Protestants nor when it is framed can it be faithfully maintained except the foundation thereof be laid in the minds of the Clergy The expedient here proposed by this Learned and Pious Prelate for Composing the Controversies and contentions about Ecclesiastical Government will not make the wounds wider I hope I do not see how it can And if it bring with it a healing virtue to unite and consolidate Parties discontinued in any measure I shall not repent me of acting the Empyrick in applying this Sovereign Receipt which came fortunately to my hands to the curing all those fretting ailments have so long troubled the Church Nor will this attempt of mine be insecure if the Learned and Pious Guides of either Party be consulted It is Dr. Hammond's judgment That a moderate Episcopacy with a standing assistant Presbytery as it will certainly satisfie the desires of those whose pretensions are regular and moderate craving nothing more and in some things less than the Laws of the Land so it will appear to be that which all Parties can best Tolerate and which next himself both Presbyterian Independant and Erastian will make no question to choose and prefer before any of the other Pretenders And Mr. Baxter no friend to modern Episcopacy earnestly incultating the Pastoral care and oversight of Souls I speak not this says he against any Bishops that acknowledge the Presbyters to be true Pastors to Rule and Teach the Flock and take themselves only to be the Chief and Presidents among Presbyters yea or the Rulers of Presbyters that are Rulers of the Flock But of them that Null the Presbyters Office and the Churches Government and Discipline by undertaking it alone as their sole Prerogative Me thinks as Agrippa said to Paul Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian I might here step in and tell these Learned and Pious Controvertists That almost they may be persuaded to be Friends But the Principal defence I intend my self against the censures of my Publishing those Papers Is the sense of the late King himself in his Posthumous admired Book Not says he that I am against the managing of this Presidency and Authority in one man by the joynt Counsel and Consent of many Presbyters I have offered to restore that And again I was willing to grant or restore to Presbytery what with reason or discretion it can pretend to in a conjuncture with Episcopacy So that the purpose the late King had of uniting his divided People If God had so permitted whose judgments are wonderfull and his ways past finding out was upon Grounds agreeable to the design of this Paper And therefore what was by Him so Piously and Prudently intended for restoring Peace and Unity to the Church is so much the more necessary now by how much we understand That intention of the said King and that the same Parties remain still estranged in conuntenance and conversation And yet it would not be so if some instrument or medium could be used to bring them to debate with an humble Christian Spirit on terms of reconcilement and unīty Which whensoever it shall by Gods gracious Dispensation and Providence over us be granted so much of our passions and interest must be laid aside as not to think it imaginable in the traverse of such long and sharp disputes and diffirences That one Party should be totally guilty and the other altogether innocent When I consider a Presbyterian will it be well to fetch a Character from all the frailties and failings of men of that Persuasion If one Preached It would never be well till twice 7. Prelates be hanged up as the 7. Sons of Saul were hanged up in Gibeon And another That the