Vox Populi, EXPRESSED IN XXXV. MOTIONS TO THIS PRESENT PARLIAMENT.  
Being the general voice and the humble and earnest request of the people of God in England to that most Honourable and Religious Assembly.  
For reforming the present corrupt State of the Church.  
Published by Irenaus Philadelphus.  
Printed in the Year, 1641.   

MOTIONS FOR REFORMING THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND.  
I. THat since the first Reformation in King Edward's days, was rather of the Doctrine, then of the Discipline, and of the Rites that were palpably gross, which yet were retained, with a purpose they should be removed afterwards, and for to unloose by degrees, the fast holds to the Romish Church: now since every Protestant is well informed of the change made in Religion, that whatsoever in Religion is Popish, or tending to the disturbing of the peace of the Church, and maintaining of Heretical doctrines, be redressed.  
II. That in that great work of Reformation which is of moment and consequence, far beyond the settling of civil affairs, there be appointed by both the Houses, a Committee or convocation and meeting of 40. or 50. English Divines, men that were not of, and did no way favour the late Convocation, and such as be unpartial, learned, and uncorrupt in their lives and Doctrine, such as Dr. Usher Arch. B. of Armach, Dr. Prideaux, Dr. Twisse, and the like, with 10. Scots Divines, to which be called 8. Foreign Divines of the most learned and famous; such as Rivetus, Primrose, Diodati, Moulin, and the like, who may treat and agree upon a settled platform of Church-government, suitable to the Monarchy of great Britain which ought to be ratified, and enacted by Parliament.  
III. That since our neighbour Churches have enjoyed more peace and safety under their discipline, our discipline be framed upon the patron of theirs, which hitherto hath not been subject to the inconveniences that ours is; such are: To be rend with schisms, & poisoned with heresies: to have the whole people of the land and the greatest part of the Ministers liable without any redress, to the unjust usurpations, vexations, and censure of some few Bishops: To have in great many parochial Churches, a want of a profitable Minister: To have in some of them either seldom or no Preaching at all: in others, little or no maintenance: and in most a disproportionable maintenance: Besides the manifold altercations and quarrels about trifles and toys, that our discipline is attended with: It was never heard that any man living under our neighbour Church's discipline was ever so brainsick as to move questions, whether of the Table, Pulpit, and Font, deserves more reverence and bowing at; or that their Synods or Consistories made Canons and Constitutions about placing and railing the Communion Table: about Hoods and Surplisses, and such needless orders, which bring rather striving then edifying. Since than our neighbour Church's discipline is obnoxious to less disorders, that a discipline be established in England, that be approaching unto theirs, yet a sensible difference kept between theirs and ours.  
FOUR That the Church's Discipline being established, a Nationall Synod be convocated, that may frame a Confession of faith, to which may be called a competent number of Foreign Divines. However, since so many have been so earnest of late, to be in charity with the Roman Church, that they have been uncharitable to the Reformed Churches: Let Canons be made in the Synod, and an Act of Parliament for union with other Protestant Churches in matter of Doctrine: and all the firebrands of these late innovations in the Church, that have made us a laughpng stock to the neighbour Churches, be sharrcly censured, if not cut off as banes of the Church, especially the first raisers of Altars, such as Heylin, Pocklington, and the like.  
V That in that Synod, if the English Liturgy be retained, to the end it be received all over England without exceptions, it be reform and repurged from many corruptions, and from a great deal of dross among the gold, and the good matters that are therein contained, as it appeareth; First, in the vain repetitions of the same thing. Secondly, in the uncouth expressions, as the name of Epistle when it is Prophesy, and misaplying pieces of Scripture to the days for which they are appointed. Thirdly, in the reading of the ridiculous stories and fables of the Apocryphas books, such are the Stories of Tobit and his dog and the like. Fourthly, in the unsuitableness of many collects and prayers to the matter and intent they are prayed for: such are the Collect before the Ten Commandments, and the prayer for the Ministers of the Gospel, O God Almighty that workest great marvels: which, if the words Bishops and Curates be taken out, may be applied to any purpose: And last of all, in the unsound Doctrines; As that Sacraments are absolutely, necessary to salvation, and that Infants have Faith in the person of their Godfathers and Godmothers, which is as much as to believe by a proxy or by an Attorney.  
VI That in that Synod it be determined what Popery is, and Canons made where those errors where of the people is with good reason afraid, be named and condemned.  
VII. That above all the holy doctrine of justification by Faith only, which is the main hinge of salvation, be strongly established by an especial Canon according to the tenets of all Protestant Churches, which Canon be sworn and subscribed unto, by all that have taken, and hereafter shall take orders or Ecclesiastical promotions. This being the greatest plague of the Church of England, that many men dignified in the Church, and Masters of Colleges, fellows and Scholars in the University, defend openly the justification by works, which is flat popery, and the ready way to bring in indulgences, auricular confession, Purgatory, and the tyranny of the Clergy over the consciences.  
VIII. That likewise the Doctrine of the Necessity and effecacy of the Sacraments, especially of Baptism be mainly and distinctly established and explained according to the Tenets of all the other reformed Churches; since it hath been of late very usual among our timeservers, and those Ministers that are as much taken with conformity as they love non-residency and plurality of live, to be enamoured with all the Popish and Arminians opinions, and to hold and teach Baptism of water to be of absolute necessity to be saved; that it doth blot out sins, and regenerate Ex Opere operato and vinudamactionis by the bare strength of washing; and works necessarily in the Baptised party, faith and the habit of true sanctification; and have grounded their poisonous Tenets upon some passages of the Liturgy that were not dashed out▪ nor explained by the reformers of the Roman breularie in King Edward's days; As be the words in the Catechism, The Children Baptised have all things necesary to salvation, and are undoubtedly saved. And in The Prayer after Baptism, where thanks is given to God for regenerating the Infant with his holy spirit. Since then such places have been a stumbling block to weak ones, and have given fair opportunity of erring to malicious spirits, that in the task expected of reforming the English Liturgy, they be corrected and amended.  
IX. That bowing before of the Communion Table, or toward the East, be forbidden under the punishment of deprivation of benificed men and expulsion of Scholars out of the Colleges, and the Communion Table be kept in the Vestery and removed from the eyes of the people but in the time of the Communion, to avoid the creeping idolatry.  
X. That the Crucifix in a piece of hanging and other superstitious figures which sometimes in the year are set over the Communion Table of many Churches and Chappells, be removed and abolished; and that the Authors or renewers of that superstition be severely punished.  
XI. That the authors of Popish and Arminian books be called in question, and that the pleasure of our late Sovereign King James of blessed Memory, be executed, who sent his Divines to the Synod of Dort, that the Church of England afterwards should be bound by the decisions made there, and that Canons be made conformable to the determination of our Divines in that Synod.  
XII. That if Bishops are thought fit to be retained, there be no more such distance between a Bishop and an ordinary Minister; and that Bishops be no more called Lords, and that they be enjoined to preach diligently, as is the duty of their place and office.  
XIII. That if some of them sit in Parliament, it be upon Woolsacks, and have no more privileges by their office and places then the judges, the Lord Keeper and Treasurer: and that a certain number of Deputies from the Nationall Synod, whether Bishops or other, be assisting both in the higher House and lower House, for delivering their advices upon any clauses of Acts, that may entrench upon the Church's privileges, or are contrary to Doctrine or good manners.  
XV. That the principal defect of our Discipline, and the spring of all errors in Doctrine and Practice, which is the want of Synods, be mended & hereafter all Visitations of Bishops be Synods, as by right they ought to be, and according to the ancient Constitution, as it appeareth by the Synodals which Ministers pay in every Visitation, and that at Synods all Parish Ministers be sitting and covered, & have their voice in the discussing of the affairs of the Diocese, and making orders which may not afterwards be altered by the Bishops, but only by the Nationall or Metropolitical Synod, which for the public Union, is to be kept once every two years, neither was ever the Church of late without Synods, but but in England.  
XVI. That besides national Synods there be provincial Synod convocated in each Diocese once a year; and that every month there be a meeting of Ministers within the Precinct of six or seven neighbour parishes through the whole Diocese; to which the first citations, complaints and processes within that precinct be carried, and in which the incident controversies without further delay be composed, and that what soever is judged within that precinct be censurable again by the provincial Synod of the Diocese, and that only causes of high moment, as deciding controvesies of faith, and matters which doth concern the whole nation be removed from the the Provincial Synod to the Nationall.  
XVII. That the election of Precedents, Assessors, and other members of the Nationall Synod, be in the power of the Deputies, whether Bishops or others, appointed for that purpose by each respective Provincial Synod: And that in Provincial Synods the election of them, be in the power of the Presbytery within each Diocese.  
XVIII. That the presentment of causes and persons to the Nationall Synod be made by the Bishop of the Diocese▪ g  
XIX. That in every Presbyterial meeting within the Precinct of neighbour Parishes the Bishop shall have power to assist in his own person or by a Commissioner of his, and have his voice as others.  
XX. That the citations and presentments from these Presbyterial meetings to the Provincial Synod beenot made without the knowledge of the Parish Minister, who ought to present the delinquent, and have his voice in the censure.  
XXI. That the Bishop be censurable by the Synod, whether it be provincial or national, and that it be no more in the power of Bishops to impose what they please upon the Clergy with such rigorous penalty as they have lately used for the oath of the sixth Canon.  
XXII. That the power of Ordination be not stronger in Bishops then in other Ministers.  
XXIII. That no Scholar shall enter into the holy Ministry without a certificate from the University, and from the Parish wherein he hath been commorant of his life and Doctrine, and without further trial and examination of his gifts and learning and soundness in Doctrine by six Ministers, or at least five, and that none shall be ordained Ministers except presently upon he is to be invested with a Cure of Souls.  
XXIIII. That Minister be ordained at least four times in the year, and that a record be kept of the Parishes void of Ministry, that in the time of Ordination they may be supplied accordingly.  
XXV. That it be lawful for Students in Divinity and having good report, to Preach, but not to exercise any other part of Ministerial function, to the end they may exercise their parts, and give a taste of their abilities to the flock.  
XXVI. That afore they be permitted to Preach in public, they be exercised in private by way of Sermons to handle and expound the word of God before the neighbour Ministers where they are cōmorant, or before the heads of the College where they are members; And that their Sermon ended, the matter and manner of their handling the word be censured and examined by those Ministers that are present.  
XXVII. That another course be taken for maintaining Ministers and Bishops, then that of Tyths, which are the cause of endless suits between the Minister and the Parishioners, the Patron and incumbent, keep the Minister from his Church, while he follows suits in London, and bring the holy Ministry into obloquy & contempt. But an honourable competent proportion be appointed for the maintenance of each Parish Ministers by the Parishioners, and rated by the Parliament or Synod, and that the distinctions of Deane, , Person, Curate, Vicar, and Reader be taken away, but let them be coequals, and more or less in number in one Parish, according to the greatness or wealth of the Parish.  
XXVIII. That as Bishops in height of jurisdiction and place, by act are to be shortened, so an act be made that from henceforth, all ordinary Ministers, which are too much vilified, shall have more respect and honour then heretofore was given unto them, and that of well deserving Scholars, the Ministers sons be preferred to the fellowships of Colleges.  
XXIX. That the power of Ecclesiastical Keys, such as belongs to Bishops and Ministers, be restored unto them, according to the ancient constitutions of the primitive Churches: and that there be no censure passed upon the Clergy or people from Synod, Bishop or Presbytery, but such as is Spiritual, and that the usual penalties of imprisonment and fine be rendered again to the right owner, viz. to the civil Magistrate, and the commutations of bodily penance into pecuniary, and the abuse of excommunication, and the Oath Ex officio abolished.  
XXX. That the Clergy of the Diocese; shall choose their own Bishop, or present to the King's Majesty two, who may choose of them whom he pleaseth: and that every Parish be Patron of its Parish, and have the presentation of as many Ministers, as the flock requireth, to the Synod or Bishop.  
XXVIII. That Bishops be more in number and their Dioceses of less extent than hitherto it hath been.  
XXXI. That in stead of Chancellors, Officers, Apparitours, Registers, and such like Grasshoppers, there be some Lay-elders, that may sit in Provincial Synods, and have their voice in matters of Discipline and Church-goverment, and that in Nationall Synods, there be some Laymen likewise appointed by the Parliament.  
XXXII. That a better course be taken for providing for the poor, and that both Ministers and Chief of the Parish be overseeing, how Churchwardens do dispose of the Church-Treasury, and that they be not permitted under crime of Sacrilege to spend it upon themselves, and that every month they give an account of whatsoever is received and laid out.  
XXXIII. That the griping of Church-duties and buriall-costs, exacted oftener more rigorously of the poor than the rich, be restrained, and that the Minister be contented with his yearly Salary, performing all the branches of his calling, as baptising, burying, visiting the sick without any further recompense, but such as is tendered to him.  
XXIIII. That the Fountains of Learning, Cambridge and Oxford, be purged from superstitious Rites and Popish doctrines, and Orthodox Readers be provided.  
XXXV. That no public University readers be admitted, but such as are either allowed or named by the Nationall Synod, or such as out of the Convocation of the Natioall Synod are presented to the King's Majesty by the heads of the University and afterwards approved by the next ensuing national Synod.  
FINIS.