THE REDUCTION OF EPISCOPACY Unto the Form of Synodical Government Received in the ANCIENT CHURCH:  
Proposed in the year 1641. as an Expedient for the prevention of those Troubles, which afterwards did arise about the matter of Church-Government.  
By the most Reverend and learned Father of our Church. Dr. JAMES USHER late Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of all Ireland.  
A true Copy set forth by NICOLAS BERNARD, D. D. Preacher to the Honourable Society of Gray's Inn occasioned by an imperfect Copy lately Printed.  
Decemb: 17 LONDON, Printed by E.C. for R. Royston at the Angel in Ivy-lane, 1656.   

To the Reader.  
THE late publishing of this Treatise from some different Copy, hath compelled me thus to hasten out a more Perfect one, according to the Original given me of late years by this Most Reverend Person under his own hand, which I had a long time in my custody; These defects or mistakes following were in the former impression, and are amended in this.  
1. The not mentioning the time of the Proposal, and intimating as if it had been lately composed by him for the compremising of the now differences, and the preventing of those troubles that may arise, etc. Whereas it was first proposed in the year 1641. by way of accommodation then, and as an Expedient for the prevention of what fell out afterwards about the matter of Church-Government.  
2. The printing of the Marginal notes in the I, TWO, III, IV, Propositions, Parallelling them with the then customs of Scotland; these by his orders to me were to be wholly left out, if ever they should be thought fit to be published.  
3. The omission of the Marginal note out of St. Jerome in the third Proposition, which is here supplied.  
4. Some different words, (as company for community, Primate for Archbishop, form of ordaining Ministers for the Book of Ordination, etc.) as the neglect of that distinction of Characters for the quotations in English, and other passages which were designed by his own hand.  
5. The Postscript is set forth so defective, that the Reader might interpret it to be his own attestation, whereas it was the draught of an approbation of it by some others of eminency both for learning and piety, then living, who were ready to have subscribed it. The Original given to me, having this Introduction (which was notin the former impression) viz. We are of the Judgement that the Form of Government here proposed, etc. I suppose Doctor Holdsworth was one, by what I found under his hand annexed.  
Thus much I have thought fit to advertise, as the causes necessitating me to the reprinting of it, and to desire the Reader upon this occasion, not to give credit hereafter to things of this nature, which shall be published in this most Reverend Primates name, without the Approbation of such as are appointed for that end.  
And now if this (which is a Copy according to his own last correction) may answer the expectation of many pious and prudent persons, to be a seasonable preparative to some moderation in the midst of those extremes which this Age abounds with, it will attain the end intended by the Author: And it is likely to be the more operative, by the great reputation he had and hath in the hearts of all good men, being far from the least suspicion to be biased by any private ends, but only aiming at the reducing of Order, Peace, and Unity, which God is the Author of, and not of confusion. For the recovery of which, it were to be wished, that such as do consent in Substantials for matter of Doctrine, would consider of some conjunction in point of Discipline, that private interests and circumstantials, might not keep them thus far asunder.  
Gray's Inn, Dec. 2.1656. N. Bernard.   

The Reduction of Episcopacy unto the form of Synodical Government received in the ancient Church; proposed in the year 1641. as an Expedient for the prevention of those troubles which afterwards did arise about the matter of Church-Government.  
Episcopal and Presbyterial Government conjoined.  
BY Order of the Church of England, all Presbyters are charged 
a The book of Ordination.  to administer the Doctrine and Sacraments, and the Discipline of Christ as the Lord hath commanded, and as this Realm hath received the same; And that they might the better understand what the Lord had commanded therein, 
b Ibid. ex Act. 20.27, 28.  the exhortation of St. Paul to the Elders of the Church of Ephesus is appointed to be read unto them at the time of their Ordination; Take heed unto yourselves and to all the flock among whom the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers to 
* 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so taken in Mat. 2.6. & Rev. 12.5. & 19.15.  Rule the Congregation of God which he hath purchased with his Blood.  
Of the many Elders who in common thus ruled the Church of Ephesus, there was one Precedent whom our Saviour in his Epistle unto this Church in a peculiar manner styleth 
c Rev. 2.1.  the Angel of the Church of Ephesus: and Ignatius in another Epistle written about twelve years after unto the same Church, calleth the Bishop thereof. Betwixt the Bishop and the Presbytery of that Church, what an harmonious consent there was in the ordering of the Church Government, the same Ignatius doth fully there declare, by the Presbytery, with 
d 1 Tim. 4.14.  St. Paul, understanding the community of the rest of the Presbyters or Elders, who then had a hand not only in the delivery of the Doctrine, and Sacraments, but also in the Administration of the Discipline of Christ: for further proof of which, we have the known testimony of Tertullian in his general Apology for Christians. 
e Ibidem etiam exhortationes, castigationes & censura divina; nam & judicatur magno cum pondere ut apud certos de Dei censpectu, summumque futuri judicii praejudicium est, si quis ita deliquerit, ut à communicatione orationis, & cenventus, & omnis sancti commercii relegetur: president probati quique seniores, honorem istum non pretio, sed Testimonio adepti. Tertul. Apologet. cap. 39  In the Church are used exhortations, chastisements, and divine censure; for Judgement is given with great advice as among those who are certain they are in the sight of God, and it is the chiefest foreshowing of the Judgement which is to come, if any man have so offended, that he be banished from the Communion of Prayer, and of the Assembly, and of all holy fellowship. The Precedents that bear rule therein are certain approved Elders, who have obtained this honour not by reward, but by good report, who were no other (as he himself intimates) elsewhere, but 
f Nec de aliorum manibus quam praesidentium sumimus, Id. de corona militis, cap. 3.  those from whose hands they used to receive the Sacrament of the Eucharist.  
For with the Bishop who was the chief Precedent (and therefore styled by the same Tertullian in another place 
g Dandi quidem Baptismi habet jus sumus sacerdes qui est Episcopus, dehinc Presbyteri & Diaconi, Id. de Baps. capt. 17.  Summus Sacerdos for distinction sake) the rest of the dispensers of the Word and Sacraments joined in the common government of the Church; and therefore where, in matters of Ecclesiastical Judicature, Cornelius Bishop of Rome used the received form of 
h Omni actu ad me perlato placuit contrahi Presbyterium, Cornel. apud Cyp. epist. 46.  gathering together the Presbytery; of what persons that did consist, Cyprian sufficiently declareth, when he wisheth him to read his Letters 
i Florentissimo illic clero tecum praesidenti. Cyprian epist. 55. ad Cornel.  to the flourishing Clergy which there did preside or rule with him: The Presence of the Clergy being thought to be so requisite in matters of Episcopal audience, that in the fourth Council of Carthage it was concluded, 
k Ut Episcopus nullius causam audiat absque praesentia Clericorum suorum, alioquin irrita erit sententia Episcopi nisi Clericorum praesentiá confirmetur, Concil. Carthag. FOUR cap. 23.  That the Bishop might hear no man's cause without the presence of the Clergy: and that otherwise the Bishop's sentence should be void, unless it were confirmed by the presence of the Clergy: which we find also to be inserted into the Canons of 
l Excerption. Egberti cap. 43.  Egbert, who was Archbishop of York in the Saxon times, and afterwards into the body of the 
m 15. q. 7. cap. Nullus.  Canon Law itself.  
True it is, that in our Church this kind of Presbyterial Government-hath been long dis-used, yet seeing it still professeth that every Pastor hath a right to rule the church (from whence the name of Rector also was given at first unto him) and to administer the Discipline of Christ, as well as to dispense the Doctrine and Sacraments, and the restraint of the exercise of that right proceedeth only from the custom now received in this Realm; no man can doubt but by another Law of the Land, this hindrance may be well removed. And how easily this ancient form of government by the united suffrages of the Clergy might be revived again, and with what little show of alteration the Synodical conventions of the Pastors of every Parish might be accorded with the Presidency of the Bishops of each Diocese and Province, the indifferent Reader may quickly perceive by the perusal of the ensuing Propositions.  

I.  
In every Parish the Rector or Incumbent Pastor, together with the Churchwardens and Sidesmen, may every week take notice of such as live scandalously in that Congregation, who are to receive such several admonitions and reproofs, as the quality of their offence shall deserve; And if by this means they cannot be reclaimed, they may be presented to the next monthly Synod; and in the mean time debarred by the Pastor from access unto the Lord's Table.   

II.  
Whereas by a Statute in the 26 year of King Henry the eighth (revived in the first year of Queen Elizabeth) Suffragans are appointed to be erected in 26 several places of this Kingdom; the number of them might very well be conformed unto the number of the several Rural Deaneries into which every Diocese is subdivided; which being done, the Suffragan supplying the place of those who in the ancient Church were called Chorepiscopi, might every month assemble a Synod of all the Rectors, or Incumbent Pastors within the Precinct, and according to the major part of their voices, conclude all matters that shall be brought into debate before them.  
To this Synod the Rector and Churchwardens might present such impenitent persons as by admonitions and suspension from the Sacrament would not be reform; who if they should still remain contumacious and incorrigible, the sentence of Excommunication might be decreed against them by the Synod, and accordingly be executed in the Parish where they lived. Hitherto also all things that concerned the Parochial Ministers might be referred, whether they did touch their doctrine or their conversation; as also the censure of all new Opinions, Heresies, and Schisms, which did arise within that Circuit; with liberty of Appeal, if need so require, unto the Diocesan Synod.   

III.  
The Diocesan Synod might be held once or twice in the year, as it should be thought most convenient: Therein all the Suffragans, and the rest of the Rectors or Incumbent Pastors (or a certain select number, of every Deanery) within the Diocese might meet, with whose consent, or the major part of them all things might be concluded by the Bishop or 
* 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est, superintendentes; unde & nomen Episcopi tractum est. Hieron. epist. 85. ad Evagrium.  Superintendent (call him whether you will) or in his absence, by one of the Suffragans; whom he shall depute in his stead to be Moderator of that Assembly.  
Here all matters of greater moment might be taken into consideration, and the Orders of the monthly Synods revised, and (if need be) reform: and if here also any matter of difficulty could not receive a full determination: it might be referred to the next Provincial or National Synod.   

iv  
The Provincial Synod might consist of all the Bishops and Suffragans, and such other of the Clergy as should be elected out of every Diocese within the Province, the Archbishop of either Province might be the Moderator of this meeting (or in his room some one of the Bishops appointed by him) and all matters be ordered therein by common consent as in the former Assemblies.  
This Synod might be held every third year, and if the Parliament do then sit (according to the Act of a Triennial Parliament) both the Archbishops and Provincial Synods of the Land might join together, and make up a National Council: Wherein all Appeals from inferior Synods might be received, all their Acts examined and all Ecclesiastical constitutions which concern the state of the Church of the whole Nation established.   
FINIS.   

WE are of the Judgement that the Form of Government here proposed is not in any point repugnant to the Scripture; and that the Suffragans mentioned in the second Proposition, may lawfully use the power both of Jurisdiction and Ordination, according to the Word of God and the practice of the ancient Church.