I. THat since the first Reforma­tion in King Edwards dayes, was rather of the Doctrine, then of the Discipline, and of the Rites that were palpa­bly grosse, 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 Hereti­call doctrines, be redressed.

II. That in that great worke of Reformation which is of moment and consequence, far beyond the setling of civill affaires, there be appointed by both the Houses, a Committee or convocation [Page 2] 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 unpartiall, learned, and uncorrupt in their lives and Doctrine, such as D^r. Vsher Arch. B. of Armach, D^r. Prideaux, D^r. Twisse, and the like, with 10. Scots Divines, to which be called 8. Forrain Divines of the most learned and famous; such as Rivetus, Primrose, Diodati, Moulin, and the like, who may treat and agree upon a setled platforme of Church-gover­nment, sutable 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 bee framed upon the pa­tron of theirs, which hitherto hath not beene subject to the inconveniences that ours is; such are: To be rent with schismes, & poy soned with heresies: to have the whole people of the land and the greatest part of the Ministers liable without any redresse, to the unjust usurpations, vexations, and censure of some few Bishoppes: To have in great many parochiall Churches, a want of a profitable Minister: To have in some of them either seldome or no Preaching at all: in others, little or no maintenance: and in most a disproportionable maintenance: Besides the manifold altercations and quarrells about trifles and toyes, that our discipline is attended with: It was never heard that any man living under our neighbour Churches discipline was [Page 3] ever so braine-sicke as to moove 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 rayling the Commu­nion Table: about Hoods and Surplisses, and such needlesse orders, which bring rather stri­ving then edifying. Since then our neighbour Churches discipline is obnoxious to lesse disor­ders, that a discipline be established in England, that be approaching unto theirs, yet a sensible dif­ference kept betweene theirs and ours.

IIII. That the Churches Discipline being esta­blished, a Nationall Synod be convocated, that may frame a Confession of faith, to which may be called a competent number of Forraine Divines. However, since so many have beene so earnest of late, to be in charity with the Roman Church, that they have beene uncharitable to the Refor­med Churches: Let Canons be made in the Sy­node, and an Act of Parliament for union with o­ther Protestant Churches in matter of Doctrine: and all the fire-brands of these late innovations in the Church, that have made us a laughpng stocke 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 Liturgie bee retained, to the end it be received all over England without exceptions, it be reformed and repurged from many corruptions, and from a [Page 4] great deale of drosse among the gold, and the good matters that are therein contained, as it ap­peareth; First, in the vaine repetitions of the same thing. Secondly, in the uncouth expressi­ons, as the name of Epistle when it is Prophesie, and misaplying peeces of Scripture to the daies for which they are appointed. Thirdly, in the reading of the ridiculous stories and fables of the Apocripha bookes, such are the Stories of Tobit and his dogge and the like. Fourthly, in the unsutablenesse of many collects and prayers to the matter and intent they are prayed for: such are the Collect before the Ten Comman­dements, 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 applyed 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 beleeve by a proxie or by an Atturney.

VI. That in that Synod it be determined what Popery is, and Canons made where those errours whereof the people is with good reason affraid, be named and condemned.

VII. That above all the holy doctrine of Iusti­fication by Faith only, which is the maine hinge of salvation, bee strongly established by an espe­cial Canon according to the tenets of all Pro­testant Churches, which Canon be sworne and subscribed unto, by all that have taken, and [Page 5] hereafter shall take orders or Ecclesiasticall pro­motions. This being the greatest plague of the Church of England, that many men dignified in the Church, and Masters of Colledges, fellowes and Schollers in the Universitie, defend openly the justification by workes, which is flat popery, and the ready way to bring in iudulgences, au­ricular confession, Purgatory, and the tyranny of the Clergie over the consciences.

VIII. That likewise the Doctrine of the Neces­sitie and effecacy of the Sacraments, especially of Baptisme bee mainely and distinctly establi­shed and explained according to the Tenets of all the other reformed Churches; since it hath beene of late verie usuall among our timeservers, and those Ministers that are as much taken with con­formitie as they love non-residencie and plura­litie of livings, to be enamoured with all the Po­pish and Arminians opinions, and to hold and teach Baptisme of water to be of absolute neces­sity to be saved; that it doth blot out sinnes, and regenerate, Ex Opere operato and vi nudam actionis by the bare strength of washing; and workes necessarily in the Baptized partie, faith and the habit of true sanctification; and have grounded their poysonous Tenets upon some passages of the Liturgie that were not dasht out, nor explai­ned by the reformers of the Roman breviarie in King Edwards daies; As be the words in the Cate­chisme, The Children Baptised have all things neces­ary to salvation, and are undoubtedly saved. And in [Page 6] The Prayer after Baptisme, where thankes is given to God for regenerating the Jusant with his holy spirit. Since then such places have beene a stumbling blocke to weake ones, and have given faire opportunity of erring to malicious spirits, that in the task expected of reforming the English Liturgie, they be corrected and amended.

IX. That bowing before of the Communi­on Table, or toward the East, bee forbidden un­der the punishment of deprivation of benificed men and expulsion of Schollers 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 Crucifixe in a peece of hanging and other superstious figures which sometimes in the yeare are set over the Communion Table of many Churches and Chappells, bee removed and abolished; and that the Authors or renew­ers of that superstition be severely punished.

XI. That the authors of Popish and Armi­nian bookes bee called in question, and that the pleasure of our late Soveraigne King James of blessed Memory, be executed, who sent his Di­vines to the Synode 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.

[Page 7] XII. That if Bishops are thought fit to be re­tained, there be no more such distance betweene a Bishop and an ordinary Minister; and that Bi­shops be no more called Lords, and that they be enjoyned to preach diligently, as is the duty of their place and office.

XIII. That if some of them sit in Parliament, it bee upon Wool-Sacks, and have no more privi­ledges by their office and places then the Iudges, the Lord Keeper and Treasurer: and that a cer­taine number of Deputies from the Nationall Synod, whether Bishops or other, bee assisting both in the higher House and lower House, for delivering their advices upon any clauses of Acts, that may entrench upon the Churches privi­ledges, or are contrary to Doctrine or good man­ners.

XV. That the principall defect of our Disci­pline, and the spring of all errours in Doctrine and Practice, which is the want of Synods, bee mended, & hereafter all Visitations of Bishops be Synods, as by right they ought to bee, and accor­ding to the ancient Constitution, as it appeareth by the Synodalls which Ministers pay in every Visitation, and that at Synods all Parish Ministers be sitting and covered, & have their voyce in the discussing of the affaires of the Diocesse, and ma­king orders which may not afterwards be altered by the Bishops, but onely by the Nationall or Metropolitical Synod, which for the publike Uni­on, is to bee kept once every two yeares, neither [Page 8] was ever the Church of late without Synods, but but in England.

XVI. That besides nationall Synods there be provinciall Synode convocated in each Diocesse once a yeare; and that every moneth there bee a meeting of Ministers within the Precinct of sixe or seven neighbour parishes through the whole Diocesse; 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 bee censurable againe by the provinciall Synode of the Diocesse, and that onely causes of high moment, as deci­ding controvesies of faith, and matters which doth concerne the whole nation bee removed from the the Provinciall Synod to the Natio­nall.

XVII. That the election of Presidents, Asses­sors, and other members of the Nationall Sy­node, be in the power of the Deputies, whether Bishops or others, appointed for that purpose by each respective Provinciall Synod: And that in Provinciall Synods the election of them, bee in the power of the Presbyterie within each Diocesse.

XVIII. That the presentment of causes and persons to the Nationall Synod bee made by the Bishop of the Diocesse▪

XIX. That in every Presbyteriall meeting within the Precinct of neighbour Parish [...]s the [Page 9] Bishop shall have power to assist in his owne per­son or by a Commissioner of his, and have his voyce as others.

XX. That the citations and presentments from these Presbyteriall meetings to the Pro­vinciall Synod beenot made without the know­ledge of the Parish Minister, who ought to pre­sent the delinquent, and have his voyce in the censure.

XXI. That the Bishop be censurable by the Synod, whether it be provinciall or nationall, and that it bee no more in the power of Bishops to impose what they please upon the Clergie with such rigorous penaltie as they have lately used for the oath of the sixth Canon.

XXII. That the power of Ordination bee not stronger in Bishoppes then in other Mini­sters.

XXIII. That no Scholler shall enter into the holy Ministrie without a certificate from the Vniversitie, and from the Parish wherein he hath beene commorant of his life and Doctrine, and without further triall and examination of his gifts and learning and soundnesse in Doctrine by sixe Ministers, or at least fiue, and that none shall be ordained Ministers except presently up­on he is to be invested with a Cure of Soules.

XXIIII. That Minister bee ordained at least foure times in the yeare, and that a record bee kept of the Parishes void of Ministrie, that in the time of Ordination they may be supplyed accordingly.

[Page 10] XXV. That it be lawfull for Students in Di­vinity and having good report, to Preach, but not to exercise any other part of Ministeriall function, to the end they may exercise their parts, and give a tast of their abilities to the flocke.

XXVI. That afore they be permitted to Preach in publique, 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 Col­ledge 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 bee taken for maintaining Ministers and Bishops, then that of Tyths, which are the cause of endlesse suits be­tweene the Minister and the Parishioners, the Patron and incumbent, keepe the Minister from his Church, while he followes suites in London, and bring the holy Ministry into obloquy & con­tempt. But an honorable competent propor­tion bee appointed for the maintenance of each Parish Ministers by the Parishioners, and rated by the Parliament or Synod, and that the di­stinctions of Deane, Arch-deacon, Person, Cu­rat, Vicar, and Reader bee taken away, but let them be coequalls, and more or lesse in number in one Parish, according to the greatnesse or wealth of the Parish.

XXVIII. That as Bishops in height of Iuris­diction [Page 11] and place, by act are to bee shortned, 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 Schollers, the Ministers sonnes bee preferred to the fellowships of Colledges.

XXIX. That the power of Ecclesiasticall Keyes, such as belongs to Bishops and Ministers, be restored unto them, according to the ancient constitutions of the primitive Churches: and that there bee no censure past upon the Clergie or people from Synod, Bishop or Presbyterie, but such as is Spirituall, and that the usuall penal­ties of imprisonment and fine be rendred againe to the right owner, viz. to the civill Magistrate, and the commutations of bodily penance into pecuniarie, and the abuse of excommunication, and the Oath Ex officio abolished.

XXX. That the Clergie of the Diocesse; shall choose their owne Bishop, or present to the Kings Majestie 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 flocke requireth, to the Synod or Bishop.

XXVIII. That Bishops be more in number and their Diocesses of lesse extent then hitherto it hath beene.

XXXI. That in stead of Chancellors, Of­ficers, Apparitours, Registers, and such like Grashoppers, there bee some Lay-elders, that [Page 12] may sit in Provinciall Synods, and have their voyce 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 poore, and that both Ministers and Chiefe of the Parish bee overseeing, how Church-Wardens doe dispose of the Church-Treasury, and that they bee not permitted under crime of Sacrilege to spend it upon them­selves, and that every moneth they give an ac­count of whatsoever is received and laid out.

XXXIII. That the griping of Church duties and buriall-costs, exacted oftner more rigorous­ly of the poore then the rich, be restrained, and that the Minister bee contented with his yearely Salary, performing all the branches of his cal­ling, as baptizing, burying, visiting the sicke without any further recompence, 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 Orthodoxe Rea­ders be provided.

XXXV. That no publique Vniversitie 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 Kings Majestie by the heads of the University and afterwards approved by the next insuing nationall Synod.