Church concord

§ 1. I Owe some satisfactory account to the Reader, of the Reasons of my Publishing this Book, which I have cast by about Thirty four Years. It cannot be well understood, without the knowledge of the Case we were then in, and the Occasion of my Writing it.

§ 1. IOwe some satisfactory account to the Reader, of the Reasons of my Publishing this Book, which I have cast by about Thirty four Years. It cannot be well understood, without the knowledge of the Case we were then in, and the Occasion of my Writing it.

The Ministers of the Churches were then (as is usual) of divers Opinions about Church-Government. 1. Some men for our Diocesan Episcopacy as stated by the Reformation. 2. Some were for a more Reformed Episcopacy, described by Bucer in Script. Angl. 1. Archbishop Usher, &c. 3. Some were for Diocesans in a higher strain, as subject to a foreign Jurisdiction, and as parts of an Universal Church, Headed by a humane Head, the Pope being Principium Unitatis. 4. Some were for National and Classical Government by Presbyters only, without Bishops. 5. And some were for a parity of Ministers and Churches, without any superior Bishops, or Synods, or Governors; but to have every Congregation to have all Governing Power in their proper Pastors. 6. And some were for each Congregation to be Governed by the Major Vote of the people; the Pastor being but to gather and declare their Votes; Among all these, the 3d sort, the Foreigners were utterly unreconcilable; and of the 6th we had no great hopes: But with the other four we attempted such a measure of Agreements as might be useful in a loose unsettled time, to keep up Christian Love and so much Concord, as that our Differences should not so much weaken us, as to frustrate all our Ministerial Labours.

The Ministers of the Churches were then (as is usual) of divers Opinions about Church-Government. 1. Some men for our Diocesane Episcopacy as stated by the Reformation. 2. Some were for a more Reformed Episcopacy, described by Bucer in Script. Angl. 1. Archbishop Usher, &c. 3. Some were for Diocesans in a higher strain, as subject to a foreign Iurisdiction, and as parts of an Universal Church, Headed by a humane Head, the Pope being Principium Unitatis. 4. Some were for National and Classical Government by Presbyters only, without Bishops. 5. And some were for a parity of Ministers and Churches, without any superior Bishops, or Synods, or Governours; but to have every Congregation to have all Governing Power in their proper Pastors. 6. And some were for each Congregation to be Governed by the Major Vote of the people; the Pastor being but to gather and declare their Votes; Among all these, the 3d sort, the Foreigners were utterly unreconcileable; and of the 6th we had no great hopes: But with the other four we attempted such a measure of Agreements as might be useful in a loose unsettled time, to keep up Christian Love and so much Concord, as that our Differences should not so much weaken us, as to frustrate all our Ministerial Labours.