Title page, Church concord by Richard Baxter (1691) | AskReformation

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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.

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§ 3. But when it came to closest Practice, As the Foreigners, (Prelatists) and Popular called Brownists kept off, so but few of the rigid Presbyterians or Independents joined with us; (And indeed Worcestershire and the adjoining Counties had but few of either sort,) But the main Body of our Association were men that thought the Episcopal, Presbyterians and Independents, had each of them some good in which they excelled the other two Parties, and each of them some mistakes: And that to select out of all three the best part, and leave the worst, was the most desirable (and ancient) Form of Government. But that so much as might Unite them in the Comfortable Service of Christ was common to them all: The most of our Ministers were Young men bred at the Universities during the Wars, and engaged in no Faction, nor studied much in such kind of Controversies; but of solid Judgment and zealous Preachers, and eminently Prudent, Pious and Peaceable: And with them there joined many that had Conformed, and thought both the Common-Prayer and the Directory, Episcopacy and Presbytery tolerable: And these in 1660. did Conform; but most of the rest were ejected and silenced. Though of near Ten Thousand that the Parliament left in possession, there were but Two Thousand cast out by the Prelates, we strongly conjectured before hand who those would be: Satan desired to have Power to sift us, as wheat, And the chaff and the bran stayed in, and made that which some called the best in the World: And indeed much of the bran is honoured by us as very useful: But the simila was too fine and precise for the palates of the Great Churchmen, and was cast out in the sifting: And the Sifters did but call the [Similago] Simulatio] and such other names, and out it went with Scorns and Devastation: And the hatred of it is propagated as the natural Progeny of revived true simulation and revenge. But though fur-fur be a name of no honourable sound (or sense, as it looks to Brethren and the Church) yet for my part I do with thanks for England, and with lamentation for other Lands, consent with them that say, Few Churches are so well fed: God can use this for the cleansing and drying up the Hydropical tympanite of this Land:

§ 3. But when it came to closest Practice, As the Foreigners, (Prelatists) and Popular called Brownists kept off, so but few of the rigid Presbyterians or Independents joyned with us; (And indeed Worcestershire and the adjoyning Counties had but few of either sort,) But the main Body of our Association were men that thought the Episcopal, Presbyterians and Independents, had each of them some good in which they excelled the other two Parties, and each of them some mistakes: And that to select out of all three the best part, and leave the worst, was the most desireable (and ancient) Form of Government. But that so much as might Unite them in the Comfortable Service of Christ was common to them all: The most of our Ministers were Young men bred at the Universities during the Wars, and engaged in no Faction, nor studied much in such kind of Controversies; but of solid Iudgment and zealous Preachers, and eminently Prudent, Pious and Peaceable: And with them there joyned many that had Conformed, and thought both the Common-Prayer and the Directory, Episcopacy and Presbytery tolerable: And these in 1660. did Conform; but most of the rest were ejected and silenced. Though of near Ten Thousand that the Parliament left in possession, there were but Two Thousand cast out by the Prelates, we strongly conjectured before hand who those would be: Satan desired to have Power to sift us, as wheat, And the chaff and the bran stayed in, and made that which some called the best in the World: And indeed much of the bran is honoured by us as very useful: But the simila was too fine and precise for the pallates of the Great Churchmen, and was cast out in the sifting: And the Sifters did but call the [Similago] Simulatio] and such other names, and out it went with Scorns and Devestation: And the hatred of it is propagated as the natural Progeny of revived true simulation and revenge. But though fur-fur be a name of no honourable sound (or sence, as it looks to Brethren and the Church) yet for my part I do with thanks for England, and with lamentation for other Lands, consent with them that say, Few Churches are so well fed: God can use this for the cleansing and drying up the Hydropical tympanite of this Land: