Two papers of proposals concerning the discipline and ceremonies of the Church of England…

I. For Church-Government: In this your Majesties Declaration, Parish-Discipline is not sufficiently granted us; Inferior Synod: with their Presidents are passed by: and the Bishop, which your Majesty here declareth for, is not Episcopus praeses, but Episcopus princeps; endued with sole Power both of Ordination and Jurisdiction: For though it be said, The Bishop shall do nothing without the Advise of the Presbyters, yet their Consent is not made necessary, but he may go contrary to the Counsel of them all. And this Advice is not to be given by the Diocesan Synod, or any other Representatives of the Clergy, but by the Dean and Chapter, and so many, and such others as he please to call. In all which there being nothing yielded us, which is sufficient to the desired Accommodation and Union; we humbly prosecute our Petition to your Majesty, That the Primitive presidency, with their respective Synods, described by the late Reverend Primate of Ireland, may be the Form of Church-Government established among us, at least in these three needful Points.

I. For Church-Government: In this your Majesties Declaration, Parish-Discipline is not sufficiently granted us; Inferior Synod: with their Presidents are passed by: and the Bishop, which your Majesty here declareth for, is not Episcopus praeses, but Episcopus princeps; endued with sole Power both of Ordination and Jurisdiction: For though it be sayd, The Bishop shall do nothing without the Advise of the Presbyters, yet their Consent is not made necessary, but he may go contrary to the Counsel of them all. And this Advice is not to be given by the Diocesan Synod, or any other Representatives of the Clergy, but by the Dean and Chapter, and so many, and such others as he please to call. In all which there being nothing yeilded us, which is sufficient to the desired Accommodation and Ʋnion; we humbly prosecute our Petition to your Majesty, That the Primitive presidency, with their respective Synods, described by the late Reverend Primate of Ireland, may be the Form of Church-Government established among us, at least in these three needful Points.

1. That the Pastors of the respective Parishes may be allowed not only publicly to Preach, but personally to Catechise, or otherwise Instruct the several Families (admitting none to the Lord's Table, that have not personally owned their Baptismal Covenants, by a credible profession of Faith and Obedience) and to Admonish and Exhort the Scandalous, in order to their Repentance, to hear the Witnesses and the accused party, and to appoint fit Times, and Places for these Things: And to deny such persons the Communion of the Church, and the holy Eucharist, that remain Impenitent, or that wilfully refuse to come to their Pastors to be Instructed, or to Answer such probable Accusations, and to continue such Exclusion of them till they have made a credible profession of their Repentance, and then to receive them again to the Communion of the Church Provided there be place for due Appeals to Superior Power. Al this we beseech your Majesty to Express, under your Fifth Concession, because it is to us of very great Weight, and the Rubric is unsatisfactory, to which we are referred.