Primitive times. And it is not unlikely that if we would begin in England to restore the Presbyteries already erected amongst us, that is, the Deans and Chapters to their Primitive, Ufe and Inftitution, but that the Kyrk of Scotland might alfo be prevailed upon to have Bishops placed at the Head of their Presbyteries inftead of a temporal Moderator or Chairman. And what Blessing the Church of Great Britain would receive by fuch an happy Union are unfpeakable: I need not mention any of them, for they must be obvious to all; and I truft they must be such as all are defirous to fee, unless there be any that are so in Love with our unhappy Divifions, as to wish there may never be any end put to them. How greatly would it add to the Splendor of her moft Excellent Majefty's Glorious and Happy Reign over us, if as fhe has made us (what her Royal Anceftors for an hundred Years together in vain attempted) one People in Temporals, fo fhe fhould alfo effect the fame in Spirituals? That exemplary Zeal for the true Religion which Her Majefty has ever moft heartily profeffed, the unparalleled Bounty to the Clergy of England in the gift of the Tenths and First-Fruits, the great Affection fhe has always fhewed to the Church wherein fhe was Baptized and Educated, Her Piety and Devotion, together with Her great and tender concern for the Good and Welfare of her People, as well for their Souls as their Bodies and Estates, give us a full Affurance, that as fhe has hitherto, by God's Bleffing, preferved this Church in a fafe and flourishing Condition, fo fhe will never be wanting to make it yet more flourishing by do ing all that is in her Power by gentle and le

M

gal

gal Methods to heal the Divisions that are amongst us, by fuch gracious Means as she in her High Wisdom fhall judge most proper to unite us all in one Bleffed and most Holy Communion.

Before I conclude this Subject, I think it not amifs to take Notice, that the most Reverend Primate of Armagh, Archbishop Ufher, a Man for his great Piety, Learning and Abilities highly admired by all Men of all Parties and Perfwafions did once propofe an Expedient for the uniting the Epifcopal Church and the Presbyterians, which he called Epifcopal and Presbeterial Government conjoined. Where he fhewed and proved from divers Quotations out of the Fathers and ancient Councils, that the BiShops were wont in the Primitive Times to do nothing of Moment, without the Advice of a Synod of their Clergy: And propfoes that this might be again put in Practice, allowing the Bishop, as without Difpute he ought to have, a Negative Voice in that Affembly. Some other matters he there propofes, as particularly for holding leffer Synods in Rural Deaneries, which tho' not an improper Propofal as Times were then, yet may not be fo expedient in it self, being without any Primitive Precedent, for we never read of any thing less than a Diocesan Synod, or an Epifcopal Chapter or College in the ancient Church: And fure we ought to deviate as little as poffible from the Primitive Church, except in cafes of Neceffity, as the good Archbishop thought this to be when he wrote this Treatife. This Book my Lord Primate delivered into his Majesty's Hands, who having perufed it, liked it well, faying, it was the only expedient to reconcile the prefent Differences.

And

And that this was not that Glorious King and Holy Martyrs tranfient Thought of this Matter, but his real Judgment appears from what he has written in his incomparable Book, entituled The Pourtraicture of his Sacred Majefty § 17.1 in his Solitude and Sufferings: Where having declared his hearty Zeal and Affection to Epifcopacy, and his full Satisfaction that it is of Divine Apoftolical Institution, and therefore not to be abolished upon any Pretence whatever, he expreffes himfelf in thefe Words. Not that I am against the managing of this Prefidency, and Authority in one Man, by the 'joint Counsel and Confent of many Presby'ters: I have offered to restore that, as a fit ' means to avoid thofe Errors, Corruptions, ' and Partialities, which are incident to any one 'Man: Alfo to avoid Tyranny, which beC comes no Christians, least of all Church-men; befides, it will be a means to take away that 'Burden and Odium of Affairs, which may lie 'too heavy on one Man's Shoulders, as I think "it formerly did on the Bishops here. Thus we fee that this Pious and Learned Prince of Blessed Memory, who loved Epifcopacy so well as to lay down his Life for it, rather than he would be wrought upon to give his confent to have it abolifhed, (and greater Love than this can no Man have) yet thought it would be better to have it affifted with a Council or Presbytery.

The most Learned and Pious Dr. Hammond was alfo of his Majesty's and of the Lord Pri mate's Judgment in this matter, as may ap pear from this Paffage in the Preface to his Treatife of the Power of the Keys. That a moderate Epifcopacy, with a standing affi M 2

Atant

'

ftant Presbytery, as it will certainly fatisfie the Defires of thofe whofe Pretenfions are regular, and Moderate (craving nothing more and in fome things lefs than the Laws of the Land) fo it will appear to be that, which all Parties can beft Tolerate; And which next himfelf, both Presbyterian, Independent and Eraftian, will make no Queftion to choose and prefer before any of the other Pretenders.

Divers of the more Sober and Moderate of the Presbyterian Party have feemed to approve of thefe Terms of Reconciliation, which were offered by my Lord Primate, that is, fince they faw they could not fettle their own Parity: For when they were in Power, they were fo abfolutely bent to abolish the very Order of Bishops, that no Proposal of his Majefty, tho' never fo Moderate, would content them; 'till at last (when they had wrangled fo long, 'till they faw the King's Perfon feized by the Army, and that the Power was like to be taken out of their Hands) they then grew Wifer, and would have agreed to his Proposals when it was too late. After the Restoration of King Charles II. when the Church was restored with him, the Presbyterians would gladly have had Epifcopacy modeled according to Archbishop Uber's Propofals, but as they had refused that Expedient when it was in their Power to have accepted it, fo it was refufed to them now. Sure it would be Happy for us, if both fides could be brought to an Agreement in Church Government and Difcipline? And when can we have greater Hopes or a fairer Profpect of effecting fuch an Union, than now that we have fo wife and gracious a Prince in

the

*

Εικ Βασλο

the Throne, who tho' fhe be her self stedfast in the Communion of the Established Church of England, yet has that tender Regard for thofe that differ from it, that they cannot fufpect that in her Reign any thing fhall be offered to 'em, which may in the leaft tend to their Prejudice, and therefore may with more Impartiality weigh and confider fuch Propofitions as may be made for the healing our Differences than perhaps they would be willing to do under a Government they could be the leaft jealous of? And therefore if her prefent Majefty, according to the Pattern of her Royal Grandfather of Bleffed Memory shall be wil- 'Eix Bank. ling to grant or restore to Presbytery, what with Edit. Hague, Reafon or Difcretion it can pretend to in a conjun- 1648. p. 166, & Eture with Epifcopacy, fo far as may be agreeable to the Practice of the Apostles and the Primitive Church for the four first Centuries, before any Corruptions began to creep into the Church, we may then hope that the Eyes of our Fellow-Subjects in the North Parts of this Kingdom of Great Britain will be opened to fee that Presbytery is never fo confiderable, or effectual, as when it is joined to and crowned with Epifcopacy, Thus from being one State might wealfo be made one Church, and with one Heart and Voice Praife the Lord, and pray to him to pour down his Infinite Blessings on Her Head, who alone, under God, is capable of procuring for us fuch an Happy Union.

141.