Reasons from the Assembly for the change of Church-government.

1 THe pressing of this Church by Prelates with a Service-book, or Book of Common-Prayer, without direction or warrant ftom the Church, and containing besides the popish frame thereof, divers popish errors and Ceremonies; and the seeds of manifold grosse superstitions and Idolatrie: with a Book of Canons, without warrant or direction from the generall assem­bly, establishing a tyrannicall power over the Church in the per­son of Bishop; and overthrowing the whole discipline and go­vernment of the Church by assemblies: with a Book of conse­cration and Ordination, without warrant of authority civill or ecclesiasticall, appointing offices in the house of God, which are not wa [...]ranted by the word of God, and repugnant to the Disci­pline and Acts of our Church: with the Commissicn erected without the consent of the Church, subverting the Jurisdiction and ordinarie Judicatories of this Church; and giving to persons meerly Ecclesiasticall the power of both Swords; and to per­sons meerly civill, the power of the Keyes and Church Cen­sures.

2. A second cause was the Articles of Perth. viz. Obser­vation of Festivall dayes, kneeling at the Communion, Confir­mation, Administration of the Sacraments in private places, which were brought in by a civill Assembly; and are contrary to the confession of faith 1590 as it was meant and subscribed in Anno. 1580. and divers times since to the order and constituti­on of this Church.

3. A third cause was, the change of the Government of the Church, from the Assemblies of the Church to the persons of Church-men, usurping the priority and power over their bre­thren by the way, and under the name of Episcopall govern­ment against the confession▪ Anno. 1580. Against the order set down in the book of policy, and against the intentions and Con­stitutions of this Church from the beginning.

4. A fourth cause was the civill places and power of Church men, their sitting in Session; Counsell, and Exchequer, their rid­ding, sitting and voting in Parliament; and their sitting in the Bench as Justices of Peace, which according to the constitutions [Page 3] of the Church are incompatible with their spirituall function, do tend to the hindrance of the Ministry.

A fifth cause was, the keeping and authorizing of corrupt As­semblies at Linlithgow 1606. 1608. at Glasgow 1610. at Aber­dene 1616. at S. Andrews 1617. at Perth 1618. which are all null and unlawful, as being called and constitute quite contrary to the order and constitutions of this Church received & practised ever since the reformation of Religion, & labouring to introduce inno­vations in this Church, against the order & religion established.

A sixt cause was, the want of lawfull and free generall Assem­blies, rightly constitute of Pastors, Doctors and Elders yeerly or oftner pro re nata, according to the liberty of this Church, expressed in the Book of Policy, and acknowledged in the Act of Parliament 1592. Which his Majesties Commissioner having heard patiently; and examined particularly; all objections to the contrary being answered to the full. The whole Assembly with expresse consent of his Majesties Commissioner, in one heart and voice did declare, that these and such other proceedings, from the neglect and breach of the Nationall Covenant of this Church & Kingdom made in An. 1580. have been indeed the true and main cause of all our evils and distractions; and therefore ordains, ac­cording to the constitutions of the generall Assemblies of this Church, and upon the grounds respective above-specified, that the foresaid Service-Booke, Book of Canons and Ordination, and High Commission be rejected still▪ that the Articles of Perth be no more practised: that Episcopall government and the civill places and power of Church-men be holden still as unlawfull in this Church: that the above-named pretended Assemblies at Lin­lithgow 1606▪ 1608. at Glasgow 1610. an Aberden 1616. at S. Andrews 1617. at Perth 1618. be hereafter accounted as null and of none effect; and that for preservation of Religion, and preventing all such evils in time coming, Generall Assemblies rightly constitute, as the perfect and compent Judge of all mat­ters Ecclesiasticall hereafter be kept yeerly, and oftener, as occa­sion and necessity shall require, the necessity being first remon­strate to his Majesty by humble supplication; as also of these oc­casionall Assemblies, that Church-Sessions, Presbyteries, and Synodall Assemblies, constitute and ordained according to the Book of Policies, and constitutions of this Church, be also here­after kept as occasion and necessity shall require.

The Heads of the Bill in Parliament for abolishing of Bishops in ENGLAND.

VVHereas the government of the Church of England by Archbishops, Bishops, Chancellours and Com­missaries, Deanes, Archdeacons, and other their Ecclesiasticall Officers, hath been found by long experience to be a great impediment to the perfect reformation and growth of Religion, It is therefore enacted from henceforth there shall be no Archbishops, Bishops, &c, or any their Officers within this Church and Kingdome: and that if any person shall take upon him to exercise any such Office, he shall incurre a Prae­munire according to the Statute of 16. Ric. 2. And that all Man­nors, Lands, Rectories, Impropriations, Houses, Rents, Services, and other Hereditaments whatsoever of the said Archbishops. Bi­shops, Deans, Deacons and Chapters, Archdeacons, Prebendaries, Canons, and Pettie-Canons, which they or any of them have in the right of the said Churches and dignities, shall be disposed of and ordered in such manner and form as the Kings most excellent Ma­jesty, the Lords Temporall and Commons shall appoint. And it is therein further enacted, that all Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction fit to be exercised in the Church and Kingdome of England, shall be committed to such a number of persons, and in such manner as by this present Parliament shall be appointed.

A Motion to the House concerning Church Government.

EVery severall Shire of England and Wales, to be a severall Circuit or Diocesse, for the Eclesiasticall Iurisdiction, excepting Yorkeshire, which is to be divided into three.

2. A constant Presbyterie of twelve choise Divines to be selected in every Shire or Diocesse.

3. A constant President to be established over this Presbyterie.

4. This President in each Diocesse to ordain, suspend, deprive, degrade, Excommunicate, by and with the consent and assistance of seven Divines of his Presbytery then present and not otherwise.

5. The times of ordination throughout the land to be foure times every yeare, viz, the first of May, the first of August, the first of November, and the first of February.

6. Every President constantly to reside within his Di­ocesse, in some one prime or chiefe City or Towne with in his Diocesse, as in particular.

7. Every President to have one speciall particular con­gregation, to be chosen out of the most convenient for distance of place, from his chiefe residence, and the rich­est in value that may be had, where he shall duely preach unlesse he be lawfully hindered, and then he shall take care that his cure be well supplyed by another.

8. No President shall remove o [...] be translated from the Presbytery which he shall first undertake.

9. Vpon every death, or other avoidance of a presi­dent, the King to grant a Conge d'elire to the whole Cler­gy of that Diocesse, and they to present three of the Pres­byters aforesaid, and the King to choose and nominate whom he please of them.

[Page 6] 10. The first Presbyters of every Shire to be named by the Parliament, and afterwards upon the death of any Presbyter, the remayning Presbyter to chuse another out of the Parish Ministers of that Shire, and this to bee done within one month after such death or avoidance.

11 No President or Clergie-man to exercise or have any Temporall Office, or secular employmwnt, but only, for the present, to hold and keepe the probate of wills, untill the Parliament shall otherwise resolve.

12. The President once a year (at Midsummer) to summon a Diocesan Synod, there to heare and by generall vote, to determine all such matter of scandall in Life and Doctrine among the Clergie-men, as shall be presented unto them.

13. Every three yeares, a Nationall Synod to be, which for persons shall consist of all the Presidents in the Land and of two Presbiters to be chosen by the rest out of each Presbitery, and of two Clerkes to be chosen out of every Dioces, by the Clergie thereof.

14. This Nationall Synod to make and ordaine Canons of the Governement of the Church, but they not to binde untill tey be confirmed by Parliament.

15. Every President over and above the benefice aforesaid, a certaine constant rent allowed and allotted proportionall to the Diocesse wherein he is to officiate, that is to say, every Presbyter to have a constant yearely profit above his benefice.

16. As for the revenue of the Bishops, Deanes, and Chap­ters, &c. a strict survey to be taken of all their rents and profits, and the same to be represented at the beginning of our next con­vention, and in the mean time no Lease to be renewed, nor tim­ber to be felled.