Chap. IX. The HIST ORY of the PURITANS. 713 Archbifhop U /her offered another fcheme, fir the redùElion ofepifco. K.Charles I. Macy iñto theform ff nodical government, received in the ancient church ; ' 6 in whichhis grace fùppofes, that of the many elders that ruled the church ,grebbihop of Ephefss, there was on aced prefident whom our Saviour calls the AN Uther's re- GEL ; and whom Ignatius in one of his epiflles, calls the East-toy, to du6hon ofe- whom in conjunction with the elders orprefbyters, the whole government nó aY/ go_ of the church, both as to doctrine and difcipline, was committed. He vernment, therefore propofes, that thefe be continued ; and for a regulation of their jurifdi &ion, that Sufragaiis fhould be appointed to hold monthly f noods of prelbytrs, from whom there thould be an appeal to diocefan provincial and national ones ; and more particularly, r. " That the redor of every parifh with the church-wardens, fhould "admonilh and reprove fuch as live fcandaloufly, according to the qua- " lity of their offenfe ; and if by this means they are not reclaimed, to " prefent them to the next monthly fynod, and in the mean time debar " them the Lord's table. 2. " Whereas by a flatute of 26th Henry VIII. fu7-agans are ap- " pointed to be erected in twenty-fix feveral places of this kingdom, the " number of them may be conformed to the number of the feveral ru- " ral deanries, into which every diocefe is fubdivided ; which being " done, the fiifragan may every month affemble a fynod of the feveral " rectors or incumbent patlors within the precinct; and according to the " major part of their votes conclude all matters that fhould be brought " into debate before them. 3. " A diocefanfinod might be held once or twice a year, wherein " all the fuffragans, and the refl of the retors and incumbent paflors, " or a certain felect number out of every deanry, within that diocefe, " might meet, with whofe content all things might be concluded by " the bilhopor fuperintendent; or in his abfence by one of hisfuffragans, " whom he thould appoint as moderator in his room ; and here " the tranfa'cions of the monthly fynods may be reviled and re- " formed. 4. " Theprovincial fynod may conffl of all the bithops and fuffragans, " and fuch of the clergy as fhould be elected out of every diocefe with- in the province ; the primate of either province might be moderator, or " in his room, one of the bithops appointed by him. This fynod " might be held every third year, and if the parliament be fitting, " both the primates and provincial fynods might join together, and " make up one national fynod, wherein all appeals from inferior fynods might be received, all their adIs examined, and all eccle- 4 Y " fiaflical 1
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