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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A91309	Truth triumphing over falshood, antiquity over novelty. Or, The first part of a just and seasonable vindication of the undoubted ecclesiasticall iurisdiction, right, legislative, coercive power of Christian emperors, kings, magistrates, parliaments, in all matters of religion, church-government, discipline, ceremonies, manners: summoning of, presiding, moderating in councells, synods; and ratifying their canons, determinations, decrees: as likewise of lay-mens right both to sit and vote in councells; ... In refutation of Mr. Iohn Goodwins Innocencies Triumph: my deare brother Burtons Vindication of churches, commonly called Independent: and of all anti-monarchicall, anti-Parliamentall, anti-synodicall, and anarchicall paradoxes of papists, prelates, Anabaptists, Arminians, Socinians, Brownists, or Independents: whose old and new objections to the contrary, are here fully answered. / By William Prynne, of Lincolnes Inne, Esquire.	Prynne, William, 1600-1669.	1645 (1645)	Wing P4115; Thomason E259_1; ESTC R212479	202,789	171

Patterns deduced his Assize of surplesses and paterne of the new Altars Rules c. prescribed to be enquired of in his Visitation Articles But I hope my deare Brother can not spie out any such vision nor deduce any such conclusion from this Text nor from that of measuring the Temple Altar in the Revelation which I have elswhere answered and shall here omit The 4th Argument from Dutr. 4. 2. c. 12. 31. Proverb 30. 6. Reu. 22. 19. That God hath prohibited any addition to the Booke of sacred Scripture under a plague and heavy punishment Ergo there is a set forme of Church-government and discipline prescribed in the Gospell which none may vary from by addition or diminuition Is a meere Non-sequitur For first these Texts speake only of Additions to the Bookes Doctrine Histories Prophesies of the Canonicall Scriptures then written as my Brother acknowledgeth and the Texts infallibly prove not of any Church-government Discipline Ceremonies under the Gospell not so much as mentioned or imagined in them Therefore Brother you doe very ill for to wrest these Scriptures thus against their sence and meaning 2ly Brother you know that God himselfe after the writing of the Booke of Deuteronomie the Proveths caused divers other Bookes of Canonicall Scriptures in the old and the whole New Testament to be written for the further benefit and Instruction of his Church Yea many Additions were made to the service of God in the Temple not mentioned by Moses without infringing these Texts therefore your citing of them without any limitation is very impertinent 3ly I feare Brother that those who hold there is an absolute set forme of Church-goverment prescribed in the word to all Churches though they cannot shew it and yet cry up their Independent way as the very Government discipline Kingdome and Ordinance of Christ himselfe though they neither prove nor demonstrate it are far more guilty of this sinne of transegressing these texts by Adding to Gods word then those who deny it are of adding to or detracting from it Take heed therefore I pray of this sin your selfe which you would fasten upon others You know who are most guilty of this va●ting cry The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord are these when yet they were but lying words which party boastes most of the Divinity of their way your whole Book sursets of this in every Page without one solid text to warrant what you so frequently over-confidently affirme Wherefore this Argument returns wholy on your self My Brothers 3. Objection is from the 1 Cor. 7. 17. So ordaine I in all Churches 1. Cor. 16. 1. Now concerning the collection the Saints as I have given order to the Churches of Galatia SO ALSO DO YE Every first day of the weeke or some one day of the weeke or weekly as some translate and the phrase will beare it let every one of you lay BY HIMSELFE in store as God hath prospered him that there be no gatherings when I come Act 14. 25. And when they had ordained them Elders in EVERY CHVRCH From which Authorities only and no other in the New Testament he inferrs That there is but ONE and the selfe same forme of Churchgovernment and Discipline prescribed to all Churches in the world in all ages without the least liberty of varying one from another or from the forme pretended to be thus prescribed But deare Brother what will you say if none of these Scriptures prove any such conclusion but the contrary have you not then injured the Readers and truth hereby Heare then how you are mistaken in them The question you know is not concerning Precepts Doctrines or Rules of faith which are the selfe same to all Persons Churches Ages and binde all alike but only of Church-Government disciplin But hath your first and principall text any relation thereunto No verily but to a meere privat case of conscience then undescided Whether a beleeving Wife might depart from an unbeleeving Husband or a beleeving Husband from an unbeleeving wife without mutuall consent if the unbeleever were willing to cohabit with the other This was the case of conscience then in question at Corinth and propounded specially to the Apostle to whom they Wrote for resolution v. 1. To this the Apostle gives a final desciton in the negative shewing sundry reasons for it v. 10. to 16. then v. 17. he concludes As the Lord hath called every one so let him walke AND SO ORDAINI IN AL CHVRCHES Now what Brother is this private case of conscience to one set forme of Church Disciplin or Government doth the Apostle say that this he ordained to be the very same in all Churches no verily there is no such mention or intention in the Text or Chapter so that the true deduction from hence will be but this absurd Nonsequitur The Apostle by the determination of Gods spirit ordained in every Church that Beleeving Wives or Husbands should not forsake their unbeleeving Consorts if they desired to cohabit with them Ergo he ordained one and the selfe-same unalterable set forme of Church-government and Discipline in all Churches whatsoever Your 2d text makes cleane against you For first the Apostle 1. Cor. 16. 1. 2. doth not say that he gave order for a collection in all Churches alike but only in the Churches of Galatia and there were many Churches else besides them Therefore this extends only to particular Churches not to all And so no proofe of any one universall Government of Discipline prescribed alike to all Secondly It was an order only upon a particular emergent transient occasion which might seldome or never happen againe to wit The present necessity of the Saints at Ierusalem in respect of a dearth and famine there To argue therefore an universall standing Church-government and Discipline from a particular transient occasion not permanent and lasting but contingent and temporany for this particular time and occasion only is very incongruous Thirdly The Apostle here prescribed no publique duty relating to Church-government or Discipline nor yet to be performed in the open Congregation for then there might have beene some vigor in the Text but but only a voluntary preparatory benevolence to be weekly laide apart in private according to Gods blessing on every mans estates as is cleane by the words Vpon the first day of the Week or wekely Let every one of you lay a part BY HIMSELFE not contribute publiquely in the Church in store as God hath prospered him that so there may be no collections when I come Therefore this Action hath no relation at all to Church-government Discipline or ought to be done publikly in the Church Fourthly This collection and the maner of it for every man to lay aside by himselfe some thing weekely according as God hath prospered him was only a preparatory extraordinary collection as the last clause that there may be

And when in the first times of Christs Church Prelates used this power 't was therefore onely because in those dayes they had no Christian Kings And it was then so onely used as in times of persecution that is with supposition is case it were required of submitting their very lives unto the very laws and commands even of those pagan Princes that they might not so muchas seem to disturb their civil Government which Christ came to confirm but by no meanes to undermine CHARLES by the Grace of GOD c. Now for asmuch as the said Lord Arch-bishop of Canterbury President of the said Convocation for the province of Canterbury and the said Arch-bishop of Yorke President of the said Convocation for the Province of Yorke and others the said Bishops Deans Arch-deacons Chapters and Colleges with the rest of the Clergie having met together respectively at the time and places before mentioned respectively and then and there by vertue of Our said authority granted unto them treated of concluded and agreed upon certaine Canons Orders Ordinances and Constitutions to the end and purpose by Vs limited and prescribed unto them have thereupon offered and presented the same unto Vs most humbly desiring Vs to give our Royall assent unto the same according to form of a certain Statute or Act of Parliament made in that behalfe in the 25th yeer of the Reign of King Henry the eighth and by Our said Prerogative Royall and Supream authority in Causes Ecclesiasticall to ratifie by Our Letters Patents under Our great Seal of England and to confirm the same The Title and Tenour of them being word for word as ensueth Wee of Our Princely inclination and Royall care for the maintenance of the present Estate and government of the Church of England by the Lawes of this Our Realme now setled and established having diligently with great contentment and comfort read and considered of all these their said Canons Orders Ordinances and Constitutions agreed upon as is before expressed And finding the same such as Wee are perswaded will be very profitable not only to Our Clergy but to the whole Church of this Our Kingdome and to all the true Members of it if they be well observed Have therefore for Vs. Our Heires and lawfull Successours of Our especiall grace certaine knowledge and meere motion given and by th●se presents doe give Our Royall Assent according to the forme of the said Statute or Act of Parliament aforesaid to all and every of the said Canons Orders Ordinances and constitutions and to all and every thing in them contained as they are before written And furthermore We do not onely by our said Prerogative Royall and supreme Authority in Causes Ecclesiasticall ratifie confirme and establish by these Our Letters Patents the said Canons Ordinances and Constitutions and all and every thing in them contained as is aforesaid but do likewise propound publish and straightly injoyne and command by Our said Authority and by these Our Letters Patents the same to be diligently observed executed and equally kept by all Our loving Subjects of this Our Kingdome both within the Provinces of Canterbury and Yorke in all points wherein they do or may concerne every or any of them according to this Our will and pleasure hereby signified and expressed And that likewise for the better observation of them every Minister by what name or title soever he be called shall in the Parish Church or Chappell where he hath charge read all the said Canons Orders Ordinances and Constitutions at all such times and in such manner as is prescribed in the said Canons or any of them The Booke of the said Canons to be provided at the charge of the Parish betwixt this and the Feast of S. Michael the Arch-angell next ensuing straightly charging and commanding all Archbishops Bishops and all other that exercise any Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction within this Realme every man in his place to see and procure so much as in them lyeth all and every of the same Canons Orders Ordinances and Constitutions to be in all points duly observed not sparing to execute the penalties in them severally mentioned upon any that shall wittingly or wilfully break or neglect to observe the same as they tender the honour of God the peace of the Church the tranquillity of the Kingdome and their duties and service to Vs their King and Soveraigne In witnesse whereof We have caused these Our Letters to be made Patents Witnesse Our Selfe at Westminster the thirtieth day of Iune in the sixteenth yeare of Our Reigne By all these Patents with others of like nature directed to all our Convocations by our Kings in former and latter times by Our present Parliaments manner of calling limiting directing our present Assembly of Divines in all particulars of their proceedings and debates appointing some eminent Members of both Houses to sit and consult together with them and to certifie all their results and determinations to them to be considered rectified rejected or approved by both Houses as they in their wisdomes shall see cause and by the fore-cited premises it is most apparent that the Arch-bishops Bishops Clergy and Convocation of England assembled Synodically together much lesse then any particular Independent Minister or Congregation notwithstanding all their late printed vaunts of their Ecclesiasticall soveraigne Iurisdiction by divine right and power to prescribe and enjoyne Visitation-Oaths Articles new Rites and Ceremonies of their owne Inventions both unto Ministers and people which they seconded with their practice to the insufferable grievance and oppression of the people are so farre from having any lawfull right power and authority to make prescribe any Ecclesiasticall Injunctions Canons Lawes Rites Ceremonies or forme of Government to any of his Majesties Subjects that though they be lawfully assembled together in a Provinciall or Nationall Synod by the Kings owne Writ or Parliaments command yet they cannot legally or of right so much as treat debate consult of any Ecclesiasticall affaires without a speciall licence first obtained from the King or Parliament and then only of such generals or particulars as they shall prescribe them much lesse compile enact promulge impose or execute any Ecclesiasticall Canons Lawes Injunctions Ordinances Oaths without their speciall approbation and ratification of them by their speciall Letters Patents under the great Seale and by Act of Parliament too as hath been lately resolved by unanimous consent of both Houses in the case of the condemned new booke of Canons The like I have proved of the Bishops Clergie Councels in other Christian Empires and Kingdomes Where then is that immense Episcopall jurisdiction authority preheminence superiority power in point of dominion over and beyond that of ordinary Ministers which our Lordly Prelats lately so much boasted of and pleaded for as due unto them by no lesse then divine institution if we may beleeve them not by the Grace Patents Grants or connivence of Christian Princes Let these swelling ambitious Grandees

the Assembly not by any particular man or men in a private way when either House shall require it All things agreed 〈◊〉 and prepared for the Parliament to be openly read and allowed in the Assembly if the major part assent Provided that the opinion of any persons dissenting and the reasons urged for it be annexed thereunto if the Dissenters require it Together with Solutions if any were given in the Assembly to these Reasons Jo Browne Cler. Parliamentorum Having thus sufficiently evidenced the authority and jurisdiction of Parliaments in matters of Religion and Church affaires by these numerous punctuall irrefragable Presidents in all Ages give me leave to add these two considerations to them to demonstrate this their undoubted right and priviledge beyond all contradiction and silence every adverse tongue Pen of all Papists Anabaptists Brownists Separatists or Independents whatsoever First that all our ancient and moderne Writs for summoning a Parliament have ever had this speciall clause in them Pro quibusdam ardnis ungentibus negotiis Nos statum defensionem Regni Angliae ECCLESIAE ANGLICANAE concernentibus qu●ddam Parliamentum c. teneri ordinavaimus From whence it is most apparent That the state and defence of the Church of England and well ordering of the same is one Principall end of summoning Parliaments and one maine part of the subject matters of our Parliaments as Sir Edward Cooke resolves 2ly That all every of the pre●ended opposites to Parliaments Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction hand formely and none especially in the present Parliament addressed severall Petitions to this High and Honorable Court for Reformation of the Church suppression of haeresies Errors Idolatry Popery Superstition Schismes Prela●y and establishing Gods true worship Religion Ordinances Discipline as to the most proper Iudicature Tribunall Lawgiver in our Church which they could resort unto and not to the Convocation or any other Assembly of Clergy-men alone or Independent Congregation To give you some few remarkable instances besides those formerly remembred instead of infinite others which I pretermit for brevity Our famous English Apostle Iohn Wickelesse as he professedly maintained in K. Richard the second his Raigne That any Clergy-man yea the Pope himselfe might lawfully be reprehended accused and corrected by Lay-men That the temporall Lords and Princes might lawfully and meritoriously take the possessions and Revenues from the Church and from Ecclesiasticall persons offending habitually c. to the end they might reforme them And that they were obliged to reforme the Church and Prelates under paine of being traitours to Iesus Christ So likewise in the fifth year of this King he Writ and sent to the Lords and great men assembled at London IN PARLIAMENT seven Propositions tending to the abolishing of the Popes usurped power and exactions to selfe the temporalities of Deli●●●ent Bishops to remove Bishops and Clergy-men from all secular imployments 〈◊〉 reforme the abuses of Excommunications and imprisonments upon them to 〈◊〉 Transubstantiation and reforme the Churches both to 〈…〉 the particulars whereof you may read at large in 〈◊〉 And 〈◊〉 long after his learned Disciple William 〈◊〉 a Marty● being unjustly condemned by the Bishop of Hereford for maintaining Wickliffes opinions appealed to the King and Parliament against it and withall writ a pious Letter to the Parliament recorded by Master Fox which concludes thus Deare worshipfull Sirs in this world Theseech you for Christs love as ye yet 〈◊〉 loven Gods Law and Truth that in these dayes is greatly borne abacke that they wollen vouchsafe these things that I send you written to Gods worship to let them be shewed IN THE PARLIAMENT as your wits can best conceive to most worship to our God and to shewing of the truth AND AMENDING OF HOLY CHVRCH My conc●usions and mine● appeale and other true matters of Gods Law if any can finde in them error falsenesse or default privet by the Law of Christ clearly to christian mens knowledge I shall revoke my wrong conceit by Gods law be amended more ready to hold with Gods law openly and privily with Gods grace and nothing to hold teach or maintain that is contrary to his Law By which he made that very Parliament Iudges of his Doctrine had reformers of the Church though for the most part Papists in those dayes On the contrary side the very Papists Prelates Clergy and Convocation in those times did likewise Petition the King and Parliament for suppression of haereticall opinions Preachers Bookes Schooles Conventi●les and the punishment and restraint of hereticks sectaries haereticall preachers and Schoolmasters as they deemed them and upon their prayer and importunity the Statutes of 5. R. 2 〈…〉 5. ●2 H. 4. c. 15. ● H. 5. c. 7. to which the Commons never consented were made and 〈◊〉 to that purpose as is evident by the very words of the Acts themselves Master Fox his Acts and Monuments vol. 1. Edi● 〈◊〉 p. 773. And it is as evident that the Popish Commons Petition was the cause of the Statute of 25 H. 8. c. 14. For the punishment of heresie and the Popish Clergyes importunity to King Henry the eight his motion to the Parliament the occasion of the bloudy Statue of 31 H. 8. c. 14. 34. H. c. 8. 1. as the words of the Acts and Master Fox demonstrate both King and Clergy Nobles and Commons even in these times of Popery deeming our parliaments the meetest Iudges and only lawgivers for ordering Church affaires and matters of Religion About the 37. yeare of King Henry the 〈◊〉 Roderick Morse once a Grey 〈◊〉 published a book in print 〈◊〉 A complaint to the Parliament house of England directed to the Parliament wherein he demonstrates many abuses and corruptions of the Church and Clergy of England in those dayes both in matter of Doctrine Worship Discipline manners which he earnestly presseth petitioneth the Parliament effectually to reforme by wholsome Lawes and Edicts as a thing most properly belonging to their place and Iurisdiction as the whole booke manifests which had been very absurd had the Parliament been no meer Iudge of Religion and Church affaires and no 〈◊〉 Reformers of these abuses by Lawes and punishments as some now repute them In King Edward the sixt Queene Maries and Queene Elizabeths severall Raignes the Clergie and 〈◊〉 made their Petitions and addresses to the Parliament for setling reforming establishing all matters of Religion Church-government and discipline as the forementioned Statutes with multitudes of Petitions and bookes printed and dedicated to the Parliaments in their severall Raigns demonstrate especially 1. and 2. Phili. and Mary c. 6. 8. 1 Eliz. c. 1. 2. 4. 8. Eliz. c. 1. Two admonitions to the Parliament Anno. 1572. Iohn Penry his supplication to the Parliament and others The Petitions to all the severall Parliaments in King Iames his Raigne and our present Soveraignes but more especially to this present Parliament from all sorts of people in every County of the Realme

civill Magistrates as you have plentifully done even with some colour of reason as well as insanire cum ratione which is all I shall answer to your reasons Fourthly Hee writes Let Master Prynne Or any other evict mee of any wilfull or unwilfull violation of the priviledges of Parliament and I shall bee as willing as willingnesse it selfe can make me to further such a conviction and no man shall be more ready then I to crave their pardon or undergoe their Justice nay I shall repent my selfe and abhor my errour in dust and ashes Certainely this your promised late Repentance which is yet contingent and improbable after so many publike offronts and oppositions against the power and proceedings of Parliament will bee a very poore recompence and satisfaction for all your former misdemeanors and scandalls to the Parliament yet late repentance being better then none at all I shall now challenge you to make good this your promise since your owne Conscience and judgment cannot but informe you I have written enough in the former Sections to evict and convince you and all the world besides that you have not only violated but denyed oppugned those priviledges of Parliament in Ecclesiasticall affaires which our owne Parliaments in all ages and Parliamentary Assemblies in all other Kingdomes have unquestionably exercised enjoyed without any such publique opposition as you have made against them And if you now make not good your promise few or none will ever credit you hereafter 5ly For the Authors you cite to justifie yourselfe they are miserably wrested and mistaken for the most part The first you quote is Master Edwards who maintaines point blancke against you throughout his Treatise a Legislative and coerceive power in Parliaments and civil Majestrates even in Church-affaires and matters of Religion in the very pages you quote and else where Therefore you palpably abuse the Author and Reader in quoting him to the contrary who is so point-blancke against you For the passage you quote out of his Page 256. The Parliament interposeth no Authority to determine what government shall be whence you inferre p. 7. Therefore his opinion appeares to be either that the Parliament hath No authority or at least intends not to make use of it in determining a government It was written only with reference to that present time the Parliament having at that time when he writ during the Assemblies debate and consultation interposed no Authority to determine what government shall be yet before that it had declared the old prelaticall Lordly government to be abolished and called an Assembly to advise with about a New But to inferre from thence as you doe Therefore his opinion is either that the Parliament hath no Authority or at least intends not to make use of it in determining a Government Is an inference quite contrary to the next ensuing words and pages to the whole scope of the Authors Booke Humbly submitted to the Honourable houses of Parliament contrary to his expresse words p. 138. 281. to all his reasons against Toleration of your Way and to the Parliaments intent in calling the Assembly to assist them in determining and setling a Church-government agreable to Gods word Be ashamed therefore of this grosse perversion of your first Authors passages diametrally contrary to this meaning Your Passages out of Master Hayward Bishop Iewell Master Fox Mr. Calvin Iacobus Acontius Junius Peter Martyr and Gulielmus Appolonius make nothing at all against the Legislative Authority of Parliaments in matters of Religion and Church government and have no a●●inity with your Passages words most of them Bishop Iewel especially as I have already proved vindicating propugning the very ecclesiastical power of Parliaments which you oppugne Indeed some of their words seeme to diminish the Coercive power of Majestrat●s enforcing of mens consciences in matters of Religion which I shal answer in due place and manifest how you abuse the Authors herein as well as Mr. Edwards not hitherto answered by any of your party but how they militat against the jurisdiction of Parliaments in making Lawes touching Religion discipline and Church-government I am yet to seeke For the Passages he aleageth out of the Divines of Scotland That the Prince or Majestrate may not make or publish any Ecclesiasticall Law without the free assent of the Clergy c. That he may not by HIMSELFE define or direct such matters nor make any Lawes therein That the King hath not a Nomotheticke Legislative Power in matters ecclesiasticall in a constitute Church That the ordinary power of the King is not to make Ecclesiasticall Lawes c. I Answer 1. That their only meaning if I mistake not in these passages is that the Prince or chiefe civill Majestrate of HIMSELFE without a Parliament or without the assistance and consent of his Nobles Commons Clergy cannot legally make any ecclesiasticall Lawes to obliege his people upon which reason our Brethren of Scotl. rejected the late New service booke and Canons and our selves the late Canons c Oath which Canterbury wold have obtruded on us because they were made and prescribed only by the Kings Authority and the Prelates or Convocations not the Parliaments upon which very reason the Parliaments of both Kingdomes have respectively adjudged both one and other illegall But that the King or supreame temporall Majestrates assisted by a Parliament and Orthdox Divines may not make binding ecclesiasticall Lawes or that their or our Parliaments have not a reall Legislative power in any matters ecclesiastike the only point controversed is directly contrary both to the constant Doctrine and Practise of our Brethren and their Church used ever since the Reformation to the proceedings of their last Parliaments and generall Assemblies as I have formerly manifested You may therefore blush at this your perverting of their meaning as if they held that the Parliaments of England or Scotland had no power to make Ecclesiasticall Lawes for Religion or Church gouernment when as their Bookes Actions addresses to our present Parliament their presence assistance in our Assembly proclaimes the contrary And the very publique Confession of faith professed and subscribed in their Church Anno 1560 Chap. 14 since confirmed by severall Acts of Parliament doth the like But admit all those Authors really as not one of them is in verity opposite to the Ecclesiasticall Jurisdiction and Legislative power of Parliaments yet the unanimous practise and resolution of all Christian Realmes Synods Parliaments in all ages contrary to their private novell opinions is sufficient infinitly to overbalance them in the Judgements of all prudent men And thus much for Mr. Goodwins Innocencies tryumph as to the present point I shall next apply my selfe to Answer such Objections as my deare Brother Master Henry Burton hath lately made against the premises in his Vindication to my 12. Queeres touching Church-Government my Independency examined His first and principall Objection is this

That every particular Church now consisting of visible Saints is under Christ as the SOLE Head King Governour Law-giver of it and so is subject to no other jurisdiction then that of Christ his Spirit his Word We hold that every particular Church is under Christs Government as the SOLE Head King Lord Governour thereof That it is a spirituall House whose only builder and Governour is Christ and not man A spirituall Kingdome whose only King is Christ and not man A spirituall Republique whose only Law-giver is Christ and not man A spirituall Corporation whose only head is Christ and not man That no man nor power on earth hath a Kingly power over this Kingdome That no earthly Law-givers may give Lawes to this Kingdome or Republique That no man may claime or exercise a head-ship over this body That no man can or ought to take the Government of this Communion of Saints That men may not appoint limit constitute what Congregations of all sorts they please to be Churches of Christ as Nations and Parishes That Christ is King over every mans conscience so that no power on earth may sit with him in this his Thror c. yea so as no human power not Law may intermeddle to prescribe rules for the Government or formes of this Church of Christ That the Children of those Parents who will not thus acknowledge Christ to be their only King and Law-giver and are ashamed or afraid to be thus in Covenant with Christ in the Independents way as their King are not to be baptized such Parents not being within the Covenant A very hard and uncharitable censure of all Churches Persons who are not Independent That Christ is the ONLY Potentate Law-giver Lord King Governour over Churches and not men Not Councells or Senates That this is Christs Royall Prerogative which is incommunicable to ANY or All the powers on earth That Christ hath not delegated his Kingly Office to any Princes Magistrates PARLIAMENTS to set up any forme of Worship of Church-Government who have no authority to make Lawes to rule or binde any particular Churches and if they make any such they shall be apt to transgresse them but yet men must take heed how they punish them for that transgression with any enseresciderdum or Club-law This is the summe and oft repeted Argument of my deare Brothers Booke To give a satisfactory Answer to this Objection I shall first demand of my dear Brother what he meanes by this frequently incultated assertion That every particular Church is under Christ as the only Head King Lawgiver Lord and Governour thereof c. and that none ought to have any power rule or Jurisdiction in the Church but Christ alone If he intends that he is the only immediate HEAD KING Law-giver and Governour as he clearely doth I desire some solid scripture proofes for it since he produceth none to evince it the rather because it is quite contrary to sundry expres Texts which stile Kings Majestrates Ministers Heigher powers Rulers Overseers Fathers Nursing Fathers Pastors of over their Churches people flocks who are ever enjoyned to obey submit unto them yea Rulers of the Templ Congregation Church Rulers Chife Rulers of the Synagogu ●ay sometimes Gods sitting upon Gods throne to whom men must yeeld obedience for the Lords sake as to Gods Christs Vicegerents and Embassadours Yea Brother your selfe informe us out of Scripture pag. 51. That the members of Christs body are Superiour and inferiour as Pastors Teachers Teaching and RVLING Elders Helps GOVERNMENTS Bishops or OVERSEERS c. If Christ then be the onely Head King Ruler Shephard Governour of his Church and none else in that sense you object what will become of these Pastors Ruling-Elders Governours Overseers which you averre Christ hath fixed in his Churches What will become of those Independent Ministers who take upon them like absolute kings Popes Lawgivers to erect gather new Chruches of their own forming and prescribe both Lawes Rules Covenants to them which Christ never made Brother you must expunge the 1 Tim. 5. 17 Let the Elders that RULE well be counted worthy of double honour Rom. 13. 1. Let every soule BEE SVBIECT to the HIGHER POWERS c. even for CONSCIENCE SAKE Tit. 3. 1. Put them in minde to be subject to Principalities and Powers to obey Magistrates c. Heb. 12. 17. Obey them that have THE RULE OVER YOU and SVBMIT your selves for they watch for your soules as they that must give an account c. Remember Salute all them that have the RVLE OVER YOV Acts 20. 28. Take heed to the floke over which the Holy Ghost hath made you OVERSEERS or Bishops to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his bloud Rom. 12. 8. HE that RVLETH let him do it with diligence 2 Chron. 9. 8. Blessed be the Lord thy God who delighted in thee to set thee VPON HIS THRONE to BE KING FOR THE LORD THY GOD c. with infinite other Texts yea the very names of Kings Princes Governours Elders Rulers Magistrates Overseers Bishops Teachers Fathers Pastors Masters c. out of the Bible and all Christian States Churches if you will make Christ alone the only immediate King Ruler Governour Lawgiver of his Church in the sence you here object it and that no person nor humane power whatsoever hath or ought to have any rule power or jurisdiction in or over the Churches people of God But if you meane no more but that Christ is the onely supreame Head King Lord Governour Lawgiver Pastor and Ruler of his Church and that all other Kings Princes Magistrates Rulers Pastors Ministers Governours are subordinate unto him as to the King of Kings Lord of Lords and chiefe Shepheard of his flock● your proposition is true but your conclusion miserably false that therfore there are no subordinate Kings Magistrates Rulers Pastors Governours Lawgivers under him to rule governe order instruct direct his Churches and people which the forequoted Texts your owne experience reason and the whole world will contradict Secondly I shall demand of my Brother how he proves all his forementioned Paradoxes concerning Christ and the Church in the sense he propounds them Or that his own or other Independent Churches lately gathered erected by no other but by men and consederated by a new Covenant framed by men not Christ to be built governed ordered onely by Christ and not men to be the spirituall Kingdome of Christ c. whole onely King Governour Head is Christ and not man Or in what Text he can shew me any particular Independent Church stiled Christs spirituall Kingdom and Republike I find it prophesied Revl 11. 15. That when the seventh Angel foundeth The KINGDOMES of this World which must be meant of Nationall Churches which you deny not of Particular Congregations which are no such Kingdoms shall become the Kingdomes of the Lord and of his Christ That all the

and of absolute authority within it self subject to no other Jurisdiction then that of Christ his Word and Spirit and not to any other particular Congregation Synod or Nationall Church or humane power whatsoever Therefore the Parliament and Assembly can make no Canons nor Rules to binde it nor presc●ibe any Church-government or Discipline to it Brother this is the summe of your whole Book and it grieves me to see so many strange Parodoxes piled up together to support an Independent Fabrick by one of your yeares and Iudgement Give me leave therefore to discover your manifold over-sights in this particular by such demonstrations as you shall not be able to gain say First then I say that the whole Church of Christ is but one intire Mysticall Body whereof Christ is the supreame Spirituall Head and Governour and all particular Churches only members of this intire Body as the head hand feet are members of the Naturall Body not absolute bodies of themselves as every house or Parish in a City is a member of the whol City Every Company or Regiment in an Army a member of that Realme not absolute bodies Cities Armies Kingdomes of themselves That this is truth we have sundry expresse Resolutions of Scripture in positive tearms as the 1 Cor. 12. 12 13 14. 26. 27. and in truth the whole Chapter Ephes ● 22 23. c. 2. 14. 15. to the end c. 4. 11. to 17. c. 5. 23. to 33. Col. 1. 18. 24. c. 2. 17. 19. which you may peruse at leisure Ephes 4. 3. to 7. Endeavouring to keepe the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace For there is ONE BODY one Spirit one Lord one Faith one Baptisme One God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in all And John 17. 20. 21. 23. Neither pray I for these alone but for them also which shall believe on me through their word THAT THEY ALL MAY BE ONE as thou father art one and I am in thee that they also MAY BE ONE IN US and may be made perfect IN ONE Hence the Scripture usually expresseth the whol Catholike Church of Christ which allages hitherto have believed to be but one so far as to make it an Article of their Creed under singular titles as the Church A WOMAN MY LOVE MY DOVE my Sister my Spouse a Garden a Vineyard a City a Congregation an Assembly Sion Jerusalem an House a Flocke a Body and the like to note it unity that it is but ONE intire spirituall Corporation though distributed into severall particular Congregations scattered ●ver the face of the whole World This being an indubitable verity strikes off the head of your Galiah and subverts the very foundation of Independent Congregations which would be absolute and compleat spirituall Bodies within themselves and no members of a Catholike or Nationall Church Secondly If all the particular Churches in the World bee in reality but one intire Body and Church of Christ then by the self-same reason likewise all the particular Congregations within one Nation Kingdome Republike united in one civill Corporation under one Head and temporall government are but one and the selfe-same Church and members one of another not absolute Independent Congregations of themselves subordinate to no other even as all the particular persons in a House make up but one Family all the particular Houses Parishes in a City but one City all the severall Cities Counties in a Kingdome one Realme and all the Nations on the earth but one world of men These cleare principles of Divinity Policy Nature experience none can or may deny unlesse he hath lost his sences or means to subvert all humane Relations and Societies And my Brother acknowledging the whole Nation of the Jewes to be but one intire Nationall Church though divided into sundry Synagogues and particular Congregations as is evident by Acts 15. 24. FOR MOSES OF OLD TIME hath IN EVERY CITY them that Preach him being read in THE SYNAGOGVES EVERY SABBATH DAY compared with Psa 74. 8. Matth. 6. 2. 5. c. 7. 1. 8. c. 9. 35. c. 23. 34. Mark 1. 21. 23. 29. 39 c. 3. 1. n. 5. 22. Luke 4. 15. to 44. c. 13. 10. c. 21. 12. John 6. 59. c. 9. 22. c. 18. 20. c. 10. 2 Acts 9. 2. 20. c. 13. 5. 14. 42. c. 14. 1. c. 17. 1. 10. c. 18. 4. 7. 13. 26. c. 19. 8. c. 22. 12. must of necessity subscribe to this conclusion issuing naturally from it that all particular Congregations in any one Christian Realm Nation Republike are but one intire Church though divided into severall squadrons for necessity and conveniency as one house is into many Roomes one City into many Streets Parishes companies wards one Kingdome into divers Counties Provinces One Parliament into severall Houses Sub-Committees as there is occasion one Armie into severall Regiments Brigades Companies Troopes Thirdly It is at clear as Noonday That in all Civill or Ecclesiasticall Corporations Congregations or Societies of men united into one common Politique Body the whol body or greater part hath by the Law of God Nature Nations a lawful inherent jurisdiction over every particular member or lesser part to make Laws and common Rules to obliege them for the safety peace benefit of the whol Body In all Parliaments Councels of State or War Cities Corporations Societies Courts of Iustice Chapters Committees yea in all elections of Magistrates Ministers Knights or Burgesses of Parliament Majors of Cities Masters Wardens of Companies heads or fellows of Colledges Church-wardens and the like the whol Body or major voyce bindes the lesser number all the whol body ever over-rules the parts And it must needs be so els there could be no Rule Order Government in any of them if one member only or the lesser part should over-rule and prescribe Lawes unto the whole or greater part not they to them The like rule holds firme and hath ever taken place 〈…〉 ●●mall generall Nation Provinciall Parochiall or Congregation 〈…〉 Synods Convocations Assemblies or meetings in all matters of 〈…〉 Discipline Government Lawes Rules Edicts Censure Descition 〈…〉 Yea in Independent Churches themselves the Votes Orders 〈◊〉 determinations of the whole or major part of the Congregation binde all the other dissenting as well as consenting members neither will any Independent Congregation admit of any into their new society but such who shall first submit to the Covenant Orders Government Rules and Discipline that Congregation or the major part thereof hath elected established Fourthly It is a principle of the Law of Nature and common Reason which all Republikes Churches Societies of men in every age till this present have admitted that the Lawes Ordinances Decrees of the greatest Civill or Ecclesiasticall Assemblies where the whole Realme Republike Church or Nation are personally or representatively present by their deputies or Proxies obliege all inferiour Corporations Societies Churches Congregations Persons within their