Selected quad for the lemma: conscience_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
conscience_n	humane_a	law_n	obligation_n	1,134	5	9.8189	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

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

in the Old and New Testament at hainous sin● and capitall offences punishable in some cases with imprisonment banishment confiscation of goods and death it selfe And on the contrary chearful obedience to them is not only commanded but commended by God Himselfe in by and for whom they rule and command as the marginall Scriptures fully manifest Therefore undoubtedly they binde the Conscience And so all Parliaments Law-givers ever held and believed else they would never take care or pains to enact or publish Lawes Finally Princes Magistrates and Parliaments may and oft-times do prescribe solemn Oathes and Covenants to their people to observe both Gods just Laws and their own to as is clear by the Marginall Texts by 28 H. 8. c. 10. 1 Eliz. c. 1. 3 Jac. c. 4. which prescribe an oath of abjuration of the Popes Authority the oathes of Supremacy and Allegiance with infinite other Acts enjoyning sundry other oathes and by the late Protestation Vow and Nationall Covenant made and imposed upon all by the present Parliament Now these oaths and Covenants do without all controversie binde the Conscience to observance and obedience in the highest degree Therefore questionlesse these their oaths Laws Covenants binde the Conscience els we might with safe Conscience refuse and violate them at pleasure which none dares affirme they may who hath any sparkle of Conscience remaining in him I shall now propound and answer the principall contrary Objections which are these 1. It is contrary to Christian liberty and a plaine tyranny that humane Lawes should obliege the Conscience Christ having freed us from all humane Ceremonies Lawes obligations and the Scripture enjoyning us to stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free and not to be again entangled with the yoake of Bondage Not to be the servants of men Not to be subject to Ordinances as touch not tast not handle not which all are to perish with the using after the commandements and Doctrines of men If therefore humane Lawes should binde the Conscience Christian liberty would be destroyed and tyranny over consciences introduced 1. Answer 1. That it is no wayes repugnant to but very consistent with Christian liberty to be obliged to obey al honest just necessary Lawes all decent and convenient things which may advance Gods glory worship the peace wee le or prosperity of Church State our own felicity and are consonant not repugnant to Gods Law Neither do the objected scriptures extend to such Lawes or Edicts at these 2. That Christian liberty which Christ hath purchased for us is not an exemption or freedome from the obedience of humane Laws but from the dominion and power of sinne the yoake and bondage of the Ceremonial Law abolished by Christs death from the exact performance and condemning power of the morall Law not from obedience to it and from placeing inherent holines o● any matter of Religion worship conscientiousnes in things meerely indifferent in themselves as Mr. Calvin with others who write Deliberitate christiana with most Commentators on the Galathians resolve yet Magistrates may command such things to be done or not done for 〈◊〉 order peace and other publicke ends so as they place no inherent holinesse religion or worship in them and Christians are bound to obey them therein without infringement of their Christian Liberty Thirdly As to the Texts objected The first of them is meant of the Ceremoniall Law and morrall to so farre forth as to seeke justification by it or to be under the rigour and condemning power of it Not of just humane Laws The next is intended onely of● men-pleasers who flatter men in their lusts pleasures errors or obey their unjust commands repugnant to the will of God not of obeying the just Lawes or precepts of Kings Parliaments Magistrates Parents Masters and other superiors for then there shall be no servants no subjection or obedience at all to superiors in this world and this Text should repeale the 5. Commandement with all other precepts of obedience given to subjects wives children servants if thus expounded For that of the Colossians 2. 20 21 22. it appeares by verse 14 15 16 17 c. that it is spoken onely of the Ceremoniall Law and of that Ceremonial holynes or intrinsicall uncleannes which some did put between meats and drink●s which were indifferent in themselves as is most cleare by comparing it with Acts 10. 10. to 16. Rom. 14. 2 3 to 23. 2 Cor. 8. 1 Tim. 4. 3 4 5. Therefore it makes nothing against the Ecclesiasticall or Civill Lawes of Princes and Parliaments who may command abstinence from flesh and such particular things creatures at certaine times for lawfull civill ends which we are obliged to obey though not out of any religious or superstitious respect as if the creature it selfe were unlawfull at such times by any divine precept or in its owne nature our Statutes and Homylies concerning Fishdayes define The second Objection is this That the civill power is temporall and the end of civill Lawes externall or temporall peace and order Therefore they binde not the Conscience I Answer That the end of Ecclesiasticall Lawes is not meerly temporall but spirituall and Ecclesiasticall Therefore the objection is not solid 2ly Admit the power he but temporall inregard of the object or end yet internall and outward obedience to those Laws is the principall thing intended in them which none can with safe conscience deny where the Laws are just necessary The third is That Magistrates Parliaments and their Lawes have nothing to do with mens consciences which they cannot judge or discerne but onely with th●● outward actions Therefore they cannot binde the conscience I answer that though Majestrats have nothing to do with nor can judg of mens consciences or opinions simply considered in themselves concealed yet they have to do withal their external actions flowing from regulated by their consciences and opinions Therefore they may binde the conscience as it is Practicall punish Atheists Heritickes Papists Idolaters when they openly appear to be such 2ly The very Law Of God hindes the conscience to obey all iust commands of higher powers therefore such commands even by vertue of Gods owne precept oblige the conscience to internall obedience as wel as the body to externall The 4th is That Princes and temporall Majestrates cannot inflict inward and spirituall but only temporall and externall punishments Therefore they cannot binde the conscience I Answer that men may binde and deliver others over to such punishments as they cannot immediatly inflict The Church may deliver men over even for ecclesiasticall offences to the secular power which they cannot exercise and to temporall punishment which they cannot inflict yea they may deliuer a● they hold men ever unto Sathan and to the judgement of God at the last day which they cannot actually execute Majestrates doe frequently punish the

then if they will not bee reclaimed Fiat Iustitia better some should suffer than all perish My onely desire is that Your Honours would have a speciall jealous care of preserving your owne undoubted Parliamentary Rights and Priviledges against these unparalleld publike Violations Impeachments of them and of the tranquility safety of our Church and State endangered by them Toward the just defence whereof I have with as much expedition as my many other distracting publike and private Imployments would permit contributed these my indigested Nocturnall Lucubrations borrowed from the houres allotted to my necessary naturall rest in Vindication of the ancient and undoubted Ecclesiasticall Power and Iurisdiction of Parliaments Christian Princes and Magistrates which I have made good by sundry Divine Historicall Presidents and Authorities in all Ages and answered all the chiefe Pretences Objections of Papists Prelates Independents Anabaptists Separatists and all others who oppugne them in such a manner as I hope will silence them for the present and reforme them for the future It was my primitive intention and desire to have published this Treatise complete at first but it swelling to a greater bulk than I expected and my engagements in other publike services for the Common-weale retarding my speedy progresse herein I have thereupon divided it into two Parts the First whereof I here humbly tender to your Honourable Patronage till God and oportunity enable mee to complete the Second of which there is lesse Necessity since learned Mr. Samuel Rutherford in his Due right of Presbyteries and Mr. Thomas Edwards in his Anti-Apologia neither of them hitherto Answered by the Independents and in truth unanswerable with Gulielmus Apollonius and the Wallacrian Ministers Consideratio Quarundam Controversiarum c. quae in Angliae Regno hodie agitantur newly published will supply the present defect thereof and this First Part supply some particulars concerning the Ecclesiasticall Power of Parliaments Christian Princes Magistrates Councells which are wanting in them and in laborious Sir Edward Cookes Fourth Institutes who hath recorded little or nothing concerning the Jurisdiction or Power of Parliaments in Ecclesiasticall affaires and matters of Religion Thus humbly submitting these my distracted subitane Collections and Lucubrations to Your Honourable favourable Acceptation and imploring the God of Verity of Unity speedily to dissipate all our Errors and comprimise all our unhappy Divisions which threaten ruine to us if continued by Your most Religious Care Wisedome and indefatigable Endeavours that so wee may bee all like minded one towards another and may with ONE MIND and ONE MOVTH in one Way one Congregation glorifie God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ I shall with my ferventest Orisons daily recommend Your Honourable Assembly with all Your pious Endeavours for the Reforming Setling of our Church State to his Divine Benediction and ever rest Your Honours most humble devoted Servant William Prynne To the Reader CHristian Reader I here present thee with Truth Triumphing over Falshood Antiquity over Novelty to settle both thy Judgement and Practice in these unsetled times wherein the very Foundations of Parliaments States Churches Government are shaken and subverted by some of our owne dear Friends from whom wee least expected it For my part I take no pleasure in detecting my Brethrens nakednesse Errors Over-sights nor in disparaging their Worth or Writings yet I must needs acquaint thee for thine owne good to preserve thee from seducement with some materiall Observations touching their Independent Treatises for which thou maist chance to give me thanks First That they all generally take that for granted which they should prove and demonstrate to us viz. That there is an exact and most absolute forme of Church-Government prescribed to all Churches in the Scripture from which no man must vary in the least title And that the Independent Way it is and no other But when wee demand of them how they prove it or what that Way Government and Discipline is they contend for or in what plaine Scripture Texts they find it instituted and universally prescribed to all Nations Churches or how they make good all their transcendent Encomiums of their New Way wee find them altogether silent or unsatisfactory telling us onely a large story of the Patterne of the Tabernacle shewed to Moses in the Mount of the exact forme of the Temple shewed to David by the Spirit and of Ezekiels vision and his and the Angels measuring of the Temple Which are nothing to the point and meere impertinencies fit to delude the ignorant injudicious vulgar who take their weake inferences thence for divine Oracles Secondly That they are extraordinary bold confident peremptory copious in their affirmations and positions concerning their Way but very poore lame impotent deficient in their proofes thereof You must take their bare Assertions for undeniable Arguments Proofes Thirdly That their whole Independent Fabricke is built either upon false Principles As that every Church is a complete absolute independent body of it selfe subject onely unto Christ That no humane Power upon earth hath any Right or Authority to prescribe any Rules or Orders to any particular Congregation That just humane Lawes binde not the Conscience in point of obedience and the like Or else upon false or absurd Inferences from true Principles As that Christ is the King Lord Head and Law-giver of his Church Ergo No man or humane Power may make Lawes or Canons to regulate and order it or any thing in it but Christ alone Fourthly That to maintaine their New Way of Government they are enforced to deny the undoubted Power and Jurisdiction of Parliaments Councells Synods Kings and Civill Magistrates in Ecclesiasticall affaires and to maintaine such Paradoxes Passages against their lawfull Authority as if duly pondered may justly induce all Wel-affected persons to mistrust and abhorre their Way as Anarchicall and destructive to all Christian and humane Society Fifthly That they are constrained publikely to deny that there is any Nationall Church under the New Testament though they acknowledge one in the Old Upon which ground they must of necessity likewise deny one Article of the Creed That there is a Catholike Church and themselves members of it or of the Nationall Church of England They pluck up the bounds and orderly distribution of all Parish Churches absolutely necessary to avoyd confusion to provide competent maintenance for Ministers to bring all to frequent the publike Ordinances Warranted by Scripture wherein wee read not onely of distinct Synagogues and Tribes under the Law but Churches under the Gospel Approved by the practice of all Christian Churches ever since there were Christian Emperors Princes and as necessary as distinct Families Villages Cities Societies of men in civill respects yea observed in New-England it selfe though now disliked in Old and thereby bring in meere Ataxy and Confusion among us Sixthly They are constrained to wrest Scriptures against their meaning to invent many strange Apocryphall new shifts Interpretations Distinctions to evade

confession was againe ratified Anno 1567. in the first Parliament of James the 6. After which there was an Act made against the Masse and the sayers and heares thereof and another Act for the abolishing of the Pope and his usurped Authority in Scotland After this a forme of Church Government and discipline was presented to the Nobility to peruse but not then fully agreed on and setled The like Petitions and proceedings in ecclesiasticall affaires I finde in the yeares 1561. 1562. 1563. to 1580. 1581 1582. and that the Generall Assemblies of Scotland in nature of a Councell or Synod wherein they debated matters of Religion and Church-government consisted not only of Ministers but of Nobles Gentlemen with other Laikes and that their resolutions and Acts were not thought obligatory unlesse ratified by special Acts of Parliament by which they still petitioned they might be confirmed Not to trouble the Reader over long I finde these ensuing ecclesiasticall Acts of Parliament in Scotland against provisions from Rome Iam. 3. parl 6. c. 43. Iam. 4. parl 1. c. 4. parl 5. c. 53. Iam. 5. paul 〈◊〉 c. 119. Against Working Gaming playing haunting of Taverines A●ch●uses and using any sorvile worke on the SABOTH-DAY Iam. 4. parl 6. c. 83. Iam 6. parl 6 c. 70● parl ●4 c. 148 against Apostacy Idolatry Masse the Pope Semeniary Priests Iesuites uncommunicants Popery as Iam. 8. parl 1. c. ● 3 5. parl 3. c. 1. 45 46. 55. parl 4. c. 7 8. 35 parl● 7. c. 106. parl 10. c. 24 27. parl 12. c. 1 20. parl 13. c. 60. parl 14. c. 193. parl 16. c. 17 18. parl 19. c. 1. Against Adultery Mat parl 5 c. 10. parl 9. c. 74. Iam. 6. parl 2. c. 14. parl 7. c. 105 with sundry others which you may finde mentioned and recired in the 5 and 6 Acts of the second Parliament of King Charles at the Sessions holden at Edinburgh the eleventh day of Iune 1640 Regiam Majestat●● to which for brevity 〈◊〉 referre the Reader I shall conclude with the Ecclesiasticall Acts made in the severall Sessions of the second Parliament of King Charles held at Edinburgh in the yeare 1640 and 1642 where in the presens government of the Church of Scotland together with their profession of Faith nationall Covenant and all Ecclesiasticall matters whatsoever were fully settled and ratified In the first Session of this Parliament I finde these ensuing Ecclesiasticall 〈◊〉 enacted Act. 4. 〈◊〉 the Ratification of the ACTS OF THE ASSEMBLY which are recited in and ratified approved perpetually confirmed by this law Act. 5. Anent the Ratification of the Covenant and of the Assemblies Supplication Act of Councels and Act of Assymbly concerning the Covinant and confession of Faith formerly made and subscribed sundry times here in recited and confirmed In which Act sundry lawes formerly made against Popish Idolatry superstitious Doctrine Papists Seminary priests Iesuits Papisticall Ceremonies Masse the Popes iurisdiction the reformation of the Church and maintenace of Gods true religion are recapitulated confirmed Acts 6. Rescissory repealing divers former Acts concerning Archbishops Bishops with other Prelates their unjust jurisdiction and authority Acts 7. For planting of Kirks unprovided with Ministers through the Patrons default Acts 8. Anent admission of Ministers to Kirkes which belong to Bishopricks Acts 9. discharging the going of Salt-pans and Milnes upon the Sabbath day Acts 10. discharging Salmon fishing upon the Sabbath day Acts 11. Against Papists Acts 12. discharging the Zule vacancy or Christmas Act 13. discharging Monday market in Edinburgh and elsewhere as occasioning great prophanation of the Sunday and distracting men from Gods publike worship and Service Acts 14. For taking order with the abuse committed on the Sabbath day c. Acts 15. Directing Letters of horning against excommunicated persons to which I might adde Acts 16. 29 30. 32. 37 38 having relation to the Church and defence of Religion And Session second of this Parliament 1641. Acts 8. 9 10 11 for abolishing the Monuments of Idolatry 12. Anent Non-communicants and excommunicate persons all printed besides sundry other Acts unprinted are an abundant Evidence both of the Scottish English Parliaments undoubted right jurisdiction and authority in all matter of Religion Discipline and Church-government maugre all inconsiderable late privateopinions to the contrary by whomsoever broached Section 4. Containing certain Corollaries from the premised Sections against the Inpugners of Parliaments and Princes Legislative Power and Authority in matters of Church-government Discipline Religion Together with a compleat Answer to Master Iohn Goodwins pretended Authorities my deare Brother Burtons and others Arguments to the contrary in Iustificaetion of their Independent way in some late Publications the substance whereof is here clearely refuted and this point among others cleared That just humane Civill or Ecclesiasticall Lawes binde the conscience in point of obedience And that there is no exact set forme of Church government universally prescribed in Scripture to all Churches IN the precedent Sections I have according to my solemne Covenant and Protestation abundantly cleared the ancient unquestionable Iurisdiction and Legislative Authority of our Kings and Parliaments in all matters of Religion Church-government Discipline by multitudes of expresse Presidents in all Ages and Authorities of all kindes I shall in the next place Dissipate all those empty clouds of objections which endeavour to obscure this clear-shining Verity by deducing some Corollaries from the premises and then refuting the principle late objections against the same The first Corollary is this That Bishop Laudes desperate Positions in his Anti-Parliamentary paper of Hopes and Feares about calling a Parliament An. 1627. That Church-businesse is not fit for Parliaments That the Parliament House one or both can be no competent Iudge in any point of Doctrine That the Papists insult over us by this meanes and call it Parliamentary Religion That the King suffers by this as much or more than the Church For in the Statute of submission of the Clergie the King and the Convocation are Judges of all Ecclesiasticall Causes An. 25 H. 8. c. 19. And why should the Parliament take this from either That he should have little hope of good successe in Parliament till they leave medling with the Church Are all dangerous false Positions exceeding derogatory and destructive to the indubitable ancient Rights priviledges and power of our Parliaments constantly exercised and enjoyed without dispute even in the darkest times of Popery and highest Ruffe of Pope of Prelates and ever since the Reformation admitted without any opposition but by Popish Priests and Iesuits as the forequoted passages of Bishop Jewell and Bishop Bilson withall the premises manifest Secondly That Master John Goodwins late printed passages against the Ecclesiastical jurisdiction of Parliaments seconded in substance by some other Independents viz. That the generality and promiscuous multitude of the world who have a right of nominating persons to Parliamentary trust and power are but a SECVLAR ROOT

keeping the Commandements of the first and second Table the advancement of Gods Honour and Service the propagation of the Gospell the peace and well ordering of the Church State Family the performance of the externall publike or private exercises of Religion Or to avoyd scandalls Schismes Errors Innovations Corruptions in the Church or to bring men to the Ordinances and knowledge of the truth doe of themselves binde the Conscience at least in generall because they tend to the observation of the morall Law which wee are bound in Conscience to obey That particular civill and Ecclesiasticall Laws wherby the temporall Law givers not only signifie what is to be done but likewise seriously intend to command it and to obliege the infringers to an offence doe in particular and by themselves bind the Conscience under paine of sin and offence of God That other particular Lawes may bind the Conscience though not of themselves in regard of the thing commanded yet by accident when by their violation the Order Peace or government of the Church or State is disturbed the authority of the Law-givers and Magistrates dispised or just scandall given to the Church State or any weake brethren The Arguments to prove these positions follow 1. Those Laws to which men must be obedient and subject even for Conscience sake and that by Gods own command must necessarily binde the Concience But to such Ecclesiasticall and Civill Lawes as are sore-specified men must bee obedient and subject not only for wrath but even for Conscience sake Rom. 13. 1 2 5. Therefore they must necessarily binde the Conscience 2. Those Lawes whose violation drawes both a temporall and spirituall offence guilt and condemnation upon the infringers of them must needs obliege the conscience because conscience is sensible of the offence or sinne committed and dreads the punishment of it But the violating of such humane Laws as are forementioned drawes both a temporall and Civill Offence Guilt and judgment upon men as the Apostle yea every mans Conscience and experience determines Ergo they binde the Conscience Those Lawes and Ordinances which God Himselfe enjoynes us to obey even for the Lords sake must of necessity bind the Conscience to ready obedience because God Himselfe the Soveraigne and supreame Lord of the Conscience commands us to obey them But God Himselfe enjoynes us to obey the foresaid Lawes and Ordinances of men even for the Lords sake Romans 13. 1 3 5. 1 Pet. 2. 14 15 16. Ergo they bind the Conscience 4. Every Supreame Power Lawgiver Magistrate in commanding such things and making such Laws as aforesaid is but Gods owne Deputy Ordinance Minister Vicegerent in obeying whom wee obey and in contemning whose Edicts we contemne even God Himselfe from whom they derive their Authority Rom. 13. 1 2. 1 Pet. 2. 14 15 16. Ephes 6. 5 6 7. Col. 3. 22 23 24. Therefore their just Laws must needs oblige the Conscience as being in some sence the very Ordinances and Lawes of God Himselfe according to that resolution of Saint Bernard Sive Deus sive homo Vicarius Dei mandatum quodcunque tradiderit pari profecto obsequendum est cura pari reverentia deferendum ubi tamen Deo contraria non praecipit homo Which Augustine thus seconds In eare sola filius non debet obedire Patri suo si aliquod Pater ipsius jusserit contra Dominum Deum ipsius Ubi enim hoc jubet Pater quod contra Dominum non sit sic audiendus est quomodo Deus quia obedire Patri jussit Deus which he proves by Gods blessing of the RECABITES for obeying their Fathers command in not drinking Wine Jer. 25. Vpon this very ground Wives are commanded to submit themselves to their owne Husbands as UNTO THE LORD To bee subject to them in every thing as the Church is to Christ Eph. 5. 22 24. Col. 3. 8. Servants are commanded to bee obedient to their Masters according to the flesh with feare and trembling and singlenesse of heart as unto Christ Not with eye service as men pleasers but as the servants of Christ doing the will of God from the heart with good will doing service as Vnto the Lord not to men knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doth he shall receive from the Lord for YEE SERVE herein THE LORD CHRIST If servants in obeying their Masters Children their Parents Wives their Husbands lawfull commands serve and obey the Lord Christ Himselfe as the Scripture positively resolves then Christian subjects and Churches in obeying the lawfull Ecclesiasticall or Civill Lawes of their Princes and Parliaments obey and serve Christ Himselfe therein and so doe they who enact them and not commit the highest presumption that can bee against the most Highest as my Brother objects without any authority but with his Ipse dixi Fifthly Paul did endeavour and exercise himselfe to keepe a good Conscience alwayes both towards God and Man by obeying the just Laws and commands of man as well as of God as some Interprets expound it Acts 24. 16. Yea Peter commands servants to be subject to their Masters with all feare not only to the good and gentle but also to the froward and even for CONSCIENCE TOWARDS GOOD to endure griefe and suffer wrongfully from them and by the 1 Peter 3. 16. We are injoyned to have a GOOD CONSCIENCE Towards men who speake evill of us Whence thus I argue If a good Conscience must bee carefully exercised and kept as well toward the lawfull precepts and lawes of Man as of God then certainly they binde the Conscience as well as the Law of God else what had conscience to do with them But the supposition is most evident by the former texts Therefore the deduction thence Sixthly If such Lawes should not bind the conscience and inward man to the cheerfull practicall obedience of them but only the purse and outward man the obedience to them would bee lame or slavish the Lawes Nugatory and contemptible the end of the Laws which is cheerefull obedence to them for the advancement of Gods glory and the publike good of Church and State frustrated and the contempt of them no sinne at all against the fifth Commandement and the precepts of obedience to the higher Powers Magistrates and Rulers over us as all Expositors on the 5th Commandement resolve it is 7. The violating of such just Civill and Ecclesiasticall Lawes as these will cause violating whereof a tender true in lightned conscience will checke a man for and accuse him as guilty of an offence Therefore They must certainely oblige the Conscience else it would not checke at such a violation and acquit and cheere a man in case of ready Obedience as every mans experience can attest if hee narrowly watch his conscience in case it be not feared Eighthly Disobedience to the just edicts Lawes of Magistrates Governours Parents Naturall Civill or Ecclesiasticall are particularly branded both

breach of Gods Laws with temporall punishments yet by this Gods Lawes become not temporall and unobligatory to the conscience So God on the other side may and doth 〈◊〉 the violation of just humane Lawes with spirituall and eternall punishments Majestrates being but his Vicegerents Deputies and the contempt of their just Lawes a contempt of God himselfe Therefore the Argument holds not The 5th Objection is this that the conscience only respects God therefore nothing can binde it but Gods owne Law which is spirituall I Answer That the conscience respects as well men as God Act. 24. 16 therefore the just Lawes of men as I have proved as well as of God 2ly The conscience looks upon the just Laws and precepts of men not meerly as human Lawes but as proceeding from the Ministers and Vicegerents of God himselfe whom they represent and whom God himselfe frequently enjoynes us to obey The 6th Is this No one man and by consequence not all mens consciences in the world may or can Iudge another mans conscience who standeth or falleth 〈◊〉 his owne Master Rom. 14. 4. 16. Ergo they cannot make Lawes to binde the conscience I Answer first that this text speakes only of privat Christians Judging one another in things indifferent as meates holy dayes c. when and where there is neither law of God nor man inhibiting the free use or refusall of them at the whole Chapter manifests Therefore it makes nothing against necessary ecclesiastical● Laws Canons obliging men to obedience even in point of conscience 2ly The Apostle expresly concludes in this very Chap. v. 14. to 23. That in case of giving scandal and offence to weak Brethren we ought to abstaine from the very use of lawful indifferent things even out of conscience of the scandall hurt don thereby not simply of the things themselves though there be no law of God or man restraining or altering the indifferency or lawfulnes thereof that without any impeachment of Christian liberty Therefore when necessary or convenient things meerly indifferent in their nature are enjoyned by Superiors just Laws or inconvenient indifferent things prohibited for the publick good or peace they ought much more to be submitted to without impeachment of christian liberty out of Conscience of the Law and scandall which would follow the volation thereof and in obedience to the generall Law of God which commands obedience to such Lawes The 7. Objection is this There is one Lawgiver which is able to save and to destroy to wit God● who art thou that judgest another Iam. 4. 12. Ergo none can make laws to bind the conscience but God I answer 1. that there is but one supream absolut Lawgiver which is God Is 33. 2. wch excluds not subordinat ones 2ly The Apostle saith not that there is ONLY one law-giver that can save and destroy neither will the words infallibly conclude there is but one such since humane law-givers can make Lawes to save or destroy the lives bodyes and Estates of men as appeares by Scripture and the Lawes of all Nations though not their Soules as they are meare humane Lawes but only collaterally as the wilful contempts and violations of them are sins breaches of the very law of God prescribing obedience to those Lawes in which sence they may secondarily destroy the very soules of men Thirdly This Text takes not away the power of making necessary temp●rall or Ecclesiasticall Laws for then no such Lawes could possibly be made by any But the meaning of the Apostle is this That onely God the Supreame Law-giver is able by his Law to make any indifferent lawfull thing necessary or unlawfull in it selfe in point of Religion or conscience and to change the meere indifferency of it into a thing simply good or evil and not humane Law-givers Therefore we should not judge or condemne one another in the use or neglect of those things which God himselfe hath left indifferent where there is no circumstance of scandall or contempt of humane Lawes to engage us to use or not to use them But it reacheth not to such humane Lawes Civill or Ecclesiasticall which command or prohibit things agreeable to the rules of Gods Word or things necessary and expedient for Order Decency Peace avoyding of scandall and other mischiefes which Lawes as Doctor Willet himselfe who makes this objection affirmes do binde the conscience notwithstanding this objected Text. And thus much for my Brothers first generall Objection His second is this That the Scripture holds forth and Christ in the New-Testament presoribes and layes down unto us but ONLY ONE and that a most compleat and exact forme of Church government and Discipline which ought not to be altered or varied from in the least title being a part of the Gospel and must be BUT ONE and THE SAME in all Nations Churches in all ages throughout the World precisely observed by all Churches without the least variation That the Independent way alone is this divine unalterable Evangelicall platforme Therefore nor King nor Parliament though assisted with a Synod of most pious and learned orthodox Divines justly may or can of right make any Ecclesiasticall binding Lawes for the government or Discipline of the Churches of Christ within their Jurisdictions it being indeed a meere adding to the Word of God prohibited under a curse Deut. 4. 2. c. 12. 22. Prov. 30. 6. Rev. 22. 18 19. Thus my deare Brother and other Independents Argue with more confidence than evidence of Scripture To which I answer first That though Christ and his Apostles have instituted in the Gospel all necessary Church-Officers as Evangelical Bishops Elders Ministers Deacons Pastors Teachers c. and likewise given some general rules for the Government and Discipline of his Church yet he hath neither instituted nor prescribed any such unalterable compleat exact forme of Church-government and Discipline in all ages and Churches in the New Testament as is pretended by many not evidenced by any My reasons are these First Because no such exact and punctuall platforme is or can be clearly demonstrated to us nor discovered by us in the Scripture upon most diligent scrutiny Quod non lego non credo hath alwayes been reputed a solid Argument in matters of Divinity and divine institutions The Apostle Heb. 7. 13. 14. argues thus negatively even in the point of Christs Priesthood because Moses spake nothing of the Tribe of Iudah concerning Priesthood And God himselfe argues thus Deut. 9. 12. 15. Ye saw no manner of similitude therefore ye shall make no likenesse or image of me I may safely argue negatively in like sort The Scripture speaks nothing of such an exact universall Platforme and we see no image or similitude of it in the Gospel Therefore there is no such Secondly Independents have been frequently pressed to shew us any such exactform of Church-government instituted and generally prescribed to all ages

severall Iurisdictions to submission and reall obedience especially when just and agreeable to Gods Word or at least to passive whiles in force where unjust or contrary to the Word Hence the publike Laws Ordinances Edicts of Parliaments and general Assemblies of the Estates have in all Kingdomes Ages without the least dispute oblieged regulated all Corporations Societies Persons within their severall jurisdictions because they are the Representative Body and supreame power of those Realms where all are virtually present and consenting when all or the major part at least assent Hence the whole World have ever held the determioations Creeds Canons Decrees of Oeumenicall Nationall or Provinciall Councels ratified by Emperors Kings and Parliaments obligatory in point of jurisdiction to all Churches persons within their jurisdictions And in truth the chiefe end use of Parliaments Councels Synods approved by God and the higher powers ordained by him is not to advise admonish perswade debate or deliver their opinions of doubts errors mischiefes for this every private man hath power to do and containes no stampe of jurisdistion Power or Authority in it But authoritatively to prescribe Lawes Canons Rules and determinations oblieging otherrs to obedience under paine of exemplary censures and penalties Sixthly It cannot be gainsayd but every man and woman in the world considered meerly as such or as single persons stript of all their naturall civill or Ecclesiasticall relations are of equall Authority and have no jurisdiction power or superiority at all one over another no more than fellow servants fellow Citizens or neighbors out of office have over one another yet look upon the selfe-same persons as they stand cloathed with their severall Relations as members of a family Corporation City Kingdome Church and their very relations make them subordinate and lyable to sundry superiour jurisdictions not only by way of counsell but command Thus children servants wives Pulpits are by a naturall relation established by a Morall Law and sundry divine Precepts subject to all the just Lawes Orders commands of their Parents Masters Husbands not onely by way of Counsell or advise which they may obey or reject at pleasure but of Iurisdiction and Authority so farre as to be enforced to obedience and justly punished for disobedience or neglect according to the quality of the offence and contempt Thus inferiours of all sorts in a politicke relation onely as subjects to their Princes to all subordinate Magistrates Officers in their respective places of power Kingdomes to their Parliaments Cities to their Majors Aldermen and Common-Councell Companies to their Masters Wardens and Assistants Souldiers to their Generals Commanders of all Rankes Schollars to their Tutors Colledges to their Rectors mariners to their Masters both by the Law of God Nature Nations Dictat of common reason are subject to all just orders Mandates of these their superiours to which they must yeeld obedience● under paine of such punishments as are answerable to their contempt and disobedience The same rule and reason holds as firmely in all Ecclesiasticall Relations Take severall private Christians as Christians or severall Parishes or Congregations as they are such and it is certain one of them hath no Iurisdiction nor power at all over another in any Ecclesiasticall matters either to prescribe Lawes to or inflict censures upon one another but only a power to exhort admonish reprove advise or assist one another in a brotherly way But yet looke upon the selfe-same particular persons Churches as Members of a Parochiall or Nationall Church and then in this Relation they are and ought to be subject to the just rules precepts Canons Orders of the Ministers and whole Congregation of which they are Actuall Members even in point of conscience and every particular Church must and ought readily to submit to the just Canons Constitutions Orders determinations Ecclesiasticall Censures of the whole Representative Nationall or Provinciall Church Councell ●ynod ratified by Authority of Parliament in a Regular way under paine of Ob●inacy Contempt Disobedience and exemplary punishment there being the selfe-same reason and equity for severall combined Churches in a Councel Synod Presbytery to have a coe●cive power over every particular Church within their limits as for any particular Congregation to claim or exerise a jurisdiction in point of direction or correction over any or every particular member of it Our Independents no doubt will grant that if two or three severall Congregations unite themselves into one Church they do by vertue of this union become all lyable to the Iurisdiction Canons Orders Determinations Censures of that one Church and those who whiles divided had no authority nor power but onely of their owne members have by this union a Iurisdiction over the Members of all these Churches thus eonjoyned into one As it is with several persons united into one Corporation Society Church or when severall powers Or jurisdictions meet and joyne together in one as the Parliaments Commissioners Armies of two Provinces Kingdome in one Parliament Councel Army the Lords Commons Knights and Burgesses of every County Citty Town and Burrough in both Realmes in one Parliament they have by this their union the whole power and authority of both united Kingdomes Armies Parliaments and a joynt Iurisdiction over both which they had not before whiles seperated even as a Major or King hath when as severall Cities Townes Villages Kingdoms as our ancient Saxon Heptarchy are all conjoyned into one City Realm and therby subordinated to one new Iurisdiction If this then must be yeelded to me it will inevitably follow by the selfe-same reason that severall particular Churches being united together in one Synod Councell Assembly Parliament or Presbytery even for this very end and purpose to prescribe such generall Canons erect such a uniforme Church-government and Discipline for the publicke peace and benefit of the Church as shall equally binde all Churches victually present and combined in it must have a lawfull Iuridicall Legislative power in them to make such Laws Canons as shall binde all particular Congregations not onely as advises or brotherly counsels but as vigorous Lawes which subject the particular persons or Churches who transgresse or contemne them to condigne punishment as the reasons Scriptures formerly alleaged to prove that humane Lawes obliege the conscience in point of obedience abundantly demonstrate These uncontrolable verities never yet so much as doubted in any Age till this clearely discover the falsity and vanity of my Brothers objection to which I will give this further direct answer 1. I deny that every particular Church or Congregation in a Christian State where there are many adjacent Churches under the selfe same Civill Government is an absolute compleat independent Body City or Republike of it selfe as is objected to all intents and purposes without dependency on or relation or subordination to any other True it is that in some respects so far as concerns its own private interest it is a compleate body having a Minister

then Heresie or hereticall Doctrin by such extravagant inferences and incoherent Arguments for fear you dishonour both your Master and your self 3. Though Christ hath left no absolute exact forme of Church-Government in Scripture for all Churches and Ages yet he hath left his Word to be a light to the feete and a Lanthorne to the pathes of all his Saints and Churches and said downe such generall Presidents rules and directions therein as may serve for ordering directing and regulating of all Churches herein yea he hath given us some more particular rules for some things which concerne the Government of his Churches The Scripture hath generall Rules for our faith life manners thoughts words actions apparell eating drinking praying preaching receiving the Sacrament c. applicable to all particular cases and occurrences concerning them though not particular punctuall rules for deciding all those cases of conscience and controversies that frequently arise concerning them yet Christ is not unfaithfull because he hath left his Church sufficient rules and meanes of salvation in generall or particular to bring it safe to heaven 4 The providing of godly and faithfull Ministers Magistrates and Governours of the Church to put good Laws Disciplin and Government in execution is a great part of Christs charge and care as well as providing his Word and a Government for his Church Will you charge Christ then with negligence and leaving his Church to six and seven because every Minister of Christ hath not the selfe-same measure of gifts and endowments to discharge his Ministery or because some Ministers are more negligent in their places then others and some sheep are left oft-times without a Shepheard or committed to a Iudas a Thiefe or to Wolve● false Teachers Seducers which teare and devoure instead of feeding them or because he set not up and maintained this forme of Church Government you now contend for as his and none else beside in all Churches for so many hundred yeares together but reserved this honour in this latter age to some of you or rather to the Anabaptists and Brownists your Predecessors herein to advance it Brother you may easily discerne by this where your owne pretended inconveniences and inferences will drive you at the last if you rely upon them I beseech you therefore as a loving Brother to forbeare them for the future 4. Whereas you object We should have a mad world of it if Civill States Magistrates Kings and Parliaments should set up such a Government 〈◊〉 they conceived to be agreeable to Gods Word and the good Lawes and Customes of their Realmes I answer 1. That it is your own position that every particular man and Church ought to walke according to the rule of their own consciences and judgement not anothers Christ only being Lord of their consciences If then a whole Kingdome Parliament Church or Realme shall conceive and be perswaded in their consciences that such and such a Church Government is most consonant to Gods Word most suiteable to their condition and therefore shall upon solemne debate after much seeking of God by Prayer and Fasting make choise of this government before another as by electing a Presbyteriall rejecting an Independent way What madnesse or inconvenience meer slavery tyranny humane inv●ntions superstitions or corruption will this introduce Shall they be Hereticks presently for such a choise as you define them Shall private men have more liberty of choise or conscience then whole Nations Synods Parliaments or more wisedome temper knowledge discretion conscience then they Indeed I have read of one Parliament stiled the Mad and another the unlearned because there were no Lawyers in it and no doubt both Parliaments Councells Synods generall Assemblies may and doe sometimes erre and that grosly as well as private persons or congregations But doubtlesse all reasonable men will and must acknowledge that two are better then one a whole Court of Iustice lesse liable to errour and corruption then a particul●r Judge a whole Parliament then a Committee an whole Synod then a private Conventicle or congregation Then tell me in sober sadnesse good Brother whether your Independent Assertion That every particular Minister hath power to gather and set up a Church of his owne Independent from any other and to choose such a Discipline Government to themselves as they CONCEIVE to be most suiteable to Gods Word though in truth it be not so but a meer CONCEITE as I feare your New way is That particular Christians have power to unite themselves into a Church and elect a Minister and Government of their owne choise most agreeable as they thinke to the Word And that every Sect and Person ought to have free liberty of conscience in the exercise of what they beleeve Or my Position be likely est to produce more madnesse in the world or mischiefes in the Church Certainely it will be a madder world and Church too indeed when every private Minister and Christian may follow their owne opinions fancies crochets waies every Sectary set up his owne congregation sect and vent his owne erronious schismaticall Opinions without control when every man shall have priviledge to doe What seemes right in his owne eyes as if there were no King in Israel no Parliament in England when every Anabaptist Enthusiast or brainsick Melancholico shall not only build Churches in the ayre different from all others but set them up openly in our Cities Counties Kingdomes without impediment in contempt of Lawes Parliaments all Civill or Ecclesiasticall Authority as too many I feare doe now and I hope the High Court of Parliament will remedy it in due time because they deem their owne fancies Gospel their owne Juventions Christs Oracles Certainly the world and Church will both be mad in good earnest when such a licentiousnesse shall be proclaimed under the Notion of Christian Liberty every mans own private way christned with the Name of Christs Kingdom c. though it hath small affinity with it The God of peace order of his infinite mercie preserve us safe from this Maniaca Insania this deadly madnesse into which we are running and hath already desperately seized upon the Braines and hearts of many My Brothers sixth Objection is this That Parliaments Councells Synods are not now infallible but subject unto errour many of them having erred and that grosly in former and late times That neither Parliament nor Assembly can now say as that Synod Act. 15. 28. It seemeth good to us and to the Holy Ghost they being not endued with an infallible spirit Therefore they can make no binding Determinations Lawes Canons Decrees in any Ecclesiasticall matters to oblige any particular Churches or christians Good Brother writes he for all your punctuall quotations of that Scripture Acts 15. you doe not all this while tell us that which is the maine of all which we finde in the 28. verse IT SEEMED GOOD TO THE HOLY