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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A91879	The falsehood of Mr. VVilliam Pryn's Truth triumphing, in the antiquity of popish princes and Parliaments. To which, he attributes a sole, sovereigne, legislative, coercive power in all matters of religion; discovered to be full of absurdities, contradictions, sacriledge, and to make more in favour of Rome and Antichrist, than all the bookes and pamphlets which were ever published, whether by papall or episcopall prelates, or parisites, since the reformation. With twelve queries, eight whereof visit Mr. Pryn the second time, because they could not be satisfied at the first.	Robinson, Henry, 1605?-1664?	1645 (1645)	Wing R1672; Thomason E273_16; Thomason E282_11; ESTC R200048	28,156	36

of Scotland Discipl pag. 89. THe Nationall Assemblies ought alwayes to be received in their owne liberty and have their owne place And all men as well Magistrates as inferiours to be subject to the judgement of the same in Ecclesiasticall causes without any reclamation or appellation to any judge Civill or Ecclesiasticall within the Realme Doctor Adam Stuart's second part of his Duply to the two Brethren p. 30. The Civill Magistrate is subject in a spirituall way unto the Church He must learne Gods will by the Ministers of the Church who are Gods Ambassadours sent to him He must be subject to Ecclesiasticall censures Mr. William Pryn in the Title page termes his Truth triumphing over Falshood A just and seasonable vindication of the undoubted Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction Right Legislative Coercive power of Christian Emperours Kings Magistrates Parliaments in all matters of Religion Church-government Discipline Ceremonies Manners Authour of the Pamphlet entituled The readinesse of the Scots advance into England 6. of November 1643. The Generall Assembly is subordinate to no Civill judicature whatsoever c. Apollonius Considerat Quarund Controvers c. p. 108. Particular Churches as well as Generall Assemblies have their authority immediately from God Mr. Thomas Edwards sayes in his Antapologia p. 163. Junius Zanchius Amesius c. make the subject matter of politicall adminstration to be res humanae humane things and matters but of Ecclesiasticall divine and sacred Page 166. Is it that you doe give a power to the Magistrate in Ecclesiasticall things of the ultimate determination of matters purely Ecclesiasticall which the Presbyterians principles doe not as in matters of doctrine scandall c. And page 168. Spirituall remedies and meanes must be used in the Kingdome of Christ and by them Christ doth his worke And hence in Ecclesiasticall Discipline and those scandalls in the Church which are the point in hand punishments in the body or in the purse which can be by the power of the Magistrate have no place Divines of the Church of Scotland in a booke called A Dispute against the English Popish Ceremonies obtruded upon the Church of Scotland p. 150. It followeth that Christ hath committed the power of judging defining and making lawes about those matters viz. which concern the worship of God not to Magistrates but to the Ministers of the Church Calvin Institut l. 4. c. 11. sect 16. Since the Church hath of its owne any power of compelling neither may require it I speake of Civill coercive power it is the duty of pious Kings and Princes to uphold Religion by their lawes edicts and judgements Junius Controvers 3. l. 3. c. 26. sect 12. Whereas some things are matters of conscience and belong to the judicatory of Heaven that I may speake according to the Canonists others humane and temporall appertaining to an earthly judicatorie in sacred divine and Church affaires the judgement is never lawfully committed unto the Civill Magistrate no not to the Emperour himselfe because holy things are of another Kingdome and cognizance Six Impossibilities which doe necessarily accompany persecution for cause of Conscience 1 IT is impossible that the Gospell should come to be preached unto all Nations if men may be questioned for matters of conscience 2 It is impossible that such as know but in part should grow in knowledge or from one measure and degree of faith unto another 3 It is impossible that in a rationall way there should be a firme secure peace throughout the world nay not in a Province City or Towne so long as men make a point of conscience to compell one another to their opinions 4 It is impossible to prescribe such a way for suppressing new or different opinions whatsoever which to any State or Church may seeme hereticall but there will still be left a gap a possibility of fighting against God even when such State or Church thinke they fight for him most of all 5 It is impossible that either the weake beleevers mis-beleevers or unbeleevers can be won by our godly conversation as is required 1 Pet. 2. 12. and 3. 1. 2. 1 Cor. 7. 12. 16. so long as we will not suffer them to live amongst us 6 It is impossible for a man to hold fast the truth or be fully perswaded in his owne heart of what he does of what Religion he makes choice of unlesse after he hath searched the Scriptures and try'de the spirits whether they be of God or no it be lawfull for him to reject that which shall appeare to him as evill and adhere to that which seems good in his owne judgement and apprehension The Falshood of Mr. William Prynn's Truth Triumphing briefly discovered Sir YOur Title sayes Truth triumphing over Falshood Antiquity over Novelty you meane I suppose Antick Truth over Novel Falshood And the truth is whoever considers your ensuing Discourse will finde it to bee Antick Truth very Antick such as to the Reformed World of Christians would well neere have quite been antiquated and totally become ridiculous had not such unskilfull Antiquaries as William Prynne of Lincolns Inn Esquire taken so much unnecessary and thankles paines in gathering them up from Dunghills and by whole Volumnes and Impressions to delude and cozen the unstable people of his party the truth whereof that himselfe and all others into whose hands this paper happens may suddenly perceive besides the severall absurdities and contradictions let them only take notice that both the Truth and Antiquity hee so much speakes and boasts of are deduced only from the abominable presidents of superstitious Popery some whereof I shall particularly and yet briefly mention as I finde them confusedly pestred amongst themselves in the undigested rapsody of his more vaine Discourse But before I leave the specious Title thereof I desire all Readers may observe how amongst others you terme it a Vindication of the undoubted Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction Legislative of Christian Emperours by Scripture texts as if amongst your Antick readings you had discovered some New-found-Land wherein you would make your over credulous Disciples thinke there had lived Christian Emperours before or at the writing of the Scriptures who verified your Antick Doctrine and Assertions This Grand taske like a very Atlas you pretend to take upon you in Refutation of Mr. John Goodwin without so much as disturbing any of his arguments or of the Answers to your twelve Questions which both your Epistle and the latter part of your Booke take notice of but because you cannot make a satisfactory Reply and yet are not so ingenuous as to acknowledge it and yeeld to Truth you traduce as malicious and full of virulencie against Presbytery and the Scots page 125. and worse then the Popish Gunpowder plot Epist Dedic Are not these powerfull Arguments able to confute the very Apostles had they but been alledged in their dayes by such an irreconcileable and implacable spirit as is Mr. Prynn's witnesse besides others his proceedings against Colonell Fines Surely your friends will

Christian modesty and charity for the satisfaction of many troubled consciences 1 WHether have not Parliaments and Synods of England in times past established Popery And whether may they not possibly do so again hereafter 2 Whether in case a Parliament and Synod should set up Popery may they therein be disobeyed by the people If they may be disobeyed in one particular whether may they not upon the like grounds be disobeyed in another whether the people be not judge of the grounds for denying obedience to Parliament and Synod in such a case Whether the pretence of giving a Parliament and Synod power to establish Religion and yet reserve in our own hands a Prerogative of yeelding or denying obedience thereunto as we our selves thinke good be not an absolute contradiction and lastly Whether they that attribute such a power to Parliaments and Synods as they themselves will question and disobey when they thinke good doe not in effect weaken and quite enervate the power of Parliaments or else condemne themselves in censuring the Independents for withholding of obedience from Parliament and Synod in such things wherein they never gave or meant them to have power 3 If the whole Kingdome may deny obedience unto Popish Acts and Canons or upon any other the like just occasion and they themselves be judge whether the occasion be just or no whether may not Independents a part of the Kingdome only doe the like in all respects or whether ought they because a lesser part of the Kingdome to yeeld obedience to Popish Acts and Canons because a major part approve of and agree with a Parliament and Synod in establishing them 4 Whether would it not be an ungodly course for any people to hazard any thing at the disposall of others or to be carried by most voyces which may possibly if not more then probably be decided in such a manner as the yeelding obedience therunto would be burthensome to their consciences if not absolutely sinfull 5 Whether were it not an ungodly course for the whole Commons of a Kingdome so far differing in Religion as that they professe before hand that they dare not yeeld to one another upon perill of damnation to make choice of a Parliament and Synod with entring into Vow and Covenant to become afterwards all of that Religion whatsoever the Parliament and Synod should agree on whether it be not absurd for men to say they will be of such a Religion as shall be setled before they see evidence to convince them and whether it be in the power of man to be really of what Religion he will untill he see reason demonstration for it 6 If a representative State or Magistrate may make Laws for setting up a Religion or establishing what Church government they please whether have not the people the same power originally in themselves to assume again and put it in execution when they please and whether were this otherwise then to attribute unto a mixt multitude to the World if not absolutely as it is distinguished from the Saints in Scripture Joh. 15. 18 19. and 17. 6. 9. 11. 14. at least by most voices to make choice of a Religion Laws and Discipline wherewith the Saints houshold and Church of God must necessarily be governed 7 Suppose a Luther an and Calvinist or any others differing in opinion whether they may out of hypocrisie or implicitly submit and be conformable to one anothers discipline and doctrine whereof they doubt before they be convinced Whether have either of them an infallible way to convince the other and bring them over to be sincerely of their opinion before their understandings besatisfied if they have why doe they not put it in execution if they have not why should they be offended with one another if they continue differing 8 Whether opposing Gods people or their wayes be not a fighting against God whether it be not extreamest rashnesse if not absolute madnesse and presumption to attempt any thing which may possibly prove a fighting against God and whether any man in these dayes can have a fuller assurance in his owne conscience or give better evidence unto others that he doth not oppose the people of God whilest he opposes such as differ from him in opinion than Paul whilest he persecuted the Church Phil. 3 6. thought he ought to do many things contrary to the Name of Jesus of Nazareth Act. 26. 9 9 Which of the two parties may best be thought proud presumptuous or contentious whether Independents who seeke only to enjoy their owne consciences in all peaceablenesse and meeknesse without giving the least disturbance to such as differ from them in opinion or the Presbyterians who Haman like are never at rest within themselves untill they bring all others to be conformable unto them both for Discipline and Doctrine though to an equall judge they may probably be as erronious as other mens and possibly most superstitious and hereticall 10 If there be but one Christ and many Antichrists one true way and many false Whether doe not all men and women in generall and every one in particular run a greater hazard to have the truth with-held from them both in Discipline and Doctrine if all manner of opinions and religious worship but one were banished the Country where they live than if there were a toleration of them all 11 If a State may lawfully compell a Nation to be of this or that Religion as in Spaine Italy and England during the Bishops Reigne Whether is it possible for the people of such a Nation to be damned by submitting to such State Religions though false Whether are not such respective States bound in justice to be accountable for all the soules which doe miscarry by conforming unto such State Religions And whether were it discretion for any man to runne a hazard of so many soules though he might thereby gaine the Empire of the World 12 Whether are not all Religions alike nothing available to salvation to him that takes his Religion upon trust If we be obliged to try the Spirits to search the Scriptures and hold fast the truth whether must we not be fully perswaded thereof in our selves according to our owne reason and understanding Whether is there a necessity that the State Religion for the time in fashion must alwayes appeare to be the true one in every mans judgement who really endeavours and desires to have such an opinion of it so it might be with a good conscience And what Gospell warrant is there for Magistrates imprisoning fining banishing or so much as discountenancing any man for not beleeving or not doing that which he could not possibly beleeve or doe without sinning damnably FINIS

thinke you have better in your budget or be ashamed of you when they have leisure but to consider of it 'T is true you complaine that Mr. Rutherfords due Rights of Presbytery Mr. Thomas Edwards his Anti-Apologia and Gulielmus Apollonius with the Vallacrean Ministers were never answered 'T is likely the Independents doe not desire to make no nor bee thought to have any difference with their Scotch Brethren if possibly to be avoided and you know the Proverb sayes The second blow makes the fray And though you would not take notice of a compleatly fit and full answer to Mr. Edwards and so much the more because 't was made by a milde meeke spirited servant of God quite contrary to that of Mr. Edwards his I hope Mr. Pryn will no longer say Mr. Edwards is not answered now that Mr. Chidley hath so clearly and fairly foyld him the second time And that you may see Apollonius speakes no better Latine for Presbytery than you doe English please but to cast your eye upon cap. 3. p. 44 45. in answer to the Assemblies letters to the Churches of Zealand where he sayes in substance That the body of Beleevers in generall have not a power of governing and judging Ecclesiasticall matters by any spirituall jurisdiction but that the Presbyters themselves have received this power of ruling immediately from Christ the King of the Church which what ever he alleadge to prove it with these grosse absurdities besides how many others will plainely follow 1. That all Church Officers have either intruded themselves into their offices or else they must have beene thrust in by some supernaturall meanes of the latter there is no evidence of the former there is no allowance 2. If the Beleevers the Brethren did not choose the Officers so neither might they turne them out 3. Then in such case it would bee in the Officers power to tyrannize even to the highest extent their owne lust should lead them to without any just authority on earth to question or restraine them for if their Presbytery their officiating their governing ruling be by divine Right and not the peoples free choice however they behave themselves in it they cannot be turned out by the people But how doth it appeare that they have their Office or Eldership immediately from God Is it sufficient for them to say so Then may any other number of their Brethren pretend the like He alleadges 2. Cor. 5. 20. Now then we are Ambassadours for Christ as though God did beseech you by us We pray you in Christs stead be yee reconciled to God But may not so many Tinkers use the very same Text and saying they are Christs Ambassadours thrust themselves over any Congregation in the world if this be faire dealing If there goes no more thereunto but confidence and laying claime hee that can justle hardest will doubtlesse get it though Simon Magus could not carry it with money But what kinde of Ambassadours did Paul make himselfe and those Primitive Christians to be What power did they take upon them And how farre They were Christs Ambassadours we know them by their entreating mildnesse gentlenesse and long-suffering as in the same 2 Cor. 5. 20. with Rom. 15. 1. Gal. 6. 1. 2. 1. Pet. 5. 2. 2 Tim. 4. 2. Eph. 4. 2. But the Prelaticall Presbytery the pretended Ambassadours of Christ in these times wee know to be Wolves that worry sterve or flea the very Lambes of Christ alive and as if their cruelty were not satisfied with the destruction of their bodies endeavour what they can to put a yoake of bondage upon the very soules of their Brethren Act. 20. from v. 28. to 31. Matth. 20. 25 26. 3 Joh. 9. The other place produced is 1 Cor. 4. 1. Let a man so account of us as of the Ministers of Christ and Stewards of the mysteries of God but the Presbyters which wee speake of instead of taking upon them a Ministery lay claime unto a Jurisdiction Dominion a Prelaty Instead of being Stewards they command require expecting lordly obedience and submission They scorne to use entreating and beseeching as Paul the aged 2 Cor. 10. 1. 3. stet pro ratione voluntas is their motto their symboll Thus we may see the Texts produced to maintaine the Presbyteriall government to be of Divine Right make eminently against it neither is it more evident in Scripture than from reason and experience to wit That what power the Presbyters have and exercise they have it from man and not immediately from God since the Brethren doe either explicitly or implicitly make choice of them and might as well have chosen any other if they had pleased Church Officers are no more immediately from God than Civill Officers The truth is Apollonius acknowledges the Presbyterie to bee the Representative Church but denies the meanes without which I never yet knew it pretended so much as possible to bee constituted First he sayes Multitudo fidelium in Ecclesia potestatem regendi jurisdictione spirituali negotia Ecclesiastica dijudicandi non habet jure Dei proinde eam senioribus Presbyteris delegare non potest Hoc sensu igitur Representativam Ecclesiam non agnoscimus Nec talem agnoscimus Ecclesiam Representativam quae à multitudine fidelium missa absolutam potestatem per leges jurisdictiones actus suos obligandi multitudinem ejus fidem conscientias subjiciendi ita ut absque examine ut laudatum susciperet quicquid ab hac Ecclesia statutum foret At Ecclesiam Representativam hanc ex sacris literis agnoscimus quae est caetus Presbyterorum à multitudine Ecclesiae electus qui authoritate jurisdictione Ecclesiasticâ à Christo accepta Ecclesiae praeest invigilat decretis secundum sacram Scripturam factis jurisdictione spirituali eam regit which in effect is thus First That Beleevers in generall have no power to judge concerning Church affaires therefore they cannot give or derive unto the Presbyters what they themselves never had and secondly that the Lawes of Country are not sufficient to authorise Beleevers for choosing Church Commissioners who may afterwards oblige them and their consciences by whatsoever decrees shall be by them agreed upon without examining it themselves But sayes he a Representative Church is an Assembly of Presbyters chosen by the multitude who having received Ecclesiasticall authority and jurisdiction from Christ doe watch over the Church and governe it according to the Scripture To him therefore or Mr. Pryn that quotes him I should desire to make these following Queries The truth is Apollonius acknowledges the Presbyterie to bee the Representative Church but denies the meanes without which I never yet knew it pretended so much as possible to bee constituted First he sayes Multitudo fidelium in Ecclesia potestatem regendi jurisdictione spirituali negotia Ecclesiastica dijudicandi non habet jure Dei proinde eam senioribus Presbyteris delegare non potest Hoc sensu igitur

Infidels where 's your licence from the Court of Heaven for subjugating the Gospell of peace to your litigious law-cases and presidents most whereof are all Popish To sacrifice the Scriptures the Word even God himselfe Joh. 1. 1. whole Christianity both Discipline and Doctrine unto Acts of Parliaments which have beene heretofore so Popish and may possibly be so againe hereafter to which according to your grounds the whole Kingdome must conforme and be obedient not only passively but actively and that for conscience sake But what lawfull calling or warrant have you if a man may be so bold with you as you are with other men from Gods Word or our Lawes to handle the Jurisdiction and Rights of Parliament more then Mr. Goodwin Was not his Imprimatur as legall or authenticall as yours Doe you thinke the Parliament had not far rather heare the submissive cautions and mementoes of a loving tender and affectionate remembrancer as in the presence of the God of Heaven whose duty is to teach all Nations Matth. 28. 19. as occasion is offered from Parliament to peasant than be flattered and soothed up with fusty sweepings of Popish presidents by one who yet I think pretends to be no Canon but a Protestant Lawyer best vers'd at Common-pleas and Chancery bills Certainly 't is none of Mr. Pryns least oversights thus to bring himselfe a Lawyer whose wrangling faculty sets and keeps all people at worse war amongst themselves than all forreigne enemies can do with Mr. Goodwin whose zeale piety and fervent interceding towards the Throne of Grace for reconciling unto the God of peace not only all such as joyne with him but whosoever else are capable thereof hath beene heretofore and is at present well knowne to all the godly and well affected in or about the City both far and neare which does and still will tend so much more to Mr. Pryns great reproach and infamy for thus shamefully traducing him If Mr. Pryn were a man truly godly and conscientious he might long ere this time have considered the unlawfulnesse of his very Calling according to the greatest part of Lawyers practise in entertaining more causes than they can possibly take care of as they ought in taking of excessive fees prolonging suites and so involving the whole Kingdome in their sophisticall quirkes tricks and quille●s as that a man can neither buy nor sell speake nor doe any thing but he must be lyable to fall into their talons without ever being able to redeeme himselfe the Lawyers having most of their mysteries written in a little lesse then heathen language and detaining us in such ignorance or captivity as that we may not plead nor understand our own cases by which and such like devises of theirs they are become the greatest grievance crying loudest to Heaven for justice to be done upon them by this Parliament next to the corrupted depraved Clergy-men Page 153. When you are told that the Apostolicall Church of Jerusalem Act. 15. improperly by you and all Popish writers call'd a Synod and Grand president for Synods was infallible and therefore might say it pleased the Holy Ghost and them and that since you cannot say of whatsoever you shall doe that it doth infallibly please the Holy Ghost and for that cause may not be permitted to make binding determinations you answer most appositly no doubt that the Apostles preacht by an infallible spirit ergo none ought to preach but such as have alike infallible spirit with the Apostles But I wonder Mr. Pryns wits are thus a wool-gathering or rather that he proclaimes it to the world so much for I must needs say I never knew them otherwise Cannot you let Independents preach by way of instruction advice c. though you were not sure whether they have the Holy Ghost or no as well as they give you leave to do the like if you can yea to sit and vote in Parliaments and Synods enacting Ordinances Decrees and what you please even as much as your pretended Synod of Jerusalem call it a Parliament too if you will since there is no remedy though to my knowledge you are brim full of little else than all fallibility But when you have attained to be a Parliament or Synod-man doe no more than that Apostolicall infallible Assembly of Jerusalem did say we doe well if we observe your Ordinances and Decrees and if we doe not we may doe better and therein be confident you say well infallibly Thus you heare how you may become a Synod-man and how your Independent Brethren may easily have leave to preach though neither of you be infallible Let your Decrees and Ordinance passe as peaceably as their Sermons and both may lodge together and likelier become friends the sooner Act. 15. 4. 22. We finde the pretended Synod stiled a Church that is the Church at Jerusalem if a Church it must have Church officers that is ruling and teaching Elders and Deacons which I doe not perceive observed in any Synod since nor can possibly be unlesse they can turne the fixed Churches of any particular place into Synods and if that could be done what would this be otherwise than for one sister-Church to make and impose Canons and Decrees according to you principles upon all other sister-Churches Now and then 't is true you refresh us with an ingenuous confession which if you did but follow close would cleare your understanding from multitudes of grosse errours and unparallel'd mistakes You acknowledge a possibility of erring or some actuall errours in Councels Synods Parliaments and that such as apparently erronious and repugnant unto Scriptures may be disobeyed And now I see you have almost satisfied one of the 8 Queries in answer to your 12 considerable serious Questions which hitherto I thought you had not beene able to give the least satisfaction to because I heard it not in Print cry'd up and downe the streets a priviledge which any thing or every thing of Mr. Pryns enjoyes peculiarly But this short acknowledgement of yours if you understand what you say and sticke to it will undoubtedly bring you over unto the Independents And now that your booke and such as read it over may make a comfortable end since you are so good to grant a little you shall see the Independents will comply with you and say they 'l aske no more They only desire it may be lawfull for them to disobey your Councells Synods Parliaments when they actually erre and are apparently repugnant unto Scripture But now when they tell you so at any time and challenge this free grant of yours professing in the presence of God and Men that they speake the truth and lie not their conscience bearing witnesse Rom. 9. 1. unlesse you will renounce Christianity in practise you must beleeve them and not measure their consciences and understandings by your owne lest they come short of their due you must not be both judge and party no nor judge only where all ought to be Brethren Matth.

23. 8. Their owne reason must guide them Their owne understanding must bee the ultimate resolver of their wills and none but their owne faith can save them 2 Cor. 13. 5. Gal. 6. 4. 5. Rom. 14. 12. From the non-submitting unto some Councells Synods and Parliaments which you perhaps may not thinke erronious will follow no other worse consequence than this That a man may likewise refuse to heare or not believe some Sermons which you perhaps may hold worth hearing and necessary to be beleeved though others as wise and godly as your selfe doe thinke the contrary which you may well be so indulgent as to grant your Independent Brethren since they will doe the like for you expecting with long-suffering untill you be convinc'd or you convince them peaceably Page 154. You proceed and say admit Synods Councells Parliaments have sometimes erred out of human frailty yet this is a most certaine truth that they are not so apt to erre as private men or Conventicles of persons lesse learned lesse experienc'd c. But this may not passe for orthodox neither if not many wise not many learned are called be Scripture 1 Cor. 1. 20. 26. besides experience teaches us that God doth not discover his truth by whole-sale nor to whole Nationall Churches or Generall Councells at once but rather by degrees and that for the most part at first to some contemptible person perhaps in the eyes of the world who had no earthly superfluities or so much as any naturall preheminence to tempt or to withdraw him from being Gods Ambassadour or Trumpeter to publish it unto a people or whole Nation it may be not without his utmost perill And besides doe we not finde that even these more learned of whom the Councells and Synods are pretended to be compacted are they who most of all deceive Are they not by their unsanctified human learning and wisdome the better enabled nay doe they not by that meanes become like so many decoy's to lead the multitude the rabble after them over hedge and ditch and too too often into the very ditch it selfe But what if Synods Councells and Parliaments were lesse apt to erre and best qualified to discover Truth and debate matters of controversie It will not follow from thence that either of them may therefore impose their supposed Truthes for other than suppose they cannot be for want of infallibility or finall determinations upon the other If there were a necessity that the greater part should have this spirituall dominion or rather a Civill power in a spirituall government over the lesser or the lesser over the greater then there might be some colour for the greater to have precedencie in some respects But since either of them would be absolutely sinfull we must grant it unto neither Page 155. You say That though it cannot be proved that all the Elders Brethren and whole Church of Jerusalem were infallibly inspired yet they all said it seemeth good to the Holy Ghost and them To which I answer that their saying so was an infallible signe that all of them were then as concerning what they affirmed infallibly inspired otherwise not only the Brethren with the rest of the Church but the Apostles also might possibly have told a lie in saying so in joyning with them in one common verdict Act. 15. v. 23. Nay it might even now and ever may be said hereafter to the end of the world that this passage in the Acts of the Apostles It seemeth good to the Holy Ghost and us is not of infallible truth unlesse that both the Apostles Brethren and whole Church had beene infallibly assisted in saying so They spake not One for All but All of them in One or One Spirit even God himselfe who is One in All of them infallible Say but as much and upon as good grounds and reason in behalfe of the Synod which sits now at Westminster and you say something but for your great promise under the Gospell that God will powre out his Spirit upon all flesh surely it makes as much for Independents unlesse you suppose them to be some New-found Land-fish But you yeeld it may be objected how perhaps all or the greatest part of the Parliament and Assembly are not endued with the sanctifying Spirit of God therefore they cannot use this language It seemeth good to the Holy Ghost and us This objecting of yours I confesse is somewhat ingenious but alas it seemes you desire not to continue so in that you take such paines in shruging and shifting to evade the force and truth thereof by saying 'T is only knowne to God who are his and admit there may be some few among them who have not Gods sanctifying Spirit yet I doubt not but very many if not the major part of them have Is not this profoundly answered Thousands of conscientious godly people object how it is possible that all or the greatest part of the Parliament and Assembly may not be indued with the sanctifying Spirit of God and Mr. Pryn pretends to answer them by saying he doubts not but they have Is he not a doughty champion But what if it should be objected that it may yet more fully than by perchance be said it cannot be made appeare that there is so much as one neither in the Parliament nor Assembly who have had an infallible assistance of the sanctifying Spirit in any thing they have done already or shall ever doe hereafter and must we then necessarily be of their Religion of their faith implicitly yet we submit you see unto them in Civill matters our estates our lives and what ever we have that is mortall has beene devoted if not sacrificed to justifie their power and our subjection but the rest must be reserved for him only who is Lord Paramont of spirits as well as flesh Surely Mr. Pryn 't is no small disservice which you doe both Parliament and Assembly in thus exposing their proceedings to be questioned by no little and that the most conscionable and best affected party of the Kingdome such spirits of contention as this of yours were those which made the first great breach amongst the Parliaments friends I meane betwixt the Independents and Presbyterians and now your selfe as the chiefe Ring-leader has begun a subdivision even among the Presbyterians by attributing after such an imperious and reproaching manner towards all such as dissent from your opinion that supreme legislative power to Civill Magistrates in all matters of Religion which our Brethren of Scotland appropriate only to Nationall Assemblies How great a stumbling-blocke this may grow to in time and the miserable consequences thereof I leave to your saddest morning thoughts to be better considered on and wish you would forbear to publish such midnight subitane distracted lucubrations as you your selfe well call them to the great detriment and endangering both of Church and Common-wealth Twelve Queries Eight whereof presume to make a second visit to Mr. Pryn importuning his resolution in