Reply to Observations and Anti-Queries 2, Part 2
Certaine briefe Animadversions on Mr John Goodwins Theomachia, in Iusti…ion of some passages in My Independency, Examined, Unmasked &c. and of the Parliaments Ecclesiasticall power.
IT is not my intention to repeate or refute all the unseasonable offensive passages in the Epistle or Body of this Treatise, which tacitly reflect upon the present Religious Parliament and Assembly, raising needlesse feares and jealousies of them both (in matters of RELIGION and Church-Government) as if they really intended *Epistle to the Reader, & p g. 11. 33. 44. to 52.to increase our misery and bondage, by rejecting and oppressing truth; to conjure all mens gifts, parts industrie into a Synodicall Circle; and that there is almost as little hope of gathering grapes from thornes, or figges of Thistles, as of having the joy of our faith holpen, or encreased, or any decrease, but rather increase of evills by them; the resolutions of Councells, and Synods themselves upon the matter and just account, being but the fruits, or puttings forth of the learning and judgment of a very few men, not alwayes of the most consciencious &c. I shall only select some few particulars worthy consideration; to fill up my vacant Pages.
First, it may be justly questioned, whether the maine doctrine prosecuted in it bPage 18. 22. 52. and else.That it is the greatest imprudence under Heaven, for any man or ranke of men whatsoever to appeare, or so much as to lift up an hand, or thought, against any way, doctrine or practise whatsoever clayming origination or descent from God, till we have securitie upon securitie, evidence upon evidence, yea all the securitie that men in an ordinary way are capable of, and foundations as cleare Gamaliell Himselfe no Apostle, nor Christian, from whose words you yet take your text is Gospell, was not alto…ther of this opinion.as the noone day, that such wayes, Doctrines and practises, only pretend unto God as the Author of them and that in truth they are not at all from him, but either from men, or from baser Parentage; that they are but counterfeits and pretenders only, and stand in no relation at all, but that of emnitie and opposition unto God; and tha… we are not to act the value of one haire of our head against them, untill we see their condemnation written with a beame of the Sunne, by the finger of God Himselfe; untill he hath disclaimed or renounced it from Heaven, either by giving such wisedome unto men, whereby to detest the vanitie of it, or else hath quite rased it out of the flesh and Tables of the hearts of his servants, &c. Be Orthodox or tolerable? For these ensuing reasons.
1. First, because it opens a wide gate to the reviving of all old, the spreading and 1.propagating of all new Heresies. Errors, Schismes, Sects and opinions whatsoever, without the least timely opposition or prevention, to the endangering of infinite soules, and disturbance of the Churches, Kingdoms peace. For there is *Sec Epiphanius, Basil, Augustine, and all the Bookes of or against any Hereticks and Sectaries.no Hereticke, Schismaticke, or Sectary whatsoever (though never so pernicious, grosse or detestable) but pretends his way, doctrine, practise, opinions to be the way and truth of Christ, clayming their origination and descent from God, yea, *Matth. 4 6.producing perverting the Scripture it selfe to justifie them, as the *Mat. 24. 11. 23. to 27. c. 7. 15. 2 Cor. 11 13, 14, 15. Ephes. 4. 14. 2 Thes. 2. 9. 10 Rev. 13. 2. to …8. 2 Ioh. 10. ….Devill cited and wrested Scripture to tempt Christ: yea, our Saviour and the Scripture informe us, that many false Teachers shall arise, and doe great Miracles, Signes and Wonders, insomuch that they shall deceive many, yea the greatest part of the World, and if it were possible the very Elect; * That Satan and his Ministers also transforme themselves into Angels of Light: That false Teachers usually come to seduce men in sheeps clothing, with all deceiveablenes and craftines, whereby they lye in waite to deceive; and advise us frequently to beware of such, and not admit them into our houses, &c. And must we therefore not speedly oppose, resist, avoyd, suppresse them or any of them now, because they thus pretend they are of and from God Himselfe; but stay …ll we see their condemnation written with a beam of the sun by the finger of God himselfe, and till he hath disclaimed, renounced them from Heaven, by some visible judgment or destruction? If A…rianisme, …, Socinianism, Anabaptisme, or any anciently exploded Heresies, or Schismes should revive and sprout up among us (as some have lately done) should wee use such indulgence as this towards them, because they pretend their origination and descent from heaven; and their opinions not disputable only, but warranted by the Scripture? Alas what confusion, what inundation of heresies, schismes, and monstrous opinions would this presently introduce into our Church to its destruction, ruine, if such a Paradox were once admitted?
2 Secondly, Because it is contrary to these expresse precepts and presidents both of the Old and New Testament, which you may peruse at leasure, Deut. 13. 1. to 18. Levit. 19. 17. Joshua. 22. 9. to 24. Psalme. 119. 104. 128. 2 Kings. 22. 8. to 27. Ier. 4. 30. 31. (a pregnant place) c. 14. 14. to 18. cap. 23. 13. to 23. cap 27. 15. to 19. c. 29. 8, 9. Ezra. 13. throughout Matthew 7. 15. cap. 24. 11. 23. 24. 25. 26. Mark. 13. 5, 6. 22, 23, 24. Acts 13. 6. to 14. cap 15. 1. to 33. cap. 17. 11. Rom. 16. 17. 18. 2 Cor. 11. 13. 14, 15. Galath. 1. 6. 7, 8, 9 10. c. 2. 4. to 18. (a noted place) c. 3. 1, 2. 3. Ephes. 4. 14, 15. Phil. 3. 1. 2. 3. Coloss. 2. 8. 18. to the end, 1 Thes. 5. 21. 2 Thes. 2. 1. to 16. c. 3. 6. 7. 1 Tim. 4. 1. to 7. chap. 1. 20. chap 5. 20 21, 22. 2 Tim. 2. 16. 17, 18. 23, 24, 25, 26. c. 4. 1. to 6. Titus. 1. 9. to 15. chapter 3. 9. 10, 11. 2 Pet. 2. 1. 2, 3. c. 3. 17. 18. 1 Ioh. 4. 2. 3. 2 John 10. 11. Jude 3. 4. &c. Revel. 2. 14. 15. 20, 21. compared together. fGal. 2. 4. to 18Paul would not give way to false Apostles NO NOT FOR AN HOURE, that the truth of the Gospell might continue among the Galatians, and resisted Peter to his face, as soone as ever hee walked disorderly, and gave the least countenance to false Teachers, though a chiefe Apostle; and did not demur upon the matter; yea the Churches *Rom. 19. 15 16, 26.of Pergamus, and Thyatyra, are sharply blamed for suffering some among them to hold the doctrine of Balaam, and the Nicolaitans; and to suffer Jesabell the Prophetesse to teach and seduce: And shall we permit them, now, without restraint?
3 Thirdly, Because it is contrary to these received unquestionable Maximes of Divinitie, Policie, and Morality. Principijs obstare: Venienti occurrere morbo, to withstand the very beginnings of Errors, Heresies, Mischiefes; Schismes: to crush these Cockatrices in the shell; rather to keep then cast them out, Turpius ejicitur quàm non admittitur hostis. All wise men hold preventing Physicke best for their bodies, states, and why not for their souls and Churches? since, Sero medicina paratur, cum mala per longas invaluére moras.
4 Fourthly, Because contrary to the hSee Iustinian Cod. l. …. Tit. 8. 1. Eliz. c. 2. 35. Eliz. c. 1. 2.Policy, practise of most Godly Magistrates, Princes, Ministers, Churches in all Ages, Nations, which never indulged such liberty to opinions, new wayes, practises, especially to new Church-governments, Schismes, and Conventicles, (which he here pleads for) set up only by private spirits in opposition to the publick established Church-regelment. Indeed in some matters mearly of opinion which are not dangerous or schismaticall, some latitude may and must be left to men; but matters of Government are such tender things, as differences & varieties therin cannot be tollerated in one and the selfe same Church and State without infinite inconveniencies and disturbances, especially where every Church shall be Independent, subject to no other Canons, rules, but its own peculiar arbitrary Dictates.
2 It may be questioned, whether the Independent way he there so earnestly pleads 2for, be the way of Christ, or not? since he neither discovers to us what it is, nor produceth any one text to prove it Christs own way, nor one example to warrant it in any age: but gives us good grounds to suspect it none of his without much scrutiny.
1 For first, he confesseth, iPage 21.that this way is every where spoken against, even by some that would be thought prime men and pillars in the temple of God; and insinuates; that the Parliament, Assembly and generality of the kSee the London Ministers Petition against it.Ministers and people of 1the Realm, are bent against it; Therefore being a new way, never yet heard off in the world in any age, or Church of Christ, and thus generally opposed by our whole Church and State even in these times of Reformation; we may lSee 1 Cor. 11. 16. c 10. 32. 33.justly suspect it is no way of Christ, till we see its approbation written in a beam of the Sun with the finger of God himself, and till he hath justified and owned it as his, from heaven.
2 He tacitly acknowledgeth, it a mSee p. 30. to 52.Government set up by a few private men, not only 2without but against the authority & commands of the Parliament and supream temporall Magistrates: yea, which not only denyes but oppugnes the temporall Magistrates, Parliaments, Synods directions or coercive power in Ecclesiasticall affairs; directly contrary (n) p. 3, 4. 11. 12.to the Scriptures, as I have largely proved by many Texts, in my (o) Independency examined. Only I shall adde, that not only the Kings and temporall Magistrates of the Israelites; but even heathen pEzra I. 1. to the end. c. 4 17. to 24. c. 6. 2. to 17. c. 7. 12. to 28. Neh 2. 1. to 27. 2 Chron. 36. 22, 23. Isay 44. 28. Dan. 3. 29. c. 6. 25, 26, 27. Ionah 3. 5, 6, 7.Kings and Princes (as Cyrus, Artaxerxes, Darius, Nebuchadnezzar, the King & Nobles of Nineve &c.) enacted good and wholsom Laws, for the worship, honor and service of the true God, and to further his people in the building of his temple; who thereupon were enjoyned to * pray for their prosperity, as the marginall Scriptures evidence. Yea, rActs 24, & 5. & 26, & 27, 28. 2 Tim. 4. 10. 17.Paul himselfe even in matters of Religion pleaded his cause before Festus, Felix, King Agrippa, and at last appealed unto Caesar an heathen Emperor, herein; yea he enjoyns all Christians s1 Tim. 2. 1, 2. 3. Rom. 13. 1. to 7. Tit 3. 1to pray even for heathen Kings. Magistrates, and to submit to all their lawfull commands for conscience sake, to whose judicature and tribunals, tMatt. 10. 17, 18. 21. c. 26, 27. Amos 13. 9. c. 15. Acts 4. 1. to 24. c. 5. 17. to 4. c. 6. 12, 13. c. 9. 1, 2. 3. c. 11. 2, 3, 4. c. 16. 10. to 40. c. 18. 12.Christ himself and his Apostels willingly submitted themselves upon all occasions when brought before them, without demurring to their jurisdictions. (q) Tim. 2. 1, Ier. 29. 7.Therfore Christian Princes & Magistrates who were long since predicted to become nursing Fathers to the Church under the Gospel, have much more power and jurisdiction in Church-government and affairs within their own Dominions.
3 For that it appears to be away that will breed infinite confusions, disorders, by confounding vPage 38. 10 40.the bounds of parishes, renting Congregations, families, and most relations assunder; & giving way to every sect to chuse Ministers, erect Churches of their own without controle, in point of position (though their practise be quite contrary where they have power, they admitting no other kind of government but Independency in New-England, and excommunicating, or banishing those who will not submit unto it:) a government inconsistent with Royalty, and the civill government; and so none of Christs, who never erected any Church-gouernment to clash with or controle the civill.
4 Whereas he pretends, that xPag. 30. 31persons of one family or parish may be members of severall Churches, without any inconvenience, schisme, or distraction; as well as members of severall companies and trades; and therefore Independency is no occasion of divisions.
I answer, 1. That yAmos 3. 3.two cannot walke peaceably and lovingly together unlesse they are agreed, especially in matters of Religion; and those who in point of conscience cannot communicate or agree together in one Church, will never questionlesse accord well together in one family, bed, parish, kingdom, as experience manifests.
2. There is a great difference between severall trades and Halls in one City, parish, kingdome, and severall formes of Church-government, in these particulars which occasion unity in the one, but schismes in the others 1. All trades societies hold one another lawfull, usefull, necessary, agreeable to the lawes of God and the Realme without dispute; & so they breed no contrariety of opinions or disaffection: but each different Church deems the other unlawful, & in no way of Christ, so as they cannot with safe conscience joyn or communicate together: and therupon they sever one from another. 2. Every several trade and society, even in their very trade is subject to the general Government, Laws of the City & Realm wherin they are, to which they appeale and have recourse upon all occasions of difference, none craving an exemption or Independency from the whole Corporation, Parliament or supream Magistrate in matters which concern their government, but deriving their Corporations, Charters, Laws and priviledges from them: which subordination keeps them all in peace and unity. But Independent Churches deny any subordination, subjection to the Ecclesiasticall Lawes and Edicts of Parlements, of temporall Magistrates or Synods, and will be regulated, obliged onelyonly by their own peculiar Edicts: which must needs occasion infinite Schismes, and disorders: therefore the cases are far different from one the other.
Thirdly, Christians, as Christians, are all of one and the self-same society and profession, as those of one Trade or Calling are; therefore they should have all but one common Church and government, as these Trades have: To set then the comparison upright, we must state it thus; If some of one Fraternity in London (suppose the Merchant-taylers, Sadlers, Mercers, or the like) should fall out among themselves, and one would have one forme of government, another another, and thereupon divide themselves into severall conventicles and petty meetings in corners, not at their common hall, and one chuse one Government, Master, or Warden, another another, and so sever the company, and continue independent; this (no doubt) would prove an apparent schisme, and seminary of infinite divisions, to the distraction, destruction of the whole Company and Fraternity. This is the true state of your Independency; yea Mr Goodwins present case in his own Parish, miserably divided, disordered by his Independent way: which hath induced him to refuse to administer the Lords Supper, (yea Baptisme to some children of Parishioners) for a yeares space or more, though they offer to be examined by him; esteeming them none of his Flocke, (preaching but seldome to them, though he receive their tithes:) and instead thereof to gather an Independent congregation to himselfe, out of divers Parishes and his owne, to whom hee prescribes a Covenant ere they be admitted members of it; preaching, praying, administring the Sacrament to them alone in private conventicles, neglecting his Parishioners: which hath engendred such discontents and rents in his Parish, even among the well-affected and truely religious, that he must either desert it or his Independent way. What schismes and discords this New way hath raised in other Parishes, is so well knowne to the World, that I need no other evidence to prove it a schismaticall By-path, and so no way of Christ the *Esa. 9. 6. See my twelve Questions p. 7, 8.Prince of peace, who prescribes nought else but precepts of peace and unity to his Churches, and is most offended with their schismes.
Finallie, I cannot thinke this way a way of Christ, because I finde it a Pioner and underminer of Parliamentary authority, devesting Parliaments of all manner of jurisdiction in matters of Religion and church-government; witnesse the passage of the Two independent Brethren recited in my Independency examined p. 3. (which certainly weares a Maske as yet, since she never appeared bare-faced to the world, not one of her Patrons hitherto presenting us with her in her native colours, or lineaments) whose guilt this Author by his explanation, to make it good, rather aggravates then extenuates. He writes, That * Pag. 48, 49, 50. This he more fully expressed in a Sermon in February last.the Brethren in the mentioned period and expressions, reflected onelyonly upon the generalitie of the Land, who according to the Lawes, yea according to the principles of all reason and equitie have the right of nominating persons unto Parliamentarie trust and power, but HAVE NO AVTHORITY OR POWER FROM CHRIST …O NOMINATE OR APPOINT WHO Note.SHALL BE THE MEN THAT SHALL ORDER THE AFFAIRES OF Gamaliell & your Text never taught you any such Anti-Parliamentary Doctrine.CHRISTS KINGDOME, OR INSTITVTE THE GOVERNMENT OF HIS CHVRCHES: These are that secular root, out of which the Brethren conceive AN IMPOSSIBILITY that a spirituall extraction should be made; that is, THAT A LEGITIMATE ECCLESIASTICK POWER SHOVLD ACCORDING TO THE MIND OF CHRIST, OR ANY PRECEPT OR PRESIDENT OF SCRIPTVRE, BEE BY THEM CONFERRED VPONUPON ANY MAN. And this IMPOSSIBILITY conceived by them they onelie illustrate and declare by that parallel expression in Job, Who can bring a cleane thing out of an uncleane? &c. But to hold, that the persons so elected as hath been said, have a power by vertue of such nomination Note.or election to enact Lawes and Statutes in matters of Religion, and to order under mulcts and penalties how men shall worship and serve God, as it is a meanes to awaken the eye of jealousie upon them, and so is seven times more destructive unto, and undermining not onlie of their power, but of their honour, peace, and safetie also, then any thing that is found in the way so ill intreated; so it is a setling of a power upon the electors of such persons, I meane the promiscuous multitude of the Land, yea of a greater power then ever Iesus Christ himselfe had, at least then ever he exercised; For as dare R…gem, argues a greater power then esse R…gem; as hee that buildeth an house hath more honour then the house, Hebr. 3. 3. so to nominate and appoint who shall have power to umpire in matters of conscience and of God, *The people having power to elect Princes, Magistrates, Ministers, Parliaments, Synods have likewise authority …o nominate such who by the rule of Gods Word may limit these particulars, though not by their owne bare authority, without or against the Word.to determine what shall be preached, and what not; what shall be beleeved, and what not, is a branch of a greater root of power, then the exercise of the power that is committed to others in this behalfe. Now though Iesus Christ had a power, and was authorized by God to be a Law-giver himselfe unto his Churches and Saints in their spirituall Republike, yet it is hard to prove, that he ever he invested any other with such a power: His Apostles themselves were no Lords over the faith of the Saints, nor had they anie power or authoritie to impose any thing upon men, as †Every Magistrate, Parliament, and Synod, have power to declare and en jo…n what is necessary to be beleeved, practised, by or according to Gods Word, not without or contrary to it.necessarie either to be beleeved or practised, but what they had in expresse commission and charge from Jesus Christ himselfe to impose upon such termes, &c.
The summe of this large passage is, that there is not onelie an improbabilitie, but absolute impossibilitie, that the Parliament should have any power at all to enact Lawes and Statutes in matters of Religion, church-government, Gods worship or service, because the people who elect them have no such power, and so an impossibilitie of deriving any such authoritie to them; and to affirme the contrarie, is not onelyonly to awake the eyes of jealousie upon them, but exceedingly destructive to, and undermining of not onelyonly their power, but honour, peace, and safetie also. Whether this be not directly to undermine the authority of Parliaments and temporal Magistrates in all church-affairs and matters of Religion, contrarie to your late Covenant and Protestation, and that in the most; transcendent maner that ever any have hitherto attempted in print, let all wise men judg: I am sory such ill passages should fall from so good a pen.
But to give a short Answer to this extravagant discourse: First, this objection might be made against the generall Assemblies, Parliament: Kings of the Israelites, who aSee my Appendix to the soveraigne power of Parliaments and Kingdomes p. 122. to 131.were chosen by the people, yet they made Lawes and Statutes concerning Religion, and Gods worship, with his approbation, without any such exception, as I have elsewhere proved. Secondly, God himself (as I formerly …uched) used the ministry, assistance of Cyrus, Artaxerxes, Durius, with other heathen Princes and Magistrates, for the building of his Temple, and advancement of his worship, for which they made Decrees, Statutes; notwithstanding this objected reason reflects more upon them and their electors, then on such who are Christians † Twelve considerable Queries p. 4, 5. Independency examined p. 2, 11, 12.by externall profession. Thirdly, most Christian Kings and Magistrates in the World, (even those who claime to be hereditary, as the yet continued formes of their Coronations and instalments manifest) come in by the peoples election, as well as such members of Parliament who are eligible, yet you cannot without disloialty and absurdity, deny them authoritie in matters of Religion and Churchgovernment. Fourthly, your selfe doe not onelyonly grant, but argue, bPage 25, 26.That every private man hath, yea ought to have power to elect and constitute his own Minister: and no doubt you will grant, that private men have power likewise to set up independent Congregations, which have authority to prescribe such Covenants, Lawes and Rules of Government, Discipline, Worship, as themselves think most agreeable to the Word: If then they may derive such an Ecclesiasticall authority to independent Ministers and Churches, why not as well to Parliaments and Synods likewise by the self-same reason? Fi…hly, it is cleare by sundry instances in Scripture, and your owne Text, that God doth oft times make use of unsanctified persons, and the rude multitude, (whom you so much under-value) to advance his glory, propagate his Gospel, promote his Worship, vindicate his Truth, and edifie his Church: He can poure a spirit of prophesie upon cNum. 22. 35 c. 23, & 24. 1 Sam. 10. Act. 5. 34. to 40. Joh. 11. 49, to 53.a Baalam, a Saul, a Gamaliel, a persecuting High-Priest; he can make a dIoh. 6. 70, 71 Mar. 6. 7. to 14.Judas an Apostle, yea send him to preach and build his Church, as well as a Peter: Wee read in the Evangelists, that none were so forward as the vulgar eMatth. 5. 1. c. 13. 1, 2. c. 8. 18. c. 9. 36. c. 14 14; 19: c. 11. 32, 33. c. 21 8, 9, 10. Luk. 6. 17, 19. c. 8. 44, 45. Joh. 6. 2, 5. Mar. 12. 12, 37. Luk. 13 17. c. 18. 43. c. 21. 38. c. 22. 1. Joh. 7 40. 43. &c. c. 8. 2. Act. 2. 47.multitule to beleeve, follow, professe Christ, and embrace the Gospel, though many of them did it out of sinister ends. Therefore they may well have power to chuse such persons who shall and may make Lawes to promote the Gospel, and Government of the Church of Christ. Sixthly, those who have no skill at all in Law, Physick, or Architecture, have yet judgment and reason enough to make choice of the best Lawyers, Physitians, Architects, when they need their help. Those who are unfit, or unable to be members of Parliament themselves, (as most of the electors are) have yet had wisdom enough in all ages, and especially at this present, to elect the most eminent & ablest men for such a service: Those who are unmeet to be Kings, Magistrates, Commanders, or Ministers, have yet skill enough to chuse able persons for such offices, & power to delegate to them such Parliamentary, Royall, Magisteriall, Pastorall authority, as is necessary for their severall offices, which those who elected them never had actually, but onelyonly originally or virtually in them, not to use, but derive them unto others: why then may not our free-holders, who have voices in electing the members of our Parliaments, and the Commonalty of the Land, (whom you scandalously terme, the vilest and most unworthy of men, though there be a degree of vulgar people viler and unworthier then they in all respects, who have no votes in such elections) have sufficient authority in them to elect and nominate such fitte persons, who by virtue of such nomination or election shall have right and power to enact Lawes, Statutes, in matters of Religion, Worship, and Church-government, not dissonant from Gods Word, to which themselves and others by Gods owne ordinance must submit? If the common people, who neither are nor can be Parliaments, *This he confessed, and it appeared by a writing before the Committee of plundered Ministers.Emperors, Kings, Judges, Magistrates, Ministers have yet a lawful power to make others such by their bare election, & to give them such authority and power as themselves never actually were or can be possessors of, then why by the self-same reason may they not likewise delegate a lawfull Ecclesiasticall legislative authority in church-affairs, to their elected Parliamentary and Synodall Members, which was never actually in themselves, as well as Mr *Or as well ashimselfe extracts many spirituall Doctrines out of Gamaliels secular speech in these very sermons.Goodwin delegate the power of determining who should be fit persons to receive the Sacrament, and to become members of his independent Congregation, to eight select substitutes, which was never actually vested in himselfe, nor transferrible thus to others by any Law of God or man? why may not a man bring an ecclesiastical or spiritual extraction out of a secular root, (contrary to your Paradox) as *Therefore your principall Argument; that the seven particular Churches in Asia had no Iurisdiction one over another, (being under different civil Dominions, and not members of the selfe-same Christian Republike,) …rgo the whol Parliament and Church of England have no Iurisdiction over particular parish Churches or Independent Congregations in England; is a meere Independency.well as a R…gall, Magisteriall, Parliamentall, Ministeriall extraction, out of a meere popular or servile root? or the best strong waters out of the vilest Lees; the richest Minerals out of the coursest earth? the most orient Pearles out of the basest Oisters? In one word, the very choice these your vilest and most unworthy of men have made this Parliament, may for ever refute this childish reason, the corner-stone of your Independent fabricke, fastned together with independent crochets, unable to abide the test. Therefore notwithstanding this your reason, our present Parliament may and ought in point of right & duty, to make binding Laws for regulating church-government, restraining heresies, schismes, innovations, erronious doctrines, unlawfull conventicles, and for setling the purity of Gods worship and Religion, notwithstanding this objection; and with as much reason, justice, raise, and establish a new churchgovernment, suitable to Gods Word and the civill State, as reforme or repeale the old, (which grew to burdensome and offensive) till Independents can shew us better grounds against it then any yet produced: and informe us, why our whole representative Church and State should not o…right enjoy and exercise as great o… greater ecclesiasticall jurisdiction, over all particular persons and Churches who are Members of our Church and Realme, as any independent Minister or Congregation challenge or usurp unto themselves, over their owne Members (this being the true state of the question, and not whether one particular Church, or parish, hath superiority or Iurisdiction over another? as some mist… it) without, yea against both Law & Gospel for ought they yet have made appeare? I shall say no more in so clear a case, but refer the Author to the high Court of Parliament, (whose undoubled priviledges he hath presumptuously undermined by the very roots) to crave their Pardon, or undergo their justice for this and other his Anti-parliamentary passages, diametrally contrary to his, o…, their late Nationall Vow and Covenant, which they cannot without highest Perjury permit any wilfully thus to violate in the most publike manner.
FINIS.
End of the text · William Prynne, Reply to Observations and Anti-Queries 2 (1644)