Reply to Observations and Anti-Queries, Part
Certaine briefe Animadverſions on Mr John Goodwins Theomachia, in Iuſtification 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 …citly reflect upon the preſent Religious Parliament and Aſſembly, raiſing needleſſe feates 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. 4…. 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 liſt 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,Gamaliell Himſelfe no Apoſtle, nor Chriſtian, from whoſe words you yet take your text as Goſpell, was not altogether of this opinion. and foundations as cleare 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 counterſeits and pretenders only, and ſtand in no relation at all, but that of emnitie and oppoſition unto God; and that 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 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 *See 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 18. 2 Ioh 10. 11. Devill cited and wreſted Scripture to tempr 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 crafiines, 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 till 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 Arrianiſme, Pelagianiſme, Socinianiſm, Anahaptiſme, 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?
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. compated together. fGal. 2. 4. to 1…Paul 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, at 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 Porgamus, and Thyatyra, are ſharply blamed for ſuffering ſome among them to hold the doctrine of Balaans, and the Nicolaitans; and to ſuffer Jeſabell the Propheteſſe to teach and ſeduce: And ſhall we permit them, now, without reſtraint?
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.
Fourthly, Becauſe contrary to the hSee Iuſtinian Cod. l. 1. 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 for, 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 comeneth,iPage 21. 1 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 the 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. 21. 26. … 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 amSee p. 30. to 52. Government ſet up by a few private men, not only without 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 to the Scriptures, as I have largely proved by many Texts, in my op. 3, 4. 11. 12.Independency examined. Only I ſhall adde, that not only the Kings and temporall Magiſtrates of the Iſraelites; but even heathenpEzra 1. 1. to the end. c. 4. 17. to 24. …. 6. 2. to 17. c. 7. 12. to 28. Neh 2. 1. to …7. 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, Nebuchadnezzars 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, &c. …. & 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 Chriſtiansſ… Tim. 2. 1, 2. 3. Rom. 13. 1. to 7. Tit. 3. 1 to 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. Chriſt himſelf and his Apoſtles willingly ſubmitted themſelves upon all occaſions when brought before them,q Tim. 2. 1, Jer. 19. 7. without demurring to their juriſdictions. Therefore 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. to 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:)Amos 13. 9. a. 15. Acts 4. 1. to 24. c. 5. 17. to 4. c. 6. 12, 13. c. 9. 1, 2. 3. c. 11. 2, …, 4. c. 16. 10. to 40. c. 18. 12. 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 Ind-pendency is no occaſion of diviſions.
I anſwer 1, ThatyAmos 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 thereupon they fever 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 keep: 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 war 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 Parrons hitherto preſenting us with her in her native colours,Pag. 48, 49, 50. This he …ore …fly expreſſed in a Sermon in Febuary laſt. or lineaments) whoſe guilt this Author by his explanation, to make it good, rather aggravates then extenuates. He writes, That 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,Note. but HAVE NO AVTHORITY OR POWER FROM CHRIST TO NOMINATE OR APPOINT WHO SHALL BE THE MEN THAT SHALL ORDER THE AFFAIRES OF CHRISTS KINGDOME,Gamaliell & your Text never taught you any ſuch Anti Parliamentary Doctrine. 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. Note.But to hold, that the perſons ſo elected as hath been ſaid, have a power by vertue of ſuch nomination 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 Regem, argues a greater power then eſſe Regem; 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 to 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 enjoin 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, Parliaments, 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 touched) uſed the miniſtry, aſſiſtance of Cyrus, Artaxerxes, Darius, 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,† Twelve conſiderable Queries p. 4, 5. Independency examined p. 2, 11, 12. then on ſuch who are Chriſtians 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? Fifthly, 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 uponcNum. 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 adIoh. 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. 8. 17, 19. c. 8. 44, 45. Joh. 6. 2, 5. Mar. 12. 12, 37. Luk. 13 17. c. 18. 43. c. 2…. 38. c, 22. 1. Joh. 7 40 43. &c. c. 8. 2. Act. 2. 47.multitude 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 to 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, 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*This he confeſſed, and appeared by a writing before the Committee of plundered Miniſters. 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*Or as well as himſelfe extracts many ſpirituall Doctrines out of Gamaliels ſecular ſpeech in theſe very ſermons. well as a Regall, Magiſteriall, Parliamentall, Mniſteriall 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 burden ſome 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 of right enjoy and exerciſe as great or 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 *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,) Ergo the whol Parliament and Church of England have no Iuriſdiction over particular pariſh Churches or Independent Congregations in England; is a meere Independency.one particular Church, or pariſh, hath ſuperiority or Iurisdiction over another? as ſome miſtake 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 undoubted priviledges he hath preſumptuouſly undermined by the very roots) to crave their Pardon, or undergo their juſtice for this and other his Anti-parliamentany paſſages, diametrally contrary to his, our, 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 (1644)