Truth Triumphing Over Falsehood, Title page – Dedication
TRVTH TRIVMPHING OVER FALSHOOD, ANTIQVITY Over NOVELTY.
OR, The Firſt Part of A juſt and ſeaſonable Vindication of the undoubted Eccleſiaſticall Iuriſdiction, Right, Legiſlative, Coercive Power of Chriſtian Emperors, Kings, Magiſtrates, Parliaments, in all matters of Religion, Church-Government, Diſcipline, Ceremonies, Manners: Summoning of, Preſiding, Moderating in Councells, Synods; and ratifying their Canons, Determinations, Decrees: As likewiſe of Lay-mens right both to ſit and vote in Councells; (here proved to be anciently, and in truth none other but Parliaments, eſpecially in England) both by Scripture Texts, Preſidents of all ſorts, and the conſtant uninterrupted Practices, Examples, of the moſt eminent Emperors, Princes, Councells, Parliaments, Churches, and Chriſtian States, (eſpecially of our owne) in all ages ſince their embracing the Goſpell.
In Refutation of Mr. Iohn Goodwins Innocencies Triumph: My deare brother Burtons Vindication of Churches, commonly called Independent: And of all Anti-Monarchicall, Anti-Parliamentall, Anti-Synodicall, and Anarchicall Paradoxes of Papiſts, Prelates, Anabaptiſts, Arminians, Socinians, Browniſts, or Independents: Whoſe old and new Objections to the contrary, are here fully anſwered.
By William Prynne, of Lincolnes Inne, Eſquire.
Jer. 6. 16.
Thus ſaith the Lord, Stand yee in the wayes and ſee, and aske for the OLD PATHES, where is the GOOD WAY, and walk therein, and yee ſhall find reſt for your ſoules: But they ſaid, Wee will not walke therein.
Luk. 5. 39.
No man alſo having drunk OLD WINE, ſtraightway deſireth NEW: for he ſaith, THE OLD IS BETTER.
Tertul. de Praeſcrip. adver. Haereſ.
Ex ipſo ordine manifeſtatur, id eſſe Dominicum & Verum, quod ſit priùs traditum; id autem Extraneum & Falſum, quod ſit poſterius immiſſum.
Decem. 3. 1644. It is Ordered by the Committee of the Houſe of Commons, concerning Printing, that this Book, entituled, [Truth Triumphing over Falſhood, Antiquity over Novelty.] be printed by Mich. Sparke, Senior.
John White.
London, Printed by John Dawſon, and are to be ſold by Michael Sparke, Senior, 1645.
TO THE HIGH COVRT OF PARLIAMENT.
Right Honourable,
HAving had the Honour, through Gods aſſiſtance, to be a meane, though cordiall Inſtrument, of Vindicating The Soveraigne Power of Parliaments and Kingdomes, in all Civill or Military affaires which concerne the State, in Foure ſeverall Volumes, againſt all Oppoſites whatſoeever; which they have (for the moſt part) ſatisfied, or put to ſilence: I expected a Quietus eſt from all other Controverſies, concerning the Iuriſdiction of Parliaments, eſpecially in Eccleſiaſticall matters; which moſt imagined had been put to eternall ſilence when our Lordly Prelates loſt their Votes and Seſsion in Parliament, by a publike Law: But (alas) I know not by what evill Genius, and Pythagorean Metempſychoſis, the Anti-Parliamentary Soules, formerly dwelling in our defunct Prelates earthly Tabernacles, are tranſmigrated into, and revived in a New-Generation of men (ſtarted up of late among us) commonly known by the Name of INDEPENDENTS; who, though for the moſt part really cordiall in their Affections, Actions to the Parliament and Church of England, (for which, and for their piety they are to bee highly honoured▪) yet ſome of them are of late become extremely derogatory, and deſtructive unto both, in their Anarchicall and Anti-Parliamentary Poſitions: For which, and for their late gathering of Independent Churches, contrary to Your Parliamentary Injunctions, they are to be juſtly blamed, as great diſturbers of our publike Peace and Vnity.
It is the obſervation of learnedaSelect. Diſputat. de Quaeſt. in quibus ſit Poteſtas Eccleſiaſtica. Theſ. 1. 4, & 5. Voetius andbDe Epiſcopatu Conſtantini Magni. p. 3. 4, 5, 6. Vedelius, That the Arminians in the Netherlands, for the advancing of their owne Faction, and more facill accompliſhment of their private ill Deſignes, did before the Synod of Dort, and in the beginning thereof, exceedingly cry up the Power of the Civill Magiſtrate, and States of Holland, in Eccleſiaſticall matters, both by Writing and Preaching; aſcribing to them the higheſt Juriſdiction and Power of giving ultimate Judgement in all Controverſies of Faith, and Eccleſiaſticall matters ariſing in the Church, as a Prerogative belonging immediately under Chriſt to them alone: And thereupon they appealed to the States, from the Eccleſiaſticall Claſſes, as the proper Iudges of the Controverſies they had raiſed in the Belgick Churches. But at laſt, after the Synod of Dort had determined againſt their Arminian Errors, and thecSee Acta Synodi Dod…. p. 3…5, 326, 327 States eſtabliſhed their Determinations, prohibiting the Preaching or Printing of any Arminian Tenets, with the private Independent Congregations and Conventicles of the Arminian Party, they preſently altered both their opinions and practice; crying downe the Authority of the States and Civill Magiſtrate, as faſt as they had cryed it up, both in theirdApologiae. c. 25. See Epiſcopius Diſput. 32. Theſ. 4. Mr. Rutherfords, Due Right of Presbyteries. p. 343, 344, 345 357, 358, 359. Apologies and Sermons; contracting, yea denying them that very power which before they had ſo liberally meaſured …ut unto them; affirming, that the States had no power at all over their private Congregations: that it was not any right or part of their Office to obliege men, by their authorities, to the Decrees of Synods, however agreeable to the word of God; and that they ought not to uſe any coactive Power or Authority in ſuch caſes, to obliege them to conformity.
This Practice of the Arminians was, by eAnti-apol…gia. p. 157, 158.Mr Thomas Edwards, by way of prediction, applied to the Independents, in theſe very tearmes: And it may be feared, however theſe Apologiſts NOW to ingratiate themſelves, and being let alone in their Church-way, ſay, they give more to the Magiſtrates than the Presbyteriall, and that they profeſſe to ſubmit, and to be moſt willing to have recourſe to the Magiſtrates Iudgement, and Cognizance, and Examination of Eccleſiaſticall Cauſes; yet when they ſhall come once to be croſſed, and the Parliament, by the advice of the Aſſembly, to ſettle the Government of the Church, and by their Authority to bind them to things agreeable to the word, wee ſhall ſee then what they will ſay of the Magiſtrates Power. There are too many ſpeeches already, ſince the Aſſembly, (out of their feare how they may goe) which have fallen from many Independents, THAT PROGNOSTICATE, THEY WILL DOE BY THE PARLIAMENT, AS THE REMONSTRANTS DID AFTER THE SYNOD OF DORT BY THE STATES. Which Prognoſtication hath fallen out accordingly. For ſince that time our Independents having felt the Pulſes of the Aſſembly and Parliament bearing, but very gently, by way of debate, againſt their Anarchicall and Anomolous New-Way, (derived from their good friends, the fSee Lac… Oſiander his … Controverſiarum cum Anabaptiſtis.German Anabaptiſts and gSee Mr Rob…ſons ApologySeparatiſts, and ſupported only with their Arguments, as I am fully able to demonſtrate;) they have not only in Preſſe and Pulpit cryed up their Way, as the OnelyOnly Way, Kingdome, and Scepter of Chriſt; and denyed all oppoſition in word, deed, or thought againſt it; as a direct hSee Mr. Iohn Goodwins Theomachia, and Innocencies Triumph.FIGHTING AGAINST GOD; and promoted it publikely and privately with all their Induſtry, Policy, Power; ſetting up New Independent Congregations in every corner; but even with open mouth, pen, hand, (contrary to their former Solemne Vowes, Covenants, Proteſtations, which I feare they have over-much forgotten) cryed downe, and fought againſt the very Eccleſiaſticall Power, and Legiſlative Authority of the High Court of Parliament it ſelf, and Supreme Temporall Magiſtrates: proclaiming not onelyonly in their iMr. Iohn Goodwins Sermon, Febr. 25. 1643.Pulpits, but likewiſe in ſundry late kReply to A. S. Mr. Iohn Goodwins Theomachia: and Inocencies Triumph. An Anſwer to Mr. William Prins Twelve Queſtions. My Brother Burtons Vindication. p. 5. 6. &c.Pamphlets, wherewith they have filled the World, That every particular Congregation of viſible Saints, and Independent Church, is under the Government of Chriſt alone, as the ONELYONLY Head, King, Governour, Law-giver of it; and ſubject TO NO OTHER IVRISDICTION, then that of Chriſt, his word and Spirit. That NO POWER ON EARTH, NOR EARTHLY LAW-GIVERS MAY, CAN, OR OVGHT TO GIVE LAWES, FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF THIS REPVBLIKE, nor claime, nor exerciſe an Headſhip, or undertake the Government of this Body. That neither KINGS, NOR PARLIAMENTS, NOR SYNODS, have any Authority to preſcribe Lawes or Rules for the Churches Government, to order the affaires of Chriſts Kingdome, or inſtitute the Government of his Churches; or to make coactive Lawes, in any Eccleſiasticall matters, to bind the conſcience of any Church or Chriſtian to outward conformity, or inflict any mulcts or penalties for contempt or diſobedience; Chriſt onelyonly being the Lord of mens conſciences, which ought to be left at liberty. That the Members of the Parliament are choſen but by a ſecular Root, by the Generality and Riffe Raffe of the world, Papiſts, Atheiſts, Drunkards, Swearers, Men voyd of the knowledge, feare, and grace of Chriſt: And therefore the Independent Brethren conceive as great AN IMPOSSIBILITY, that a Legitimate Eccleſiaſtick Power ſhould, according to the mind of Christ, bee by them conferred upon any men, or that they ſhould have any Power or Authority from Chriſt to nominate or appoint who ſhall bee the men, 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 (in Jobs expreſsion) to bring a cleane thing out of an uncleane. That the Parliaments claiming or exerciſing any ſuch Eccleſiaſticall Power, or others attributing of it to them, is a meanes to awaken the eye of Jealouſie upon them, and ſeven times more deſtructive and under-mining of not onelyonly their Power, but Honour, Peace, nd Safety alſo, than any thing that is found in the Independent Way, ſo ill entreated. That it is a claiming of the ſacred and incommunicable Royalties of Heaven; an accounting it no Robbery to make themſelves equall with God; and ſuch an high provocation in the eyes of the Moſt High, as IF CONTINVED IN (by the Parliament) will kindle a fire in the breſt of him whoſe name is Jealous, which will conſume and devoure. Yea, one of them puts this Queſtion, kAn Anſwer to Mr. Prynnes 12, Queres. p. 24. & 2.If the whole Kingdome may deny obedience unto Popiſh Acts and Canons, or upon any other like juſt occaſion, and they themſelves bee Judges whether the occaſion bee juſt or no; Whether MAY NOT INDEPENDENTS, a part of the Kingdome onelyonly, doe the like in all reſpects? Or, Whether ought they, becauſe a Leſſer part of the Kingdome, yeeld obedience to Popiſh Acts and Canons, becauſe a Major part approve of, and agree with a Parliament and Synod in approving them? What if they ſhould be for Popery again, Judaiſme, or Turciſme? tis no offence to make a Quere, nor impoſsible to come to paſſe; the greateſt part of thoſe that choſe our Parliament men being thought to be Popiſhly or Malignantly affected, &c. Putting divers ſuch like Queries, deſtructive to the very fundamentall Power and Being of Parliaments; and as bad or worſe than the Popiſh Gun-powder Plot, to blow up the Soveraign Eccleſiaſtick, and Civill Authority of this High Court, in all ſucceeding Ages.
Theſe, with infinite other Anti-Parliamentall, Anti-Synodicall, and Anti-Monarchicall Paradoxes (at which I profeſſe I ſtand amazed) have not onelyonly dropped from the Lips, but Pens of ſundry Independents, who have avowed them publikely in Print, with their Names affixed to their Bookes, even before the face of Your Right Honourable Parliamentary Aſſembly and Supreme Tribunall, in ſuch open affront and high contempt of Your undoubted Rights, Power, Priviledges, (which Your Honours and wee all are obliged, by Late Solemne Oathes, Covenants, Proteſtations, to defend, maintaine, with our very Lives and Eſtates; and to diſcover, oppoſe all others who ſhall invade them, to our uttermoſt power) as I am confident no Age, nor Hiſtory can ever parallel, in the leaſt meaſure; the very Malignant Prelates, and Anti-Parliamentary Cavaliers, having not proceeded, in this kind, ſo farre as they: which I ſpeake with deepeſt griefe of heart and ſpirit, out of Conſcience of that common Vow and Covenant, (which bindes mee to diſcover, oppugne, reveale, abhorre it) and deteſtation of their moſt pernicious Aſſertions, not out of the leaſt malice or hatred to any of their Perſons.
What the Independents end of publiſhing theſe deſperate Anti-Parliamentary Paradoxes ſhould be, unleſſe to prepare their party and all others, as much as in them lies, utterly to reject whatever publike forme of Church-Government, Diſcipline, Reformation, and Directory of Worſhip, Your Honours by the advice of the Reverend Aſſembly ſhall eſtabliſh in our Church for the future, after all your ſerious conſultations, debates, paines, Prayers and Faſtings about it; and to ſet up their owne Anomolous Platforme, (which*Reply to A. S. p. 111. Mr. Burtons Vindication. p. 54. 71. they averre is Chriſts Kingdome and Government; and which may, upon probable and higher grounds than of reaſon, bee thought in time to overthrow, and put downe all other Governments whatſoever, and to ſtand up alone in their ſtead; ſince Chriſts Kingdome ſhall ſtand up, when all oppoſite earthly Kingdomes, like earthen veſſells, ſhall with an Iron Rod bee daſhed in peeces: Which they cloſe up with a Faxit Deus & feſtinet,) in deſpight of Your Authority, and all humane Power whatſoever, I cannot conjecture. And their owne late printed Paſſages, with*Feb. 15 1643. Mr. Iohn Goodwins Sermon, (that it would be more eaſie for him, and hee ſhould rather yeeld to bee torne in pieces by wild horſes, than ſubmit to ſuch a Government which proceeded from a Parliament, choſen by the Riffe-raffe of the world, &c.) intimate and expreſſe as much. Which, what an high contempt it is againſt Your undoubted Power, and pious Eccleſiaſticall proceedings, in Reforming, ſetling the Doctrine, Diſcipline, and Government of our Church, (the grand deſire and prayer of all wel-affected ſpirits) I moſt humbly ſubmit to Your ſaddeſt thoughts and deepeſt wiſedomes, who have both Power and Authority in Your hands to ſuppreſſe, incomparable Prudence and Providence to prevent, theſe growing, dangerous Inſolencies, before they become Maſterleſſe, or Epidemicall, paſt Your cure.
Farre be it from my thoughts, to exaſperate Your Power or Iuſtice againſt any Delinquents of this kind; ſome whereof are ſo neare and deare unto mee, that it is my heavieſt affliction to mention their extravagancies in this kind; of which I truſt they (and all their followers) will be now aſhamed; and a Brotherly Admonition to their Perſons (though their Writings undergoe the ſharper Cenſure) will I hope induce them, upon ſecond thoughts, both to diſcerne, lament, recant their fore-mentioned Paradoxes, and abhorre themſelves for them even in duſt and aſhes, (as one of themaMr. Goodwin in his Innocencies Triumph. p. 5. profeſſeth hee will doe, in caſe hee be convinced:) And then if they will not bee reclaimed, Fiat Iuſtitia; better ſome ſhould ſuffer, than all periſh. My onelyonly deſire is, that Your Honours would have a ſpeciall jealous care of preſerving your owne undoubted Parliamentary Rights and Priviledges againſt theſe unparalleld publike Violations, Impeachments of them, and of the tranquility, ſafety of our Church and State, endangered by them. Toward the juſt defence whereof, I have (with as much expedition as my many other diſtracting publike and private Imployments would permit) contributed theſe my indigeſted Nocturnall Lucubrations, (borrowed from the houres allotted to my neceſſary naturall reſt) in Vindication of the ancient and undoubted Eccleſiaſticall Power and Iuriſdiction of Parliaments, Chriſtian Princes, and Magiſtrates; (which I have made good by ſundry Divine, Hiſtoricall Preſidents, and Authorities, in all Ages) and anſwered all the chiefe Pretences, Objections of Papiſts, Prelates, Independents, Anabaptiſts, Separatiſts, and all others who oppugne them; in ſuch a manner as I hope will ſilence them for the preſent, and reforme them for the future.
It was my primitive intention and deſire to have publiſhed this Treatiſe complete at firſt; but it ſwelling to a greater bulk than I expected, and my engagements in other publike ſervices for the Common-weale retarding my ſpeedy progreſſe herein, I have thereupon divided it into two Parts: the Firſt whereof I here humbly tender to your Honourable Patronage, till God and oportunity enable mee to complete the Second; of which there is leſſe Neceſſity, ſince learned Mr. Samuel Rutherford, in his Due right of Presbyteries, and Mr. Thomas Edwards, in his Anti-Apologia, (neither of them hitherto Anſwered by the Independents, and in truth unanſwerable) with Gulielmus Apollonius and the Wallacrian Miniſters, Conſideratio Quarundam Controverſiarum, &c. quae in Angliae Regno hodie agitantur, newly publiſhed, will ſupply the preſent defect thereof; and this Firſt Part ſupply ſome particulars concerning the Eccleſiaſticall Power of Parliaments, Chriſtian Princes, Magiſtrates, Councells, which are wanting in them, and in laborious Sir Edward Cookes Fourth Inſtitutes; who hath recorded little or nothing concerning the Juriſdiction or Power of Parliaments in Eccleſiaſticall affaires, and matters of Religion.
Thus humbly ſubmitting theſe my diſtracted ſubitane Collections, and Lucubrations, to Your Honourable favourable Acceptation; and imploring the God of Verity, of Unity ſpeedily to diſſipate all our Errors, and comprimiſe all our unhappy Diviſions (which threaten ruine to us, if continued) by Your moſt Religious Care, Wiſedome, and indefatigable Endeavours, that ſo*Rom. 15. 5. 6. wee may bee all like minded one towards another, and may with ONE MIND, and ONE MOVTH, (in one Way, one Congregation) glorifie God, even the Father of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt: I ſhall with my ferventeſt Oriſons daily recommend Your Honourable Aſſembly, with all Your pious Endeavours for the Reforming, Setling of our Church, State, to his Divine Benediction; and ever reſt,
Your Honours moſt humble, devoted Servant, William Prynne.