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OBSERVATIONS

AND’ ‘g’

ON ‘MASTER PR1N's TWELVE
GOVERNMENT. "‘ 

VV herein is modefily fimowne, haw
‘uniufcfuli and fnvolous they are; How ’
bitter and unchriftian-in%cenfuring that
way-,whc*re1s’th.eMrcarena Reafons   {
bmugfit to confiradift it.

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 By a wellewiller to the/Truth,
‘ and Maficr PR IN,

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Certain briele Obler-

.— (I)

‘it
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aw

 

vations and flnjtiq uceries on
t i  P R 1,N’s Twelve Ogeflions

  about Church-government},

 -, 1    Here is no light {o1ovely,arirl taking to the eyes
' t of all ingeniuous and fincere hearts, as naklecl
 . J truth ; thefe which l<now“its exeellency will
A ltudy to find it out. Truth is a jewell which
 ‘ lyes out of light, as it were, in the bowels of
J many reafons, men tnult {earth For it, that
A wil find it ont;amongtru:hes,this of Church
Government is not the leaft. There are many things this age
hath brought forth about it to little purpofe ; molt men beating

  

aboutthe bulh ; Few that I have feene have difcoverecl it in its

nature. Some write fo voluminous, heaping up fo marry diltin-r
Etions about it,that they rather darken the truth then fettit forth,
rather intangle a mansiunderftanding then informe it ; others
write fo fu1lofpaffion,asif they writ with «poyfon of Alpes,rece
koning up mens perfonall.fai'lings to difgrace the Caufe, not
urging their arguments to convince the judgement, (among
thefe I have obferved one M.al)€C1‘~Edwdrd.r bath the quickeft pen,

and I have often thought thatbook flaould rather have been writ  

by Doft. Packlimon, Doe}. He lin, or one of the Archbifhops
Chaplaines, then Mafter Edmiraz, who hath been fornetimes ac-
counted godly.) Maftcr Prin ’h::1th begun another way as unfa-
tisfaétory as any; though we hope there is more candorin his
fpirit: He profcffeth in the beginning he hath not leafure to de-e
hate the controverfie ;and then its wond red why he propounds
thefe (Maerie:..1Fo't" either, firlt he layes them downe as "politi-

A ons undifputable, undeniable in ‘refpeét of the clearntife of them

. A 2 unto

(es 3;?

, , /"7 1 "
- ~ .
‘- 2

. 5 .-Pi":
f)  ; x/

- unto all Lind erl.tandings,~or becaufe ofhis nat;i»c,ft_o;thetI1.; for elf: %  
i he knowes (as all know) that have any light, inthis Controver-

..(-52)

lie, that all thelegronnds, thefe whom he calls independents
‘will deny, andgtheir anfwer would be negative to every one.0r
fecondly, he propounds them asgaffirmati-ves which  intends
to prove and cleere by folide aigu-In-ents,~ and then he muli have
leaihre to do it 5 and as yet the others negation is aselirongias his
affirmation, for hereis no ptjoofe for it}. Or elfe thirdly, as con‘-
fiderations in which he defires fatisfaétion as one being in doubt
which way to walke, only thef e things for the prefent move him
to be of a contrary judgement; the llyle of the booke doth not
much favour this laft, as being too full ofconfidence, and bitter-
neffe: If Malter P-rin hadfuch a fenfe of the p‘ublilce‘divilions,

- he would not have gone to make the breach ”'wider,by_; fetting

t  W.
t £xod.z5’.4o.

£16.51‘. 8. 5 .

forth Qtceriexliuft withfueh inveflives. Ihad thought fufFer-
ings had learn’d Malter Prifl a little more meelmeffc; M'.__yPrz'8

fknowes his name is famous abroad, and that the ’<;I‘:ammqtj,_peo- ‘

ple will all thinke that thatmuftneeds be true W ich heplfeads

for. Befides, here knowes thatthe Reverend Affembly is now -

controverting of the thing, and that Ckgcerier will do little good
Whilfi Arguments are expet‘-ted 0I1j_bOtl'l‘-fiClCS : but fince they are
out letus fee what are in them. ‘ .1

The fumme of the firli (Qmrie, is, whetherfihrift hath {et \

down in the Word any ‘prefer: pt form: of government for King-

clome and Churches tofollow ; or Whether (feeing there be dif-e \
ferent formes of civill government in altnofi every Kingdome)

there is not a latitude, and liberty left thein by Chrill; to chufe 2;
government futable to their State. y i _ *
_ 'Il_thi;s were granted, wha tiablurdities would follow .9

For the Gofpell would be ltraiter then the Law, Chrilt more
unfaithfnll then MoJ’E:, God fer a *fyipatte‘rne tor/Pfafiv“, which he
charged him not to vary, as in a title ,that was but a carnal Tema
ple in comparifon of this, nay, it wasa type of the Church under
the Gofpfll, Chrilt fhould neither be faithfnll as a husband ,head,
nor.King of his Church, if he ihould give others power to order
it, tofuit it as they pleated to their owne civillgovernment, not

“ fetting down his own Lawes for them to ‘walk by. .»In~Rewl.t 1”.

1,2. youreade of a~mea{tting eftheoelfemple : Ngw how can

you‘

t s y C 3 ) g A
r you meafurewithout a rule ? The meaning of that, according to
Malifif Prim muff. be thus (me’afured)that is,frame it according

-to your civill State, a miferabie meafure for a Church. In Re-

,‘veldt.20. 1, its {aid the patterne of the new ferufalem, (which is
but the Church in he r~.purePt liate, the fame iforgforme with the

 former Church) came down from heaven.

i to  -Befidesfiook in‘ this (Marie and you lhallfind a contraditftioni, g

for he askes whether Church government may not be framed to

i any civill State if it be confonant to the Word, and yet queliions

‘whetherithere be any rule in the Word.

as g - Secondly,if no prefcript Forme in the Word, why notEpi{co-
i ‘pacy as well as Presbytery ? why fuch Crying downof Bifhops

as Antichriftianfor how can that be more Antichriftian then any
other, feeing there is no certain government in the W otd Pa Epi{-
copacy regulated and moderated (if all were knowne) is more

confonant and agreeable to a Monarchicall‘government then

‘ fiderations_eo_F‘merrfor to governs: them. i

Presbytery. e . t .

Thirdly, I aske of Mafier Prin; if Church government tnuflz
be fuited to States, whether Politicians ‘are not more fit to con-
fult about fttablifhing it : Andwhy is an Aliembly of Divines
called to fearch the Word about it P Surely Statefmcn know bet-

-ter how to fit the Common-wealth then Divines: there innit be ‘

rfomething in it, furelygor elfe the Ifarliament did very ill to have
1—a Synod. if the Doétrine Tbe'true;7thro'w ‘afide the Bible,‘ in this
i matter Rudy the Law ; and then it is well done of Mafier Trix
tofwrite of it, being his profeflion. i

i Fourthly,iWhetner Maiter Prin thinks it more reafon that the A r b

State fhould be fub 1' eat to Chrifts rule, or Chrifl: to their diret‘ti-
rongthat the government of his Church flaould be fitted to States,
or they to it. I know his religion, though his reafon fhould (‘land
a farreygofl-', would abhor the thought of it : if you, and the Pref?-
abyterians go on that principle; the Saints will hardly be of your
judgementytor they think:Chri(} is King {alone over his Chur-
ches, and hath not "left them to fubflitutes, and the politick con-

I»hc{c;twg5 pla”c’je's'youur’ge5out of I ‘Cor; 14. 4o. 1t‘nd‘the I I.
34. where the Aipoftle’ fpeekeslof doing all thing: decently, &c.
is far from this, it being about things that are meerly circu‘mflan-

’ A 3 g tiall,

(4)

"fiall, and ordering of things in a Church already conflzituted, not

A of the conftitution ofany Church.

The fecond Qamric, in fumme, is, Whetherif any govern.

ment be ftablifhed by any'State upon fetious debate, every one '

is not bound in conlcience to fubmit to it,and no Wayes to ieeke
an exemption from it, under pame of bcin g guilty of atrogancy,

’ «See. The Scriptures in the margent I wonder to what end Mallet

‘Prin quotes them fo little to purpofe, looke on that place 1 (‘on
14.3 2. Tbefjvirit of the Prophet: nrefuéjefl‘ to tie: Prapbm; how
full to the thing let all judge Who know the {cope of that place 5.
bythe Prophets there doth he mean the civill State,or the Synod,
or both? And is not that fpoken to a particular congregationfor

the regulating the exercifegofprophelying; or cloth he meane by r i
being fubjeét, that the Prophets have an authoritative power 0- a

vet the other Prophets ;I know not what he means by that place.
The other places, Rom. I 3. 1,2 . oiifubmitting to every ordinance,
&c. If that be true, then every man is bound to put out his owne
eyes, to yeeld to blind obedience, never to {catch into the truth,
for if he {earch and find it eontrzryto the Word, hemullc follow
his judgement, ;tnd‘to follow his judgement is to be a Schifma-
tick, robe guiltyof arrogancy, &c. to contradict the Word, to
oppofe angord,in'ance of God ,- fo that a man mutt inevitably fin,
take either part. Is not this to uphold the Papift tenent of belec—
ving as the Church beleeveth?&c. I put it to Mallet Trix, if the
Parliament and Synod {hould let up an Epifcopall govtrnment,
which he thinkes is Azitichriliian, whether he would not {peak 2
word againfl; it? 15110: this a bait bondage, jmjczre 57; 723764; al-
r.erim,to give up a mans faithgand confcience to mens direfiion;
but if the former be true",the.n.this {econd innit followgif no rule,
then you mull obey what is commanded , you. Suppofe that is
commanded rn_ay prove unrrue, what ifthat way be not right, if
that Synod and State ilxould erre, what would youythinke of it

i ‘A then? 8:6-

Sccondly, I humbly devmanpl Mial't€r‘P”ri;¢ Vvhether. and
the other two holy men were not jufily {i§_i£;;-t};1!a;t;i|.fed1and._ _cen{ured
fa; fpealging againfi the._B.ifljops and Cerernoepies ?.&c.:;w,hich

A w;ere‘{‘tabli{hed by {e many Synodys; iandihéis of Parliament,»

and how 11 can cxcufe hirnfelfe from pride"and 'arrogan‘cy in
A " t y ‘ fuck

( 5)
fueh a courfe;f‘or by his owne rule he lhould have afiuallyiobeyed
and not {puke a word to the contrary. Such divinity will over-
throw all the power of Scripture over mcns confciences, only
make that to bind which a Synod thinks good. , ‘

The third (gm? contradicts the Grit, in the firlt hee askes I.n\tl’Iis .Q_1m-4
whether there be any rule in the Word ,- here he askes whether W’ h‘_?¢ qsgores
that government which hath fufficie-nr,ir' not molt warrant in the §f“?’_“‘€ F“ 3

. . p _ oohe called
new Tefiament 18 not to be chofen. In this he cryes up the one The “M0, Te_
government ( which he inltanceth in the‘ fourth "(Merit to be 7mzt,whichw:.s
presbyteriall) as tending to eltablilh Chriltian unity; peace,&c. written by one

that which ferves molt efl-'et°tually to pre.vent I-Ierefiesfichifmes, SW1 *0
I 11 » C ll‘

1 are. Here is a bare affirmation, and the independents, ‘No, is as dcpcndmsjas

good as your, 1. Its defired Malter Prinwould prove what her: he is to thc
fayes,that independent government hath not fuch exprefle war— Pi-csbytcrians

rant from the Word (another contradiétion) as presbyteriall; and thy’ Ur‘
terly difavow

I prove that,and you {hall be Magnm A}:o/Io; as for the Scripturesthc Books.

you bring will little help you. . i H - i a y .  

For the fifth, its anfwered by way ofeonceflion, that itwill
overthrow all nationall Churches, as not conceiving any {uch
warrant in the Word, but for any forme of civill government it
will ltand better with them then Presbytery can 3 the mifchiefes '9
of Presbytery, are veiled withaOrthodoxnefl‘e, and preventing 
Schifmes, 84¢, But if the Saints wouldpry into the formality,
tyranny, inflaving mens fudgements and confciences the Pref-
byteriallway,’ &c. they would looke upon it as that which is
mol‘tinconfiltent* Withthcir fpirituall liberty, and with State ‘
priviledges. Its politickly done of youto put the be-ft termes on;
your owne way how will you have it take elfe; I will lctpafle

your-bitter expreflions (that one man would be, if pofli-ble, ~

a independent Ghurch , tandgrepublicke fubjefl: to no lawes)-I
I thought fuch language would not fuit with you lpirrit’, Mailer
7’rin,efpccially that you would not {peake-. to of ‘them who
were your bell: frinds in your fufferings; éwhich ltood to you,
and refrelhed you when molt of your: presbirerians (Epiifcopall
enough then) were fhye of you,I could name the mentithatrufed
you kindly whom you now implicitly reproach; the indepen-
dents giue more to civcll power then your prefbyterians doc; I .
"would faint: know whether your presby terians doe not hoklldg,
I e t I at

( 6) ~ .t   l i
that an A6! of a Synod or aNationall Affemhly is as valid and
binding in Eccleliallicks, as an Aft of Parliament in civills;'anal

whether the Parliament can dc we contradict their proceedings, .

whether they will affirme that the Parliament hath any jurifdi-
ftion overthem In fettling Ecclefialticallmatters; this is not a

QI_4_ce7'ie without ground; for as far as the independents under- a
{land of the presbyteriallgovernment in Scotland, its abfolutely .l
independent from the Parliament in refpeét of decreeing and in. '

aft-ing mattersofgovcrnment;only this honor presbyterians give

to their Magiftratc, they mull: be the executioners oftheir~1ndge-at .

ments, to hang whom they condemnc. t

_ _ ‘I he fumme of the fixth CQ¢erie,is, whether lincethe firli: prea-
ching the Gofpell, beleevers multiplying they did not gather in-
to Churches which had depend encie on, and was fubordinate to i
Nationallsynods, &c._ And ifnotto lhowthe place where, and 

‘ _ toename any eminent Author that ever maintained the contrary.

This (Marie is very bold and'daring,.ye.t I. anfwezr.that*be1eevers' f y

. did as foone as they were convertcclgatherintoparticnlzr Chur-

ches,' as..is apparent, butthat rheywere fubordinate unto Natio- ' 

nallS_ynods, &c.Tf;a;b judice 1%: eff; And itv'1nma‘n_vKingdomes‘
it I1’li'gl1t be lo, de faflo, yet W hethcr dejara, and h'om.a.p'a‘tt'e1-net».

in the Word that.w.e ldefiremay be proved.-:  ' ' 

Supfpofe this Should be t_rue,’that there cannot in any Kingdom it a
fuch a Church be fhowne forrmany yeares ; otrat'leé.Po no ricer  *
exprefleth it ;,iFfo be*'it'canrbe made forth 'frdm- the‘? VV‘0!'d§§ find?
confonant tothe Saints prarftife in the Apofizles tim‘es:l I knnwv .

no .1-‘uch Schifme in’ diilentingfrom all m-ens‘ praétifes to‘? fnlldw

the cleare truth. You challenge. all to {How ysou one‘ eminent " _
Writer who-fimainta-ined the fame ;' I. will notglo folfarhackiinto-"l '
anciqnitygas to bririg you-. out a‘catalt-agile; ofiFathers;w'ho5t'lrong;ah 
they hadnot acleare light in that way, yet had many fhrowd “ ‘
hints anclnotions in many things, which aregpra&i{eden' ébye thefe» "
you-.calg_l..indeptndenttt-?.:There boemany latter ritersias—e‘t11tin{e1a‘t.» .'
in holineiffijtand Wéitfidurdifparagement fin learning.~:aro".m‘alny
whomiytoti can producefor ‘the: other :';( as *le’arneel;'Do‘ét.: ‘jinzéh-‘ ‘ 
in A/Iedui.’fb:olog.'He'eccl4i 'Maf’terI Ainfwcbr’-tb;flvl_af*lEer' C07tt'0'fi,-" ’ i
withmany; ofthisage knownc unto you, to whom you Willinot *  

deny.» crninency in learning) which have flood for this "way 1,» be-
.: 7 t ' Hilts,

<7)    

fides, doth Mafter Prin think ‘we have no more light difeovered '

in thefe dayes about Church-government, then the godly had in
former dayes ; or mull; all the Saints be regulated byform-er pat-
ternes, then lhould Epifcopacie be more followed then Presby-

i i tery, itbeing as a-nciently pra&ifed,& as leamedly writ for as it.

Your feventh Qgwric is the fame in Forms with the firltan-d

lixth, and as little in it as in any ; for firft he ashes whether the  

Law of‘ Nature that teacheth men to fubtét themfelves to one
publike fame of government in a State,doth not teach to fubjeét

s .to a National or Provincial Synod in matters ofChur_ch-govern-

tnent. This is anfwered in thesfirlhbefide the independents think
that its as futable to the law oFnature,re€tified rea{on,&c.lor eve-
ry particular man to have his.vote in that which moli: concemes

T e him; not togive away his reafonto another, not to fubjetft his

gonfcience to any but Christ}; reafon, and politicks will fhovv,

Malter Prin, that there is a futableneile to the Lawof Nature in  

a Demos-rdticdll, and Arimmztimll government (for this way

of Chttrclpgovernmcnt is made up of boththefe) as in Monar-y

. chica1l~, or mecre z1rzfl._o'cmticatfl; befides, Chrilt hath given to i V L

men no {uch power over mens confciences, as he hath to Magi-
itratesj over fnensbodieys. To let paffe your bitter fpeechesfaying
that there is no example for particular Congregations, (which
you call Independents) except derived from the conventicles of

. the -Arrians, Donatilts, and other Hereti'ckes; Leave of? thcfe

names of Heretickes, Malter ‘J’ri[n,‘. iyouhave. been paid enough
with that title, you may blcfie God forithefe conventicles, in
which you vtr.ere.ren1embted with teates, when others d urlt not
name your - f i _; . i ‘ — e
-e Mafi‘er;Prim:eaghthe~and ninthQg4eriar;aree infu-mme.al1 one,

i thus,e.whe.the.rstheconeceflioniofoneQatliolikeChurch, the Na-

tionqll-affcmbly of ~ the Ifratlites, the S-ynodallgifletn bly Ofti‘l€.A-
poliles be not an infallible proofei of N axiom-I C hueréhesgof as com-
men‘ 1 P'1:csbyt¢rys.~ ézc. _ Itsanfwered negatively. Andt'ho.ug»h he
fay that the Independents anfwers. aié_bll't‘-€fVafiO1}S‘;:;NVB€. lhall
fudge thefiiirféhidez argunfttéilts till we fee the ‘contrary; -.The Na-
tixinrail s€Eb't1r£fi?0l?‘ifheJ£_wes .oa’nnot..be ‘a ptttterne for us noW,:be—
claullemhe girzttiénatlflof ,t.i.1t..§3fifp,élL is.-no_t mfidevvith any one pair-
tziciftlzt»Natibfi;**zas',=With;.tl3e Que Wes; ;bt‘1,t to all perlon-s that em-

  B brace

12-}

..46Z.1§.I.

V67]: 24.

(8)

brace the Golpell, and beleevein Chriitt You have iiio ipromifer
n-or prophetic oF‘an5LP<1ation to bee holy to God but the 

Nation, when they {hall be called againe.»

Secondly, Neithercan Mailer Prin {how any Nation, every.

member Whereofis qualified for to make up a Church ; which is

. the body o‘t"Chi-ifigunleiie Mallet Prim will take in alldrunkards,

whorc:'—maf“ters,&c. to be members of a Church; whereas the
Word fayes, they mufl: be vifible Saints; and thiscannot be a--
voided in a Nationall Church. Neitheris that Afietnbly in A&s
‘I 3 . which you call a Synod, any proofe for a ~Presbyteriall ego-
vernment. For firll, I demand whether that ‘Church had not
po wet within it felfe to debate the bufincffe, and fettle the con-
troverfie, feeing there was a great Ptrifej among them about it.
Secondly, I demand of Malter ‘Prin, whether Paul and Bar-
mzéaa had not power (being Apollles) to determine thegjmatter,
as well as the Synod of Elders? i ' l

Thirdly, Whether they went not up principally to prove‘ the

falfe Apollles, that werr among them, lyers, for they told them
they were fent by the Apofiles to make known that they multbe

Citcumeifed. Now to give tefiimony unto this, that they came  
not from the Apoftles, they {end chofen men to Jerufalem a-

boutit?
Pourthly, Whether thiswas not an occafionall meeting, not a

Synod,which is a colleétion ofthc Elders of divers Churchesin- ' u

to a body, but onelyfome of the Church chofen out and {em to
the other Church at Jerufalem for advife. a e
Mafier ‘Prin may think as {lightly of the arguments given by
the Independents, (as he calls them ) from this head, yet not.
withitanding his word, hee mull give them leaveto judge they
are fufficient, unlefli: the authority of Malicer Prin’: name be ear:

gument ; the Scriptures quoted ferve tofill up the margent, no-

thing elfe, unleffe you open them, and argue from themgfor thefe
texts areiufed by the contrary fide againl} you, and as validly Hill
as yours, before more be fhowne. y s — e e

The ninth (Qmrie,Whether the Independents challenging the
Presbyterians to {how a National Churchiin Chrilts time,be not
an irrationall andun 1'-uft demand, Anf. no, if the Scripture hatfl
A fame of government for the Churches of Chtifl in aftger ages

a - a   to

ex’

_ ._:_—:.'4  ‘WA

(9)

‘ tocwalke in; but toyou it may feeme irrationall, who thinke

Church-government mull be ordered according to ci.vill State, v
and be cult into that mould. ‘ /
K Mallet Prin from his (Marie: fals tohis Logick, and demands
whether a Syllogifme framed from the formerpiz N o Nationall
Church in the Apoftles time. Ergo, None ought to be now,bc
not as abfurd as thefe. e C C
There Was no meeting of Chriftians in publike Churches, but
in caves, corners, &c. Therefore they ought not to meet in pub-
like Churches now, but in caves, &c. y »
I thought that Mafter Trix’: Logick would have diftinguil'h-
ed between the Forme of a thing, and the circumltance of place
in the exercife of it, which is leftto every Churches difcretion,
would this be a good argument in his Logiclt P that becaufe the

‘ordering of’ circumftances of time and place are in the Churches
e power; therefore

‘king of new formes of government, is:
when the congregation men argue no the not being ofa national
conftitution ofa Church in the Apollles dayes, to the denying of
any now; they argue’ on this ground, being able ‘to make it ap.
peare, that the forme of theconltitution-of Churches, inthe A»
poftlestime, is a patterne for all Churches to follow, and in no
kind to vary from it. e r

_ Againe, he demands whether that way of arguing be‘ not as
abfurd as this ? -’ ’ C ~ A

There was no Nation, Kingdome, City, f Republikey C'atho- F

like, Congregationall, or Parochiall Church in Adam’; younger
dayes,bcfore people were multiplied,but a family government.

C E rgal, There ought to be none but a Family government; now,
00 than would be fo void of reafon; no truly Sir, neither did the
Independents think you would be fo voidof reafon, as Stoyfather
{uch anabfurdity on them, who are asrationall as your ielfe;

‘ As for Civill government, let men alter it as they will, and if
God will alter the government of the Church, as he did from a
Family into a Nation among the jewes, and if againefrorn a t

Nation God will alter it unto a oeconimicall or congregationall, - A

We mull yeeld. C } g V
Thirdly, Againe, whether it be not as abfurd as this :

Every man in his infancy is born dellitute of'rcligi6,reafon,&c. -

B C 2 -e g Therefore

\

i better confequences next.

*3»...

t ( I o )
Therefore he ought to continue fo when growne at man.

The Chriflzaiani Church in the Apoilles time,while in her infan-
cie was not Nationa'1,but foand to,(wha_t I pray) (not Indepen-
dent) How know you that, Mafier Prin} we will not take your
word.) E rgo, It ought not to be Nationall now. Here obferve
Reader. ; C s , e —

Mailer Priaz accounts the Church in the Apofiles time, a poor
weak Church, that had not fo much reafon for things then,as we
have now 5 the A poftles, the ftablilliers of it,weake men;,where-
as there was more light of the Gofpell, and gifts of the Holy

Ghofi” powred out then, then ever fince; even private Chriftiansa
being as able to deale in the things of God, as molt of our Schol- t
lers and Miniflers are now ; yet Mailer»-Prin compares the fol- e

lowing that patterne, the following of a child in his infancy,that

hath neither reafon nor religion. Mailer Prin, follow you your, 

perfect Church, wee will follow this infant patterne, and] be-

{eech you, is notthis argument you bring to fallen an abfurdity, e

on them, as abfurd as this.  a

The Scriptures were writ in the infancy of the Church, there-
fore wifer andabetter Scriptures may be writ» now, the Church
beingigrowne up into ablation, havingefo many reverent. Divines

4 in it.

V Secondly, You would needs make a Nationall Church State
more perfet°c, underftanding, and ripe Church thena Congrega-
tionall ;~ we would thinke fo too, if we had a. Word for it.

, Aindwhereas you fay the Hillary of the A&S-ll'1OIf€S’tl'lat as
beleeversmultiplied their Church goverment and difcipline eva-
ri'ed,‘its anfwered if you meant: by varying, thatthings before
eflitablifhed by the Apollles in any Church was altered ,its denied,

  and-prays (how the placedfyouimeane by varied that they added.
rules for govermenr astoccafion ferved we grant it, for asthey;

received not the knowledge of the Gofpell atonce to neither of
difcipliflfh neither had the Churches need, of all the rules at once,

but as Godifitted occafions Io he made knowne rules, yet fo as at;

length to difcover the whole forme of his Houfe, ashe did the

‘whole myflzery of divinity, to be as rule to all generations after-

wards:you fee what your logicke is ‘ come to Mailer Prirz, draw

Your

(Ir)   '..

Your tenth (Maria is the fame infummewith your efecond ,only

there you lpcake in generall, here you perticularife, and you aske «

of the independents whetherin céfcience theya-re not bound to”

{ubmit unto presbyteriall goverment in cafe that the Parliament  

and Synod {hould eftablilh itgand whztherit would not be a

  high degree of obftinancy fingularity,{elfe end ,&c.to oppofe this

forme ofgoverment. . e .

I An{. If you require this of them, 8: charge them fo highly in
not {ubmiting,I hope you will {how your aurhoritieg‘ either you
would have them lubmit becaufcwhat tl1ey- cbmand is of divine
infiitution, or becaufe commanded» by their’ authority, if in the-
former fence, they mufi haue eyes to fee it as Welles the Synod,
or elfe their obedience will be hypocriticall molt difpleafing to
y-Godgif in the latter, then the Popes counce1,decreeing!a,ny thing

a mull out ofas much confciencebe obeyed by thefe that be under
s his authority,asthe bell things commnded by a Godly Synod,for

aiqmztenm ad om»: valet conféquentiagifbecaufe they command,

then what ever they command mule be done ;I put the cafe to i

M. Prin, whether when hechallenged, all the Divides in ‘Eng-'
land’ to make good againlt them that Epifcopaey was notiure dc
-vino, whether if the Kinghad called a Synodand had concluded
it as the molt Divines thought;he would have given up his judg-
ments to their votes and fubmitcd to their determination, it had
beene hight of arroganc.y,.felFe ends, fchifmein Mafier Prinnot
to do fo_,_& fo in point oflaw when ‘mofiof the Judges had given

in their 1' ud gemcnts contrary to M. ‘Pri;:,,why did not hce fub- L
mit, becaufe the contrary was cleere to him, andhe had finned a -

gainft his own confcicnce if he had gone back one for from his 0-
pinion; what if independency fhould be {er up,what if the Synod
llaould maintaine the errours of Antinomians, &c. was Mallet

° Prin bound in confcience to fay as they did, to {peaked a gainll it
vvould be fhifme, f.".&lOI], arrogancy, &c, Malier Prih how is '
your fpirit changed what wil you now {ubmitto any thing, are .

you become a time {erver ? have you given up your faith to other

men? when Synods can fay as they, Aéts 15. it feemcthgood to  

the Holy Gholl and us to. lay thefc things on you, then wee will
thinke we are bound in confcience to fubmit,e1fc you mullhelpe
us with new eyes. is g

y B 3 ‘ In

  . a   (iz ) a
’  ‘In youreleventh Qgarg} you go on in your way of bittewrneiflie
tan‘d;as_ke~whether that independencie be not awombeto all
_ fchifmes, herefies, Eec. its-Anfwered no, its afetninary ofholy-=

ncffe a nouriflier ofilove, a way to build up unto the fulnefl-e of‘ r

Cl-1rii"t,your presbyterial way is a way inflauing mens céfciences;

ctuihingthe parts fiofthefe Saints which you call Lay-men, is ad I a

‘way to deprefle truth to hinder growth in grace and Spiritual!
communion with (iZ.hri-l.i,the Saints fhall foone find it fo. ' '

In the lall %_¢€7’1i€f M. ‘Prin falls a eering of his brethren. He
would needs father a child onthem, of the presbyterians beget-

ting 3 they have put a nickname on them to make them odious,and a

now he asketh whether it be not an infolenti proud name, 8zc.»

unfit for any Chriftian to arrogat, your presbytereans have pretty _
- flights to defame thcfe that are of a contrary opinion;as ifone p

{hould call an honelt man theefe,a‘nd aske a man whetherjt were

not a {hamefull thing for him to‘ be given to flealing. Know

‘F L _ W Matter Prim thefe men {com the natne-,they have difavowt d it in
5”°°§‘-5"‘”P‘  print;the tcrme isgmore fit for you 8: thefe whom you Ptand for,
2 aI’;“t:.’_‘ a tertne lit for your provinciall,and nationa1lSynods From whom
mi;~e’d_  thereis no appeale, but to whole . 1' udgements all mull fubmit as
l to an ordinance of Chrilt, 8; though but to quellion what is done

by. them is to be guilty of faction, fchifme, arrogancy; thefe you .

call independants, confeffe that they are accountable for their
a&ions_ to every neighbour Church that {hall in the name of
Chrilt. require it,rhey Rand not independent from others but hold
communion with all other Churches,both in theordin:«nces,andi
asking counfall and advife mutually; to let your other loofe lan-
guage pafie much with what is in the former 3 take fome Chrilti-
an advife; remember you have not your hand in darkening the
glory of any of the Saints ; take heed ofdefarninga way w‘‘‘ for
ought you know» may be a Way of Chri{t;it will cot‘: you many a
figh afterward if God ihould convince you, you know Chrilt
will never owne bitternciie in maintaining any way though
confonantto his Word. Remember, neither you nor the Synod
are infa1liable,but as fubjeét to errors as others;never more dam-

‘7””‘”-T"‘i"’- nable Herefies confirmed then by Synod-s (I {peak not this to call:
‘ any blot on Synods or this Synod efpcially in which there are ’

‘many’ holy and learned men)but to {how that a man is not bound
n in

 

>

03)

6 in confcience to follow their decrees upél penalty of fin, arrogan-
l cy, &c. and not to feekethe leafl: exemption from what they de-

termin Whofc decrees may be fub 1' e8: to as great errors as any.0_h
that a fpirit of love vyere mamtained among thefe which are bre-
thren,though men differ in udgment mull: they needs difi'cr”ifl 35-

feétion I M. Prin if you will needs be bufie in this controuerfie u

leave off your %lf£7'£€I for We will deny them all ; Rate your qua-4
(hon ; fet forth your arguments, open the Scriptures you quote to
fill up the margent, be as breefe as may be; call inyour paflion

d and confider and doubt not f 1' 11 lb llm. -
rdefily Yet forth.» 0 an an Wet tow at you a aw’

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