Municipum ecclesiasticum, or, The rights, liberties, and authorities of the Christian Church asserted against all oppressive doctrines, and constitutions, occasioned by Dr. Wake's book, concerning the authority of Christian princes over ecclesiastical synods, &c.

TO THE Reverend Dr. Wake, Chaplain in Ordinary To His Majesty.

THE Irreligious World is not so dull, as to need information what ways are most effectual to the suppression of Christianity. A popular contempt of the Mysteries, and a radical aversion to the Authority of the Church does the business smoothly, and without hazard. By Ambition and Ava∣rice, by Fanaticism and Sedition, the latter is wholly extinct; and on the sense hereof Infidelity and Heresie have made their insolent advances against the for∣mer. In condolence whereat, the Letter to a Convocation-Man seems to have been offered to the World for the use and free∣dom

of the Convocations, against the pre∣sent Impieties in Religion, and rigorous Opinions in matter of Law. 'Twas na∣tural hereupon to expect the insurrection of the Insidels and Hereticks against the Proposals and Power of a Convocation, to prevent their Censure, as well as an asser∣tion of the Laws and Judgments herein from the hands of Lawyers. But who would have dreamed that any Clergy-Man of Dignity and Value in the Church should lift up his heel against her? The wounds of Adversaries, how sharp soever, are never mortal to the Church, The judge∣ment of Lawyers is ambulatory, according to the prevalency of Times and Powers, they being only Interpreters of what the Kingdom admits or constitutes for Right and Law. And therefore when the Prin∣ces and the Nation submitted to the Pope, the Courts acknowledged and acted upon his Right or Claim of Supremacy; and when the Nation could shake it o••, and the King grasp it, then past the Judgments and Rules of Court according∣ly. Nor can they be blamed herein, for so their Office determines them. But when the great Laminaries of the Church shall sign the Theta upon her Rights, Liber∣ties, and Authorities, Divine, and Hu∣mane,

and this voluntarily, and without any Bribe offered, or Menace denounced, the Concession is taken for sincere, and for that cause just; so that the Church of England suffers more by your Book here∣in, than by all other Lay or Law Opposi∣tions whatsoever. And tis not impro∣bable, but that it may animate the Secu∣lar Powers, not only to lay greater re∣strictions on the Church, but even to a∣bolish all the remainder of her legal Rights and Powers, and put us out of all our Interest in the great Charter of the Land. For the Lay Powers, how strongly soever they desire to settle them∣selves over all interests, yet generally have such a modesty towards what is Di∣vine or Sacred, as to attempt nothing no∣••oriously violent without the concession of the Church, or her most Eminent Do∣ctors. So K. H. VIII of Famous Me∣mory, notwithstanding all his Claims at common Law, and his interest in his Parliament, thro' Power, and the Re∣wards by Abbey and Church-Lands, could not have made himself so absolute in Ec∣clesiasticals, had he not procured before the submission of the Clergy; nor could he have compassed that, but thro' the terror of a Premunire, under which they

had fallen, and upon which he was re∣solved to follow his blow, and so to bend or break them. And yet this Act of a Popish, Ʋnreformed, and well nigh Out∣lawed Convocation extorted for fear of ruine, and thro' ignorance, and non-sus∣picion of the Acts consequent upon it, prejudges more against our Liberties than all Secular constitutions could pessibly have done without it. And must we now consecrate all those procedures, the results of which we seel in the total ruine of Ecclesiastical Discipline, and Christian Piety, by our voluntary Pleas and Ac∣clamations; and to gratisie the Civil Powers to an Arbitrary utmost, violate the most important Truths of Principles and Histories, treat the Synods of the Church with spite and contumely, and re∣commend the greatest slavery of her to the appetite of Civil Powers? How much more Honourable had it been, under a Prince, whose peculiar Province has ever been at the perpetual hazard of his Life to relieve the Oppressed, to have presented him with such Draughts and Schemes of the Divine Rights, Liber∣ties, Authorities, and Discipline of the Church, as might inflame him to a re∣solution for her rescue; and to add this

last Divine 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 at the top of all his Glories, as an Eucharistical Duty and Oblation so God, for all his wonder∣ful Providences in his Preservation and Atchievements.

For which cause you have made it absolutely necessary that your Book should be discussed, and its dangerous Errors laid open, to the end that the Publick may be under no temptation from such a work, (inscribed to the Metropolitan) to proceed to further Resolves against the Powers Hierarchical, but may take occasion to review those Laws, thro' which the Church is fallen under her present Impo∣tency; except you, and wiser Heads can shew, which way a Spiritual Discipline may be otherwise restored to a freedom of doing her Duty toward God, in the cleansing the Church, and the renovation of Mens Hearts unto Piety and Devo∣tion.

I have therefore designed an Exami∣nation thereof in three Parts. The first concerning the Divine Powers of the Churches of Christ. The second concern∣ing Matters of Fact in Ecclesiastical Hi∣story. The third concerning the Exi∣gences for a present Convocation.

In the mean time I wish you no more hurt, than a perpetual increase of Merit, Honour, and Promotion here; and that which is the only valuable Prospect, a Blessed Inheritance in the Life to come.