A breif [sic] enquiry into the ground, authority, and rights, of ecclesiastical synods; upon the principles of Scripture and right reason occasion'd by a late book, intitul'd, Municipium ecclesiasticum: &c.

TO THE READER.

THE Reverend Dr. Wake, in his Book Intitul'd, The Au∣thority of Christian Princes over their Ecclesiastical Synods asserted, &c. has chiefly argued from matters of Fact, in those Instances of Power and Jurisdiction, which have, all along, been claimed and exercised by Christian Emperours and Kings (except only where the unjust En∣croachments of the Papacy, had pre∣vailed against the Lawful Right of

the Civil Magistrate) and which, by the Laws of England, are actually annexed to the Imperial Crown of the Realm. Now if the Historical account, which he has given of this matter, be defective; let it be shewn either that his Quotations are false, or else insufficient. But if nei∣ther of these can be done, I won∣der how any one, who has subscrib'd to the Second Canon of our Church, can deny The King's Majesty to have the same Authority, in Causes Ecclesi∣astical, as the Doctor has proved the Christian Emperours to have had, in the Primitive Church: But much more do I admire, that such a man should venture to impeach in any part the Regal Supremacy, in the said Causes Restored to the Crown; and by the Laws of the Realm therein established.

But supposing a man to pay no deference to the Authority of our Church, nor yet to the Opinions of our most learned Divines; many of which the Doctor has Collected in his Appeal to all true members of the Church of England, in the behalf of the Kings Ecclesiastical Suprema∣cy; there is one plausible Objection that may be made against his Book; and is earnestly urged by the Name∣less Author of the Municipium Ec∣clesiasticum, Chap. x. viz. That to ar∣gue a right in any one, from bare Matter of Fact alone, is by no means a sufficient or conclusive way of Reasoning: And therefore to take off this prejudice, I think it would be a very necessary and useful work, to give a clear and satisfactory ac∣count, of the Ground, Authority and

Rights of Ecclesiastical Synods, from the Law of God, and Reason of things; Whereby it might plainly be made appear, whether or no that Power which other Christian Prin∣ces have exercised, and our Kings do claim and practise over them; be built upon a good Foundation; or else be only an Encroachment and Usurpation upon the Church.

What the Municipium Ecclesiasti∣cum advances, upon this subject, to me seems very obscure and confu∣sed: And whether the fault be in the Book, or in my Understanding, I know not; but I must own that I am not able to frame sufficiently clear and distinct notions of the Au∣thors Opinions, or the force of his Arguments, in reference to this mat∣ter, which he professedly proposes to

handle. And altho' Dr. Wake has here and there some very useful hints upon this subject; yet as they are not all laid together in one part of his Book, so neither perhaps would they amount to, nor were they in∣tended for, a just discourse upon this Argument: Which therefore I could heartily wish that he would set him∣self to write; as being well assured, by what I have read of his other works, that he is abundantly able to give satisfaction to all reasonable men, in whatsoever he shall think fit to undertake.

To provoke, therefore, either him, or some other Learned man, to set upon this work; I have drawn up the following short Essay; in which I have very freely and plainly set down my own thoughts; And

wherever I may happen to be in the wrong; I shall own my self much obliged unto any Charitable hand that shall endeavour again to set me right.