The establish'd church, or, A subversion of all the Romanist's pleas for the Pope's supremacy in England together with a vindication of the present government of the Church of England, as allow'd by the laws of the land, against all fanatical exceptions, particularly of Mr. Hickeringill, in his scandalous pamphlet, stiled Naked truth, the 2d. part : in two books / by Fran. Fullwood ...

SECT. I.

Answ. But first, if this Statute were not repealed (as indeed it is) there are several things in the body of it very considerable against Mr. Hickeringill, and to our advan∣tage.

1. The Statute observes in the very foun∣dation of it, that it's justly acknowledged by the Clergy of the Realm, that all Courts Ecclesiastical within the Realms of England and Ireland, be kept by no other Power or Authority, but by the Authority of the King; which, it seems, was then known without the Testimonies thereof, then to be required; and indeed is so still by the Oaths which all Ecclesiastical persons chearfully take before their Instalment.

2. That there was such a thing in practice before the making this Act, as Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction in the Church of England: for the Statute saith, that Archbishops, &c. do use to make and send out their Summons, &c. in their own names at that time, who yet acknowledged all their Authority from the Crown, Sect. 3.

3. The Statute allows the Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction it self; and that the Archbi∣shops and Bishops shall make, admit, &c. their Chancellors, and other Officers and Substitutes, which supposeth the Constitu∣tion of the Spiritual Courts, under their own names, and with their own Seals, Sect. 6.

4. This Statute also allows, that some things are limited by the Laws and Customs of this Realm, and if such things are depen∣ding in the Kings Courts of Record at Com∣mon Law, are to be remitted to the Spiritual Courts to try the same, Sect. 7.

5. But what is the penalty if they do not use the Kings Name and Stile, and put the Kings Arms into their Seals of Office? This is considerable. 'Tis well the Statute provi∣ded* 1.1 a better hand to punish the delinquents than Mr. Hickeringill, and a milder punish∣ment than he interprets the Law to do: the punishment is the Kings displeasure, and imprisonment during his pleasure; not the voiding the Jurisdiction, as Mr. Hicke∣ringill would have it: And while the King knows the Statute is repealed, as shall next appear, we fear not but his Majesty is plea∣sed with, and will defend our Jurisdicti∣ons, while we humbly acknowledge their dependency on the Crown, and exercise the same, according to his Laws, though we presume not to use his Name, and Stile, and Arms, without the warrant of Law.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Sect. 4.