A vindication of the Animadversions on Fiat lux

If I mistake not in my guess, you greatly pleased your self with your Scheme, wherein you pretend to make forsooth an ocular Demonstration of what you undertook to prove; whereas indeed it is as trivial a fancy as a man can ordinarily meet withal For 1. Neither the Law, nor Prelates, nor Presbyterians ascribe any place at all unto the Kings Majesty in the Series of Spiritual Order; he is neither Bishop, nor Minister, nor Deacon, or any way authorized by Christ to convey or communicate power merely spiritual unto any others. No such thing is claimed by our Kings, or declared in Law, or asserted by Protestants of any sort. But in the series of exterior ⟨p. 411⟩Government, both Prelate Protestants and Presbyterians assign a Supremacy over all Persons in his Dominions, and that in all Causes that are inquirable and determinable by, or in any Court exercising Jurisdiction and Authority, unto his Majesty. All sorts assign unto him the Supreme place under Christ in external Government and Jurisdiction. None assign him any place in Spiritual Order and merely Spiritual Power. Secondly, If you place Bishops on the Series of exterior Government as appointed by the King and confirmed by the Law of the Land, there is yet no difference with respect unto them. 3. The Question then is solely about the Series of Spiritual order, and thereabout it is confessed there are various apprehensions of Protestants, which is all you prove, and so do, magno conatu nugas agere: who knows it not? I wish there were any need to prove it: But Sir, this difference about the Superiority of Bishops to Presbyters, or their equality, or Identity, was agitated in the Church many and many a hundred year before you or I were born, and will be so probably when we are both dead and forgotten. So that what it makes in this dispute, is very hard for a sober man to conjecture. 4. Who they are that pretend to exalt Christ, by a mere asserting Ministers, not to be by his institution subject to Bishops, which you call a cheat, I know not, nor shall be their advocate; they exalt Christ who love him and keep his Commandments, and no other.

If I mistake not in my guess, you greatly pleased your self with your Scheme, wherein you pretend to make forsooth an ocular Demonstration of what you undertook to prove; whereas indeed it is as trivial a fancy as a man can ordinarily meet withal For 1. Neither the Law, nor Prelates, nor Presbyterians ascribe any place at all unto the Kings Majesty in the Series of Spiritual Order; he is neither Bishop, nor Minister, nor Deacon, or any way authorized by Christ to convey or communicate power meerly spiritual unto any others. No such thing is claimed by our Kings, or declared in Law, or asserted by Protestants of any sort. But in the series of exteriour