Of schism the true nature of it discovered and considered, with reference to the…Of schisme the true nature of it discovered and considered, with reference to the…

I desire then,¹ that some man more skilled in Laws and Common usages then my self, would inform me, on what account such a convention could come to be a Church Representative, or the persons of it to be representatives of any Churches; General grounds of Reason and Equity I am persuaded, cannot be pleaded for it. The Lords in Parliament in this Nation, who being summoned by Regal Authority, sate there in their own personal right, were never esteemed to represent the body of the people; supposing indeed all Church power ••n any particular Church, of whatever extract, or composition, to be solely vested in one single person; a collection of those persons ⟨p. 133⟩(if instituted) would bring together the Authority of the whole. But yet this would not make that Assembly to be a Church Representative, if you will allow the name of the Church to any, but that single person: But for men, who have but a partial power & Authority in the Church, and perhaps, separated from it, none at all, without any delegation from the Churches to convene, and in their own Authority to take upon them to represent those Churches, is absolute presumption.

I desire then,¹ that some man more skilled in Laws and Common usages then my selfe, would informe me, on what account such a convention could come to be a Church Representative, or the persons of it to be representatives of any Churches; Generall grounds of Reason and Equity I am perswaded, cannot be pleaded for it. The Lords in Parliament in this Nation, who being summoned by Regall Authority, sate there in their own personall right, were never esteemed to represent the body of the people; supposing indeed all Church power ••n any particular Church, of whatever extract, or composition, to be solely vested in one single person; a collection of those persons ⟨p. 133⟩(if instituted) would bring together the Authority of the whole. But yet this would not make that Assembly to be a Church Representative, if you will allow the name of the Church to any, but that single person: But for men, who have but a partiall power & Authority in the Church, and perhaps, separated from it, none at all, without any delegation from the Churches to convene, and in their own Authority to take upon them to represent those Churches, is absolute presumption.