A Mild and Just Defense of Certain Arguments, Tract · Part 3 · Argument 9 – Argument 10
THE 9 ARGVMENT.
God hath promiſed to recompence the leaſt kindnes ſhewed to his ſervants, eſpecially to the Miniſters of the Goſpell. And the ſame God is not unrighteous to forget etc: but faithfull, and hath alwayes performed his promiſe, as appeareth by divers examples. Heb. 6:10 and 10.23:Ergo: In this regard the High Court of Parliament ought the more to help and releeue the Miniſters pleaded for, and the people depending upon them.
Marginall notes.
G. Powela Miniſters are to be rewarded as they be ſuch, and in their office: but not as they be Schiſmatikes, and diſturbers of the peace of the Church.
Thereis a ſecret contradiction in the firſt parte of this anſwer.Reply. For as a Mayor ovt of his office is no Mayor, ſo a Miniſter out of his miniſtery is no Miniſter. See the anſwerer at large. Secondly, Miniſters violently thruſt out without juſt cauſe, are not to be blamed. Touching diſturbance, we ſay that not we, but the Prelats that plead for humane and Romiſh Ceremonyes (much hurtfull and nothing profitable,) are they that trouble the Church. For the Church would otherwiſe be quyet inough.
G. Powelb Arcadian wiſdome. The place Math. 11.11. is to be underſtood not in regard of the office, but in reſpect of the cleare knowledg they ſhould hauehave of Chriſt, after his reſurrection.
The firſt part of this note beyng but a ſcorne I leaue to ſcorners. The other divinity of this note, is very deepe and profound.Reply. How ſhall I ſound the bottome of it? Doth Chriſt ſpeake of Iohn, in reſpect of his knowledge, or of his office? Did the people goe out into the wildernes unto Iohn, in reſpect of his knowledge, or in reſpect of his office, to be baptiſed of him? Math. 3.6.7Doth Chriſt alſo aske whether the knowledge,Math 21.25 or the baptiſme, (that is the miniſtery) of Iohn were frō heaven or of men? Heerby it is manifeſt that Chriſt compareth Iohn with the Prophets in reſpect of office, not in reſpect of knowledge. Therefore alſo in the ſame reſpect he compareth the leaſt in the kingdom of heaven with him, and preferreth the leaſt Miniſter of the goſpell for his miniſteryes ſake as much before Iohn, as he had before preferred Iohn before the Prophets.
Laſtly, the miniſtery of the goſpell is greater then the knowledge of the goſpell, becauſe it is both the end for which God giveth more knowledge to ſome then to other, and alſo the cauſe that worketh knowledge in other. If therfore the leaſt in the kingdome of heaven, be greater thē Iohn Baptiſt in reſpect of knowledg, which is the leaſt, then much more is the leaſt miniſter of the goſpell greater then Iohn Baptiſt, in reſpect of his miniſtery which is the greater. The note with (c) is not worth a Cee (as they ſpeake at Oxford) of ſingle beere.
Further anſwer to the 9. Argument.
G. PowelHe doth any kindnes to a Miniſter, as he is a miniſter, ſhall hauehave reward. But if a Miniſter doe otherwiſe then he ought (as theſe refractaries doe) what kindnes then ought ſuch to hauehave?
What a multitude of conformable Miniſters are quite overthrowne by this Argument?Reply. For doe not many of them otherwiſe then they ought? Yea, doe not more of them otherwiſe, then all thes now in queſtion? Is not this ſo to ſtand in a gap, as that the gap is troden downe, and a dore opened, for all men to deny all duety to all Miniſters? For who doth not otherwiſe, thē he ought to doe?
G. PowelLet the refractary Miniſters duetifully ſerue God and his Church, in their diligent and humble obeydience, in the worke of their vocation. Then let them ſupplicat for kindnes etc.
What is that dilligent and humble obedience etc?Reply. To put on a Surplice, to make a vaniſhing Croſſ, to read ſervice, to acknowledge the Prelats to hauehave power to make ordinances againſt Gods word etc. How ſhall they ſupplicat? With an 100. or 200. in a bagge. Then perhaps if they ariſe betymes, and ryde a paſe, they ſhall hauehave a payre of benefices; an Archdeconry etc: yea liberty alſo to goe whither they will, & never to come at any of their benefices, but only in gathering time or if they lie at one of their benefices they ſhall hauehave leaue I to ſuſpēd themſelues from preaching as long as the liſt: yea to do what elſe they will without controllment, ſo it be not againſt conformity. Notwithſtanding the Canon for halfe yeares reſidence at either of their livinges, they hauehave many quirkes to avoyd the danger therof.
THE 10. ARGVMENT.
The Lord hath forbidden all wrong to any of his ſervants, eſpecially to Miniſters. He threateneth alſo to revenge the leaſt iniury done unto them: pſal. 105.15 exod. 17.14 15. 1. Sam. 15.3 Iudg. 5.23.and performeth that which he hath threatned. Neither doth he account them onelyonly guiltie of the former fault, that doe his people any hurt, but thoſe alſo that doe not, help in their need. Ergo The high Court of Parliament, ought to take the preſent opportunitie for releeving the Miniſters moleſted.
The marginall notes of this Argument conteyne nothing but a vayne repetition of matters before noted and anſwered; they conteyne nothing, but that we are Schiſmatiks, falſe prophets etc: cruell, in forſaking our charges for litle or nothing etc. I doe therfore diſmiſſe them, with admiration, as of the notaryes barrenes and folly, ſo alſo of the virtue of Croſſ and Surplice. As the Epheſians cryed out of their Diana,Acts 19.28: Great is Diana of the Epheſians; ſo ſay I, great are Croſſ and Surplice of the Conformitans. The uſe of them, maketh men Gods, Prophets, true prophets, peaceable men, faithfull Miniſters: but the refuſall of them makes men ſchiſmaticall, cruell, ſuperſtitious, falſe prophets etc. Who would not be in louelove with them, wherein there is ſuch excellent virtue? How many may more truely ſacrifice to them;Habba. 1:16 then ſome ſometymes are ſayd to hauehave ſacrificed to their nets?
Further anſwer to the 10. Argument.
G. PowelIt is an ungratfull, yea an ungracious parte of theſe ſupplicants, to taxe the Honorable aſſembly, or any Magiſtrate in this land ſo undutifully and unchriſtiantly, for unjuſt, cruell and mercileſſe dealyng.
Who doth ſo taxe them?Reply Doth every one that admoniſh other of that which God forbiddeth or threatneth, taxe them whom he doth ſo admoniſh of thoſe faultes that are forbidden? Your ſelfe hauehave taxed them indeede before, of matters nothing beſeemyng you: yea, and the Prelats doe dayly taxe (if not alſo threathen to excommunicate them) for dealyng ſo much for us: for oppoſing themſelues ſo much to the Prelacy: for doeyng ſo much as they hauehave doone againſt non reſidency, the diſorders of the high Commisſion, the abuſe of citations, the horrible abuſe of the great cenſure of the Church, Excommunication etc: yea for dealing at all in the matters of religion: yea, hauehave they not more ſtoutly then wiſely ſent out their Inhibition againſt them in that behalfe? Thus they may doe what they liſt,Pſal: 12 as though their tongues were their owne, and there were no Lord over them: but we poore men oppreſſed by them, may not humbly petition to the Parliament, but that we are preſently exclaymed of, as ungratefull and ungracious, & as undutifully and unchriſtiantly taxeyng them for uniuſt, cruell and merciles dealyng. Wherefore doe they thus charge us? Becauſe they feare that we will lay the ſame thinges to their charge. But though they doe thus eſteeme of our petition, yet we hope it is better accepted of the Honorable Courte, unto which it was directed.
Wheras in the reſt of the anſwer to this 10. Argumēt, he ſayth the refractary Miniſters (as he calleth them) were never proceeded againſt for preachyng the goſpell, or for appertune & ſober executyng their Miniſtery, this is utterly untrue, for ſome hauehave been moleſted for preachyng any thinge tendyng againſt the preſent Hierarchy, or any other corruptions: ſome alſo for confuting the Popiſh doctrine of other, though they hauehave doone it never ſo ſoberly: and ſome for other matters, which are poyntes of the goſpell as well as other.