A Mild and Just Defense of Certain Arguments, Tract · Part 3 · Argument 4
The Fourth Argument.
The Iſraelits ſo reſpected a bodily deliverance wrought by Ionathan for them, that they ſaved him from danger of death. Ergo Much more ought this Chriſtian high Court of Parliament, (being not a company of rude ſouldiers, but the cheife flower of this Realme, and repreſenting the whole Realme) ſo to reſpect the ſpirituall deliverance of themſelues and of many other, wrought by the Miniſters now ſilenced etc. That they ſpeake what lawfully they may for all lawfull releefe of them againſt their troubles.
The marginall notes.
G. Powel.a Ionathans caſe and the Schiſmaticall Miniſters is altogether unlike. And the urging of this zeale, having not the like cauſe, ſeemes to be dangerous. But I ſpare my brethren.
The author urgeth not this argument from Ionathan as from a like example, but from a compariſon a minore ad maius, from the leſſe to the greater. Therefore though there be not the like cauſe, yet there being greater, viz. From conſideration of a ſpirituall deliverance there is no danger therin. The author by this example moveth only the Parliament to be zealous for the ſaide Miniſters, Is there danger now in the zeale, of ſo wiſe & judicious an aſſembly? It is alſo acknowledged by the anſwerer afterward, that the Iſraelits did juſtly reſcue Ionathan. Is there any danger then by an example of them that did juſtly, to provoke the wiſe Parliament, to pleade with a wiſe and religious Prince for the Miniſters. Wherin then doth this anſwerer ſpare vsus, that ſeeketh every corner, to find ſomething for which he might (if he could) hang us?
G. Powelb The greater is their ſinne, whoſe ſuperſtition, and wilfull obſtinacy hath reſtrained their libertie, and made them unſerviceable in the Church.
Reply.Is it not a ſtrange thing (I had almoſt ſaide, ſinne) that it ſhould be accounted ſinne, ſuperſtition, and wilfull obſtinacy, yea, ſuch as makes men vnſerviceable in the Church, (in feare of ſinnyng againſt God) ſoberly to refrayne from humane Ceremonyes, and yet ſwearing, ſwaggering, rioting, gamyng, dronkennes, whoredome, adultry, (even in the ſight of the world) ſhould not make men unſerviceable etc? That ſuch things are, in many ſuffred and countenaunced in the miniſtry, is knowne to many of the Parliament houſe. If his Chriſtian Majeſtie were alſo rightly informed thereof, I doubt not but that thinges would be otherwiſe ordered.
Further anſwer to the 4 Argument.
The Miniſters did but their duety etc.
If men ſhould alwayes be ſo anſwered, when in their necesſities they ſhould require ſome help and comfort, in regard of ſome former kindnes; would not men cōdemne ſuch anſwerers of great ingratitude & in humanitie? viz. Thus to be anſwered, that which you hauehave done was but your duety?
G. PowelIonathans example is unlike unto the ſuppliants. For Saule in hypocriſy had made a raſh vowe etc. But the actions of our Soveraigne are not ſo exorbitant, etc: but adviſed and juſt etc.
See how wiſe the children of this world are in their kind?Reply. The author altogether wiſely and purpoſely (as it ſeemeth) concealed the name of Saule in the argument; that he might reaſon from the compariſon of the worke onelyonly of Ionathan in a bodily deliverance, for the better regard of the Miniſters now ſilenced etc. In reſpect of the ſpirituall deliverance of the people by them. This (I ſay) he doth without any mention at all of Saule, that ſo the worke might be generally and ſimply reſpected in it ſelfe; without any perticular eye unto Saule, out of whoſe hāds the people delivered Ionathan. He reſpected their thankefulnes in delivering Ionathan from death, without reſpect of the perſon that would hauehave put him to death.
Agayne, I know not why the anſwerer ſhould thinke the author to meane rather our gracious King as anſwerable to Saule, then the Prelats, the cheife and principall actors, in all wrongs and injuries done unto the Miniſters pleaded for: except that either he had rather impute all hard dealing to his Majeſtie than to the Prelats: or that hereby he would provoke the more wrath, againſt the author and all by him ſupplicated for, whom before notwithſtanding he ſeemed greatly to ſpare. Further if the Iſraelits juſtly reſcued Ionathan as the anſwerer confeſſeth they did iuſtly) much more iuſt is it, that many miniſters ſhould be releeved in their troubles. If yet they preſſe the author further for meanyng Saule, and comparing our King unto him (as Saule was the Lords annoynted) what is the danger, wherein the anſwerer before ſhould bragge of ſparing his brethren? Can he gather any undutifulnes towards his Majeſtie? Or can he imagine, the author to hauehave intended any forcible meanes to be uſed by the Parliament, that ſitting to make lawes againſt force and violence towardes any ſubject, muſt therefore much more themſelues be farre from offering any force and violence towards their Soveraigne? Doe the words in the Argument (to be Zealous and earneſt) import any ſuch matter? Force and violence of any, eſpecially of ſubjects againſt their Princes, is rather of Popiſh fury and madnes, then of any Chriſtian zeale and earneſtnes. Beſides, the often moſt Honorable mention of his Majeſtie in the Arguments, and his expreſſe presſing the Parliament to doe all in humility & modeſtie, (in the next argument) yea, that they ſhould not onelyonly uſe boldnes, but chriſtian boldnes, yea, that they ſhould put forth all their giftes and graces, of knowledge, Zeale, compasſion, modeſty and humility: yea, finally, that in the preface he petitioneth, nothing by him written, to be underſtood of any other meanes, then good, honeſt, lawfull, peaceable, and agreable to every mans calling; All theſe things doe abundantly cleere the author from all undnetifull intent and meanyng againſt his Majeſtie. That the Iſraelits did not in ſuch humility ſpeake for Ionathan to Saule as they ſhould hauehave done, in regard that Saule was the Lords annoynted; this is not ſo much to be reſpected, as the conſideration and reaſon, why they reſcued Ionathan. Neither is the Argument, by that wherein they fayled any weakened, but rather the more ſtrenghtened. For if they ſo reſpected a bodily deliverance wrought by Ionathan, that they paſſed the bounds of their duty; ſhould not the regard of a ſpirituall deliverance, moue ſuch a chriſtian aſſembly to ſpeake what lawfully they may, with all modeſty and humility.