A Mild and Just Defense of Certain Arguments, Tract · Part 3 · Argument 6
THE SITX ARGVMENT.
If God reſpected the teares of reprobate Hagar, in want of water of this life for Iſhmaell: and of the women, cruelly uſed by their husbands. Gen. 21.16 Malachi 2:13:14: Mat: 15:22.If Chriſt alſo pitied many in their bodily miſeryes, yea ſome, that being heathen, were in that reſpect litle better then doggs; then much more this Honorable Court, ought to pity the mone and lamentation of many Congregations, deprived of their faithfull Paſtors, for want of the water and bread of eternall life, which ſometime the ſayd Paſtors, were wont to giuegive unto them.
But the firſt is true, Ergo. The ſecond ought to be performed; & conſequently, the Honorable High Court of Parliament, ought to ſpeake for thoſe Miniſters and people, that doe ſo mourne.
Marginall notes.
G. Powela The refractarie miniſters, ought to hauehave had compasſion on their ſheepe, and not deſperatly to hauehave forſaken them for croſſe & ſurplice.
We muſt ſo hauehave compasſion one our ſheepe,Reply. that we wound not our owne ſoules. We muſt (as hath been ſayde) eſchew evill, and doe good: not commit evill, to doe good. As gold may be bought to deere, ſo may the good of our people. That which is heere ſaid againſt us touching croſſe and ſurplice, may alſo be ſayd touching images, if we were commaunded to worſhip them, Our yeelding alſo would be ſo offenſiue, that we ſhould not doe that good, that we intend by yeelding. We may alſo feare the hardenyng of our heartes by yeelding, as well as we ſee the hearts of other by litle ſinnes, to be hardned for greater.
The note with (b) is often anſerwred.
G. Powelas that Chriſt himſelfe teſtified of her, that he had not found ſo great faith in Iſraell. Read the place.Reply.c Abſurd. The woman was ſuch,
Abſurd. Our Saviour ſpeaketh not that of that womā,Math: 8, 10 but of the Centurion. Though the Notary were an Archbitſhop, yet I might intreat him, better to read the place. But Chriſt ſayd,Mat. 15.28. O woman, great is thy faith? What then? Though as ſhee was elect, ſhe was alſo bleſſed: yet as ſhe was out of the viſible Church, the words of our Saviour might be ſpoken of her. Neither doth the author ſay, that ſhe was a dogge: but that ſhe was litle better then a dogg, & in that reſpect, that is, as ſhe was a Cananit, & none of the children of Iſraell. Is ther no difference betwixt theſe words, & to ſay plainly, that ſhe was a dog? Yet the words of our Saviour are playne. It is not meete to take the childrens bread, & to caſt it to dogs, or whelps. Therfore this note reproveth our Saviour,Sophiſtrie. and not the author of the Arguments.
The two next ſcoffing notes with (d) and (e) hauehave been often anſwered. We leaue not our flockes in the playne field, but are driven from them by force, becauſe we will not diſpleaſe God, to pleaſe the Prelats.
G. Powelf OnelyOnly Chriſt is the husband of his ſpouſe. Heere the ſupplicants blaſphemouſly papize. For I thinke they meane not this literally. If they doe, they are ſurely very honeſt men in the meane time:
Reply.A man ſhould firſt caſt out the beame that is in his owne eye, before he find fault with a mote in another mans eye. Math: 7, 5As Chriſt is the onelyonly Archbiſhop of the Church, ſo I acknowledg him alſo the onelyonly husband of his ſpouſe. For the one title, is as proper unto Chriſt, as the other. But heere the Notary falleth agayne, over head and eares, into the ſame ſophiſtry, that in the former note with (c) he did. The author ſayth, that ſuch Miniſters had performed the duety as it were of husbands;Sophiſtry the notary cryeth out blaſphemy, as if he had ſimply called them, the husbands of the churches. The author therfore, did not blaſphemouſly papize. But let other take heed of like papizing, that uſurpe ſuch names and authority, as are proper onelyonly to Chriſt; and neither are, nor can be maynteyned by any other Arguments, then ſuch as wherby the Papall dignity of the Antichriſt of Rome is ſupported. The latter part of the note is to lothſome for any Chriſtian tongue to reade, or chaſt eares to heare: therfore I caſt it out on the dunghill, as vnworthy of any anſwer.
G. Powelg A lying hyperbole:
Then belike the Prophet Malachi, Reply(upon alleaging of whoſe words this note is grounded) uſed a lying hyperbole. Mala: 2.13:14God that putteth up all the teares of his children into his bottle, knoweth and beholdeth this, and will one day,Rom 12, 15 Iob. 30, 25 Amos 6, 6 wype a way theſe, and all other teares from their eyes: when they that in the meane time ſcorne ſuch teares of the godly (ſo farr are they from mournyng with them that mourne, and being ſory for the afflictions of Ioſeph) ſhall except they repent) hauehave more, then their bellyes full of weeping and waylyng, and gnaſhing of teeth.
G. Powel.h If the refractary Miniſters be ſo unkind, and hard hearted, that they will hauehave no pity upon them, then may they be otherwiſe releeved well inough:
The Lord that ſearcheth the heartes of all men,Reply. knoweth the affections of ſome of the Miniſters now deprived, to be ſuch towards their people, that if they might ſtay with their people with comfortable conditions, they had rather ſtay, (though their maintenance be but ſmall) then accept of a thowſand pound by the yeare elſe where with as good conditiōs. Therfore hardnes of heart is not to be objected vntounto them. Touching the reſt of this note, it is ſtrange, that in the queſtion of depriving ignorant Miniſters, according to the law & ſtatute in that behalfe, this hath ben the principall objection, where, or how, wil you hauehave their places ſupplyed? Much like to the queſtion of the Diſciples, whence ſhould we get ſo much bread in the wildernes, as should ſuffice ſo great a multitude? Now the queſtion being of our deprivation againſt law, and the paucity of ſufficient Miniſters being objected, reply is made, There is ſtore, the Churches may be releeved otherwiſe. But let them be firſt releeved, that hauehave ignorant Miniſters, not knowing the principles of religion themſelues, much leſſe able to teach other.
Further anſwer to the 6. Argument.
G. PowelIf ſuch congregations doe ſo mourne, then the more hard hearts hauehave thoſe cruel tyrants rather then ſheepherds, that without pity, deſperatly forſake them, for litle or no cauſe:
Reply.The ſubſtance of theſe wordes being the ſame with the former note, is anſwered before: yet here I ad, 1 that it is more cruelty for the Prelats, for litle or no cauſe to depriue ſuch Paſtors. 2 that this anſwerer ſeemeth ſtill to account, ſinnyng againſt God to be litle or nothing. 3. that a theefe by the like reaſon, may complayne of the hardnes of his heart, that had rather loſe his Purſe, then hauehave his throate cut.
G. PowelThoſe Congregations may ceaſe mournyng, and comfort themſelues, becauſe there is ſtore inough of able Miniſters, and they ſhall hauehave thoſe, that will not run away from them:
Take away tautologyes and other ſuperfluityes, and this anſwere it ſelfe would ſcarſe hauehave been an obular or two farthing pamphlet.Reply. The firſt part of this anſwer, hath been removed before. Thoſe that will not runne away, where are they to be found? What net may one hauehave to ketch them, what keepe to hold them? For doe not the Formaliſts dayly run away from their people? Doe they not take another lyving, and keep the former alſo, leaving one to ſome journyman, fit for all companyes? Yea, both Maſter & man, oftentymes leave both flocks to the Wolfe, yea, I knowe ſome that for ſake their owne charges, and are curats elſe where under other. And to whome doe ſome of them leaue their owne? To one, that all the week long goeth to hedging, ditchyng, throſhyng, and other day labor for his livyng: who on the Lordes day, is at Church, with a white Surplice to read ſervice. In harveſt alſo they take harveſt worke, as ordinarily as other harveſt men. I hauehave ſeene it, not long ſince with my eyes. Some alſo within a fortnight after they are poſſeſſed of a living, of good worth, let it out for divers yeares, and ſo take their leaue of the people, to ſerue a cure under another. O miſerable condition of ſuch a people. Whoſe heart melteth not to think of ſuch wretched watchmen? What liklyhod therfore is there, that the Congregations deprived of their godly, loving & paynefull Paſtors, ſhall hauehave other as faithfull, that will not run away from them? Touching the anſwer to the conſequence of the former Argument, that the Paſtors ſhould rather returne to their people and comfort them, obeying the wholſome ordinances of the Church etc: I anſwer that we will ſo doe, when ſuch ordlnances are proved by Gods word to be wholſome.