A Mild and Just Defense of Certain Arguments, Tract · Part 3 · Argument 7
THE 7 ARGVMENT.
All true Miniſters, 2 king. 2, 12 & 13.14 Prov. 3.16 pſal. 45.12 1 Sam. 4, 21 Epheſ. 6.5 Iſai. 2:4 and 65:25: 2 chron, 14:14, 17.10:27.6,are as the Chariots and horſmen of thoſe kingdomes where they are. In the Miniſtery of the goſpell, and ſincere worship of God therin commended, conſiſteth the glory of Kings and kingdomes. So alſo the peace: yea alſo their whole outward proſperity. And the contempt of the goſpell and of the ſincere worship of God, procureth all outwarde calamityes of Kings and Kingdomes. Ergo
As men wilbe faithfull to Kings and Kingdomes, ſo they muſt maynteyne the ſincere Miniſtery and Miniſters of the goſpell, and therfore ſpeake for them.
The Marginall Notes.
G. Powela Is a handfull of refractary miniſters, the ſafety of the whole land:
1 Coſmographers in ſome Maps deſcribe a bird called a Ruc, of ſuch bignes, that ſhe taketh vp an Elephant with her talants very high into the ayre,Reply. and then letteth him fall to be broken and bruiſed, for her to feed on. It ſeemeth, this Notary hath an hand as large as the foote or tallants of this bird, ſith he maketh but an handfull of all the Miniſters ſuſpended, deprived, or like ſo to be, for theſe matters now in queſtion. Secondly, As the loſſ of one of his Majeſties ſhipps Royall, or of one of his ſtrongeſt holdes, or of one of his moſt worthy warriors, may be ſayde to weaken the whole Kingdome, eſpecially in the time of great warre: and as the cutting in ſunder of one principall poſt, or beame or piller of an houſe, doth weaken the whole houſe; ſo, and much more is the loſſe & cutting of of ſo many worthy miniſters of the goſpell, the weakenyng of the whole land. For is not Satan, and are not Papiſts, and all the reſt of Satans army, ſo much the more ſtrenghtned?2 king. 2, 15 and 9.1. Elia was but one, and accounted (as we are) a troubler of Iſraell: and left Elisha behind him: and yet the Argument telleth you; how they were accoū ted, though in their tyme there were many other Prophets. O therefore, that the meaneſt able and godly Miniſter, might not be lightly regarded, in theſe laſt and dangerous tymes. Howſoever they are eſteemed of by the world, yet they are of more price, then great riches.
G. Powelb As if God never had defended any Pagan, in caſe of innocency and juſtice etc:
c Outward proſperity conſiſteth in pure worſhip: They ſpeake ſo profoundly, as an intelligent and ſenſible man, cannot underſtand them: As if the ungodly floriſhed not ofttymes, as a greene bay tree: and the outward proſpeity of the Perſians and Romanes, did not ſurpaſſe the meane eſtate of the Iewes, the true Church of God:
ReplyIf there had been no name ſet to this booke, theſe two notes, and many other the like, might hauehave brought it in ſuſpition to hauehave been penned by ſome profeſſed Atheiſt. For (who almoſt but ſmelling of religion,) would hauehave objected ſuch things? Yea, who that had but taſted of logike, would hauehave denyed the concluſion, not regarding the proofes and premiſes? The wicked doe indeed, ſome times in joye outward proſperity, either to molifie their owne hearts, or to harden them the more to be the fitter for Gods judgmentes, or to be ſcourges of God unto other: or to make them the more in excuſable: yet they hauehave no aſſurance, either of gettyng, or of holdyng ſuch proſperity. Neyther can they hauehave any more comfort thereby: then the godly may hauehave diſcomforte by their afflictions: becauſe indeed they hauehave no intreſt thervnto from God. It is alſo a ſhamefull untruth, that the Perſians, Romans, or any other, in outward proſperity excelled the Iewes, ſo long as the Iewes regarded the word, honored the Prophets and other Miniſters thereof, and maynteyned the pure worſhip of God. All that while, they were even in outward things the glory of all the world. What people ever had the like victoryes? What Nation for all proſperity was comparable to Iſraell in the dayes of Salomon, and to the Iewes afterward,pſal: 48:2:87:2: & 12: Lamēt. 1:1 and 2:1: in the time of many other Kings? Of what Citie are ſo glorious things ever written as of Ieruſalem? Read the places in the margine. Indeed after that they contemned the word of the Lord, abuſed his prophets, and neglected God his worſhip (and that eſpecially through the fault of their Preiſts etc.) then the Lord forſaking them, made their enimyes the cheife etc.Lament: 1:5
The other notes upon this Argument, I paſſe by, as either anſwered before, or being of no moment.
Further anſwer to the 7 Argument.
G. PowelVVhat can a ſenſible man make of this enthymem? The refractary miniſters are the ſafety of the whole land, Ergo, the Court of Parliament muſt ſpeake for the goſpell.
Reply.The title refractary omitted, he is a ſenſles man, that can make nothing of that enthymem: eſpecially theſe miniſters pleaded for, being proved true and faithfull. For though the goſpell and Miniſters thereof be diſtinct, yet he that ſpeaketh for one, ſpeaketh for both, and he that ſpeaketh for both, ſpeaketh for the land, the ſafety wherof dependeth upon both. But marke heere agayne, the anſwerers ſophiſtry;Sophiſtry: For wheras the author ſaith, that the Parliament is to ſpeake for the goſpell & Miniſtery thereof, the anſwerer taketh the word goſpell, and altogeather leaveth out, the other words, and the miniſtery thereof.
G. PowelThere are thowſandes of faithfull Miniſters beſids them in this kingdome, that are Charets and horſemen etc. Miniſters are therfore termed Charets and horſemen, becauſe they are Gods inſtruments for gathering of the Saincts, Ergo: The antecedent is improbable, if not falſe: Againe, theſe men refuſe their Miniſtery, wherfore they cannot be called charets: yea ſo farre are they from being the ſafety, that would God they were not the ſores of the Church, and ſowers of ſedition. I meane ſchiſme and faction:
Reply.As there are ſome other faithfull Miniſters, ſo there are not many thouſands that are able, much leſſe faithfull beſides us. Generally throughout the land, there are Sixe reading miniſters, for one preacher, at the leaſt by practis. For there are ſome that are licenſed to preach, that never did, are, or were able to preach. Many alſo that can preach ſeledome doe Preach. Some alſo that doe preach, (and that often) doe it ſo Popiſhly or otherwiſe ſo corruptly: ſo fooliſhly and ridiculouſly, to make ſporte rather then to edifie: ſo vaynly and unprofitably, that it were better to hold their peace then ſo to preach.
That Miniſters are called charets and horſmen for gathering the Saints, (viz: out of the power and holdes of the Devill) may be the truth in part: but yet, they being (in the places alleaged) called the charets and horſmen of Iſrael, not of the Saints, (and moſt of the Iſraelits being then wicked) and theſe titles being acknowledged of Eliſha by a wicked King, that reſpected not the gathering of the Saints, but the outward defence of his kingdome, by the prayers and preaching of Eliſha: it cannot be the whole truth. That we are ſuch ſores as the anſwerer ſpeaketh of, is not proved. Indeed ſome conformitans ſo account us, becauſe we rub their ſores ſo much, and deſire ſo earneſtly the healing of them, that ſo their ſoules may be the better ſaved. We are alſo eye-ſores to them: but ſure I am, that we are not ſo to the godly, many of whoſe ſores, God hath cured by us, and to whom our miniſtery hath been the ſavor of life, unto life. Other thinges in this argument, hauehave received their reply.