The Nature and Use of Things Indifferent, Argument 7
VII. ARGVMENT.
To regard the refractarie Miniſters, Supplicat.is to regard the whole land, the States of Parliament, their Wiues and Children, the King and Kingdome.
Ergo, If the high Court of Parliament louelove the ſafetie, peace, wealth, and glorie of King and Kingdome, and of themſelues & theirs, they muſt ſpeake and do what they may, for the Goſpel and the Miniſterie thereof.
ANSVVERE.
I
WHat can a ſenſible man make of this Enthymeme? Anſwere.The refractarie Miniſters are the ſafetie of the whole land: Ergo, The Court of Parliament muſt ſpeake for the Goſpell.
The Defender replieth. Reply.The title REFRACTARIE omitted, he is a ſenſeleſſe man that can make nothing of that Enthymeme: eſpecially theſe Ministers pleaded for being proued true and faithfull. For though the Goſpell and the Miniſters thereof be distinct, yet he that ſpeaketh for one, ſpeaketh for both, and he that ſpeaketh for both, ſpeaketh for the Land, the ſafetie whereof dependeth vponupon both.
The Defender ſpeakes ſo reſolutely and confidently of this Enthymeme, Reioynder.Note the Defenders skill in Logikethat he ſhould ſeeme to be ſome very profound & acute Logician. But let vsus examine his skill a litle. Suppoſe that which is moſt falſe, to wit, that the Schiſmaticall Miniſters are not refractarie, yea that they are not Schiſmaticall, that they are not diſobedient vntounto their lawfull Gouernours, nor ſtirred vp diſſention amongſt vsus; which is more, that they are good and faithfull Miniſters. Suppoſe (I ſay) all this; What can a SENSIBLE Logician (not ſuch a one as the Defender is) conclude out of this Enthymeme? The Ministers (whereof we ſpeake) are the ſafetie of the whole Land. Ergo, The Court of Parliament muſt ſpeake for the Gospell. How many termes hath this Enthymeme? Let vsus recken them. 1. Ministers, 2. Safetie of the Land, 3. Court of Parliament, 4. The Gospell. Can this Enthymeme be reduced into a Syllogiſme, hauing foure termes? Here we want ſome of the Defenders skill to helpe vsus. Yea but, He that ſpeakes for the Gospell, ſpeaketh for the Miniſters thereof. The Conſequence is not neceſſary. But grant it ſo. Are there no other Miniſters, but ſuch as be Refractarie? The error, is foreign. And, foreign.
II.
The Antecedent is very improbable, Anſwere.if not altogether falſe; both becauſe there bee thouſands of Godly faithfull Miniſters in the Kingdome, which are not of their faction, that are as Charets and Horſemen: and alſo becauſe the Miniſters are therefore termed Charets and Horſemen, becauſe they are Gods inſtruments for gathering of his Saints by the exerciſe of their Miniſterie. But theſe men refuſe to exerciſe their Miniſterie; they hauehave relinquiſhed and forſaken their calling: wherefore they can, by no reaſon, be termed Charets and Horſemen. And ſo far are they from being the Safetie of the Land, that would God they were not the Sores of the Church, and Sowers of ſedition, I meane Schiſme and faction.
The Defender replieth, Reply.Generally throughout the whole Land, there are Sixe reading Ministers, for one Preacher; at the least, by practiſe. For there are ſome that are licenſed to preach, that neuer did, are, or were able to preach. Many alſo that can preach, ſeldome doe preach. Some alſo that doe preach (and that often) do it ſo Popiſhly, or otherwiſe ſo corruptly; ſo fooliſhly and ridiculouſly, to make ſport rather than to edifie; ſo vainely and vnprofitably, that it were better to hold their peace, then ſo to preach.
I defend not ignorant or negligent Miniſters, Reioynder.neither alſo ſuch as preach Popiſh, corrupt, or fooliſh doctrin: but hartily wiſh, that al ſuch were either reformed or remoued. But ſure I am that this ſpeech of the Defenders, is a calumnious and lying Hyperbole, which if he were enforced to proue by particular Induction, he would come farre ſhort of his reckonning. Whoſoeuer in his Sermons taxeth their ſingularitie and ſchiſme, theſe men will preſently calumniate him to preach Popiſh, corrupt, fooliſh and ridiculous doctrine. The Error, is foreign.
III.
For the Conſequence, Anſwere.I am ſure it is from a Topique place called A baculo ad angulum, from the Staffe to the corner: for it hath not the leaſt coherence with the Antecedent, except the Suppliants meane that theſe words, Refractarie Miniſters, the Goſpell, the Miniſterie of the Goſpell, be conuertible termes: which is abſurd and vnpoſſible.
To this the Defender Replieth NOTHING.