what gratious successe she had notwithstanding the power and might of their chiefe aduersary and his great grace and fauour with the king Did these persons so aduenture themselues to speake before such Kings and did the GOD of heauen giue such gracious successe in their attempts And shall Christian Noblemen and Gentlemen nowe assembled in high Court of Parliament where they may speake and other in other places of authority and grace and fauour with christian Princes feare to speake for the b) Afoule begging of the Question as if the Schisme of a few were-so iust and important a matter as the deliuety of the whole church of God from intended certaine destruction people of God to a christian King whose education from the Cradle in all piety former raigne and gouernement and religious profession hitherto do giue better incouragement God forbid And far be al such feare cowardlinesse from all that professe and know the Cospell of Iesus Christ Yea if there be any so fearefull and cowardly let them seriously consider the second words and message of Mordecai to Ester Thinke not that thou shalt escape in the Kings house more then all the Iewes For if thou holdest thy peace at this time comfort and deliuerance shall appeare to the Iewes out of another place but thou and thy fathers house shall perish Who knoweth whether thou art come to the Kingdome for such a time Ester 4.13 Let them I say wisely and in the feare of God consider this message to prouoke themselues to the more zeale and christian boldnesse with all humility and modesty Let them not thinke that they by their greatnesse shall procure c) These pure Angels of light forsooth think all the world in darknes besides themselues a better ministery of the Gospell to themselues and their houses then other haue If it bee restrayned from other as of late it d) An impudēt vntruth of a false Prophet They made themselues vncapable of any place in the Ministery hath beene they shall not long enioy more liberty thereof then other Yea if they at this time and in that place where there is such freedome of speech hold their peace and do not with al their gifts and graces of knowledge wisedome zeale compassion modesty and humilitie that may be put forth themselues in furtherance of the e) They meane their Presbitery c sincere ministerie of the Gospell and f) Note this These Suppliants would haue all the Bishops remoued depri priued remouing the lets and impediments thereof surely helpe may come in these things vnto the Church by some other meanes but let them take heede that the Lord of Hostes call them not to an accompt and other reckoning for this their fearefulnesse Further to adde one other example briefely If fearefull Ioseph of Arimathea went boldly to Pilate and asked the body of Iesus And if Nicodemus before as fearefull as the said Ioseph ioyned with him in the honourable buriall thereof when Christ was dead and the whole state beeing enemies vnto him had now preuailed and gotten that which long they had laboured for against him yea when all the Disciples had forsaken him and some of the chiefest Champions had denyed him oh how dishonourable with men and inexcusable and vnanswerable before God shall it bee that so many hauing learned more of Christ then eyther Ioseph and Nicodemus or all the Disciples themselues had then learned and hauing also before boldly professed and promised much for him and liuing in a Kingdome g) If we professe Christ maintaine his Gospell what do they plead for then And wherefore haue they denied it al this while pretending they labour for nothing but the Gospell ministery thereof professing Christ maintayning his Gospell vnder a most gracious religious King and beeing in place of freedome of speech and now also assembled chiefly and principally for that end for what are all statutes for the Common wealth without regard of the Church howe dishonourable I say with men and howe inexcusable and vnanswerable before God and his Sonne Iesus Christ when he shall come to iudgement shall it be that such persons in such a kingdome vnder such a King in such a place at such a time shall not dare to speake for h Lo now the Disciplinarian ataxie for which the Suppliants plead so much is whole Christ I sus Intollerable Blasphemie whole Christ Iesus risen againe from the dead ascended into the heauens there sitting in all power glory and maiesty Yea finally beeing ready to come to iudge both the quicke and the dead both men and Angells Oh therfore ye that lone this Lord Iesus Christ take heede of such fearefulnesse yea feare so to bee afraid of speaking for him for his Gospell for his seruants Resolution of the 5. Argument Many spake earnestly yea and some haue aduentured their liues in behalfe of the Church of God as Nehemiah Hester so also did Ioseph of Arimathea and Nichodemus for Christs body Ergo. So should the high Court of Parliament doe for the Refractary Ministers and for whole Christ ANSWER I. To the Antecedent The zeale and courage of such as haue beene earnest or aduentured their liues and estate in Gods cause for defence of his eternall trueth and Church is certainely much to be commended and imitated to their vtmost power of all such as desire to be called and be indeede members of the Church of God But it would bee wisely cosidered that it were rashnesse and foole-hardinesse for any to aduenture hazard or manifest danger by intermedling in a friuolous and vnnecessarie quarel and much more for such cause as can not be iustified by any probable reason Wherefore I answere II. To the Consequence 1. THis Consequence hath no coherence with the Antecedent For there are great ods betweene these examples proposed and the Refractarie Ministers case I. In the time of Nehemiah the Church of the Iewes having bin long captiuated was in great affliction and reproach and the walles of Ierusalem were broken downe Nehem. 1.3 which was not so in the dayes of their fathers But our Church having by the mercies of God now long continued in prosperous and flourishing estate is God be thanked glorious still yea more now then euer it was in the dayes of our fathers Furthermore Nehemiah after he had wept mourned fasted and prayed Nehem. 1.4 spake vnto King Artashaste an heathen and prophane man and finding grace in his eyes obtayned leaue to build vp Ierusalem Nehem. 2.6 But Sanballat Tobiah Geshem and others deriding and despising the Iewes laboured to hinder the worke but preuayled not Nehem. 2.19 and 4.7.15 Then Nehemiah prayed My God remember thou Tobiah and Sanballat according vnto these their workes Nehem. 6.14 So euen in the very beginning of our religious Soueraignes raigne many worthy Nehemiahs finding grace in his eyes haue moued his Maiestie for the continuance of the prosperous estate of our Church as
Pro. 25.11 Let them not I say wash their hands off this argument because they haue no hand in any d) You should first haue proued the Proceeding vnlawfull proceeding against the Ministers or in restraining of their ministery sith it is all one so to proceed c. and not to helpe them that are so proceeded against by other especially when power is in their hands to helpe For it must never be forgotten which is written for an everlasting truth and a perpetuall instruction Curse yee Meroz said the Angell of the Lord curse the inhabitants thereof because they came not to helpe the Lord to helpe the Lord against the mightie Iudges 5.23 In which place this is likewise worthy the obseruation of all men that they are esteemed not to helpe the Lord that came not out to helpe his people If there were so fearefull a curse pronounced by the Angell of the Lord against them that did not helpe his people against the mightie enemies of their outward state may they thinke themselues secure and without danger that helpe not the e) Stil they beg the Question Lord and his people against the mighty that oppugne the everlasting saluation of their soules Resolution of the 10. Argument God threatneth severely to punish the wrongs iniuries done vnto his children and Servants euen in their outward states much more the crueltie towards their soules Ergo The high Court of Parliament should neither proceed so hardly against the Ministers nor winke at others that do so proceed ANSWER To the Consequence 1. NEither did the Honorable Court of Parliament nor the Magistrates of this Land ever intend the least wrong to any Subiect in this kingdome much lesse to any of the Ministers of the Gospel no not in their outward estate much lesse towards the salvation of the peoples soules And certainly it is an vngrateful yea an vngratious part of these SuppliaÌ„ts to taxe that Honorable Assembly or any Magistrate in this land so vndutifully and vnchristianly for vniust cruell and mercilesse dealing 2. The Refractarie Ministers were never proceeded against for preaching the Gospel or for opportune and sober executing their Ministeriall function but onely for giddie innovation and noveltie for faction schisme and impugning the Magistrates auctority or disturbing the peace and quietnesse of the Church And would they request these vile enormities to be left vnpunished An vnreasonable Suite 3. The Errour is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 XI ARGRMENT PHarao in the time of dearth provided at his owne cost for the Idolatrous Priests of Egypt that they might not sel their land Gen. 47.22 Shall then so Christian a kingdome as this long time hath beene in the time of plenty proceede so hardly against the painfull ministers of the Gospell that they their a) Where Superstition sitteth Iudge there neither Nature nor Reason may dare to pleade the Cause Alas It is very lamentable that some men I knowe not for what carnall respects had rather currie fauour with others and be beholding vnto other men then conscionably liue of their owne They should well consider the saying of the Apostle 1. Tim. 5.8 wiues and children shall weepe and mourne for want And will no man open his mouth in their behalfe Were the Monks and Friers at the dissolution of their Idolatrous houses in the twilight of the Gospel provided for during their liues though they neuer had done any good And shall the ministers of the Gospell that haue converted many to God and spent themselues and wasted their patrimony first in fitting theÌ„selues for the worke of the ministery after by their sufferings and troubles so that they haue nothing left for their comfort in their â—ge be b) Alas Let them haue pittie vpon themselues and leaue their quarelling and they shall not be neglected neglected Though this hath not beene regarded by those that deprived them yet farre bee it from this most Honorable Court that any heart would bee found therein so hard and stony as not with commiseration to pity them Resolution of the XI Argument Pharao prouided for the Idolatrous Priestes of Egypt And the Monkes and Friers at the dissolution of their Idolatrous Houses were prouided for during their liues though they never had doone any good Ergo. Much more ought the Refractarie Ministers be provided for hauing doone so great good in the Church of God ANSWER To the Consequence 1. THe Argument doth not follow because of the dissimilitude that is in the instances or examples and the Ministers cause I. Pharao ministred dayly Foode vnto such Priestes as he thought professed true Religion and diligently obeyed him in the function of their Office A rate example of a bouÌ„tiful magnificent Prince though otherwise in Errour But the Refractary Ministers though professing true Religion yet do they obstinately being blinded by Superstition refuse to serue GOD his Church in the faithfull and diligent function and exercise of their Ministery II. The Monkes and Friers were depriued of al against their will for Sodomie Heresie and Idolatry which they had embraced in time of their ignorance But the Refractary Ministers are willingly depriued for obstinate Superstition in refusing sincerely to preach the Gospel of Christ with vs not being conformable vnto the Christian lawes of our Church and Magistrate III. The Monkes and Friers could not haue retayned their places and possessions no not by submitting themselues But the Refractarie Ministers may if they will but conforme themselues vnto the lawfull ordinances of our Church 2. For the Good which the Refractary Ministers haue doone in the Church of GOD I will no way extenuate their deserts but could haue wished that they had made greater coÌ„science of their Ministery wherby they might haue done more Good still and not like Ephraemites haue turned their backes in the day of Battaile 3. The Errour is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 XII ARGVMENT MVch also may the prayers of such ministers for this Court of Parliament and for every state and degree thereof and for other be a) True if they continue diligent in their vocation But being meÌ„bers rent and cut from the body of the Church of God in this land they are vnseruiceable for the same regarded for the prayer of the righteous availeth much if it be fervent Iames 5.16 And the prayers of the Saints are compared to Harpes and golden vialls full of odours c. Apoc. 5.8 God would haue Abimelech King of Gerar to make such accompt of this argument that for the same he would haue him to vse Abraham the better Gen. 20.7 Neither did the Apostle Paul onely for this cause most earnestly craue the prayers of the meanest Christians in those Churches to which hee wrote bâ—â—â—lso wicked Pharao did earnestly desire the prayers of Moses and Aaron Exod. 8.8 Darius also though an heathen King did therefore commaund all things necessary for the building of
againe like to be of any other Parliament Ergo. They ought to do good now by restoring the Deprived and Silenced Ministers ANSWER 1. BVt it hath not beene yet proued that to restore the Refractarie Ministers is to doe Good and not rather to doe hurt and to sinne by being cause of nourishing faction and dissention in the Church 2. The Errours be 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 IV. REASON The Refractarie Ministers would be very glad if they were comforted restored and let alone Ergo. They ought so to be ANSWER SO would all Schismatiques Heretiques Papists Atheists yea all malefactors murtherers theeues cut purses be very glad if they were comforted deliuered and let alone V. REASON The House of Parliament by their mercy shewed towards the Refractarie Ministers shall not onely treasure vp comfort vnto themselues against the day of their death but shall also make their olde Age the more honourable and their names memorable amongst all posteritie Ergo. They ought so to do ANSWER 1. IF by Mercy they meane their reclaiming from Schisme and faction I grant the whole 2. But if they meane their Restoring againe they continuing still the same men they are now then is the Antecedent a foule begging of the Question and the Argument inconsequent 3. For contrariwise it may be concluded The House of Parliament by restoring Schismaticall Ministers to disquiet the peace of the Church shall not onely attract guilt and remorse of conscience but also preiudice their honourable Age and make their names reproachfull amongst all posteritie VI. REASON As Iael was blessed aboue other women dwelling in tents for driving a nayle into Siseraes head So should these Parliament Men be blessed aboue many former if they vtterly tooke away all the Whore of Romes ornaments yet remayning c. Ergo. They ought to do so ANSWER 1. THe instance is altogither different For Sisera was a speciall enemie of the Children of Israel and of the Church of God Iudg. 4.2 But the Ornaments the Suppliants speake of are the good Creatures of God hauing no hurt or ill in them 2. Neither were the Popish idolatrous Priestes ever decked with our Ornaments neither are they now 3. Neither were our Ornaments ever worshipped or abused to Idolatrie neither are they yet 4. Neither if they had beene is it absolutely necessarie to destroy the Substance of them togither with the abuse but the abuse is to be abolished and the true vse restored The reasons hereof and cautions to be vsed in this point I haue layde downe in another place Chap. 11. Lib. de Adiaph 5. The Errour is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 XVII ARGVMENT TO conclude therefore whilst ye haue time and whilest it is called to day feare that ye shal never hereafter haue the like time and oportunitie that now ye haue and therefore as Bathsheba said to her most princely sonne Lemuell Open thy mouth for the dumme and in the cause of all the children of destruction open thy mouth iudge righteously and iudge the afflicted and the poore Pro. 31.8.9 So say I to all them that by their place may any way do good to the Church of God and to any afflicted and poore members thereof Yea as the said Queene Bathsheba saith before giue yee strong drinke to him that is ready to perish and wine vnto them that haue griefe of heart that he may drinke and forget his povertie and remember his miserie no more Pro. 31.6.7 So I doe wish all them that are of any authoritie or in any place of grace and favour especially this present high Court of Parliament to giue a plentiful boll of the strong drinke of their comfortable favour yea an whole flagon ful of the wine of their grace that they that are now poore and haue bin long heavy harted for the a) Beging of the Question Let the suppliants looke into themselues and bevvaile the corruptions they shall see there corruptiōs ruins of Syon that in the greif of their hearts are ready to perish may drink so deeply therof that they may forget their poverty and remēber their misery no more Iob said that he had not contēned the iudgmēt of his servāt neither of his maide when they contēded with him Iob. 31.13 How much lesse thē is the b) Impudent begging the Question iudgment of the ministers of the gospel yea of the mother 06 of vs al the Church of God yea of God himself of Christ Iesus of the holy Angels of our selues our posterity finally of king and kingdom as hath bin shewed to be neglected As Hamā said of the Iewes to Ahashuerosh that they were a people scattered dispersed among the people in al provinces of his kingdome having lawes divers from all people and not observing the Kings lawes and that therfore it was not for the Kings profite to suffer thē Ester 3.8 So I am not ignorant that these ministers of the Gospell of whom I haue now in these Arguments made so often mention are c And that iustly if you meane the state of the Church charged as enimies to the state perturbers of the Church seditious schismaticall c. But if it were lawfull and free for these men to expostulate with the state touching the former matters as David did with the Lords annoynted Saule they might not onely say with David Wherefore do ye giue eare to mens words that say behold David seeketh evill against you 1. Sam. 24.10 But they might also plead their innocency as David doth his verse 12. Vnderstand and see that there is neither evil nor wickednesse in vs neither haue wee sinned against you But in the meane time this they may boldly say that as the former hath bin an old accusation in all ages even against the best friends of the Church and state so it is answered by the D. King in his 42. lecture vpon Ionas pag. 171. out of Augustine that such accusations are rather by confiction then by conviction And therefore as our most gratious Queene of most happie memory Queene Elizabeth before she was Queene in her distresse in the dayes of Queene Mary wrot with her Diamond in a glasse window at Woodstocke Much suspected by me Nothing proved can be Even d Not so so may these men both speake and write the same of themselues As for such e An vniust calumnie accusers as are alwayes provoking all men especially Princes and Nobles against them I wish them to take heed of that fearefull cursse wherwith f As if Dauids case and the Schismaticall Ministers were the same David cursed those children of men before the Lord that had sturred vp Saule against him and that by that meanes had cast him out from abiding in the inheritance of the Lord saying go serue other Gods 1 Sam 26.19 For my part I pray that God may giue them a better minde that so
house of God and made there a Psalme of thankesgiuing for his recovery which yet remaineth in holy writ as an everlasting monument of his thankfulnesse yet because in other things he was not generally so circumspect and carefull of all obedience to God as he should haue beene but his heart was lift vp within him it is said that he rendred not vnto the Lord according vnto the reward bestowed vpon him and that therefore wrath came from the Lord against him against Ierusalem and against Iuda 2. Chro. 32.25 So let this be considered that yee may provoke your selues to the more publike testimonie of thankfulnesse for our late publike deliuerance And because mercy even towards the bodies of men is more desired then sacrifice and that therefore mercy towards their soules is much more acceptable vnto God for which cause it is there said that the Lord doth also more desire the knowledge of God then burnt offrings Hos 6.6 Therefore also as God his goodnesse towards the whole land is knowne to all the world so let all the world know and let all ages to come bee witnesses of our thankfulnesse for the same by your present mercy towards the e) To wit by setling the state thereof and prouiding seuere lawes against hereticall Papists and schismaticall Refractaries Church He that biddeth vs to call vpon him in the day of our trouble and promiseth to deliuer vs requireth also that wee should glorifie him Psal 50 15. How much more then ought we to glorifie him being in the day of our trouble delivered before we called vpon him Verily most Honorable assembly in this respect our deliueracce is the greater then the deliverance either of the Iewes from the bloudy intent of Haman or of our selues in the yeare 1588. For the Lord did not worke those deliverances without the meanes of prayer and fasting but this his owne right hand hath brought to passe before that ever wee did open our lipps vnto him in that behalfe Yea herein is our deliuerance also the greater because though the mischiefe plotted against vs was but bodily yet the mischiefe plotted against ours and all posterity was spirituall even to haue reduced them to the former bondage of popish blindnesse superstition and Idolatry so to haue perished everlastingly and therefore wee that should haue beene consumed touching our bodies and outward states in this intended massacre if it had proceeded should haue beene much better then they that should haue liued As it belongeth therfore to all at all times to glorifie God for this great deliverance so specially it belongeth to you that are now assembled in this high Court of Parliament The Lord eareth not for any observation of a day onely in remembrance of his me eies nor for bare words in commendation and celebration of his goodnesse except that otherwise we doe dispose our way aright For this is the best prayse whereby hee is glorified Psal 50.25 Yea even nowe and at this Session doth the Lord require this of you For hath not his hand of sicknesse in many places continued and doth it not still hoover oâ—er vs from before the first summoning of this Parliament to this present Session And did not God reveale his mercy in revealing the late treason and delivering vs from it immediatly before the last Session that your meeting might be proroged whereby in the time of Interim ye might haue the more leasure the better to deliberate and consult what at this your assembly might most make for the glory of his name and the good of his Church And will ye now dissolue your metting without doing of further matter in f) As if no good could be done vnto the Church but the RestitutioÌ„ of the Scumaticall Ministers which indeed is no good that behalfe then yet ye haue done Againe are not many of you auncient and in that respect never againe like to be of any other Parliament which also of the youngest and lustiest of you knoweth either that he shall liue to an other Parliament or to another Session of this Parliament Or if he shall liue to another Parliament that he shal be chosen to bee againe thereof Or livyng to another Session of this Parliament that he shall haue health and strength to be present thereat Are not some worthy men that were at the former Sessions of this Parliament now at rest with the Lord Yea are not some other that were living and in health at the time of the last Session now also before the beginyng of this Session gathered to their Fathers Yea further because divers of the ministers deprived and silenced being partly very aged and partly consumed with g) What godlinesse is there in wilfull and malicious coÌ„fronting the Magistrate in repining at their brethren and superstitious forsaking their calling liuings flocke and all to the vndoing of themselues their wiues children and friends Godly griefe not so much for their owne troubles as for the desolation of the Churches both presently seene and for future times by the present to be prognosticated in as much as many most h) A câ—lumnicus Censure vnworthy persons are thrust into their places in which consideration as Elisha wept by the spirit of prophecie to foresee the miserable havocke that Hazael should make of the people of Israel touching their bodies 2 Kings 8.11.12 So what Christian heart can refraine weeping and bleeding to forethinke of the spiritual spoyle that will be made in the Church by b) A manifest slander But if it be so wherfore do not the Refractary Ministers retâ—ine their places to keepe out such blind guides corrupt teachers careles yea wicked and vngodly Pastors because I say many faithfull ministers deprived and silenced partly by age and partly by Godly griefe are so neere the finishing of their race that the ground for their graue is in a manner already measured therfore ye that are the Lords worthies now assembled in this High and Honorable Court do that that is to bee done by you for the glory of God and comfort of his Churches and Ministers with the more speed and expedition that such seruants of God as are so neere their end may yet be somewhat reviued and comforted before their end blesse you and yours before they die and so take their leaues also of you and yours with the more peace and ioye to their owne soules As your house of Parliament at the last Session therof should passiuely haue beene the house of blood yea the fountaine in some sorte of blood that even from thence should haue flowed streames and rivers of blood through out the whole land so let it at this Session bee actiuely the house of comfort yea a fountaine of comfort that from thence may flowe a river as it were the river of God and a floude of spiritual comfort icy and gladnesse to al the land To all the land Yea to all Nations that know the Lord and cal vpoÌ„ his name