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A09880 A consideration of the depriued and silenced ministers arguments, for their restitution to the vse and libertie of their ministerie exhibited in their late supplication, vnto the honorable states assembled in this present Parliament. By Gabriel Powel. Powel, Gabriel, 1576-1611. 1606 (1606) STC 20142; ESTC S120763 50,016 84

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wit that the Refractary Ministers quarell against the Church of England is the Ministery of the Gospel the Saluation of the people c. Whereas indeed all the contention is about Crosse Surplice and some other in different Ceremonies Actions in the Church And all these Argumēts do make specially against thē seeing they be onely disturbers of the sincere professiō of the Gospell worke of the Ministery yea seeing they forsake their calling moue so great concentions and brawles about so small matters Ioseph hauing interpreted the dreame of Pharaoh his chiefe Butler touching his reconciliation againe to the grace of Pharaoh and the recouery of his former place of honourable seruice before Pharaoh desired him to hace him in eemēbrance when he should be reconciled and restored Gen. 40.41 So it is recorded by the holy Ghost and acknowledged by the said Butler as a great fault that he had not remembred Ioseph but forgotten him Gen. 40.23 41.9 If it were so great a fault in Pharao his butler not to remember and speake for one Ioseph that had interpreted one dreame touching his reconcilement to a mortall Prince and the recouery of an earthly preferment neyther of which notwithstanding he knew not how long he shuld enioy at the most he could not enioy them any longer then during onely naturall life how great them is the fault of all those that neglect to speake for many ministers of the Gospell that haue not once but often and dayly interpreted many mysteries of God touching their reconciliation with God himselfe and their euerlasting aduancement in heauenly places Ephes 2.6 To walke in white with Christ Iesus yea to sit also with him in his throne as he himselfe sitteth in the throne of his Father Apoc. 3.5 21. Yea verily as the fault of the Butler was the lesse because being enlarged he had none to remember him of that duty so the fault of those shal be the greater that haue many b) Would God they were half so diligent in a good cause as they are importunate to sow schisme sedition amongst Bretheren But they deserue small cōmendation and thankes of any good Christian for their importunity and earnestnesse herein dayly to put them in mind thereof and to prouoke them therevnto and yet for all that doe hold their peace Resolution of the 3. Argument It is a sinne not to recompence a good turne receiued Ergo. The refractary Ministers are to be regarded spoken for ANSWER 1. It is true good deedes must be rewarded specially the Ministers faithfull labours The Apostle saith 1. Cor. 9.11 If we haue sowen vnto you spirituall things is it a great thing c. 2. But in that the Refractary Ministers haue looked backe and withdrawne their hands from the plough Luk. 9.62 making a manifest schisme and disturbing the peace of the Church this deserueth no recompence 3. The errour is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 IV. ARGVMENT THe whole Armie of Israell spake with great courage in behalfe of Ionathan thus Shall Ionathan dye who hath mightely deliuered Israel God forbid As the Lord liueth there shall not one hayre of his head fall to the ground for hee hath wrought with God this day 1. Sam. 14.45 Were this common people that liued vnder the Lawe and which had not had so plentifull and cleare instruction as is now reuealed by the Gospel were this common people I say so a) Ionathans case and the Schismatical Ministers is altogether vnlike See the Answer And the vrging of this zeale hauing not the like cause seemes to be very dāgerous But I spare my Brethren zealous for Ionathan in regard onely of a bodily deliuerance from bodily enimies whereof he had not beene the Author but onely an instrument of God and shall not this high Court of Parliament now assembled being the chiefe flower of this whole Realme of England and representing the whole Realme bee zealous and earnest for many whom God hath vsed as his instruments and who haue wrought with God and daily would so worke with God if b) The greater is their sin whose Superstition wilful obstinacy hath restrayned their liberty made them vnseruiceable in the Church they may haue liberty for the spiritual deliuerance of many thousands frō spirituall enimies euen to turne them from darkenesse to light from the power of Satan to God that they may haue forgiuenes of sinnes inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith in Christ Act. 26.18 Resolution of the 4. Argument Such whom the Lord hath made his instruments for the spirituall deliuerance of many thousands from spirituall enemies are to be respected and recompensed Ergo. The Refractary Ministers are to be remembred and restored ANSWER 1. This Argument is paralell vnto the former and is there fully answered 2. The Ministers in deliuering thousands from spirituall enemies did but their duty for which they deserue loue of the people and commendation of all men but they should still haue cōtinued faithfull in their Ministery and not shamfully haue forsaken their calling 3. Ionathans example alleadged by the Suppliants is vnlike vnto the Ministers case For Saul in deepe hypocrisie had made a rashe vowe that whosoeuer did taste any foode c. 1. Sam. 14.24 should be accursed and die the death wherefore the people iustly rescued him from the fury of Saul But the actions of our dread Soueraigne are not so exorbitant they are not rashe and heady but aduised and iust intended for vnity and quietnesse in the Church to preuent and represse phanaticall giddinesse schisme factions and innouation 4. The Errours of this Argument are aswell the same with the former as also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the allegation of an impertinent Example V. ARGVMENT IT is not to be forgotten with what courage and good successe a) Impertinent Examples Nehemiah spake for the materiall Ierusalem to Artashasht an heathen and prophane King Neh. 2.2 c. as also how most vertuous and noble Q. Esther beeing indeed prouoked by poore Mordecai aduentured her selfe to speake to the like conditioned King Ahashuerosh in behalfe of the old people of God the Iewes for preuenting of their bodily bloodshed notwithstanding she had not beene called vnto the King in thirty dayes before and notwithstanding there were a lawe of the King that whosoeuer man or woman should come vnto the King in the inward Court not called should die except such as to whom the King should haue held forth his golden rod. It is not I say to be forgotten but religiously to bee remembred how notwithstanding the foresaid danger and her former feare and weakenesse in that respect yet at the last shee promised Mordecai to aduenture her selfe saying If I perish I perish and how also after prayer and fasting of her selfe her ladies and of the rest of the Iewes in Shushan for her she entered to the King and spake for her people and
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 Suppliāts 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 thēselues for the worke of the ministery after by their sufferings and troubles so that they haue nothing left for their comfort in their ●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 boūtiful 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 cōscience 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 mēbers 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 b●●●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
A Consideration of the Depriued and Silenced Ministers Arguments for their Restitution to the vse and libertie of their Ministerie Exhibited in their late Supplication vnto the Honorable States assembled in this present Parliament By Gabriel Powel Genes 13.8 Let there be no strife I pray thee betweene thee and me for we are Bretheren AT LONDON Printed by G. Eld for Thomas Adams 1606. To the Right Honorable the Lords Spirituall and Temporall the Knights Cittizens and Burgesses of the high Court of Parliament WHereas the Solon or rather the Salomon of this age and Monarchie our most gracious and peerelesse Soueraigne hath according vnto his singular wisdome and sinceritie of heart by all good means laboured the Reformation as of all his Subiects in generall which refuse to serue GOD with vs in such holy exercises of Religion as are already established amongst vs so especially of such our Brethren in the Ministerie as emulating forraine Noveltie refuse to conforme themselues vnto the ancient approued discipline and ceremonies of our Church whom therefore his Highnesse sought the more earnestlie to reclaime as he loued them dearliest by some correction of their obstinacie by Silence and Deprivation according to the laudable custome and sanctions of the Ecclesiasticall Courts in this behalfe Now Right Reuerend and Honorable there are which greatly complaine of this moderate Severitie and both vnfitly and vndutifully terme it by the most hatefull and odious names of Oppression and Crueltie which they do as well in their private talke in their publike Sermons and writings as also in a late Supplicatorie Pamphlet directed vnto your graue Wisdomes wherin the Auctor is not affraide to perswade and prouoke your Honourable Court these are his owne words to intercede with his Maiestie that he would compell the Reverend Prelates of this Church to surcease their rigorous and cruell dealing who haue soberly and temperately carried themselues in the execution of such Decrees and Sentences vpon them as their obstinate Superstition had worthily made them subiect vnto By which boldnesse he taketh occasion so to complaine and crie out as if the Gospell of CHRIST IESVS were banished out of this Kingdome GODS worship prophanely adulterated and our whole Ministerie strangely corrupted to the eternall perdition and destruction of many thousand Soules Which grieuous complainte seeing it cannot be vnknowne to any that liue within these Dominions to be vtterly vniust vntrue I can but wonder with what face he could once dare to present it to the most Reuerend Senate of your most Honorable and iudicious Court. For howsoeuer hee might perswade himselfe that some preiudicate persons would affect his cause and embrace his accusations yet could he never have the least hope so to abuse your Wisdomes who of your owne knowledge are able to convince him of malepert Sycophancie and manifest vntruth Notwithstanding all which this Auctor fearing no rebuke or shame for his vnconscionable dealing as speaking from Cimmerian darkenesse by concealing his name is enboldened to offer it even vnto your Honors to prouoke you to become suppliants and Su●ters vnto his excellent Maiesty in behalfe of their cause or else at lēgth to Determine of it your selues before you dissolue your meeting This Discourse such as it is I was commanded by some in auctoritie to peruse briefly to refute which I confesse at first I was very vnwilling to take vpon me notwithstanding I saw the great aduantage I should haue of my Bretherē in the defence and maintenance of a most iust and holy Quarell For besides that I was exceeding loath to intermedle in these domesticall Controuersies and indeed as Abram said vnto Lot Gen. 13.8 Why should there be strife betweene them and vs for we are Brethren I saw many excellent witts sit quietly at their studies being better furnished and more able to deale in these cases then my selfe who come so farre behinde them in all sufficiencie for this purposse And specially waighing my owne weaknesse I iustly feared to practise this kinde of pleading in so high a Court and before such Iudges whose wisedomes can so easily discerne any which come before them But on the other side when I had throughly weighed the equitie of the Cause the quality of my Vocation the necessitie of the Church and the dutie of obeying the Auctoritie whereby I haue beene enioyned this taske I presently resolued with my selfe to stand in the gap and breach betweene our Bretheren and vs and according to my poore abilitie abilitie to performe a seruice so iust holy dutifull and necessarie albeit I knew my Brethrens affections to be somewhat vnkinde and their pens foule and shamelesse But seeing it lieth not in our power to make them modest and peaceable and that we are called to serue God and his Church which we are bound to do in good and euill report in honour and dishonour in wealth wo in life and death I willingly forgiue them any iniurie that may be done vnto me for this cause and pray our Heauenly Father that of his infinite mercie and loue in Iesus Christ he will not impute it vnto them So being satisfied of all scruples concerning this matter and knowing no sufficient cause to the contrary or other impediment to stay my course I haue not withdrawne my selfe no not for the estimation and reuerence I must needs haue of the grave iudgement of your Honours which I saw I could not escape but haue deemed this Defence to be my most bounden dutie to almighty God to his excellent Maiestie to your honourable Court and to this whole Church State Wherefore I haue presumed by your Honourable leaue and fauour to maintaine against this Plaintiffe to my small power the glory of God in the iust defence of his Church and the honour of the reuerend Prelates in their most lawfull proceedings against such as by their schisme and faction disturbe the quietnesse both of our Church and common-weale Thus having in all submission and humilitie rendred some reason of this my doing vnto your high and Honorable Court I come now to ioine issue with my Antagonist not doubting but that your Honors according vnto your rare Wisedome and speciall loue vnto Iustice as you do in all other Causes depending among brethren so in this will giue equall hearing vnto both parties and without partiality and preiudicate affection will iudge righteous Iudgment that is simplie absolutely according vnto the trueth The Title of the Supplication ❧ Certaine Arguments to perswade and prouoke the most honorable and high court of Parliament now assembled and also all other in any high authority or in any grace and credit with them that are in high authority to promote and aduance the sincere Ministery of the Gospell as also Zealously to speake for the Ministers thereof now Degraded Deprived Silenced or Admonished or afterward like to be called into question for Subscription Ceremonies strict observation of the booke of common prayer or for other
conformity Them that honor me I will honor and they that despise me shall be despised 1. Sam. 2.30 He that is not with me is against me and he that gathereth not with me scattereth Math. 12. ●0 Therefore Watch yee stand fast in the faith quit you like men and be strong 1. Cor. 16.13 To the Christian a) What here is pretended to the Reader in generall is indeed specially intended and directed vnto the Parliament as appeareth towards the latter end of this first Paragraph Reader Honorable Worshipfull c. TOuching these arguments following my humble petition to the b) This pretence vnto the Christian Reader is because they wold not seeme to be petitioners vnto the Parliament Christian reader of whatsoeuer sort and condition is this that they may not be taken as proceeding from one suspecting any religious Noble man or Gentleman of the Parliament house but rather from one as with all thanks to God acknowledging the godly forwardnesse of many in both houses so also earnestly desiring to quicken the zeale of the best and to provoke all other to take the cause heere handled to heart not onely as the cause of poore distressed men but as the cause of God yea to accompt it also the c) The Suppliants make the profession of the Gospell all Religion to consist in refusing cap surplice crosse c Great crie little wooll maine cause of the whole land of your selues and all your posteritie and therefore to preferre the same according to the dayly most godly prayer of your selues in your house of Parliament before al other causes whatsoeuer either concerning any particular persons or the whole common wealth Whereas I haue perswaded them to whom I haue directed these reasons to vse all meanes they may for the doing of any good I desire that my wordes may not be vncharitablie construed of any other meanes then such as are sutable to the cause viz. of good honest lawfull peaceable and agreeable to euery mans calling The like charitable construction I craue of any other wordes which some perhaps may maliciously wrest against my selfe and the cause Whereas also some may seeme to pretend feare of his most excellent Maiesties d) As if his Maiesty wold be displeased if any promoted a religious or honest cause A malepert presumptuous if not disloyal Censure displeasure to hinder their zeale and courage such I intreat to consider how dishonourable if not disloyall it is in good causes to feare the displeasure of a Prince who besides his most Christian education from his infancy hath e) I know not whereto all his whole paragraph tenddeth if the Suppliants deeme not his Maiesty to haue forsaken his first loue and to haue reuolted from Religion at least in shevv for a time long time publikly giuen so many worthy testimonies of his piety and godlinesse Loue thinketh no evill of any much lesse of such a Christian Prince It beleeueth all and hopeth all of euery brother much more of a religious King It is the glory of a King not only to finde out the secrets of other but also sometime to conceale his own Therfore it is not meete by presēt words or deedes whereof sometime there may bee a deepe reason alwaies to iudge of the mind Iehu pretended one thing when he proclaimed a sacrifice for Baal but hee intended another Ioseph a long time dealt roughly both in word and deede with his brethren yet in the end he shewed himselfe most louing and kinde vnto them Our Sauiour for the triall of the woman of Canaan seemed a long time to repel her sute for her daughter first by silence 2. by a sharpe reprehension of his disciples petitioning in her behalfe and 3. by a more sharp answer to her selfe At the last notwithstanding he did most graciously open the treasures of his rich compassion towards her and sent her away with aboundant comfort Constantius the Father of Constantine the Great as Eusebius reporteth lib. 1. de vita Constantini cap. 11. at his first entrance into the Empire made solemne proclamation that all which f) A malicious vncharitable vnchristian allegation to be applied vnto the whole state that loyally obey his Maiesty especially his Nobles and Seruants See the Answer serued him in his court should either worship Devills after the manner of the Heathen or giue ouer their places of dignity and honour and so to be banished from his court But by this meanes when he had tryed them that were faithfull then to the farre greater honour of his Princely wisedome and piety than if he had plainely and simply at the first professed the Christian religion He disgraced those that had so reuolted from God and rebuked them with a most Princely and religious rebuke saying That they were Traytors to GOD and vnworthy the seruice of an Emperour For how quoth he can they keepe faith vnuiolate towards the Emperour which are manifestly conuinced to be vnfaithfull to the most excellent and mighty God On the contrarie those that for conscience had forsakē their places and giuen ouer their honors he most highly graced as those that would be faithfull to the Emperour because they had beene so vnto God yea he pronounced them worthy to be reckoned among the chiefe and principall friends of the Emperour and to be worthily much more esteemed then Treasuryes full of great riches Therefore also he preferred some of them to speciall attendance vpon his owne person and other some hee aduanced to the chiefe gouernement of the Empire vnder himselfe I leaue the g) For if they had particularly applyed these things their malice had bin the more manifest application of these things Onely I wish such consideration of them that men may not bee rash vpon any supposed apparences to iudge Christian Princes especially who in former times haue many wayes testified their sincere religion yea I wish lesse censuring h) No bolder and securer censurers of al sorts and degrees of men vnder the cope of heauen then these singular and selfe conceipted Refractaries of them and more earnest praying for them in secret before him that seeeth in secret and hath promised to reward openly yea as Dauid blessed the Lord God of Israell and the counsell of Abigail and Abigail her selfe for keeping him from sheading innocent blood 1. Sam. 25.32 c. so to omit what i) How prodigall they are of the Kings thankes thankes you may haue from his excellent Maiesty who also knoweth how euen they that for the present do most resist the matters hereafter pleaded for will in the end blesse God and your counsell and your selues for staying them from their proceeding in their hard courses against k) An euident slander of the State as if notorious manifest Schisme were the Ministery of the Gospell the ministery of the Gospell and the saluation of the people depending thereupon Finally albeit I could haue added many other arguments
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