teaching these thinges which haue been accounted and are in truth popish or Lutheran errors viz touching generall grace the death of Christ for every particular person against perticular election reprobation for images in Churches Exceter both for remembrance of history and also for devotion touching the māner of Christs presence in the supper of the Lord That the Pope is not the Antichrist which is the next step to say that he is Christs vicar wherby they hinder what they may the zeale of Christian Princes from executing that against him in generall and against his members in perticular which the word partly foretelleth and partely commaundeth to be done concernnyng also the necessity of Baptisme touching auricular confession for ignorance according to the popish saying that ignorance is the mother of devotion that it is not necessary for the people to haue much knowledge and that therefore not much preaching but that it is sufficiēt if they can say the Lords prayer the ten cōmaundements and the articles of faith which is directly contrary to the scriptures Ioh. 6.69 Ephe 4.13 Philip. 1.9 3.7.8 Colos 3.16 Ephes 5.17 2 Pet. 3.18 Who can lay any such poyntes to us or to any of vs This poynt is not lightly to be regarded yea it is of great moment For the Apostle describeth schismatikes not to be such as make division onely but he addeth contrary to the doctrine which they had learned Rom. 16.17 Yea in the very next verse he describeth them further saying They that are such serue not the Lord Iesus Christ but their owne bellyes and with faire speeches and flattering diceaue the hearts of the simple Doe we so Nay rather we labour onely for the ordinances which the Apostle hath taught vs. In this respect we serue not our owne bellyes but rather for those ordinances sake and to serue the Lord Iesus by them and according unto them we depriue our owne bellyes of that which otherwise they might haue neither doe we vse faire speeches and flattering but by playne dealing for those ordinances of Christ Iesus we procure the displeasure of all men against us As therefore this place maketh for vs and evidently sheweth vs to be no schismatikes so likewise it doth as plainely proue them to be schismatikes that make division for humane inventions either in doctrine or otherwise in practise in the worship of God contrary to those things which they haue learned from the Apostle who also therein serue not the Lord Iesus but their owne bellyes vsing faire wordes and flattering in that behalfe to deceiue not onely the simple but also if it be possible them that are wise Agayne haue we made any departure from the Church We are deprived of our Ministery and so thrust out of our lyvinges perforce against our wills as any man leaveth that which is violently taken away but though we be thus put from our ministery and lyvinges by our Prelats yet we do not forsake the cōmunion of the Church The cause also why we are put out is not for respect of our selues but for feare of sinnyng against God and of aggravating the burden of our owne conscience therby We disturb not the sincere profession of the gospell and worke of the ministery but in all humilitie and with the wordes of sobriety we condemne the corruptions of our profession and of the ministery most duetifully and by all lawfull meanes and no other desiring both to be reformed according to Gods word So in like manner we desire to be eased of those cloggs which hinder both us in the worke of the ministery and also the people so that they neither doe neither can so edifie themselues in their most holy faith as otherwise they and we would doe On the contrary the Prelats stoutly mayntaine and support the sayd corruptions and in loue of them or rather of some other matter depending upon them they hate and molest us Agayne haue we loytred in the worke of the ministery Haue we heaped benefice upon benefice Haue we eatē and drunke and beaten our fellow servants Haue we sought our owne not that which is Iesus Christs Phil. 2.21 Haue we made our bellyes our God Haue we minded earthly things philip 3.19 I speake not these things boastingly as before we haue been charged but onely to purge our selues of those crimes which the former two notes did cast upon us and to proue that we haue not been disturbers but furtheres of the sincere profession of the gospell and worke of the Ministery Therfore let them that do so vntruely accuse us take heed that he whose checke no fleesh shall be able to indure doe not charge them rather to haue taken away the key of knowledge and to haue shut vp the Kingdome of heaven before men not goeyng in themselues neither suffering them that would enter to come in Mat. 23.13 whereas also the word Schisme in the Greeke language signifieth a renting and the word sedition in the latine tongue signifieth seorsim ire to goe aside or a going a side as we haue proved that in these significations we cannot be justly charged with them so let them that doe charge vs in this behalfe see and consider well whether themselues may not more truely be sayde to haue rent themselues and to haue gone a side first from the word the rule of all Churches in the poyntes of doctrine before mentioned and in some other as also in the observing maynteyning of humaine Ceremonyes in the worship of God 2 From other Churches of Christ Iesus both the auncient Apostolicall Churches and also the present Churches reformed in other Coūtryes nether of which either held or doe hold such poynts of doctrine as before I haue named or haue or doe obserue maintayne such humaine Ceremonyes in the worship of God as are here in question We beyng charged with heresye schisme by the Papists for renouncyng the doctrine and communion of the present Romish Synagogue doe truely returne the same charge upon the papists touching herisie and schisme because they haue fallen away from the doctrine and auncient simplicitie in the worship of God that at the beginnynge was in the Auncient Romane Church and in other true Churches planted by the Apostles In like mannner therefore let our accusers in the feare of God consider whither the blame of schisme doe not for the causes before expressed more aptly belonge unto them then to vs etc. Let me yet also though somewhat perhaps out of place ad one reason more to proue the Ministers pleaded for not to be Schismatikes All Schismatikes are abomination to the Lord The Ministers pleaded for are not abomination to the Lord but in grace and favour with him Ergo The Ministers pleaded for are no Schismatikes The proposition or first parte of the Argument is Salomons who among the sixe thinges which the Lord hateth and the seven which the soule of the Lord abhorreth he reckoneth him that rayseth up contention
haue done in regard that Saule was the Lords annoynted this is not so much to be respected as the consideration and reason why they rescued Ionathan Neither is the Argument by that wherein they fayled any weakened but rather the more strenghtened For if they so respected a bodily deliverance wrought by Ionathan that they passed the bounds of their duty should not the regard of a spirituall deliverance moue such a christian assembly to speake what lawfully they may with all modesty and humility THE FITH ARGVMENT Nehemiah spake to an heathen King for the materiall Ierusalem So did Hester to the like King for her people and that not without great danger to her selfe Ioseph also of Arimathea and Nicodemus both timorous men spake boldly to Pilate an heathen also for the body of Christ beyng dead that they might honorably bury it yea this they two did when all the Disciples of Christ had forsaken him as also when his enimyes had prevailed against him Yet all these had good successe in that for which they spake Ergo Much more ought this High Court of Parliament to speake to a Christian and religious King for the building of the spirituall Ierusalem for the spirituall state and furthering of the soules of many depending upon the Ministers now molested and for whole Christ Iesus now living and raignyng Marginall notes G. Powel a Impertinent example Reply G. Powel This note is impertinent as shall appeare by his answer afterward and the reply therunto b A foule beggyng of the question as if the schisme of a few were so just and important a matter as the delivery of the whole Church from intended certeyne destruction Reply The substance of this note touching schisme being like the song of the Aprill bird that hath but one note I haue often answered Though we were such Schismatiks as the answerer chargeth us to be yet we ought to haue that benefite of law which Paule claimed even in Nero his time and was not denyed it Acts 25.12 G. Powel c These pure Angels of light thinke all the world in darknes besides themselues These scoffes can hardly come from a pure mind but doe rather beseeme prophane Angels of darknes then the children of light Reply much lesse the Preachers of holines Whether we that are depriued and silenced are fitter for the worke of the ministery then 5000. in the land that stand for ministers and receaue the wages of Ministers I will not say let the whole High Court of Parliament iudge but let many of the Prelats and other conformitans judg G. Powel d An impudent untruth of a false Prophet They made themselues uncapable of any place in the ministery Reply Let all those that charge us with impudency and making our selues uncapable of the ministery take heed that one day they be not ashamed before the Sonne of God at his cōmyng and that then also the Sonne of God be not a shamed of them before his Father and his holy Angels and so pronoūce them uncapable of the kingdome of heaven yea least also the master of such a servant come in an houre that he is not ware of cut him of and giue him his portion with hypocrites Mat. 24.50.51 Michael the Archangell durst not blame the Devill with cursed speaking but sayd the Lord rebuke thee Iud. 9. You know what is written by an orator of an orator Ex eius ore verba magno impetu atque aestu erumpebant non secus ac feruentes aque ebulliunt et exiliunt That which is sayd of his words may be sayd of the reproches raylings scoffings etc of this notary But are we false Prophets False Prophets runne before they are sent They speake out of their owne hearts they follow their owne spirit and haue seene nothing Eze 13.2.3 Ierem. 14.14 They flatter heale the hurt of Gods people with sweete wordes saying Peace peace where there is no peace Ierem. 8.11 They are hypocrits pretending great holines commyng in sheeps apparell but being inwardly ravenyng wolues Math. 7.15 They are covetous and cruell like a roaring Lion ravenyng the pray devouring soules taking riches and preciouss things etc Ezech. 22.25 They are proud and ambitious loving the prayse of men more then the prayse of God Can we be charged with these thinges Hath not the Lord sent us Doe we speake any thing but that the Lord hath put into our mouthes Our flattery consisteth in playne reprehending of sinne and denouncyng the judgment of God against the same Our covetousnes is inspendyng all we haue and leaving nothing to our posteritie Our cruelty is in suffering the manifold injuryes that are done unto us Our hypocrisie is in a care of keeping a good conscience Our ambition is in the abasing of our selues beneath the parentage and education of many of us and in bearing the scornes reproches of the world yea in beyng accoumpted the skumme of the world and contemned by some that haue been glad of the crustes that haue come from some of our tables Why then doth this Notary call the author of those Arguments or any other by him pleaded for in his Arguments by this odious name of a false Prophet If the Lord rebuke him for so calling us I pray that it may not be in anger Touching our in capacitie of any place in the ministery wherfore are we so incapable What be our errours in doctrine What are our vices in life Is conformity the cheife and most cardinall virtue Is it the soule of a minister tota in toto et tota in qualibet parte Must all learnyng all piety all gravity all soundnes giue place to conformity So it seemeth For learned men godly men graue men and sound Divines I speake not of my selfe I confesse my selfe the meanest of many hundreds such men I say are thrust out and ignorant men wicked men young men corrupt and Popish men are put into the service of the Church May we not say Plead thou our cause O Lord etc psal 35.1 Yea rather may we not say Arise O Lord maynteyne thine owne cause remember thy dayly reproches by the foo man psal 74.22 G. Powel e They meane their Presbyterie Reply This is but a scoff and mocke But though we be mocked yet let this mocker remember that God is not mocked The author speaketh expresly of the ministery of the gospell which is for instruction this Notary saith he meaneth thereby their Presbytery which is for goverment But more of this afterward G. Powel f Note this They would haue all the Bishops removed deprived Doe you gather this because mention is made of removyng of the lets and impediments of the sincere ministery of the gospell Reply Then it seemeth that either you would haue a sharpe phisitian for the casting of waters sith you can see such invisible things in a mans words or else that your owne conscience told you that the Bishops are
might be the more suitable to the Arguments thēselues that the author of them might haue no cause justly to blame me for disgracing his work and the cause it selfe by a contrary course and that the mindes of the Prelats may rather be molified towards vs. then any thing more exasperated against us If it fall out otherwise and that our mildnes doe still increase their rigor God I hope shall giue us patience to indure whatsoever he shall suffer them to doe unto us together also with such comfort as all the world shall not be able to take away from us For we are so throughly perswaded from the evidence of Gods truth revealed in his word and sealed up in our hearts by his spirit the cause wherein we stand to be the cause of Christ Iesus that we say with Paule Acts 21.13 we are ready not to be bound onely neither onely to loose our livings but also herein to dye for the name of the Lord Iesus I speake not this seditiously and therfore let no man so wrest my words but I speake with that mind and in that manner that Paule spake the former words to signifie our readines for suffering any thing which the Prelats shall do unto us not for doyng any thing to resist them Some of thē harpe much vpon this string as appereth by wresting of our words in most malicious manner in the former answer against us yea they seeme also to thinke long for some law or other of this land to be wrested against us to make some of us examples unto other by sheading of our bloud but if they should so fare prevaile which I hope they shall never doe in the dayes of gracious and mercifull King Iames nor in the dayes of any of his most Royall bloud let them remember the words of Ieremy in the like case Ieremy 26 14 15 to the Priests and Prophets that sought his bloud As for me be hold I am in your hands doe with me as you thinke good and right But know you for certeyne that if ye put me to death ye shall surely bring innocent bloud upon your selues and upon this Citie and upon the inhabitants thereof etc. For of a truth the Lord hath sent me to speake all these wordes unto you Yea let them not onely remember those words but so also take admonition by them that in the presence of God they be not guiltie of high treason against our most Christian Soveraigne against his Royall issue and against the whole land by provoking the Lord to inflict such judgments upon all as the wordes before mentioned doe insinuat We are in their handes 2 Chron 24 22 ready without any resistance meekely to suffer any thing but he that judgeth righteous iudgment though he sit in the heavens will looke upon it and one day as Zechariah in the like case sayd will requyre it as indeed then he did Not withstanding I am so farre from Prophecying or wishyng any judgment to the whole land though I cannot but feare it that I doe and will earnestly pray Ioel 2.17 Gen 18 26 spare this thy people ô Lord and giue not this part of thyne heritage into reproch etc. Yea I doe the more hope of mercy in sparyng us yet a while longer because of the great multitude of the righteous in the land and because perticularly of many that haue been and yet are under Christ dressers of this the Lords vineyard that day and night whiles many Prelats eate and drinke and take their ease and pleasure doe pray the Lord of this his vineyard to let it yet alone Luk. 13 8 and to spare it a while longer But for all this whosoever shall procure the bloud of the meanest of us to be shead under whatsoever pretence let them know that such bloud shall cry louder in the eares of the Lord of Hosts for vengeance upon the procurers therof then ever we haue cryed in the eares either of our most gracious Soveraigne whom God long preserue in person and in vprightnes of heart or of the High Court of Parliament for Iustice If their shall be iudgment merciles to him that sheweth no mercy what shall the portion be of the cruell bloud thirsty Iames 2 13 Pro 21 13 Verely though they cry yet the Lord shall not heare them As also they that put the Martyrs to death missed of their purpose so shall all bloud thirsty and ambitious Papall Prelats Epist 243. Sanguis martirum semen Ecclesie The bloud of Martyrs is the seed of the Church and foecundi saith Calvin sunt martyrum cineres The very ashes of Martyrs are fruitfull The truth may be oppressed but it cannot be suppressed yea the more it is oppressed the more it shall bud forth spring If one of us in this cause should be put to death though perhaps under colour of some other offence by perverting of words wresting of law or otherwise yet for that on the Lord can rayse up ten yea there is nothing that hath made or doth make the cause of Papall Prelats more odious and the reformation desired more gracious and honorable even with some that before the consideration of that which I now say were of another minde then the unjust and especially the unmercifull proceedings of such Papall Prelats against the seekers of reformation Philip 1 28 Therfore in this case as the Apostle exhorteth the Philippians we doe in nothing feare our adversaries because as to be our adversaryes in such respects is to them a token of perdition if they repent not so also to be hated and persecuted by the Prelats is a like token to us of salvation and that of God But beyng so confident why doe we conceale our names to our writings Because as Christ Iesus notwithstanding all his heavenly fortitude without any defect did for all that oft tymes hide and with drawe himselfe from the furie and rage of the Priests Scribes and Pharises till his appoynted time was come so doe we by this meanes hyde our selues from the violence of some of our Prelats To your conclusion I will answer litle because it hath litle that hath not been answered before Wheras you say that wordes are to be numbred to so great states I answer that words are not onely to be numbred but also for the quality truth modesty sincerity and equity of them to be weighed and considered which if you had doone your whole labor had ben spared If you did greiue in your soule to heare us complayne of our povertie why doe you by bitter rayling false accusations and most unjust vnreasonable wresting of your antigonists words against all other Ministers of his sorte ad affliction to our affliction doe you not know that by this circumstance David amplyfied his cōplaynts and deprecations against his adversaryes Is this to iudge wisely of the poore Psal 69 and 109.16 Psal 41.1 Whereas you wish us to be a shamed of
great lets and impediments to the sincere ministery of the gospell If you be of that minde and shew the same it wil be no small let and impediment to your owne preferment with the Bishops If you be not then surely this your note is not worth the noting G. Powel g If we professe Christ and maintayne his gospell what doe they plead for then VVherefore haue they denyed it all this while pretending they labour for nothing but the gospell the ministery therof What an untruth is this Where haue we denyed Christ here to be professed Reply and his gospell maynteyned But though we professe Christ maynteyne his gospell yet we plead 1 for the better continuance of the gospell where already it is 2 That so it may the better be where it is not 3 That it may be more glorified and the better florish and fructifie in all places all which thinges cannot be if the proceedinges begunne be not stayd and mitigated 4 May not a kingdome in generall professe Christ and maynteyne his gospell and yet haue some superfluityes which obscure Christ and hinder his gospell as also want some thinges belonging to Christ and his gospell which may make Christ more glorious and further his Gospell G. Powel h Lo now the Disciplinariay ataxie for which the suppliants plead so much is whole Christ Iesus Intollerable blasphemie So cryed the High Preist Reply when Christ confessed himselfe to be the Sonne of the livyng God Math. 27.65 If it had pleased you notwithstanding you might in charitie haue otherwise vnderstood the authors words But let the meanyng be as you take it haue you caught him in any trap Nothing lesse For what else can be gathered but that in the profession of the gospell here in England there are defects and wants That the Church of Christ among vs is in some sort defectiue And although we haue Christ in his word and Sacraments and in other exercises of religion yet we haue not whole Christ in that we haue not all his ordinances And that therefore some thing more ought to be added that Christ may raigne more fully absolutely over us Neither is there any such ataxie in the Discipline by these wordes signified For we desire nothing but the order wherin the Apostle reioyced Colos 2.5 Whereof also we haue the rudera and as it were the stumps yet remaynyng in our Parishionall Church-wardens and sidemen though intituled with other names and wanting that ordination and authority which with the Pastors within there owne Parishes Elders ought to haue This Discipline if we might haue equall hearing we could casily free from all such imputations as wherby it is commonly disgraced by the adversaryes therof with Princes and Nobles Yea we could plainely and truely shew the same to be nothing prejuditiall but very helpfull both to all Royall authority and also to Nobility yea better agreeyng with the one and the other then all other inventions of men for Ecclesiasticall goverment whatsoever Touching the intollerable blasphemie imputed in the end of this note to the author of the Argumēts by way of an exclamation it lyeth upon them that feare not openly to deny Christ Iesus to be law giver and King of his Church How it can be cast upon us for desiryng whole Christ Iesus I meane all his ordinances I can not discerne Further answer to the Fith Argument G. Powel Zeale and courage for defence of Gods truth and Church is commendable but it were rashnes and foole hardines for any to adventure hazard and danger by intermedling in a frivolous quarrell and in a cause not justifiable Reply Now you pay home indeede If Cardinall Wolsey were livyng he could speake no more imperiously For except by a frivolous quarrell and a cause not iustifiable you meane not the cause of the Ministers you speake nothing to the purpose If you meane that as needes you must then doe you not speake to vs poore Ministers alone but also to the Parliament and to all other Noble men or gentlemen that haue intermedled M Powels censure of the Parliament house or shall intermedle in our cause Yea them you doe not cunnyngly but openly playnly charge all such with rashnes and foolehardines If you had been a man that in heart had not cared for the opposition of any yet this speech would scarse haue beseemed your person One of us for halfe so much against the meanest Prelat yea against the basest Chancellor should haue payd full sweetly But your side seeme to haue privilege of speake and writing what you please against any yea against many yea against the High Court of Parliament Yea against whole Churches and kingdoms For the rest if we cannot make our cause good and justifie the same so that all your side shall not be able substantially to answer without scoffing rayling wrangling and sophisticating then let our quarrell be accounted frivolous and our cause not justifiable G. Powel There are great ods betweene these examples proposed and the refractarie ministers case There should be such ods Reply For the author reasoneth not á similibus or paribus from likes or equalls but from the lesse to the greater G. Powel In the tyme of Nehemiah the Iewes by long captivity were in great affliction the walls of Ierusalem broken downe etc. But our Church hath long florished is glorious still and more and more increaseth I will not say your wordes are like to his wordes that boasted saying I am rich and increased with goods Reply Revel 3.17 and haue neede of nothing but this I say that all beyng granted that you say doth not hinder but further the cause The more the Church florisheth the more easie it is to grant that which the Arguments pleade for Ministers also of the word are as necessary for the preserving and increasing of the glorie of Churches as for the procuring therof at the first But alas I would God our Church did so florish as you pretend Indeed it hath many rich mercyes God be blessed for them but he that seeth not what the Church wanteth doth not rightly acknowledge that which it hath Is this the glory of a Church for Prelates to florish and flant it out gallantly and for their men to ruffle it out lustily Nay rather this is the glory of the world and better beseeming the Courts of Princes and houses of Noble men then the calling of orthodox Bishops who should as well in their life as in their doctrine preach humilitie modestie and contempt of the world The more glorious that Prelats are outwardly the lesse glorious for the most part they are inwardly Yea it is to be observed that the more the outward glory of Churchmen as they are called hath increased the more hath true inward glory decayed The more also that the inward and true bewty of the Church hath decayed the more hath the outward state and pompe of
For these are the expresse words of the psalme which he applyeth to the Parliament for dealing in our behalfe so indeede accusing us as the principall offenders in those sinnes that are mencioned in that psalme but yet making the Parliament also accessary with us in them THE THIRD ARGVMENT It was a fault in Pharaoh his butler that he did no sooner remember to speake to Pharoah for the libertie of Ioseph and for his release from his affliction Gen. 40.14 23. Seeing Ioseph had interpreted his dreame of reconciliation to the grace of Pharaoh and to his former place of earthly honorable service in the house of Pharao Ergo The Parliament ought so to remember the interpretation of the mysteries of God his favor and heavenly kingdome by the ministers now silenced etc. That they doe what lawfully they may to release them of their troubles 1 Marginall notes G. Powel a This and most of the arguments following are grounded upon a false principle viz that the refractary Ministers quarrell against the Church of England is the ministery of the gospell the salvation of the people etc wheras indeed all the contention is about crosse surplice and some other indifferent Ceremonyes and actions in the Church And all these arguments doe specially make against them seeing they be onely disturbers of the sincere profession of the gospell and worke of the ministery yea seeing they forsake their calling and moue so great contention And agayne G. Powel b would God they were halfe so diligent in a good cause as they are importunat to sow schisme and sedition among brethren But they deserue small commendation etc. Reply One reply shall serue to both these notes Especially because as it is noted before all the answer is grounded upon a false principle that we are schismatiks etc. and so worthy of all that hath been done unto us To insist therefore upon this poynt I say first of all that this accusation of vs to be such is a most beggerly begging of the question most unjust untrue and uncharitable never yet proved neither able to be proved vntill they proue the matters in controversie to be meerely indifferent to such uses as whereto they are imployed urged by them yea good and laudable Ceremonies matters of decency and order in the Church yea that we also refuse to conforme our selues unto them more of stomacke then of conscience Much lesse can they justifie their proceedings against and punishing of us yea not onely of us but also of our people a thing most unrighteous and odious to God men in such manner as they haue done especially more for these things which themselues call indifferent small pettie accidentall circumstantiall then they doe other for things expresly forbidden by God himselfe a thousand tymes more offensiue to other and more reprochful and disgracefull to our Church profession and kingdom then these things Yea it is to be observed that notwithstanding all these proceedinges against us all our bookes written against the ceremonyes onely to shew the righteousnes of our cause and all their writtyngs against us none of them haue ever yet either in open consistory or in privat conference that I haue heard of or in publike writing made any one no not one demonstratiue reason necessarily concluding the lawfulnes and the good and necessary use of the things they so heavily impose vppon us Some indeed haue written against some of our arguments but no otherwise then the witt of man may cavill against any principle of religion though never so substantially proved by the best divine upon the earth But to returne to the poynt there is nothing in these two notes and in the rest of the booke objected against vs where with our auncients and betters Our betters heretofore charged as we are now haue not been charged in former tymes Elia was charged with troubling Israell 1 King 18.17 Michaiah might haue been charged with singularity and schisme for dissenting from all the 400 Prophets in Ahabs time 1 King 22. Ieremy was accused by the Preists and Prophets of his tyme to haue spoken against the state of the City and to be therefore worthy to dyc Ierem. 26.11 Amos was charged by Amazia the preist with such conspiracy against the King that the land was not able to beare all his words Amos 7.10 All the Iewes was generally accused by Haman to Ahashuerosh not to haue observed the Kings lawes Ester 3.8 Ezra and the Iewes with him were accused by Rehum Shimshay and other beyond the river to Artashasht the King as rebellious and wicked for building of Ierusalem Yea they were not only so accused for the time present but also for the time to come as we are afterward in the 16 Argument in the marginall note with r that if they were suffered to proceed in building of the City they would not pay toll nor tribute nor custome yea Ezra and his companions were not onely charged to be such but the whole City of Ierusalem for former tymes was also charged to haue been a rebellious noysom City vnto Kings and Provinces that the inhabitants therof had moved sedition of old time that for that cause that Citie had been destroyed Therefore also the sayd Rehum and Shimshay and their companions pretended regard of the Kings Honor in writing so against Ezra and the rest of the Iewes Ezra 4.12 etc. The enimyes of Daniell framed the like accusation of him to Darius Daniell 6. Our Saviour himselfe was blasphemed by the name of a seducer deceiver of the people Ioh. 7.12 Yea oft tymes as a blasphemer profaner of the Saboth a frend to publicans and sinners Paule was accused to haue taught men against the law and the Temple Acts 21.28 and to be a pestilent fellow a mover of sedicion Acts 24.5 yea to be an heretike verse 14. Such also haue been the accusations of all Martyrs by the common adversaries the Papistes It is therefore the more to be marveilled at that our Prelats professing and sometime preaching the gospell doe accuse vs in like manner Yea charge us to disturbe the sincere profession of the gospell and worke of the ministery and yet alleadge no reason heerof or at least no other reason then such as for which all or the most part of those before named were so charged as we haue heard For besides traditions of men antiquity not proved at least not true antiquity the commaundements of Princes procured by themselues uncharitably misinformyng such princes besids thes things I say what else haue they said doe they say or can they say The Ministers not yelding to conformitie are no schimatickes Doe we vary from the sincere doctrine of the scriptures Nay rather many of them doe much more swarue from the same especially sithens their late strong patronizing and urging of these things yea they haue fallen frō that that heertofore hath been constantly and generally held by our Church now
Pleas by the opinion of the whole bēch in Hylarie terme last when upon a writt of prohibition procured by certayne Parishioners in the Countie of Hertford the Iudges denyed a consultation to the Minister of the same Parish who had convented the Parishioners before the Ecclesiasticall Iudg for gaynsaying his election of the parish clearke which by vertue of this Canon he had declared in the Ecclesiasticall Court to belong unto himselfe a lone The 77. Canon entituled none to teach schole without licence is repugnant to a statute made the first Session of this Parliament in divers poyntse First the statute permitteth ascholemaster to teach in any publicke free grāmer schole without any licence of the Bishop of the Diocess or Ordinary of the place but this Canon commaundeth that none teach publicke schole but such as shal be licensed by the one or by the other Secondly the statute permitteth any person in any Noble mans or Noble womans gentle mans or gētlewomās house being not recusants to teach without any licence of etc but this Canon commaundeth that no man shal teach in privat house but by licence etc. Thirdly the statute permitteth not any person to be ascholemaster by any other licence thē by the Archbishop Bishop or guardian of the spiritualties But this Canon permitteth a scholemaster to teach if he be allowed by an Ordinarie of the place a lone Which many tymes and in many places is neither Archbishop nor Bishop nor guardian of the spiritualties Lastly this Canon commaundeth that none teach in publicke schole or private house unless he first subscribe to the first and third articles mencioned in the 36. Canon simply and to the two first clauses of the second article wheras the statute requyreth no manner of subscription at all All these things before written considered we may safly affirme concernyng many of the said late Canons that they be not to be put in execution within the Realme unless they shall be confirmed by Act of Parliament yea that we may also truely speake this in generalitie that eiall the Churcwardens and syde men throughout England sworne to present all offences committed against the said Canons must be falsely perjured or else that there is not one Minister which shall exercise his ministeriall functiō nor any one man or woman which shall usually come to common prayer and divine service but they must stand continually at the Ordinaries mercy for one offence or other For the thinges commaunded or forbidden beyng innumerable and impossible at all tymes to be kept into what a servitude these Canons haue brought both Ministers and people and what an excessiue chardg is layd up on the purse of every person be he bond or be he free be he yong or be he old for citations Excommunications absolutions and dimissions licences faculties and dispēsations Who havyng but halfe an eye seeth not Nay that many in many places haue already borne the Yoke and felt the burden of these Canons cannot be denyed Agayne howsoever at the petition of the Prelats his Majestie hath been pleased generally to allow ratifie and cōfirme the booke of Canons under the broad seale of England yet may no loyall and honest subject heereupon inferr that his Majestie intended by the generall wordes of his confirmation to authorize any perticular matter devised and decreed by the Synod contrary to the holy scriptures hurtfull to the rights prerogatives and dignities of his Highnes Crowne repugnant to any lawes statuts or customes of the Realme prejudiciall to his Lords commons in Parliament or onerous to his people The contents then of sondry the late Canons in as much as the same be contrary to the holy scriptures tend to the blemishing of the liberty and franchise of the Kings will grace power be cōtrariant or regugnant to the lawes statuts and customes of the Realme be prejudiciall to the Lords and Commons in Parliament without whose consent no new bindyng law ought to be made or be such as may become very onerous to the people it is a playne case that every of the Kings liege faithfull subjects ought to defend the Kings right Honor and dignity against all such Canons For heerby it seemeth that as all other the wisest and best Princes that ever haue been haue in some things at some tymes erred so we without offence I hope may say that the King also veritate tacita or falsitate exressa was unawares somewhat mistaken in his graunt In regard whereof such Canons by the lawes statuts and customes of his kingdome be meerely voyd and of none effect to all constructions purposes whereupon also that necessarily followeth that the same can receive no beyng by his Majesties confirmation Quod omnino non est confirmari non potest THE 9 ARGVMENT God hath promised to recompence the least kindnes shewed to his servants especially to the Ministers of the Gospell And the same God is not unrighteous to forget etc but faithfull and hath alwayes performed his promise as appeareth by divers examples Heb. 6 10 and 10.23 Ergo In this regard the High Court of Parliament ought the more to help and releeue the Ministers pleaded for and the people depending upon them Marginall notes G. Powel a Ministers are to be rewarded as they be such and in their office but not as they be Schismatikes and disturbers of the peace of the Church Thereis a secret contradiction in the first parte of this answer Reply For as a Mayor ovt of his office is no Mayor so a Minister out of his ministery is no Minister See the answerer at large Secondly Ministers violently thrust out without just cause are not to be blamed Touching disturbance we say that not we but the Prelats that plead for humane and Romish Ceremonyes much hurtfull and nothing profitable are they that trouble the Church For the Church would otherwise be quyet inough G. Powel b Arcadian wisdome The place Math. 11.11 is to be understood not in regard of the office but in respect of the cleare knowledg they should haue of Christ after his resurrection The first part of this note beyng but a scorne I leaue to scorners The other divinity of this note is very deepe and profound Reply How shall I sound the bottome of it Doth Christ speake of Iohn in respect of his knowledge or of his office Did the people goe out into the wildernes unto Iohn in respect of his knowledge or in respect of his office to be baptised of him Math. 3.6.7 Doth Christ also aske whether the knowledge Math 21.25 or the baptisme that is the ministery of Iohn were frō heaven or of men Heerby it is manifest that Christ compareth Iohn with the Prophets in respect of office not in respect of knowledge Therefore also in the same respect he compareth the least in the kingdom of heaven with him and preferreth the least Minister of the gospell for his ministeryes sake as
great difference betwixt bonum bene good and well iustum and iuste that which is iust and justly For he teacheth that good just things may be done by evill and ujust men which haue not the habit eyther generally of goodnes or perticularly of Iustice but he sayth that only good and just men which haue the habit of goodnes and justice Marc 6 20 can doe things well and iustly And this distinction is agreable to holy writ For Herod is saide to haue done many thinges viz. that were in themselues good the like may be sayd of Saule and divers other But certaine it is that evil men can doe any good or just thīg well and iustly This commeth onely from the spirit of regeneration and from a true faith wrought thereby without which it is impossible to please God For as much therfore Heb 11 6. as this answerer doth here testifie generally of the Supplicants that they doe discourse in this Argument not onely of many worthy and Christian poyntes but also worthily and Christianly yea very worthily and Christianly contraritie yea also for as much as he setteth this downe for a certeynty saying certeynly how doth this or can this agre with all the reproch full termes before given by him unto them of Schismatiks Refractaryes wilfull contenders with the Magistrate presumptuous censurers wilfull and malicious confronters of the Magistrat boasters lyars impudent blind and ignorant persons false Prophets fowers of sedition disturbers of the Church etc For can it be sayd of such men and that for a certeynty that they discourse very worthily and Christianly of sundry things Let it not be sayd that to discourse is but a matter of wordes For their is the same reason of words and works No man can say well and rightly that Iesus is the Lord 1 Cor 12 3. but by the Holy Ghost Though an evill man therfore may speake many good and Christian things yet onely good men speake good and Christian things well and christianly G. Powel Doth God plague us because of the proceedinges against the refractary Ministers And not rather for our horrible sinnes of security pride unthankfulnes etc This is certeyne and the rest unproved I haue told you Reply of your mistaking your Logike before The author disputeth not perticularly of the sinnes that moved the Lord to visite vs etc but of the generall end wherfore he did both correct us but also magnifie his mercy towards us The which he applied to the particular poynt of favor for the Ministers molested Notwithstanding to answer your question though it cannot be denyed that for other sinnes the Lord hath so heavily scourged us yet why should the suppressing of the Ministery of the gospell be concluded Was not to receiue and heare the Disciples of our Saviour which were sent out by two two but for a time to prepare men for the gospell so great a sinne that our Saviour pronounceth that it should be easier for Sodom and Gonorrha in the day of iudgement then for such a City Mat. 10 14. 15 as should not so receyue and heare his Disciples and shall the silencyng and depriving of so many Ministers setled in perticular Congregations and all ready blessed in their labors be accounted no sinne Yea not onely the silencyng of them etc but also providyng that they shall haue no other meanes whereby to maynteyne themselues their wiues and children God open your eyes to see and moue your hearts so to cōsider hereof that yee may not flatter your selues but see your sinne herein Yea because your selfe speake of unthankfulnes as one speciall sinne provokyng Gods indignation what greater unthankfullnes can there be then so to intreate his servants whom he hath so graced and blessed Iudge your selues yee Reverend Fathers that are principall actors in this matter that yee may not be iudged of the Lord. 1 Cor 11.31 Take heed I humbly beseech you in the feare of God take heed I say in time least fire breake forth frō the Lord and there be none to quench the same In the destruction of Ierusalem by Nebuchadnetzer 2 Chron 36 16 and the carying of the people away captiue to Babell and in the last desolation of the same City by the Romans the like misusing of the Lords Prophets is set downe as one principall cause therof Mat 21.35 23 37 And who I beseech you in such misusage of the Lords messengers had alwayes a principall hand Had not the Priests of the Lord that should haue done the contrary Serch the scriptures and see if they bare not witnes in this behalfe If God once set things in order before you Psal 50.12 shall it be sufficient to pleade that the Ministers of his word against whom yee haue so proceeded were Schismatikes refractaryes etc. Alas alas this wil be but a weake plea. Yee haue herd before that the Prophets were so termed Lastly concernyng the particular sinnes by you mentioned and other the like from whence doe they more proceede then frō the restraint of the word by the Preaching wherof they would be eyther repressed or restrayned If the libertie and free passage of the gospell worke an holy feare humility and duetifull thankfulnes yea if the preaching of the word doe restrayne the most wicked and reprobate themselues that they bite in their lips hold their hands and refrayne from many sinnes which otherwise they would commit as it cannot be denyed doe not security pride unthankfulnes all other sinnes come from the restraint of the word The answer to the Second supposed Argument in this 17 conteyned hath in part been answered before because it hath been proved that we are no Schismaticall Ministers Touching the rest of the sayd answer we deny not but that there are other meanes wherby that Honorable Court may testifie their thankefulnes yet this hindreth not but that this may also be one yea if it be granted that there are other then by vertue of relation this also must be granted to be one Yea if mercy to the soule be more then mercy to the body as the soule is better then the body and the misery of the soule greater then of the body and cruelty to the soule worse then to the body then it followeth that this is a speciall principall meanes wherby to testifie their thankfulnes His answer to the third supposed argument in the 17 Argument hath also been answered The same I say of his answer to the 5 supposed argument Onely therin the answerers censure of the Parliament if they should restore us is to be observed viz. that they shall not onely attract guilt and remorse of Conscience but also preiudice their Honorable age and make their names reprochfull to all posterity This toucheth not only the Lords of the upper house and body of the Commons in the Netherhouse but also his most excellent Majestie without whose Princely authoritie nothing can be