Prelats against the said Ministers for not subscribyng observing the booke conformity etc to be with out law and a gainst law This one reason is from the late Bill of the Bishops presented to the Parliament for the establishing both of the booke of Common prayer and also of their Canons For if the said booke and Canons were already good in law what needed any new statute to establish them If they say that abundans cautela non nocet plentifull caution is not hurtfull they must also remember that they haue likewise learned frustra fit per plura quod fieri potest per pauciora It is in vayne to doe that by many thinges which may be done by fewe Now to the Canons repugnant to the law We decree and appoynt saith the Synod that no iudge ad quem shall admitt or allow any his or their appeales speaking as they call them of obstinate and factious appellants unlesse he haue first seene the originall appeale But the King say I is a iudge ad quem Ergo the King saith this Synod may not admitt or allow any appeale etc. The liberty and franchise then of the Kings will and grace after this unwonted manner by a Synodall decree onely beyng thus blemished impeched and restrayned what dignity preheminence superiority or prerogatiue hath the Kings grace when the King himselfe is chardged not to grant any inhibition out of his Court of Chauncery but conditionally and upon an unlesse etc. And if by this Canon the Kings will and grace receiue let hinderance and prejudice what should we thinke but that this Canon also tendeth to the weakenyng of the Kings arme and power For how can his power be strōg and his arme able to help when his grace is bound and his will unable to will And then agayne if these two mayne pillars of his Majesties prerogatiue Royall namely his grace and his power be thus shaken by this Canon must it not necessarily follow that the Lords and Commons in Parliament are prejudiced therby For the rights prerogatiues of the Kings Crowne by the lawes of the Realme be not invested and appropried unto the Kings person onely in regard of his Majesties owne Royall estate but also for the good condition and preservation of his body Politicke which is the Common wealth Which body also for the just and necessary defence both of the head which is the King and of it selfe hath such a proper clayme and interest in and to the grace and power of the head as the lest jote of the power and grace of the head may not be blemished to the prejudice of the body without consent of the body viz of the Lords Commons in Parliament who are the very image and true representiue body of the Realme yea and thus much in effect haue the Kings progenitors and the Auncestors of our Nobles and Cōmons agreed upon in Parliament when by their authority and consent it was forbidden that any thing should be attempted which should tend to the blemishyng of the Kings prerogatiue or to the prejudice of his Lords Commons And when also by common consent Acts Monuments 4 Ed. 3 pag 422. 424 it was enacted in effect that neither King Iohn nor any other King could bring his Realme and people in thraledome and subjection but by consent in Parliament Furthermore appeales beyng de iure naturali and introduced into judgement seats tam ob defensionem et presidiū innocentiae quam ad deprimendam iniquitatem et corrigendam imperitiam iudicis as well for the defence and savegard of innocency as for the depressing of the iniquity and correcting the unskilfulnes of a Iudge as they haue been evermore allowed by the lawes custōes of the Realme so haue they been suffered as freely to be prosecuted as interposed For otherwise how should either innocency be protected or the injustice of a judge reformed in case an appeale being interposed might not be prosecuted frustra saith S. Edward Cooke expectatur eventus de jure Reg Eccles cuius effectus nullus sequitur And according unto this naturall equity hath it been specially provided by a Statute of the realme that the Kings subjects being greived should not only haue libertie to make but also to take haue use and prosecute all manner of appeales after such manner forme and condition as is limited for appeales to be had and prosecuted And for lacke of Iustice many Courts of the Archbishops of this Realme it is lawfull for the partie greived to appeale to the Kinges Majestie in his Court of Chauncery And upon every such appeale a Commission saith the Statute shal be directed under the great Seale to such persons as shal be named by the Kings Highnes to heare and definitivly determine such appeales with the causes and all circumstances It is therefore apparant that this Canon is contrary or repugnant to this Statute For this Canon and this statute thus repugnantly providing and working divers repugnant effects the statute simply admitting the use and prosecution of all manner of appeales the Canon not admittyng but conditionally the use and prosecution of some appeales can not stand together Agayne some inferiour Ordinaryes having libertie to take the bridle in their owne teeth to lay the reynes loose on their owne neckes may in tyme beyng proudly pampred wax wanton in their judgement seates when they shall stand in no awe of having the nullitie or injquity of their process and sentences weyed in the ballance of any superiour Iudge By reason whereof this Canon can not but proue exceeding onerovs to the subject For let a man or woman dwelling at Michaels Mount be but once judicially though perhaps wrongfully cited by the name of a factious or obstinat person cōtemner of ceremonyes and from such wrongfull citations let his or her appeale made to the Kings Majestie in his Court of Chauncery if it be frō the Archbishop or unto the Archbishop if it be from the Diocesan be never so just equal thereis no remedy in this case before his or hirs appeale be admitted or allowed but the same man or woman by the letter of this Canon must personally appeare in the Archbishops Consistory if the appeale be by the Archbishop and if the appeale be to the King in the Kings Court of Chauncery though the same should be at Barwicke Yea and though the party appellant be never so poore aged weake and impotent Nay not only personall appearāce but personall subscription also by this Canon is requyred to the Kings Supremacie to the Articles of Religion to the booke of Homilies to the booke of Common prayer and to the booke of Consecrating Bishops be the party appellant never so simple a laborer or never so silly a spīster The 37. Canon disauthoriseth every Minister by what authority so ever he be admitted to preach or to read a Lecture in any place within the Realme unlesse he be licenced either by the Archbishop
he would eat no cheese were this moderat severity What then may be sayd of them that cast out other from the inheritāce of the Lord whose labours God hath blessed to the joye of many an elect soule that only for not doyng that against which they can yeeld a farre better reason from God his will revealed in his word then any man can doe for his not eating of cheese or for any other the like action from the secret instinct of nature G. Powel The author of these arguments is not afrayd to perswade provoke your Honorable Court these are his owne words to intercede with his Majestie that he would compell the Reverend Prelats to surcease their rigorous and cruell dealing The Apostle biddeth vs to provoke one another to loue to good works Heb. 10.24 Therefore why might not the author of these arguments use this word unto the Parliament for so good a worke as in all the said arguments is intended But for the latter words of M. Powel to compell the Reverend Prelats to surcease their rigorous and cruell dealing etc. Where doth the author use them The drifte of all the arguments insinuateth so much If it be but insinuation then all the words before set downe are not the expresse owne words of the author as M. Powell hath said 2 It may be taken for granted that the sayd Prelats are so resolute for mainteyning of their Hierarchie Discipline Ceremonyes and other conformity that they will not yeeld one inche yea not to his Majestie exceept they be compelled Gab. Powel The Prelats haue soberly and temperatly caryed themselues in their proceedings Answ We will all with one accord most thankfully acknowledg this when we shall find it In the meane tyme we do acknowledge it comparatiuly true in respect of their wils and desires For by this answer written by their authority and by divers other tokens it is apparant that they would gladly provoke us to giue them further advantage against vs and also that for these causes they would doe more thē they doe yet I speake not of all I doe unfainedly confess that their is great difference of affections amongst them it respect of us they would I say doe more then they doe If they feared not the people No but if his Majestie his most Honorable counsell would giue them leaue and if they feared not as much indignation from his Highnes as now they seeme to be in grace with him and as much opposition by the honorable Counsell as now perhaps they seeme to haue furtherance by some of them that do not so well understand the cause G. Powel Their obstinat superstion hath worthely made them subject to the proceedings of the Bishops What Superstition And obstinate superstition Answ We were never before to my remembrance charged with superstition much lesse with obstinat superstition but haue alwayes been accounted great adversaryes to superstitiō Yea we hate it with a perfect hatred yea our soules abhorre and detest the least superstition much more obstinat superstition as much as the best of them doe hate it yea much more then some of them it is one of our reasons against some poynts of conformitie that we judge them superstitious How then may we be charged with superstition Yea with obstinat superstition But what if we were superstitious May we therfore be punished cōtrary to law or aboue that that the law requyreth Were not this to ad transgression to transgression and to punish sinne with sinne We may not doe evill that good may come thereof G. Powel The author cryeth out as if the gospell by such proceedings were banished Gods worship prophanely adulterated to the eternall perill of many thousand soules Where is this outcry It is very low and soft Answer in some secret corner or written in very small letters that no man can see or heare of it The author might well cry out that the gospell is in part banished by the suppression of so many able godly faithfull paynefull ministers that Gods worship is in part corrupted both in the doctrine especially sithens this late vehement strivyng by our Prelats for conformitie as shal be afterwards touched and also in the other publike exercises of religion by mixture of humane inventions Ceremonyes and Traditions Yea and that heerby we are in danger to haue the candlesticke removed and the kingdome of Heaven taken from us and given to a Nation more worthy then we except by repentance doing our first works Revel 2.5 Yea making our last works more then our first vers 19. We doe in time prevent this judgment G. Powel The Parliament is able to convince him heerin of malepart Sycophancy and manifest untruth Answer I would such accusers notwithstanding their such threats of the Parliaments kindnes would stand with vs that we might be admitted to stand with them at the barre of the Parliament for triall of this accusation and whether the author of those Arguments or this answerer haue abused that most worthy Senat. G. Powel This author feareth no rebuke of shame for his vnconscionable dealyng Answer Let this unsconscionable dealing be shewed in the author or else let this answerer be ashamed G. Powel This man speaketh frō Cimmerian darknes by concealing his nāe Answer Then also by the same reason many books of the scripture the writers whereof haue concealed their names were written from Cimmerian darknes The like may be sayd of many other most worthy Theologicall bookes without name of any writer Much more may the same be sayd of the booke intitled SCOTTISH GENEVATING ENGLISH SCOTIZING and many other such disgracefull and scornefull books published without name of any author against the desired reformation and all the favorers thereof It is also the severitie of the Prelats that maketh vs the rather to conceale our names If we had as much liberty to publish our books for our selues as every rayler hath to put forth any thing against us Yea as there is for Printing of many profane filthy scurrilous lascivious ungodly bookes authorised by some of them you should quickly see our names The author is bold to offer his writing even to your Honors Gab. Powel to provoke you to supplicat to his excellent Majestie in behalfe of their cause or else to determine it of your selues Answ The author never desired this determynation you speake of by the Parliament as though that would or might be authenticall without his Majesties Royall assēt but onely that his Majesty thereby seeing the equity of the cause and the affection of his people therunto might also be the more easily perswaded to vouchsafe his princly favour towards them therein G. Powel I was cōmaunded by some in authority to peruse and breifely to refute these Arguments which at the first I was unwillyng to take vpon me If you be so ready to be commaunded to write against
either of mallice or to encrease his volume shall be discovered in the defence of that 8 Argument Concernyng the Arguments themselues may it please the Christian reader first of all to take a generall veiwe of the generall fraudes of the answerer in his answer vnto them His first generall fraude is that he setteth upon these Arguments as though in them the mayne cause betwixt the Prelats and vs were handled Whereas the purpose of the author was not to informe the mindes and judgmēts of the Parliament but taking that to be already done by other books written in that behalfe the rather because he did already see them to deale in the cause he labored altogether to quicken their affections and to whet and encrease their zeale to be the more earnest in that cause of the equity and sinceritie whereof by former bookes touching their iudgments they were abundantlie informed and perswaded And heerin he had the more reason to provoke their godlie zeale in respect of the manifold mightie adversaries the cause had and because he knew that the sayd adversaryes wovld make strong opposition therevnto and labor what they might to hinder the same 2 Because the mayne controversie betwixt the Prelats and vs is not handled in these Arguments therefore he insulteth mightily and often almost in every page he objecteth petitionem principii begging of the question vnto us as though because the controversie were not handled in the sayd arguments therefore it were not handled else where But sith it is handled by other whose books reasons are not yet answered neither ever will be substantially therefore this is but a vayne boasting His thyrd generall fraud is that himselfe committeth the same fault in all his answer that he objecteth to the author of the arguments For whereas the said author vpon sufficient proofe made of the cause by other bookes doeth make this the generall conclusion of all the arguments that it would please the whole State graciously to releeue the ministers oppressed for that cause etc this answerer maketh this his conclusion that it would please the State to releeue the refractary and schismaticall Ministers So never prooving us neither any other having ever proved us to be refractary schismaticall etc. except every Bishop be a Pythagoras and doe alwayes speake oracles which they seeldome doe yet he taketh it for granted that we are such Huic arenoso fundamento tota strues et moles sequentis Praelatici responsi innititur Vpon this sandie foundation the whole frame and lumpe of all the Prelaticall answer following doth relye M. POWEL TO THE TITLE OF THE Arguments G. Powel All the Arguments following be common excepting one or two and may be urged for popery or any other heresy etc. Are Popish or other herericall Preists ministers of Christ Answer in grace and favor with Christ etc. Doe the Angels so long after and reioyce in their Ministery as in ours Doe they as truely interprete the mysteries of God to eternall life as Ioseph interpreted dreames for this life May they as truely be commēded for the spirituall deliverance of many soules as Ionathan did worke the bodily deliverance of the Israelits etc. The like may be sayd of the other arguments How then are they so common as the answerer chargeth them to be This beginnyng sheweth what we are to looke for in the rest of the answer The first Argument The Ministers supplicated for are evident to be the true Ministers of Christ 1 By the speciall hatred of all wicked men against them Iohn 15.19 2 By their godly life 3 By their gifts and by the blessing of God upon their labours Rom. 10.15 1 Cor. 9.2 2 Cor. 3.2 3. Therefore the State ought to releeue thē being now oppressed because that which is done for them or denyed unto them is done for Christ or denyed unto Christ Exod. 16 2. 1 Sam. 8.7 Luc. 10.16 Math. 25.40 Gal. 3.25 Ephe. 5.30 THE MARGINALL NOTES OF M. POWEL upon the former Argument a Gab. Powel That is but justly omitted that makes nothing to the purpose Answ The word gospell signifiyng the preaching of the gospell the furtherance or hinderance therof maketh to purpose in this matter or else nothing doth G. Powel b There be other Ministers of the gospell Answer I acknowledge it with all thankes to God and whatsoever difference of judgment or practise there be betwixt them and us in the present controversie yet I loue and reverence them for their giftes and paynes But what then Though there were ten times as many more and every one as sufficient as the best yet these tymes requyre all Num. 11.29 2 Tim. 4.1 2 Tim. 3.1 The note with c I passe by When they shew our proofes not to proue our intent we will either strenghten them or bring better G. Powel d Palpable ignorance Many lay men I are hated of the world 2 lead an unblamable life 3 haue sufficient gifts ergo They are Ministers of Christ Double Sophistry 1 Whereas the author saith those Ministers that are so hated of the world etc Answer are the Ministers of Christ this answerer saith they not those Ministers that are so qualified etc. 2 He leaveth altogether out the last poynt taken from the successe of their Ministery whose arte it is so to clip words I neede not to note G. Powel e They haue ill neighbours that commend themselues But I could wish they were such indeed albeit they are generally noted to be great teachers and practisers of vsury Wee haue such ill neightours that as by their dayly false accusations and slaunders against us Reply doe urge us to pleade our owne innocency as Moses Samuell Ieremy Paule and Christ himselfe having the like neighbovrs were vrged to justifie themselues Usury cannot be so truely proved to be taught and practised by us as all men see many conformitans to be usurers Symonists non residents gamesters potcompanions etc. Yea and to defend also some of these things G. Powel f Why doe you not name them Reply It is needles The namyng also of such Prelats as haue commended those whom they haue deprived may perhaps purchase them as much ill will and hatred with their greater Prelats as Nicodemus and some other had envy with the Pharises for speaking any good word in behalfe of Christ g All this evidence can make but a conjecture and that scarse probable seeing many heretikes papists etc. Gab. Powel Haue suffered more then all this comes to for their heresies and superstition Thus may the suffering of all Martyrs be eluded Reply For heretikes have suffered as much etc. But marke heere his cunnyng The author speaketh of suffering wrongs indignities etc. M. Powel speaketh of suffering more leaving out the substantiue of the comparatiue adjectiue more Sophistry If he doe understand the former substantiue wrongs etc then heretikes Papists suffer not more For they are
into which things the Angels desire to behold Reply 1 Pet. 1.12 must of necessity haue relation to the thinges before said to be shewed by them that had preached the gospell For there is no other antecedent to the relatiue into which Therefore the consequence is not to be so scorned by any that knoweth a consequence Heere also the answerer abuseth his reader by wrangling with the conclusion and leaving out the principall confirmation thereof Ephes 3.10 Where it is expresly sayd that Paule had receaved the ministery of the gospell to the intent that unto Principalityes and powers in the heavenly places now not before in that manner might be knowne by the Church let that be also noted the manifold wisdome of God The other two notes touching schisme and contention haue been answered and shall afterwards be answered more fully yet here I ad that he doth unjustly heere say their contention For we contend not with them but they with vs. We seeke to take nothing from them they seeke and take all from us Abraham for peace with Lot his yonger and nepheu was cōtent to part from his owne right but these are such holdfasts of their rites and ceremonies that for peace with us they will not part with an inch though they get nothing by the whole No marveill for they will not parte with that which is the right onely of Christ Let it be therefore here noted how unfitly in the title pag the answerer hath prefixed the sentence of Abraham Gen 13.18 Let there be no contention etc. Further answer to the 2 Argument G. Powel This Argument is ambiguous and savors of a paradox For how will they understand it That Angels should be ministers of the gospell Impossible Or that they should be converted thereby etc Absurd they never sinned or that they might learne to knowe the wisdome of God So they doe by all other creaturs and actions of God Reply No paradox at all Neither had the answerer any cause to make the two first questions if he had considered the places alleadged That which he opposeth to the third against knowledge of the wisdome of God by the gospell etc may as well be opposed to mens knowledge of the wisdome of God by his word For they are also taught the wisdome of God by his creatures and works psa 19.1 Rom. 1.1920 The further meanyng of this argument in any speciall manner differing from other I leaue to the author himselfe who is able no doubt to defend his meanyng or ready to yeeld better reason to the contrary But be it that he had no other meanyng in this poynt then other men haue yet the common doctrin of the scriptures touching Angels in this behalfe maketh the argument good For the Angels of themselues know not who be elect and who be reprobat This knowledge before calling is proper to the Lord. 2 Tim. 2.19 The election of men is made knowne to the Angels by their calling and conversion wherein it is sayd the Angels rejoyce Luc. 15.7 10. And so accordingly they glorifie God in glorifiyng of whom consisteth their happines The more therefore the word is preached and men converted thereby the more the Angels reioyce and glorifie God the lesse the word is preached the lesse they rejoyce yea they may be sayd in some sort the more to mourne In this respect therfore the gospell may be said to be for the Angels So this great paradox is unfolded The substance of the second parte of this answer to this 2 Argument hath been answered before Whereas he chargeth us to forsake our ministery for a fewe pety accidentall circumstances therein he discovereth the nakednes of the Prelats in inflicting so materiall and substantiall punishment for a few pety accidentall circūstances For justice requyreth a proportion betwixt the offence and the punishment But we acknowledg no offence For we may not purchase liberty of doing the greatest good with committing the least evill He that saith doe good first saith eschew evill psal 34.14 These thinges being also proved evill in other bookes they are not to be accounted pety and accidentall circumstances The least sinne against the great God is to be accounted a great matter In his third answer he proclameth agayne but proveth not our error and faction If we erre or be factious let us in that respect be punished so notwithstāding that the people be not punished with us and let us be holpen as we are Ministers G. Powel It doth not follow that if the wise and judicious Parliament should iustly refuse to deale in the cause of Schismaticall Ministers further thē only to admonish them to desist from their singularity etc therefore they should provoke God and Angels Yea if they should take parte with Schismatikes and intercede for them to deteyne them and the people still in faction thē they should provoke God etc. psa 50 1718 Reply Indeede now you speake sure and if alwayes you speak so you shall not be trapt If the Parliament iustly refuse etc. and if we be schismatiks and singular etc. then all is well on your side But when will you proue us such As I shall anone proue the contrary so in the meane tyme for singularity it belongeth not to us but to the Prelats that are singular by themselues differing from the word and from more Churches reformed then we both in judgment also in practise But to returne to your other words thus I reason from them against you The wise and iudicious Parliament will not intermedle in the quarrell of Sdhismaticall ministers further then onely to admonish them to desist from their singularity etc all these are your owne words But the Parliament hath further intermedled for vs etc. ergo We are not schismaticall Either therefore recant your commendation of the Parliament or else revoke yous reprochfull accusing vs to be schismatikes Vtrum horum mauis accipe I suppose you will not charge the Parliament with any thing contrary to the commendation you haue before geiven of them and which all wise and judicious men will acknowledge to be due vnto them Therfore I hope you will de nobis palinodiam canere and never heerafter charge vs as you haue done Here is one thing more to be noated as some what crossing my former supposall for not revoking his former cōmendation of the Parliament yea making me to feare that he will rather impute folly to them according to the manner of some other Prelats then revoke his reproches against vs. What is this that is to be noted viz. That to proue if they should take parte with vs then they should provoke God and the whole host of heaven against us that I say to proue this he applyeth unto them psal 50.17.18 Whereby he insinuateth that they having interceded for us doe therefore hate to be reformed haue cast Gods word behind them haue runne with theeues and taken part with adulterers