De adiaphoris Theological and scholastical positions, concerning the nature and vse of things indifferent. Where also is methodically and briefely handled, of ciuill and ecclesiasticall magistrates, of humane lawes, of Christian libertie, of scandall, and of the worship of God. A vowed worke, destinated (by the grace of God) to appease the dissentions of the Church of England. Written in Latine by M. Gabriel Powel, and translated into English by T.I.

V. ARGVMENT.

Many spake earnestly; yea and some haue aduentured their liues in behalfe of the Church of God, as Nehemiah, Hester: so also did Joseph of Arima∣thea,

and Nicodemus for Christs bo∣die.

Ergo, So should the high Court of Par∣liament do for the refractarie Mini∣sters and for whole Christ.

ANSVVERE.

I. To the Antecedent.

THe zeale and courage of such as haue been ear∣nest, or aduentured their liues and estate in Gods cause, for defence of his eternall truth and Church, is certainely much to be commended and imitated (to their vtmost power) of all such as desire to be called, and be indeed members of the Church of God: but it would be wisely considered, that it were rashnesse and foole-hardinesse, for any to ad∣uenture hazard, or manifest danger, by intermed∣ling in a friuolous and vnnecessarie quarell, and much more for such cause as cannot be iustified by any probable reason.

The Defender replies. Except by a friuolous quarell, 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 (Noblemen, or Gentlemen) that haue intermedled, or shall intermedle in our cause. Yea, them doe you not cunningly, but openly and plainly, charge all such with rashnes and foole-hardines.

What should mooue the Defender, to imagine that I meane any other Cause, but the Ministers? I meane no o∣ther indeed; and yet it followeth not, that therefore I cen∣sure the Parliament house, &c. or charge them with rash∣nes

and foole-hardines. For the Parliament house is not of their faction and straine, as wee haue noted before. What they deserue for this their continuall insolencie and male∣pertnes in slandring the high Court of Parliament, I referre vnto the religious censure of that noble and wise Assem∣blie.

II. To the Consequence.

I

This Consequence hath no coherence with the Antecedent. For there are great ods betweene these examples proposed, and the refractarie Ministers case.

The Defender replieth. There should be such ods. For the Auctor reasoneth not à similibus, or paribus, from likes or equals, but from the lesse to the greater.

But the oddes are such, that they make the Argument to be plainly inconsequent: for the Auctor of the Suppli∣cation makes that lesse, which is euery way greater, as shall appeare in examining the particulars.

II.

In the time of Nehemiah, the Church of the lewes, hauing been long captiuated, was in great af∣fliction and reproach, and the walles of Hierusalem were broken downe, (Nehem. 1.3.) which was not so in the daies of their Fathers. But our Church hauing (by the mercies of God) now long continued in pro∣sperous and flourishing estate, is (God be thanked) glorious still, yea more now, then euer it was in the daies of our Fathers. Furthermore, Nehemiah, after he had wept, mourned, fasted and prayed, (Nehem. 1.4.) spake vnto King Artashaste, an Heathen and prophane man, and finding grace in his eyes, obtained leaue to build vp Hierusalem. (Nehem. 2.6.) But Sanballat, To∣biah, Geshem and others deriding and despising the

Iewes, laboured to hinder the worke, but preuailed not (Nehem. 2.19. and 4.7.15.) Then Nehemiah pray∣ed, My God, remember thou Tobiah and Sanballat, accor∣ding vnto these their workes. (Nehem. 6.14.) So euen in the very beginning of our religious Soueraignes raigne, many worthy Nehemiahs finding grace in his eyes, haue moued his Maiestie for the continuance of the prosperous estate of our Church, as it was in the daies of our late blessed Queene, albeit his High∣nesse was more readie to graunt their request, then they to aske it. And now so many Sanballats, Tobiahs, and Geshems, as there be refractarie Ministers and Papists, deriding and despising vs, labour to hinder our Ministerie, blaspheming the same, either to be none at all, or adulterate and very corrupt, but (God willing) shall not preuaile. And we still thinking that most of them do sinne of ignorance, cease not to pray vnto God: O Lord, open the eyes of these men, and lay not this sinne to their charge.

The Defender replies. All things being granted that you say (concerning the glorie of our Church) doth not hinder, but further the cause. The more the Church flourisheth, the more easie it is to grant that, which the Arguments pleade for. Ministers also of the Word are as necessarie for preseruing and increasing of the glorie of Churches, as for the procuring there∣of at the first.

Not hinder? If our Church be glorious and flourishing both in the entire and sound profession and practise of Gods truth, in the exercises, meanes, and signes of faith, (which is the true and principall glorie of the Church) and also in the outward state, Discipline and Gouernment thereof (which Glorie is secondarie and depending of the former) how can it bee, but that giddie innouation, the vt∣ter ouerthrow of Ecclesiasticall policie, and the bringing

in of the Presbyterian prelacie, euen almost equalizing Papall tyrannie, should be a maine blemish, and vncurable maime vnto the GLORIE of our Church? It is true indeed: that the Ministers of the Word are necessarie for preseruing and encreasing of the glorie of Churches; but are there no Mi∣nisters, but such as be refractarie? Haue we not store (God be praysed) of sufficient religious Ministers alreadie? And are not the Vniuersities able continually to afford farther supplie?

But alas, saith the Defender, I would God our Church did so flourish, as you pretend: Indeed it hath many rich mercies, God be blessed for them; but he that seeth not what the Church wanteth, doth not rightly acknowledge that which it hath. We want some of those Officers, that Christ hath commended by his Apostles to the Church, What Christian heart is so stonie, that it doth not mourne; what eye so blind, that it doth not gush out with teares, to consider and behold the miserie of our supposed glorious Church, by the spirituall nakednes, blindnes, and pouer∣tie thereof? I meane the great ignorance, the super ficiall worship of God, the fearefull blasphemies and swearings in houses and streetes, the direfull cursings, the open contempt of the Word and Sacraments, the wicked prophanations of the Lords dates, the dishonor of superiours, the pride, the crueltie, the fornications, adulteries and other vncleannesses, the drunkenes, the couetous∣nes, the vsuries, and other the like abominations; almost as grie∣uous, as either heretofore in the time, or now in the places of Poperie, when and where there was no preaching at all of the Go∣spell? O behold and pittie the woefull and lamentable state of our Church in these things!

What maruell is it, that the Owle cannot SEE, in a cleare Sun-shining day, whose only delite is to flutter, and to roue about in the profound darkenesse of the night? And can a∣ny man thinke it strange, that the Defenders eyes dazle at the Glorie and goodly order of our Church, when nothing pleaseth him, but the Aërian or Presbyterian confusion? Oh, but there want some Officers in our Church, which Christ commended vnto vs, by his Apostles. What Officers be those?

ô they are the Lay Presbyterian Aldermen. Hinc illae lachri∣mae; heere lyeth the soare a bleeding. We want the suppo∣sed Apostolicall Senate of Aldermen; and for this cause, we are spiritually naked, and blind, and poore, and miserable, and what not? But when wil the Defender proue, that either Christ, or his Apostles commended any such Aldermen vn∣to vs? Shall we beleeue him on his bare word? What other proofe brings he, or any other of the faction? And yet vp∣on this most beggerly Supposition, neuer granted by vs, because neuer proued, nor able to be proued by them; he openeth his foule mouth, most wickedly traducing and slandering the Church of GOD, as guiltie of great igno∣rance, of superficiall worship of GOD, of blasphemies, swearings, direfull cursings, and many other horrible and monstrous enormities, which my pen doth euen blush to relate after him. We reade (1. King. 22.21.22.) of a wicked Spirit, that liberally promised his seruice in seducing King Ahab, by being a lying Spirit in the mouth of all his Prophets: Ex∣cept this foule fiend hath entred into the Defender, and wholly possessed him; I cannot possibly imagine, how his pen could so leasingly raue against our whole Church. I be∣seech the Lord, that hee would vouchsafe, to rebuke the euill Spirit, and to giue the Defender grace to repent him in time, by confessing his malice against the Church of God. But let vs heare what he saith further.

But to returne, herein you erre not a little, in that you con∣found the state of the Church, and of the Common-wealth of the Iewes. The Common-wealth was indeede at that time in much miserie. But was the Church also amongst them, for such things as wherein chiefly consisteth miserie, in as bad condi∣tion?

Doe I confound the Church and Common-wealth of the Iewes? Was not the CHVRCH in distresse, being but lately returned from the Captiuitie of Babylon? Can the Common-wealth be in extreame miserie, and the Church haue no feeling thereof? Was not the Temple at Hierusa∣lem the speciall place of Gods worship, which now, by rea∣son

of the desolation of the Citie, was but little regarded, and the lawes not executed? Did not Nehemiah, after his returne from Artashaste, reforme many things as well in the Church, as in the Common-wealth? It seemes the De∣fender cares not what he writes, so he contradicts my say∣ings. But he proceedeth.

The ods that before he spake of, now he maketh likes. Is this to dispute ad idem, and to the purpose?

As I said before, so I say still, that there is GREAT ODS betweene the example of Nehemiah, and the refractarie Ministers case. And doe I now make those ODS LIKES? Nay contrariwise, I make Nehemiahs case to be OVRS, and the refractarie Ministers, Tobiahs, Sanballats and Geshems. Is not this adidem, and to purpose? Where is the Defen∣ders vnderstanding?

Touching his Worthie Nehemiah (whom he compareth to ancient good Nehemiah) let this be obserued, that although he spake of the prayer and fasting of the ancient Nehemiah, yet he speaketh not of the prayer and fasting of his new Nehemiah. What may be suspected or noted herein, I leaue to the considera∣tion of the wise and iudicious Reader, that remembereth What oppositiō many of the Prelats haue alwaies made to true fasting.

I spake not of ONE, but of MANY worthy Nehemiahs: neither needed these to haue fasted and prayed, the Church being not then afflicted, as it was in auncient Nehemiahs daies: and (I thinke) the Defender is not ignorant, that Si∣militudes runne not with foure feete, as the Prouerbe is. As for the Opposition of many of the Prelats to true fasting, it is vtter∣ly vntrue that any Prelat euer opposed himselfe against true fasting, except it were peraduenture against the disordered conuenticles, and presumptuous practises of some hare∣braind Refractaries, contrary vnto all good Discipline and order.

Touching the Tobiahs, Sanballats, and Geshems (whom faine he would haue to be those that he cals refractarie Mini∣sters, as well as the Papists) let him not deceiue himselfe herein. For the wise and Christian Readers, are able to discerne them to

be most worthy of these names, that striue most for mens pre∣cepts, that studie more to please men then God, that preach not themselues, and hinder them that would: whose chiefe worke is not to encrease God his kingdome, but to vphold their owne, fea∣ring nothing more, then the downefall thereof: which also feed not the Lords people, with the bread of eternal life, but their owne bodies with the meate that perisheth, and with carnall delights, &c. but the righteous Lord in the end shall plead our cause, if not in this life, yet in the world to come, when some of our aduer∣saries (without repentance in the meane time) shall be throwne into the place, Wherein is Weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Cease your rash iudgement, and restraine your censuring and lying Spirit, if you can awhile; and turne the back∣side of the wallet before you: then consider, that they most aptly resemble Tobiah, Sanballat and Gesoem, who by tooth and naile labour to let the building of the spirituall Hieru∣salem, by withdrawing their seruice, breaking vnitie, and disturbing the peace of the Church; of which sort are both the refractarie M••••••sters and the Papists, who are as guiltie herein, as were Tobiah, Sanballat, and Geshem, for hindering the building of the materiall Hierusalem.

Moreouer whereas I had said, that I thought that most of the refractarie Ministers and Papists did sinne of ignorance, the Defender replieth, See how this man tumbleth vp and downe and how he contradicteth himselfe? Hath not he before expressely charged all of vs, to do that which we do for carnall re∣spects? I meane in his Preface.

See how the Defender iugleth vp and downe! 1. Are no•• my words spoken aswell of the Papists, as of the refractar•• Ministers? 2. What is in my Preface contrarie to what I a•• firme heere; or rather, doth not the Defender by some iug∣ling tricke, suppresse some words in my Preface, whereby, deceiuing his Reader, he might perswade a contradiction? The words are these;

It cannot be denied, but that the Ministers pre∣sumptuously and wilfully contend with the Magi∣strates,

impugning his auctority in Things indifferent, and soueraigntie in Ecclesiasticall causes, which all of them do for carnall respects: Some because they know not otherwise how to be maintained, but by depending vpon that faction; some to gratifie their benefactors and patrons, and to please their friends; some for discontentment and want of preferment; some for giddines of innouation; some for pride of heart and selfe loue; some for hatred of order and restraint of their libertie; some still to retaine the o∣pinion of constancie in perseuering singular; and o∣thers OF MEERE IGNORANCE, which yet is wilfull and affected, seeing they will not learne the state of the Controuersie, which they are bound to know, and therefore cannot be excused.

What? Haue not I named IGNORANCE heere amongst the rest? and is not Ignorance carnall? Where then is the Contradiction? Let the Reader iudge.

III.

In the daies of the noble and renowmed Queene Hester, all the Iewes should haue been swallowed vp by the tyrannie of Haman, had not that vertuous Queene, by aduenturing her owne life, deliuered her people from destruction. But I hope the Sup∣pliants do not thinke our Church to be in so despe∣rate a state, neither outwardly, nor spiritually: and if they do, yet none can be so foolish as to beleeue it.

The Defender replieth. May we feare nothing to our whole Church and Kingdome, for the hard dealing of the Pre∣lats towards the soules of many thousands of our owne Nation? Let no man deceiue vs with vaine words; Blessed is the man that feareth alwaies. There is danger in securitie, there is much more safetie in a godly feare. As for the spirituall danger of the

Church, it appeareth by the decay of the spirituall beautie, and by the encrease of the spirituall deformitie, that is, of ignorance and of impietie in those places already which are depriued of their good Ministers.

But what is this, to proue that the example of Q. Hester was rightly alleadged by the Suppliants, to prouoke the high Court of Parliament, to speake for the refractarie Mi∣nisters? The danger of the Church in Hesters time was ve∣ry great and imminent: The danger of ou•• Church (GOD be thanked) is but an exstaticall imagination of the Suppliants and Defenders braines. Oh, but the hard dealing of the Pre∣lats towards many thousand Soules, ought to cause vs to feare continually. What? Is the remouing of SCHISMATIQVES, and the stopping of the mouthes of such clamorous wrang∣lers, as stirre vp dissention and discord in the Church, hard dealing towards mens soules? Who will say so, besides the Refractaries, and their abettors, the Brownists? But how doth this Elymas peruert that saying of Scripture, Blessed is the man that feareth alwaies, (Pro. 28.14.) Is this feare meant of the feare of punishment? Nay, let him remember, that GOD will send FEARE vpon the wicked, where no feare is: that such as obserue not Gods commandements, shall feare day and night, (Deut. 28.66.) that the same which the Wicked feareth, shall come vpon him, (Prou. 10.24.) As for his slandering our Church with decay of Spiritual bew∣tie in those places, which are depriued of their good Mini∣sters; if it be so, then woe vnto them by whom the offence commeth, that so easilie gaue place vnto the Wolfe: But I maruell he was not ashamed, so impudently to auerre that, which all the Land and daily experience testifie to be an impious Calumnie.

IV.

The examples of Ioseph of Arimathea and Nicode∣mus, are altogether impertinent: for neither had Pi∣late any reason, to deny the buriall of Christs body being dead: nor is the Ministers request, concerning

Crosse and Surplice any thing of such importance, as was the buriall of Christs body. For it is not true that they contend about Whole Christ Iesus, and the Ministerie of the Gospell, as the Suppliants heere sug∣gest.

The Defender replieth. The Argument speaketh of the ho∣norable buriall of Christs bodie: the Answerer only of the buri∣all, leauing out honorable; is not this Sophistrie?

Is not this Sophistrie? Nay, is not this Knauerie? The ve∣ry words of the Argument are these (pag. 7. of the Supplica∣tion) Further to adde one other example briefely: If fearefull Ioseph of Arimathea went boldly to Pilate, and ASKED THE BODY OF IESVS. And if Nicodemus (before as fearefull as the said Ioseph) ioyned with him in the honorable buriall thereof, &c. Did Ioseph of Arimathea desire of Pilate, that he might HONORABLY burie the body of Iesus? This indeed is the Defenders dreaming, or rather doating conceipt; which neither the Auctor of the Supplication doth affirme; nor can be proued by Scriptures. Search the text (Matth. 27.57. Mark. 15.43. Luk. 23.52. Ioh. 19.38.) and you shall find that Ioseph of Arimathea asked the Body of Iesus; but not a word spake he to Pilate, of the BVRIALL thereof, much lesse of HONORABLE BVRIALL.

The Defender vrgeth. If the Ministers request concerning Crosse and Surplice, be not of such importance, as the buriall of Christs body, this weakeneth not, but addeth strength to the Ar∣gument. For the lesse it is, the more easily it may be granted, and the more easily it may be granted, the more boldly it may be sued for.

Yes, it so weakeneth the Argument, that it ouerthroweth it altogether. For the lesse that the thing desired by the Sup∣pliants is, the more ought they to be ashamed, in being so troublesome vnto the honorable Court of Parliament to intercede for them in so needlesse and small a suite.

Notes

• Supplicat.
• Answere.
• Replie.
• Reioynder.
• Answere.
• Reply.
• Reioynder.
• Answere.
• Reply.
• Reioynder.
• Reply.
• Reioynder.
• The Defen∣ders slanders against the Church.
• Reply.
• Reioynder
• Reply.
• Reioynder.
• Reply.
• Reioynder.
• Reply.
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈…〉〈…〉 on.
• Answere.
• Reply.
• Ephes. 5.6. Prou. 28.14.
• Reioynder.
• Answere.
• Reply.