THE CHVRCHES Plea for her Right OR A REPLY to an Answer MADE OF MR. IOHN PAGET Against WILLIAM BEST and others WHEREIN The maine points of our present differences are handled And the principall causes of our troubles declared Published by WILLIAM BEST I. Thes 5.21 Proove all things hold fast that which is good Psal 119.128 I esteeme all thy precepts concerning all things to be right and I hate every false way At AMSTERDAM Printed in the Yeare M. DC XXXV A Fore-Speach To the Christian Reader IT was a seasonable saying of Nichodemus * Ioh. 7.51 standing in our Lords defence Doth our Law judge any man before it heare him and know what hee doth I make no question Well-affectioned Reader but thou hast before this time perused Mr. Pagets Booke and hast there seene many words tending to his owne justification and our condemnation Now the thing that I shall desireously request of thee is that thou wilt haue the patience to read over this my Answer to it And when thou hast seriously studied pondered and examined by the unerring rule of Gods Word all that both parties haue said in the whole caraige of this busines judge then as God shall give thee understanding Wishing thee by the way to remember what folly and shame it is for any as Salomon * Prov. 18.13 sayth to answer or give sentence of a matter before hee heare it There are some things which I thinke necessary first of all to informe thee off and that is touching the reasons why I haue set forth this Treatise Also why in the manner it is For the first to let passe the many insultations and exclamations which I haue suffred at some particular mens handes since his writing came forth as if every thing were true that he hath set downe against me I am oftē by name particularly called upon and singled out to defend our Iust Complaint made against him Besides accused of committing many untruths slaunders lies with other crimes little lesse then blasphemy and this not against himself alone but Magistrates Ministers yea all Reformed Churches If I should therefore under these heavie charges say nothing would not most men hence conclude that I am guiltie And so through my silence I should which I dare not doe dishonour God betray the truth and let goe my owne innocency Moreover I conceive that it lay upon me though the meanest of my Brethren to reply considering that the Booke of Complaints was set forth chiefly by my meanes Now my conscience for my part beares me witnes that I did the thing out of love towards God his truth and people and not as is falsely suggested of contention and a peeuish mind And I was thereto mooved the sooner 1. because the same was in many mens hands already and so rather publicke then private 2. We had waited almost a quarter of a yeare for answer but could not obtaine it although M r Paget was spoken unto many times about it 3. It was given out that hee had writen 12 or 15 sheets of paper against us and intended shortly to acquaint the world therewith when this report was brought unto me I thought it requisite having the copies by me immediately to publish them that so seeing hee would publikely write in confutation thereof men might truely understand what our particular grieveances were And these causes of great and good regard led me to doe what I did Of which more is spoken in another place Lastly whereas I haue had occasion to sit many times in our Consistory Hence I haue taken a more full and certaine knowledge of our common Ecclesiasticall affaires I mean observed the unfreenes of our Congregation and her subjection to the power of the Classis and in this regard as I know my self the better able to give testimony of the truth in the matters betwixt us so I thinke my self the more called to speake what I truely may in the just defence of my self and others For the manner of this writing Whosoever shall consider either the subject here treated off or the persons whom it chiefly respecteth will I thinke confesse that there lay a necessity upon mee to use the best meanes I could to haue it done unto some effectuall purpose But for my part I must confesse and so I would haue all men in all places to know that I am not in my self of the abilitie to compose a worke of this nature And therefore thorow my entreatie and desire others more able haue taken some paines for me herein both in seeking out learned Authours as also setting them downe in the places as they stand On whose fidelity skill and care I haue presumed the publishing of them to the world having this confidence in the person or persons that they will stand to justify all the allegations according to the end and use here produced And if just occasion be offered it may be they will adde some thing more thereunto As for the truth of the matter this I owne under my owne hand And to use here Mr. Pagets words for the testimony of this truth I am not ashamed to suffer that reproach which some lay upon me Though I have allready bene smiten on the right checke Preface yet I am ready to turne the other also rather then to forsake this truth which I iudge to be of great importance Yea if I were cast upon my death-bed ready to deliver up my soule in the hands of the Lord I should among my last words professe before men and Angels that the things here pleaded for by me are the holy precepts of the eternall God The reason why I haue not followed him steppe by steppe throughout his Booke but haue principally insisted upon two points viz. promiscuous Baptisme and the due power of the Church is because on these depend all our differences For if it be true as it is here prooved to be most true that it is unlawfull to baptise any infants whose Parents one at least are not members of any visible Church And that every particular Congregation is independent and may yea ought to practise Ecclesiasticall Government and all other Gods spiritual ordinances in and of it self immediately from Christ Then it will follow that our former protest is certainly true against him And so much the premises granted is by himself acknowledged for thus hee sayth If this Church be deprived of that liberty and power which Christ hath given it c. Preface If the Elders be deprived of their power in Government for the good of the Church If I have subiected the Church under the undue power of the Classis c. If these and the like assertions in their Booke he true then is there cause to complaine of the miserable slavery and bondage of this Church and of Tyrannicall government Then is there cause to commend and preferre the liberty and freedome if the Brownists which are not subject unto the power of any
owne blood This hee cannot indure this hee cannot read with patience against this hee proclames open warre gibes often at it and reproacheth every one that sincerely embraceth the same But let him take heed least for calling good evill Chap. 5.20 God bring not the woe in Esai upon his head As for the unreverend terme it self which hee giveth unto Christs instuution we weigh it not neither are we any more discouraged from the holding of it fast then were our fathers of elder time discouraged from embracing the Gospell Act. 28.22 24.5 1 Cor. 1.23 Act. 24.14 because the enimies of it called it schisme faction folishnes heresie c. It is reported of one Theodotius having denyed Christ that hee might not be blamed for it taught that Christ was meere man and not God So Mr. Paget in the case of Church gouvernment that his owne and other mens faults may not be seene in not using or submitting to it doth labour what hee can to discredit the same But whether the power which wee stand for be schismaticall or his Apostaticall I hope by this Treatise the Reader shall be able to judge 4. Hee saith I have bene injurious unto him in spreading abâ—oad so many untruths against him as are before noted Answ 1. I had a just cause to doe what I did both for the truth sake and his owne too For first if every good subject be bound to his power to maintaine the temporall rights and Lawes of Princes whether it be by discovering of treason suppressing rebellion or the like Then much more ought all Christs subjects to doe what they can Rev. 2.25 to preserve the good estate of his spirituall Kingdome Againe who will not draw his brother out of a deepe pit or well if hee see any way or meanes for it The truth is Mr. Paget through Satan and his owne lust is fallen into many great sinnes and therefore out of Christian compassion to his soule I published the booke being confident if there be any farther course to be taken by me for his recovery this is it because now questionles hee shall see if hee will be contended to open his eyes his errours soundly and effectually refuted 2. Whereas hee saith our writings are untruths I say hee speakes untruely in it for there is nothing set downe there but will be prooved as in part I shall doe in this treatise and more I understand is shortly to come forth Besides I doubt not but Mr. Davenport will doe the like so farre as the thing concerneth him 3. Howsoever hee hath made a large discours in his owne justification notwithstanding hee hath not cleared himself at all in the maine things laid to his charge viz. promiscuous Baptisme and the authority of the Classis Yet hee knowes untill hee proove these two points to be lawfull our whole writing standeth firmely and effectually against him As for the many swâ—llâ—ng 〈◊〉 used throughout his booke in his owne praise In my understanding it had beene better Prov. 27.2 if some other had done it and not his owne mouth In the Olympicks games men did not put garlands and Crownes on their owne heads but waited till others did it In truth self prayse is very unseemely Hence in derision they say Hee dwelt by bad neighbours Besides such persons usually are least credited * Ioh. 8.13 and good reason too for the greatest boasters are commonly the worst dooers * 1 Sam. 15 13. Revel 3.15 c. As the emptiest vessels make the loudest sound driest things the greatest flame so those which proclame as with sound of trumpet their owne goodnes have most times least of it That I may be the lesse offensive in my words I will here speake to Mr. Paget in his owne Pag. 61. Certainly it was a want of modesty and prudency in him to make such disputes in his owne commendation For hee hath vainely praysed himself and wrounged us 7. Pag. 10. Yea in stead of clearing himself hee is more polluted His owne tongue defileth him And therefore his glorying is not good The fift thing wherein I am injurious in his conceit is to our whole Congregation to blot the same with report of infamous contention faction c. Answ 1. As they that stirre up warre and strife Iudg. 11.13 1 King 18.18 impute the cause unto others which lyeth on themselves so dealeth Mr. Paget with me For who hath bene the cause and authour to blot our Congregation with report of infamous contention faction c. but hee chiefly For had hee contained himself within his owne bounds not plaid the Diotrephes suffered the Church to have exercised her owne due power not brought in mens devises amongst us wee had not seene and felt the shame and misery which now wee doe And that all may see whatsoever infamy our Church lyeth under that it is come principally by his meanes I desire these things may be taken into consideration 1 The abuses from time to time done to our Elders that which they jointly doe if it fall not in his line hee termeth it an unrighteous law a bone of contention a rocke of offence In his Letter given into the Consistory 11. Mar. 1632. injurious to the Magristrate destroyers of the liberty of the Church ringleaders to faction c. If they in opinion differ from him then hee makes them parties and so disableth them from judging in the case yea professeth hee will not tollerate the thing I doe let passe to speake of his taxing them for insufficiency of his procureing the Classes to censure them Pag. 18.63 how hee rejects their advise and counceill For of all these things wee shall have a fitter place hereafter This onely by the way I say how sleightly soever hee thinkes of Ruling Elders notwithstanding they have a great place in the Church of Christ such power and authority as taking the consent of the Church with them they may call the Pastour to give them an account of his doing Yea and to depose him from his ministery If there be just cause although Classes and Synods take his part Let no man thinke that this is a new doctrine for our chief Divines teach it If any one * Protestat Kings supr pag. 15. Offer Confer pag. 2. of the Ecclesiasticall Officers themselves shall sinne hee is as subiect to the Censures of the rest as any other member in the Congregation If they shall all sinne scandalously either in the execution of their office Repl. to D. Downames defen l. 2. part 2 pag. 109. Discours of Troub at Franck pag. 162. art 65 or in any other ordinarie manner then the Congregation that chose them freely hath as free power to depose them and to place others in their roome And no marvaill if Protestants write thus For the Papists ingeniously say as much The * Ferus in Act. Apost cap. 11. Church may not onely exact an account of her
Hereticks and wicked persons loosing the penetent the election and ordination of Ministers and the deposition of them againe for just cause Mr. Brightman * On Rev. ch 12. pag. 505. 506. comes Lower downe even unto Constantines time and is of opinion that the primitive puritie of Church Gouvernment was not yet defloured with the dregges of mans invention Neither had Satan brought in Prelaticall pride into the sheep fould of the Lord but the Pastours looked every one to the health of his owne Flocke Hence it appeares that for the space of 200 or 300 yeares after Chrlst * See Mr. Iacob necess Reform pag. 57. c. every visible Church had power to exercise Ecclesiasticall Gouvernment and all other Gods spirituall ordinances the meanes of salvation in and for it self immediately from Christ And this is a thing so certainly true as I thinke Mr. Paget himself will not haue the face to deny it What authoritie then to use anothers * B. Bilson agai Semin p. 221. speach had others after the Apostles death to change the Apostolike Gouvernment But seeing they haue done it what must wee doe Thus leave their inventions and returne backe to the Churches of the Apostolique institution and from them take our patterne and platforme to walke by and thus God teacheth a Eze. 20.18 Exod. 23.2 Mat. 15.24 c. us to doe and learned men also viz. Arnobius b Lib. 2. con Gent. Ignatius c Epist. ad Philadil Iulianus d De Bapt. Heret B. Iewel e Defe Apol. 6. pa. c. 16. div 2. pag. 762. D. Rainolds f Confer 195.459 and others But to goe foreward with our witnesses From these let us ascend to the very first worthies who haue brought us a great part of the light of the Gospel in this later age Zwinglius ‡ Hee was no Lutheran and Luther The first sayth thus * Ad Valen. Comp. Excommunication is not in the Bishops gathered together in a Synod but the right and power thereof is in the Congregation And therefore according to Christs commaundement in Mat. 18. Offenders ought to be brought to the Church whereof they are members ‡ Art 31. Explat Epichirisis de Canon Miss and being obstinate by the Church the Pastour pronouncing the sentence are to be cut off Againe concerning calling to the Ministery hee sayth ‡ Ecclesiastes The right of election is in the whole Church Mr. Luther another excellent witnes of Christ affirmes * Tom. 2. pag. 374. that the Church hath the right and power to judge of any doctrine also of calling the Ministers of the Gospell or if they cease to be faithfull to depose them But is not this contrary to Mr. Pagets new opinion yea altogether For though a Congregation should haue just cause to put downe some Officers notwithstanding by his grounds if they appeale unto Ministers of other Churches and they judge them fit to continue in their places then must they be left alone how vile soever they are so that to speake the truth the power which hee alloweth unto particular Congregations is just nothing Chemnitius another famous man and of rare learning among the followers of Luther is herein with us likewise for hee testifyeth that election * Exam. par pag. 226. 227. 228. Harm in Mat. 18.17 excommunication examination of sentences ‡ Exa Con. Trid. part 1. p. 3. c. belong unto the whole Church Againe observe what hee attributeth in another place to the Congregation what to the guides thereof To the first power * Exam. c. 6. to the later the administration of it Melancton * Loc. com tit de reg Christ hath the like distinction I could here mention many others of them which consent with us fully as Sarcerius a In Mat. 18. Brentius b Exeges in Ioh. 12.23 D. Rungius c In 1. Cor. 5.3.4 Hunnius d In Mat. 16. Osiander e Harm in Mat. 18.17 Salneccer f In Act. 6. Pelargus g In Act. 6. 14. D. Mylius h In 1. Cor 5 Hegendorphin i In Act. 14. c. none of these hold as Mr. Paget that particular visible Churches are noun-adjectives cannot stand without Classes and Synods but on the other side they grant them I mean to the Eldership and Brethren right and power to practise in and among themselves all Gods ordinances For those now whom for distinction sake wee name Calvinists these men I take it are the multitude of Godly and learned Ministers which doe as hee sayth agree in judgement and practise with him Now before I come to lay downe their particular allegations touching our point in controversy This I desire may be observed that it cannot be manifested as I am perswaded that there is among them all one Authour which hath in his Commentaries on the Scriptures taught the doctrine maintained by Mr. Paget here against us It is true some of them grant to the Eldership greatest authority others to the body of the Congregation Notwithstanding none haue bene so erronious as to say that the whole Church I meane Officers and Brethren wants authority to performe in and for it self all Church-services Now for the Authours Peter Martyr a Class ch 5. sect 9. in his common places making the Church a Monarchy in respect of Christ an Aristocracy in respect of the Elders addeth also that because there are matters of great weight and importance referred unto the people as excommunication absolution choosing of Ministers and the like it hath also a consideration of a popular gouvernment Of the same judgement was Iunius b Eccl. l. 3. c. 1. The whole Church sayth hee ought to chuse that is the body consisting of the Eldership and people by equall and common voyces This is the right manner of choosing Ministers With them joynes Musculus c Com. Pl. elect Mini. Viret d Groung Relg l. 3. ch 1. Bullinger e Decat 5.4 Danaeus f In Tim. 5.22 Gualter g Hom. in Act. 13.2 13.22 Sybrandus h Respons ad Hug. p. 159 D. Mornaeus i Hist pa. 542. c. Morell k Tom. 4. fol. 534. Tilenus l Respons ad Com. La Vat. Qu. 8. Epist 14 c. all these I say doe directly affirme the same thing viz. that all particular visible Churches haue full power to ordaine and chuse among themselves fit Ministers Neither can it be gathered to my knowledge anywhere in their writing that unto a full and complete calling of Church Officers any more Ecclesiasticall authority and power is required then that which Christ hath set in every Congregation distinctly and apart To the same purpose they write about excommunication and the absolution or the reconciliation of the excommunicate those are actions they say common to the whole Church and not of any private person or persons Bastingius
viz. Ministers-must be chosen with the free consent of the Elders and the whole Congregation By the like authoritie as they were elected they may be deposed But nothing herein must be attempted without the determination of the whole Church VVhat those Synods were of whom Mr. Paget speaketh in pag. 66. who decreed that particular Congregations should not practise among themselves all Gods ordinances I doe not yet know but this I know that no Reformed Church hath made this an Article of their faith And therefore it is certaine if such a thing be it was onely the invention of some particular men For Conclusion now of this Section Howsoever I haue alleidged the opinions of many learned men Notwithstanding it is the word of God which I appeale unto for to haue the matter in controversy betwixt us onely tryed by and herein I doe no more then others doe which know they haue the truth on their side namely to call their opposites unto the Scriptures and to require of them to stand unto the undeceiveable sentence and judgement thereof Thus the Protestants a D. Whita de cont qu. 3 c. 3. D. Morton Apolo Cath. p. 2. l. 1. c. 32. Sutclif def Pont. Rom. l. 2. c. 9. p. 132. B. Iew. Apo. par 2. c. 5. D. 1. doe with the Papists And the Reformists b Par. Pol. Eccl. l. 1. c. 24. c Dever Eccl. Refor rat againe with them And for this purpose hath Zanchy ‡ a worthy speach in his writing unto D. Knols All things touching worship and Discipline ought to be examined not by the uncertain rule of humans judgement but by the touch-stone of Divine Scripture SECTION IX THat those who haue read Mr. Pagets Booke may not thinke that I haue purposely omitted any thing his jests slaunders and unchristian termes excepted which carieth with it the shew of any matter touching the maine points in question I haue thought good in this Section to set downe some brief answers unto certain colourable or rather carnall pretences which hee useth in the defence of himself and cause His first reason is this If particular * Preface Congregations should not stand under any other Ecclesiasticall authoritie out of themselves manifold disorders confusion and dissipation of Churches would follow Answ 1. VVhen God hath established an order for the administration of his owne house what presumption of man dares change it Thinkes hee that hee is wiser then the Almighty and can by his foolish way and devise bring more peace and profit to Gods house then the way of the all wise God But what will not dust and ashes presume to doe against his maker And that with shew of conveniency and to correct and reforme that which they conceive to be imperfect in his doings But it seemes in the meane time that these little consider how streightly the Lord hath forbidden such practises and what dreadfull plagues hee threatneth against men for it As Mr. Paget therefore wisheth others to take heed what new formes of Churches and Church-gouvernment Preface they frame unto themselves or command unto others So I desire that hee himself will make a proffitable use of his owne counsell 2. Be it well considered that God alwayes abhorreth all good intentes of men that are contrary to the good pleasure of his will revealed in his word The Church sayth Whitaker b De Rom. Pont. cont 4. qu. 1. p. 16. must not be gouverned as the wit of man thinketh fit but as Christ the Lord and King thereof will have it 3. This objection taken here up by Mr. Paget is the very same which the Papists and those that way affected use for to haue Ecclesiasticall Gouvernment by Presbyters rejected and their owne Popish Hierarchy everywhere received and practised viz. because the putting by of the later tendeth c Sarav de Tripli Epis in Prolog Sand. de visibl Monar l. 5. c. 4. Sculting Hier. Anarc l. 10. c. 20. l. 11.119.137 c. unto all mischief and the establishing of the former d Whitg Tract 3. c. 4 div 4. divis 8. pag. 169. Loe compl Chu p. 164 causeth uproares in the Church dissipateth it and overthrowes all good order therein 4. If particular Congregations must loose their right and power because of the offences which some men haue committed in the exercise thereof Then surely by the same reason if Mr. Pagets reasoning be worth any thing ought Classes and Synods to lay downe that superiour authority which they haue taken over many Churches because they in many things many times haue offended in and about the execution And this I am sure no good Christian will deny I could give divers instances for it but it needs not Onely it is not amisse to set downe Nazianzens ‡ Epist 42. ad Proc. words who was an Elder or Bishop I am minded sayth hee to shunne all assemblies of Bishops because I never saw any good event in any Councell that did not rather increase then diminish our evills Their contention and ambition passeth my speach VVhither things are better caryed now then they were in his time I will not nor am able to judge 5. If the infirmities of the people be a good reason to take away their liberty in practising among themselves all Gods ordinances then the contrary vertues which oftentimes haue bene found in them as instaying the rage of the Scribes and Pharisies a Mat. 21.26 Act. 3.26 in preferring sincere Christians before Arrians b Zezo l. 7. c. 7. and being themselves sound in the faith c Theod l. 2. cap. 7. when their Ministers haue bene Heretickes is a good reason to maintaine their liberty still Another thing which hee talkes much off Pag. 72. is that the power which the Classis exerciseth is ancient and hence names it the old beaten path Pag. 105. c. Answ 1. Sundry errours are as ancient as the Apostles time yea began before the most famous Churches in the world were planted Therefore as Cyprian d Epist. 63. sayth Wee must not regard what any others did before us or thought fit to be done but what Christ did who was before all 2. Howsoever Mr. Paget for the credit of his cause names it the old and ancient Discipline yet sure I am to proove it so hee never will nor can There are many and I thinke hee knowes it which doe affirme that the Ecclesiasticall Gouvernment by Classes and Synods is a weed that grew many yeares after the Apostles A late devise e Bilson perp gouver c. 16. p. 387 and that in all antiquitie there doth not appeare any one stept thereof f Sutclif Discipl c. 8. p. 138. Also that at Geneva subjecting of Churches to this order first begun g Brancroft surv c. 22. p. 353. Comp. Ch. p. 91. 93. 94. And before Calvin came there everie Congregation was free in it self h Hooke Ecc. Polit. Pref. Touching these