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A19885 A iust complaint against an uniust doer Wherein is declared the miserable slaverie & bondage that the English Church of Amsterdam is now in, by reason of the tirannicall government and corrupt doctrine, of Mr. Iohn Pagett their present minister. The which things are plainly manifested in two certein letters, the one written by Mr. Iohn Davenport to the dutch classis, the other given vp to the English consistorie by some of the brethren. With other briefe passages tending to the same effect. Published by one that much pitties them and prayes dayly for their deliverance. Davenport, John, 1597-1670. 1634 (1634) STC 6311; ESTC S119390 15,142 26

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lived some years in this country and hath hitherto opposed diverse worthy men that have come immediatly from England my hope is at an end and I must ceasse Iohn Davenport THE GREIVANCES AND COMplaints of the burthened and oppressed members of the English Church in Amsterdam Anno 1634. The 18 of October VVHereas offence hath beene taken that some of us whose names are underwritten did absent our selves from the Lords Supper the last communion day we thought good to give the reason of our absences in writeing with our names subscribed therunto being willing to beare our blame if it shal be proved to us out of the Word of God that we have sinned in so doeing for which we confesse that the cause thereof was no contempt or sleight account of the Lords Supper the free injoyment whereof in a right manner we account an especiall priviledge and whatsoever hindereth us from it a very grievous affliction In which respect we are the more deeply and inwardly greeved with the sinfull proceedings of Mr. Iohn Paget which deprived us of so great a comfort at that time for howsoever we doe not thinke that the personall sin of any man can defile the ordinance of God to us if we be meete and fitte to pertake therof yet we know that a man may make himselfe pertake of other mens sinnes by neglecting his duty in seeking reformation and so communicate unworthily Wherefore having waited that something should have beene done by others in this case but in vaine we durst not approach to the Lords table till we had in some measure discharged our dutyes in this particular which we thought we should have a fitt opportunity to doe when we should be called upon to shew the reasons of our absence at that time which formerly we could not obtaine We conceive that Mr. Paget doth administer the Lords supper to us by vertue of his pastorall office wherunto he hath beene called in this Church And that amongst communicants especially Pastour and People there should be an union in christian love and affection and communion in all the fruits thereof one whereof is seasonable admonition which in case of publick scandall and offence must be publick as we conceive it is in this present case which we would have borne if the injury had beene but personall to any one of us and covered if it had beene a meere infirmity or but a private offence but seeing the matter is a publick injury and obstinately persisted in to the great dishonour of God hurt of the Church we are not to be silent any longer but by these presents doe testify to all men principally to you the Elders of this Church that howsoever Mr. Paget beareth the name filleth up the place and doth many works of a Pastour amongst us yet he doth not behave himself as becometh a Pastour neither in government nor doctrine towards us That he doth it not in government will appeare in these particulars first he depriveth the Church of that liberty and power which Christ hath given it in the free choyce of their Pastour contrary to Act. 6 3. and 14.23 This we prove by his rejecting and opposing of the most worthy servants of God who came out of England for the same cause he did whome the Church with one consent desired as Mr. Hooker and Mr. Davenport of later times and also Mr. Parker Dr. Ames Mr. Forbes Mr. Peters c. Secondly by his pressing others upon the congregation abuseing his interest in the Magistrate and Classis to that purpose to the unspeakeable injurye and grief of the Church in which course he hath prevailed so farre as to procure that none of our owne nation that com immediately from England though never so fitt and able should be admitted but we must be forced to take one that can speake Dutch and one in this country though the Lord hath fought against his course hitherto by the great unfitnes of those who have preached here by his nomination or consent in sending for Secondly Mr. Paget depriveth the Elders of their power in Government for the good of the Church which will thus appeare First when matters have beene referred to the Elders to determine he hath rejected their counsel and opinions sometimes accusing them of partiality sometimes of insufficiency to judge when he thought they would conclude against his purpose Secondly when the Elders have declared their judgment with one consent he hath protested against it and caryed it to the Classis though the matter hath beene such as seing it might have beene ended in the consistory ought not to have beene brought thither as First when the consistory agreed that an order should be made that all that were not members of this Church should make themselves knowne to Mr. Davenport that he might be satisfyed concerning them before they should present their children to Baptisme in this Church which order would have ended the difference betweene them if it had taken place but Mr. Paget protested against it Sec. When the Elders agreed that Mr. Dav. should have a years time to goe on in assisting Mr. Paget in preaching to see if in that time he could procure that this question might be laid downe and might be fully informed of all the orders and customes of the Dutch Church wherunto Mr. Paget would bind him to conforme as a condition wherupon he was to be admitted to the pastorall office in this Church Mr. Pa. opposed this as if the consistory could not have power to doe so much without the Classis many the like things might be brought as that he would not let Mr. Wells Preache whom he professed he had nothing against without the leave of the Classis c. Thirdly he subjecteth this Church under an undue power of the Classis which he bringeth it under meerely for his owne ends as we conceive without any warrant from the Word of God as thus appeareth First he giveth them power to serve his ends in keeping-off any Minister whome he would have kept out for causes pretended by himselfe though he would have had them that to this day hould the same opinion though such as he keepeth out be knowne to be most eminent able and Godly men and such as abhorre all heresye and Scisme which he hath caused the Classis to execute upon Mr. Hooker and Mr. Davenport which we are confident they would not have done but by Mr. Pagets suggestion to the great greife and hurt of the members of this Church Secondly he giveth them power to make lawes and orders wherunto whosoever wil be minister of this Church must submit as to observe all the orders and customes of the Dutch Church though some of them are such as the Ministers of the dutch would cast-off if the vastnes of their Church being but one in so great a city did not force them thereunto of which the promiscuous baptizing of all that are brought without difference or knowledge of them is
having thus sayd they add afterwards but if the parents or suertyes shall refuse to be ●xamined or if for the shortnes of time or for other Iust cause it can not be done or if when they doe come they shall not seeme to give satisfaction to the Iudgment of him that examineth them the infants whose parents or suertyes appeare to be christians and who doe professe the christ●an religion at the reading of the Leiturgie of baptisme publickly before the Church shall not for that cause be sent away without baptisme The day following Mr. Pagett asked me whether I would rest in the writing of the 5. Ministers To whome I answered the writers themselves doe not require this of me and for ought I can see it would give them content if an order be made in consistory to put an ende to this controversie But if any marvell why I did not rest in that writing I will tell the reasons for by what right could it be exacted or expected that I should rest in the writing when first the wryters themselues professed that it was but their owne privat judgment Secondly this their private judgment was nakedly prepounded without any proofe from the word of God whose prerogative it is to be rested in for its owne Authoritie Thirdly such a subjection is greater then may bee yeilded vnto any counsell whether of classis or Synods and where it hath been granted or suffered it hath been the cause of many mischeifs in the Church for therby the writings and decrees of men are made infallible and equall with the word of God which is intolerable Fourthly those reverend brethren take the word christian more largely then I for they account all christians which professe christian religion at the reading of the leiturgy of baptisme publickly before the Church though it be done only in one word yea or by bowing the head or body when they say nothing yea some of them goe so farre that they hould that the very offering of the child to Baptisme giveth it a right therunto though the parents be not christians because they say it may be their grandfather or great grandfather were christians and another adds if my memory fayles not that infants are holy in the roote if they be borne where the Gospell is preached But I take the name of christians in this question in the same sence wherein the multitude of beleevers in Antiochia were called christians Act. 11 21 26. So that I account them to be christians children whose parents at least one of them in externall profession is within the covenant Gen. 17 10. Faithfull Rom. 4 11. Called Act. 2 39. Ioyned to some true Church 1. Cor. 5.12 Because the seale of the covenant belongs only to those in the covenant nor can a man be judged to be in the covenant without faith nor to have faith unlesse he be called nor to be called unles he be taken off from the world and joyned to the congregation of the faithfull wherunto agree the divines of the dutch Church in their confessions and all the reformed Churches in the harmony of confessions read allso Spe. contr Pelag. Act. 28 34. Kuchl de baptism Thes 15. Dr. Ames cas Con. cap. 27. to conclude all divines agree in this As fot that which is objected concerning particular Obj. 1 cases that may happen Cas con An. that which Beza writes in his Epistle to the ministers of Neocomum or Perkins or Ames in their cases or the Professors of Leyden in their Theses makes nothing against my opinion if they be taken in a good sence and made to agree with the Patern of wholesom words The consequence which some object for the avoyding Obj. 2 wherof they would have infants thus promiscuously to be baptized doe not trouble me An. because I have learned of the Apostle that evill is not to be done that good may come therof yet in the interim consider brethren whether it be lawfull to drive the Pastor from the flock that strangers may enter into the fold or to make the Pastors calling voyd for their sakes that are uncalled or to hinder the making of a covenant betweene the Pastor and his people because he dare not give the seale of the covenant to those that are not in the covenant or to remove the Porter from the dore of the Lords house that the gentiles may be suffered to enter into rh● Temple yea to bringe a detainment upon the English Church for so smalle a matter as this seemeth to you to be and not to regard how much the conscience of your brother is indangered so your customs may be established neither is this to be sleighted that vnles we be thus difficult in this cause parents that joyne themselves vnto no Church will content themselves in that estate and live and dy libertines if they may have the Privileges of the Church as if they were members which who seeth not what an occation of error and destruction it may be both to parents and children so that I can not be perswaded but that in that cause the conscience is not at all indangered by denying baptisme but by baptizing such very much Concerning the troubles which some object may arise Obj. 3 in the English Church vpon this occasion which also one applied to me as if I should be judged to be the author o them An. I propounded to you reverend brethren to the English Church yea to the whole christian world to judge who shal be accompted the cause therof whether he that peaceably and privatly and quietly desireth to be satisfied in the things wherof he doubteth or they that imperiously deny him convenient time for that purpose and doe bind him to such orders and customs as he can not thinke to be equall Afterwards without the desire or consent of the consistory the matter was brought into the Classis they confirmed the writing of the five Ministers and decreed that conformity therunto should be required of me as a condition whervpon I should be admitted but I desired the reverend brethren earnestly not to binde me to that condition seing that first that practise is grounded upon no authoritie of Gods Word Secondly nor upon ●ny ca●●n of any Synod Thirdly nor is required of any one to be chosen to the Pastorall office as a condition of their admittance in any reformed Church 4lie This practise is not so absolute or unlimited in any Churches as it is required of me 5lie It is propounded as a greivance in many Dutch Churches from whence they would be delivered and freed if they could 6lie It is manifest that the noble and learned Polonian Ioannes Alasco Baron and Superintendent of the Church of strangers in London in the reigne of Edw. 6th Did obtaine and that under the broade seale of England liberty not to baptize any such as against whom I except which libertie your Dutch Church doe now injoy vnder our most mighty Kinge Charles and is not in any