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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A90523	A defence of church-government, exercised in presbyteriall, classicall, & synodall assemblies; according to the practise of the reformed churches: touching I. The power of a particular eldership, against those that plead for a meere popular government, specially Mr Ainsvvorth in his Animadversion to Mr Clyft. &c. II. The authority of classes and synods, against the patrons of independencie: answering in this poynt Mr Davenport his Apologeticall reply, &c. and Mr Canne his Churches plea, &c, sent forth first by W. Best, and afterwards for this part of it, under the title of Syons prerogative royall. By Iohn Paget, late able and faithfull pastour of the Reformed English Church in Amsterdam. Hereunto is prefixed an advertisement to the Parliament, wherein are inserted some animadversions on the Cheshire Remonstrance against Presbytery: by T.P.	Paget, John, d. 1640.; Paget, Thomas, d. 1660.	1641 (1641)	Wing P166; Thomason E117_1; ESTC R16734	348,418	298

that if his order of Synods may be refused by such as deserve Ecclesiasticall censures that then a doore should be opened to all heresies sects all the judgements of the Church whereunto Christ sendeth us should be subverted c. The Divines of Embden (e) Ibid. p. 1●7 accord with the rest and besides other reasons for confirmation of Synodall Authority in the judgement of Ecclesiasticall causes they alledge that very place of Scripture Act. 20.28 which my opposites pervert to a contrary end against me Neither have they onely in generall shewed what the authority of Synods is and also what this Synod may doe but the Synod goes further and proceeds unto the exercise of this power and pronounceth sentence against those that persisted in their errours In the Copie of that Sentence (f) Act. Syn. Nat. Dordr Sess 138. p. 280. there be divers acts of their power to be observed in the severall expressions formes of speech used therein as for example This Synod of Dort doth seriously instantly and according to the authority which it hath by the word of God over all the members of their Churches in the name of Christ require exhort admonish enjoyne all every one of the Pastours in the Churches of the United Provinces Doctours Rectours Masters in the Universities Schooles c. The Synod after invocation of the holy name of God being in conscience well assured of their authority from the word of God following the steps of Ancient late Synods c. (g) P. 281. Doth interdict the persons cited unto this Synod from all Ecclesiasticall charge and deposeth them from their offices and also judgeth them unworthy of Academicall functions untill by earnest repentance c. For the rest whose cognition is not come to this Nationall Synod it committeth unto Provinciall Synods Classes Presbyteries according to the order receaved that with all care they procure c. That they diligently take heed unto themselves that they admit not any man to the holy ministery which refuseth to subscribe unto the doctrine declared in these Synodicall constitutions and to teach the same that they also retaine no man by whose manifest dissension c. This judgement Sentence of the Synod was afterward in most full ample manner (h) Ibid. p. 282. approved confirmed by the Illustrious Lords the States Generall of the United Provinces acknowledging also the businesse of this Synod to be agreat holy work such as heretofore the Reformed Churches never saw c. Besides this Sentence pronounced against those twelve or thirteen of the Remonstrants that by authority of the Synod were (i) Ibid. p. 16 17. cited to appeare before them there is also another speciall sentence (k) P. 204 205. of suspension from their function concluded pronounced against Everhardus Vosculius and Iohannes Schotlerius Ministers at Campen because of their contumacy in not appearing before the Synod being lawfully cited thereunto Moreover it is memorable that the members of this Synod the Deputies of severall Churches did all every one of them take a most solemne oath in testimony of the good conscience which they had in the exercise of this authority The forme of the Oath was (l) Act. Syn. Nat. Dordr Sess 23. p. 61. as followeth I doe promise before God whom I beleeve and reverence as the present searcher of the reines and hearts that in this whole Synodall action wherein shal be undertaken an examination judgement decision both touching the five knowne Articles and the difficulties thence arising and also touching all other matters of doctrine I will not take any humane writings but onely the word of God for the certaine undoubted rule of faith and that in this whole cause I shall propound nothing to my self but the glory of God the peace of his Church and in speciall the conservation of the purity of doctrine So let my Saviour Jesus Christ be mercifull unto me whom I most earnestly beseech that he would continually assist me in this purpose with the grace of his Spirit This oath being first taken by the President of the Synod all the other Professours Pastours Elders of the Netherlands deputed unto the Synod and then all the Divines of other nations standing up in order did with a loud voyce every one of them declare that they did holily promise and sweare before God the same thing and testifyed that they came with such minde unto the Synod had hitherto sit downe therein and would hereafter by the grace of God continue Having now such a cloud of witnesses consenting with me I have reason in this place againe to put Mr Canne in minde of his vaine boasting (m) Ch. pl. p. 83. touching a Iurie of more then 24. men condemning me of errour Here may he see a Jurie of more then thrice 24 sworne men and of the most excellent servants of God in so many Reformed Churches and Universities the lights of Christendome the flower of the Churches and the select crowne of learned men as they of Geneva doe (n) Act. Syn. Nat. Dordr Sess 3. p. 12. stile them all testifying both by word and practise against him and against the opinion of Mr Dav. touching the jurisdiction of Synods A Supplement annexed by the Publisher for answer unto that vvhich follovveth in Mr Cannes booke THus farre good Reader the Authour hath travelled through those tedious wayes which Mr C. though with lesse trouble yet with more prejudice to his owne cause hath first opened unto him The summe of all is that wading through those streames of Arguments and Reasons wich Mr C. had let out upon him he hath found such as were of any depth to runne another way the other too shallow to hinder the passage of trueth in this controversie And marching through those severall rankes files of learned Authours which Mr C. had mustered brought into the field for his defence and assistance in this conflict he hath found them all excepting those that were to be excepted to be friends instead of enemies testifying plainely in their owne words in the words of sundry others with them that against their wills they were forced to appeare under his banners And therefore in the same order that he marshalled them against the Authority of Synods they now stand in aray against the Independency of Churches There remained yet one part of Mr Can. opposition in this cause to be encountred wherein he pretends to disappoint and conquer such forces as might seeme to be used in defence of that Classicall and Synodall government which he hath hitherto oppugned To this end he (a) Chur. plea p. 92. undertakes to answer certaine Reasons or Objections picked out of divers passages in the Authours (b) Answ to W.B. c first booke supposing by this meanes to have fully acquitted himself in this Dispute Now though there be nothing in these his Answers for

doth agree best For saith he it is not likely that the Apostles would depart from the first order or course which we have seen to have bene observed in the election of Matthias c. And upon Act. 1.26 he labours to prove that this manner of choosing is still to be observed in the Church as most safe and convenient whereby certaine men being found that are esteemed meet for the office unto which the election is to be made the event of our counsels may be referred unto the judgment of God by casting lots in such sort as Matthias was chosen unto the Apostleship However that he doth not deny the matters of particular Congregations to be subject unto the judgement of the Ministers of other Churches assembled in a Classis or Synod may be gathered from those testimonies which evē in this booke here alledged he gives concerning the authority of Synods and the Divine warrant upon which it is grounded Speaking of the authority of a Generall Councell which many then so much desired he sayth (y) Ibid. in cap. 5.21 To me also it seemes to be a most profitable thing if a free Synod could be obtained in which all controversies might be composed out of the word of God alone such as that Apostolicall Synod was of which we are to speak in chap. 15. and such as we know those of old to have bene viz. of Nice constantinople Ephesus Chalcedon and the like c. And afterwards againe (z) Ibid. in cap. 20.17 intreating of Pauls sending from Miletus to Ephesus and calling the Elders of the Church he calles it a Synod By which example he saith as the faithfulnes and industrie of Paul doth appeare so also we are admonished that the assemblies of Ministers are altogether necessary in which Church-affaires may be handled by the common voyces of all This makes greatly for the maintaining of Church-discipline for the restraining of the ambition of Church-governours for the preserving of consent in true doctrine and for the repressing of heresies which if Ministers doe not most faithfully joyne their paines together are wont often to creep in This he declares againe by the example of that Synod Act. 15. and he commends the pietie and prudence of Constantine the great for his frequent assembling of Synods as on the other side he notes the wickednes of Licinius and of Antichrist in resisting and hindring the due exercise of this authority of Synods How doe these things agree with Mr Cannes discourse who yet alledgeth this Author as one of the Jurie by which he saith my position as he calles it is condemned viz. that particular Congregations must stand under other Ecclesiasticall authoritie out of themselves Touching Sibrandus the order of electing Ministers in these Churches (a) Sibrād Lubb. Resp ad Piet. H. Gr. p. 159. approved by him is the same that is used in our Church and approved by me also and he hath notably perverted it in opposing of it unto me For that order hinders not but that there may be another superiour Ecclesiasticall authority in a Classis or Synod to judge of the elections made in particular Congregations or of other controversies This trueth is so often and so earnestly avouched by Sibrandus that scarsely any have bene more vehement in this poynt And in this very book alledged he in his first entrance in the preface to the Senate of Gelderland complaines of Grotius for oppugning this order of Classes and Synods and in the conclusion of his preface he professeth that there was scarsely any other meanes then a Nationall Synod to heale the evills of that time and desires them to perswade the calling thereof Afterward in the (b) P. 140. 141 c. book itself he shewes at large both from the Scriptures and practise of ancient Churches the use the order and the authority of Synods not onely in deliberating but in judging and deciding of controversies In his Disputation with Bertius he shewes (c) Epist Discept de Fide p. 3. that it is altogether needfull to have a Synodicall judgement to heale the wounds of the Church In his book against Vorstius after long dispute (d) Declar. Resp Conr. Vorst p. 142 143.144 in conclusion he offereth yea he provoketh and urgeth him to referre their controversy and differences to the judgement of other Churches which he there nominates And in the preface thereof unto the States Generall of the United Provinces he shewes from the word of God and examples of the godly the necessity of Synods he declares what confusion and distraction of Churches ensueth where they are neglected and makes earnest supplication unto them for the maintenance of this order in government In another of his bookes against Vorstius (e) Cōment ad 99 Errotes C. Vorst pref p. 45 Cōm p. 503 504. p. 841. both in the beginning middle and end of it he harpes upon the same string His appeale unto the judgement of other Churches and his willingnes to submit unto their judgement with his desire of a Nationall Synod is plainely declared therein Speaking of the fruit of Synods he saith (f) Ibid. pref p. 34. 35. that the holding of them in their Churches hath bene next unto God the chief sinew of preserving both the true doctrine and tranquillity of the Churches and that if any man acquainted with their affaires dare deny the same he shall manifest his impudency or make warre with his owne conscience And thus by the verdict of Sibrandus if my opposites understand the Discipline and state of these Churches and deny the fruit of Synods they must be held for impudent and unconscionable persons Moreover in his book against Bellarmine concerning Councells he gives divers testimonies (g) DeCōc Lib. 1. c. 1. l. 2. c. 3. l. 5. c. 1 3 5 8. touching the profitable use of Councels for the determining of controversies their Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction and the exercise of it in making decrees and censuring offendours By all which it appeares how injurious Mr Canne hath bene unto Sibrandus in producing him as a witnesse against the authority of Synods whereas he hath so often testifyed his judgement to the contrary Mornaeus in the place (h) Histor Pap. p. 542 c. edit 1612. alledged hath no such thing as for which he is quoted unlesse he meane that which is noted in one of the following pages (i) Ib. p. 545 that the Popes of Rome were chosen in publick assemblies of the Priests the Nobility the common people the Senate by the voices of all c. which if it be explained and applyed to the question in hand may easily be discerned to fall short of proving any thing against us But this Author in the same booke shewes plainly his approbation of Synods for the judgement of Ecclesiasticall causes He alledgeth frequently and maintaines against Baronius and Bellarmine the judiciall Acts and sentences of sundry Synods against the Popes of Rome

A DEFENCE OF CHVRCH-GOVERNMENT Exercised in PRESBYTERIALL CLASSICALL SYNODALL ASSEMBLIES According to the practise of the Reformed Churches Touching I. The power of a particular Eldership against those that plead for a meere Popular Government specially Mr AINSVVORTH in his Animadversion to Mr Clyft c. II. The authority of Classes and Synods against the Patrons of Independencie answering in this poynt Mr DAVENPORT his Apologeticall Reply c. and Mr CANNE his Churches Plea c sent forth first by W. Best and afterwards for this part of it under the title of Syons Prerogative Royall By IOHN PAGET late able and faithfull Pastour of the Reformed English Church in Amsterdam Hereunto is prefixed an Advertisement to the Parliament wherein are inserted some Animadversions on the Cheshire Remonstrance against Presbytery by T. P. MDCXLI Printed by H. A. for Thomas Vnderhill dwelling at the signe of the Bible in Woodstreet LONDON AN Humble Advertisment to the high Court OF PARLIAMENT Right Honorable and most prudent Patriots IT is the divine observation of Ecclesiastes the Sonne of David King in Ierusalem (a) Eccles 3.1 7. To every thing there is a season A time to keepe silence and a time to speake Truly it hath seemed to be a time to keepe silence in some by-gone yeeres in England when the (b) Amos 5.13 prudent Ministers of God were necessitated to keepe silence through the evill of the times having beene (c) Isa 29.21 made offenders for a word as if their doctrine had beene (d) Amos 7.10 conspiracy against the State and the land not able to beare all their words Howbeit for the English (e) Isa 62.1.6 Zion and Ierusalems sake the Lords remembrancers could not hold their peace nor keepe silence in secret but (f) Isa 26.20 entring into their chambers and shutting the doores about them to hide themselves as it were for a litle moment have powred out their complaints and supplications before the Lord who is (g) Psal 65.2 a God that heareth prayers and (h) Math. 6.6 seeth in secret waiting on him till the indignatiō should be overpast But now it seemeth there is a time to speake in England And (i) Prov. 15.23 a word spokē in due season how good is it sith (k) 1. Cor. 16.9 a great doore effectuall is opened by a longed-for hopefull Parliament Oh how admirable it is even to amazement that the hearts and tongues of the people of God throughout the English nation have beene so graciously enlarged (l) Hos 14.2 in taking words with them not only (m) Zach. 12.12 13 14. in their humiliations apart in families but also on the dayes (n) 2. Chron. 20.3.4 appointed by authority for solemne prayer fasting to (o) Ezr. 8.21 seeke a right way for themselves and for their litle ones and for all their substance speaking and crying unto the Lord (p) Amos 7.5 Cease we beseech thee by whom shall English Iacob arise for he is small Yea and is it not exceedingly marvellous also how after supplicating God in such sort their (q) Act. 17.16 Spirits were stirred in them to speake to your Honors of the cure-all-court of Parliament in their manifold Petitions for Reformatiō contributing votes by thousands of severall Counties And what though (r) 1. Cor. 16.9 there be many adversaries that doe murmur and repine at those (f) Luk. 19.39 40. wel-approved zelots May it not be thought that if they had held their peace the stones would immediately have cryed out The blessed tidings of this reviving state of English affaires spreading abroad in sundry countreys is come also into the Vnited Netherlands to refresh as (t) Prov. 25.25 good news is wont from a farre countrey such of us of the English nation who have been enforced by home-oppressions to seeke for liberty imployment and livelihood as the (v) 2. Chro. 11.13 14. Priests Levites in Israel did on somwhat the like occasion who yet in our measure (x) Ier. 51.50 Psal 137.5 6. remember the Lord afarre of not daring through forgetfulnes to let goe out of minde our most endeared native countrey (y) Psal 122.6.9 Let them prosper that love and seeke the welfare of England Hence your Honors most humble advertiser convinced of not (z) 2. King 7.9 doing well to remaine altogether silēt readily tooke hold on the opportunity of the ensuing treatise as (a) Luk. 19.3 4. Zacheus climbed up into a Sycomore tree to see his Saviour because of the presse and litlenes of his stature to insert a word to be as (b) Mark 12.42 the widows farthing some addition to the great stock of more able qualified seekers of Reformation Most noble and right worthy Sirs It were much to have beene wished t 'had never beene (c) 2. Sam. 1.20 told in Gath that the (d) Psal 12.1 Mic. 7.1 2. godly men have ceased and the faithfull failed in England Woe is us t is too notoriously knowne how that divers worthies of the Lord of b. m. (e) 2. King 2.12 the chariots and horsmen of the English Israel who by (f) Psal 46.4 the christalline streames of pure doctrine made glad the citty of God had their (g) Reve. 11.7 untimely deaths hastened by sharpe tempests of persecution raised against them by the Hierarchie through their Summoning Traducing Reproching Suspending Excommunicating Depriving Fining Imprisoning trampling on them as unsavory salt or as broken and despised vessels cast to the wals Others have beene constrained to provide for their breathing as they could by removing into forraine parts after much suffering at home and thereby exposed to the bitter miseries (h) Psal 56.8 Isa 16.3 4. of wanderers being debarred of the pleasant land of their nativity ancient habitations naturall kinred familiar acquaintance meanes of subsistance accustomed aire and wonted manners of people and instead thereof (i) Ezek. 3.5 6. cast into a land of strangers and of a strange language as a greater aggravation of their most disconsolate condition Yea (k) Psal 44.17 all this come upon them onely for their (l) Act. 24.16 endeavoring to keepe consciences void of offence towards God towards men in refusall of conformity to some superstitious ceremonies subscription to the Canon albeit they never refused to subscribe according to * Stat. Q. Eliz. 13.12 the law of the land whereas otherwise they were orthodoxe and painfull in their ministery and unblamable in their conversation approving themselves to the (m) 2. Cor. 4.2 consciences of their adversaries Moreover they were such as highly prized the Church-assemblies of England and diligently frequented and joyned in the solemne administration of the word Sacraments and prayers so farre as they could free themselves from their owne personall pollutions and defilements as (n) Mat. 23.1 2 3. our Lord Christ directeth in such case A true report of some Prelaticall