all provinces Azorius affirmeth the same thing and sheweth that it was observed in Affrica Graecia Spaine France ubique sayth he and every where 3 Evidence of Reason and so continued to the time of Charles the great and afterward Thirdly The evidence of Reason Reas 1 The Keyes of the Kingdom of heaven are in some sort given to the wholl Church Therefore the power of chusing those whose office it shall be to use them for the Church is in the wholl Church The Antecedent is cleare out of Matth. 16 19. where the Church spoken of is the company of beleivers Mat. 16.19 whose person Peter sustained at that time as appeareth by his answer which was concerning the fayth common to the wholl Church not concerning any buisenes proper to Ministers And under the Keyes all the meanes of aedification are granted unto the Church to be dispensed by such as being chosen by the Church Eccles pol lib 3. cap. 2.3 should receive power from the Church thereunto as Mr. Parker hath abundantly proved and by many witnesses The Argument is undeniable For it is in them to chuse the person whom they will intrust with such weighty matters to whom the things themselves doe primarily belong Nor is it a sufficient foundation of that phrase that they are given to the Church for her proffit and benefit unlesse the Church be able to provide that they be handled by those by whose ministry she may be most proffited and benefited Reas 2 The people of God are commanded to heare the true teachers and avoyd the false ones Therefore they have power to chuse good ones and reject bad ones The Antecedent is cleare in Iohn 10. The Argument is without just exception If not let somewhat materiall be objected against it Will they say The people is rude and cannot judge Thus the Pharises sayd of old Ioh 7.49 but did our Saviour Christ judge of them so Iohn 7.17 I trow not And if it were so it is not necessary to the electiō of the Pastor that all amongst the people should be able to judge without the helps of those that are more skillfull much lesse that they should doe it perfectly but they must have so much knowledge as to shun false teachers Will they say the people are forbidden to heare false teachers but not allowed to depose thē substitute others Let such know Bellar. enerv tom 2. cap. 2. that when they are forbiddē to heare them they are commanded not to be subject to their Ministry and so in effect warranted to depose them as Dr. Ames answereth Bellarmine Reas 3 Pastors are not lords but servants of the wholl Church Therefore the wholl Church have power to chuse theyr Pastors 1. Cor. 3.9 Ch. 4 1. 1. Pet. 5.3 The Antecedēt is cleare For all the workes of Pastors are Ministeriall viz whether they declare Christs will to the Church they command the Church in his name and words not in theyr owne or whether they execute the will of the Church upon particular members they doe it not in theyr owne but in Christs and the Churches name The Argument is good for such a Ministry agreeth very well with this power of the people in chusing theyr Pastor Reas 4 The Church hath full right to preserve the truth as its rightfull possession Therefore the wholl Church have right to chuse theyr Pastor The Antecedent is undeniable For therefore it is called the pillar 1. Tim. 3.5 and ground of truth for else it were but the harbour not the mansion of truth The Argument is as cleare For they who have power to preserve truth have power also to preserve in their owne right those functions which are necessary for the preserving of it which they cannot doe unlesse they have power of chusing their owne Ministers Reas 5 The pastorall relation concernes the wholl Church therefore the choyse of the Pastor is in the wholl Church The Antecedent is cleare in these texts and such like Acts. 2.28 1. Pet. 5.1.2 The Argument is founded upon an axiom of the law proceeding from good reason Quod omnium interest ab omnibus approbari debet That which concerneth all ought to be approved of all Which course we see observed in civill matters as in the choyse of worthy men to stand for severall Countyes in Parliament Also th◠choyse of officers in Corporations is done by common vote the major part of voyces carrying the election Bishop Bilson well weighing the importance of these reasons Perp. govern cap. 15. p. 339. yeelded to the aequity of them saying Well may the peoples interest stand upon the grounds of reason and nature and be derived from the rules of aequity and christian society that each Church and people stand free by Gods law to admit maintaine or obey no mā as their Pastor without their liking-vnlesse P. 360 by law custom or consent they have restrained themselves And a litle after he sayth that the people had as much right to chuse their Pastor as the Cleargy that had more skill to judge and he telleth papalls P. 359. having related the cursing and fighting of the Bishop of Rome till excluding boath prince and people he had reduced the election wholly to the Cleargy that by their leave Assert p. 212. it was not so from the beginning whence the Assertour for true and christian policy argueth thus Whatsoever is derived from christian aequity and society what soever was from the beginning and was left by the Apostles to the Church the same aught still to remaine and must be kept inviolable in the Church But the peoples interest to chuse their Pastor is right is lawfull is free by the law of God standeth upon the grounds of reason and nature is derived from Christian aequity and society was from the beginning c. To his exception unlesse by some law custom or consent the people have restrayned themselves c. or by theyr default or abuse the Canons Councills superiour powers or publick lawes have abridged altered or abrogated the same he answereth that our Saviour reproved the abuse of the law in the Scribes and Pharises but tooke not away the least title of it We grant in like manner that Custom consent Councills superiours lawes may reprove restraine and reforme the disordered unrulines and contentions of the people in and about theyr election and that they may alter abridge or enlarge the manner of elections but that any superiour powers may take this right into their owne hands as he saith from the people or that the people by any law custom or consent c. may transfer their right freedom and interest given deduced unto them by these rules and grounds I doe not yet perceive any good ground or reason for the same For hath the wisdom of God and his providence made us free men and can we without contempt of his grace become bondmen And albeit in some cases
be governed The truth is In all this passage appeareth much sarcasticall bitternes unworthy of the learning gravity and holy function of the Answerer Yet I suppose the Complainants would be ready if they were called to answer soberly that they desire no other Church government unto which they would willingly be subject then that which Christ hath appoynted the Church to be under What that is if they know not he aught to teach them If they know it and desire it he aught to lead them out and to goe before them as a faythfull shepheard that the sheep may follow him as he followeth Christ not to praejudice them against any good way by a scoffing proposall of mens differences in judgment about some particular tract or turning in the way to the great scandall and offence of many and the dishonour of the Gospel and the hindrance of Reformation by his joyning with the enimyes thereof in an old cavill which hath turned many out of the way and caused some to returne back to a mere neutrality in religion till the professours of it agree among themselves about the path wherein they will walke Whereas he taketh occasion againe without provocation to mention Mr. Iacob as an enimy to Classes and Synods that I might speake a word in the cause of the dumbe and of the dead I have examined what he hath written concerning this point more upon this occasion then formerly I had done and it may be Treat of Ch. Government Chap. 1. pag. 13. Chap. 7. 88. 89. 90 Confess Art 5. more then else I should have done and doe find that he professeth his agrement that I may use his owne words even to an hayre with Calvin and Beza touching the substance of this matter and that he acknowledgeth with them both the parishionall and Diocesan presbyteryes yea the provinciall and larger too if occasion serve How he explaineth himselfe herein the diligent Reader will easily observe in other passages of the same booke And else where he acknowledgeth that there may be and on occasion there ought to be on earth a consociation of Congregations and Churches and namely by way of Synods but not a subordination or surely not a subjection of the Congregations under any higher spirituall authority absolute save only Christs and the holy Scriptures Whereby it appeareth that the single uncompounded policy which Mr I required is not contrary to the government of these reformed Churches by Classes and Synods rightly ordered Ch. Government Chap. 7. p. 89. nay rather he so farr approveth of it that he sayth it is Apostolicall for many ordinary Congregations consociating together in their spirituall government to have a Diocesan or larger Synod or presbytery over them for their better direction and he addeth such the reformed Churches at this day doe injoy But if he thinck by mentioning the name of Mr. Iacob to leave the Complainants under the suspicion of adhaering to some sect or of depending upon the authority of man not upon the word of Christ for their rule about Church matters he will be found to be injurious not to them alone but to Christ also Mat. 18.17 1. Cor 5. Coll. 2.5 and 4.17 Acts 20.17.28 Rev. 2 3 1. Tim. 3.15 Cha. 5.21 Chap. 6.13 to 17. and to the truth First To Christ seing they acknowledge all that power to be due and thereunto they are willing to submit which by the word is warranted to be that whereby Churches should be governed according to the mind of Christ which agreeth with the patterne which Christ left to his disciples and which the Apostles exactly followed in planting those primitive Churches of Corinth Colosse Ephesus the 7 golden Candlesticks in Asia among whom Christ walked c. and which Paul so streightly charged Timothy to observe in all Church affayres which is no other then the power committed by Christ to particuler Churches as his delegates for the right ordering of themselves in their Church government and in all holy administrations and ordinances according to his command and direction in the Scripture without dependance upon any Classes or Synods or whatsoever humane spirituall power for license or authority to be received from them for their so doing And as they thus acknowledge all that power under which the Church is subjected by warrant of the word to be due so they professe all that power under which the Church is subjected to be undue which the word doeth not warrant and which taketh away from particular Churches that power which by Christ his ordinance is due to them which what is it but to remove the ancient bounds Prov. 22.28 Gal. 5.1.3 Ioh. 9. to thrust the Churches from the libertyes wherein they are commanded to stand fast and to affect an undue praeheminence in the Church Secondly To the truth whilest it is presented to the view of all men under the shew of some singular opinion or errour rather of a particular man or as a forelorne thing deserted of all her witnesses excepting Mr. Iacob whereas so much as the Complainants seeme to require as appeareth in their referring themselves to the warrant of the word hath bene acknowledged by the faythfull witnesses in all ages Heb. 12.1 with which cloud of witnesses we are compassed about as the Israelites were with that pillar of a cloud wherein the Lord went before them by day Exod. 13.21 to lead them in the way Such were the Apostles in their time and those worthyes as Cyprian and those of whom Eusebius taketh notice Cypr. lib. 3 Epist 14. Euseb li. 3 et 4. et 5. in many places and in some succeeding instances before the mistery wraught to its full hight The same thing may appeare to those who are conversant in the wrightings of the Centuriators To these I may add those who have handled the controversyes concerning the necessity and authority of Councills amongst whom I will instance in Dr. Whittaker who Whitt de Concil quest 5. Arg. speaking of the fullnes of that delegated power which Christ hath given to the Church not to the Pope which he applyeth to the Keyes in binding and loosing shutting and opening retayning and remitting sinnes sayth that this power belongeth primarily principally and essentially to the Church but to the severall Bishops onely accidentally secundarily and lâ—sse principally and explaineth himselfe by a rule in philosophy which is that when any power is in two in one necessarily essentially in another contingently and accidentally it is more principally in him in whom it is necessarily and essentially then in him whose it is onely contingently and accidentally As the heate is more principally in the fire then in the water because it is in the water by reason of the fire So sayth he seing this jurisdiction and fullnes of power is given to the Church necessarily and primarily but to the Pope onely secundarily and by the Church it is manifest that it is more
the second Section he sayd it is against modesty and conscience to pronounce so certainly touching the issue of things to come and yet himselfe useth the same confident asseveration in a case more improbable as will appeare to any man or to himselfe if he reduce his reasoning and discourse to prove such disputes as I have used about myne owne desireablenes to be a want of modesty or prudence into a Syllogisme The 23. Section examined of the Ansvverers rejecting the counsail of the Elders when matters have bene referred to them if he thought they would conclude against his purpose THe usefullnes of the Eldership in the Church being considered with the Honour which the Holy Ghoast putteth upon those who are called thereunto should warne all men to take heed of contemning them or occasioning others to dispise them First Act 14. p. 155. Their usefullnes appeareth in that the Holy Ghoast directed Paul and Barnabas to ordaine Elders by voyces in every Church Which text Mr. Nowell in this Catechisme alleadgeth to shew that there were in the well ordered Churches certaine Seniors chosen and joyned with the Pastor and thereby he would shew that the Pastor should not excommunicate alone without the judgement of the Church This place being so understood we may from hence noate two things to declare the usefullnes of such officers 1 Thess 5.12.13 1 Tim. 4.14 Act 15.6.23.16.4 Ambros in 1 Tim 5. 1. that they were appoynted to every Church 2. That they were solemnly ordayned being commended to the Lord with prayer and fasting which is not used in slight matters It appeareth also in that they are joyned by the wisdom of God with other officers of as necessary use in the Church as the members are in the body 1 Cor. 12.28 Secondly The Honour which the Holy Ghoast putteth upon them is very great as appeareth first in their imployments which are honourable services as to assist the Pastor 1. In admonishing offenders 2. In imposition of hands at the ordaining of officers 3. in consulting and counsailing about Church affaires the Apostles refused not their helpe herein and this use of them continued as Ambrose sayth till it was altered by the sloath or rather pride of Teachers who would seeme to be some body by doing all things alone 2. In the titles wherewith he honoureth them being thus imployed calling them (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb 13.7 17.24 Leaders (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Thess 5.12 Rom 12.8 Presidents (c) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act 20.28 1 Cor. 12.28 Overseers (d) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Chron. 19.8 1 Tim. 3.2 1 Tim. 5.17 1 Thess 5.12.13 1 Tim. 5.17 Heb. 13.17 Governments 3. In the qualifications required to be in them viz. to be such as doe the duety of their place in the feare of the Lord faythfully and with a perfect heart wise vigilant sober of good behaviour blamelesse In a word they must not be destitute of any good property whereby they may be fitted to rule well 4. In the carriage which the Holy Ghoast injoyneth the people to use towards them in they re well discharging their duety As to acknowledge them and to esteeme them very highly in love to account them worthy of double honour And to obey them Now then if any man shall despise this office as of no necessary use in the Church of God or if any shall goe about by disparadging speeches to disable them from doing the worke of their place or to discourage and dishearten them in it by a needles though true publishing their imperfections much more if the reports be untrue and mere ungrounded reproaches the injury is not only personall to the men but publick and common to the wholl Church which is much blemished either for want of it officers or for want of care to make a good choyse and to see that they discharge their duety as they aught and much disordered whilest those who should be admonished by them are now armed against them as men branded with a marke of partiality and insufficiency and disorderly walking and that by their Pastor and in print In which respect for the prevention of such dangerous consequences or effects it will be worth the while that we examine this second complaint concerning his slighting the Elders which I will breifely dispatch insisting principally upon those things which he calleth me to examine by mentioning my name which he wrighteth at length as his manner is least else it may be the Reader should forget that I am the marke he shooteth at thorough all these The Answerer sayth this complaint is a very unjust slander Ans Reply 1. If it be a slander it must needs be unjust for no slander can be just Yea if it be a slander it is a very great one for it is not against a private but a publick person a preacher of the Gospell and their Pastor and that not whispered in the eares of one but published to the view of many But if it be true the Answerers sinne is double 1 that he gave just cause of this complaint in a case not of private but of publick injury by depriving of his flock not of civill but of spirituall liberties to the violation of that order which Christ hath setled in the Church 2. That he unjustly chargeth them with a slander and so maketh himselfe guilty of calling good evill yea of the same sinne whereof he accuseth them viz slander For the more cleare and full understanding and judging of what is sayd on both sides it must be observed that the first three pretended answers are mere evasions and diversions of the Reader from the matter of the Complaint For First They doe not complaine of those decissions and determinations which have bene made by most voyces in the Eldership but of those which have bene hindred and rejected by him nor of his giving sentence by his authority alone but of his rejecting the authority of the Eldership and interposing the authority of the Classis to hinder their proceeding in things which might have bene ended amongst themselves nor that those resolutions which have bene concluded in Consistory have bene transacted without consent of most but that some considerable conclusions which most have agreed upon have bene by him rejected without sufficient cause So that unlesse he can acquitt himselfe of rejecting those determinations which have bene made by most voices in the Elderships and of hindring their proceeding in things which might have bene ended amongst themselves and that without sufficient cause the complaint appeareth to be just in this particular and no slander Secondly They doe not complaine of his opposing contradicting or rejecting their opinions and counsailes when they were against right and truth or hurtfull to the Church or to any member thereof but when matters have bene agreeable to truth and right and for the good of the Church upon unjust pretences of the Elders insufficiency and
sufficient evidence whereupon to ground so deepe an accusation as that of Schysme is If so let him shew it by Scriptures or good reason but with all to guide his judgment let him know that the mere preaching as assistant in a Church at the intreaty of the Church is not numbred among those common causes which by the order of these reformed Churches are appropriated to the cognition or consent of the Classes it is in it selfe to be accounted among the things which are proper to particular Churches And is it a Schysmaticall tenet to hold that things proper to particular Churches are under the power of particular Churches which are cheife in matters that are properly their owne what then will he say to that Canon of the Synod at Midleborough Those things shall not be handled in the greater assemblyes which may be ended in the lesser Can. 25. to the Canons of the Synod of 3 Nations Cap. 17. 18. to the Sinod at Emden Cap. 2. to that Canon in the Harmony of the Belgick Sinods that those matters only shall be brought into the Classes which cannot be ended in the Consistory cap. 7. art 6. See Zepperus lib. 3. cap. 5. Were these Synods schysmaticall Conventicles or were their Canons schysmaticall conclusions How then is this which I affirme schysmaticall To brand me with an imputation of schysme he spareth not these Synods which deliver the same thing in effect that I say and all those worthyes who have written concerning Ecclesiasticall discipline or the authority of Councills of whom we spake in the former Section or which have handled the power of particular Churches in chusing their owne Pastors of whom we spake in the foregoing Section Yea I wish he may not be found to beare false witnes against the truth it selfe in the Scriptures which we have declared in both those Sections to warrant so much as I have said in this matter 4. His fourth answer supposeth that eminent men may cause eminent danger by their private opinions The men in whom he instanceth I confesse were not inferiour to either of us in learning But that which he intimateth concerning opinions held by them which tended to the ruine and desolation of Churches if he apply it to this question about the power of particular Churches to admit of Ministers to preach as assistants I cannot acknowledge to be true upon the former grounds but if he meane any other opinions or practises it is nothing to the matter in question 5. In his fifth answer upon his observation that the Complainants in their particular greivances mention me he inferreth that their inordinate desire of me hath made this trouble to the Church But. 1. neither the ground nor the inference is right 1. Not the ground For they mention not me alone but others also 2 Nor the inference For will their complaining of injuryes done to them in a particular reference to me prove their desire of me to be inordinate By what medium Let him frame his Argument into a Syllogisme and it will appeare to be Sophisticall and ridiculous But I spare him 2. How easily may they or I upon the same ground warrant prove that his inordinate desire of having his owne will that I say no more hath made this trouble in the Church by drawing all the lines of the severall Sections in the circle and circumference of their complaint to that as the onely centre But I doe not affect in Circuitu ambulare 6. In his sixt answer which is to their parenthesis wherein they noate that he would have had others that to this day hold the same opinion Such is the invincible power of truth that his owne words concerning those two instances are sufficient to prove the thing which he would deny if what I have written in the 11. Section concerning his private conference with me be compared with what himselfe confesseth Mr. B wrote to him and with his owne acknowledgment of Mr. R. agreement with me in his third and last answer to that instance Nor is his desire of having them complained of for in the injoyment of either of them they had bene happy but his partiall sticking at that in me which he would have passed by in them The 29. Section examined Concerning the undue power of the Classis in making lawes IN this Section they produce the second proofe of the justnes their complaint of his subjecting the Church under an undue power of the Classis viz his giving them power to make lawes and orders whereunto whosoever will be ministers of that Church must submit For proofe hereof they give two instances 1. that they bind Ministers to observe the orders and customs of the Dutch Church 2. their second instance is concerning this order of promiscuous baptising which they made a coÌ„dition of my admittance to that Ministry The justnes of their laying the blame of boath these upon the Answerer they prove 1. Because some of the Dutch preachers themselves have declared their willingnes to cast off some of those customs if the vastnes of their Church would permâ—â— it 2. Because one of them said to the Answerer in the Classis upon occasion of his complaining of my not conforming to their orders you your selfe doe not conforme to all our orders 3. Because they have professed that they should have bene glad that the differences had bene ended among our selves 4. Because he hath of late required of the Elders that an order might be made in the Consistory that whatsoever minister shall hereafter be called to that Church should conforme to that wrighting of the five Ministers Now let us see what answers he pretendeth to make 1. to their complaint against the proceeding of the Classis in this particular 2. to their complaint of his giving this undue power to the Classis First To their complaint of the undue proceeding of the Classis Herein he answereth nothing to the purpose For he neither denyeth the fact nor giveth any satisfaction about the aequity of it In a word he so answereth as if he saught nothing else but how to evade answering and to get some hole to hide his head in Wherefore that the truth in this matter may appeare we will consider two things 1. de facto whether they have made such lawes and orders or not 2. de jure whether they have done it by a due or by an undue power 1. That they have made such lawes and orders can not be denyed For if the praescription of necessary observances be a law if the imposition of any thing with a binding power be a law if the decrees to the obedience whereof men are any way compelled are lawes the things instanced in to witt conformity to their ecclesiasticall customs and promiscuous administration of Baptisme according to the wrighting of the five Ministers were imposed as lawes upon me For did they not bind me to rest in that wrighting and to conforme to those customs
AN APOLOGETICALL REPLY To a booke Called AN ANSVVER to the unjust complaint of VV. B. Also an ANSWER to Mr. I. D. TOUCHING His report of some passages His allegation of Scriptures against the baptising of some kind of infants His protestation about the publishing of his wrightings BY IOHN DAVENPORTE BD. Prov. 18.17 He that is first in his owne cause seemeth just but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him Hieron ad Nepot Cave ne aut lingnam aut aures prurientes habeas ne aut ipse alijs detrahas aut alios detrabentes audias Nemo invito auditori libenter refert Discat detractor dum te videt non libenter audire non facile detrahere Horat Epist 16. ad Quint. Mordear opprobrijs falfis mutemque colores Falsus honor juvat et mendax infamia terret Quem nisi mendosum et mendacem AT ROTTERDAM Printed by Isaack van Waesberghe upon the Steygher at the Fame Anno 1636. The Preface to the Reader CHristian Reader 2. Cor. 1.12 Though the testimony of a good conscience is of it selfe a sufficient cause of rejoycing in all the tribulations of this pilgrimage Act. 23.1 1. Pet. 3.16 Act. 24.16 and of confidence in our Apologies against false accusers in which respect Blessed Paul according to the wisdom given unto him did herein excercise himselfe to have alwayes a conscience voyd of offence toward God and toward men yet next to a good conscience every man is bound to provide for his good name it being Eccles 7.1 in Salomons judgment better then precious oyntment which serveth to cheare a mans owne spirits and to make him amiable to others and as any man is of more publick use so it is both more diffused and more apt to be tainted by the shew of any infirmity according to that holy proverbe Eccles 10.1 Dead flies cause the oyntment of the Apothecary to send forth a stincking savour so doeth a litly folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour But the regard of our good name must be excercised upon higher then selfe-respects else it is but vaine glory which flowing from pride falleth into unwarranted contention Gods name must be more deare unto us then our owne and our care must be not so much to shun our owne as his dishonour our esteeme whereof ought in some proportion to answer to his dignity and eminency We see that among men the same reproach which is but a slander of private persons is scandalum magnatum when it reflecteth dishonour upon peeres of a realme and it is crimen lasae Majestatis when it ascendeth to the soveraigne majesty For which cause it is not to be wondred that God hath shewen himselfe so jealous of the honour of his owne name not onely upon the sonnes of Aaron and Eli and those wicked Preists in Israel Mal. 2.5.8.9 but also upon Aaron and Eli themselves and upon Moses and David in whom though he pardoned their sinne yet he passed not by this consequent of it the dishonour of his name without a temporall judgment Iosu 7.9 Psa 8.1 Psal 111.9 Mich 5.4 For his name is a great excelent holy and reverent name it is a name which hath Majesty in it and is as farr above all names as his Majesty is above all creatures Gods honour being principally intended the good of men is not to be neglected that they within the Church be not ashamed or offended nor they without hindred or hardned Luther on Gen. 9. Gen. 9.22 For such is the malignant genius of the Serpents seed that they delight in observing the slipps and falls of Gods servants as swine doe to nuzzle in filth and excrements vvhich evill inclination was so strong in Cham Canaan that it brake the bonds of nature and therefore it is the lesse to be wondred at if Sanballat and Tobiah Nehem. 6.13 to hinder the worke of the Lord in the hands of his servants did seeke matter of an evill report that they might reproach them And as it would not satisfye Hamans malice to lay hands upon Mordecai alone Hest 3.6 but he saught to destroy all the Iewes so these are accustomed for the miscarriage of any one to misjudge the generation of Gods children Which David much feared and earnestly deprecated Psal 69 5.6 saying Let not them that wayte on thee O Lord God of Hoasts be ashamed for my sake Let not those that seeke thee be confounded for my sake O God of Israel And the laying of a stumbling block Rom. 14.13 or an occasion of falling in the way of weake Christians by giving them offence is of no lesse dangerous consequence to him by whom the offence cometh for whom it had bene better that he had bene cast into the sea with a milstone about his neck then it is to him who is scandalized Mat. 18.6 who is wounded and made weake 1. Cor. ◠13 and in danger of being destroyed thereby which caused holy Paul to resolve rather to eate no flesh whilest the world stādeth then thereby to cause his brother to offend And the same thing which maketh the hearts of the righteous sad Ezeck 13.22 usually strengthneth the hands of the wicked that he should not returne from his evill way Thus it falleth out in scandalous reproaches raysed against those that feare God by the worst of men but much more when Israelites thrust their swords into their fellowes sides Exod. 21.22.27 especially when those who are as women with child are spurned hurt and indangered by reproaches to miscarry of some spirituall children of whom they travayle in birth Gal. 4.19 till Christ may be formed in them These considerations may serve to be an Apology to others for this my Reply and for an admonition to my selfe and direction about my wholl carriage in it They who have read the Answer whereunto this Reply is made will testifye on my behalfe that the honour of God and the good of the Church both for maintenance of truths opposed and for vindicating myne owne name and the names of others far more worthy then I from calumny did necessitate the publishing of this Apology It had bene more to the Answerers comfort if he could have as truely pleaded the same necessity as he readily pretended it But 1. how easily might he have prevented it in the cause either by not making an unjust opposition or by yeelding to such aequall meanes of accommodation as were propounded or by propounding other wayes sufficient to salve the sore or by referring the matter to the Church as properly belonging to their cognition or by fairely seeking the advice of the Classis seing he would bring it thither without praepossessing the Dutch preachers with causelesse praejudices and jealousies against men whom they knew not 2. Seing due care was not taken to prevent the kindling of the fire yet how easily might it have bene quenched when the smother of it
began to breake forth apparently at least the fuell might have bene subtracted and it suffered to have gone out and to have dyed of it selfe but in stead thereof oyle is cast upon it to make it flame out and the force and violence of it is by his booke as by bellowes or a strong wind driven upon the faces of those who have done and suffered much that they might extinguish it Alas what benefit could redound to the Church by such personall vindications published to the world seing a sufficient answer given in wrighting to their written complaints would have satisfyed their desire and ended all difference among them And what though these private wrightings were printed yet what necessity was there of printing any answer to them seing the Answerer had many wayes to have suppressed them at the presse being made privy to the printing of them by the printer himselfe which I was not and seeing I protested in print against the first part which concerned me and the Complainants professed theire dislike of publishing the other part of it How tender I was of the Answerers reputation my Protestation sheweth in part and my labour to have the booke suppressed more fully manifesteth For I procured that all the copies unsold might be bought up so that I am told about foure hundred and fifty of the five hundred were stopped How he hath requited me let his booke speake And howsoever he pretendeth that the printing of that pamphlet compelled him to print in his owne defence yet it is evident 1. that he declared his purpose of printing about these matters before any wrighting was made by me in myne owne defence or by them in way of complaint of their greivances 2. that his theatning to print an answer to their complaints which then were onely written and left in the Consistory privatly and the report of one who said that he had seene some of the sheets which the Answerer had prepared to print were the causes moving W. B. to print that wrighting 3. that himselfe declared in a letter which the freind to whom he sent it shewed me that he purposed to print an answer to that short wrighting which was left by me when as nothing had bene printed by W.B. Which proveth that the printed pamphlet was not the cause of his booke but that he tooke occasion thereby to publish that which he had before purposed 4. When he acquainted the ministers of the Classis with his purpose of printing an answer to that pamphlet they disuaded him yet he againe importuned them to consent to it threatning to get it printed in England if they opposed it here To conclude He so wearyed them with importunityes as if his life had layne in the doing of it that they left him to himselfe after they had advised him to leave out some passages which they disliked in his copy but still professed that as they did not hinder him so they would not counsail him to doe it This some of those learned prudent men have affirmed to some of the members of that Church whereby the Reader may see with how strong a bent of spirit he was carryed hereunto but upon what argument or motives I leave it to his owne consideration in the sight of God Yet if he would print needlesly ah that he had not done it so reproachfully sarcastically bitterly Not that I have cause to be troubled thereat in respect of my selfe who have in some measure learned to be content if God will have it so to be as a lampe despised in the thought of him that is at ease Iob. 12.5 Heb. 10.35 and to be made a gazing stock both by reproaches and afflications by becoming a companion of them that were so used but for the truthes sake for the Churches sake for his owne sake whom I doe unfeinedly reverence and love in the Lord though I am by him compelled to this unpleasing contest I confesse that when I read his booke and considered how to answer it upon a serious pondering of passages I thought upon Herods short letter to Cassius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and if I had so written to him Philostr in vit Herod though I should have censured my selfe as not dealing according to the respect which I beare to his gravity and long standing in the Church ministeriall abilities c. Yet he could not answer as Paul did a like though more unjust chalenge that he wrote the words of truth and sobernes Act. 26.25 For how untruely though I hope but by ignorance or forgetfullnes or misapprehension or inadvertency passages are reported I am compelled to declare in the severall answeres How unsoberly let the Reader judge without my raking into that finck which maketh the wholl booke the more unsavoury and uselesse This also remembring my praecedent admonition I would cover for the better moderating other mens censures by imputing it to some aptnes in his naturall spirit to causelesse jealousies or to the infirmity of his age or to his melancholy temper or to the instigation of others or to the violence of temptation or to a misguided Zeale as our love causeth us to impute unbeseeming carriages of our freinds in violent feavers c. to the disease not to the man As for me what reproaches soever I sustaine I hope the spirit of understanding and counsaile and the feare of the Lord will so guide me that I shall not by returning rebuke for rebuke 2. Pet. 3.9 Rom. 12.21 Aug. ad Catech give just cause of suspicion that I am overcome of evill But such a necessity is now layed upon me that I may say with Augustine Cogimur non tacere cum potius expediat flere quam aliquid dicere I am constrained to wright though in some respects it were more expedient to weepe then to say any thing My desire is to make a modest defence of the truth and of mine owne innocency without injuring or irritating any body Wherein I purpose to propound to my selfe excelent patternes whom I wish the Answerer also had imitated such as Basil and Nazianzen Greg Naz Monod in Laud Basil whose spirits were so sweetly composed in a difference betweene them that notwithstanding it they gave due respect each to other Basil calling Nazianzen Vas electionis puteum profundum os Christi An elect vessel a deepe well the mouth of Christ and Nazianzen winding up his invention to the highest streine in Basils praise as appeareth in an oration made by him for that purpose though he noate an unkindnes received from him which he could not well digest In like manner Augustine differed from Cyprian about rebaptization yet he doth not reproach him but excuseth his errour rather Aug. lib. 2. de bapt contr Donat Cap. 7 saying nondum erat diligenter ista baptismi questio pertractata That questiō about baptisme had not bene diligently discussed unto that time and honoureth his name with excelent titles Beatus
before his death that his wrightings in that controversy had bene too bitter professed his inclination to publish some thing for the qualifying of them but that be feared the scandall that might grow upon such his retractation as is to be seene in the Admonition of the Divines of the County Palatine concerning the booke called liber concordiae Thus a groundlesse jealousy sharpened Luthers spirit in that controversy and a groundlesse jealousy hindred him from retracting what he had written Had the same jealousy hindred Augustine the wholl Christian world had bene loosers thereby wanting that helpe by his booke of Retractations which now they have Which unproffitable jealousy whereby men will make good what they have said or done least they should seeme to have erred Ambrose piously cast off and confessed that his wrightings had need of a second review et qnantumlibet quisque profecerit Ambr offic lib. 1. Cap. 1. nemo est qui doceri non indigeat dum vivit How much soever any man hath profited every man hath need to be taught whilest he liveth These things being premised for prevention of scandall which may be taken at the Answer whereunto the ensuing Reply is made I will breifely conclude after I have added one or two words for prevention of unaequall censures upon the Reply it selfe with respect to the matter and to the manner of my proceeding in it 1. For the matter I must intreat the wise hearted Reader to vouchsafe a benigne favourable construction of things that may seeme lyable to some misconstruction and to consider that in all the passages of this discourse I have a particular respect to the question betweene us avoyding by-matters As for instance when I speake of the summity of the power of particular Churches in re propriâ in such things as are properly their owne doe instance in the choyse of their ministers it may be some captious polititian will thinck that I abridge the povver of the civill Magistrate which is farr from my purpose though I speake as I doe limiting my selfe to the question betweene the Church and the Classis onely which was the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For I acknowledge not onely that submission obedience is due by the fifth commandment both to the highest Governours in every common wealth according to the severall lawes and customs thereof as to Emperours Kings Consuls Princes Dukes States and to other officers and ministers under them as Senators Counsailours Iustices Majors Sheriffs Balives Constables c. these and the like being in respect of their severall kinds 1. Pet. 2.13 Rom. 13.1 that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every ordinance of man yet in respect of their common nature and power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are ordered or ordained of God and that for conscience sake in all their civill lawes and constitutions but also in matters ecclesiasticall spirituall it belongeth to the cheife governour or governours to be nursing fathers of the Church as well as of the Commonwealth Isa 49.23 to be Custodes et vindices utriusque tabulae and that they may and aught to establish by their authority the true Religion pure worship of God and to forbid and punish not onely civill persons for civill crimes but even Churchmen also and boath sorts for crimes against Religion as Blasphemy Haeresy Idolatry Sacriledge Schysme c. and to take order as occasion may require that the Churches make choyse of fit officers and that Church officers doe their duety in every kind according to all Gods ordinances and institutions and that the wholl worship of God and all the parts of it be administred in the congregations decently 1. Cor. 14.40 without uncomelines and orderly without confusion of which care they have excelent praecedents set before them for patternes in the Scripture such as David Salomon Hezekiah Iosiah Nor are the matters of the Lord 2. Chron. 19.11 and the Kings matters of so different a nature that the care of the things of God doeth not appertayne to the King but onely to the high Preist but they are distinguished in the manner of their performing them the Magistrates discharging their part civilly politically the Church officers executing theires ecclesiastically and spiritually that so piety and policy the Church and Common wealth religion and righteousnes may dwell together may kisse each other and may flourish together in the due subjection of all sorts of subjects to Princes and Magistrates and of both princes and people to the scepter and government of Iesus Christ Iames 4.12 that one lawgiver who is able to save and to destroy 2. For the manner 1. I have endeavoured to carry my selfe inoffensively in this wholl treatise without wronging or provoking any and for that purpose have concealed the name of the Answerer wishing that it may not be remembred upon this occasion to blemish any of his well deservings in any other service to God or to his Church 2. I have laboured so to temper my stile that the truth may be manifested by his owne actions sincerely related rather then by my verball censures 1. His owne words I have truely repeated and answered and when I have bene compelled to contradict those things whereunto I could not consent I have laboured to shew reason more then passion therein If any thinck it might have bene done more smoothly and plausibly let him know there is a difference to be made betweene personall vindications and doctrinall ventilations there being not the same degrees of provocation to passion in the latter as in the former and that some of the personall aspersions whereunto I am enforced to make reply are such as whereunto a simple cold negation without some vehemency would seeme incongruous as Ierom speakes of the suspicion of haeresy or schysme wherein he sayth it becometh no man to be patient To conclude let the Christian reader if he meete with any such passages suspend his censure till he have bene put upon the clearing of his innocency to the world in answer to a printed booke made in so provoking a manner by such a man upon such an occasion himselfe being excercised with the same tryalls difficulties wherewith I am excercised in these tossings to and fro yet with much quiet in my spirit thorough inward supportments wherein I may say to the prayse of Gods grace in my measure As the sufferings of Christ abound in us 2. Cor. 1.5 so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ Lastly If any man shall thinck that my Reply is too large let him consider 1. that the particular matters of fact wherein myne innocency was necessarily to be defended are many 2. that I could not declare and maintaine the truth which I hold in points of doctrine and which is in word or actions opposed by the Answerer in a breifer discourse 3. that a necessity was layed upon me to wright somewhat on the behalfe of other Reverend ministers some whereof
are at rest as Mr. Parker Dr. Ames Mr. Forbes some are absent as Mr. Hooker Mr. Weld Mr. Peter 4. that he so interweaveth his discontents against the Elders the complaints of the members with the passages which concerne me that in many things I could not cleare my selfe without saying some thing also in their just defence which I have done sparingly and but when it was made necessary by his joyning us together 5. that he hath so frequently mentioned my name almost in every passage that I could not make a satisfying Reply on myne owne behalfe without examining almost the wholl booke which I was constrayned to doe also more particularly and according to the order of his Sections then else I would least it should be thought that I had bene unable to answer what I had praetermitted Wherein what I have written the Reader seeth but he knoweth not what I could have added and therefore is to be intreated to suspend his censure concerning what I have said till he may understand the reasons whereby I am able to justifye such particulars 6. that for the helpe of the Reader in comparing the Reply with the Answer I have inserted his owne words every where 7. that I thought it unaequall to cause the Reader to lay out his mony and spend his precious houres upon a fruitlesse discourse of our personall concernments onely and therefore have added many things upon this occasion for his intellectuall advantage whereby the Reply is made much larger then else it should have bene The benefit whereof will I hope with Gods blessing recompence his expence of mony or time upon it Which I beseech the Father of lights and of spirits to grant for the advancement of his truth in the hearts of many Amen The faults escaped correct thus 1. Words or points to be altered p stands for page l for line r. for read P 6. l 7. r. all together p 25. l 25. r operantis p. 32. l 6. r. Emden for Ments p 46. l 2. r. answereth p 48. l 27. r holesom l 37. r up p 54. l. 14. r injury p 55. l. 27. r consequence p 56. l 3. r open p 58. l. 27. r specially p 61. l. 2. r of for to p. 62. l. 1. and. p. 70. l 7. r 20. for 21. p. 79. l 23. r that the Doct p 81. l 26. r held p. 88. l 11. r in ter Veer where he p. 89. l 4. r with arrogating p. 118. l 29. r to the. p 148. l 5. r yet p 174. l 2. r counsail p 177. l 27. r was for w as p 191. l 33. r against it for against it p 223. l 12. r impute p 242. l. 2. r the for th p 245. l 7. r was for wae p 265 l 23. r. injustice p 266. l 20. r devised p. 268. l 7 8. r further p 288. l 31. r these p 295. l 4. r either for neither 2. Words or points to be added a stands for add p 9. l 20. a about after satisfactioÌ„ p. 59. l. 8. a. secondly before Is. p. 61. l. 16. a. not after p. 82. l. 1 a. he after fit p. 106. l. 19. a the before Iesuits p. 113. l. 15. r. moneths absence p. 163. l. 36. a. of marriages after condition p. 165. l. 14. a. after day p. 183 l. 17. r. ministers p. 202. l. 1. a. that after not p. 213. l. 14. r. constitution p. 229. l. 3. a. is after it 3. Words to be blotted out d stands for dele p. 9. l. 15. d. h in where p. 56 l. 13. d. First p. 66. in the margin d. s. in epist p. 82. l. 31. d. s in places p. 86. l. 31. d. s. in Maties p. 106. l. 19. d. the before Machiavells p. 138. l. 10. d. be Other faults which doe not so much hinder the Readers understanding I leave to his owne observation As when t is put for c s for c ei for i for e u for n p for b. s for f. m for n. n for m. y for i. c. A Table added by a Friend wherein the Reader for his better understanding is to take notice that the first figure sheweth the page the latter sheweth the line in the page Action CHristian actions of a twofold nature 277. 26 Ames Dr. Ames defended 77. 12 Commended 79. 12 What workes hee was author of 80. 1 His fitnesse for Pastorall office 81. 12 His remoove from Franeker to Rotterdam justified 83. 1 Dr. Ames not for promiscuous baptising 160. 14 Dr. Ames opinion of Synods 224. 36 Dr. Ames judgement about the power by which the Church ought to be governed 242. 20 Answer Three things required to a right answer of complaints 1 Two things required to a true answer 1 Answerer Answerer defective in his answer in the requisites thereto 2. 31 Answerers subtill devises to prejudice the Reader 7. 20 Answerers fallacie in putting that for a cause which is no cause 9. 25 Answerers judgement and practise agree not 12. 20 Answerer found faulty from his relation of a father 20. 6 from the place 20. 35 from the time 22. 10 Answerer found guilty of depriving the Church of those whom they desired notwithstanding all his answeres for the clearing of himselfe 55. 1 Answerer diverteth the Reader 51. 5. and 64. 19. and 68. 18. and 209. 30. Answerer prooved guilty of sinne in opposing the persons whom the Church desired 65. 8 It hath bene the Answerers course to injury the Church 77. 7 Answerer not willing to accommodate the Replyer about promiscuous baptising 126. 1. and 130 22. Answerer obtruded a false translation of the five Dutch Ministers writing upon the Reader 129. 12. Answerer contradicteth himselfe and the Classis about the insufficiency of the Elders about baptising 169. 12 Answerer hindreth the agreemeÌ„t of the Elders concerning the Replyers preaching notwithstanding all his pretended answeres 218. 12 Answerers needlesse jealousies kept Mr. Weld out from preaching when the Elders desired him 221. 27 Answerer notwithstanding his answeres found guilty of subjecting the Church under an undue power of the Classis 232. 22. Answerer joyneth with the enemies in an old cavill what the due power is by which the Church should be governed 253. 15. Answerer injurious to Christ and to the truth while hee thinkes to leave the complaynants under suspicion of adhearing to some sect 236. 22 Answerer found guilty of giving unto the Classis power to keepe out such men as the Church desired 243. 31 Answerer found guilty of giving unto the Classis power of making lawes 257. 7. Answerer found guilty of bringing matters violently unto the Classis 264. 9 Answerer found guilty of subjecting the Church under the Classis without consent â—68 1 Answerers answers about his pulpiting against the Replyer examined 278. 19 Answerer armes his opposites against himself and all Non-Conformists 282. 23 Answerer describeth not the persons right whose infants are brought to baptisme 314. 2 Attersol Mr.
Attersol not for promiscuous baptising 161. 27 Balmford Mr. Balmford defended 93. 34 Baptising Examples against promiscuous Baptising 32. 1 Arguments for promiscuous Baptising answered 118. 31 Scriptures for promiscuous Baptising answered 121. 31 The question cōcerning promiscuous Baptising stated 132. 5 Things premised about promiscuous Baptising 132. 22 Fower grounds against promiscuous Baptising 133. 25 The opinion of learned Writers concerning promiscuous Baptising 134. 1 The ends and uses of baptisme against promiscuous Baptising 140. 21. Promiscuous Baptising offensive 143. 19. Promiscuous Baptising amoung the Reformed a building of things destroyed 145. 21 Promiscuous Baptising against Godly custome 153. 9 Promiscuous Baptising not maintayned by them that seeme to favour it 156. 23 Pretences for promiscuous Baptising answered 163. 8 Promiscuous Baptising not an order of the Dutch Churches but a disorder crept in 175. 15 Confessions and Cannons of the Dutch Churches against promiscuous Baptising 175. 22 Custome about baptising such as that it may justly be called promiscuous Baptising 300. 34 Baptisme Baptisme is an ordinance belonging to the Church 312. 1 Basil Basil for peace sake remooves his dwelling 16. 31 Beza Beza not for promiscuous baptising 158. 19 Beza his opiniō of Synods 228. 11 Beza his carriage when Erastus his booke was published after the authors death 323. 27 Brownists Nearnesse to or distāce from the Brownists but a false rule to trie truth or errour by 10. 2 Brownists errours 280. 35 Burthen What a Burthen is 52. 36 The Burthen of the Complaynants being deprived of those whom they desired grievous by the concurrence of many respects 53. 6 Certainty Humaine Certainty stādeth with a contingency of future events 28. 10. Choosing Power of Choosing Ministers in the whole church 36. 24 the termes explicated 36. 30 the position layd downe as the Affrican Synod Professours of Leyden hold it 37. 8 Proofe of the position reduced to 3 heads 37. 23 Argumēt from the Scriptures 37. 25. Argument from consent of times 40 6. Argument from the evidence of reason 43. 10 Power of Choosing the Church cannot give from her 46. 12 Choyce In Choyce of Ministers there is in cases a necessary use of the combination of Churches 230. 33. Church In what sense Church is taken 36. 33. Church is deprived of her power two wayes 47. 35 Power to governe granted to the Church by witnesses in all ages 237. 21 The order of the Church of Franckford for the power of the Church 243. 13 What authority the Church hath about lawes 258. 10 Classis What the Classis requireth of Ministers which are to be ordained 68. 36 Two things blame worthie in the Classis 9. 12 The Classis repaired unto about the Replyers settling without his consent approbation 185. 34. The proceeding of the Classis after the Replyer had refused his call 193. 1 The Classis assume in some particulars more power then the the Prelates 223. 25 What power is due to Classis over particular Churches by vertue of combination 227. 19 The object of Classicall combinations of Churches 228. 7 Classis power borrowed derived from particular Churches 229. 3. Classis power not a prerogative of jurisdiction but of estimation 229. 27 Classis power not to deprive particular Churches of their power but to strengthen them in the exercise thereof 230. 10 Wherein the Classis power is undue and usurped 231. 26 The undue power of the Classis in making lawes 252. 26 Concerning resting in the determinations of the Classis 271. 14 Classis require more power then the Apostles when they required the Replyer to baptise those which were not members of the Church 287. 10 The Church of Antioch warranteth not the Classis 290. 32 Collection Concerning a Collection which the Answerer calls a recōpense of the Replyers labours 284. 2 Combination What kind of Combinatiō is lawfull among Churches 226. 11 The reasons of the lawfullnesse of Combinations 227. 3 Combinations of Churches in some cases expedient and necessary 230. 30 The Answerers Comforts are the Replyers also 34. 26 Complaynants Complaynants complaints no evill weedes 17. 31 Complaynants vindicated and the Answerer refuted 18. 6 Complaynants defended about their not advising with the Replyer 29. 1 Complaynants cleared of oppositiō unto the worthie servants of God 67. 24 Complaynants vindicated from slaunder in 8 particulars where in charged by the Answerer 88. 28. Complaynants assertions found true notwithstanding the answeres of the Answerer 209. 9 213. 26. Complaint What a Complaint is 3. 24 Complaints not unjust in themselves 3. 28 Fower things required unto an unjust Complaint 3. 29 Complaints of weake ones not to be sleighted 5. 23 Complaints of the Complaynāts unjustly called unjust 4. 10 Conference Conference betweene the Answerer and the Replyer defectively reported 117. 3 Confession Threefold Confession with the observations upon it in the protestation reviewed 18. 17 Contention Contention twofold good and bad 17. 36 Crispe Ia. Crispe vindicated from preaching wherewith the Ansvverer chargeth him 285. 17 Customes Of Customes the evillnesse of them and unlawfullnesse of building any practise upon them 30. 32 Good Customes should not lightly be broken 151. 25 Good Customes of a divers nature 152. 1 Denomination Denomination may follow the better part not the greater 21. 24 Difference Differences in opinion must in cases be borne with 58. 11 In cases of Difference there is necessary use of combination of Churches 231. 16 Elders Vsefullnesse and honnour of Elders 207. 31 Elders cleared from the charge of the Answerer about depriving the Church of her right 49. 15. Elders cleared from partiality 210. 34. Errour Errour ariseth frō the perversenesse of passions 63. 11 Errour in men one cause of harsh censuring of others 63. 29 Examples Examples in disquisition of truth not to be rested on 32. 8 Excommunication In Excommunication there may be good use of the combination of Churches 231. 8. Father What a Fathers duety is towards his children 20. 7 Fenner Mr. Fenners judgment about the power by which the Church should be governed 238. 25 against the Answerer 239. 29 Fleeing Fleeing justified by examples 104. 2. Fleeing not fearing them that can kill and not fainting may stand together 104. 23 Fleeing is sometimes a confessing to the truth 105. 14 Fleeing or a voluntary banishment is in some cases worse then some imprisonment 105. 13 Forbes Mr. Forbes defended 85. 32 commended 87. 30 Generall Generall good to be preferred 12. 32. Hooker Mr. Hooker defended 68. 25 Mr. Hooker not the cause of disturbance but the Answerer 116. 19. Mr. Hooker cleared frō Scisme 246. 1. Iacob Mr. Iacobs judgment about Classis and Synods for substance the same with Beza and Calvin 236. 4. Intentions It is lawfull to judge of mens Intentions 234. 1 Law Three things required to the making of a Law 256. 14 Lawes and orders differ 257. 30 Learned Learned mens judgements not sufficient to justify any thing or condemne it unlesse their grounds be found sufficiēt
was sufficiently able to discover the strength or weakenes of an Argument To the fourth Ans That he acknowledgeth him to have written diverse learned and worthy treatises 1. While the Answerer seemeth ingenuous in giving his adversary his due he is politick Reply in giving him no more then he must necessarily nor then he may safely without praejudice to himselfe for opposing his calling to be his colleague First so much he must necessarily acknowledge that he may decline the censure of all learned men in case he should doe otherwise For eveÌ„ his professed adversaries will doe so much And though all men should be so possessed with a spirit of envy that they would hide and blemish his worth yet his workes will prayse him to posterity which we will distribute under theyr severall heads thus Besides the booke mentioned by the authour his Demonstratio logica his Polemicall treatises which are extant are 1. that sinewous worke Bellarminus enervatus where the volumes of that daring Iesuit and Cardinall are so concisely answered as if Homers Iliads were in a nutshell and that exact peece in the Arminian controversies his Coronis besides those other disputes viz his Antisynodalia contraÌ„ Grevinchovium his 1 and 2 Manuduction his Reply and Triplication 2. His systematicall treatises his Catechisme which I find mentioned but have not seene it that worthy worke worthily called Medulla Theologiae the Marrow of Divinity and that practicall institution wherein he exceedeth not only Pontificians and Lutherans handling that argument but also his owne guide in that worke who died before he could finish it famous Mr. Perkins his Cases of conscience 3. His exegeticall treatises viz his Analysis upon the wholl booke of the Psalmes which he lived not to perfect to his mind his noates upon the 1. 2. Epistles of Peter and upon the catecheticall heads Secondly so much he may safely acknowledge without prejudice to himselfe for opposing his calling Any ingenous Protestant will acknowledge so much of many popish wrighters in theyr comtemplative and morall discourses both divine humane The Answerer will acknowledge so much of Mr. Ainsworth against whom he hath shewne himselfe more opposite then against this Dr. 2. If Dr. A have occasioned many to rejoyce justly and thanck God for his labours because they have bene of much good use in the Church of God I wish from my heart that the Answerer instead of sharpening his stile to cast reproach upon the memory of so worthy and learned a wrighter had imitated his example in publishing proffitable things that others might prayse God for the fruits of his labours and not such wrangling stuffe and unproffitable invectives which serve onely to greive the hearts of Gods people and for my part I would not have troubled my selfe to reade much lesse to answer if I had not bene thereunto compelled Secondly Was Dr. A. his judgement about the authority of Synods and Classis such an offence Non eadem sentire bonos de rebus ijsdem Incolumi licuit semper amicitiâ as all these worthy and learned treatises for which so many prayse God could not expiate Suppose they had differed in theyr opinions could no accommodation haue bene thought of Amongst good men it hath bene easy to joyne them together in one Church notwithstanding greater differences But what if Dr. Ames his judgement be sound in this matter As it will upon tryall be found to be Will it not then be easy to determine whose cause is most justifyable whose case is most eligible whether his who persiseth in the truth or his who resisteth it though I hope not maliciously in this particular To the fifth Ans Not to speake of other things c. he was generally held more fit to be a Professour of Divinity in Schooles c. I must crave leave to demand Reply what those things are that he omitteth to speake of And if he refuse to answer I may take liberty to supâ—ose that his opinion against promiscuous baptizing is one of those other things If so it is easy to gesse why he will not speake of that at this time 2. It is true 1. Cor. 12.28 Eph. 4.11.12 there are diversityes of gifts answereably diversityes of administrations but as one spirit is the authour of those gifts so one Lord is the authour of those administrations even our Lord Iesus who hath given Doctorall as well as Pastorall gifts for the service of his Church not only to that primitive Church but also to the end of the world 3. Nor is there such opposition betweene Churches Academyes that a man who is generally held fit for the one may not be judged fit for the other They who hold him fit for a Professour did in holding so account him orthodox and sound in his judgment And holding him so sound in his judgment that he is fit to be Professour in an Academy in these Countryes they must necessarily conclude that for the soundnes of his judgment he is fit much more to be a Pastor in any Church in this Country and so condemne the Answerer of injudiciousnes in saying he thinketh him not fit and of selfe-willednes in saying that he can not give his consent for him and of injury to the Church in depriving them of such a man who is generally held fit to be a Professour of Divinity in the Schooles both for learning and sound judgment 4. How fit was for the service of any Chvrch whether in a Pastorall or Doctorall way let his workes testify which declare him to have bene a man well fitted to aedifye the Church by words of knowledge which is the Doctorall way witnes those worthy disputes and Systems published by him and by words of wisdom also which is the Pastorall way witnes his expositon of the Psalmes and of boath the Epistles of Peter and his booke of conscience wherein he doeth that in divinity which Socrates is sayd to have done in Philosophy viz to bring it from heaven into mens houses by reducing all into practise which also he doeth in his uses or applications of Doctrine in his expositions of Scripture and in his practicall resolutions of cases in that booke All which being considered will evince this suggestion of unfitnes to be a vaine pretence that I say no worse 2. How ever whilest he continued fixed in his Academicall imployment thorough continuall scholastick exercises and disuse of publick preaching he had bene formerly lesse dexterous therein yet two things shewed him to be called unto the service of the Church in that worke 1. the strong inclination of his owne spirit thereunto even when his whole time was taken up in the other taske For he hath often bene heard to professe that he would willingly travaile many miles to preach a sermon being as it seemeth like a nurse who is in paine of the fullnes of her breasts for want of some to suck them 2. He no sooner was resolved to joyne himselfe
the Dutch Classis upon the English preachers in other townes in Holland How commeth it to be so speciall a worke of a Ministers calling in Amsterdam 3. This is not urged as a speciall worke of a ministers calling to the French walloon Churches in that Citty How comes it to be so to the English 4. The Answerer did not account it a speciall worke of his calling to sit in the Dutch Classis a good while after his comming to Amsterdam when he laboured to set up an English Classis though afterwards he opposed the same thing when it tooke effect by Mr. Forbes his labour How comes it now to be a speciall worke of his calling which then was not 5. The Answerer hath bene heard to say that he commeth sometimes from the Classis greived troubled in his mind because when weighty matters are debated he cannot sufficiently expresse his mind in Dutch And well may it greive him to supply the place of a Pastor there if he find him selfe unable to performe one speciall worke of his calling To wind up all Seing the Answerer maketh that an especiall worke of the Ministers calling to his Church in Amsterdam which God doeth not make so in any place of Scripture nor the Magistrates doe make so neither there to other Nations nor in other Cityes to other English Churches and seing by that pretence they are deprived of many worthy men which they might have injoyed had not this bene so insisted upon by him and seing the Answerer doth urge it more strictly then the Magistrates they propounding it but as a matter of conveniency but he pressing it as a matter of necessity haue not the members just cause to complaine of this as a greivance Nor will this free him from blame that he is but one and claymeth but one voyce seing he hindreth that what agreeth not with his mind can not be ended in the Church but is carryed to the Classis where he can strengthen himselfe by helpe of those whom he gayneth to his party by raysing causeles suspitions of some factions or Shysmaticall intentions in his people or in the Consistory which they receive from him and report to the Magistrates who at they re intreaty interpose to prevent some imagined distractions which may fall in the English Church whereas if they had rightly bene informed of the wholl truth they would have seene the request of the Church to be reasonable and just and the opposition made against it to be injurious and blameworthy Ans To the eighth To that which they say concerning the Lords fighting against his course hitherto by the great unfitnes of those c. who haue preached hitherto by his nomination or consent in sending for he answereth 2 things 1. That they are guilty of rash judgement and of taking Gods name in vayne or reproaching the Lord and laying iniquity upon the Lord and of making him a partaker with them for maintenance of they re sinne 2. For the men to whose sending for he hath given consent that they are not unfit but learned and worthy men one of them he nameth the other 2 he concealeth This passage shall be breifly examined and replyed upon To the first Reply I am so farr from justifying any thing done or spoken amisse even by my freinds that this Answerer intimateth it to be a just reward of Mr. B. inordinate affection to me that I censure the printing of that pamphlet to be an injury That which I did in the simplicity and uprightnes of my heart not knowing that Mr. B. was the publisher in way of witnes bearing to the truth and in favour of him he wresteth and perverteth to contrary ends This dealing of his in that particular may make me wary of uttering my thoughts in a like case when another lyeth to watch and catch all advantages against me and them Therefore what I account amisse in this expression on theyr part I will conceale and also passe by the distemper of his spirit which upon this occasion venteth it selfe The comparing of the reply to the former Section and this will giue some light whereby the Reader may discerne 1. whether that which they have disliked and complained of be not a just greivance 2. whether in that case such an expression deserve so heavy a censure Here he instanceth in three persons sent for by him and nameth but one of them viz Mr. Balmford whom he mentioneth in the first place In the passages concerning him I noate three things 1. Vpon a third and fourth review A defence of Mr. Balmford I wondred why so litle was sayd by the Answerer in the just acknowledgment of Mr B. sufficiency especially seing the next whose name he concealeth is honoured by him with the prayse of speciall gifts of learning piety and utterance the third whose name he also suppresseth is stiled a man of speciall noate for his learning and labours in the Church of God But when I consider the men him upon knowledge and them by gesse and report of others I seeme to apprehend the cause of it which was not that Mr. Balmford was inferiour to either of those men in the desart of such attributiōs but that if he had freely done him right in so publick a declaration thereof it might have reflected more honour upon him then he can be cōtent should be devolved upon one whose judgment did at all differ from his and agree with his opposites as he accounteth them in the point controverted betweene us 2. Yet when it may serve for a staffe wherewith to beate the Complainants he addeth thus much His great unfitnes is they re great slander that avouch it unles they could prove it Neither himselfe nor they will be ever able to prove Mr. B. unfit for that Church but both he and they might have blessed God with much thanckfullnes for such a mercy if they had injoyed him And certainely it will be found worthy to be called a great slander if any shall impute great unfitnes to him The place where he hath diverse yeares executed his pastorall function constantly painfully proffitably and with good acceptance is incomparably before Amsterdam both in the eminency of the Auditours and in they re ability to judge of his sufficiency the deserved approbation of him and affection to him so frequently expressed on all fitting occasions by all sorts of hearers both resorting thither and residing there are in stead of letters of recommondation to stop the mouths of any that shall mussitate or whisper any such disparadging intimations and to convince them of great slander But now the question will be at whose dore the slander must be layd For the Complainants refuse to father it and doe retort the accusation of a great slander upon the Answerer himselfe and professe the great unfitnes which they meant was intended by them concerning others partly in respect of the language and they name severall men against whom they except in
authority of Câ—â—sses whereunto what I answered he knoweth 2. Concerning promiscuous administration of Baptisme according to the custom of the Dutch Church in Amsterstam wherein what I held and doe hold shall appeare For the second By comparing this report with my noates of our conferences which I wrote upon my returne to my lodging whilest matters were fresh in memory I finde it to be partiall and defective First partiall in declaring the state of the question which was not as he intimateth but thus After an hystoricall narration made by him of a difference betweene the Classis and Mr. Hook about a custom which the Ministers of the Dutch Church in Amsterdam have of baptizing all that are brought by whomsoever he asked me what I thought of it I desired for my satisfaction to know whâ—t their custom was being then in part ignorant thereof He told me that they baptized all refusing none I replyed that I would baptize all their infants who were members of his Church refusing none He sayd that is not sufficient I desiring to carry matters with all possible peaceablenes told him that I would not refuse to baptize others also which were no members of his Church if I were satisfyed coÌ„cerning the Parents and instanced in such as might occasionally be there from England were sufficiently knowne to me But yet the case might be such in some others as I should not adventure to doe it He answered But here they except none but baptize all that are brought though the parents be not knowne or the infant be presented in the fâ—thers absence by persons unknowne I told him that I hoped such cases were seldom especially in the English Church He said it must be expected to fall out often I told him I should desire to be satisfyed concerning the parents before the child were presented He sayd They would often bring them in sermon time without giving any notice before and in such a case to refuse any would give offence if the child should be unbaptized I replyed that offence may be prevented seing those whom I dare not admit may repayre to the Dutch Church where none are refused He added that it would give offence to the Classis if our Church â—hould not doe as they did in this I answered the difference betweene the small English Church the vast Dutch Church in the same towne being considered that might easily be answered By all which it appeareth that the thing which I refused and whereupon our difference arose was the promiscuous administration of baptisme to all that are presented by whomsoever and not that J made the parents submission to my private examination a necessary condition of baptisme but only I propounded it as a prudent meane for avoyding that promiscuous baptizing which he required Thus the Reader may see the report to be partiall Secondly it is defective not mentioning diverse passages of discourse betweene us which I will but point at As about an order in the Classis which he sayd was for this concerning which what I demanded and what he answered I will for this time conceale as also what he spake about this custom being alwaies observed in that Church as also about passages that he sayd had bene betweene the Classis and Mr. Forbes about Mr. Hooker in reference to this question He omitteth also our discourse about the case of an unbaptized Turke presenting his child to baptisme with no other profession then that which is required in they re Church And how he thought it to be more for a mans satisfaction to baptize all upon the injunction of the Classis then to refuse any upon his owne judgement Other passages also I could name but these may suffice to shew that his memory hath not retayned particulars so well as my noates at least that this report is defective But let us consider his Arguments The arguments for promiscuous baptizing 1 From Reasons He mentioneth 2 sorts of arguments which he used in that conference to convince me The first consisted of reasons the second of Scriptures alleadged against my opinion First the reasons were two 1. the scandall of the Brownists 2. the offence of the Church In both which he should have set downe my answers also which seing he neglected I will now set downe truely according the to substance of my answer and yet breifely 1. The scandall of the Brownists To the first I answer 4 things Ans 1 1. What the Brownists hold so farr as it accordeth with the rule is to be received for the rules sake which is truth and not to be rejected because they hold it Ans 2 2. Theyr unjust and unwarrantable excommunicating of Mr. S. for such an opinion is not justifyed by my supposed agreement with them in this tenet For a man that holdeth this may condemne that Ans 3 3. the difference betweene them and me in this point is such as the Answerer knoweth that there is no feare of theyr insulting or being hardened thereby 4. the French Churches and some other Dutch Churches viz in Zealand and England c. are not so large in this practise as they in Amsterdam To the second I answer 1. That the wayes propounded by me for accommodation 2. The offence of the Church Ans Meanes propounded for accommodation A Copy of a wrighting shewing were sufficient as I conceive to prevent any offence of the Church These wayes I will now relate in the words wherein I wrote them to a freind to inable him to acquaint the Dutch preachers with the truth in this matter This wrighting was dated delivered by me for the use aforesaid the 10 of Ian newstile 1634. Wherein I spake of my selfe in the third person for good reason at that time Sir because you are willing to take paines for the accommodation of this difference you shall in few wordes understand 1. the true state of the question 2. the reasons of his answer 3. the way of accommodation which will best satisfye him which I leave with you in wrighting for the helpe of your memory First the question is 1. The state of the question whether he will baptize all children who are presented to the Church though the parents be no members His answer was and is that this cannot be answered otherwise then according to cases He may not say that he will baptize none and he dare not say that he will baptize all but this he sayth There are cases where in he will baptize such as are not members of this Church and yet the cases may be such as in them he shall refuse to administer it to others Secondly the reasons of his answer 2. Reasons of my answer besides others which to him seeme weighty in reference to this particular place are two 1. the promiscuous mixture of all languages and sects amongst which also are many Libertines which are of no Church and for aught is knowne many parents who themselues never
the validity of my grounds against this custom may appeare I must crave leave to premise some things 1. Concerning the confused mixture of all sorts of people in Amsterdam 2. Concerning theyr manner of admitting those that are brought to baptisme 3. Concerning the manner of professing Christian Religion at the reading of the leitourgy of Baptisme For the First Besides those of diverse nations who joyne themselves to some appoved Church there are many of all sorts of Libertines in judgement and practise and profession who refuse to joyne themselves to any Church Also persons of diverse sects and haeresyes as Arrians Antitrinitarians c. besides Iewes Mores c. Also Apostates excommunicates c. Also vagrants Iob. 30.5 under the name of souldiers and others who are driven forth from among men as Iob speaketh They crye after them as after a theife V. 8. children of fooles yea children of base men viler then the earth and swarmes of vagabonds whom they call potters which how-soever they range most in troupes with their Harlots in the Dorpes yet they have their lurking places in tapp-houses in the cittyes called smuckle houses It were almost an infinite and impossible taske to reckon up others which can give no account of their life religion or baptisme it may be Also many who are unknowne and therefore may be suspected And these are of diverse nations English French Dutch High Germanes Walloones c. For the second Their manner is that if either the father or any one that standeth for him as a surety though it be but a nurse or other body who is unknowne to the Church who hath no charge or care for the childes education if they come time enough they certifye the Coster or Sexton of the name of the parents and their desire before if not as sometimes they bring them not till they are baptising others after the sermon is ended then without any further enquiry after the parents or after their consent to the baptising of it the child is admitted For the third If they say yae to such demāds as are made by the minister in reading the leitourgy of baptisme though as some times it appeareth and may be often suspected the presenter understand not what the minister demandeth or sayth for want of knowledge of the Dutch language or be altogether unkowne to the Church yet the child is baptised These things being premised I proceed to set downe my grounds from the Scripture whereupon I refused thus promiscuously to administer the Sacrament which are fowre and every one of them concludeth it to be a sinne so to doe Reas 1 Because it is a prophaning of the Sacrament thus promiscuously to administer it as that wrighting requireth That it is a prophaning of the Sacrament who can deny that acknowledgeth the Sacrament then to be prophaned when it is communicated to those to whom by Gods appointment it appertaineth not And that if the Sacrament be administred to all comers as that wrighting requireth it will be administred to many such he that denieth may as well deny that it is day with us when the Sunshineth in this hemispaere But that I may not be thought to broach some new and singular opinion let us considered what learned and eminent lights in the Churches in severall ages and countryes have declared concerning this matter whose judgements I purpose to cull and single out in such sort as becommeth one who would testifye declare the truth rather by the weight of the matter then by the number of men Whittak prelect de Sacram quest 2 de necessit Bapt Cap 3. Dr. Whittaker used this Argument against Bellarmine contending for the simple absolute necessity of Baptisme to Salvation For to prove that infants dying without Baptisme might be saved he shewed that the righteousnes of fayth belongeth to them before they are baptised out of Rom 4.11 Rom 4.11 P. 237. 238. where Circumcision so Baptisme is called a seale of the righteousnes which is by fayth and thence he inferreth that they must have a right to Christ before Baptisme else baptisme it selfe being administred to them will be profaned as the kings seale is profaned if it be put to a false charter or grant This he amplifyeth by shewing that baptisme is a symbol and seale of Adoption in Christ and therefore aught not to be given to those that have no part in Christ because the seale followeth the gift and therefore to give the seale to him that hath not the gift to whom the promise is not made is to abuse the seale and to profane it Thus he Beza cont Erast Arg 6. P. 60. Mat 7.6 1 Cor. 4.1 P 61. 1 Pet. 3. Beza wrighting against Erastus speaketh to the same purpose The Lord forbiddeth to give holy things to Doggs Mat 7.6 By holy things sayth he are meant those holy mysteries whereof the ministers of Christ are dispensers 1. Cor 4.1 and the swine and doggs are those obstinate sinners who are convicted and judged by the Church to be such Afterwards he putteth a case of one of yeares that desireth baptisme is ready to make profession of his fayth but leadeth a wicked life and being called upon according to the other demand in baptisme to professe his repentance and amendment of life by forsaking such and such evills as are there mentioned he refuseth to doe it Thereupon he asketh Erastus whether he thinck that the Sacrament of regeneration should be given to such a man impudently desiring it or whether he should not rather be repelled thence with shame Againe which cometh nearer to the case of infants shewing how litle the profession of fayth will advantage such who by reason of their obstinacy in sinne are convicted and judged by the Church to be swine and doggs and that their estate is the worse for their profession that they know God Titus 1.16 when in their workes they deny him he instanceth in Ismaell and Esau who were boath circumcised and outwardly acknowledged the true God with Abraham and Isaack yet boath were disinherited and made lively patternes both to that and succeeding ages of Ecclesiasticall excommunication c. Thus farr he From whence how easily may it be collected that infants are deprived of right to those holy mysteryes in such parents as the Ismaelites and Edomites were deprived of right to Circumcision in Ismael and Esau though their parents had bene circumcised Before boath these Mr. Cartwright declared the same thing more fully and particularly to the case in question Mr. Cart Reply to Dr. W in defence of the Adm p 137. upon the same ground For Dr. W. upon occasion of the sound fayth good behaviour of the parents required in the Admonition asking the authours of that booke What if the infant be the child of a Drunkard what if it be of a harlott shall not sayth he the infant be baptised Mr. Cartwright answereth thus Because I see that
Mr. Doctor doth make of the holy Sacrament of baptisme which is an entry into the house of God and whereby the family of God must enter a common passage whereby he will have cleane and uncleane holy and profane as well those that are without the covenant as those that be with in it to passe by and so maketh the Church no houshold but an Jnne to receive whatsoever cometh I will answer If one of the parents be neither drunkard nor adulterer the child is holy by vertue of the covenant for one of the parents sake if they be boath yet not obstinate in their sinne whereby the Church hath proceeded to excommunication themselves being yet of the Church their child cannot nor aught not to be refused To the second question wherein he asketh what if the child be of papists or hereticks If boath be papists or condemned hereticks if so be J may distinguish papists from hereticks cut off from the Church their children can not be received because they are not in the covenant If either of them be faythfull I have answered before that the infant aught to be received To other questions wherein he asketh what if they erre in some points of matters of fayth If it be an errour and be not in those points that rase the foundations of fayth because they still notwithstanding that errour are to be accounted amongst the faythfull their children pertaine to the promise and therefore to the Sacrament of the promise Dr. W. p. 111. Else where he demandeth whether a wicked father may have a good child a papist or heretick father a beleiving child Yes verily may they sayth he So may have and have the Turckes and Jewes and yet their children are not to be received unles their fayth doth first appeare by confession But you say the papists and hereticks be baptised and so are not the Iewes and Turcks Their baptisme being cut off from the Church maketh them as much strangers unto it as was Ismael Esau which albeit they were circumcised yet being cast out of the Church they were no more to be accounted to be of the body of Gods people then those which never were in the Church The same authour in his next Reply to the same Doctor reasoning out of Beza in his epistles that the papists are to be compared with the Israelites with fell away from true Religion â—dem 2 Reply concerning Church discipl Tract 11 and not with the Idumaeans answereth This cannot help him unles he first shew that the infants of those Apostates were lawfully circumcised For if they were not circumcised by Gods order and constitution but rather at the lust and pleasure of those which being fallen away from the covenant ceased not to put to the seale as if they had bene still within the covenant it followeth that in this respect there is no more succour for the papists in such resemblance with such Israelits then when they are matched with the Ismaelites or Idumaeans Mr Cartwright his judgment is the more to be regarded in in this matter because what he wrote in those Replyes he wrote as a publick agent in the name and with the concurrent judgement of many worthy ministers who pleaded for the purity of Christs ordinances at that time So that it is not to be accounted his singular opinion but the judgement of many mâ—n of eminent noate Maister I del'Espine minister of the word in the Church of Anger 's upon a most dreadfull Apostasy Mr. I del'Espine Treat of Apostasy revolt of many from the profession of the truth in the Churches of Anjou on St. Bartholomeus day memorable for ever infamous for that bloody massacre wrote a learned and excellent treatise against those that persisted in their Apostasy wherein he proveth them to be deprived of God of Christ of the Spirit and of those meanes whereby they may come unto God that they have no fayth and are without the Church and that they are deprived of the Sacraments as well as of the word of baptisme as well as the supper of the Lord. For their baptisme no more serveth them for a token to testifye and declare them to be members of the Church from which they are seperated or that they pertayne any longer to the Father to the Sonne or to the Holy Ghoast whose house and dwelling place they have forsaken As if a Knight having received that order of the King and taken the accustomed oathes if afterwards he should depart from the troth which he had given in token whereof he should send him back his order to signifye to him that he would afterward be freed and released from his oath So the Apostates having given over the covenant of God have also by the same meanes forsaken the tokens and markes thereof c. Before all these Iohannes a Lasco Anno 1550. a learned noble man of Poland obtayned of Edw 6. K. of England of famous memory that the Churches of strangers in London principally of Germans might have the liberty of their Religion under the broad seale of England which was by that most pious Prince graciously granted not without the approbation of renowned Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury and other eminently learned and godly men at that time What their care was to prevent the prophanation of this Sacrament by such a promiscuous admission of all as is practised in this place will appeare in his owne report which I doe translate from the latin copy thus Baptisme in our Church is administred in the publick assembly of the Church after the publick sermon For Iohn A. Lasco lib Forma ac Ritus tota eccles minist p. 117 seing Baptisme doth so belong to the wholl Church that none aught to be driven thence which is a member of the Church nor to be admitted to it which is not a member of it truely it is aequall that that should be performed publickly in the assembly of the wholl Church which beloÌ„geth to the wholl Church in common Forma ac Ritus administ Bapt. And Paul testifyeth that by Christs ordinance the Church it selfe without excepting any member of it is to be accounted cleane or holy by the Ministry of Baptisme Whence we may easily see that Baptisme doth neither belong to those who are altogether without the Church nor may be be denyed to any members of the Church Now seing our Churches are through Gods blessing so instituted by the Kings Matie that they may be as it were one parish of all strangers dispersed thorough the wholl city or one body corporated as it is called in the Kings grant and yet in the meane space all strangers doe not joyne themselves to our Churches yea there are many who whilest they turne from and flye all Churches will pretend to the English Churches that they are joyned with us and to us that they are joyned with the English Churches and so doe abuse both them and us we least
he rejected them it is evident by his sharpe reprehension and terrible threatning of them with death and cutting off Those that pretended repentance in words he admonished that if they would be baptised they must bring forth fruits worthy of repentance else they should be cut off Secondly He alleadgeth that all the Israelites as well rebellions as others did eate the same sprirituall meate and drinck the same spirituall drinck 1. Cor. 10.4 1. Cor. 10.4 Beza de presb excom ad arg 13. p. 28. 29 Morton on 1. Cor. 10. And in effect the same thing is objected by some for the defence of this custom when they plead that they were all baptised unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea Therefore all infants that are presented must be baptised Bezaes answer to him in that case may serve these in this case out of whom and a learned Commentatour upon that place joyned together with him 2 things may be answered 1. That the things there spoken of were not to be numbred amongst those things which are onely Sacraments however they were Sacraments in a sense yet they were not Sacraments in that signification of the the word Sacraments which is usually amongst Divines when they call circumcision and the passover Baptisme and the Lords supper Sacraments for they were not by any solemne promulgation expressed in the word instituted sanctified by God to be seales of the covenant to beleivers as circumcision c. which is necessary to the constitution of a Sacrament But as they were miraculous and admirable types of Christ so they were common and temporall benefites serving for the bodily refreshing and safety of the people of Israel in generall and therefore that all even the most unworthy of them partaked of those it was for a peculiar reason which hath not place in the Sacraments For the shadow of the cloud covering the wholl army as a sheild or buckler received and kept from them the beames of the sun which else in that dry and hot region might have consumed them with burning heate especially they being wearyed and faint with journying therefore it was necessary that it should be common to them all The same reason might be given for their passing through the sea to escape the rage of the tyrant that pursued them But what is this to Baptisme 2. That the persons there spoken of were the Church of Israel whom he calleth our fathers because from them the Jewes sprang which were the visible Church of God whose children also the Corinthians and all the visible Churches of beleivers are amongst the Gentiles who have received from them the priviledges of the word Sacraments Covenant and other spirituall good things as their inheritance But what are these to those Libertines and others who cast off all communion whith the Churches of Christ To conclude this Argument in one Syllogisme To build againe those errours which the doctrine and profession of these Churches according to the Scripture have destroyed is a sinne But this practise of promiscuous baptising all that are brought with out difference buildeth againe those errours which the Doctrine and profession of these Churches according to the Scriptures have destroyed as appeareth in those six particulars Therefore to baptise all that are brought promiscuously as that wrighting requireth is a sinne Reason 4 The fourth Reason to prove it to be a sinne is because it is contrary to the good custom and practise of many Churches of Christ Here J am to shew two things First That good customs taken up by Churches upon good grounds should not lightly be broken layd downe Wherein I doe fully agree whith the authour of that elaborate cōmentary upon the fourth chapter of Iohn my reverend Countryman M. A. H. lect on Ioh. 4. chap. p. 138. 139. 1. Cor. 11.16 1. Cor. 15 1. Phil. 4.9 who now resteth from his labours who to prove this produceth Paul alleadging the custom of the Churches to stopp the mouthes of contentious men commending sundry truthes to the people of God by this Argument they had received them and making that a further bond unto their conscience for which end also he propoundeth that general rule given unto us walke in the wayes of good men Pro. 2.20 and keepe the wayes of the righteous and a promise which God hath made to them that will learne the wayes of his people Ier. 12.16 and conforme themselves unto them then shal they be built in the middest of my people To make this point more cleare I will add thereunto from a manuscript Mr. I. C. in a manuscr the judgment of the worthy authour of the praeface to that commentary concerning the bindng force of good examples who thus expresseth himselfe Some good actions of holy men in Scripture are examples of Christian liberty others are patternes of Christian duety examples of this latter sort be 1. such as are backed with some Divine praecept So Sarahs obedience to Abraham is set forth as a patterne unto her daughters 1. Pet. 3.6 2. such as are held forth in the first institution of an ordinance Thus our Saviour argueth the sinfullnes of Polygamy as an abberration from the example or patterne of the first institution Mat. 14.9 from the beginning it was not so Hitherto belong sundry precedents set before us in the Acts of the Apostles for guiding Church matters c. Yet here also this caution would be observed that in the first institution or celebration of an ordinance some actions were accidentall and taken up upon speciall occasions such actions are not precedents vnlesse it be upon the like occasion other actions are part of the institution whether essentiall or circumstantiall parts and belong either to the compleatnes or to the comlines of it and these may not be neglected without sinne 3. of the lawfull actions of holy men in Scripture some were civill and of those there is more latitude as not needing an exact rule from Scripture but admitting the light of civill prudence for a guide others are sacred as belonging to spirituall things and serving to spirituall ends And of these some of them are varying not alwayes observed in one constant tenour in Scripture as the gestures in prayer preaching and the places thereof any of which are alike imitable others of them are constant alwayes the same and therefore stand as a cloud of witnesses requiring our imitation The issue of all which is that those examples which are backed with some divine precept or which are held forth in the first institution of an ordinance being part of the institution or which were the constant lawfull actions of holy men in Scriptures not civill but sacred so bind us to imitation as that not to conforme thereunto is a sinne These things being premised it is evident that promiscuous baptising in that manner as that wrighting requireth if it swerve from such good customs of the Church and examples of holy
Chrisme and exorcisme although ancient are well abolished we would desire also that not only superfluous but also unfit questions were omitted also although Augustine in a certaine epistle would excuse it with a certaine interpretation but he calleth it infirmum commentum and that fitly And therefore the practise of those Churches in putting the question to the father of the child is more suitable to the rule because in the Covenant which God maketh with the parents the right of the infant to baptisme is founded and the power and care of educating the child in that fayth lyeth upon them To let passe this digression The custom of those times concerning men of yeares though it doe not every way touch the case of infants yet it sheweth the piety of those times and the judgment of the Ancients concerning the point in question de suscipientibus baptismum And howsoever in those times some superstitious rites were used in baptisme and some errours in Doctrine are to be found concerning the absolute necessity of baptisme to salvation yet not one of them so farr as my small reading hath inabled me to discover defended such a promiscuous administration of it as that wrighting of the five Ministers required as necessary or lawfull But if any man will wrest that conclusion of those Ancients in Cyprian to patronize this course whereof Cyprian speaketh thus Cyprian lib. 3. epist 10. haec fuit in concilio nostra sententia A baptismo atque a gratiâ Dei qui omnibus misericors benignus pius est neminem per nos debere prohiberi Let him know that those words if they be taken apart from the rest may seeme to favour the errour of universall grace as well as promiscuous baptising And indeed they countenance boath alike that is neither of them at all being considered in Cyprians intendment in that epistle which was to answer Fidus who held that infants of two or three dayes old ought not to be baptised arguing from Circumcision which was not administred till the eight day and from the bodily uncleanenes of infants at that age Cyprian in answer to his first Argument sheweth him that Circumcision was a shadow which is now vanished and in answer to the second used those words Acts 10.15 and concludeth thus Si etiam gravissimis delictoribus c. If remission of sinnes be given to the most greivous sinners when they afterwards beleive and repent and baptisme is not denyed to them how much more ought it not to be denyed such infants They that know how streight Cyprian was in nullifying the baptisme of those who had bene baptised by haereticks and such as were out of the Church cannot imagine that any helpe may be expected from him for warranting the administring of baptisme to their infants who are out of the Covenant Now if any thinck that there is some colour for the justifying of this course to be found in the capitulation of Charles King of Sycily with the Sarazens Speed Chron lib. 9. cap. 10. in the life of Edw. 1. at the seidge of Tunis in Africa the third Article whereof was that such as were willing might freely receive the Sacrament of Baptisme Let him understand that that agreement was only to establish the free excercise of Christian Religion not to warrant promiscuous baptising which was not at all in question at that time Thus the records of ancient times are against this disorderly custom and concerning the judgment of later times since the reformation if enough have not bene said already more shall be added in answeare to the seventh pretence Only that I may omitt nothing that I meet with in my reading which may seeme to carry any colour of favouring that custom though but in the letter I have produced those two instances of former times and will now add to them two or three of latter times In whom I purpose not to examine or censure their expressions but onely to shew that this evill custom is not maintained nor to be defended by what they have written First I will beginne with that question which excercised the Ministers that met in the Classis at Neocomum Beza epist 9. Whether the infants of excommunicates are to be baptised and in whose fayth seing their parents are not members of the Church The occasion whereof was this A certayne man of a very wicked life having 4 bastards and thrise deceived the Church with hypocriticall confession and promises was excommunicated together with his harlot The question was whether the fourth bastard begotten after their excommunication should be baptised The Ministers of that Classis declared their judgment which they sent in a letter to Beza thus we are of opinion that the infant being borne of such desperate parents is not included in the promise of blessing and therefore should not be baptised till it come to that age wherein it may make profession of its owne fayth unlesse the parents returning againe to God by true repentance be againe received into the bosome of the Church or it be presented by certaine godly persons who will bind themselves by promise to performe the duety of parents to the child Vnlesse perhaps because it is borne within the Church it should be baptised for the fayth of the Church Thus they Epist 10. Beza wrighting to them his judgment in this matter distributeth those who are not to be accounted members of the Church into fowre sorts farr different one from another To omit the former three as being not in question the fourth sort is of those who being elect of God and ingrafted into Christ yet falling through infirmity and giving offence unto others are delivered unto Sathan that godly sorrow may worke in them repentance Of this last sort sayth he is the question Concerning whom he first supposeth diverse things 1. That they are such of whom we may judge in charity that their estate is not desperate 2. That though they are great sinners yet they are not Apostates which forsake the Church nor joyne themselves with adversaryes in persecuting the truth 3. That some difference is to be made betweene Turkes and excommunicate Christians or Papists 4. It is hard to judge whether infants belong to the Covenant in respect of their first parents profession or not Secondly Vpon these suppositions he concludeth that the infants of excummunicates that remaine in the Church may not lawfully be denied baptisme But this he delivereth with two provisoes or caveats 1. That a fit surety bind himselfe to the Church for the holy education of the child 2. That upon this occasion the Minister doe at that time seriously exhort the father being present to repentance in the presence of the Church before he baptise the child Which he sayth was frequently done in their Churches viz in Geneva Thus he Concerning whose answer I will propound two or three considerations First Though Beza was a very Reverend judicious Divine yet in matters of faith
ill craved my assistance with much importunity My wife accompanied me thither and the Mrs. of the house where we lodged was pleased to accompany my wife being a stranger in these countryes which I had no cause to refuse but to take thanckfully and besides her not one member of the Church went along with us unles the mayd which attended her sucking child be a member which I thinck she is not Now what was to be blamed in this This the Reader shall ordinarily find that the Answerers complaints both against me and others have no other roote but the evill surmises of his owne jealous fancy pluck up that roote and the most of his complaints will dye of themselves His Answer to the 22. Section examined containing a wrighting first left with a freind or two and afterwards without my consent or knowledge printed MY defence of Answering his untrue reports in my wrighting and of having it in the hands of one or two freinds that might speake in the cause of the dumbe maintaine myne innocency in my absence the Reader shall find in my reply to the second Section Now the cavills which are to be found in this Section against that wrighting are to be examined First It is an injury to call that wrighting injurious which was a necessary declaration of the truth against slanders which were first secretly spread abroad by him in private speech afterwards by a large letter which he sent to his frend at N. in England now are by him scandalously published not only against me ego enim non sum tanti but against men of eminent worth and noate both living and dead Secondly How justly that wrighting is called a true report of passages the Reader will see by comparing what is sayd on both sides and how unjustly he excepteth against that title Thirdly When I assured the Reader that this English copy is a true translation out of the latine by this English copy I meant not which is printed For there are diverse faults in that it appeareth to have bene printed out of a very imperfect copy but that which I wrote As for his exception against it that having twise used that odious phrase pro imperio imperiously in the second place it is left out in my translation Repl The phrase is but a true expression of the thing let the odious thing be mended and the odious phrase shall not be used In the meane space the expression must be suitable to the action For is it not actus imperij an imperious act to deny a man convenient time for satisfaction about a matter of such consequence and to bind a man to observe customs and orders without shewing the aequity thereof Some would have called such an act tyranny and so shall I upon further provocation 2. As the use of the phrase is condemned so the omitting of it once in the translation is reproved Forgive me that wrong I thought he would see how unwilling I was to fasten their imperious dealing with me upon the Readers apprehension by repeating the word imperiously againe But let it stand in this second place also seing the Answerer will have it so and he shall find me with Gods assistance prove it to be a fit expression 3. Is my translation untrue because this word is once omitted Let the learned Reader judge whether it be necessary to the truth of a translation that every latine word be rendred into English especially when the sense giveth it sufficiently in the sentence If this be not to seeke a knott in a bulrush I know not what is Fourthly In my first wrighting how unable the Answerer is to discover any untruth in my report of the private conference betweene us the Reader will see by my examination of his Sect 11. in my Reply and will be further cleared hereafter Fifthly In my second wrighting he seemeth to find a foule untruth or falsification after his usuall manner of expressing himselfe both in the superscription and subscription thereof But what is it I sayd that those instructions were delivered by the Elders of the English Church deputed But 1 that translation sayth not by the Elders but to the Elders and that both in the superscription and in the subscription Is it not strange that he should then falsifye the translation when he complaineth of falsification in the translatour 2. suppose it had bene to the Elders deputed and that by Elders I meant any lawfully deputed by the Eldership yet I spake and wrote truely For I left the wrighting with Mr. W. who was deputed before by the Eldership having also told Mr. Wh of it praying him to communicate it with the rest that one or two Elders that should be deputed by the rest might present it to the Classis and having respect unto that agreement with them I used that expression before the meeting in confidence that it would have bene so ordered by them Now if no such deputation was made afterwards what is that to me who stiled the Elder by that title which best expressed my purpose and expectation neither was I in towne to alter it afterwards nor did I ever heare that no deputation was made in the Consistory till now The issue of all this deepe accusation what is it now but as when a great expectation was of the mountaines birth which was fained to be with child after which nothing appeared but a litle mouse running thence How just the complaint is also of his want of brotherly moderation I have noated in my reply to his Sect. 12. Sixtly In that which he speaketh concerning my third wrighting he multiplyeth injuries 1. In misreporting my intent in the three wrightings which was not to make him odious to the Classis nor to teach the Elders how to fill their mouthes with reproach of him nor to stirr up and incense the Congregation against him but ingenuously and candidly to report the truth whereunto I was called and compelled for the necessary clearing of my selfe for the remove all in some and prevention in others of causeles praejudices and jealousyes which already did or by my silence might arise in their minds against me by his suggestions Would the wrighting of those things accuse undermine and defame him It is a signe that his cause is not very good And if my wrighting those particulars be a fault who is to blamed for it but he who constrained me thereunto 2. In charging me with unjust uprayding of him for myne assistance of him and with a vaine boasting of my selfe To convince him of ill requiting me yea of rewarding evill for good I remembred what labour and patience I had excercised for his and the Churches peace This was no uprayding much lesse unjust nor vaine boasting but a just declaration of the truth the case requiring it and a sad complaint of his unthanckfullnes How he hath answered it will appeare in the examination of Sect. 2. 8. and 40. Whereunto as he
partiality as in the cases instanced by them Thirdly They doe not complaine of his rejecting the counsaile of the Elders only by shewing his particular judgment as one Deacon may oppose the opinion of another in their owne session or as in a Senat Civill or Ecclesiasticall there may be difference and so opposition of opinions amongst men without rejecting such conclusions as are made by most voyces in things lawfull and aequall but of this they complaine that he so opposeth and rejecteth their power in some cases that he unjustly depriveth them of their power upon untrue pretences of their partiality and insufficiency to judge Fourthly In his fourth answer his accusing the Elders of partiality insufficiency is propounded by him but the grounds thereof or the proofes of it are not declared and so upon the matter just nothing is sayd Fifthly In his fifth answer he pretendeth just cause of his excepting against three of the Elders as partiall in this controversy about me And to make this cable strong he twisteth three causes as cords together that they professe themselves to be of the same opinion with me touching baptisme Ans 2. that they have by their example allowed and countenanced the meeting of diverse at a private excercise upon the Lords day after the Sermons were ended 3. that they made an act for my preaching amongst themselues as an assistant for a certaine time c. These are new crimes which former ages have not heard of Reply and after times will wonder at if all things be considered For the first Is it the sinne of partiality in the Elders to hold with any man in disliking and witnessing against evill customs as this promiscuous administration of baptisme is declared to be or to joyne without scandall or Schysme in a private excercise after the publick are ended or to make an act for a mans preaching amongst them as an assistant the publick necessity requiring it and the Church generally desiring it for a convenient time that he might understand those orders and customs of the Dutch Church whereunto his conformity is expected before he bind himselfe thereunto If so then to hold the truth to joyne in a peaceable and inoffencive use of private helpes for aedifycation and to provide for the publick good peace is an argument of partiality in an Elder The vanity of this pretence is manifest Let us see his second proofe Secondly Ans To prove them partiall he produceth another consideration viz that the Elders have made like complaints as these Complainants heretofore of his bringing matters to the Classis violently without their consent The Classis hath judged them parties Be it so 1. Is not this alleadged against himselfe For Reply now it appeareth not to be the complaint of some members only who might unjustly complaine thorough ignorance or misinformation but even the Elders who are eye witnesses of all that passeth in Consistory have made the same complaint Will not any man conclude that matters are injuriously carried indeed when not only some of the members but the Elders themselves also complaine thereof As for the Classis judging of them parties how easily may the Elders demand their grounds and proofe thereof and in case of want of sufficient evidence appeale from their sentence to the Scripture And is it not possible may we thinck to find partiality as well in the Classis as in the Consistory I wish they had expressed more aequanimity in the carriage of this buisenes for their owne and the Churches sake Ans Thirdly If that proofe fayle he hath one more which will hold as he imagineth Euen the Elders themselves have acknowledged that when some such complaints as these have bene brought unto them they had no power to judge thereof Reply The Answer of the Elders which is here reported is not necessarily to be understood as an acknowledgment of their want of power de jure by right to judge thereof but may be understood as a declaration or rather a complaint of their want of power defacto by other mens taking it out of their hands without right Now if that power which belongeth to them be taken from them without their consent and so before it be given and without warrant of the word and so before it be due it is no partiality to assume that by a due clayme which was unduely withheld from them and it is no presumption in them if knowing their right they give a new judgment of that thing which they had formerly waved not knowing that they had power to judge thereof So much for his pretences against them for partiality In his sixth answer he undertaketh to shew their insufficiency wherein Ans that he be not mistaken he professeth not to speake of that common insufficiency that is in all men c. but he excepteth against their insufficiency in some speciall cases and namely in such particulars whatsoever have bene already judged and determined in the Classis Reply So then Whatsoever the Classis shall take upon them to judge though it were unduely and disorderly brought to them shall bind the Church so as it must rest therein that they shall not meddle in it though they are not satisfyed about the aequity of their proceeding in it and though they doe not shew sufficient warrant from the word for their judgment and determination And this must hold in all cases whatsoever Me thincks the Answerer should upon a review voluntarily revoke this expression or that the Classis should professe against it in publick as some of the ministers have affirmed to me in private that they doe not assume any such power to themselves or if they be silent the provinciall Synod should provide that convenient meanes may be used to stop the spreadings of such an errour for many dangerous consequences which their wisdoms I doubt not will foresee following thereupon To me it is manifest that no Nationall Synod in these Countryes ever gave power to the Classes thus farr to deprive particular Churches of the right of judging things proper to themselves within themselves Neither is there one word in these complaints which being fairely construed for augâ—t I can discerne according to the intent and expression of the Complainants themselves requireth any thing but what the Nationall Synods have ordered and appoynted to be done for and to all the Churches and which the Classes if they be true to their owne rules in their first constition must see performed So farr are they from attempting the innovation and alteration of discipline and government so long practised in these reformed Churches Sect 24 25. 26. examined THeir second proofe of his depriving the Elders of their power in government for the good of the Church is Compl. that he hath protested against their judgment in matters which might have bene ended in the Consistory and in that respect aught not to have bene brought to the Classis yet he hath carryed them
power they assume or others give them to deprive the Church of that power which Christ hath given it in its owne matters is against the end of their association and so an undue power Now for the Hypothesis or particular application of those generalls to the present question The Answerer is chalenged by the Complainants for subjecting their Church under an undue power of the Classis for his owne ends and without warrant from the word Out of question if it be an undue power it is not onely without warrant from the word but also contrary to the rule But it may be they meane that he hath done this without shewing them any word which warranted his so doing And in that sense it is a complaint of too masterly and selfewilled a carriage of himselfe in Church affayres Which they seeme indeed to intend by that addition when they say that he doeth it for his owne ends Now to detract from another for a mans owne commodity is against nature as the heathen man could say and he proved it thus Ci◠de offic lib. 3. because if that be done the destruction of society and community amongst men will necessarily follow With-whom another agreeth expressing the same thing under a Metaphor which he applyeth to men singularly and individually considered but I will apply to particular Churches in reference to Classicall combinations As all the members agree amongst themselves because it concerneth the wholl that every one be safe so men doe spare one another because we are borne for communiō Scen de ira 1. lib. 3 C. 32. Salva enim esse societas nisi amore custodiâ partium non potest For a society cannot otherwise be safe then by keeping the parts whereof it is compounded from being hurt But let us examine his answer to this complaint which consists of fowre particulars In all which I will passe by the overflowing of his gall which he too frequently discovereth 1. In his first answer he chargeth them with slandring the Classis when they charge it with an undue power which slander he sayth is against the very state of government and forme of discipline observed and practised in these reformed Churches and calleth for proofe Wherein me thincketh he had forgotten himselfe for in the three next Sections he himselfe produceth the proofes which they brought In examining his answers to those proofes I doubt it will appeare that the complaint is just whereunto I referr the Reader praying him in the meane space to noate that the thing complained of is not all power excercised by the Classis but onely an undue power whereof whilest they complaine they doe implicitely acknowledge so much power to be due as the word of God warranteth to them and they suppose that the government and discipline of these Reformed Churches acknowledgeth no other power to be due to them So that if it shall be found that the Classis have assumed to themselves an undue power over their Church in any particular the complaint against the Classis is just and the slandring of the very state of the government of these Churches is to be charged upon himselfe not upon them 2. In his second answer he chargeth them with slander for saying that he hath subjected the Church under an undue power This also will appeare in the proofes of the justnes of this complaint in the following Sections whereunto I referr the Reader 3. In his third answer he chargeth them with slāder for saying that he hath done this merely for his owne ends This he sayth is a great arrogancy and setting of themselves in Gods stead whose peculiar it is to search and to judge the heart and reynes But is this to answer complaints or is it not to give new cause of complaints that whereas formerly they complained that he deprived the Church of the power which Christ had given it now they may complaine that he would put out the eyes of the members and deprive them of the reason and understanding which God hath given them For if men may not judge of mens intentions how is it that our Lord hath left it for a rule whereby to discerne false prophets whose intentions are wolvish and to raven how sheepish and harmelesse soever they seeme to be in their pretences when he sayth Ye shall know them by their fruits Mat. 7.15.16 Which I doe not nor dare apply personally to the Answerer of whom I have better thoughts and esteeme but onely to shew that it is lawfull for men in some cases and so farr as they keepe to the rule to judge of others mens intentions It is true it is Gods praerogative to judge the heart But what then may not men by the light of reason which he hath given them Psal 139.2 judge the actions God knoweth the thoughts a farr off in their hidden causes and seminall preparations and that infallibly this is his peculiar glory which is not arrogated by man whilest he professeth onely to judge the cause by the effect and the end by the meanes which is as if a man should say The smoake appeareth out of the chimney therefore there is some fire in the house or the man chuseth such a way therefore his intent is to travayle to such a place The light of reason and sense inableth a man thus to judge and the light of Scripture warranteth it How then can any man justly condemne it As for the Answerers ends in this action reason in any of the complainants sayth they must be either publick or private If his ends were the publick good of the Church the meanes would be directed thereunto but it seemes to them that the meanes are such as tend rather to deprive the Church of men whom they warrantably desire and to streighten the Churches liberty and power in her owne matters Hereupon they conjecture that his end is not their publick good but some private selfe respect This judgment is but humane and therefore fallible For it is possible that a man by an errour in his judgment may pursue a good end in wrong meanes so the Answerer thincking it to be more for the good of the Church to be streightned thus and limited by the Classis then to be otherwise might have a good end but mistooke the meanes And therefore if they missed of the matter of the complaint in chalenging him for unlawfull ends yet the complaint will be found just if they accuse him of using unwarrātable meanes Yet I cannot free him as I desire from they re accusation of selfe-aymes in what he hath done till he shall deny it declare his intendments to have bene for the publick good which when he shall have done the Complaint will appeare to have bene a slander and I shall rejoyce to see his integrity cleared in this particular 4. In his fourth answer he would faine know he sayth what that due power is by which they would have the Church to
under no lesse paenalty then my not admittance to the pastorall worke in the English Church notwithstanding the unanimous desire of the Congregation Was not this to make them necessary observances The case is so cleare that the Answerer himselfe doeth not at all deny it 2. Let us see whether the power whereby they have done this be a due or an undue power And it will appeare to be undue if neither the Scripture nor the Nationall Synods nor the Church nor any good reason have given them any such power And this we will declare with Gods assistance distinctly in every one of them First The Scripture is so farr from giving the Classis any power of making lawes to bind particular Churches in cases of that nature that it doeth not once mention any such kind of combination nor doeth allow any such power to the deputyes of any Churches consulting together for their common good The Texts which Bellarmine alleadgeth for the power of Councills in making lawes are the same which the Answerer sometimes harpeth upon in this case but Iunius clearly sheweth that they make nothing to the purpose Deut. 17.8.10 Sect. 24. Ans 4. The first is Deut. 17. Which place the Answerer alleadgeth to prove the Classis to be an higher judicatory and above the Church Thou shalt doe according to the sentence which they of that place shall shew thee To which Iunius giveth 2 answers 1. The cases are not alike For in those times the mind of God was revealed to those Judges in obscure and difficult cases by signes and answers from God himselfe 2. He grants that the sentence of those Iudges was to be obeyed servatâ clausulâ salutari that holesom clause which Moses puts in being observed according to the sentence of the law Vers 11. which they shall teach thee So that the sentence of those Iudges did no further bind men to rest in it then it was according to the sentence of the Law And yet these were Iudges by Gods expresse appoyntment which the Classes have not to shew for their judicatory in the same manner as those Judges had Act. 15. 2. The other Text is Acts 15. alleadged by Bellarmine to prove the binding force of the decrees of Councills and by the Answerer Sect. 31. Ans 5. to shew the authority of the Classis whereunto Iunius giveth 2 answers also 1. Non sequitur ex particulari si custodienda fuerint decreta Concilij Apostolici ergo omnium servari oportere It doeth not follow from a particular that because the decrees of an Apostolicall Councill are to be observed therefore the decrees of all Councills must be so kept Cont. 3. lib 4. cap. 16. And whereas Bellarmine affirmeth that the question there was not defined by Scripture but by the voyces of the Apostles Iunius denyeth that any thing was ordayned in that Councill but from the Scripture as he had before demonstrated thereunto referreth the Reader And whereas Bellarmine sayth that the decree of the Apostles was not left to the examination of the Disciples but that they were simply commanded to obey Iunius chargeth him with falsely supposing two things 1. That the Apostles alone made this order For the Elders concurred with the Apostles in this sentence and the wholl Church all of them being taught by the spirit of truth to thinck the same thing And this he sayth is the manner of proceeding in those Councills where Christ is praesident 2. That the same respect is to be had to the determination of others as of the Apostles Which is an errour he sayth For it was the singular priviledge of the Apostles that they had immediate assistance of the Holy Ghost and infallibility in their Apostolicall determinations so that what they delivered was to be received without examination whereas the dictates senteÌ„ces of all other are to be examined by their wrightings wherby it appeareth that the Scripture acknowledgeth no such power of making lawes to be due to the Classes unlesse they can produce some other texts which when they shall be alleadged shall be further examined if God permit Secondly No generall Councills or Nationall Synods have acknowledged any such power to be due to Classes for aught I can find if any others have found out any such let them declare the Canon of such Councills and Synods wherein it was so concluded and the ground of such a determination being found sufficient I shall willingly receive it and submit thereunto In the meane space let it be considered that they who distinguish betweene Generall Nationall Provinciall and Diocesan Councills say that the two former have authority to make Canons but the two latter onely to see that the Canons imposed by the two former be observed Praef ad distinct 18 as may be seene in Gratian. Thirdly The Church hath not given them any such power nor indeed can it 1. It hath not as appeareth in their complaints of it as undue as a greivance and in the profession of diverse of the members that they never knew that the Church was so subjected 2 That it cannot appeareth in this that the Church it selfe hath no such power and none can give what they have not In what sense this assertion is to be understood and upon what grounds it is to be received we shall have occasion to declare in examining his answer shortly to follow whereunto I referr the Reader Fourthly That no good reason giveth the Classis this power of making lawes to bind particular Churches will appeare if two things be declared 1. what things are required to the making of a law 2. what instances they produce to shew the undue proceedings of that Classis herein First the things required to a law are these at least 1. a due authority or power orderly authorised thereunto 2. its consonancy and consent with the law of God 3. that it is referred unto and doeth respect the common good Secondly let the instances produced by them be brought to these rules and it will be found 1. that they want sufficient authority for making of such lawes 2. that such a law agreeth not with the law of God 3. that it is not referred to the publick and common good by what hath bene already said partly in this Section partly in the 12 Section and partly in other Sections The issue whereunto the instances drive is that the Classis excerciseth an undue power when it bindeth men to any observance upon no better ground then the mere custom of a place which is then done when â—hat custom is not warranted by the word For howsoever in civill administrations in Common wealths some customs have the force of a law Hist. 1. part 2. book 4. Chap. 15. Sect Vlp. li. 29 as Sir Walter Raleigh well observeth Yet in Church matters it will not hold the reason of Churches and Commonwealths being not the same But if the rule hold in Commonwealths that quod ab
stand at the last day upon the earth c. The 40. Section examined IN this Section the Complainants shew themselves aggreived for his pulpiting against me in a reproachfull uprayding manner about the point in question Which they aggravate 1. By his not satisfying their expectation 2. By my professed disagreement with the Anabaptists and Brownists in this point with whom he neverthelesse injuriously joyned me 3. By his sinister intent in thus falsely traducing me viz to justifye his keeping me out of the Church 4. By the injury done to the Church hereby in that they are deprived of me whom they much desired and bewayle their want of me Lastly they shew the aequity of their complaining against the Answerer for this by his labouring to worke the Ministers of the Classis to further his purpose telling them that to tolerate me in a different practise would be a condemning of their owne practise and that therefore if they would give way to me they must make an order to condemne their owne practise or to that effect This is their complaint Let us now consider his answer Hereunto he pretendeth ten answers but they are such as to say no worse I marvayle he would print them His first answer is that it is no reproach to call my assertion an errour Reply But. 1. To call that an errour which he hath not proved nor can prove to be an errour is a reproach Himselfe sayth it is no reproachfull uprayding of me unlesse they could convince him of errour for so speaking Enough hath bene said in the twelfth Section and more may be added hereafter to convince him unlesse he be of his mind who said non persuadebis etiamsi persuaseris though you doe convince yet I will not be convinced 2. To ranck the party whom he supposed to erre with Anabaptists and Brownists when he professeth and is ready to declare that he differeth from them is a reproachfull uprayding and injurious 3. To doe this in the pulpit where the people expect nothing but words of truth and passages tending to peace and aedification and from whence a publick brand of reproach and disgrace may be left upon a brother was a more rude expression then the Complainants used concerning their thought that no godly man will be absolutely bound to subscribe to that wrighting 4. It is a poore evasion when he insinuateth that I said in effect Mr. Hook was in errour when I said that I was not of his opinion in some points For to say so much onely declareth that myne opinion differed from his but not that he was in errour seing that difference might arise from my not understanding him aright not from his dissenting from the truth And it savoured of modesty in me that I would not charge him with errour from whom I differed in opinion which is farr from justifying and serveth justly to reprove the reproachfull speeches of the Answerer as a ruder language His second answer is that he performed his promise and said enough in that sermon to satisfye their expectation by his Arguments against myne opinion as he calleth it and for proofe hereof referreth his Reader to his noates which he wrote downe of purpose and it is like keepeth by him of purpose also The issue of all is the assertion of those men is false and erronious that complaine he avoyded the question betweene us The sermon here spoken of it seemeth was preached when I was absent and out of towne therefore I can say nothing upon myne owne knowledge in this matter but that the constant report wherein all whom I heard speake of it concurred was that what he said was so farr from satisfying them that they did not conceive that he spake to the point in question but evaded it rather And those noates of his sermon which some of them tooke from his mouth and shewed me did apparently make good in my apprehension what they said But if the Reader shall be pleased to examine his stating of the question in this very Section and to compare it with the true state set downe by me in the 12. Section it will easily appeare that he did not deale against my opinion as he calleth it in every Argument nor in any Argument as he should For the difference betweene him and me was about my refusing to conforme to the custom of the Dutch Church in that place in baptising all that are presented by whomsoever though the parents were neither of them members of any Church nor at all knowne unto us Now he brought not one Argument to prove the lawfullnes of this custom or to convince me of sinne for not binding my selfe by subscription or promise to conforme to it His third answer is that upon his motion I made an offer of shewing how farr I differed from the Brownists which I performed not which he sayth if I had done myne opinion must have fallen together with it But it is neither so nor so For neither did I offer it upon his motion but upon myne owne motion to vindicate my assertion from his calumnies nor is there such affinity betwixt their opinions and myne in this matter that like twinnes they must live and dye together For what I affirme will stand upon other grounds and principles then those whereby their separation is upheld To wipe off this aspersion I will shew that it is an injury as to me so to the truth also in this particular when it is affirmed that the errour of the Brownists could not be refuted by me but that myne owne opinion must fall together and that like twinnes they must live and dye together For I suppose the errour of the Brownists which he meaneth is that seperation from the Church assemblies of England in such sort as to have no spirituall Communion with them is necessary If so I demand how doeth this assertion of the lawfullnes of admitting onely their infants to baptisme who are members of a true Church necessarily argue such seperation from true Churches for defects and corruptions which are found in them to be a bounden duety If yea let him demonstrate 1. How it strengtheneth them in they re refusing private Religious Communion with good Christians because they stand members of some parish-Church in England which is one errour held by some of them as he knoweth 2 How it confirmeth them in refusing to heare the word preached by any ministers of any of those Churches which is another errour maintained by many of them also 3. How it establisheth any man in refusing any publick Religious communion with any true Church If nay let him acknowledge his slander But that the vanity and untrueth of this suggestion may be more evident I will declare the truth in this matter by manifesting both myne owne judgment about the truenes of Churches and the practise of the Seperatists themselves 1. Myne owne judgment and persuasion I will expresse in Dr. Ames his words thus Second Manuduct p. 33. 34.
So many parish assemblies of England as have any competent number of good Christians in them united together for to worship God ordinarily in one society so many have essentiall and integrall forme of a visible Church and all they have intire right to Christ and to all the meanes of injoying him however they are defective in the purity of their combination and in the compleate free excercising of their power To prevent all mistake he declareth what he meaneth by essentiall and integrall forme thus The essentiall forme of a visible Church is the covenant of God or true fayth made visible by profession the noates and markes whereof are the word and Sacraments rightly administred and received with fruits of obedience The integrall constituting forme is that state relation or reference which a Congregation of such professours have one to another by vertue of their setled combination the noate or marke whereof is their usuall assembling together into one place and watching one over another So that however the defects and corruptions in those Churches are to be witnessed against and howsoever it is the duety of Christians to indeavour as much as in them is to procure the reformation of those defects and not to partake in the sinnes of any Church Eph. 5.11 and amongst true Churches to make choyse of those whereunto to joyne themselves which are most pure Lib. 4. Cas Cons cap. 24. quest 2. so farr as they are able as the same learned wrighter sayth elsewhere yet to dischurch them wholly to seperate from them as no Churches of Christ or to deny baptisme to the infants of their knowne members is not warranted by any rule in the Scripture that I know nor justifyed by my assertion or practise 2. The practise of the Seperatists themselves sheweth that this assertion doeth not strengthen or countenance the errour of the Brownists in matter of Seperation For they professe to hold spirituall communion with other Churches who doe extend the use of baptisme to as great largenes as England doeth and greater also as I am able with Gods assistance to prove though they freely witnesse against it as a disorder in those Churches which also many Godly learned ministers of these Countryes are so farr from justifying that they confesse it to be unwarrantable and wish it may be reformed By all which it is manifest that there is no such affinity betweene these opinions that the errour of the Brownists could not be refuted by me but that mine owne opinion must fall together As he untruely pretendeth 3. Hereunto I will add that in thus reasoning the Answerer imprudeÌ„tly armeth his opposites against himselfe with his owne weapon Polit. Eccles lib. 1. Cap. 14. eâ— 13. Fresh Suite p. 207. Treat of the necess of seperation For this plea is taken up 1. by the those that plead for the Prelats both of former times whom Mr. Parker hath fitly answered by clearing the seekers of Reformation from this imputation and retorting it upon themselves and of latter times whom Dr. Ames in like manner hath breifly and fitly answered 2. by those of the Seperation for Mr. Canne the Answerer knoweth pretendeth in his booke to prove a necessity of seperation from the Church of England by the Non-conformists principles and professeth to oppose it especially to Dr. Ames onely in the point of seperation Whereby it appeareth that he accounteth him and such like opposites in that point notwithstanding their agreement in some truths Concerning which booke I have many things to say in Dr. Ames his defence which if I should here insert this tractate which already much exceedeth the proportion at first purposed by me would swell to too great a volume But I may well be silent at this time seing others as I heare have undertaken it and a more fit occasion may be given hereafter if it be thaught requisite but especially seing he hath not answered Dr. Ames his second manuduction at all wherein he hath said enough for the clearing of his judgment in this matter nor indeed hath he taken away the force of that litle which the Doctor said in answer to the Rejoynder though he expressed himselfe but in few lines and as answering on another occasion and not dealing professedly against the Separation All which might easily be demonstrated but at this time I purpose to abstaine from by-controversyes As for his objection that I performed not that promise though I had time enough my answer is that he neither required it of me nor incouraged me so to doe by assuring me that the performance thereof would end the difference Nor did it fall fitly in my way to speake of this point in any Argument which I handled in publick afterwards His fourth answer tendeth to a sâ—ighting of my labour of love in 6 moneths assistance of him in a time of their extremity It becommeth unthanckfull men thus to elevate that kindnes which they have not hearts to value nor purpose to requite For this purpose he setteth 6 moneths wherein that wrighting as he sayth was given out by me and 6 yeares resistance which he sayth is procured by my opposition to the practise of the Dutch Church and as much recompence he sayth received by me for that as some godly ministers have in twise 6 moneths Reply Concerning the wrighting I have spoken sufficiently in the 2 and 22. Sections and in other places wherein I shewed how he compelled me to it for declaration of the truth against his unjust reports and how himselfe before he heard of any such wrighting from me had traduced me in the darke in a larger wrighting secretly sent to his freind in N. Concerning the ground of 6 yeares resistance Seing he compelled me thereunto in defence of the truth I cannot helpe it nor am to be blamed for it unlesse it be a fault to beare witnes to the truth when I am called thereunto Concerning the collection which he in too mercenary a phrase calleth a recompence for my labour I answer 1. I received none of it from him though some other English preachers are put to that charge so that to him it was a kindnes 2. I contracted not with him for any recompence to be made me from the Church by his meanes so that in me it was a kindnes 3. I received no gratification from the Churchstock as other Ministers have done by his procurement So that the poore had no damage or hindrance thereby as in some other cases they have had through his holding up these contentions 4. The most of that which was given was from their purses whom he contentiously calleth my freinds 5. What ever I received from them they know I was no gayner by it when the necessary charges of my diet are deducted and the hire of an house which at their request I tooke but never lived in thorough his opposition against me and for which I was constrayned to pay the wholl yeares rent 6. As he made no
can such be said to professe the same Religion 2. Many parents doe not bring their children to baptisme but some other body as much unknowne to the Church as they are bring the children it may be with it may be without the parents knowledge or consent for aught the Minister knoweth 3. What promise doe they make that are absent or that understand not the language or that are altogether ignorant of the fayth that is professed in those Churches 2. I demand of him in what sense such persons may be said to be of such Churches who neyther live under the government of those Churches nor so much as heare the word at all amongst them for aught any man knoweth nor are in any respect accounted amongst the members of those Churches nor should be received into visible communion with them if they should offer themselves thereunto being neither able to give any account of their fayth nor testimony of their good conversation 3. Againe I demand why he pretendeth that they baptise onely such as are there described when he knoweth that many are admitted by them which are not capable of that description Is it not because he cannot plead for the admittance of such with any shew of Reason If not Let him produce his Arguments in defence of such promiscuous baptising which yet he hath not done or confesse that he hath done the Church me wrong in the opposition and strife which he hath injuriously raysed to deprive me of that relation whereunto I was called for refusing to doe that which he cannot prove to be lawfull As for those who he sayth though they are without in respect of joyning with any Church yet have more knowledge of the truth and are more frequent in attending upon the publickâ—worship of God and are otherwise more unblameable in their conversation then some of those that are members of the Church his labour had bene to better purpose if he had indeavored to convince them of the evill of this their neglect of joyning to some particular Church that they might not rest contented in their present condition to the apparent hazard of their soules that so they might with good warrant from Gods order have partaked of the ordinances which are given to the Church by vertue of their relation to and communion with the Church rather then thus to interest them in those priviledges wherein they have no right to communicate in that state wherein they stand without violation of Gods order as hath bene formerly shewen and may be hereafter more plentifully upon further provocation Though I had rather reserve the full handling of that to a positive discourse which may in due time be published For the present I pray the Reader to understand that in all the examination of these allegations of Scripture the Answerer hath drawne us from the true question betweene him and me which was not about limiting of baptisme to the members of a true Church concerning which whatsoever I intimated in a word or two in my wrighting to the Classis neither the ministers which were sent by the Classis to speake with me nor the Answerer at any time first or last had any the least word of difference with me but both they and he required my conformity to their custom of baptising all that are brought in manner aforesaid So that this was not but the other alone was the question betweene us So that it lyeth wholly upon him to prove the lawfullnes of that promiscuous administration of baptisme which is in use among them and to convince me of sinne for refusing to conforme thereunto which I expect that he performe in his next booke if he be able But if it be confessed to be evill and the question beâ— how shall it be removed or cured in such a place as Amsterdam I answer disorders are best cured by introducing and setling that order in place of them which appeareth to be most agreeable to Gods revealed will and that is that baptisme be administred onely to such infants whose parents one of them at least is a member of some particular visible Church and that Church priviledges be denyed to those that refuse Church-communion For that which againe he repeateth concerning me it is but a colewort twise sodd and hath bene already answered in examination of his descant upon the first proofe alleadged by me Act. 20.28 His observations upon the protestation reveivved WHat care I had of his credit and peace himselfe declareth in the first lines of his observations when he sayth upon the coming forth of the booke of complaints against him Mr. D. immediately sends out a protestation against it and signifyes he could have no rest in his spirit untill he had resolved upon this protestation I did so indeed and in so doing I shewed my selfe more tender of him then he was of himselfe or of me and thereby deserved better usage at his hands then I have found in many bitter passages of his booke The speciall matters contayned therein he sayth are a three fold Protestation and a threefold Confession a threefold Quaere a threefold Request It seemeth in deed so it fell out occasionally without affectatioÌ„ on my part either of observing odd numbers as of 3 or of making them aequall by being cast into 4 rancks or orders or of putting my discourse into such a mold or frame 1. For the threefold protestation The summe of it was that I neither consented to nor knew of nor approved of the publishing of that pamphlet There is nothing in his five observations worth minding and that hath not bene already answered by me Onely the third is an observeable character of the Answerers spirit who fiercely stricketh at me for striving to save him from the stroke of his Antagonist For he propoundeth it for an observation of a just reward of the inordinate affection which the publisher shewed in contending for me in that by me sentence is pronounced against him unknowne for his injury done in printing Any ingenious man would rather have observed my sincerity and aequanimity who without respect of persons witnessed against evills in whomsoever my love of truth which I praeferred above particular respects to freinds when I was called to declare my selfe and my tender respect of him in that passing by all personall injuries received from him I made hast as the occasion required to interpose in favour of him against those who he sayth contended for me And that their contending for me in that case was no evidence of their inordinate affection towards me hath bene already shewed And by this passage the Reader may see how necessary it was that I should speake so farr as I might justly in defence of the subscribers and others in this cause least in his next booke he should stile it a just reward of they re in ordinate affection to me in that I had now deserted them and minded onely mine owne defence as he traduceth me
for giving sentence against the publisher of the pamphlet unknowne As for that he speaketh of giving way to contentious spirits with which title he brandeth both the publisher and all the subscribers enough hath bene spoken for the clearing of them in the first and second Sections 2. For the threefold Confession The summe of it was that upon much necessity and importunity of freinds I set downe in wrighting some breife answers to false reports spread abroad which I left with a freind or two to communicate in a private way to those who were any way praejudiced unjustly against me His 11. observations upon this passage make a great shew but have no substance in them 1. He sayth the complaints are already shewne to be unjust They may seeme so to some till my Reply shall be examined then they will be found by all indifferent Readers acknowledged to be just 2. He sayth Injurious reports did not prevayle with him to answer them in wrighting The first part of this speech is true For I know not of any injurious reports that were spread concerning him and therefore things that were not could not provoke him to wright But the second part is untrue as I have shewne already in that he wrote a large letter to a freind of his in England about the same time when I wrote my breife answers which containes the substance of this booke so farr as concernes matters of fact 3. He admonisheth men to beware of importunity of freinds Sollicitation of freinds in some cases is to be regarded and followed as in cases of this nature when freinds sollicite a man to discharge a bounden duety such as the declaring of the truth is for the clearing of his owne innocency necessity compelling thereunto 4. He sayth that to give a wrighting to two might be as much as to give it to twenty It might be so and it might be not as the men might be But in this case I am certaine it was not so 5. He sayth that my retayning of the originall copy doeth not more excuse me then if he that made a libell c. Nor did I alleadge it for an excuse for the fact needeth no excuse it being a manifest duety but to shew that errours and mistakes might be in the printed copy which I could correct by the originall which J had in mine owne keeping and so there were mistakes indeed not a few But how cometh he to compare this to a libell seing my name was to it againe and againe expressed 6. He denieth that it was done in a private way because I say let the Reader judge and that it was done for the satisfaction of the members of the English Church c. Seing I professed to wright it for satisfaction of those Dutch or English who were causelesly praejudiced it must necessarily be supposed that such must read it and that I intended so else why did I wright it And what hindred but this satisfaction might be given in a private way notwithstanding that Vpon this occasion he descants upon a picture printed in the title page of that protestation which suits with my dealing in that matter he sayth A thing which J never observed in mine till I read it in his booke and enquiring into the reason of it J found that the Printer dwelleth at the signe of the Fame and hath such a picture before his dore his manner is to print it also as his signe in the bookes which he printeth Was not the Answerer well imployed when he spent his thoughts upon such descants How easily might I answer him if I affected such vanityes with a like descant upon the first letter of his praeface which is a great C. the first letter of Contention as well as of Christian where a man stands like a Champion with his military weapons and troupes and thereupon fall into a veine of conjecturing 1. who that Champion is 2. what those troupes meane 3. who those two are at the foote of the C and divided from it by the lower stroke of it 4. Why that dominering Champion pointeth with his finger one way and casteth his countenance another way as it were giving direction concerning those two men at the foote of the C to one who seemeth to stand ready at his beck and then tell him that his dealing suites well with this embleme in these contentious passages But I affect not to feed my selfe or others with froth and scumme 7. He sayth the more private the way was the greater was the injury to him He sayth true if it had bene an untrue or needlesse report But it was true and being so the more publick it is the worse it will prove for him I feare in the issue of the printed contests but it is his owne fault 8. He sayth I aught much more to have written for satisfying the members of my parish-Church in London about my leaving them Thus he must kick because he is skittish For what is this to the protestation I let passe his scornefull gird at my parish-Church in London which that I say no more was in no respect inferiour to his parish-Church in Nantwijch neither will I answer by retorting a censure upon his Church in Amsterdam nor indeed doe such strivings become the servants of Christ But how knowes he whether I have written to them or not And what need is there of my satisfying them about my leaving them which was done with their consent And if others disliked it he should have said who they are and upon what grounds they disliked it or have sent them to me or directed me to them that I might have satisfyed them as I thought I had done him and doe persuade my selfe that I did though his passion hath thus distempered him causelesly at present 9. He quarrelleth my profession of my hoping and praying for that which I have long expected to wit that God would sweetly order and dispose the spirits of pastor and people in that Church to unity and concord pretending that the wrighting which I made in myne owne defence served to provoke unto further contention That wrighting served in my intention onely to declare the truth upon urgent provocation and compulsion and therein I was so farr from irritating any mens minds to strife that I forbare the report of some things and mentioned other things sparingly favourably contenting my selfe onely with shewing that he did not desire me but concealing how he hindred my setling there to prevent inconveniences As for their complaining which he sayth they learned by myne example he cannot forget that this was not the first cause or time of their complaining but that they had shewne their greivance for the like ill usage of others before my coming to Amsterstam nor was he forced thereby to publish an Apology seing a private answer might have bene sufficient in that case as hath bene shewen 10. He speaketh suspiciously of those conclusions and wayes which I hoped