coyne twise or trise told over hee conceiteth that a Minister can not doe a thing in another Congregation but it must follow necessarily to be an act of his Ministerie 1. Cor. 14.24 Now hee should doe better to proove well once the point then to begge it so continually Besides to convince erroneous persons in the Church this is not alwayes a Ministeriall duety as hee unadvisedly affirmeth For men out of office may doe this as the word of God testifyeth and the learned teach * Beza annot in 1. Co. 14. Pet. Mart. in 1. Cor. 14 29.31 Paraeus in 1. Cor. 14.29 D. Ames de conse l. 4. c. 25. p. 215 Zwinglad Valent. compar Antibol avert Kinser Iac. Acont Strat. Sat. Sudek cont Turr. Soph. p. 67.68 Calv. Inst 4 1.12 Harm Syno Belg. pag. 21.22 Mr. Bates pag. 134. Defen Disc ag Bridg. 〈◊〉 129. Erast. True it is Mr. Paget hath bene a deadly enimy alwayes to it Notwithstanding never was hee able besides gibes reproaches to bring any thing to proove the unlawfullnes of it 3. The Churches of God at first had no Officers notwithstanding hee will not say but the Learned and able Brethren among them might convince erronious persons if there were just occasion for it Againe suppose a Church whose Pastours are taken away cannot get the assistance of a neighbour Minister to convince erronious persons then it seemes after his kind of disputing they must either all hold their peace what abilities soever they haue or if any one speake hee performeth a Ministeriall duetie or otherwise his talke here is quite besides the matter or just nothing which of these hee will owne for one hee must I leave it to his owne chose Lastly for these Scriptures Tit. 1.9.10.11 1. Timot. 5.20 they doe not proove any such thing for which hee brings them I grant indeed to refute erronious persons is sometimes a Ministeriall duetie and so is prayer reading the Scriptures expounding them c. Notwithstanding it will not follow when a Pastour doth these things in another Congregation that hee performes a Ministeriall duety or that Brethren out of office may not doe them also Yet this hee must proove otherwise his talke is like a tedious Musician ever turning never playing The 8 and last answer hee divides into 5 heads or branches Touching the 1 2 3 and 5 of them I except against in that they say nothing in the controversie betweene us and therefore they must stand aside In the 4 hee writes that members of the Catholike or Vniversall Church may have their infants baptised though they be not joyned to any particular visible Church To this I answer that hee neither speakes skillfully nor conscionably For 1. by the Catholike Church our Protestant Divines * Piscator Aphorism loc 19. p. 102. Perk. Expos Iude. p. 484. Vrsin Cat. part 2. pag. 347. Pet. Mart. Loc. Com. Class 2 p. 435. Polan Syntag l. 7. c. 4. p. 520. Alsted The. Polem part 4. p. 329. understand the company of Gods elect and chosen and hence name it ‡ D. Whita cont 4. Qu. 1. p. 78. Park Eccl. Polit. l. 3. p. 210. D. Reinol praef 6. Conclus p. 667. invisible spirituall misticall Yea some * Beza in Praef. Nov. Test printed 1561. D. Humphr in the life of Iewel D. Sutclif Chaleng l. 1. doe dislike the terme it self and call it a vaine and fruitles word And well they may for the Scripture hath it not neither is the author of it knowne but supposed * Sanford de Descend Dom. Nost ad in fer lib. 4. p. 28. and 30. to be a Papist But to the matter in hand If no infants out of particular visible Churches ought to be baptised but them whose Parents are knowne to be members of the Catholike Church then it will certainly follow that no infants whose Parents are not members of any visible Church may be baptised because the others are knowne to God onely Observe here how hee confutes himself and brings one argument forth against his owne case And indeed it is just with God that those which contradict the truth should contradict themselves most grosly too 2. Unconscionably to affirme a thing of such waight and consequence without shewing any word of God for confirmation of it doth hee thinke that wee owe him such obedience as to beleeve things because hee saith them If hee doe hee is greatly mistaken for to speake in another mans words Wee are not bound to Mr. Pagets writings wee esteeme them not as Canonicall but wee examen them by the Canonicall and what in them agreeth with the authoritie of Divine Scripture wee receive with his prayse What accordeth not therewith wee refuse with his leave Besides hee knowes well enought that mens sayings are of no force and value in matters of Religion without warrant from the Scriptures So say the Prophets a Deut. 13.1.2.3 Ezech. 13.2 Mich. 7.13 Ier. 23.31 Ezech. 14.9 so sayth Christ b Mat. 15.9 Iob. 5.39 his Apostles c 1. Cor. 3.21 Gal. 1.8 Iam. 2.1 Rom. 16.17.18 and thus write the Learned Tertullian d In Apol. Ignatius e Epist ad Hier. Hierome f In Psal 86 Basil g Serm. ad Adol Ambrose h L. 3. de incar Dom. Augustine i Epist 198. ad Fortun. Chrisostome k In Gal. c. 1. Aquinas l Lib. 9. art ult Calvin m Instit l. 1. c. 10. sect 8. Melancton n Loc. Theo. p. 627.628 Bucanus o Lec Com. p. 532. B. Iewel p Repl. art 1. Div. 29. Defen Apol. p. 604. Chassauio q Loc. Com. p. 98. Vrsinus r In Iesai c. 14. p. 450. and others In his writing against us hee is alwayes calling for testimony Where is their warrant where is their authoritie c. notwithstanding who more forward then himself to send things out into the world without proofe Before I end this point there are a few questions which I thinke very needfull to propound unto him Touching his Catholike or Vniversall Church 1. By what Scriptures the name and nature of it is warranted 2. VVhither all Parents with their infants Iewes Turkes and Pagans excepted be members thereof or not 3. VVhat are the notes of it 4. VVhither wee are to judge all the members of this large Church to be true beleevers 5. If this universall Church be visible then I would know of him why there ought not to be proportionable to it a universall Ministery and gouvernment I suppose hee will be willing to give a direct answer unto these things because hee professeth to have a great desire to informe his opposite Brethren in the truth Pref. The next Scripture is Coloss 4.17 And say to Archippus take heed to the Ministerie which thou hast received of the Lord that thou full fill it To this hee sayth nothing but referreth the Reader to the answer made to the former allegation onely hee
THE CHVRCHES Plea for her Right OR A REPLY to an Answer MADE OF MR. IOHN PAGET Against WILLIAM BEST and others WHEREIN The maine points of our present differences are handled And the principall causes of our troubles declared Published by WILLIAM BEST I. Thes 5.21 Proove all things hold fast that which is good Psal 119.128 I esteeme all thy precepts concerning all things to be right and I hate every false way At AMSTERDAM Printed in the Yeare M. DC XXXV A Fore-Speach To the Christian Reader IT was a seasonable saying of Nichodemus * Ioh. 7.51 standing in our Lords defence Doth our Law judge any man before it heare him and know what hee doth I make no question Well-affectioned Reader but thou hast before this time perused Mr. Pagets Booke and hast there seene many words tending to his owne justification and our condemnation Now the thing that I shall desireously request of thee is that thou wilt haue the patience to read over this my Answer to it And when thou hast seriously studied pondered and examined by the unerring rule of Gods Word all that both parties haue said in the whole caraige of this busines judge then as God shall give thee understanding Wishing thee by the way to remember what folly and shame it is for any as Salomon * Prov. 18.13 sayth to answer or give sentence of a matter before hee heare it There are some things which I thinke necessary first of all to informe thee off and that is touching the reasons why I haue set forth this Treatise Also why in the manner it is For the first to let passe the many insultations and exclamations which I haue suffred at some particular mens handes since his writing came forth as if every thing were true that he hath set downe against me I am oftē by name particularly called upon and singled out to defend our Iust Complaint made against him Besides accused of committing many untruths slaunders lies with other crimes little lesse then blasphemy and this not against himself alone but Magistrates Ministers yea all Reformed Churches If I should therefore under these heavie charges say nothing would not most men hence conclude that I am guiltie And so through my silence I should which I dare not doe dishonour God betray the truth and let goe my owne innocency Moreover I conceive that it lay upon me though the meanest of my Brethren to reply considering that the Booke of Complaints was set forth chiefly by my meanes Now my conscience for my part beares me witnes that I did the thing out of love towards God his truth and people and not as is falsely suggested of contention and a peeuish mind And I was thereto mooved the sooner 1. because the same was in many mens hands already and so rather publicke then private 2. We had waited almost a quarter of a yeare for answer but could not obtaine it although M r Paget was spoken unto many times about it 3. It was given out that hee had writen 12 or 15 sheets of paper against us and intended shortly to acquaint the world therewith when this report was brought unto me I thought it requisite having the copies by me immediately to publish them that so seeing hee would publikely write in confutation thereof men might truely understand what our particular grieveances were And these causes of great and good regard led me to doe what I did Of which more is spoken in another place Lastly whereas I haue had occasion to sit many times in our Consistory Hence I haue taken a more full and certaine knowledge of our common Ecclesiasticall affaires I mean observed the unfreenes of our Congregation and her subjection to the power of the Classis and in this regard as I know my self the better able to give testimony of the truth in the matters betwixt us so I thinke my self the more called to speake what I truely may in the just defence of my self and others For the manner of this writing Whosoever shall consider either the subject here treated off or the persons whom it chiefly respecteth will I thinke confesse that there lay a necessity upon mee to use the best meanes I could to haue it done unto some effectuall purpose But for my part I must confesse and so I would haue all men in all places to know that I am not in my self of the abilitie to compose a worke of this nature And therefore thorow my entreatie and desire others more able haue taken some paines for me herein both in seeking out learned Authours as also setting them downe in the places as they stand On whose fidelity skill and care I haue presumed the publishing of them to the world having this confidence in the person or persons that they will stand to justify all the allegations according to the end and use here produced And if just occasion be offered it may be they will adde some thing more thereunto As for the truth of the matter this I owne under my owne hand And to use here Mr. Pagets words for the testimony of this truth I am not ashamed to suffer that reproach which some lay upon me Though I have allready bene smiten on the right checke Preface yet I am ready to turne the other also rather then to forsake this truth which I iudge to be of great importance Yea if I were cast upon my death-bed ready to deliver up my soule in the hands of the Lord I should among my last words professe before men and Angels that the things here pleaded for by me are the holy precepts of the eternall God The reason why I haue not followed him steppe by steppe throughout his Booke but haue principally insisted upon two points viz. promiscuous Baptisme and the due power of the Church is because on these depend all our differences For if it be true as it is here prooved to be most true that it is unlawfull to baptise any infants whose Parents one at least are not members of any visible Church And that every particular Congregation is independent and may yea ought to practise Ecclesiasticall Government and all other Gods spiritual ordinances in and of it self immediately from Christ Then it will follow that our former protest is certainly true against him And so much the premises granted is by himself acknowledged for thus hee sayth If this Church be deprived of that liberty and power which Christ hath given it c. Preface If the Elders be deprived of their power in Government for the good of the Church If I have subiected the Church under the undue power of the Classis c. If these and the like assertions in their Booke he true then is there cause to complaine of the miserable slavery and bondage of this Church and of Tyrannicall government Then is there cause to commend and preferre the liberty and freedome if the Brownists which are not subject unto the power of any
have justly deserved farther Censure ANSWER 1. IT is a note as God noteth it by Ezechiel of an unfaithfull sheapheard that hee seekes not that which was lost How directly this note appeareth in Mr. Paget may be seene here and els where in writing For howbeit hee hath set mee and others forth before all men for heynous offendours most sinfull walkers Ch. 33.4 deservers of Church Censures c. notwithstanding to this day he hath not performed a brothers duety Mat. 18.15 16. Lev. 19.17 Prov. 25.9 much lesse a Pastours towards any of us in using meeke and Christian meanes to bring us if wee goe astray in to the right way againe If an earthly father should tell openly his childrens faults abroad but never at home mention them unto them hee would be and justly too greatly condemned for it Then how much more is Mr. Paget to be discommended that did not endeavour to make his people to see their faults untill they did see them out in print under his hand Hee can teach us that it is our duety to advertise him of his defects and neglects in private but it seemes hee takes not the care which he should Pag. 94. to practise his owne doctrine The which thing makes his case the worse for to him that knoweth to doe good Iam. 4. ult and doth it not to him it is sinne That is his offence is the greater and answerable to it without true repentance will his punishment be Luk. 12.47 Our dealing with him hath bene otherwise for wee brought nothing forth publikely against him before wee had used other meanes for his recovery Yea till wee found the wound incurable Mich. 1.9 he in his courses incorrigible so farre I say from giving us any hope of amendement as that hee deprived us quite of all power to meddle any further with him and answered us not much unlike the old Iewes Ier. 2.25 I have loved strangers and after them I will goe I know in pag. 15. hee beareth the Reader in hand as if wee had not shewed his sinnes unto him out of the Word of God and hence abuseth a saying in Iob. But many can testify the contrary to wit that his sinnes have bene shewed to him out of the word of God I say many times by many persons not Brethren onely but our Elders too privately and openly as is to be seene in the Records of our Church where they doe protest both against his doeings and the Classis also But saith hee I am not convinced of my errour So may any offendor say although his lies and vanities should be never so soundly refuted It is reported of one Anaxagoras that hee affirmed that the snow was black and when it was alledged that the sence the eye the sight judged it to be white hee answered it did not as much as seeme white to him Cic. in Lucull Aca. Quaest l. 4. because hee knew that the water of which it was concealed is black Men might say what they list against him but they could not satisfy him nor solve his reason If Mr. Paget were not overmuch conceited touching his opinions in question I am perswaded hee would leave them For sufficient hath bene said for his conviction therein 2. For my gooing to the Assembly of the Remonstrants It is true I have bene there and Mr. Paget afterwards had a little speach with me about it But no word of God to my remembrance did hee then alledge to convince * Act. 18. ult 2 Tim. 3.16.17 my conscience of the unlawfullnes of the thing Moreover hee should have done well to have told his Readers what my answer was at the same time unto him I spake as hee knowes to this effect If I goe astroy it is through your occasion in casting stumbling blocks * Mat. 18.6 dayly in my way so many and great that my spirits is even broken within me For your caraiges are so evill against us in seeking to hinder us from the benefit of good Ministers that I cannot live under yours with any comfort What reliefe my poore distressed soule then had of him I shall never forget For I may say and that truely as Iob did in the like case hee was a miserable comforter a Physician of no value Iob 16.2.5 The mooving of his lips was so farre from asswaging my grief that on the contrary hee heaped up words against me to encrease mine affliction In the reading of this accusation it comes to my mind what I have sometimes seene in the Country where I lived viz. many poore sheepe even forced to runne into deserts hedges briars through the impatience rage of some feirce froward Shepheards either in setting their dogs on them or running in themselves furiously amongst them the which folly and indiscretion had they not shewed none of their flocke would have gone astray The application of this I referre to Mr. Paget Let him consider of it take advise and speake his mind and if hee please compare with it Ierem. 23.1 3. If to resort to the Assembly of the Remonstrants be so heynous an offence before the Lord that it deserveth as hee saith the Censure of the Church how then comes it to passe that hee deales in this thing so badly with others Hee is a member of the Classis and hath therein according to his owne doctrine equall authority with the rest over the Dutch Church here in Amsterdam Now it is well knowne to him and such as sitt with him that many of the Dutch members doe resort frequently unto the Assembly of the Remonstrants Notwithstanding doth Mr. Paget tell them of their great wickednesse exhort his fellow Presbyters to admonish them for it and to cut them of from the Church except they repent The truth is as farre as I can understand hee is quite dumbe this way and stirres not at all in it and therefore it is certaine that that which hee here brings in against me is either done out of some disaffection unto my person or els hee shewes great impartiality to say the best of it But it seemes hee is not carefull to have his ministery like a glasse in which all may behold their sports but rather to the spiders web which holdeth the lesser Flyes but lets the greater passe through at their pleasure And here I may well returne backe unto him Arrow against separ pag. 323. liu 31 his owne words having taxed Mr. Ainsworth for partialitie Let all men of conscience iudge what sincerity there is in your course Thus hee can take occasion to blame another and yet fall fouler himself into the same fault 4. Whereas hee intimateth that hee in the name of the Eldership hath admonished me for the open violation of the Sabbath I desire the Reader to take knowledge that no such thing was ever done by him neither did I know that either hee or the Elders had any such thing against me
Ministers but depose them and reject them altogether if they be not fitt Hence then wee see when a Congregation is injured by any of her Officers she wants not power in her self immediately from Christ to redresse it and therefore if she suffer continuall misery it is her owne fault and so deserveth the lesse pitty But to proceed 2. Hee hath made our Church to lie downe in her shame by his invective writing against many members thereof matching them many times with the vilest enimies that ever God had as Corah Pag. 2.3 and the Rebels with him the Apostates Israëlites the murderers of Christ the persecurors of the Saints and other most notorious Hereticks and blasphemers But himself unto meeke Moyses to the good Prophets yea to the Lord and Christ and to Iohn Hus the Bohemian that faithfull Martyr of Christ Againe to say nothing of the contemptible termes which hee useth * Prov. 8.8 nor of his aggravations in seeking to set Magistrates †Pag. 29.30 and Ministers * Pag. 73. and all at variance with us truely his mocking ‡ 72.100.102.103.122.151 Arrow p. 52.65 354. is intollerable In this hee is farre from that gravity which should be in a Minister of God specially in a man of his yeares sober dealing would better become him for as Paul saith such things are not seemely But in truth I find this to be his constāt practise in all his writings I would hee did once see it and consider the dishonour which hee causeth unto the Church by it The Preacher * Eccles 12.10 sought to find out acceptable words and that which was written was upright even words of truth 3. To come more particularly to his accusation why doth hee terme that which wee haue done infamous contention c. so in pag. 4. a faction in the Church I take it hee speaketh this because wee have opposed his courses if this be his meaning then I answer 1. Diotrephes might haue framed the like objection when the brethren withstood him 3. Ioh. and on as good ground too 2. Wee know that the Saints are commaunded to contend * Iude 3. Prov. 28.4 for the faith and to hold fast every ordinance of the Lord. If subjects freemen scholers c. will not loose the previleidges of their Country Cities Houses much lesse should the sonnes of God let goe any of their rights which they have in Christ 3. As for keeping peace either with him or others it must be done * Iam. 3.17 Heb. 12.14 Rom. 15.5 with holynes purity and according to Iesus Christ True it is wee may accord with him but how If wee will make our selves the servants of men and yeeld unto that which our consciences perswade us is most unlawfull It is said of Nahash the Ammonite that hee would not be at peace with the men of Iabesh Gilead 1 Sam. 11.2 unlesse hee might thrust out all their right eyes An unreasonable condition Notwithstanding I shall make it appeare unto all men in all places wheresoever this Booke shall come that Mr. Pagets Termes propounded for reconciliation with us are worse a great deale For either wee must make our selves spiritually blind in things necessary to salvation and cast off some of Christs Ordinances and practise in the place thereof humaine devises otherwise for the present there is no hope to be at union with him But as it is in the Proverbe a man may buy gould to deare even so for my part howsoever I desire from my heart to accord with him neverthelesse my care must be so to have it as that I may accord with God and have peace of conscience Now to the next supposed injury The sixt is to the Classis in defaming their gouvernment and proceedings Answ 1. If Mr. Paget had the ability to proove his bould affirmations with inevitable reasons as a speciall faculty to disgrace men by untrue reports hee would be a Disputer one of a thousand What have wee said about the Classis that hee hath any where in his Booke refuted Indeed much windy take hee useth in the thing that the Classis is ancient Pag. 71.72 other Churches stand in as much subjection to it as his This order was in these Countries before his comming over 18.66.25 The Synods have agreed that some things shall not be proceeded with without the advise of the Classis The Classicall Assembly did judge thus and a great deale more hee writes just to this purpose But the Reader shall find grapes on thornes and figgs on thistles assoone as one sound argument in his Booke to justify that power and authority which there is now exercised Notwithstanding whosoever shall read understandingly his Booke will say that hee hath not left this point unprooved out of forgetfullnes but rather of meere poverty as not having any authenticall records of the holy Ghost under the shadow whereof hee could find any shelter to shrowd his Classicall function as a Divine Ordinance 2. But to come neerer the matter whatsoever wee have said of the Classis wee stand strictly to it and are well able to proove it Two things wee have affirmed 1. That wee beleeve that gouvernment which they exercise over such Congregations unto which they stand not properly Ministers is an undue power 2. That wee have found very hard dealing at their hands For the first I shall referre the Reader to Sect. 7.8 I ouching the later if need be I thinke our Elders * They affirme that the resolution of the Classis deprived the Church of her due power 12. Nov. 1631 Answ 2. to the Classis will be witnesses for me Howsoever sure I am Mr. Hookers case cleares it sufficiently they having made an Act altogether against the liking of our Elders and Congregation that hee should not be admitted to the Pulpit of the English Church for any edification ‡ So are the words of their Act. thereof There went hereupon 40 Brethren or more to the Consistory and there shewed their great discontent against that which the Classis had done and earnestly desired their assistance Upon this two Elders two Deacons and two Brethren were sent unto the Classis to entreat them to revoake and cancill the former Act as being demaunded and given out of all due order yea before our Church had propounded him unto them or desired their consent in the thinge Further it was shewed that no man without the consent of the most of the Consistory hath power to aske the question ‡ Not because we approved of their authority but because wee knew it was in vaine to present him to them whether hee be fitt to be our Minister or not Besides wee told them that wee had not bene with the Magistrates and therefore as yet the matter belonged not to them in a word it was promised that unlesse Mr. Hooker would acknowledge their authority * Ier. 2.14 hee should not be presented to them
at all Many other perswasions by words as a so by writing were delivered in Dutch Notwithstanding for all this they would not revoake their sentence but confirmed it a new Is Israel a servant is hee home borne why is hee spoiled But to the point this record to use Mr. Pagets * Pag. 49. words in the like case is an authentick witnes not lyable to exception for what I have here said is recorded in the Acts of our Consistory * Octob. 12. 1631. And that this was to hard a dealing with us I proove it thus 1. There ought to bâ— nothing as Beza * Epist 83. saith imposed on a people against their wills Now imagen that our owne Eldeâ—ship should decree a thing either to be done or not yet could they not enjoyne us by any Law of God to obey them in it further then wee our selves doe see the same to be lawfull and so voluntarily assent unto it And if it be so then by what authority can Officers of other Congregations require us to stand to their acts specially when wee neither like them nor judge them good It seemes Zwinglius was against such doings Ad Valent. Compar for hee saith Whosoever with a Councill of Bishops shall impose on Christian people any Law or observation at their owne liking hee meaneth without the peoples consent hee invadeth the Churches right by a violent commaund Artic. 64. In another place Such Elders as without the Churches consent decree things at their owne pleasure are in name Elders but indeed Tyrants Cyprian * Cypria l. 4 Ep. 21.34.46.26.32 14.31 in sundry places writes that all matters ought to be determined by the Bishops Elders and the people present and consenting Otherwise sayth hee matters are not firme and sure For this very case Chemnitius * Exa Conc. Trid part 1 pag. 3. condemneth the Councill of Trent viz. because they set downe their decrees as it were uncontroulably and not under the examination of the Churches D. Bilson * Cont. Ap. p. 9â— saith that no Councill can bind a whole Church except there be a generall consent 2. Seeing the authority of particular Congregations is as Mr. Parker ‡ Polit. Eccl. l. 3. c. 13. p. 130. saith and largely prooveth it above all Synodes I cannot see what reason a few men haue to take upon them the subjecting of a whole Congregation to their decrees yea and to * Yet thus dealt the Claswith our Eld. because they admitted Mr. Hooker to the Pulpit contrary to their act De Ro. Pont. pract pag. 2. Censure the Eldership if they though with the Churches liking doe contrary to it It was not the manner of Bishops saith D. Whitaker in the primitive times to assume unto themselves jurisdiction and gouvernment over others 3. If it be right * See Park-Pol Eccl. l. 3 c. 12. p. 88. that the common desire of a particular Congregation in things lawfulll should take place before one mans opposition to it then I take it the matter was not well caried when Mr. Paget prevailed against the Eldership and Church too 4. This practise is contrary to the old rule generally received among the learned That ‡ Amb. lib. de dig Sacerd 3. which concerneth all ought of all to be approoved But some may say how is this to be done I answer in the words of D. Fulke * Learned Discours of Eccles disci p. 86. That the Elders sayth hee may have their sentence to be the sentence of the Church they must when they have travailed in examining of cases propound them to the whole multitude that it may be confirmed by their consent Observe here how according to this mans opinion the Classis should first have propounded the thing to our Congregation and if wee jointly had approoved thereof then might they have concluded that it was a Church Act otherwise not 5. Howsoever the Classes have joyned with Mr. Paget against us and they together deprived us of Mr. Hooker and Mr. Davenport notwithstanding hetherto wee have not seene them to warrant their proceedings by the Scriptures and therefore in this respect wee also take it that they have dealt too hardly with us For who knoweth not that in all questions of this nature no other testimony or argument can strike the stroake to perswade the conscience but the word of God for as one * Chrisost in Psal 95. ad finem well saith If any thing be spoken without Scripture the mind of the heareth halteth now sticking at it sometimes turning from it as frivolous sometimes turning to it as probable But when the testimony of the speaker commeth from Divine Scripture it confirmeth both the speach of the speaker and mind of the hearer But as for the Classis all that wee haue yet heard or seene from them for the justification of their Acts against us hath bene either the order * This is the reason they give in their act against Mr. Hooker why hee should not preach it was against the order of the Churches in these Countries of the Church or custome or tradition Now what saith God by Ieremy ‡ Cha. 10.3 The customes of the people are vaine Whatsoever savoreth against the truth is Heresie even old custome said Tertullian * De veland Virg. Custome saith ‡ Cypr. Ep. 74. ad Pomp. another without truth is the mother of errour And in another place * In l. 2. Ep. 3. ad Cicil. Wee must not follow the custome of men but the truth of God To the same purpose speakes Beza ‡ In Luc. 23.27 and others As for orders wee are so farre to be ordered by them as they accord with the order of the Gospell Touching Traditions wee know well enought what they say against them when they deale with the Papists Besides doth not Mr. Page tell us and that * Pag. 37. truely that many worthy Divines are sometimes mistaken Why then may not they be mistaken in our differences In truth wee have the more reason so to thinke considering they bring us no proofe for their doings herein saving bare authoritie And here by the way I thinke good to observe a little of Mr. Pagets talke in pag. 25. having set downe a great part of the Acts and sentences which the Classicall Assembly made against Mr. Hooker also what the Deputies of the Synod did in like manner judge of the thing Hee immediately begins to hold up his head and to looke so big upon us as if there were no remedie but wee must needs runne away and veeld him the cause Had these complaynants saith hee bene wise and considerate persons they would rather have sought to bury the memorie of these things then by their importunate complaints compell me in my owne defence to write these things which otherwise I should not have done But good Sir wherein lyeth the weight of this terrible matter what is it
nothing in them tending that way whereto you stretch them wee say and this is the most that the Magistrates will have us to take one that can speake Dutch and one in this Countrie Now may not they require so much and wee doe it and yet wee keepe still our power If Mr. Paget had but read our words charitably hee should haue seene that which hee inferreth from them to be directly in them contradicted For marke all Readers that haue sence wee say the Magistrates will have us to take one c. doth it not then follow that wee confesse they permit us to use the libertie and power which Christ hath given us yea encourage us to it yet so as wee chuse a man to their liking For conclusion then I shall exspect in his next Booke that hee either blot out this slaunder or make acknowledgement of his fault herein and to induce him the more unto it I wish him to read the Wise-mans saying Devise not evill against thy Neighbour Prov. 3.29 seeing hee dwelleth securelie by thee Lastly let it be noted how unprofitable hee is unto the peace of this Citie in that hee seeketh by untrue reports to set debate betwene the Rulers and people The Scripture saith In the multitude of people is the Kings honour As it is a fathers glory to haue a large posterity a shepheards prayse a great flock so it is a Gouvernours dignity and credit to exercise authority over many faithfull subjects But certain it is Mr. Paget hath bene an occasion not onely to drive some families hence but also a principall hinderer of many and those very rich in the world from coming hither the which thing tendeth unto the great hurt both of Church and Common-wealth and what I here speake I can make it good by many faithfull and honest witnesses The 8 injury is to all the Reformed Churches in publishing complaints against such lawfull authoritie as is exercised by them Answ 1. VVhen M. Paget by the Scriptures hath prooved the matters in controversy betweene us lawfull viz. the power of the Classis and his riffrafe Baptisme then I will by Gods grace acknowledge my fault herein till then I shall alwayes professe that hee hath borne false witnesse against his neighbour A thing in his writings too common with him 2. Observe here how Mr. Paget professeth plain Brownisme and condemneth the Church of England and that hee doth so I proove it thus All Reformed Churches use a Classicall gouvernment so saith hee But the English Church useth no such Therefore it is no Reformed Church and so consequentlie false VVhat Apologie hee can make to vindicate his reputation I yet know not but it may be wee shall see something of it in his next booke The 9 injury that hee taxeth me with is to all that seeke Reformation and desire the same Discipline that is practised in these Churches this their Booke being a stumbling block in the way Answ 1. I suppose by the seekers here after his Discipline hee meaneth the English non-conformists Now in this hee abuseth them and his Readers too for howsoever they would willingly shake off the Prelates yoke notwithstanding it is not to come under his Classicall authoritie but rather to erect that single uncompounded Policie which hee seemes to gibe at whereby particular Congregations are made to be independent Not standing under any other Ecclesiasticall authority out of themselves And that this is so I can proove it by many testimonies In a certain booke set out under the name of all the unconformable Ministers in the Realme they write thus Wee confine * Protestat King suprem pag. 12.13 and bind all Ecclesiasticall power within the limits onely of one particular Congregation Holding that the greatest Ecclesiasticall power ought not to streitch beyond the same and that it is an arrogating of Princelie supremacie * Marke this for any Ecclesiasticall person or persons to take upon themselves Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction over many Churches And a little after Wee hold that those Ecclesiasticall persons that make claime to greater power and authoritie then this especiallie that make claime Iure Divino * This Mr. Paget doth of power and Iurisdiction to meddle with other Churches then that one Congregation of which they are or ought to be members doe usurpe upon the supremacie of the civill Magistrate c. The Refuter of D. Downames Sermon handleth this point largely and prooveth from the Scriptures and best writers that every particular Congregation Repl 1. l. 3. p. 185. l. 1. part 2. p. 22 23.68 ought to haue absolute gouvernment in it self and that no Officer by vertue of his office may meddle with the affaires and matters of any Church except his owne To these wee will add D. Fulke a man famous and of rare learning in his Learned Discours of Ecclestasticall Gouvernment hee saith There ought to be in every Church an Elde ship Pag. 84. which ought to have the hearing examination and determining of all * Note this matters pertayning to the Discipline and Gouvernment of that Congregation I could name many more but it needs not specially because I shall have occasion to speake againe of the thing in another place Yet this may not be forgotten VVhereas there are many hundreds of our Country-men in New-England they have not erected there any Classicall Gouvernment but every particular Church exerciseth her owne I say within her self wholy which is a sure argument to proove that the foreward professours in England approove not of this kind of gouvernment here pleaded for although hee would feigne haue his Reader to thinke so 2. Whereas hee saith that our Booke is a stumbling block laid in the way of Reformation I suppose it will appeare so farre otherwise as that hee himself will be found chiefly in fault this way And therefore I wish him to be well advised what hee writes hereafter least the reasons which hee layeth downe for his gouverning of many Churches be applyed by the Popes men unto the Hierarchy and to as good purpose too And truely I cannot see but this may well be so considering that both their Disciplines tend unto the taking away of the Churches Right the difference is In the Hierarchy one doth it In the Classes more notwithstanding in this they joyne together viz. in depriving Churches of their due and lawfull power Tenthly hee saith I am injurious to all that are grieved for the offence arising by this fact hee being the cause of their grief Answ 1. If any grieve to see errour discovered the truth cleared good men justifyed unjust doers reprooved it is their fault and sinne But the writings published by me serve for this end and use 2. If any haue given occasion unto others of sorrow it is principally himself in that he hath by unlawfull meanes keept from us the profitable preaching of the mord whereby wee should have bene much furthered in the way to life and glory
If a father should withhold from his children seasonable and holesome food were it not a sufficient cause of weeping and mourning For our parts wee cannot judge otherwise of his caraige towards us howsoever hee blesseth himself in it The 11 and last injury is to all that take pleasure in these offences hee being a meanes to harden them in sinne Answ This is onely a begging againe of the question and therefore it is answered before For conclusion then here I may in his owne words say Pag. 32. Such reproaches are quicklie broched but the guilt of them is not so quicklie and easilie taken away Besides these I find many other untruths and reproaches laid upon me in his Booke unto all which I shall give answer in time But as for the writer of them I will say no more but that which the Reader shall find by experience Pro. 25.28 That as abattered city without walles so is hee that cannot rule his affections for his eger desire to fasten upon us hee cared not what hath left his writings naked without all reasonable and honest defence SECTION IV. IN this Section my purpose is to examen Mr. Pagets answers unto certaine Scriptures alleaged by us and Mr. Davenport in our writings First to proove that Christ hath given full power unto every particular Congregation to chuse freelie their owne Ministers wee mentioned Act. 6.3 and 14.23 Mr. Paget to refute us deviseth 8 Answers Pag. 18.19.20.21.22 amongst which there is not one that answereth to the thing at all nor serves his turne in the least for which hee bringeth it It is not necessary that I should here write downe all his words I will therefore onely take the substance of them which is thus 1. Wee accuse other Ministers besides himself 2. The order against which wee complaine hath bene formerlie observed in our Church 3. Wee are partiall because wee disliked not the thing sooner 4. Hee tells us what order the Synods have devised about the calling of Ministers 5. Wee are taught a thing never doubted of that the Elders ought to goe before the people in all the publick actions of the Church 6. If this be not so great absurditie will follow 7. If wee were apart well examined hee assures himself that few of us would be found to agree with one another touching the due order of elections 8. It is an heinous crime no lesse then sacriledge to deprive the Church of her lawfull power But is this to answer or rather in truth to play the Trifler For what are these 8 Replies but so many shifts and windings even miserable starting holes and scope doores for him to fly out at doth hee not here turne his backe upon the case as not willing to stand to it I wish hee would once againe read our Scriptures and his answer to them and to perswade him hereto I will presume though I looke to be requited with shrewd words for my labour to propose it to his view in this manner If the complaint made by William Best and the Subscribers with him be against Mr. Paget others If the order against which they complaine be ancient If they haue done ill in not blaming the thing till now If the Synods haue prescribed and order of calling Ministers If the Elders ought to goe before the Church in all publike actions If hurt will follow otherwise If the Complaynants cannot agree among themselves touching the due order of elections In short if it be a great sinne to deprive the Church of her due power Then doe not these Scriptures Act. 6.3 and 14.23 proove that Christ hath given full power to his Church to chuse freely their owne Ministers But the first is true Therefore the second Mr. Paget needs not to take it amisse that I have syllogistically framed this argument for him For beleeve it unlesse it goe this way a man may say of his reasoning here as of them in the Proverbe Hee asked for hookes and they say they have no mattocks Notwithstanding I doe not impute this to his insufficiency but to the badnes of his case Hee perceiving in likelyhood that these Scriptures made for us and against him thought of a course how to put them by and save his owne credit too and that was by holding his Reader in a long talke For will not many thinke when they shall read 7 or 8 scoore lines writen to confute 3 or 4. But the thing is soundly done 2. For the matter in pag. 20. I would willingly know why he hath writen a whole side to proove that the Gouvernours of the Church ought to goe before c. hath this thing ever bene in question Knoweth hee not that our difference is not about our owne Eldership But whither Officers of other Churches have ought to doe as by power with the administrations of our Congregation This indeed wee deny but nothing els Why therefore doth hee spend time in unncecessary talke If his heart be upright and hee thinke his case good let him speake out plainely and directly in it VVee affirme that the election and ordination of all Ecclesiasticall Officers ought necessarily to be made by the free chose of the Congregation wherein they are to administer and none else have a calling to meddle therewith For this wee bring the word of God Act. 6.3 and 14.23 Not wrested to serve our Turne but understood in that sence which the learned expound it as Cartwright a Refut Rbem on Act. 14.23 Bates b Pag. 66. Vdal c Demonst discip pag. 24.25 Danaeus d In 1 Tim. c. 5. p. 350. Fenner e Sacr. Theol. l. 7. c. 10. pag. 106. Polanus f Syntag. l. 7. c. 16. p. 543 Piscator g In Act. 6. Observ 2. Beza h Annot. in Act. 14.23 the Authors of the admonition to the Parliament i Lib. 1. p. 3 Church gouvernment k Pag. 40. Necessity of Discipline l Pag. 28. Defence of Ecclesiasticall Discipline m Pag. 40. and many others But Mr. Pagets profession and practise is otherwise Hee sayth * Preface that particular Congregations are not independent but stand under other Ecclesiasticall authority out of themselves And to have his Reader to be of the same mind with him hee tels him in pag. 19. and 66. that the Synods in these Countries have agreed to have it so If hee had told us and prooved it that Christ or his Apostles had so commaunded wee would haue embraced it forthwith but not the sooner because men have done it Our reasons are these 1. It doth not belong unto Synods as the Learned * Beza de Eccles c. 5. p. 125. Piscat Thes Theolog. loc 23. p. 372. Iusti. Mart. n Dial. cum i Tripho affirme to make new Articles of Religion nor to bring any thing into Gods house which hee hath not commaunded in his word Ministers sayth one ‡ D. Whita cont 4. quoe
34. it speaketh not any thing of the thing for which hee bringeth it 3. Howsoever the Israelites met in sundry places notwithstanding they were all but one Congregation for their Synagogues were not entyre Churches of themselves but parts or members of the nationall Church And therefore the Priests and Levites wheresoever they were exercised not some acts of their Ministery unto some that were not members of their Congregation as hee injudiciously affirmeth 4. Hee doth not well to compare the nationall sheepheards in Israel unto the Ministers now under the Gospel who are bound unto particular Congregations In pag. 66. hee seekes to strengthen the authority of Classes and Synods by the Iewish politie and gouvernment Now the Papists to establish the Sea of Rome use the same argument And the truth is if M r Paget intend to dispute this way they will cary it quite away from him But I thinke hee will hereafter be more considerate and speake no further of that manner and forme of Church gouvernment seeing hee knowes the most learned on our side doe condemne the Papists for it viz. Iunius a Animad v. Con. 1. l. 3. c. 4. Calvin b Inst. l. 4. c. 6. Sect. 2. Cartwright c Ag. Whitg l. 2. p. 614. D. Whitaker d Cont. 4. Qu. 1. and others It is likely M r Paget would take it amisse if I should silently passe over one thing which here and before in pag. 134. hee advertiseth the Reader to take notice of and that is that Mr. Ainsworth hath formerly brought against him these Scriptures viz. Act. 20.28 1. Pet. 5.2 But have none saving the Separatists alledged them to the like purpose as Mr. Davenport here doth indeed so hee insinuateth Now whither hee speake this as hee is perswaded or of purpose to deceive I will not determine neither will I presse him for resolution unlesse hee please But this I say the learned doe bring these allegations to the like purpose as Mr. Davenport here useth them that is to proove that ordinary Bishops * Repl. to D. Down Defen l. 2. part 2. pag. 141. and Elders are restrained and tyed to the oversight of one onely Congregation Peter sayth Mr. Cartwrith * Ag. Whitg ◠1 pag. 67.1 Pet. 5.2 Act. 20.28 willeth the Pastours of the Churches that they should feed the Flockes What Flockes Not everie one but those which are committed to their faith and trust or which dependeth upon them And so Paul speaking to the Ministers or Bishops of Ephesus willeth them that they should take heed unto the Flock over which the Holy Ghost had made them over-seers where hee restraineth as Peter did their oversight and watch to their owne particular Flock ‡ Eccl. Gouv p. 31. Defe of Discipl ag D. Br. pag. 46. A Pastour sayth another * must be limited to one onely Congregation And as hee is ordained to the attendance and service thereof so must hee there exercise and execute that office unto which hee is appointed Hee that desireth further satisfaction let him read Cartwrith Grounds of Relig. chap. 52. pag. 305 Polan Syntag. l. 7. cap. 11. pag. 535. D. Whitaker de Rom. Pont. cont 4. Quaest 1. pag. 11.12.13 Necessity of Discipl pag. 38. Refutat Doctor Downames lib. 2. Sermon part 2. pag. 26.70.79 Mr. Paget granteth that Pastours are required in Act. 20.28 and 1. Pet. 5.2 to exercise their Ministery in their owne Congregation Notwithstanding saith hee this prooves not but they may doe the like in other neighbour Churches I have already in part shewed the daungerousnes of this kind of reasoning in truth it doth not onely unclaspe the arguments which our Divines haue alledged against Hereticks but also it is a notable ground devised for Atheists and blasphemers to gather a number of most wicked positions by it For example to proove that wee must direct our prayers to God onely our Writers * Perk. 3 vo p. 121. Smith Essex Deue p. 15. Wischart pag. 16. alledge Mat. 6.9 When yee pray say Our Father c. But what may Papists reply hereunto If they will take their lesson out of Mr. Pagets Booke thus That wee are to direct our prayers to God wee grant Howbeit this place prooves not but wee may pray also to Angels in Heaven to Saints departed to any Image of wood and stone whatsoever Againe to refute their fiction of purgatory the Learned ‡ Pola Synt. l. 7. c. 24. p. 551. and his Symp. Cath. c. 29. th 1.2 Gerha Har. Hist. p. 183 Chem. Har. Hist c. 122. p. 1750. Pet. Mart. Loc. com Class 7. c. 9. p. 619. Alsted The. Polem pa. 4 pag. 369. Perk. 3. Vol. p. 227. on Mat. 7.12 cite Luk. 16.22.23 and 23.43 Mat. 7.13 where wee find mention made of a Heaven a Hell a streaght-gate a narrow-gate But if his doctrine be sound they may easily put this by and say we grant that these Scriptures proove there is a Heaven and a Hell c. notwithstanding there may be a third place too as wee hold for ought is here sayd to the contrary To be short wee read in Genesis that God in the beginning made the world Adam maried Eve c. now let this be granted yet according to his manner of disputing that may be true too which the Iewes fable to wit that many lesser worlds were made before that Adam had another wife besides Eve named Lillith * Bran. Spiegel printed at Craconia 1597. Ben Sirach Quaest 60. from whom hee was divorsed for her pride I could multiply instances in this kind to shew that there is not an errour so grosse and vile but it may be justifyed this same way and as well too which hee hath here devised to maintaine that Pastours may exercise all acts of their Ministerie in any Congregation besides their owne Hee tels us in pag. 89. that by our speeches wee doe exceedingly gratify many sorts of Libertines Arrians Socinians and other Hereticks But the truth is if hee looke well on his owne writing hee shall see the thing charged upon us most true in himself for besides the former instances marke how the Papists argue Caes Baron Tom. 1. p. 137. just as hee doth Although there be mention made in Scripture but of 3 Church Officers that is Bishops Elders and Deacons yet there were more c. Object But what if need require that a Pastour should administer the Sacraments Pag. 134. both of Baptisme and the Lords Supper in neighbour Churches that are destitute and hee is desired thereunto Answ 1. There is no precept nor example in the Scriptures to proove that such a thing should be desired Good minds must use good meanes also otherwise they please not God Obedience is better then sacrifice 2. I reason thus Whosoever rightly administreth the Sacraments must doe it by vertue of a Ministeriall calling But no man can administer the Sacraments by vertue of a Ministeriall calling saving in his owne
of the body notwithstanding it will not hence follow that men and women not joyned to any Congregation neither intending so to doe Moreover knowne to be idolaters adulterers and most prophaine persons may be reputed in the covenant by saying Amen or nodding with the head unto a few questions read out of a booke unto them and so lawfully procure the admission of their infants unto the seale of Baptisme Notwithstanding either this hee must proove or otherwise hee is guilty of abusing and mis-applying all these Scriptures ‡ Mat. 5.37 9.28 13.51 Ioh. 21.15 Rev. 22.20 Ps 106.48 1 Co. 14.16 Eccl. 19.8 24.3.4 Deut. 27.14.15 29.1.10.15 Rom. 1.45 c. Ioh. 13.24 Luk. 1.22.62 5.7 Act. 18.20 2. Cor. 8. 4.31 1. Chro. 29.20 2. Chron. 20.28 here heaped together And that the Reader may be better perceive the loosenes of his reasoning I doe intreat him to observe what wee say and what hee sayth unto it Whereas it is the custome of the Dutch Church to baptise many infans whose Parents are not members of any Church when they answer Yea at the Leiturgy of Baptisme publickely or by nodding the head This practise sayth Mr. Davenport and wee too is unlawfull Mr. Paget to justify it stepts in and tels us that in Moyses time in Christs time and after in the Apostles dayes many godly people members of the Church haue in some cases signifyed their meaning and their wills by short speaches and externall gestures And this is all the answer that hee makes to it So that hee maketh a shew of remooving the objection but in truth leaveth it altogether untouched But by his leave seeing hee slides away from the point I must intreat him to come back againe to it and plainely to proove unto us these 3 things which hee very cunningly takes for granted 1. By what authority hee publickely propoundeth certaine questions unto people that are not members of any particular Congregation and will have them to answer with Yea or nodding the head or the like 2. How it can appeare that such are to be counted Christians in the sence of the Scriptures which are visibly wicked men manifest no fruit of faith and repentance but when some questions are mooved to them and then all that they doe is to say Amen or to nod with the head at the afore-sayd questions 3. Seeing it is the judgement of the Learned * D. Cha. ser on Rom. 12 p. 53. Chrisost in Mat. Hom. 38 in Act. Hom. 19. Whitak ag Du. l. 1. de Scri. Defen godly Minist ag Br. p. 98. that the Canonicall Scripture ought onely to be read in the Congregation and no writing besides it Yea and divers Councills * Conc. Hippon cap. 38. Laod. c. 59. haue so concluded I would know then what warrant men have to read a Leiturgie of Baptisme publickely I suppose Mr. Paget is not ignorant that untill hee have cleared these things all that hee hath yet sayd is frivolous and impertinent Lastly let it be againe observed that the Papists * Bellarm. de Ecc. Mil. c. 2 See Sutclif Chal. c. 10. pag. 40. Perk. 3. Vol. pag. 536. and hee joyne here togither and both against the truth for they teach as hee doth Let a man be whatsoever hee will if hee professe the faith it is sufficient to make him a member of the Catholike Church Againe ‡ Stevarâ—â—us Comment in 1 Thess 3 8. p. 115. It is enought to baptisme if a man have the knowledge of the Creed the ten commaundements and Sacraments Would not one thinke that he had bene an apprintise to them in setting up the same trade or craft that they doe Now to the places of Scriptures The first is Act. 11. 21-26 A great number beleeved and turned unto the Lord c. and the Disciples were called Christians To this hee saith It cannot be specified by what words or signes more or lesse they professed their conversion unto God Answ 1. This allegation was not brought to shew by what words or signes the faith full professed their conversion unto God but to proove that men must first beleeve and be joyned to some visible Church before they can be counted Christians in that sence as to procure to use his words the admission of their infants to haue the seale of Baptisme But to this hee saith nothing but takes up a matter which hee needed not and passeth by what hee should haue spoken 2. Be it granted that it cannot be specified by what words c. yet it can be manifested that they shewed such faith and repentance as the grace of God appeared in them vers 23. Now suppose Mr. Paget were to make a Sermon on the doctrine of faith or repentance I doe thinke when hee should come to set downe the evidences of these graces hee would not affirme that Atheists Hereticks theeves murderers c. haue them notwithstanding the Parents of those children for whose Baptisme hee here pleadeth are I say many of them such vile wretches as hee well knowes 3. It is to be inquired whither his meaning be to compare those Disciples and Christians Act. 11.21.26 with the Churchles people in question If so Then I must be bold to tell him that as hee dishonoureth the primitive Saints so himself much more On the otherside if hee say hee intendeth no such thing then hee might haue spared much labour saved charge and spent his time more profitably then to write many words and all just nothing 4. I marvaile what was in his mind when hee wrote this answer Hee asketh How it can be prooved from hence that such as consented unto the doctrine of the Gospel propounded unto them by answering Yea or bowing their heads might not thereupon he admitted unto Baptisme they and their Infants Answ 1. I doe not yet understand how hee rayseth this observation viz. that the beleevers in Act. 11. consented to the doctrine of the Gospel by answering Yea to it or bowing their bodies in testimony of their liking thereof I perceive it is an easy thing to conquest if begging may procure one that But I mind not to give the case so away Therefore I doe deny that ever these embraced the truth in so absurd a sort And seeing this is an assertion of his owne head it lies him now upon to justify it Tertullian * In his booke of prescript ag Heret sayth It is not lawfull for men to flatter themselves with any thing of their owne opinion and judgement nor chuse that which comes in their owne braine Wee have the Apostles for example who taught nothing after their owne pleasure but faithfully the doctrines which they received of Christ. 2. If by pronouncing the doctrine of the Gospell hee meane a reading or saying over of a Lituâ—gie as is the matter in controversy then I doe againe deny that there was in the Apostles dayes any such thing practised 3. If it should be
ordinances wee will now speake a little of the other part that is proove that particular Congregations doe not stand under any other Ecclesiasticall authoritie out of themselves viz. Classes and Synods ARGVMENT VII Such Offices and callings without which the Church of God is complete and perfect for Gonvernment are superfluous and humane But the Church of God may be complete and perfect for Gouvernment without Classicall and Synodicall Offices and callings Therefore these Offices and callings are superfluous and humane This argument the Protestants haue used against the Pope and the Reformists against Bishops Arch-Bishops Chancellours c. Now the same is every-way as firme and good against Synods Classes for without them the Church of God is fully brought to complete perfection and unity D. Fulke * Learn Disc Eccl. Gouv pag. 10.11 confidently affirmeth so much That which D. Whitaker * De Conc. Qu. 1. p. 22.23 writes of generall Councills is by Mr. Parker * Polit. Eccl. l. 3. p. 133. applyed and rightly unto particular Synods The Church of God sayth hee can well subsist without them for she was sometimes without them besides wee are not bound by any speciall commaundement of God to haue them ARGVMENT VIII Whatsoever Gouvernment cannot be found commaunded in the writen Word of God ought not to haue any place in the Church of God But the Gouvernment of Classes and Synods over many partioular Congregations cannot be found commaunded in the writen Word of God Therefore it ought not to haue any place in the house of God The first part is grounded upon these Scriptures Esa 8.20 Mat. 2.8 ult 1. Thess 5.21 Gal. 5.1 2. Tim. 1.13 Likewise this is the judgement of many learned men Athanasius * Epist in prae ad Orthod sayth The Ecclesiasticall Canons come from the Apostles Cyprian ‡ Diaco c. quae Athan. Apo. 2. inseritur sayth From the Scriptures doe spring and thither doe returne whatsoever the Ecclesiasticall Discipline doth require Iulius * Repleo D. Whitg l. 1. p. 25. sayth Not shew of eloquence but Apostolicall Canons are required Mr. Cartwright ‡ sayth Nothing should be placed in the Church but what God in his Word hath commaunded The like Theodoret a 1. Cor. 11. Ambrose b In 1. Co. 7 Ignatius c Epist 2. ad Smyrn Augustine d Epist. 119 Cyrill e In Ioh. 1. and others The second part is also as manifest for if wee once grant as all Learned haue granted that the Churches of the Apostolique constitution were independent bodies and exercised Ecclesiasticall gouvernment in and of themselves then it must follow that Classicall Assemblies c. haue their rise wholy from the pleasure and will of man ARGVMENT IX That Gouvernment which meerly tendeth unto the taking away from particular congregations their due power is unlawfull But the Gouvernment of Classes and Synods as they now are doth meerly tend unto the taking away from particular congregations their due power Therefore that Gouvernment is unlawfull The Major of this argument may easily be prooved by sundry places of Scriptures viz. 1. Thessal 4.6 3. Ioh. 9. Prov. 22.28 Deut. 19. â—4 Gal. 5.1 Also it is grounded upon the definition of justice which is as Tully a L. 3. Offic. Iustinian b Instit l. 1. tit 1. p. 2. and others say to give every one his owne And so much imports the word according to the Etymologie or precise signification of it both in Greeke c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist l. 5. Ethic. c. 7. and Laten d Im à jure Funger Ety Triling p. 4050. The Minor is as manifest 1. by Mr. Pagets owne testimony in pag. 66. where hee confesseth that they haue concluded among themselves in their Synods that no particular Congregation without the leave and consent of the Classis shall proceed to the election of Ministers excommunication of offenders and the like As they have gone in this act farre bejond their calling for as Mr. Barlow * ‡ Expos on 2. Tim. 1. v. 13. doct 6 pag. 357. sayth No man under the degree of a Prophet or an Apostle may prescribe Gods Church and children patternes so by it is the whole power of Churches in a manner taken quite away For instance say the Classes and Synods will not permit that a Congregation shall reject some convicted Heretickes then they must if they will beleeve Mr. Paget let them alone in their communion against Gods expresse commaundement and so obey men rather then God Tit. 3.10 Againe put case some Churches doe want Ministers yet notwithstand if the Classes and Synods will not give them leave to chuse any except unfit and insufficient persons then it seemes by this Synodall Canon they must take such or remaine destitute still Againe this is cleare by their practise likewise for albeit they are no members of our Church notwithstanding they take authority over us and over our Eldership too yea in truth so much authority as any Lord can doe over his servant for so long as hee doth what his maister will haue him doe hee is left alone but if hee meddle with things against the others liking hee is immediately commaunded to cease and so must not proceed further Now what is our case otherwise so long as wee doe that which contenteth Mr. Paget and them wee are suffered otherwise though wee doe jointly conclude an action yet it must not stand for wee are told it doth not belong unto us * So saith Mr. Paget in his answ to a certain writing given in the Consist Mar. 12. 1632. and therefore must give it over So that in the words of the Prophet ‡ Ier. 4.13 See before pag. 16.17.18 wee may justly complaine Woe unto us wee are spoyled ARGVMENT X. It is a sinne against God to add any thing to that forme and manner of ordering Churches which Christ our heavenly Prophet hath set forth unto us in the New Testament To subject particular Congregations under any other Ecclesiasticall authoritie out of themselves is to add unto that forme manner of ordering Churches which c. Therefore it is a sinne to doe it The proposition cannot be excepted against for the Scriptures herein are evident Deut. 4.2 Iosh 1.7 Prov. 30.6 Gal. 3.15 Rev. 22.18.19 If it be a capitall crime to adulterate the Kings coyne How much more c. And of this judgement are many learned men viz. Augustine a L. 30. c. 18. cont Faust Basil b Moral c. 14. Chrisostome c In Agg. c. 1 Cyrill d In Levit. l. 9. Bede e In 1. Pet. 5 Cope f In Prov. 30.6 D. Abbots g Agai Hill pag. 15. Brentius h In Exod. 35. p. 168. Mr. Cartwright i In Prov. 30.6 Melancton k Vpon Col. 2 23. p. 381. Elton and others The Assumption cannot for shame be denyed onely because the weight of the
Testimonies I doubt not but to make it manifest that as the Scriptures so they are also with us and so much shall be declared in the next Section SECTION VIII THe allegations of the Learned which I purpose here to set downe shall be taken 1. From Papists 2. Lutherans 3. Calvinists 4. English Conformists 5. The Non-Conformists 6. Ancient Writers And lastly the Confession of Reformed Churches Howsoever Romes-Champions * Bellarm. de verb. Dei l. 3. c. 5. Rhem. in Mat. 18.17 1. Cor. 5.2 Aegid Topi. Conc. in Ep. Euangel p. 280. Stapl. de auth Eccl. cont Whita c. 1. c. 1. Sect. 5. will haue none now to meddle with Church-Gouvernment but Preists Bishops Prelates c. yet they doe acknowledge that in the primitive Church according to the precept of Christ in Mat. 18. offenders after the first and second admonition were brought to the whole Congregation met in one place together that is the Christians with their Bishop or Pastour and there if they continued impenitent by the consent and approbation of all they were excommunicated by the Minister * Sculting Hier. Anar l. 11. p. 134 Marke I pray thee Reader the marvelous efficacy of the truth which forceth a testimony thereof even from them that are to it the greatest enimies It is here acknowledged as the truth is the right of Ecclesiasticall Gouvernment at first was in the body of every particular Congregation there lay the due power I doe not say chiefly but wholy so that what spirituall power is now assumed above this whither it be Papall or Episcopall whither it be Classicall or Synodall they are humane ordinances and apparent violation of a divine institution Others of them speake * Saravia cont Bez. pag. 62. Schol. Paris in Pol p. 6. as plaine All Ecclesiasticall authority primarily properlie and essentiallie belongeth to the Church to the Officers instrumentallie Ministerially and so farre onely as it respecteth the execution of it Here is nothing sayd to justify Ministers in taking more authoritie to themselves then they grant their congregations but a testimony to the contrary For what they doe is onely Ministerially as the servants of the Church and therefore a most unseemelie thing without the Churches fore knowledge liking and consent to make acts or decrees but more to bind men to the keeping thereof whither they will or no. To these wee will adde Alphonsus a L. 2. c. 24. de inst Har. de Costro and Franciscus Victoria b In relect de potest Eccl. Qu. 2. the Maister of Canus both these affirme that all Bishops doe receive jurisdiction and power immediately from God If so then one needs not to seeke anothers authority for every one in his owne Church may lawfully administer all Gods ordinances whither others otherwhere doe like or not Thus God who brought light out of darkcnes ordered these mens tongues to give witnes unto his truth Neither may Cusanus * De concor Cathol l. 1. c. 11. c. 14.15.16 words be unremembred who speaking on this place To thee will I give the kees sayth this promise of Christ must be referred unto the whole Church Sanders ‡ De visib Mon. l. 1. c 6. Scultingius * Hierarch Anarch l. 4. pag. 103. and others of them give the same exposition viz. that when Christ promised Peter the kees hee in person presented the bodie of the Church According to these mens writing the power of binding and loosing election of Ministers deposition and the like is in the bodie of the Congregation if so then Classes and Synods have it not I mean of right Iohn Ferus a Frier of S. Francis Order but godlier then the ‡ Such as Bucanan describeth in his Franciscanus common sort intreating in his Commentaries writen on the Actes of the example of Peter how hee was required to render a reason of that which hee had done maketh this note upon it Peter the Apostle and chiefe of the Apostles is constrained to give an account to the Church neither doth hee disdaine it because hee knew himself not to be a Lord but a Minister of the Church The Church is the Spouse of Christ and Lady of the House Peter a Servant and Minister wherefore the Church may not onely exact an account of her Ministers but also depose them and reject them altogether if they be not fit So did they in old time verie often But wicked Bishops now will not be reprooved no not of the Church nor be ordered by it as though they were Lords not Mlnisters * Fer. in Act. 11. What can be more for us then this For hee absolutely grants us the thing which wee stand for that is that the Church is above her Officers and therefore may require when there is just occasion a strict account of their actions Yea more if she find them unfaithfull whether it be in carying themselves more like Lords then servants or in stead of executing the degrees and sentences of the Church devise Lawes against her or in stead of maintaining her right freedom and priviledges seeke to bring her into bondage she may put them downe and place better in their roome But it seemes by Mr. Pagets question in pag. 82. if hee had bene in Peters place hee would not have had his matter debated and discussed openlie before the whole multitude of the Church notwithstanding I cannot see how hee could haue avoyded it seeing there was then no Classes for him to haue made his appeale unto I could here produce others of them viz. Gratian a Caus 11. p. 3. 6. Gregorie b Lib. 4. Epist 8.2 P. Aeneas Silvias c De gest Conc. Basil lib. 1. Pope Anacletus d Dist 21. c. in nov Test Sixtus Senensis e Bib. San. l. 8. annot 171. Thomas of Aquine f In 4 sent dist 2.4 qu. 3. art 2. Alexander of Ales g Sum. Theo. part 4 qu. 20. me 5.6 Iohn Scott h In Magist sent l. 4. dist 19. art 1. c. some affirming that the greatest authoritie is in the Church that the kees were given to all the Apostles others that all Bishops are equall in power and the like But wee will leave these men and come to more authenticke witnesses It is affirmed by the Centuries of Meydenburg that from Christs ascension unto Trajans * Cent. 1. c. 4. Cent. 6.7 Col. 591. time which is about a 100 yeares everie particular Church was gouverned by the Bishops Elders and Deacons of the same Moreover describing the state of Christian Churches from Trajans * Cent. 2. c. 7. p. 134. 135. raigne unto Severus that is from the yeare of Christ 100 to 195 thus they write If any read the approoved Authours of this age hee shall see that the order of Gouvernment was popular for all Churches had equall power of teaching purelie the Word of God administration of the Sacraments excommunication of
Hereticks and wicked persons loosing the penetent the election and ordination of Ministers and the deposition of them againe for just cause Mr. Brightman * On Rev. ch 12. pag. 505. 506. comes Lower downe even unto Constantines time and is of opinion that the primitive puritie of Church Gouvernment was not yet defloured with the dregges of mans invention Neither had Satan brought in Prelaticall pride into the sheep fould of the Lord but the Pastours looked every one to the health of his owne Flocke Hence it appeares that for the space of 200 or 300 yeares after Chrlst * See Mr. Iacob necess Reform pag. 57. c. every visible Church had power to exercise Ecclesiasticall Gouvernment and all other Gods spirituall ordinances the meanes of salvation in and for it self immediately from Christ And this is a thing so certainly true as I thinke Mr. Paget himself will not haue the face to deny it What authoritie then to use anothers * B. Bilson agai Semin p. 221. speach had others after the Apostles death to change the Apostolike Gouvernment But seeing they haue done it what must wee doe Thus leave their inventions and returne backe to the Churches of the Apostolique institution and from them take our patterne and platforme to walke by and thus God teacheth a Eze. 20.18 Exod. 23.2 Mat. 15.24 c. us to doe and learned men also viz. Arnobius b Lib. 2. con Gent. Ignatius c Epist. ad Philadil Iulianus d De Bapt. Heret B. Iewel e Defe Apol. 6. pa. c. 16. div 2. pag. 762. D. Rainolds f Confer 195.459 and others But to goe foreward with our witnesses From these let us ascend to the very first worthies who haue brought us a great part of the light of the Gospel in this later age Zwinglius ‡ Hee was no Lutheran and Luther The first sayth thus * Ad Valen. Comp. Excommunication is not in the Bishops gathered together in a Synod but the right and power thereof is in the Congregation And therefore according to Christs commaundement in Mat. 18. Offenders ought to be brought to the Church whereof they are members ‡ Art 31. Explat Epichirisis de Canon Miss and being obstinate by the Church the Pastour pronouncing the sentence are to be cut off Againe concerning calling to the Ministery hee sayth ‡ Ecclesiastes The right of election is in the whole Church Mr. Luther another excellent witnes of Christ affirmes * Tom. 2. pag. 374. that the Church hath the right and power to judge of any doctrine also of calling the Ministers of the Gospell or if they cease to be faithfull to depose them But is not this contrary to Mr. Pagets new opinion yea altogether For though a Congregation should haue just cause to put downe some Officers notwithstanding by his grounds if they appeale unto Ministers of other Churches and they judge them fit to continue in their places then must they be left alone how vile soever they are so that to speake the truth the power which hee alloweth unto particular Congregations is just nothing Chemnitius another famous man and of rare learning among the followers of Luther is herein with us likewise for hee testifyeth that election * Exam. par pag. 226. 227. 228. Harm in Mat. 18.17 excommunication examination of sentences ‡ Exa Con. Trid. part 1. p. 3. c. belong unto the whole Church Againe observe what hee attributeth in another place to the Congregation what to the guides thereof To the first power * Exam. c. 6. to the later the administration of it Melancton * Loc. com tit de reg Christ hath the like distinction I could here mention many others of them which consent with us fully as Sarcerius a In Mat. 18. Brentius b Exeges in Ioh. 12.23 D. Rungius c In 1. Cor. 5.3.4 Hunnius d In Mat. 16. Osiander e Harm in Mat. 18.17 Salneccer f In Act. 6. Pelargus g In Act. 6. 14. D. Mylius h In 1. Cor 5 Hegendorphin i In Act. 14. c. none of these hold as Mr. Paget that particular visible Churches are noun-adjectives cannot stand without Classes and Synods but on the other side they grant them I mean to the Eldership and Brethren right and power to practise in and among themselves all Gods ordinances For those now whom for distinction sake wee name Calvinists these men I take it are the multitude of Godly and learned Ministers which doe as hee sayth agree in judgement and practise with him Now before I come to lay downe their particular allegations touching our point in controversy This I desire may be observed that it cannot be manifested as I am perswaded that there is among them all one Authour which hath in his Commentaries on the Scriptures taught the doctrine maintained by Mr. Paget here against us It is true some of them grant to the Eldership greatest authority others to the body of the Congregation Notwithstanding none haue bene so erronious as to say that the whole Church I meane Officers and Brethren wants authority to performe in and for it self all Church-services Now for the Authours Peter Martyr a Class ch 5. sect 9. in his common places making the Church a Monarchy in respect of Christ an Aristocracy in respect of the Elders addeth also that because there are matters of great weight and importance referred unto the people as excommunication absolution choosing of Ministers and the like it hath also a consideration of a popular gouvernment Of the same judgement was Iunius b Eccl. l. 3. c. 1. The whole Church sayth hee ought to chuse that is the body consisting of the Eldership and people by equall and common voyces This is the right manner of choosing Ministers With them joynes Musculus c Com. Pl. elect Mini. Viret d Groung Relg l. 3. ch 1. Bullinger e Decat 5.4 Danaeus f In Tim. 5.22 Gualter g Hom. in Act. 13.2 13.22 Sybrandus h Respons ad Hug. p. 159 D. Mornaeus i Hist pa. 542. c. Morell k Tom. 4. fol. 534. Tilenus l Respons ad Com. La Vat. Qu. 8. Epist 14 c. all these I say doe directly affirme the same thing viz. that all particular visible Churches haue full power to ordaine and chuse among themselves fit Ministers Neither can it be gathered to my knowledge anywhere in their writing that unto a full and complete calling of Church Officers any more Ecclesiasticall authority and power is required then that which Christ hath set in every Congregation distinctly and apart To the same purpose they write about excommunication and the absolution or the reconciliation of the excommunicate those are actions they say common to the whole Church and not of any private person or persons Bastingius
2 sect 4. Excommunication precisely and chiefely pertaineth to the Church and that she hath authority to commit the execution thereof to some speciall persons for that purpose and chosen for that end To the same effect Willet a Synops cont 4. qu. 4 p. 2. And Tailor b Comm. on Tit. ch 3. v. 10. p. 712. sayth that excommunication is the common action of the Church and not of any private person or persons VVhat more obvious and cleare by these mens testimonies then that every particular Congregation hath power fully in it self to performe all Gods ordinances But hath not Mr. Paget in the meane time just cause to blush who denies to the Churches of God that due power which the Learned of all professions doe grant unto her For the Non-conformists I have already shewed that they consent fully with us Pag. 23. Notwithstanding some thing more I will here speake of them and the rather because time was when Mr. Paget did esteeme them to be a multitude of Godly and learned Ministers and was or at least made a shew hee was of their judgement and practise Hee that reades the controversy betweene Downame and the Replyer shall there see this very point betwixt Mr. Paget and us largely handled The Doctor stoutly maintaineth Mr. Paget position viz. that particular Churches are dependent and stand under another Ecclesiasticall authoritie out of themselves The other sayth otherwise and often affirmeth * Li. 2. par 2. p. 104. that the administration of all Church-matters at first was in everie congregation the right in the Church the execution in the Presbyterie thereof For this purpose hee instanceth Cenchrea * Li. 1. part 2. p. 22.23 howsoever it was the port of Corinth and not farre from it as Radcliffe or lime House to London yet it was a distinct Church from that of Corinth and alike indued with full power ‡ Note of Ecclesiasticall gouvernment Mr. Parker speakes downe right in this thing and prooves by Text of Scriptures judgement of ancient Fathers Confession of Protestant Divines and many unanswereable reasons that a Pol. Eccl. l. 3. c. 6. all Ecclesiasticall power is alwayes in the whole congregation from hence it flowes as from the fountaine and to the same it returneth as to the sea And here by the way I doe demaund of you Mr. Paget seeing every Minister as the Learned b Par. in 1. Cor. 3.2 Park Pol. Eccl. l. 3. c. 12. Tilen Specu Antichri p. 14. D. Whitak de con qu. 5. p. 118. rightly say is the Churches servant and under her authoritie and administreth for her VVhat warrant then you and others haue to make any decree or sentence against the mind and liking of a whole Church and to require them to submit thereto Me thinkes such doing becomes not servants And whither this be not to be Lords over Gods Heritage contrary to Peters charge I desire the humble and Godly to consider In Title page Vnto these wee will adde the Authour of the English Puritanisme a Booke as the Publisher reports containing the maine opinions of the rigidest sort of those that are called Puritaines * He meanes the foreward professours which stand out against the Ceremonies in the Realme of England among other truths 1. They hold and maintaine that every company Congregation or Assembly of men ordinarily joyning together in the true worship of God is a true visible Church of Christ and that the same title is improperly attributed unto any other convocations Synods Societies combinations or Assemblies whatsoever 2. They hold that all such Churches or Congregations communicating after that manner together in Divine worship are in all Ecclesiasticall matters equall and of the same power and authority and that by the word and will of God they ought to have the same spirituall Priviledges Prerogatives Officers Administrations Orders and formes of Divine worship 3. They hold that Christ Iesus hath not subiected any Church or Congregation of his note this to any other superiour Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction then unto that which is within it self so that if a whole Church or Congregation shall erre in any matter of faith or Religion no other Church or spirituall Church-Officers have by any warrant from the Word of God power to censure punish or controule the same But are onely to advise them and so to leave their soules to the immediate iudgement of Christ and their bodies to the sword of the civill Magistrate c. 4. They hold that every established Church ought as a speciall prerogive wherewith shee is indued by Christ to have power and liberty to chuse their owne spirituall and Ecclesiasticall Officers c. 5. They hold that if in this choyse any particular Churches shall erre that none upon earth but the Civill Magistrate hath power to controule or correct them for it c. 6. They hold that the Ecclesiasticall Officers and Ministers of one Church ought not to beare any Ecclesiasticall office in another but ought to be tyed unto that Congregation of which they are members and by which they are elected into office c. There is nothing here sayd but many others of our learned Country-men have sayd the like as D. Ames a Casconsc l. 4. c. 29. Mr. Banes b Dioces Triall conclus 4. Mr. Bates c Pag. 66. Mr. Fenner d Against Bridg pag. 15.16 Mr. Vdall e Demonst. Discipl pag. 24.25 c. In the English Church at Franckford in Queene Maries dayes it was agreed upon that ‡ Discours of troub Frank. pag. 115. the Ministers and Seniours severally and iointly shall have no authority to make any manner of Decrees or Ordinances to bind the Congregation or any member thereof But shall execute such ordinances as shall be made by the Congregation and to them delivered Againe None shall be excommunicated untill the matter be first heared by the whole Church That the Ministers and Seniours and every of them be subiect to Ecclesiasticall discipline as other private members of the Church be Neither shall Mr. Hookers * In his answer to Mr. Pagets 20. quest Answ 11. Testimony be unremembred who affirmeth that a particular Congregation may lawfully and without sinne call a Minister without or against the approbation of the Classis And hee gives this reason for it They which had complete and perfect Ministers before any Classis had power fully to call them But a particular Congregation had perfect and complete Ministers perfectly and completely called before any Classis Ergo c. Thus Reader thou mayst perceive that Mr. Paget hath left the way of Non-conformitie yea and shewes himself to it a great adversary Indeed so sore a one that in his own words I may truely say As Herod to kill one infant Pag. 73. spared not to kill a multitude of other infants so hee that hee might undermine us and blow us up into the ayre hee cared not
nor spared not with the gunpowder of his fiery contention and reproaches to blow up with us a multitude of Godly and learned Ministers being of the same iudgement Howsoever I haue mentioned already some testimonies of the most ancient times after the Apostles downeward even while any soundnes of the Gospel did shew it self in the world Notwithstanding that this right and due power of the Church for which wee stand may not be thought a Noveltie as Mr. Paget jestingly intimates and so unbeseeming Christians to embrace it I haue thought it convenient to write some thing further herein that is to shew that the best approoved Authours after the Apostles are directly with us in this thing also affirming that every particular visible Church of Christ hath power to exercise Ecclesiasticall gouvernment and all other Gods spirituall ordinances in and for it self immediately from Christ And this God willing I will doe in order according to the times in which they lived To begin first with Ignatius who was as some ‡ thinke Euseb l. 3. c. 22. Pastour of the Church at Antioch in his writings wee find it manifested that it was then * Anno 90. the manner of visible Churches to come together in one place * Ad Philadelp ad Magnes a Trall to worship God having Bishops Elders and Deacons unto their Officers whom the people freely choose by voyces or lifting up of hands Is it not hence apparent that Congregations in this age were free and could exercise among themselves all Gods ordinances Tertullian relating the manner of Christian Assemblies in his time * Anno 200 sayth * Tertull. Apol. c. 29. They came together into one Congregation for to pray unto God for to reherse the Divine Scriptures and with holy Words to nourish faith stirre up hope and fasten confidence And they used exhortations reproofes and divine Censure Origen * In Iosu Hom. 7. Anno 225. writes much to the same purpose Such as were brought in the third place for sinne unto the Congregation if they stood obstinate by the iudgement of the whole Church were excommunicated from the body the Elders of the Church pronouncing the sentence Observe here hee sayth not that the matter was caried to a Classis and there first determined c. but names onely the Congregation and Elders thereof notwithstanding had there bene any such superiour judicatorie Assembly is it likely hee would haue omitted it and mentioned a subordinate and inferiour one Cyprian Bishop of Carthage * Anno 225 Cypr. l. 3. Epist. 14. 10. sheweth how causes were not handled before the Elders but the whole multitude without whose consent also no thing was done And speaking of calling to the Ministery hee sayth * Li. 1. Ep. 4 the people have power principallie to chuse worthy Ministers and refuse unworthy ones VVhat can be more full and absolute to our purpose then this Eusebius a Anno 305 testifyeth that the Churches of the most famous Cities were in their constitution first but one ordinary constant Congregation as Ierusalem b Eus l. 3.11 Ephesus c L. 3.28 Alexandria d 3.13 Hierapolis e 4.1 Corinth f 3.32 Sardis g 4.22 c. This being so then it followes that primitively they were independent and stood not under any other Ecclesiasticall authority out of themselves Athanasius often sayth that * Anno 330 Epist in pers ad Orthodox Eist ad Soli. vit dege Epist conâ— Nicae c. 9. Eccl. Hist elections excommunications c. according to the Apostles precept ought to be done in the publicke Congregation by the Ministers they taking first the peoples voyce or consent To these wee will adde Epiphanius Ierome Ambrose Cyrill Hillarie and Greg. Nazienzen writers in one age * Anno 380 Touching Ecclesiasticall Gouvernment these to this purpose speake Particular Churches may lawfully ordaine their owne Bishops without other Presbyters assisting them h Epiph conc Haer. 73. and among themselves excommunicate offenders i Id. l. 1. Haeres 30. To. 2. haer 5 In every Congregation there ought to be a Senate or Assembly of Elders k Ieron ad Gal. qu. 10. The power of chusing them is in the people l Ad Rustic Hill ad Const Augu. Ciril in Ioh. 20.21 these with spirituall bridles order men m Amb. Off. l. 1. c. 1. Naziaâ—z in Orat. fâ—r de patr c. VVhat more certaine then that the thing for which wee stand is here justified by all these Ancients They haue not writen dishonorably of the Churches of God sought to disable them from practising Christs ordinances subjected them to other Ecclesiasticall authority out of themselves But contrary wise acknowledged as the truth is that every particular CongregatioÌ„ hath an intyre jurisdiction within it self and so power liberty to chuse her owne Officers excommunicate offenders and the like I say without the approbation of Classis yea against it if there be just cause There are others besides which beare witnes to this truth viz. Augustine a Li. 1. c. 17 de doct Chr. Chrisostome b De Sacerd. l 3. c. 4. Basil c In Constit. Monach. l. 4.14 6.2 7. c. 35. Socrates d Lib. de Offic. Isidorus e Ad Eugen. Bernard f Conci Cart. 3. Can. 22. Nicen. Conc. 330. Concil Constantinop Anno 682. c. Moreover some Councells haue granted so much and Christian Emperours ‡ Distinct. 61. cap. Sacror Codex de Episco l. 38. 29. by their Lawes confirmed it Of all which it may be another time wee shall haue occasion to speake more fully Touching Reformed Churches If wee may take the Confession of their faith for testimony then surely wee haue their consent also with us The Confession of the Bohemian Churches * Harm Conf. ch 14 hath these words The keyes that is Ecclesiasticall Gouvernment are given in trust and graunted to the Pastours and to each severall Ecclesiasticall Societie that is ordinary Congregation whither they be small or great To this the Churches under the Palsgrave ‡ Publicke Catechism in the end of part 2. likewise consented For election of Ministers the Helvetian * Art 16.17 Confession sayth It is right when it is done by the Churches voyce giving and the laying on of hands of the Minister The Confession of the French * Art 30. Churches is the same so Auspurge ‡ Art 14. Also the publicke order set forth in these Low-Countries * Art 31. accordeth therewith The Synod of Middelburgh * 1581. hath these words Let the election of Ministers be in the power of the Church and let it be done by voyces publickely in the Temple The Synod of Tilleburgh in Nasovia determined the like as Zepperus * Polit. Eccl. in fine writeth There is extant a publicke order published in Middelburgh Anno 1602. agreeing with all the former
hold for an infallible maxime that to reforme corruptions and abuses in states a better course cannot be taken then to reduce things to their primitive originall Hereto agrees D. VVhites * Of the Church l. 2. pag. 49. saying The first in any kind or sort of things is truest and best 4. If it should be granted that particular Congregations by this kind of gouvernment shall haue peace profit credit and other worldly respects yet this is no sufficient reason to induce them to embrace it For 1. wee must seeke peace by lawfull meanes 2. Outward quietnes is not alwayes necessary for the Church the Truth is like unto Camomill the more you presse it downe the faster it groweth and spreadeth further and smelleth sweeter 3. Religion can subsist without externall peace I say safely in the midst of contentions 4. It is better to want this freedom of which hee speaketh holding fast the truth then in sinne to haue it and perish for it 5. It is a rule among Lawers ‡ Bartol Distinct pag. 2. that publicke profit must not take place against Law this holds firme in all cases of Religion To conclude then in Nazianzens * De Moderat in disceptat Servand words Let no man be wiser then is meet not more just then the Law more bright then the sun streaghter then the rule nor pretend more obedience then God requireth c. This hee speakes of Discipline Another of his reasons is this Pag 72.153 The power for which hee standeth hath bene determined limited and agreed upon in many Nationall Synods And all Reformed Churches use it Answ 1. It is a received opinion among the Learned that Councills may erre yea and often haue as I could shew in many particulars Besides who knowes not that almost all the Fathers as they are called were infected with the errour of Millenaries And almost all the Greeke writers and Latine with the doctrine of free-will merits invocation on the Saints and the like And therefore as one well sayth ‡ Sibrand Lubbert de princ Christ l. 7. c. 10. p. 694. Wee must not conclude a thing to be Apostolicall because the Church observeth it And to the same effect write some Papists * Tho Aqui in quod l. 9. Art ult Abb. Panor de elect c. significat 2. These testimonies are all humaine and therefore it is enought if wee say with our Lord ‡ Mat. 19.8 From the beginning it was not so Or as hee sayd once Woman what have I to doe with thee So in matters of faith what haue wee to doe with men Away with mens writings sayth Augustine let the voyce of God sound unto us Let the Booke of God come amongst us Let us heare what Christ saith and what the truth speaketh For our judgements and expositions without these witnesses have no credit sayth Origen 3. This reason is the same which the Papists use viz. the Decrees a Whitak cont 4. Qu. 5. c. 10. Sarav de Tripl Episc in Prolog Io. Ainsw Large writing 2. of Synods the opinions of the Fathers the custome of men and practise of the Church But marke what answer our Protestant Divines make to it No b D. Rain Confer p. 195.257.459 D. Bilson to the Semina part 4. pag. 360.300.301.299 D. More Apol. p. 2. c. 14. Casaub Epi. ad Per. Car. p. 32.33 humaine proofe is sure in Divinity truth is not to be tried by consent of Fathers Never shall they perswade us any thing in matter of Religion which they cannot proove by Moyses and the Prophets Make us good proofes out of Scriptures Otherwise if ye cite not onely 9 but 9 skore Fathers wee regard it not Now this answer will serve me as well seeing Mr. Paget and they doe use one and the same reasoning Another objection which hee hath against us is Because wee haue not framed our accusation and protestation against him before this present seeing the practise hath continued among us many yeares c. Answ Formy part I never knew that our Congregation was in such deepe bondage untill Mr. Hookers troubles began but thought verely that our owne Eldership with the Brethren jointly together had full power among themselves to practise every ordinance of God And the thing specially which induced me so to thinke was his owne words * Arâ—ow against sep pag. 116. writen to Mr. Ainsworth reporting how hee was first made our Minister hee sayth The Dutch Eldership in this City being desired hath for their counsell and help in his ordination deputed three of their Brethren to assist us in this busines c. this they did not as assuming authoritie ‡ Note to themselves over us but in our name and by our request Being now established when as of late another Minister was called unto our Congregation wee used not their help herein as before but his ordination was performed by our owne Ministerie and Eldership without them If the Classis assumed not then any authority unto themselves over us how comes it to passe that they doe it now Or how will it hang together that their power is ancient and yet 20 or 30 yeares past they used it not This to me seemes grosse contradiction and that hee eates his owne words as Saturne did his children But I gesse what hath caused him to tell two contrary tales namely the difference of the people against whom hee hath writen The first were Separatists and therefore no marvaile though against them hee pleaded for a free Congregation for hee well knew that unlesse hee went this way to worke hee should fall with dishonour in the controversie between them The other are the oppressed and burthened members of the English Church in Amsterdam Now to keepe these under their burden and oppression hee sees that hee must let goe his former hold and on the contrary say wee are not a free Congregation but stand under another Ecclesiasticall authoritie out of our selves Thus a good wit will serve a disputant in good stead for by it if hee list hee can as the Poëts fable of their Proteus turne himself into all shapes Like him who having made an excellent speach in the commendation of justice afterwards spake as wittily to the contrary shewing that there was no justice at all in the world Or like a Gentleman of whom I haue heard that in an Assembly of States such as wee call Parliaments was absolutely the best speaker yet nothing respected and that for a most sufficient reason which was this They knew full well hee could speake as well and as moovingly to that which was quite contrary And I willingly professe that Mr. Paget hath a rare faculty this way to turne a thing which way hee will and make it say either I or no or both when hee pleaseth Notwithstanding this I must tell him the very thing which hee speakes off touching Mr. Robinsons Booke is now true concerning his owne former writing It is sicke of King Iehorams incurable desease Arrow pag. 59. the guttes of it fall out day by day Yea hee openlie pluckes out some of bowells thereof with his owne hands There are some other objections of the like nature which hee useth against us partly to disgrace our persons partly our cause as that wee doe not agree among our selves touching the due power of the Church That the practise which wee stand for is Brownisme c. Answ Such cavillations the a Celsus pag. 802. Lactant. l. 4. c. ult Isod Pelus Epist 90. Heathens haue used sometimes against Christian Religion so Papists b Bellar. de not Eccl. against Protestants and the like they c Brone Serm. pag. 103.104 Casend Answ to Abstract p. 210. c. Whitg p. 888. Loe comp cha p. 47. D. Bridg. l. p. 134. against Reformists Now I will not stand to make any particular answer hereto because the folly and vanity of it is sufficiently shewed by others d Iew. Def. Apol. p. 3.8.2.1 Whitak cont 4. qu. 5. c. 8. Sutclift de Eccl. p. 109. D. Mort. Apol 1. l. 2. who haue had occasion hereto-fore to reply unto such idle objections This onely for conclusion I desire may be noted that whereas hee seekes to disgrace Christs Gouvernment and to haue his owne honoured and embraced in this hee doth as one said in Tully of Hortensis when hee immoderately praysed eloquence that hee would have lift her up to heaven that hee himself might have gone up with her So I perceive Mr. Paget would faine haue the Classicall Discipline advanced that hee by it might haue worldly credit also Ioh. 13.17 If ye know these things blessed are ye if ye doe them FINIS ERRATA For were read where pag. 3. l. 13. For fayling read faylings p. 4. l. 22. For partialty read partiality p. 10. l. 33. For contended read contented p. 12. l. 15. For take read talke p. 15. l. 26. For word read world p. 33. l. 27. For conquest read conquer p. 51. l. 22. For notwithstand read notwithstanding p. 74. l. 15. For touching read touch-stone p. 77. l. 25.