Reply to a Book, Reply · Part 3
The anſwer to the third Section examined.
P. 15. anſ. 2. 3.THat which particularly concerneth me, in this Section, is to be found, page 15.
Anſ. When ſome of theſe Complainants have, upon occaſion, objected unto me, that nothing but cuſtoms and examples of men were vrged againſt Mr. D. I ſignifyed unto them, at diverſe times, that if Mr. D. would ſet downe any reaſons from the Scripture for the maintenance of his opinion, I would (God willing) endeavour, &c.
Reply. 1. Had he named thoſe of the Complainants, that objected this to him, and upon what occaſion they did ſo, our anſwer ſhould have bene more punctuall, in reference to paſſages betweene them, then, in this obſcure & generall report, it can be. 2. Whereas he ſeemeth to take offenſe at theſe men objecting, that nothing but cuſtoms and examples were urged againſt me; to prevent all miſtake, I will ſpeake ſomething concerning both theſe.
1. See Sect. 11.Firſt For cuſtoms,] J muſt confeſſe, that whatſoever ſhew was made of Arguments from Scripture miſſaplyed, or other pretended reaſons (as of leſſe uſefull ſouldiers, and weapons in lighter ſkirmiſhes) yet cuſtoms and conſequences were the Triarij, and maine ſtrength of the battaile, in caſe of hazzard: theſe were inſiſted upon by every one (almoſt) that pleaded for this diſorder, as the principall plea they ſeemed to hauehave. Now, howſoever I am, and ſhall be allwayes ready to give all due reſpect unto thoſe good cuſtoms of Churches, which are taken up,1 Cor: 11.16. upon good warrant, and received and long continued amongſt Gods people; yet I am of opinion, that is not lawfull to doe even good things only upon this ground, becauſe it is the cuſtome. For our fayth ſhould not stand in the wiſdome of men. 1 Cor: 2.5But to doe a thing that is not warranted by Scripture, nor good reaſon,Euſeb: lib. 1. de praep. Evang. Cap. 2. & lib. 6. Cap. 8. Ier: 44.17 2 King: 10.19. Ioh. 4.20. Ier. 10.3. Levit: 18.30. Act. 21.21. 1 Sam. 2.13.16. Mat: 5.19 Rom. 3.8. Pr. 19.16. Conſuetudo impedire non debet, quo minus veritas praevaleat. Nam conſuetudo ſine veritate vetuſ…as erroris est. Cyp. Epiſt. ad Pompej. only in conformity to a cuſtom (though it be a cuſtom of ſome Churches) can by no rule be juſtifyed. For evidence whereof (not to inſiſt upon thoſe unnaturall actions mentioned by Euſebius, for all which they might plead maniere van 'tland, the cuſtom of the place, as inceſtious mariages with their owne mothers, in Perſia, killing their deereſt children upon religious reſpects, in Scythia, murthering their parents and kinsfolkes, amongſt the Maſſagetae, ſlaying their ancient men, amongſt the Tiburens, Hircanes, and the Caſpians, many men marrying one woman of old, in Britanny, and many woemen marrying one husband in Parthia) let us conſider the Church of God. For burning incenſe to the Q: of heaven, the Iſraelites pleaded ancient cuſtom. But was that ſufficient? could cuſtome juſtifye their offering ſacrifice at Dan and Bethel? or did cuſtom warrant the Samaritans worſhipping God in mount Gerazim? Cuſtoms not warranted by the written word, what are they, but vaine cuſtoms, abominable customs and to be taught againſt, and reproved, though they be the Preists cuſtoms, Howſoeuer, I confeſſe, there is not the ſame degree of evill in all evill cuſtoms: yet, as the leaſt commandment muſt not be broken, ſo the leaſt evill muſt not be done, for any good that may come; ſeing the Holy Ghoſt ſpeaketh peremptorily ſaying. He that keepeth the commandment keepeth his owne ſoule but he that deſpiſeth his way ſhall die. I will conclude this breife diſcourſe of cuſtoms, in the words of Cyprian▪ Cuſtom ſhould not hinder the prevayling of truth▪ for cuſtom without truth, is but the ancientnes of errour.
Secondly, For examples,] 1. many examples could not be urged againſt me, in this caſe; For (not to ſpeake of other Churches) this cuſtom is not in ſome churches of theſe countryes, they in Zealand doe not ſo promiſcuouſly adminiſter baptiſme, as it is of me required, nor the Churches of ſtrangers in London, or elſewhere; nor hath any wrighter of noate, in print, pleaded for it, but againſt it diverſe: and renowned Scultetus freely and openly witneſſed againſt it at Ments, and refuſed to conforme to it, as I am credibly informed.
Secondly, Suppoſe they could produce more examples and conſent of wrighters, in defenſe of it, then they can; (though in matter of Suffrages, where matters paſſe by number, not by weight, this plea would hold, yet) in the diſquiſition of truth, not the names of men, but the weight of argument will carry the cauſe.Soz: lib. 1. Cap. 23. Sozomen reporteth, that when all the reſt of the Nicene Councill had concluded that no Biſhop &c. ſhould, after that time, injoy the wives which they had formerly marryed, Paphnutius alone ſpake againſt that decree, and ſhewing marriage to be honourable, and accompaning with a mans owne wife to be true Chaſtity, brought all the reſt to be of his mind. And Theodoret witneſſeth,Theod: Eccleſ: hyst. lib. 2. Cap. 16. that, when Conſtantius had objected to Liberius, that he alone withſtood the condemnation of Athanaſius, ſaying to him, What a part of the world art thou, who alone ſideſt with a wicked man, and doeſt diſſolve the peace of the wholl world? Liberius anſwered him. The word of fayth is not diminiſhed by my ſolitarines, for even heretofore alſo only 3 were found which reſiſted the edict. To conclude. might not Arianiſme of old, Papiſme of latter times, yea Turciſme, at this day, weigh downe truth it ſelfe, if examples ſhould be looked upon, and the rule be neglected,
Anſ. Thirdly, whereas he would hauehave me ſet downe any reaſons from Scripture for maintenance of my opinion.
Reply. See Sect. 11. & 12.1 It ſhall appeare, in due time & place, that it is not my ſingular opinion, and that it is ſufficiently warranted by Scripture, with Gods aſſiſtance. 2 Yet the Anſwerers demand is unaequall, and againſt the rule of all Courts, as well as Schooles. For it belongs to him,Affirmanti incumbit probatio. Vlpian. not to me to prove: 1 Becauſe he, affirmeth it to be lawfull ſo promiſcuouſly to adminiſter baptiſme; therefore he muſt prove it to be ſo. 2 He preacheth that my tenet is erronious: Therefore he muſt prove it to be ſo. Let him ſhew the text, the truth, from which it erreth, as Appollos mightily convinced the Iewes by the Scriptures, 3. He practiſeth it: therefore he muſt produce the rule which warranteth that practiſe, that it may appeare, he hath done it in fayth. 4, Laſtly, he preſſeth it upon me to doe it, and that as a condition, without which my calling is voyd, and telleth the people, that, with a good conſcience he keepeth me out, and hath much peace in what he hath done to me, and others, for this cauſe. Doeth it not much concerne him to prove this to be a duety, by ſome praecept, or rule, in the Scripture, ſeeing I profeſſe that I ſee no warrant for it? Elſe will not every one queſtion the goodnes of his conſcience, and the truth of his peace in this particular?
Anſ. If they thinck Mr. D. wrighting which he gave to the Claſſis with the reaſons of his opinion, might ſerve to convince me, and therefore inferr that I am obſtinate, they are farr deceived, for, neither is there any ſuch convincing power in any of his Allegations, as, I hope will be manifeſted by others.
Firſt, The wrighting which I ſent to the Claſſis was not intended for diſpute about the point in queſtion, Reply. but for an account of the proceeding of this Anſwerer, in the buiſines of my call; neither did I endeavour ſo much to ſhew the reaſōs of my Iudgment, as the reaſons for which my calling did not ſucceed, as diverſe of them expected it ſhould. My pleading with them was more to convince them, that they could not, without injury, joyne with this Anſwerer to bind me to reſt in the judgement of the 5 Miniſters, then to ſhew them the reaſons of my opinion, in the controverted point.
Secondly, what convincing power was wanting in thoſe intimations, rather then allegations, which I gave in wrighting to the Claſſis, ſome other had need to manifeſt: for the Anſwerer hath not done it, who, of 20 ſheetes of paper, ſpends 18 upon perſonall invectives (as being a ſubject more ſuiting with his Genius) & not 2 ſheets upō matters doctrinall, to ſatisfye mens conſciences, about the ſoundnes of his judgement, and his upright cariage in this buiſnes. And that litle which he ſayth, how litle it is to his purpoſe, will, I hope, appeare, in its place.
Thirdly, The trouble which he hath already brought upon his freinds, and others, in the Claſſis, needleſly, might ſeeme enough, that he ſhould not put them upon more worke, to anſwer my wrighting, which I intended only for their private uſe. But, if any one will undertake it, I doubt not, with Gods aſſiſtance, to be able to reply, and, in the meane ſpace, I pray the reader, that, if any ſuch treatiſe be publiſhed, he will be ſo aequall to me as to ſuſpend his cenſure, till my reply may come forth, and I will aſſure him he ſhall have no cauſe to repent of that aequanimity, in the end.
Fourthly, If my allegations to the Claſſis may not ſerve to convince him of injurious dealing; let him ſhew their inſufficiency for that purpoſe: elſe he cannot ſo eaſily rubb off the guilt of obſtinacy, as he imagineth. And, if, in private diſcourſe with him, I anſwered all his allegations and praetences in defenſe of promiſcuous baptizing all that are brought, ſo as his replyes were ſilenced in that point, let him take heed that he have not contracted the guilt of a double obſtinacy.
In the inſuing paſſages, wherein my name is not mentioned, the Reader will, I ſuppoſe, eaſily apprehend that the Anſwerers purpoſe was, not only to defend himſelfe, but alſo to reach ſome blowes to ſome body elſe. If I am the man he aymeth at (as who can thinck otherwiſe) I muſt crave leave to ſpeake fooliſhly in myne owne prayſe, being compelled thereunto, that I may fitly reply upon his 4 anſwers to their teſtification, which he calleth his comforts.
Firſt, His ſtrong inclination to this calling from 12 yeares old, though I can thorough Gods mercy, ſay the ſame thing, for the ſubſtance of it, and from the ſame age, and though ſuch propenſions, being obſerved in Athanaſius (he being about the ſame age) by his Schoolemaſter, were ſtrangely anſwererd by the events, in that famous light; yet neither the Anſwerer nor I have cauſe to glory much in that, as a ſigne of Gods inward calling, unles after paſſages of our lives concurr to ſtrengthen that: and, if they doe; yet much is not to be aſcribed to thoſe childiſh impreſſions which many have felt in their childhood, whom afterwards God hath diſpoſed of in ſome other ſervices, whereunto they have bene better fitted, and many have not felt, at that age, who have farr exceeded either of us, in fruitfull labours, and profitable ſervices for the good of the Church,
Secondly▪ what he ſayth afterwards,Anſ. 2. pag. 16. Reply. of his not ſeeking the place of a Paſtor till he was lawfully called. I thanck God, I can ſay alſo, & it may be, with ſome advantage▪ for in the place, whence I came to theſe parts, I was by the Church freely choſen their Paſtor, without my ſeeking it. And how farr I was from intruding my ſelfe for a Paſtor into this place, or running before I was ſent, my ſlow proceeding in the buiſines, & deſire of entring, upon ſuch termes and agreements, as might ſtand with the peace of my conſcience, and aſſurance of Gods calling me thereunto, doe, in my ſilence, proclaime in the eares, and ſight of all men. And had I bene ſo haſty, in thruſting my ſelfe into the place, as he pretendeth, I ſhould, & could have made him more worke to keepe me out, thē I have done. Neither could they, who too much cleaved to him, have juſtifyed what they did, much leſſe have proceeded further, in this caſe, if I would have interpoſed, in myne owne right, as I might have done. But I preferred peace, before other outward advantages, and doe not repent of it: though he will have no cauſe to glory in the iſſue.
Thirdly,Anſ. 3. pag. 17. Reply. what he ſpeaketh afterwards of Gods bleſſing upon his labours in his calling, and of the ample teſtimony which formerly hath bene given to him in other places, I hauehave conſidered, and could ſay ſome thing to it, and doe wiſh, from my heart, that he may obtayne a more plentifull teſtimony thereof from this people alſo. As for me, by the grace of God I am that I am, and, I may ſay, his grace hath not bene altogether, in vaine in me. His owne name hauehave the prayſe of his owne worke in me, and by me: For I am nothing. I leaue it to others to ſay; whether evē from hence, I hauehave not ſome matter of comfort, in the middeſt of my troubles, and of joy when the cheife Shepheard ſhall appeare.
Fourthly, Whereas he ſayth,Anſ. 4. p. 17. Reply. that whatſoever troubles hauehave befallen him, in his calling, he did never voluntarily forſake the worke of his Ministry; cannot I ſay the ſame? My labours for him, and, in other places of theſe countryes, ſhew that I hauehave not forſaken the worke: neither did I reſigne up the place I had, voluntarily, otherwiſe then as merchants caſt their goods into the ſea, in a ſtorme: neither was it an imaginary feare of trouble, that cauſed me to doe it, but the trouble was upon me, and, with good adviſe, and the conſent of the congregation, I did what I did, as ſhall be ſhewen more fully,Sect. 8.9. in its place: His miſapplication of that phraſe of looking back, when he had put his hand to the plough, being intented for a ſecret gird againſt the innocent, is a mere abuſe of Scripture, & ſo a taking of Gods name in vaine, which, J hope, and pray, that God will give him a heart to ſee & repent of.
Whereas he addeth his reſolution, for the future, to take up his croſſe, &c. whether he or I have moſt practiſed this rule, in theſe afflicting paſſages and events, let the ſtory related by us boath ſhew, and our owne conſciences teſtifye, in the fight of God; yea let our ſeverall conditions, conſidered with the cauſes of theſe troubles (which he might have avoyded and prevented, but I could not) demonſtrate, in the ſight of all men.