Reply to a Book, Reply · Part 19
His Anſwer to the 19. Section examined containing certaine Acts of the Claſsis after that my diſſent and refuſall of the call was knowne.
IN this Section we have the ſtory of paſſages concerning this buiſenes, in three Claſſes, and with the Magiſtrates. But, before I examine them, it may be demanded, why this matter was brought into the Claſſis, ſeing I had in the Conſiſtory declared my not accepting the call, which was offered me, upon thoſe termes? was it becauſe the Conſiſtory had not power to give me a convenient time for informing my ſelfe concerning the orders & cuſtoms of the Dutch Church, by conſent amongſt themſelves, without ſeeking to the Claſſis? But I come to the particulars.
Concerning the firſt Claſſicall meeting fowre things are reported. 1. their diſlike of my change. 2.Feb. 27. 28. 1634. their approbation of the five miniſters wrighting. 3. the deputation of diverſe Miniſters to goe to me. 4. the perſuaſions which theſe deputyes uſed.
To the firſt] The Reader, in conſidering the former Sections, will find that my judgment hath bene againſt this promiſcuous baptizing, which the Anſwerer required, from the firſt to this inſtant, without any change.
To the ſecond,] 1. It it is not to be expected that they ſhould reprove, or diſlike that wrighting, which was framed in defence of their cuſtoms. 2. If this be alleadged for the reproofe of my diſſenting from them, how eaſily can I reply that no Synod of theſe Churches alloweth them to require this of me: but I will anſwer him, as Auguſtine doeth an Arrian, with whom he had to doe, ſaying, Neither may I alleadge the Councill of Nice, nor thou the Councill of Ariminum,Contr. Max. Arr Cap. 14 thereby to prejudice one another, but by the Scriptures which are witneſſes proper to neither, but commō to boath, matter with matter, cauſe with cauſe, reaſon with reaſon ought to be debated. But, neither the five miniſters produced any ground from the Scripture, to warrant their opinion or practiſe in this particular, not the Claſſis, to juſtifye their approbation, and confirmation thereof.
To the third] 1. That is more fitly called a command, then a counſail, wherein a man is bound to reſt, and that under ſuch a paenalty. 2. Three Dutch Miniſters, being deputed to ſpeake with me, deſired to know what J diſliked, in that letter. I anſwered them, 1, that I diſliked the wholl drift of it, which is to deny me that liberty, in Holland, which the Dutch Churches have in England, by a grant of Edw: 6, to Iohannes a Laſco, under the broad ſeale of England, which is continued to this day. 2. I told them the danger of that expreſsion [quorum parentes, ſuſceptor eſve] whereby I am required to baptize all infants, that are brought, if, either their parents, or ſuretyes are Chriſtians. For, by this rule, the children of Iewes, Turkes, and Pagans (of all ſorts) may be baptiſed, if a Chriſtian preſent them. Then, they ſeemed willing to alter that, and began to wright, but fell off againe from their purpoſe, ſaying that they would acquaint the Claſsis with what I ſayd. And ſo the wrighting remaineth unaltered, in my hand, to this day.
To the fourth,] If theſe two words, intreatyes and perſuaſions, ſignifye one and the ſame thing, without any difference in the ſenſe, I grant all to be true, which he ſayth, ſo that, to their deſire of my accepting the call, it be added, upon the condition premiſed. But, if, by intreaty, he meane mere deſires, without arguments to worke upon my affections, and, by perſuaſions, he meane intreatyes backed with arguments, to worke upon my judgment & affections, then, I grant, intreatyes were uſed, but not perſuaſions: For I doe not remember one argument uſed by them to induce me, but rather a profeſſed declining thereof, ſaying that they came not to diſpute.
Concerning the ſecond Claſsicall meeting.] It is true, that then I ſent them a wrighting, by adviſe of one of the three miniſters whom they deputed to ſpeake with me: the end thereof was to relate the truth concerning paſſages betweene the Anſwerer and me, to prevent and remove miſreports. 2. to perſuade them by reaſons, not to require it of me, as a condition of my calling, to reſt in that wrighting. 3. to acquaint them with my deſire of more time propounded by me to the Elders, and accepted by them; wherein had the Claſsis condiſcended to ſo aequall a motion, it might have bene much for the peace of the Church. I am certaine, I intended nothing elſe in it. But they were herein overſwayed by ſiniſter ſuggeſtions, ariſing from a jealouſy, that, if I had bene in, for a time, the deſire of the congregation would be more ſtrong towards me, where as my true purpoſe was, in that time, if J could not conforme to their orders, to order matters ſo, that they, who much deſired my ſetling there, might be willing to thinck upon ſome other, and my purpoſe was to have given the beſt helpe I could for the ſetling of ſome other, whom they ſhould deſire, in a way of peace and concord. To conclude. All that I aymed at, in that motion, was, either to accept their call, with ſatiſfaction to my conſcience, or to deſiſt, with the content of the members, that ſo no diſturbance might ariſe, for my ſake. As for the deputation here ſpoken of; the miniſters deputed, only againe prayed me to yeeld to that wrighting, as before. There were two of the Elders preſent, at this time, with ſome others, witneſſes hereof. From us they went to the Claſſis, and, the ſame afternoone, returned to me with this anſwer, or to this effect. That the Claſſis did judge that I had time enough already to underſtand the orders, and cuſtoms of the Dutch Church, and to ſatiſfye my ſelfe concerning the conformity required in that wrighting, yet they were content that I ſhould proceed in aſſiſting Mr. P. the monethmonth following, till the next Claſſis, but required of me, that if, in the meane ſpace, I could not yeeld, that I ſhould then deſiſt voluntarily, elſe they muſt be conſtrayned to complaine to the Magiſtrate. Which meſſage I received in the preſence of diverſe witneſſes, and promiſed to doe accordingly. This J promiſed and performed, I confeſſe, only for the Churches peace, and myne owne, yet diſliking their injurious manner of proceeding, which I am content to paſſe by, with ſuch a touch, till further provocation.
Concerning the third Claſſicall meeting.] It is true; that having occaſion of abſence,May. 1. at that time, I left my mind in wrighting with one of the Elders, both in Latine, and Engliſh, to the end that he, or they whom the Conſiſtory ſhould depute to be at the next Claſsis, might, either report by word, or ſhew in wrighting myne anſwer, as ſhould be thought moſt expedient. It is alſo true, that, in that wrighting, I ſignifyed that my mind was wholly turned away from accepting that call (viz upon thoſe termes) and that I did voluntarily deſiſt (viz; as the Marriner doeth voluntarily caſt ſome goods into the ſea, in a ſtorme, to prevent a greater hurt) and that I complained, at the ſame time, of the Anſwerers unbrotherly uſage of me in ſuch particulars, as are there mentioned; Neither were thoſe complaints unjuſt, as the Reader may partly perceive, by what hath bene ſayd, & may more fully, when the Anſwerer ſhall attempt to cleare himſelfe of the particulars there charged upon him, which here he doeth not, neither indeed can he.
Concerning the Magiſtrates requiring of them to deſiſt.] It would be knowne, by whoſe procurement this was done. And, for him that ſtirred them up thereunto, my hearty prayer is, that he may eſcape the judgment of God by judging himſelfe for that unrighteous act. Elſe, I feare, he will find that injuryes done againſt a Church, in ſuch important caſes, are no ſmall ſinnes.
Concerning an anſwer made to my wrighting, by ſome, whom the Claſſis deputed thereunto.] That anſwer was never communicated to me, though I have heard a report thereof. Had J peruſed it, I ſhould have, either yeelded, or replyed, as the caſe had required. Had this Anſwerer bene of the ſame mind with them, to ſuppreſſe this treatiſe, as they did their wrighting (which, I beleive, was more in offencively penned) the adverſaryes might have wanted that cauſe of inſulting and reproaching us, for theſe contentions and jarrs, which now they ſeeme to have.