A Just Complaint Against an Unjust Doer, Letter – Instructions
A IVST COMPLAINT AGAINST AN VNIVST DOER.
Wherein Is declared the miſerable ſlaverie & bondage that the Engliſh Church of Amſterdam is now in, by reaſon of the Tirannicall government and corrupt doctrine, of Mr. Iohn Pagett their preſent Miniſter.
The Which things are plainly manifeſted in two certein letters, the one written by Mr. Iohn Davenport to the dutch Claſſis, the other given vp to the Engliſh Conſiſtorie by ſome of the brethren. With other briefe paſſages tending to the ſame effect.
Publiſhed by one that much pitties them and prayes dayly for their deliverance.
Math. 23.15. Wee unto you Scribes and Phariſes hypocrites, for ye ſhutt vp the Kingdom of h…aven againſt men: for ye neither goe in your ſelves, neither ſuffer ye them that are entring to go in.
Son. 2.15. Take vsus the foxes the litle foxes that ſpoile the vine.
Gal. 5.12. I would they were even cut off which trouble you.
Printed Anno 1634.
A COPPIE OF MY LETTER TO THE CLASSIS.
IT doth greive me not without cauſe, Excellent and learned men, reverend brethren, that our firſt meeting happeneth to be in a way of diſpute, which that it might have ben pleaſing and peaceable by the full agreement of our opinions, was my cheife deſire: yet my full perſwaſion of your (not humanitie only but allſo) brotherly affection towards me, doth ſomwhat mittigate that ſorrowing, in confidence whereof I will briefly relate to your prudence (reverend brethren) with all due reverence, the cauſe of the ſlow proceeding of my confirmation in the miniſtry, wherunto I ſeemed to be called.
The calling it ſelfe I profeſſe my ſelfe to accept willingly, though not without trembling, and am very readie to diſcharge that office as I am able: but ſome thinges have happened betweene the call, and my confirmation, beyond my Expectation. for
1. Firſt I vnderſtand that both the worthy brethren, Paſtors of the dutch Church, and the reverend Mr. Pagett, did propound, and appoynt, as a condition of my admittance, that I ſhould conforme to the orders, and cuſtoms, of the dutch Church, whereas I doe not yet vnderſtand, what thoſe orders and cuſtoms are, for which cauſe, I propounded to the conſiſtory of the Engliſh Church, that ſome convenient time might be given me, rightly to informe my ſelfe concerning thoſe canons and cuſtoms of the dutch Church, and concerning the ſtate of this Engliſh Church, before I ſhould; by taking upon me this Paſtorall office, binde my ſelfe to either of them, this the conſiſtory not only judged equall: but allſo with one conſent concluded that it ſhould be ſo, Mr. Pagett only excepted, who would not agree with them in that matter, without conſent of the Claſſis: whereas nevertheles, the Power of every particular Church; is cheife in its owne particular matters, (or in things which are proper to it ſelfe) as a Synod hath the cheife power, in things that are common to many Churches, witnes Cham. Cont. Bell. lib. 2. With whom agree the canons of theſe Churches, as appareth in the Harmony of the dutch Synods, where it is decreed that only ſuch things, ſhallbe brought unto the Claſſis, which can not be ended in the conſiſtory. Chap. 7. Art. 6. As that which can not conveniently, be decided by the Claſſis ſhallbe brought into the Provinciall Synod. Chap. 8. Art. 6.
Secondly it was required of me that I ſhould conforme, unto a particular cuſtom of the dutch Church for the unlimited Baptiſinge of all infants, which were preſented in thc Church, of what nation or Sect ſoever, allthough, that either of the paren…s were chriſtians, was no otherwiſe manifeſt, then by their (all) anſwering yea, at the reading of the leiturgy of baptiſme publickly, or by nodding their head, or ſome other g…ſture, they ſeemed to be willing to anſwer.
Firſt I neither did nor doe deny, to baptize their Infants who are members of this Church, which ſeing it is ſo, I deſier to underſtand by what right, the Paſtour of any particular Church, can be bound to excerciſe his miniſtry in any act of it, towards thoſe who are not members of his Church, ſeing the Apoſtle Paul required no more of the Paſtors of Epheſus, then to take heed to themſelves, and to all the flocke, whereof the holy Ghoſte hath made them ouerſeers. Act. 20.28. The ſame is required of Archippus, to take heade to the miniſtry which he had received of the Lord, (viz. amongſt the Colloſſians) that he fullfill it. Col. 4, 17. as allſo Peter exhorteth the Elders, Obj. ſaying, feed the flocke that is amongſt you 1. Pet. and 2. If it be objected that all that are under the Claſſis of Amſterdam, ought to conforme to the cuſtom of the dutch Church in Amſterdam.An. 1. I anſwer that, even for that reaſon, the Engliſh Church ought not to be bounde therunto, it beinge not neſſeſſary to require it of them, ſeinge that the dutch Church: (which is in the ſame cittie) refuſeth none, but baptiſeth all that are brought, without difference, eſpecially, 2lie. Seing that the Paſtor of the Engliſh Church, can not ſatisfie his conſcience, that it is lawfull for him ſo to doe, yea he greately feareth: leaſt Chriſt will Iudge him guilty, if he ſuffer himſelfe to be in bondage under ſuch a cuſtom, which is contrary to the canon of the Apoſtle, let every man be perſwaded in his owne minde. Rom. 14.5. and whatſoever is not of faith is ſinne verſ. 23.
Secondly in regard of the communion of particular Churches amongſt themſelves, I neither did nor doe refuſe to Baptiſe their Infants, who are not members of this Church: ſo that I may be ſatisfied, by ſome preciſe Examination, if otherwiſe they be vnknowne to me, that they are Chriſtians in deed.
When Mr. Pagett asked me, what Queſtions I would propound, to ſuch as are not members of this Church: …or otherwiſe knowne to me? I anſwered, I will inquire of what religion they are of, and of what Church they are members, and concerning that fayth (which they ſeeme to profeſſe, & wherin they promiſe to educate their Children. It ſeemes to me that herein, Mr. Pagett dealt extremely with me, in that he rejected all my labour, for a peaceable compoſing, prudent accommodating, and brotherly ending of matters betweene him and me privatly, or by the counſell of the Elders of his owne Church, nor would hearken to my adviſe for accommodation without conſent of the Claſſis.
At laſte the matter was brought to five eminent brethren, Paſtors of the dutch Church: Who being deſired (as it is ſayd) by ſome of the Elders of this Church, that they would indevour to inclyne, Mr. Pagett to ſome freindly agreement herein, upon Mr. Pagetts requeſt alone did in writing declare their private Iudgment in this queſtion, yet therein they profeſſed, that they very much approved, of my good zeale, and care concerninge the private examination of the parents or ſuertyes of ſuch infants, before the child ſhould be baptized, and that the foreſayd examination, ought to be ordayned, as farre as it might ſtand with the edification of the Engliſh Church: (having thus ſayd, they add afterwards) but if the parents or ſuertyes ſhall refuſe to be …xamined, or if for the ſhortnes of time, or for other Iuſt cauſe, it can not be done, or, if, when they doe come they ſhall not ſeeme to give ſatisfaction, to the Iudgment of him that examineth them, the infants whoſe parents or ſuertyes, appeare to be chriſtians, and who doe profeſſe the chriſt…an religion, at the reading of the Leiturgie of baptiſme, publickly before the Church, ſhall not for that cauſe be ſent away, without baptiſme.
The day following, Mr. Pagett asked me, whether I would reſt in the writing of the 5. Miniſters? To whome I anſwered, the writers themſelves doe not require this of me, and for ought I can ſee it would give them content, if an order be made in conſiſtory to put an ende to this controverſie. But if any marvell, why I did not reſt in that writing, I will tell the reaſons, for by what right could it be exacted or expected that I ſhould reſt in the writing, when firſt the wryters themſelues profeſſed that it was but their owne privat judgment. Secondly this their private judgment was nakedly prepounded, without any proofe from the word of God, whoſe prerogative it is to be reſted in, for its owne Authoritie. Thirdly ſuch a ſubjection, is greater then may bee yeilded vntounto any counſell, whether of claſſis, or Synods, and where it hath been granted or ſuffered, it hath been the cauſe of many miſcheifs in the Church, for therby the writings and decrees of men are made infallible, and equall with the word of God, which is intolerable. Fourthly thoſe reverend brethren, take the word chriſtian more largely then I, for they account all chriſtians which profeſſe chriſtian religion at the reading of the leiturgy of baptiſme publickly, before the Church, though it be done only in one word, yea or by bowing the head or body, when they ſay nothing, yea ſome of them goe ſo farre, that they hould that the very offering of the child to Baptiſme, giveth it a right therunto, though the parents be not chriſtians, becauſe (they ſay) it may be their grandfather or great grandfather were chriſtians, and another adds (if my memory fayles not) that infants are holy in the roote, if they be borne where the Goſpell is preached. But I take the name of chriſtians, (in this queſtion,) in the ſame ſence wherein the multitude of beleevers in Antiochia, were called chriſtians. Act. 11, 21, 26. So that I account them to be chriſtians children whoſe parents, at leaſt one of them, in externall profeſſion, is within the covenant. Gen. 17, 10. Faithfull. Rom. 4, 11. Called. Act. 2, 39. Ioyned to ſome true Church: 1. Cor. 5.12. Becauſe the ſeale of the covenant belongs only to thoſe in the covenant: nor can a man be judged to be in the covenant, without faith, nor to have faith unleſſe he be called, nor to be called, unles he be taken off, from the world, and joyned to the congregation of the faithfull: wherunto agree the divines of the dutch Church in their confeſſions, and all the reformed Churches, in the harmony of confeſſions, read allſo, Spe. contr. Pelag. Act. 28, 34. Kuchl. de baptiſm. Theſ. 15. Dr. Ames caſ. Con. cap. 27. to conclude, all divines agree in this.
As fot that which is objected, concerning particular Obj. 1 caſes that may happen:Caſ. con. An. that which Beza writes in his Epiſtle to the miniſters of Neocomum, or Perkins, or Ames, in their caſes, or the Profeſſors of Leyden, in their Theſes, makes nothing againſt my opinion, if they be taken in a good ſence, and made to agree with the Patern of wholeſom words.
The conſequence, which ſome object, for the avoyding Obj. 2 wherof, they would have infants, thus promiſcuouſly to be baptized, doe not trouble me, An. becauſe I have learned of the Apoſtle that evill is not to be done that good may come therof, yet in the interim, conſider brethren, whether it be lawfull to drive the Paſtor from the flock, that ſtrangers may enter into the fold, or to make the Paſtors calling voyd, for their ſakes, that are uncalled, or to hinder the making of a covenant betweene the Paſtor and his people, becauſe he dare not give the ſeale of the covenant to thoſe that are not in the covenant, or to remove the Porter from the dore of the Lords houſe, that the gentiles may be ſuffered to enter into rh… Temple? yea to bringe a detainment upon the Engliſh Church, for ſo ſmalle a matter, as this ſeemeth to you to be, and not to regard how much the conſcience of your brother is indangered, ſo your cuſtoms may be eſtabliſhed: neither is this to be ſleighted, that, vnles we be thus difficult in this cauſe, parents that joyne themſelves vntounto no Church will content themſelves in that eſtate, and live, and dy libertines, if they may have the Privileges of the Church, as if they were members, which who ſeeth not what an occation of error, and deſtruction, it may be both to parents and children, ſo that I can not be perſwaded but that in that cauſe, the conſcience is not at all indangered, by denying baptiſme, but by baptizing ſuch very much.
Concerning the troubles, which ſome object may ariſe Obj. 3 in the Engliſh Church, vponupon this occaſion, which alſo one applied to me, as if I ſhould be judged to be the author o them.
An. I propounded to you (reverend brethren,) to the Engliſh Church, yea to the whole chriſtian world to judge, who ſhalbe accompted the cauſe therof, whether he that peaceably and privatly and quietly, deſireth to be ſatisfied in the things wherof he doubteth, or they that imperiouſly deny him convenient time for that purpoſe, and doe bind him to ſuch orders and cuſtoms, as he can not thinke to be equall.
Afterwards, without the deſire or conſent of the conſiſtory, the matter was brought into the Claſſis, they confirmed the writing of the five Miniſters, and decreed that conformity therunto ſhould be required of me as a condition whervpon I ſhould be admitted: but I deſired the reverend brethren earneſtly; not to binde me to that condition, ſeing that, firſt, that practiſe, is grounded upon no authoritie of Gods Word.
Secondly, nor upon …ny ca…n of any Synod.
Thirdly, nor is required of any one to be choſen to the Paſtorall office, as a condition of their admittance, in any reformed Church.
4lie. This practiſe is not ſo abſolute, or unlimited in any Churches, as it is required of me.
5lie. It is propounded: as a greivance in many Dutch Churches, from whence they would be delivered and freed if they could.
6lie. It is manifeſt that the noble and learned Polonian Ioannes Alaſco Baron and Superintendent of the Church of ſtrangers in London, in the reigne of Edw. 6th. Did obtaine and that under the broade ſeale of England, liberty not to baptize any ſuch (as) againſt whom I except, which libertie your Dutch Church doe now injoy vnderunder our moſt mighty Kinge Charles, and is not in any thing bound unto any of the canons of the Church of England.
Nevertheles Mr. Paget propounded to me in the conſiſtory that I ſhould conſider and conclude with my ſelfe, when I ſhould give my laſt anſwer, whether I would promiſe to baptize all infants, that ſhould be preſented to baptiſme, refuſing none, unto which queſtion, the next weeke I gave (in the ſame place) this anſwer, I dare not promiſe to baptiſe all that ſhall be offered therunto: Becauſe the promiſe of doeing it, is a confeſſion that the thing is lawfull to be done, which I doe not beleeve, yet, becauſe I much priſe your love, and deſire your peace, I will, if you deſire it, continue aſſiſting Mr. Paget a convenient time, ſuch as we ſhall agree upon, wherin I may make my ſelfe knowne better to the Dutch Paſtors, and obtayne that, by their meanes, this queſtion may be layd aſide, and your Church may obtaine liberty therin, and I may more fully underſtand the other Cuſtoms of the Dutch Church and the ſtate of this Churche. This propoſition was cheerfully imbraced by the Elders, who conſulted about allowing a years time for this purpoſe, wherunto I hope, you, reverend brethren, will aſſent, which if you doe, it ſhalbe my part to endeavour, that neither you may reprent of your benevolence, nor the magiſtrats of their indulgence, but that many thankes may be given both to you and them, both by Mr. Paget, and by the Engliſh Church, by him, for the continuance of an Aſſiſtant (ſuch a one as he is) & by it for the preſervation of peace amongſt them, which all deſire, wherunto I pray God to give his bleſſing, and to inrich you, reverend brethren, with the ſpirit of wiſdom, Chriſtian prudence, and the fear of God, that you may well order this buſines. So prayeth.
Iohn Davenport Engliſhman, Bachelou…, of divinitie in Oxford. At preſent, 6 Stranger in Amſterdam.
LET the reader judge, what I could ſay leſs, or more mildly, beinge to give an account of the paſſages in ſuch a buſines? or what paſſage herein might juſtly be thought offencive, conſidering the premiſes? And who would not have thought, that the Claſſis wold have approved of the deſire of the Conſiſtory, that a years time ſhould be granted me, for the ends aforeſayd? yet on the contrary, they ſeemed to be offended at the writing, threatened to complayn to the Magiſtrats and after much debate, concluded, that I ſhall have but a monthes time, in which if I doe not anſwere, categori ally that I will conforme to the orders and cuſtoms of the dutch Church, and to this, particularly in queſtion, reſtinge in the judgment and reſolution of the 5. dutch Preachers. and joyne with the Claſſis, or voluntarily deſiſt, they will complayne to the Magiſtrats, &c. what remained now to be done, but either voluntary deſiſtance on my part, or violent rejection, on theirs? in this month allſo Mr. Paget, both in publick and in privat, ſhewed his averſenes from my joyning with him more then formerly, wherfore to prevent diſturbance in the Church, and further diſquietment of my ſelf upon ſerious conſideration and good adviſe, I voluntarily deſiſted, and left the enſuing Coppie therof in Lattin and Engliſh, with the elders, with this liberty, either to ſhew or conceale the ſame, as they ſhold judge it moſt expedient, intreating them in theſe words or in words tending to this purpoſe, to expreſſe my reſolution to the Claſſis.
CERTEINE INSTRVCTIONS delivered to the Elders of the Engliſh Church deputed, which are to be propounded to the Paſtors of the Dutch Church in Amſterdam.
FIrſt, the reverend brethren, Paſtors of the Dutch Church under the Claſſis of Amſterdam, are to be intreated not to accuſe Mr. Davenport, as the cauſe of this trouble, that that particular queſtion concerning baptiſme, between Mr. Paget is brought unto them, which by his will, ſhould have been privatly ended between themſelves, and the brethren ſhould not have been troubled, more then was neceſſary with ſuch queſtions, who have matters of greater moment to take care for in their claſſicall meeting.
Secondly let them be certified that, for many we ghtie reaſons, Mr. Davenport can not reſt in that writing of the five brethren, whoſe judgment nevertheles, he doth very much eſteeme, concerning which matter (though he hath much to ſay, yet paſſing by other things) this alone he profeſſeth at preſent, that his judgment is, that Dr. Ames, his opinion herein is moſt agreeable vntounto the word of God, who in the 4th. booke of his caſes of conſcience. Chap. 27. Concerning baptiſme, (having affirmed that it is neſceſſary that the Infants to be baptiſed be in the covenant, in externall profeſſion, and eſtimation, in their parents, and that their is hope, that they ſhallbe inſtructed, and educated in that covenant afterwards, and that at leaſt one of the parents is within the Church, not out of it, doth conclude, that their negligence can by no meanes bee excuſed, who doe promiſcuouſly admit to baptiſme whoſoever is offered and by whomſoever.
Thirdly, let them underſtand, that Mr. Pagets former delayes in this buſines of Mr. Davenports call, and his ſtifnes in that queſtion concerning baptiſme, without yealding any brotherly moderation to Mr. Davenport, ſo much as to beare with him in ſo ſmall a matter, (as this ſeemed both to them and him to be) and to take vponupon himſelfe that which he can doe, (if occaſion require, with full perſwaſion,) but Mr. Davenport can not doe with inward peace, and his rejecting all Mr. Davenports endeavours for a peaceable compoſing and ending of this difference privatly between themſelves, or with the counſell of the Elders of his Church, and certeine ſharpe and biting Sermons preached by him, of late, and his privat conferences with cert…ine perſons doe abundantly demonſtrate, that Mr. Paget hath no deſire that Mr. Davenport ſhould be his Colleague, but doth indevour the hinderance, rather then the furtherance therof.
Laſtly. Seing peace and a greement between the Paſtors doth much conduce to the edification of the Church, and ſeing that (for the reaſons aforeſayd) ther is no hope of peace and chriſtian concord between them, Mr. Davenport being ſtudious of the peace of the Church, his mind is wholy turned from taking upon him the office of Paſtor in the Engliſh Church, in this cittie, and doth voluntarily deſiſt from his publicke miniſtry in this place, and doth commend vntounto God the brethren in every good worke, and committ himſelfe wholy to the only wiſe father, to be diſpoſed elſewhere, as it ſhall pleaſe his infinit wiſdom, to his owne glory. April. 28. An. 1634.