A Just Complaint Against an Unjust Doer, Part 3
THE GREIVANCES, AND COMplaints of the burthened and oppreſſed members of the Engliſh Church in Amſterdam. Anno 1634. The 18 of October.
VVHereas offence hath beene taken, that ſome of us whoſe names are underwritten, did abſent our ſelves, from the Lords Supper the laſt communion day, we thought good to give the reaſon of our abſences in writeing, with our names ſubſcribed therunto, being willing to beare our blame, if it ſhalbe proved to us out of the Word of God, that we have ſinned in ſo doeing; for which we confeſſe that the cauſe thereof was no contempt or ſleight account of the Lords Supper, the free injoyment whereof in a right manner, we account an eſpeciall priviledge, and whatſoever hindereth us from it a very grievous affliction.
In which reſpect we are the more deeply, and inwardly greeved with the ſinfull proceedings of Mr. Iohn Paget, which deprived us of ſo great a comfort at that time, for howſoever we doe not thinke that the perſonall ſin of any man can defile the ordinance of God to us, if we be meete and fitte to pertake therof, yet we know that a man may make himſelfe pertake of other mens ſinnes, by neglecting his duty in ſeeking reformation, and ſo communicate unworthily.
Wherefore having waited that ſomething ſhould have beene done by others in this caſe, but in vaine, we durſt not approach to the Lords table till we had in ſome meaſure diſcharged our dutyes in this particular, which we thought we ſhould have a fitt opportunity to doe, when we ſhould be called upon, to ſhew the reaſons of our abſence at that time, which formerly we could not obtaine.
We conceive that Mr. Paget doth adminiſter the Lords ſupper to us by vertue of his paſtorall office wherunto he hath beene called in this Church. And that amongſt communicants, eſpecially Paſtour and People, there ſhould be an union in chriſtian love and affection, and communion in all the fruits thereof, one whereof is ſeaſonable admonition, which in caſe of publick ſcandall and offence, muſt be publick, as we conceive it is in this preſent caſe, which we would have borne, if the injury had beene but perſonall to any one of us, and covered, if it had beene a meere infirmity, or but a private offence, but ſeeing the matter is a publick injury, and obſtinately perſiſted in, to the great diſhonour of God & hurt of the Church, we are not to be ſilent any longer, but by theſe preſents doe teſtify to all men, principally to you the Elders of this Church, that howſoever Mr. Paget beareth the name; filleth up the place, and doth many works of a Paſtour amongſt us, yet he doth not behave himſelf as becometh a Paſtour, neither in government nor doctrine towards us.
That he doth it not in government will appeare in theſe particulars, firſt he depriveth the Church of that liberty and power which Chriſt hath given it, in the free choyce of their Paſtour, contrary to, Act. 6, 3. and 14.23.
This we prove by his rejecting, and oppoſing of the moſt worthy ſervants of God (who came out of England for the ſame cauſe he did) whome the Church with one conſent deſired, as Mr. Hooker, and Mr. Davenport of later times, and alſo Mr. Parker, Dr. Ames, Mr. Forbes, Mr. Peters, &c.
Secondly by his preſſing others upon the congregation, abuſeing his intereſt in the Magiſtrate and Claſſis to that purpoſe, to the unſpeakeable injurye and grief of the Church, in which courſe he hath prevailed ſo farre, as to procure that none of our owne nation that com immediately from England, though never ſo fitt and able, ſhould be admitted, but we muſt be forced to take one that can ſpeake Dutch, and one in this country, though the Lord hath fought againſt his courſe hitherto by the great unfitnes of thoſe who have preached here by his nomination or conſent in ſending for.
Secondly, Mr. Paget depriveth the Elders of their power in Government, for the good of the Church, which will thus appeare.
Firſt when matters have beene referred to the Elders to determine, he hath rejected their counſel, and opinions, ſometimes accuſing them of partiality, ſometimes of inſufficiency to judge, when he thought they would conclude againſt his purpoſe.
Secondly, when the Elders have declared their judgment with one conſent, he hath proteſted againſt it, and caryed it to the Claſſis, though the matter hath beene ſuch, as, ſeing it might have beene ended in the conſiſtory, ought not to have beene brought thither, as,
Firſt, when the conſiſtory agreed that an order ſhould be made, that all that were not members of this Church ſhould make themſelves knowne to Mr. Davenport, that he might be ſatisfyed concerning them, before they ſhould preſent their children to Baptiſme in this Church, which order would have ended the difference betweene them, if it had taken place, but Mr. Paget proteſted againſt it.
Sec. When the Elders agreed that Mr. Dav. ſhould have a years time to goe on in aſſiſting Mr. Paget in preaching, to ſee if in that time he could procure that this queſtion might be laid downe, and might be fully informed of all the orders and cuſtomes of the Dutch Church, wherunto Mr. Paget would bind him to conforme, as a condition wherupon he was to be admitted to the paſtorall office in this Church, Mr. Pa. oppoſed this, as if the conſiſtory could not have power to doe ſo much without the Claſſis, & many the like things might be brought; as that he would not let Mr. Wells Preache whom he profeſſed he had nothing againſt, without the leave of the Claſſis, &c.
Thirdly, he ſubjecteth this Church under an undue power of the Claſſis, which he bringeth it under, meerely for his owne ends, as we conceive, without any warrant from the Word of God, as thus appeareth.
Firſt he giveth them power, to ſerve his ends in keeping-off any Miniſter, whome he would have kept out, for cauſes pretended by himſelfe, (though he would have had them that to this day hould the ſame opinion) though ſuch as he keepeth out be knowne to be moſt eminent, able, and Godly men, and ſuch as abhorre all hereſye, and Sciſme; which he hath cauſed the Claſſis to execute upon Mr. Hooker and Mr. Davenport, which we are confident they would not have done but by Mr. Pagets ſuggeſtion to the great greife and hurt of the members of this Church.
Secondly, he giveth them power to make lawes, and orders wherunto whoſoever wilbe miniſter of this Church muſt ſubmit, as to obſerve all the orders and cuſtomes of the Dutch Church, though ſome of them are ſuch as the Miniſters of the dutch, would caſt-off if the vaſtnes of their Church (being but one in ſo great a city) did not force them thereunto; of which the promiſcuous baptizing of all that are brought without difference, or knowledge of them, is one; for which Mr. Davenport is kept out of this Church, though there is no need of tying the Miniſter of this Church to that cuſtome, the congregation being ſmall, and who can thinke that they would tye us ſo ſtrictly to all their orders, when one of them ſaid to Mr. Paget. (on occaſion of his complaint in the Claſſis of Mr. Davenport not conforming to their orders) why? yuur ſelfe do not conforme to all our orders; and certainly they would all have rejoyced, to have heard that all our differences had beene ended amongſt our ſelves; yea he hath of late as we heard, required of the Elders to make an order in the conſiſtory, that whatſoever Miniſter ſhall hereafter be called to this Church, ſhould conforme to a writing which he got 5. Dutch Miniſters to make in his owne houſe about that queſtion, and ſent it to Mr. Davenport, which we thinke no Godly man will abſolutely be bound unto.
Thirdly, he violently, without conſent of any of the conſiſtory, bringeth matters from thence, to the Claſſis, when he can not have his will injuſtly ſatisfyed, and ſo deſtroys the power of the Church utterly; often anſwering, they can doe nothing in theſe caſes without the claſſis, of which we reverently eſteeme for Counſell and advice in all difficult matters, that can not be ended amongſt our Conſiſtory.
Fourthly under pretence of aſking and taking adviſe of the Claſſis, he ſubjected the Church under their authority and power, as he calls it, tho the Church never acknowledged any ſuch power to be due, as the ſcriptures in any place giveth not to ſuch a company of Miniſters, nor as becometh any except the Apoſtles that could not erre, to have.
Fourthly he doth not the duty of a Paſtour to the particular members of this congregation, we prove after this maner.
Firſt, when Godly perſons make their complaint of thoſe that walke diſorderly, and that the cenſures are not executed againſt offenders, they that ſeeke the good of the Church are checked and diſcouraged by him.
Secondly, when ſome have beene ſuſpended from the Lords table, they may live many yeares, and dye in their ſins, before he lookes after them to reclaime them.
Thirdly the viſiting of the members at their houſes is ſo farre neglected, that not onelyonly divers members never were once viſited by him in divers yeares, but alſo the viſitation of the members againſt the ſacrament is wholy left off.
Fourthly wheras it was deſired, that the weekly ſermons on wendeſdayes, and thoſe uſuall before the Sacrament, ſhould againe be begun, and aſſiſtance hath beene offred him therein without his charge at leaſt, he neither would performe them himſelf, nor ſuffer any other we could get to do it, though the Elderſhip agreed it ſhould be ſoe.
Secondly for his Doctrine, we have much againſt it. But to let paſſe his ſleight Sermons, which be many for a man of his abilityes.
Firſt his ſelf preaching, and miſapplying of holy truths, which hath beene done with ſuch bitternes of late, that ſome of us are diſcouraged, from hearing him, and all of us are ſent home with ſad hearts, when thoſe of his ſide are made glad, and inſult, who pretend to cleave to Mr. Paget, out of their enmity againſt us, and thoſe wayes of Godlines wherin we deſire and indeavour to walke.
Secondly for his takeing of text of purpoſe, fit to ſtirre up contention, as of late, that of the 5. of Eſay about the vinyard upon which five firſt verſes he hath taught a great while, which with what bitternes he hath taught againſt the Godly, many Paſſages, and members will witnes, and inſinuating things againſt us, that we never thought of, making us vile before the whole congregation, and to be inſulted over by unworthy termes, from thoſe of his ſide: to our great griefe and continuall vexation, and 10. dayes ſince ſtrain…d the 5. verſe which tels what God will doe to his vineyned, and ſpake altogether of mens diſorders in the Church.
Thirdly he hath preacht very bitterly and provokingly, againſt privat meetings, not onelyonly long ſince, but of late, hath done very unjuſtly, and manifeſt injurye to Mr. Davenport whom he (plainly enough) reproached in his pulpit, about the meeting of divers to heare him open the groundes of religion, in Catechyſing the family where he lived, every Lords day after the ſermons were ended, at 5. a Clock at night; where many received much edification, which he hath injuriouſly now deprived us of, to the great grief of many Godly ſoules.
Fourthly about the queſtion betweene him and Mr. Davenport, for the baptiſing of all Children that are brought, though the parents were altogether unknowne, he very reproachfully upbraided Mr. Davenport of errour, and gave out that he would anſwer him in the pulpit, and when the day came wherein we expected the performance of his promiſe, he avoyded the queſtion betweene them, and fell upon the Anabaptiſts and Browniſts, from both which Mr. Davenport differeth in that poynt, as he hath tould him formerly, and offred him to declare in publick how farre he differed from them therein, is this brotherly dealing, thus to uſe a miniſter who hath ſo loveingly aſſiſted him and us, in our neceſſity? and to traduce him falſly and injuriouſly in this maner, and all to the end that he may ſeeme to juſtify his keeping of him out of the Church, whom the Church, hath ſo much deſired, and bewaileth that they are deprived of him, which the Claſſis at firſt conſented unto (though they knew the difference) till Mr. Paget brought it againe to them by force, to have them make an order to condemne their owne practice, and therefore wee conceive Mr. Paget the onelyonly cauſe we are deprived of ſuch heavenly means for our Edification.
Now we pray you our Elders in the feare of God to take theſe our complaints to heart, and to give your judgment w…ether it be not fit, and more then time, that ſome lawfull courſe be taken for the redreſſe of theſe grievances, and to conſult which way, it may beſt be done; that ſo in that great day of the Lord you may give up yours account, for the diſcharge of this Truſt committed unto you, with joy, which if you ſhall upon this our ſolemne complaint neglect to doe, we doe proteſt before the Lord, & his Church, to be wholy guiltles of all theſe evills, haveing done our utmoſt indeavour for the redreſſe of the ſame; & the ſinne thereof, to lay upon Mr. Iohn Paget our preſent paſtour, as the principall cauſe of all theſe evills, and next upon your ſelves, who have the cheifeſt authority in the Church, for the redreſſe of all evils.
So beſeeching the Lord to bleſſe our indevours, and deſireing you to cauſe theſe our complaints to reſt upon record in the regiſter of this Church, that after times may ſee how theſe evils have beene witneſſed againſt, we ſubſcribe our names as followeth, deſireing alſo, that place may be left in the regiſter for all others, that hearing hereof, ſhall deſire to have their names underwritten, for the more full witnes of theſe things, becauſe we have not gathered many names as we could have done of many, (becauſe you might have nothing to take offence at that way) which we conceive would gladly have joyned with us herein, not onelyonly of men but of many Godly women alſo, that are of the ſame mind with us.
W. B.
N. I.
I. C.
I. P.
I. St.
L. C.
T. F.
H. P.
A. H.
We who laſt time, did not with our brethren above written abſtaine from the Lords Supper, yet deſire to joyne as one with them in theſe complaints, and Grievances, and therefore have underwritten our names as follow.
S. O.
D. B.
T. A.
R. P.
I. H.
G. B.
E. P.
L. D.
T. P.
E. S.
F. D.
P. L.
After thes greivances were given unto the conſiſtory, divers members more hearing thereof, deſired to joyn in the ſame and ſubſcribed their names allſo.
Now for concluſion, ſince the caſe ſo ſtands as is here reported, under ſuch plentifull teſtimonie, what remains, but that every one that would approve himſelf to God (if redreſſe cannot be had) labour to keep himſelf pure, and not pertake of others ſins, by continuing the ſervants of men, againſt the power and liberty purchaſed by Chriſt for his Church of ſaincts, knowing the way of the upright is to depart from evill. Stand faſt therefore, quitt you like men, in ſtriving for the maintenaunce of this part of the faith, and the Lord wilbe with you if you wilbe faithfull unto him.
End of the text · John Davenport, A Just Complaint Against an Unjust Doer (1634)