As for 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 vnto 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 , vpon 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 shal be 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 vnder our most mighty Kinge Charles , and is not in any thing bound unto any of the canons of the Church of England .

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 .

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 vnto 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 shall be 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 vpon 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 vnto 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.

THough I have deserved better usage at Mr. Pagets hands for allmost 6. Months assistance of him , and have done and suffered so much to preserve his peace , and the Churches , which if I had not exercised much patience and industry , would certeinly have fallen from him , being over burd●n●d with the losse of so many men , so much desired by the congregation , and other passages , which I will for the present spare to mention , Mr. Paget not content with former Injuries addeth these following .

First he sayth & reporteth , that he hath often desired to dispute or confer with me about this poynt , but that I refused it : wheras he knoweth we were in continuall discourse about it diverse weekes , before others knew of the difference , neither should it ever have ben knowne , if any brotherly love had wrought in him , or my advise and desire might have prevayled . In this time there passed 2. or 3. serious conferences between us , wherein this poynt was disputed , which I have in writing by me , nor did I ceasse till he gave over , and sayd , that seeing his judgment could not prevayle with me , he wold leave it now to the dutch Preachers , to see if they could prevayle with me ; from which I disswad . earnestly , but in vayne , at last he tould me that he would speake with me alone no more about those matters , from that time I have ceased to come to his house .

Secondly , he reported that I am gone from my promise , for I sayd , I would rest in the writing of the five Ministers , but now I will not , whereas he knoweth that from the first to the last , himselfe never heard me speake any such word , and the night before they went to the Magistrates for their consent to my call , he apprehended my answer rightly , and tould the Elders that he perceived that I did not rest in that writing of the 5. Ministers , further then it made way for an order to be made in the consistory , wherat he shewed himselfe discontented .

Ob. 1 But one of the Elders sayd so in the consistory .

An. That elder denieth that he sayd so , and knoweth that I sayd otherwayes to him , that which he sayd , ( as I am informed ) was only to quiet Mr. Paget , and therfore told him that some part of that writing with an order to be made in consistory , being ioyned together , would settle things , which is farre from an intimation of any purpose in me to conforme therunto .

Ob. 2 But Mr. Paget would not have gone else to the Magistrate , An. if he had not understood it to be so ? It hath been often cleared , that he misunderstood that Elder , if he so vnderstood him , and if he wold not upon other termes have gone to the Magistrate , the whole congregation and I am the lesse beholden to him .

Ob. 3 But he did goe to the Magistrat , and at a time when he was not very stronge , and when he came home tould his wife rejoycing , that now the busines is ended , which he would not have done , if he had not so understood it , and if he had not desired to have Mr. Davenport for his colleague .

An. Vpon his going to the Magistrate , the busines was not ended , for the Magistrate shewed himselfe unsatisfied , concerning the cause of my comming over , wherin how litle he spake to give satisfaction is evident , yea , what he answered , might serve rather to increase the suspition , that beinge ended , and the Magistrats satisfied by other meanes , it was so brought about by one of the Dutch Preachers interposing , that the Magistrats gave but a conditionall consent to my call , and made my conformity to this custom of promiscuous baptisinge , the condition therof , so that now matters were in a worse stat● then before . It is apparent that if Mr. Paget was at that time content to have me joyne with him , it was but conditionally , that I would doe whatsoever he , or the Classis would have me , upon which termes he is content to have others , whom he hath no cause to desire for colleagues with him .

But Mr. Davenport did purpose to yeald , when he Ob. 4 came from England else why would he come over having seene the questions that were put to Mr. Hooker ?

He saw the questions in London , An. above a yeare before his comming over , when he was farre from any thoughtes of comming to Amsterdam , or to any place out of his owne land , and when he did come over he professed , both in England , and here , that he came but for 3. or 4. months , for which time , what need was there of his knowing , much lesse practising or conforming to the customs of the Dutch Church , and when he did consider of that question as it was put to Mr. Hooker , ther was not either in the question or answer , sufficient light to informe him of that , which time hath discovered herein , neither can any man from thence , know what in this custom is to be disliked .

But Mr. Pa. , did so much in that busines , that he sayth , if Ob. 5 that were to doe agayne he would not doe it , which sheweth that at that time he desired to have you .

If ever he did desire me , An. I have given him no cause to repent of it , but to desire it more , vnles he takes offence at this , that I dare not venture vpon doeing that which I account unlawfull , or at this , that I report the truth of things as they passed when I am provoked thervnto .

But it seemes to me that he never did desire it , for these reasons . 1. bec . before I came hither , when he heard I was to come over , he preached publickly against my resigning up my place , which afterward he just●fied , when I related to him the cause therof , the carriage therin , and the consent of many worthy devines , and of the congregation it selfe therunto .

Secondly because severall times he shewed his dislike of my comming hither , without his desire or consent in sending for me , though it is apparent that God sent me hither at a needfull time , when without me they would have been destitute , he being unable to preach , or to come to the Church .

Thirdly , because he delayed the calling of me so long , that the Elders began to be impatient of his delayes , for what reasons he best knoweth .

4lie . because as soone as he found my Iudgm . differing in this poynt from his practise , he discouered how litle he desired me , by refusing all meanes of accomodation , though by them the difference might have been hid , and peremptorily resolving to have it brought into the Classis , though I tould him it would make matters worse , he pretended he might not doe otherwise , though some of the Dutch Preachers , sayd it might be best ended in the Consistory , and wished it might be so , and approved of what I had sayd to Mr. Paget , that matters would be worse else : For it is unlikly that the Classis would make an order in favour of me , to condemn their owne customs .

5lie . He pressed earnestly to have Mr. Balmford of the Hage , though he gave him the same answer to the question which I had done before I came into these parts : and since hath nominated Mr. Roe of Flushing : though he in answer to a letter which Mr. Paget sent to him concerning this matter professed himselfe to be of my judgment .

6lie . Because he hath allwayes so much urged to have one that hath lived some years in this country , and hath hitherto opposed diverse worthy men that have come immediatly from England , my hope is at an end , and I must ceasse . Iohn Davenport .