A19884:816
An apologetical reply to a book called an answer to the unjust complaint of…An apologeticall reply to a booke called an ansvver to the unjust complaint of…
An apologetical reply to a book called an answer to the unjust complaint of VV.B. Also an answer to Mr. I.D. touching his report of some passages. His allegation of Scriptures against the baptising of some kind of infants. His protestation about the publishing of his writings. By John Davenport BD.An apologeticall reply to a booke called an ansvver to the unjust complaint of VV.B. Also an answer to Mr. I.D. touching his report of some passages. His allegation of Scriptures against the baptising of some kind of infants. His protestation about the publishing of his wrightings. By Iohn Davenporte BD.
Rotterdam: printed by Isaac van Waesberghe, 1636Rotterdam: printed by Isaack van Waesberghe, 1636
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
It is not my purpose to speak of the original of them, nor of their antiquity, nor to contend about the name given them, much less to condemn all use of them,1 from which I am so far, that I freely confess with Dr. Ames (though the Answerer traduceth, both him, and me as otherwise minded) that particular Churches, as their Communion requireth, and the light of nature, ⟨p. 225⟩the equity of rules, and the examples of Scripture teach, may, and, in many cases, ought to enter into a mutual consociation, and confederation, amongst themselves, in Classes, and Synods, that they may use their common consent, and mutual help, so far at it may commodiously be done, especially in those things, which are of greater moment. Provided always that special care be taken that, under pretence of helping the Churches, they do not hinder them, by taking away, and diminishing that liberty, and power which Christ hath given them. It was some such abuse that made Greg: Nazianzen so bitter against Councils,2 that he resolved to shun all such assemblies. Which Dr. Whittaker imputed to the evil event,3 whereunto the ambition & polypragmony of some men had brought matters, who, in stead of composing former differences & ending those controversies, made new ones, which agreeth with Nazianzens own expression of the reason why evils were, rather increased then diminished, by them, [Greek or Hebrew]. i. e. For Contentiousness and ambition prevailed more then reason. And, it may be, some such provocation caused that learned politic man Hugo Grotius so to slight the authority of Classes and Synods,4 as he did, in that treatise which he published against Sibr. Lubbertus, upon which Bogermannus published his Annotations learnedly and succinctly penned, in defence of D. Sibrandus, wherein, for answer of that part which concerned the necessity and authority of Synods, he referred Grotius to what Junius had written against Bellarmine de necessitatee•p otestate Conciliorum, wherein I fully agree with Junius. But we are now to speak of a more imperfect combination of Churches, then that, which is in provincial Synods, viz, a Diocesan union of them in Classes.