Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n
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A44419
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Golden remains of the ever memorable Mr. John Hales ... with additions from the authours own copy, viz., sermons & miscellanies, also letters and expresses concerning the Synod of Dort (not before printed), from an authentick hand.
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Hales, John, 1584-1656.
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1673
(1673)
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Wing H271; ESTC R3621
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409,693
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508
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whether there might not be added some Appendices to the Bible as Chorographical and Topographical Tables Genealogies and the like It was thought fit they should provided that in the Tables and Maps there were no pictures and babies for avoiding superstition The fifth proposal was concerning the appointing of persons fit for the work of the Translation The Praeses willed that every Province should exhibit by Bill the Names of those who they knew in their Provinces were of sufficiency for the Translation which forthwith was done and the Names that were exhibited were all pronounced in the Synod but out of these who should be chosen for the work was differed until the next Session appointed upon the Monday following and so with prayer they brake up the meeting As I have done in this Session so will I doe in all the rest if I shall get convenient place where I may stand and note For for any thing I see mine own notes must be my chiefest help The matters are but small but I suppose they will amend when the Arminian Party shall make their appearance Here is your Honours old Friend come to Town and passes under the name of a Doctor of Physick He is to dine with my Lord Bishop this day but I have discovered him unto his Lordship what he is I have presumed to keep Daniel with me longer than I determined at my departure the reason is because I am unskilful of the streets and I have not Dutch enough to enquire my way I will shortly send him home What shall be done in the following Sessions I will not fail to inform your Lordship by the next Messenger in the mean while I humbly take my leave Dort this 16 12. Novemb. 1618. Your Honours Chaplain and bounden in all Duty Jo. Hales I have sent your Honour a Catalogue of the Synod Printed here with us Right Honourable my very good Lord ON Wednesday the 1â— 2â— of November those of the Synod meâ— in the morning This Session was only deliberative for they concluded nothing The proposal was what form of catechizing both for children and youths should be thought fittest to be put in practice in the Belgick Churches The Praeses first spake many things learnedly of the necessity of Catechizing that it was the basis and ground of Religion and the sole way of transfusing the principles of Christianity into men that it was very ancient practised by the Patriarchs by the Apostles by Origen and approved by the consent of the Fathers that from the Neglect of this came the ignorance of the common sort and that multitude of sects amongst them of Papists Anabaptists Libertines c. whereas if an uniform course of teaching them their first principles had been taken up there would not have been so many differences that there was now greater necessity than ever of reviving this custom because of the Iesuits who mightily labour in this kind as appeared by some of their acts lately in Frisâ—a c. Next were the Deputies for the strangers called upon to deliver what formes of Catechizing were in their Churches put in use which they did and gave them to the Praeses in writing After these the Professors and the other Deputies spake their mindes and almost all gave them up in writing which were immediately pronounced in publick by the Scribe and such as spake memoriter promised to set down their opinions in scripto and deliver them to the Praeses after dinner The principal heads on which they insisted were these that there might be three degrees of Catechizing one Domestical to be practised by Fathers and Masters in their Families another Scholastical to be used by Scholemasters in publick Scholes and a third Ecclesiastical to be practised by the Minister in the Church that so Fathers might fit their Children for the Scholes the Scholes for the Church That therefore Parents and Masters should be admonished to look to this duty in their Families That Scholemasters should be chosen such as were skilfull themselves to Catechize and that they should be careful to bring their Scholars to Catechetical Sermons that from Sermons they should presently call them to the Schole and there examine them how they had profited That the Minister of every Parish together with the Seniours and Deacons should monthly or quarterly visit the Scholes and know the Scholars proficiency in this behalf that the Ministers before the times of the Communion should repair unto private Families and Catechize that the Magistrates would be pleased to provide stipends for Schole-Masters so to make them the more chearful that there should be variety of Catechizing according to the variety of the age one for Children which should contain The Lords Prayer the Creed the Commandments the Doctrine of the Sacraments c. that for such as were elder other things should be added according to their capacity that to take away confusion one form of Catechism in each kind should be used that the Iesuits Catechisms of Lessius Canisius Ledesma c. should be abolisht All this and more by sundry men was exhibited in writing and read in the audience of the Synod That which hitherto hath been done concerns only the manner of Catechizing as for the matter of the Catechism that was not now thought fit to be spoken of but was put off till the end of the Synod When all had spoken their pleasures the Praeses signified that he together with the Assessors and Scribes would compare all these Writings together and out of them all gather one form of Catechizing as they thought best and exhibit it unto the Synod to be approved of or altered to their liking And so the Session ended Amongst the rest there were some particulars told One of the Deputies of Geldria to shew the force of Private Catechizing related that amongst them there was a Minister who when he first came to his Living found his Church quite empty because all his Parishioners were Papists and therefore if he would preach he was to preach to the bare Walls but he takes so much pains as to go to every of his Parish privately unto their Houses and there by familiar conversing with them and expounding unto them the grounds of Religion he so far prevailed with them that in the compass of a year he gain'd them all to come to Church and by this means hath scarce a Papist in his Parish But doubtless the most effectual way of all the rest to bring young persons to learn their Catechisme was that which was related by one of the Helvetian Deputies For he told us that in his Country the manner was that all young persons that meant to marry were to repair both he and she unto their Minister a little before they meant to marry and by him to be examined how well they had conned their Catechism If they had not done it perfectly to his mind he had power to defer their Marriage till they had better learnt their Lessons I
hands of the Christians They grounded themselves upon the examples of Abraham circumcising all that were of his Family of Paul Baptizing whole housholds of the primitive Church recorded in Saint Austin who shews that anciently children that were exposititii were wont to be taken up by the Christians and baptized Now such were the children of Ethnick parents for it was never esteemed lawful for Christians to expose their children All the rest were peremptory that they were not to be baptized till they came to be of years of Discretion to make profession of the Faith The North-Hollanders themselves whose business it was and who moved the Synod in it were expresly against it whether they were bought given taken in War or howsoever Their reasons were because they are immundi because they are extra foedus of which Baptism is a sign because Adoption could entitle them only to terrene not to an Heavenly inheritance c. So that if plurality of voices carry it the negative part prevails The Praeses required some time to compare the opinions together so for that time forbare to pronounce sentence And because the examples of Abraham and Paul were much stood upon by those who held the affirmative he proposed these two things to be considered of First whether it were likely that in Abrahams Family when he put circumcision in act there were any Infants whose Parents died uncircumcised Secondly whether it were likely that in the Families baptized by Paul there were any Infants whose Parents died unbaptized and so he past away to the second Question concerning the manner of training up those who were to enter the Ministery In my last Letters to your Honour I related at large the advice given in this point by the Zelanders and South-Hollanders It was now proposed to the Synod whether they did approve their Counsel or except against it Some thought it was unlawful for men not in Orders to preach publickly or baptize for the South-Hollanders in their advice had determined they should others thought it unmeet that they should be present in the Consistories and meetings of Deacons or that they should read the Scriptures publickly in the Church which was the joynt advice of the Zelanders and South-Hollanders Lastly it was doubted whether the Synod could make any Decree in this Question because of the several customs in several Provinces which it lay not in the power of the Synod to prejudice So that instead of deciding this one doubt the Praeses proposed five more to be considered of 1. Whether men not in Orders might make publick Sermons 2. Whether they might baptize 3. Whether it were fit they should come into the Consistories 4. Whether they should read the Scriptures publickly 5. Whether the Synod could make a Decree in this business for the reason above mentioned or only give advice The Synod had begun to speak to the two first and it was the general opinion that they might not baptize In the point of preaching they differed Some thought absolutely it might be permitted them others on the contrary thought no some tooke a middle course thinking they might preach privately before a select Auditory who were to be their Judges how sufficient they were for that end some that they may do it openly so that it were understood they did it not cum potestate solvendi ligandi But when part of the Synod had spoken their minds because the time was much passed they brake up and put off the determination to the next Session Here is a rumor that some of the Remonstrants are come to Town who they are I cannot yet learn I shall to morrow make inquiry and by the next Messenger acquaint your Lordship with it In the mean time I humbly take my leave Dort this 3. of Decemb. 1618. Stylo novo Your Honours Chaplain and bounden in all Duty Jo. Hales Right Honourable my very good Lord UPon Tuesday the fourth of December Stylo Novo the Deputies being met in the morning they proceeded to determine of those doubts which were moved the Session before In the matter consulted concerning the training up of those who were to take upon them the Ministery there were five questions moved 1. Whether it were fit they should preach publickly 2. Whether they should baptize 3. Whether they should come to the Consistories and meetings of the Classes 4. Whether they should read the Scriptures publickly in the Church before the People Lastly whether they should make a Decree to bind all Provinces necessarily or only to advise them To the first two the Exteri had given their answer in the former Session For the question of Baptism no man stood upon it but all accounted it unlawful for men not in Orders to take upon them to baptize the doubt was concerning Sermons Io. Polyander thought it very fit that such as intended the Ministery before they were admitted should practise Preaching First because it was the practise of some of the Belgick Churches Secondly because it took from them that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that subrustick shamefastness of many men by which they feared to speake unto the people Thirdly because it was convenient that they should be known for men fit for that duty before they should enter upon it Fourthly that they might approve themselves to their Parents and Benefactors who had been at the charge of their Education Provided that it were with these conditions first that it were done with consent of the Classes Secondly that it were practised only when the Church was unsupplied either by the death or absence or sickness of their Pastor or in case of like necessity With Polyander did Wallaeus of Middleburgh agree and grounded himself upon the practise of the Jews amongst whom not only the Levites but others also publickly taught the Law as it appears by the story in the Acts where Paul and Barnabas coming into the Synagogue the Rulers called unto them that if they had any word of exhortation they should speak unto the people Contrary unto both these was D. Gomarus who held it utterly unlawful for any to preach before they were admited to the Ministery First because they had no Mission and who can preach except he be sent Secondly because they had not the Keyes of the Kingdom of Heaven Thirdly it was granted that they could not baptize now Christ hath put Baptism and Preaching together Go teach all Nations baptizing them quae Deus conjunxit homo ne separet Last of all though there had been a custom in some places to the contrary yet fitter it was that custom should conform it self to Truth than Truth to custom With Gomarus agreed Thysius and thought his argument drawn from Mission to be unanswerable and for my own part I thought so to D. Gomarus is a man of great note but I never heard him speak with any strength of reason in the Synod till now What Sibrandus his opinion was concerning the point I know not for he