An animadversion to Mr Richard Clyftons advertisement Who under pretense of answering Chr. Lawnes book, hath published an other mans private letter, with Mr Francis Iohnsons answer therto. Which letter is here justified; the answer therto refuted: and the true causes of the lamentable breach that hath lately fallen out in the English exiled Church at Amsterdam, manifested, by Henry Ainsworth.

The Preface, to the Christian reader.

OF all sorrowes that doo befal the people of God, ther are none so greevous as intestine troubles, which Satan rayseth among themselves. With these, above others, we have been often afflicted, the Lord so chastening our synns, humbling us, and exercising our faith and pati∣ence: whiles many among us, at sundry times, have turned aside from the way of truth, and holy comman∣dement which God gave unto them. And not conten∣ted to stray themselves alone; they have sought by al means to draw others after them: if they folow not, they make warr against them. What chal∣lenges & provocations we have had by others, the world hath seen hereto∣fore by works published: what now is further come upon us, they may see in part, though not as we have felt. Our adverse brethrē, (although them∣selves have not answered the things formerly published against their pre∣sent errours, yet) have not ceased to urge us with boastful speeches, pri∣vate letters, and publik treatises, to come into this feild: and whiles wee were otherwise imployed, they have much insulted against us; and now, ra∣ther then we should be quiet, they take our private letters & print them: so restless is errour in it self, so troublesom unto others. And wheras Ch. Lawn and others, first declined to these our Opposites faction, and after∣wards fel from evil to worse, and have set out a lewd pamphlet, to the dis∣grace of the truth and of sundry mens persons: Mr Clyfton (who hath printed my letter with M. Iohnsons answer,) intitleth his treatise, An Ad∣vertisement concerning Ch. Lawns book: but taking occasion by Arti∣cles therin printed, the most that he advertiseth, is against me. It was my desire and purpose to have left controversies, & haue exercised my self in more quiet and comfortable meditations: but it pleaseth not God as yet, to grant my request therin. My prayer therfore is, that his gracious spirit may guide me in this conflict for his truth, and gyrd me with strength un∣to this battel. A few things I wil here breifly note, touching our present controversie.

1. The power of Christ which he left with his Church, hath been con∣tinually assayled by Satan and his instruments. Diotrephes began the love of preeminence, in the Apostles time: Bishops have prosequuted the same, in all ages sithence: but the high Preist of Rome did get the victorie, and wears the triple crown. Two pillars there are, which do most under∣prop the towr of Antichrist: 1. a proportion drawn from the goverment in Israel, 2. and a pretended privilege from Peters keyes. Pope Inno∣cent the 3. from Deut. 17.8.12. bolstreth his canon law, † for exercising his jurisdiction over all causes & persons, proportionable to the high court and Synedrion of Israel. Pighius“ writing for his Lords hierarchie, and Dorman (our countryman) his disciple, labouring to prove the same, plead from the Iewes state, how God provided to take away schismes that

might arise, by appointing a place and Iudge to flee unto in all such doubts, Deut 17. and would have vs think that God hath provided as wel for his church now, which hath no less need then they. And because they had the same God, the same Christ, the same faith, the same covenant &c, that we, & the lavv conteyned a shadow of the good things to come, they think their proofs impregnable, concluding from the high Preists court in Israel, to their high Prelates consistorie in Christendom. Bellarmine and other popish writers (as this treatise after † manifesteth,) allege the like arguments. Our opposites now, doo plead against us, from the very same grounds: “ wresting a proportion from the Princes of Israel to the Ministers of the gospel, & telling us we may not be strangers from the po∣litie of Israel, whereof see after in this treatise pag. 13.14. &c. neyther of them observing, how the Angel foretold that Christ should destroy the Citie and the Sanctuarie of the Iewes, Dan. 9, 26. and so abolish Moses po∣litie, & bring an other into his house, wherin he should be found as faith∣ful as Moses, Heb. 3, 2, 5, 6. And he hath forbidden his ministers to ex∣orcise princelike authoritie, or dominion over his heritage; Mat. 20, 25, 26 1. Pet. 5, 1.3.

2. The Papists seek shifts & distinctions, to turn away the reasons that disprove their errours. Bellarmine being pressed, with judgments used heretofore in the Churches, would ease himself thus. “ Ther is a dou∣ble iudgement (sayth he) publik and private. Publik, is that which is ut∣tered by a publik judge with authoritie, so as others are bound to rest in that judgement. Private, is the sentence which every one chooseth as true, but it bindeth no man. Publick judgment in the cause of faith, is never given to the people, but private judgement somtimes is given them &c. In like man∣ner these our opposites, who themselves heretofore reasoned wel for the churches judging of synners from 1. Cor. 5.4 — 12. doo now seek to solute their own arguments, with the same distinction. Ther is also (say they) a publik judgement and a private, &c. The publik iudgment cōmeth out frō the Lord and from his ministers, for him and the church or cōmon wealth, whose publik officers they are. The private iudgement is to every particular per∣son, touching their discerning, assenting or dissenting to or from the things spokē &c, as every one is perswaded. Jf this their iudgement agree with the publik, it is already signified by the officers, and so is the same with the publik. Jf some disagree, it is the dissent of such particular persons iudgement frō the publik, of what sexe or conditiō soever they be, that so are diversly minded, & is to be re∣garded as there shalbe cause. Alleging for this private judgmēt, 1 Cor. 6.2.3. Act. 26.10. with 22.20. & 21.25. with 15.6.22. & 16.4. with 1. Cor. 5.12.13. 1. Cor. 10.15. & 11.13. Now although these men quote scriptures, which the Cardinal dooth not: yet are the places but

for a shew; they yeild no sound proof of the question. For none of them doo manifest, that in the Churches judging of synners, Paul intended the Elders onely should have a publik judgment, and al the people beside, but a private: nay the contrary dooth appear, by the whole argument of that chapter: to omitt things which may be pressed against their dis∣tinction, from Act. 15.22.25.28. and other places. As, when he menti∣oneth sorowing, 1. Cor. 5.2. he meant not that the Elders sorow should be publik, and the peoples private. When he willeth that the wicked man, by the power of Christ should be delivered to Satan, and cast out frō among them, verse 4.5.13. he did not purpose that the Elders should de∣liver and cast him out publikly, & the people privately▪ all being gathe∣red togither for that busines. When he would have them purge out the old leven, that they might keep the passover with unleavened bread; verse 7.8, he meant not that the Ministers should purge the leven, and keep the feast publikly, & the church privately: neyther did the type of the Passover in Israel, teach them such a thing. No nor the judging of male∣factors in Israel: for when the Magistrates gave sentence of death, and the people stoned wicked persons at the gates of the cities: the rulers fact was not then publik, and the peoples private; the scripture teacheth us not thus to distinguish, nor reason it self: but that the execution was a part of the publik judgement. The Apostle writeth in 1. Cor. 5. to all the Church, blaming their neglect of the Censure, even as in 1. Cor. 11. he writeth to al, reproving their abuse in the Lords supper. Wherfore, if mē wil, they may misapply this distinctiō to all church actiōs, as to Sacramēts, prayers, election of officers, and the like, making them publik in the El∣ders, and private in the church or people: and so, as the Papists doo al∣so in other cases, give all lay men but a private spirit (as they use to speak,) and the ministers onely a publik. We find not that Christian people are more excluded from being publik members of the body, and actors with their ministers in the Kingdom of Christ, then they are in the Preisthood and prophesie. And we know no reason, why the Pastor him∣self, if he consent not with the Church in casting out such an incestuous person, may not be sayd to have a private judgment, as wel as an other man. But by such popish distinctions, the clergie were severed from the laitie, and so the people by degrees, turned out of al. And what now doo these our Opposits allow the people, if they see their Elders to corrupt judgment, & therfore doo dissent frō thē; they make it but the dis∣sent of particular persons judgment from the publik, of what sexe or condition soever they be, (the Christian Magistrate, when he is a member of the Church, not excepted, touching ecclesiastical proceedings,) and it is to be regarded (they say) as there shalbe cause: they mean, I trow, as the Elders themselves shall see cause. And so if a church have 3. or 4. officers, and they corrupted with heresie or other vice, the whole congregation of people, of what condition soever any persons be, can pass no publik ec∣clesiastical

judgment upon them, by this doctrine: as for their private judgement or censure, the Elders themselves wil regard it as there shalbe cause. If this be not a Prelacie which the Elders would usurp, I know not what is. But of these things, see after in this Treatise, pag. 22, 23.

3. Come wee to reproches & disgracings of the truth and way of God; and wee shall see among the Papists, how they disdeyn that the people should medle in matters of religion and judging of controversies. They complayn of them for their ignorance, unrulynes, disobedience unto go∣vernment: they say the Protestants reason as Chore Dathan and Aby∣ram did, Nū. 16. when they rebelled against Moses & Aaron the Mini∣sters of God; saying that there needeth here in the Church no head to govern it, because Christ is alwayes with it. And did not those wicked men (sayth the Papist) in their rebelliō against Moses & Arō, vse the same reasō, when they told thē to their face, let it suffice you that al the multitude is holy, & they have God present with thē. And why then take you upō your selves, the rule over the peo∣ple of our Lord? As who would say, having no need of any other ruler, God be∣ing with them &c. The very same reproches doo our Oppo∣sites now, cast upon us, advancing the Elders, disgracing the peo∣ple, † by intimating their simplicity & errour; charging us as oppug∣ners of government; and abusing against vs the example of Corah Dathā and Abiram, (as we have often heard with greif,) telling us, we goe up∣on their grounds, and the like. For which we wish they may find repen∣tance and mercy with the Lord, least he turn the evil upon their own heads, as Moses then did upon the Levites. For unto them “ it seem∣ed a smal thing that the God of Israel had separated them from the multitude of Israel, to take them neer unto himself, to doo the service of the Tabernacle, & to stand before the Congregatiō, and to minister vnto them, but they sought the office of the Preist also: so these our opposers are not contēt with their office, to be separated unto the gospel of God, to stand and minister be∣fore and unto the Congregation, but wil needs be the Congregation it self, and take more authoritie then is given them from † heaven: wherof see after in this book, pag. 17.21.22.23. &c.

4. What enmitie and persecution the Papists have raysed against the withstanders of their heresies, I need not speak: al nations have felt of their cruelty. Neyther would I here mention our opposite brethrens hard measure to us, but that themselves have printed, and seek to defend it, & cease not stil to prosecute their purposes against us. Although them∣selves have lately professed, practised, & publikly mainteyned the truthes, which now they oppugn and persecute: and bringing innovation into the Church, would needs obtrude their errours upon our consciences, eyther in judgment or in practise, or in both. Yea breaking the peace which thē∣selves had devised, agreed unto and confirmed; because their brethren would not agree to the undoing of themselves and their families, for the

satisfying of their wills, as is after manifested in this treatise, pag. 123, &c. If the Lord should reward them according to their works herein towards us, their account wil be heavy: but my prayer shalbe against their evils.

5. Wheras many Treatises have been written in defense of the truthes we mainteyn: these our Opposers answer them not; neyther yet are they silent, nor wil give rest unto others, but urge aad provoke more writing stil. For the Churches power now in controversie, our Apologie bring∣eth nine reasons: these have answered onely one of them, which is the sixt, drawn from Mat. 18.17. all the other they let stand. And yet what cla∣mours have we heard, because their exceptions against that one, are not by us refuted! So in our other articles of differences, the scriptures and reasons set down in our Apologie and other books, they pass by without answer. If they can make any colourable exception, they spare it not: otherwise, for want of argument, they fall to asking of questions, seeking if they can to insnare us. Of which things the reader may see after in this book, pag. 45, &c. & 51. &c. & 59, &c. & 23, &c. The reasons pres∣sed by our cōmon adversaries, Mr Some, Mr Giffard, Mr Bernard and others, touching the baptisme and church of Rome, & other like mat∣ters, these men now take up against us. The answers published by Mr. Bar∣row, and Mr Robinson, they pass by, as if they knew them not: yea their own former answers and writings, they take not away; and yet (which is most strange,) they ceass not to press us with the same things. I might wel have stayed my pen upon these considerations, at least until our Op∣posers had given themselves further answer, and manifested what of their former profession they wil stil abide by: but their importunacie wil not suffer me to be silent. Wherfore, (humbly craving the Lords asistance,) for the defense of the faith once given to the Saincts, & for my brethrens good (if it may be,) who are thus fallen into errour and evil, I have writ∣ten this answer to their ADVERTISEMENT, (so farr as it concerneth me,) la∣bouring by the word of God, to reduce them agayn into the right way. Their straying from it, is a reproch to the world, a scandal to the weak, dangerous to their own souls, and to me most dolorous, and my soul shall weep in secret for them, remembring our former amitie & concord in the truth. And I shal yet labour for their good, both by prayer unto God, and by the utmost of my poor indevours o∣therweise, so long and so farr as I may.

Notes

• 3. Ioh. 9.10.
• †

  C. aper ve∣nerabilem. Extrav. qui sunt sil. le∣git.
• “

  Hierarc. l. 4. c. 3. & l. 2. c. 3.
• T. Dorm. Proof of certayn ar∣ticles, de∣nyed by M. Iewel. fol. 7.
• Heb. 10.
• †

  pag. 15.16 &c.
• “

  Treat. on Mat. 18, 17. Advertise∣ment, pag. 32—35. &c.
• “

  Bell. de Concil. et eccles. l. 1. c. 16.
• Mr Iohns. treat. on Mat. 18.17. p. 21.
• Kellisons Survey, 1. book. 3. chapt.
• Dorman, Proof of articles, denyed by Mr Iewel. fol. 11.
• †

  See after in this treatise, p. 37.39.
• “

  Num. 16.9.10.
• Rom. 1.1.
• †

  Ioh. 3.27.
• pag. 62.63.