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 4. article.

Wee professed hertofore, that no sacraments should be ministred, until the Pastors or Teachers were chosē & ordeyned into their office: now it is held by some, that seing al the holy things of God are the churches, & peo∣ple without officers are a church, therfore they may without officers have the use of the sacraments and al the holy things of God, and consequent∣ly may receive in by baptisme, confirm by the Lords supper, cast out by excommunication &c. And in this writing sent unto yow, it may be ob∣served, how they inferr that people without officers may cast out, and therfore may receiv in, ther being one power for both.

I answer; they wrong us, and abuse their readers. 1. There is not to my knowledge (as before I testified) any one man amōg us, that held or holdeth that people without officers may have the use of the sacraments; but we all continue in the same profession that we made before. 2. It is frawd, and abuse of the reader, and inju∣rie to me, when they first speak of receiving in by baptisme, and then allege from my letter, that the people without officers may receiv in: as if they would bear the world in hand, I therfore hold, they may baptise. Wheras first the scripture sheweth that persons uncircū∣cised (and consequently unbaptised), may pass into the Church-co∣venant of the Lord, Deut. 29.10.11.12.13. compared with Jos. 5.2.5.

Secondly the children of the faithful, are born members of the Church, and are in the covenant before they are baptised. Third∣ly a man excommunicated, may be received into the Church, yet not by baptising of him. And 4. we heretofore in our Confession when we † denyed the sacraments in a Church without officers, yet professed they had then power to receiv in members. Wher∣in

now are we contrary to our former faith? Doo not these things rather show, how they seek to make strife, where none is.

Notes

• Confess. art. 34, &c.
• pag. 66.
• †

  Confess. art. 34.
• Conf. art. 24. Apol. p. 45.62.