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 6. article

6. We learned and used heretofore to apply to our estate and use, the things that the scriptures teach concerning the governours and people in Israel. Now we ar excepted and opposed against, if we doo so, with these exceptions and the like, that they had civil authority and government, which the church hath not; that they could not in Israel forgive one an o∣thers syn, as we can now: that the people now have more power then in Israel, because now we folow Christ into heaven, wheras the people might not folow the high Preist into the most holy place &c.

I answer; the right applying of our estate to Israel, we alwayes have and stil doo approve: but these mens wrested proportions, and making the Church in Mat. 18. to be the same with the Iewes Synedrion or Sessions of civil Magistrates, we doo reprove, and so have doon in our more ancient writings, Refut. of M. Giff. pag. 76. &c. so that no new thing is doon by us.

2. That private men forgave not synns in Israel, so absolutely touching the Church order or politie, as Christians doo now, is e∣vident by the Law, which bound the offender not onely unto re∣pentance and faith in Christ, as also to † confess his syn and satis∣fy his “ neighbour offended; but withal to bring a trespass offring to

the Preist, (the minister of the Church,) that so the Preist making an attonement for him before the Lord, it should be forgiven him, Levit. 6.2.5.6.7. Now under the Gospel, the Law is, if thy brother trespass against thee rebuke him, and if he repent forgive him: Luk. 17.3. neyther is such a man bound to goe to a minister that he may pray for, or forgive him; as the Papists by proportion doe gather. 3. That th'Apostle also sheweth a difference of our Church estate from the Iewes politie, Heb. 9.7.8.9. &c. & 10.19.20. compared with Gal. 4.1.2.3. &c, is manifest: neyther can our opposites deny it; onely they cast stombling blocks in the readers way: saying thus, 1. what if any other would say, that Elders and Kings now should have more power then they had in Jsrael, because they now folow Christ into Heaven &c. To omit their yll framing of the reason, for their most advantage, I answer, they that would so say, should shew their ignorance, or a worse humour, Because Christs Kingdom is not † of this world, neyther medled he with Magistrates power, but left it as it was, authorized of God his Father, and not subordinate to his Media∣torship; as “ before is shewed: and therfore Magistracie hath ney∣ther more nor less by him now, then in Israel and former ages. But his Church, and so the Magistrates therin as they are Christi∣ans, are advanced to a further degree of grace, then they were in, under the rudiments of the Law, Gal. 4.3.4. &c.

2. The Second block is a marginal note, that yet the people were typically caried in by the high Preist, in the precious stones on his shoulders and brest, as the most holy place it self was a type of Heaven. I answer, this is true, and confirmeth that which I sayd: for if into the earthly sanctuary the people could not freely enter, in their own persons, at any time, but figuratively, although they had so much as by faith in Christ did save them: then is our estate now, as touching the outward Church order and politie, better then theirs, which are not restreyned from any place whither the ministers of the Gospel may them selves enter, but we are a the Preists of God and of Christ, and b may be bold to enter into the holy place, into the type wherof one∣ly c the high Preist under the Law might enter sometimes and the people not at al personally. And in every place we may offer incense unto the name of God, and a pure oblation, Mal. 1.11. and are freed frō those legal prohibitions, d touch not, tast not, handle not, and other worldly rudiments under which Israel in their childs estate were in bon∣dage,

Gal 4.3. Therfore the Apostle, which sheweth their estate and ours to be one in substance concerning faith in Christ unto salvati∣on, H••b. 11. sheweth also great differences between their condition and ours touching the clear manifestation of Gods grace, and the outward politie of the Church; Heb. 9. & 10. & 12. Gal. 4.

Finally these things we never intended or extended to any further rights or liberties of the people now, then we find evidently taught us by the doctrine and practise e of th'Apostles: that if in any thing we miss (as easily we may,) in the application of those legal types, yet the doctrine confirmed by other playn scriptures, remayneth sound and good. And such differences between Israel and us, we also have put, in our more ancient writings: Discover. pag. 40. & 60.

Their last note is in effect one with the first: shewing how Christ and th'Apostles reasoned wel, from the civil state of Israel, which we grant. Yet I hope they wil not deny, but it is possible for other men to reason amyss, and to make yll proportions from the com∣mon wealth of Israel, as doo the f Papists, and as before is manifes∣ted that these our opposites have doon.

Notes

• Cōfess. art. 1.10.17.18. &c. through∣out.
• Act. 15, 9, 11.
• †

  Lev. 5.5.
• “

  Lev. 6, 5.
• Bellar. de Poenit. l. 2. c. 3.
• †

  Ioh. 18, 36
• Rom. 13.1 &c.
• “

  pag. 55.
• a

  Rev. 20, 6.
• b

  Heb. 10, 19.
• c

  Lev. 16, 2.17. Luk. 1.10
• d

  Col. 2.20 21.
• e

  Mat. 18, 17—20. & 28.20. Act. 11, 2—18. & 15, 22— 28. & 21, 18—22. 1. Cor. 5, 1.— 13. Rev. 2, 29. & 5, 10.
• f

  S•••• be∣fore, pag. 16.