Animadversion to Cliftons Advertisement, Part 1
Of the occasion of publishing this controversie▪ and of the state therof.
AS they that styrr up warrs and strife, “Iudg, 11.13. &c.impute the cause unto others, which lyeth on them selves: so these our opposers, which wil needs bid us battel, yet begin it as occasioned by us thereunto. They object 1. our private letters, and 2. printed Articles, as reasons moving them to print against us. But how vveighty motives these are on their part; let the discreet reader judge, by these our answers.
1. I wrote no such letters to any, til they had printed their first book, and so possessed the world with the strife. 2. Mine were private, to freinds & brethren; theirs publick, even to enemies also. 3. They did it of their own proper wil and motion; I was provoked sundry wayes, by letters from abroad, and freinds at home. For example, one writeth to me thus: Because it is doubted by some, not onelyonly whither [Mr Jo.] his practise with you, be answerable to his writing: but also whither in his writing ther be not a discoherence, he being so intricate that many cannot apprehend his meaning: my earnest desire is, and the desire of many others among us, that you would afford us this favour, to signify to us by your letter, the certaynty &c. Another writeth to my freind thus, we not knowing wel to send a letter unto M. A. thought good to write unto you to intreat him to write unto us concerning the differences that be amongst you &c. Those that come over of M. J. his side, say they hold no more concerning the Eldership, then M. A. hath written against M. Smyth: others say to the contrary; we doo therfore intreat M. A. to certifie us of the truth &c. VponUpon these and the like motives there and here by some that went over to their freinds, I have written as I was necessarily occasioned privately, of the differences between us; making account my letters would come to our opposites hand, as is fallen out: for wch I am not sory, save so farr as hereby they occasion their own evils to be further manifested, which I had rather (if so it pleased God) they were hid and buryed by repentance. 4. Themselves have doon the like, and even this Advertiser wel knowes, who wrote to a freind in Engl. perswading against us that saying of the Apostle, Receiv him not to house neyther bid him God speed: 2. Joh. 10. which letter (if we would have sought occasion as they have,) we might ere this have printed, with the answer. By this al may see, how partial these men are, which advertise the world of our writing coversly; when themselves (if it be a fault) are guilty of the same.
2. Touching the printed Articles, so often spoken of in their Advertisement; as we had no hand in, or knowledge of the publishing of them: so must we now shew the reason, of giving them out, as we did, being even against our wills forced therunto, by the frowardnes of these our Opposers.
1.First, for the Scornful that printed those articles, they †Lawnes book. pag. 78. 82.bear the world in hand, as if the Congregation wherof I am, and my self had sued others at the law, for the meeting howse: wheras the contrary was publikly agreed in our Church, that we would rather bear the wrong, than trouble the Magistrate with our controversie: neyther have we ever commenced such a suit. 2. But wheras two of our brethren and a widow, were cheif owners of the building, they sought first in private freindly manner to come to agreement with their opposite brethren, but could not; then they desired to put it to the arbitrement of indifferent citizens, but the other party refused: wherupon our brethren signifyed to vsus, that they must seek help of the Magistrate, for the estate of some of them was such as they could not bear the loss and dāmage. And asked us, if the churches right were caled in question▪ (for our adversaries plea was the church the church,) what should be answered before the magistrate? We, with signification as before, that we would rather suffer wrong, then sue at law; yet could not hinder them of seeking for their particular right: & if in so doing the churches right were called in question, that then some certayn appointed, should answer for the same. 3. Those our brethren (before they went to the Iudges,) intreated the help of the Burgemasters, the cheif of the City: who laboured by perswasion with our Opposites, to put the matter to the arbitrement of good men chosen by both sides, but they stil peremptorily refused. 4. When it was brought before the Iudges, they also at first both perswaded unto, and nominated two indifferent men to hear the case: but when our opposers came before them, they refused to stand to their arbitrement. The Iudges the second time appointed them, with a mulct or forfeit upō those that refused their arbitrement: but our adverse partie, persisted in their refusal as before: and urged sentence of the Magistrates, and pleaded that they which build on another mans ground, are by law to loose their building; which plea they made, because the assurance of the ground was made in the name of one man onelyonly, (now among them,) whose name was used but in trust, for any other might have had the same as wel as hee, as was proved before the Magistrate by sufficient witness. Now unto these Arbiters appointed, did our brethren willingly referr the cause, and to them (inquiring of the differences) were those Articles exhibited: which it seemeth those Libellers, or their Scribe, by some means that wee know not of, procured a copy of, and so printed them. What cause now have these our opposers, to find such fault with our giving out those articles, which we were constreyned by them selves to doo, unless we should have suffred the truth to have bene troden down? They rather have cause to acknowledge their own stiff & refractary cariage, who would not yeild to any good counsel given them, by our brethren, by Arbiters, or by Magistrates; til law forced them therunto: and so have occasioned many wayes, our cōmon adversaries to rejoyce.
3. But we have not (sayth the †pag. 17.Advertisement) as we ought, handled and justified the causes for which we separated; which were annexed at the end of the Treatise on Mat. 18.17. but have gone about also to possess the world with other matters. So †pag. 31.after they urge agayn this point, that we leav the Treatise unanswered, which was purposely written upon that occasion and argument. I answer. 1. We handled and justified the causes for which we separated, by word of mouth in much disputing, before we left them: and this for them was as we ought, and sufficient, according to the Apostles practise, Act. 1….8.9. And now we are by their importunacie, caled to handle and justifie them before the world in writing: which whither we doo as we ought, the sequel shal shew, to the judicious reader. 2. It is not we, but they which have gone about to possess the world with other matters: for the things we charge them with, themselves in effect acknowledge; and as wel as they can doo defend them. But their declaration against us in the Treat. on Mat. 18. is defective; and the 7. points they article †Advertis. p. 27. &c.now against us, are superfluous; and injuriously wrested against us, as our answers to them shal manifest. The controversie in deed began upon the exposition of Mat. 18.17. but so as we have heard in times past Anabaptists begin controversie upon Mat. 28.19. who have reasoned both from that and al other scriptures, against the baptising of infants: so these opposites from Mat 18.17. and al other scriptures that we could bring, reasoned against the power of the people in judging syn & synners. We formerly *Apol, p. 65.professing the Church there to be Elders and people joyntly: they now striving that it is not so, but the Elders onelyonly, we knew it must be eyther the name or the power of the church, that they would have. And we never thought them so vayn, as to make such a styrr for a name or title: we held therfore to the power which Christ hath given to his church for judging of them that are within, 1. Cor. 5.4.12.13. Of this when we pressed them, they first gave this answer, that the Elders had the rightful power to excommunicate though without and against the consent of all the people, but not the able power: even as David had rightful power to put Ioab to death, but was not able, because others were too hard for him: 2. Sam. 3.39. To which we answered; in matters of this life, which are external, men may be hindred by outward force: but in the spiritual administration of the Church not so: Gods word (by which they administer) is not in bonds, 2 Tim. 2.9. But if one man onelyonly have the power from Christ, he may use it, †Ier. 1.9.10against all the world. So upon better consideration, a week after, they affirmed the Elders to have both rightful power, and able power, to excommunicate, though without and against the consent of all the people. And thus was ful power put in the Elders hands: & of the people they sayd, their power and right was as in Israel, and in the primitive churches. But being asked what that was? answer was made, it was to be inquired. So the poor people are left to seek their right wher they can find it: the Elders have ynough, they have found that they sought for.
As Paul to disswade the Corinthians from their errour in denying the resurrection, shewed them the dangerous consequences of the same, as Ԡ1 Cor. 15 13, 14. &c.that if ther be no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen, then the Apostles preaching was vayn, then the Churches fayth was also vayn, &c. so I held it my duty to shew the people the consequences of the former error, which though at first it may seem smal, yet is it as a strong fort in the mouth of a country, which if the enemy win, the whole land is soon lost. For if all the power of receiving in and casting out, were given to the Elders: then our Church which was first gathered and constituted, did receiv in and cast out members without Elders, was not planted by the power of Christ; neyther had they authoritie to set up Elders if they could not agayn vponupon desert depose them, and if they had not power to judge their brethren, much less could they judge their Elders. And here came in the gathering of the church by vertue of popish baptisme, and of receiving the ministery from Rome, as wel as the baptisme, and the like, which our opposites were and must necessarily be driven unto, for defense of their errour. And as for the first gathering of this church, they sayd an error in the doing, overthroweth not the action: for Isaak erred in blessing Iaakob in sted of Esau, yet the action did stand. To which we answered, that it was doon by a person who had power from God to give the blessing, and the action was also confirmed by the evidence of Gods spirit afterward: but this people (upon our opposites doctrine) had no authority from God, to doo as they did, neyther could they shew any confirmation of the work by God, if our former grounds fayl us.
The sentence given in the end by the Elders that leaned to the Pastors error, was, not that discourse they speak of at the end of the Treatise on Mat. 18. (for that was privately penned afterward by the Pastor himself,) but a breif and yet large approbation of the things which the Pastor had shewed, to be the truth; and a promise that by the grace of God they would so practise. VponUpon which sentence giving, we on the contrary approved our former profession published, and shewed sundry reasons (which hereafter shalbe set down) why we could not yeild to their new vowed practise.
And because they alwayes sought to extenuate the controversie, as if it were but a strife about words, or about the meaning of Mat. 18.17. We purposely prevented it, signifying expressly, before we parted, that we would bear with them in their understanding of Mat. 18.17. so as they would yeild the point in controversie, (which was about the Churches power,) from other scriptures, shewing it also by an other case, that if we had to deal upon John. 1. with an Arian that denyes the godhead of Christ, if he would plainly and sincerely yeild to the truth of that doctrine, though he thought it not proved by Iohn. 1, (where yet it is evidently proved,) we would bear with him therin. And this we still offer unfeighnedly to these our opposite brethren, let them yet directly and plainly renounce the error it self touching the power of the church now ingrossed into the Elders hands, and the other errours that necessarily flow from the same: and we wil bear with their judgement concerning Mat. 18.17. though we think of it otherweise that doo they.
Moreover seing we offred much more, (which concerneth not onelyonly Mat. 18.17. but al other scriptures,) that we would notwithstanding our difference of judgement, have continued together, if our former practise might have been reteyned; and themselves in their Advertisement *pag. 73.can not deny this: how doo they then bear the world in hand, that the breach among us vvas for the understanding of Math. 18.17?
Touching their Treatise on Mat. 18.17. the causes why I have not answered it are. 1. When others heretofore (as namely Mr. Smyth) wrote against the truth wch they formerly professed: we al thought best not to answer, til the second and third time we were excedingly provoked: for we considered how the cōmon adversary would rejoyce at our intestine troubles. The same I minded here▪ and these men should (if they were not partial) have doon the like. 2. I had experience, in former dealing vvith M. Smyth, of his unstayednes, that vvould not stand to the things vvhichwhich himself had vvritten: I mind the like in these Opposites, vvho are not setled for the constitution of their Church and Ministerie, upon any ground that I knovv of, unless it be popish succession. Their former vvritings about the Church and ministery, and their present estate, wil not stand togither. Seing those books are unanswered by others, they should answer them (if they can) themselves; and shew us by Gods word what is allowable, vvhat disallovvable in them. Till they doo this, vvho vvould vvillingly deal vvith them? 3. Ther are 9. reasons in that our “pag. 62.63.Apologie to confirm the povver of the Church novv in question: the foresaid Treatise dealeth but against one of them, leaving the rest there, and vvhatsoever is vvritten of that argumēt in other our books, unansvvered: what reason have they to cal so upon others to write, when so much is already written? If they yeild us the cause, upon the other reasons, we wil not strive about the meaning of one scripture, as before vve shevved.
4. The meaning of Mat. 18.17. is handled by Mr. Robinson against Mr Bernard (vvhose book, our opposites so much respected,) and the false gloses upon that text, sufficiently refuted: vvhy doo not these men ansvver the things there vvritten, but cal styl for more; as if al men must leav other studies, to folovv them in their hunting for preeminence. 5. I have had intelligence of Mr. Robinsons further purpose to ansvver in particular that their treatise, as occasion shalbe given. And in deed, I for the love and respect that I have alvvayes had to these novv opposite brethren; have desired their conviction rather by others then by my self; vvho are both better able to perform it, and are likely to be more regarded then I, and to doo it vvith less publik scandal to the vvorld: vvho desire nothing more, then to see us, that vvere so neerly joyned, to sharpen our penns one against another. Thus have I been stayed hitherto, though novv as the things in that Treatise are repeted in this their Advertisement, I shal discover also the insufficiencie of their reasons there alleged.
Novv as the Advertiser *pag. 18.19shevveth by examples of troubles in …hurches heretofore, that the godly vvise should not be offended at these dissensions: accordingly doo I desire all syncere harted for to vvalk. And further that he himself vvith others, vvould look into the 3. particulars that he allegeth. 1. For the troubles in Corinth, the Apostle composeth by shevving the Church their place in Christ above their ministers, 1. Cor. 3.21.22.23. vvhichwhich might also if it vvere vvel observed, end the strife that is novv among us.
2. The contention about Easter, as it vvas evil in it self, being about mens traditions: so vvas it as ill caried. For they learned not to redress things as Paul before taught, 1. Cor. 3. but contrarivveise as Hierom after telleth “Cōment in Tit. 1.5.us▪ by setting up one Elder about others, that the seeds of schismes might be taken away. Which humane vvisdom furthering the mysterie of Antichrist so far prevailed, that about this their Easter strife, Victor Bishop of Rome, determined to have excōmunicated the East churches, and had doon it, but †Euseb. l▪ 5. c. 26.that Irenaeus blamed him and stayed it. Thus ambition having vvrung the povver first out of the vvhole Churches hands into the Elders onelyonly, and then out of the Elders hands joyntly, into ones alone: began to vvork factions and styrrs in the churches, vvorse then ever before.
3. The troubles vvhichwhich they speak of, in the English church at Frankford in Q. Maryes dayes, is even a picture of our present calamities, and vvorthy of perpetual remembrance. For there vvhen M. Horn the pastor vvith his felovv Elders vsurped authority above the church; they vvere vvel vvithstood by the body of the congregation, among vvhom vvere sundry men of vvisdom and learning. And to appease that strife, by the Magistrates counsel they agreed upon articles, vvhichwhich directly overthrovv the errors so stood for by these our opposers. For thus the printed Discourse of the troubles of that church sayth.