2 Chron. 19.8 9 10. where with the Priests and Levites there are of the heads of the people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Here it seems to me Senior is opposed to Doctor I suppose if he had intended as it is objected he would have set downe Episcoporum rather then Doctorum which comprehends the whole Ministerie 3. It is cleare the Church-ruling Elder in 1 Cor. 6. was ceased before his time and practised as I think by the Bishops and Doctors August cited by Calvin on 1 Cor. 6. saith thus which confirms it In libro de opere Monachorum ubi suas occupationes commemorat hanc sibi de multis vel molestissimam esse asserit quòd secularibus negotiis partem diei impendere cogatur se tamen patienter ferre quia ejusmodi necessitatem sibi Apostolus injungat ex hoc loco quadam Epistola apparet solitos certis horis sedere Episcopos ad lites-dirimendas quasi eos hic designet Apostolos ut autem res in deterius semper labuntur ex illo errore deinde manabit Jurisdictio quam sibi in causis pecuniariis Episcoporum officiales usurpant in illo autiquo more duo sunt reprehensione digna quod Episcopi alienis à suo officio negotiis implicabantur c. 1. This of judging in civill causes was the office of the helping Governour which the Bishops in and after Ambrose time executed themselves 2. M. Calvin saith this was a businesse belonged not to Bishops he calls it in them malum tolerabile yet see how Augustine saith it was designed them by Apostles 3. In that he saith in alienis negotiis shewes it was a businesse pertained to some and it must be a Church-Officer though not them which was the Ruling Elder Hieron on Ep. Tit. cap. 1. shewes the reason why it was decreed in the whole world that all the care of the Church should pertain to one and that was from the primary dissentions of Presbyters which was that whereas when the three Presbyters governed the Church together they could not agree among themselves therefore they would have the Government onely to be in one and not in three any more A faire excuse it was even for the peace of the Church 1. If they walked by the Rule how could they disagree 2. Tyranny of Antichrist could never get up by three but by one in giving government to one in the Church was much of Antichrist revealed and made way for all Applic. 1. Mixt societies are set up and Nationall Churches constituted Ordination is taken from the Church and the Government of the Church by its owne Presbyters is destroyed Evangelists rooted up and Teachers office cast down and the helping Ruler is taken away whereas were two Bishops in a City now one rules a whole Province these proceed to Patriarks which preceded the Pope all this is left upon Record that the government of the Church was not in Ambrose time such as in the Apostles 2. I desire those read and intend to write against what is herein contained to cleare 1. How 2. When these things thus said to be altered came to be restored 3. Whether that a government be right that hath not all and no more then all that the Apostles practised and left to be practised in the Church 4. Whether the Conventicula quae constituta sunt Rectores caetera Officia in Ecclesia ordinata spoke of Ambrose Eph. 4. have not respect to single Congregations the same now amongst us in opposition to Gospell Churches consisting of severall societies set up usually in Cities if not what they were then 5. Whether his Capit alio ordine prudentia gubernari Ecclesia signifie not that then one Minister came to do all and all parts of Ministery were done in the Conventiculis and â—â—er have been since and where this used by us be not ab alio ordine prudentia quam eo quod à Deo est in Evangelio if not in what the constitution of our Churches do differ from theirs here mentioned That I may bring you to the Pope in whose manifestation the Gospell-Government was fully hid In the time of Theodo the younger Anno 423. which is but 17. yeares after the time of the Churches obscuring the highest of Antichrist was manifested in a manner in the publike Charter granted Bononia for the making of an University WE Theodosius by the grace of God Emperor of the Romans ever Augustus moved with the commodiousnesse and fertility of the place having 25. moneths taken found and deliberate advice therein sitting in our seat of Majesty a generall councell of Christians being assembled in the presence of Celestine high Bishop of Rome 12. Cardinals Arch-bishops and Bishops innumerable and sundry other Dukes and Princes of divers degrees and callings Baldwine Earle of Flanders and Gaulter Earle Poictiers Embassadors the one representing the person of the King of France the other of the King of England the whole Colledge of an 100. senators sitting do by this inviolable act c. Given at Rome in the Capitoll Anno 423. May. 11. This made the Pope truly Antichrist when he counterfeited Christs Ordinance by setting up that in his false Church in a false way which Christ set up in the true his 12. to Christs 12. which are above Archbishops and Bishops Dukes and Princes Clem. recognit l. 3. though a counterfeit yet is it ancient Haec autem his similia cum dixisset Petrus manibus superpositis Zacheo oravit ut inculpabiliter Episcopatus sui servaret officium post haec 12. Presbyteros ordinavit diaconos 4. These are said to be ordained to serve at Cesarea to justifie the Roman practice and their 12. Cardinals though not a word in Scripture witnesse any such thing at all Having briefly spoken of the fall I shall propose one Propheticall Scripture for the rise of the fallen Churches Gentiles as well as Jewes together now shortly to be within 18. years in most of the world Ezek. 16.55 When thy Sister Sodome and her daughters shall returne to their former estate and Samaria and her daughters shall returne to their former estates then thou and thy daughters shall returne to your former estate 1. To understand this note that in Scripture the first Churches are called Mother Churches those that succeed them and are constituted according to them and receive ministry and means mediately from them are not unfitly called Daughter Churches whether they are true or false and in this it well agrees such as the mother such as the daughter 2. In this sence it cannot be said of literall Sodome she was no Church she had no daughters but in Rev. 11.8 Rome mystically is said to be called Sodome and surely no where if not here in all the Book of God she is the mother of Harlots that is of idolatrous Churches and societies and in 7. Sess Councell of Trent can 3. De Baptismo she is called Mater omnium Ecclesiarum
appointed to doe The true helping Governour 1. Is indeed a Lay-Elder 2. His Institution is without laying on of hands Bilson cap. 11. perp Church-Government if they had laying on of hands they had not been Lay-Elder 3. The gospel hath instituted no Church-lay Officer but that of 1 Cor 6.1.6 who was only set up to compose differences in the Church in civill affaires 4. There is no institution for any such Officer in the Church as the Lay-Elders under Presbytery are assigned unto so they cannot but be an Anti-Christian Office acting by a Anti-Christian power unlesse we say there are to be Officers and Offices in the Church that are not of gospel institution As for that brought to prove them out of 2 Chron. 19.9.10 it is of no validity Christ saith No man putteth an old piece no not a piece to a new Garment therefore that is not Christs mind that they whatever their Office was should be to rule under the gospel though I think their Office was far differing from Lay-Elders now 5. The Office of the Elder was not about Ecclesiasticall things but 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an ordinary businesse ver 1. and then ver 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the lesser things ver 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things of this life or livelihood and to this Chron. 2.19.11 Amariah is for the matters of the Lord and Zebadiah in the matters of the King ver 10. proves it clearely The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth the Churches instituting some and in an autoritative way among themselves for determining differences amongst them occasioned about things abovesaid as in ver 4. Question will be whether the governour set up by the Corinthians were Iure divino The Governours Rom 12.8 1 Cor. 12.28 are said to be set up of God in the Church the same is meant doubtlesse 1 Tim. chap. 5. ver 17. Institution for an other Governour then this in this 6 to the Corinthians I prove all those hold the contrary to shew 1. The grounds to be observed by the Church in ordaining Lay-Elders are laid downe by the Apostle in this Chapter as fully as for the ordaining any other Officer in the Church First hee must be qualified with wisedome a wise man Secondly a Church-member Thirdly a member of their owne Church a wise man amongst them which proves it to be a proper office pertaining to the well governing of every Church Fourthly they are to bee set up to judge by the Churches authority Fifthly the Apostle doth approve the practise by arguments drawn à majore ad minùs they are just therefore fit to judge and more fit then those are unjust before whom they brought their Causes to tryall they shall judge the World and Angels how much more the things of this life Q. If these are Iure divino then whether are they to continue in the Church or not they being set down in Scripture to be set up in the Primitive Church Respons Master Bilson Chap. 10. Perpet Church Government saith they had no authority necessity nor perpetuity and after in Christian Common-Wealths these Iudges must cease because there is no cause of declinining the Tribunall of Christian Magistrates Yet he himselfe confesseth these to be Governours and Moderatours of their brethrens quarrels and contentions others he finds not in the Apostolick writings but such as withall were watchmen and seeders Chap. ibid. pag. 142. who then if not these were the helping Governours 1. He cals them Governours and yet saith rhey had no authority and 1 Tim. 5.17 God requires obedience to those that rule well 2 They were set up or appointed by the whole Church which must be a publick intrustment of the Church bestowed upon some particular persons for this end in the Church which is the common ground of authority that is set up over a free people as the Church in this case 3. Master Bilsons Title of his Book is the Perpetuall Government of Christs Church which shewes that the Government in the beginning instituted by the Apostles in the Church and consequently the Governours are to bee perpetuall of which this 1 Cor. 6.1 was one Object These were set up only to prevent scandals among the Heathen under the Christian Magistrate it needs not to be 1. Christ never intended the being of a Nationall Church in the World 2. If once Churches come to bee collected there is the same reason for them now that ever there was in the World 3. It was instituted to prevent scandals as well within the Church from offending one another as without from the offending the world Object This were to ecclipse Magistracy 1. He ruleth for the Magistrate and under him Rom. 13. and is to bee accomptable to the Magistrate for his acts if required 2. He ruleth not as the Magistrate by the sword to compell or force or lay any pecuniary mulcts on those that disobey or corporall punishment that indeed were to take the sword out of the Magistrates hand but by the word and by love shewing what is the command of Christ in their severall cases one to perform to another 3. To me it seemes the Apostle alludes to this power in the Church only he writing to the Church Rom. 13.1 Let every soule be subject to the higher Power and so cals the Church Elder the inferiour power so that this establishes the Magistrate Object You say the Church should set him up and so he stands not by the Magistrate Respons Indeed he stands jure divino now the priviledge God hath given the Saints is no more then the Magistrate gives to every petty Incorporation which is that they shall choose their own Magistrate Object The City Magistrate rules by the Law of the publick Magistrate Respons True the Elder rules in the Church by the gospel which if the world could beare it were far better if all were ruled by it onely Illust God ruled by the Magistracy of Rome by the Law of nature by Moses government in a way that made men more holy and mercifull one to another then others were why so God rules one way in the world another way in the Church more evangelically mercifully the members have a spirit of love by which they are taught to seek not their own but the good of one another 2. As in proceeding in the Church first tell one or two then the Church so remedy should be sought by this way of the Church first before any other 3. In case the member submit not to wholesome counsell according to the nature of the fact the ecclesiasticall Officers being first acquainted with it they may suspend from Sacraments excommunicate and deny society to them untill satisfaction in some way be given to the Church 3. This is authority enough for Christ to rule by which cannot be any way offensive to Magistrates it is a small boon to be granted Christ every free subject is granted as much in his house and shall not Christ have it
THE CHURCHES RESURRECTION OR The CREATING of the New Heavens Written by an unworthy Gospel-Minister JOHN BRAYN Rev. 21.2 And I John saw the holy City c. Acts 13.41 Behold ye despisers and wonder and perish for I work a work in your days a work which you shall in no wise believe though a man declare it unto you London Printed for George Whittington at the Blew-Anchor in Cornhil near the Royal-Exchange 1649. To the Honorable The General Councel OF THE ARMY IN that I am assured you and your despised Armies are they by whom the Church is to be ushered out of her long hid estate into the world again I presume to present you with this insuing Tract as belonging to you which may something serve to help-direct your Councels in Church-affairs in the sound foundation whereof you will finde to consist the strength of your undertakings Councels and comforts to depend and issues to succeed it being the work onely of God to give man to his labor an expected end Now the Lord so direct you in your great undertakings to do the work of the Lord that he may have glory and you mercy in the day of Christ is the desire of Your Servant in the Gospel JO BRAYN To the Reader I Think good to acquaint thee that God may have the greater glory That the Form of Government I drew wholly from the Word before I saw the least footstep of it in the Primitive Practice mentioned by the Fathers which when I came to see them to be as so many Witnesses to the Truth I could not for the Truths sake but make it publique for thy profit It is not as large as intended but Epitomized onely my allowance for my Ministery being detained from me nor did I therefore translate but few of the Authorities cited some are for the use of the unlearned I desire you to pass by the errors committed in Printing it because having other occasions I could not attend the Press and it shall be your honor and be esteemed of Your Servant in the Gospel JO BRAYN IN these times it hath been the way of men to cry down the sound and saving Truths of God and the Gospel by branding them with terms of Novelty and New found Notions proudly and scornfully calling them ridiculous things in branding the men that God reveals them to with odious names hindring many from so much as trying the Truth then which Satan hath not had a greater Engine against the way of God in these last times which the tryal of the first and purest of Antiquity will reveal unto us and shew us how and I shall endeavor as my weak ability small reading and other great imployments will give me leave in these few sheets of Paper following to manifest And first THat the Government of the Church in the Primitive times was not looked on as in these latter times it hath been even to be a thing to be made conformal to every estate in which the Gospel is preached prudentially which is clearly to be proved by many witnesses but in that the Scripture saith Vnder two or three witnesses every thing shall be established I shall onely prove them by two or three and no more as being sufficient hereunto alone Tertullian who lived about Two hundred years after Christ saith Nobis vero nihil ex nostro arbitrio inducere licet sed nec eligere quod aliquis ex suo arbitrio induxerit Apostolos Domini habemus auctores qui nec ipsi quicquam ex suo arbitrio quod inducerent eligerunt sed acceptam à Christo disciplinam fideliter Nationibus assignarunt itaque etiamsi Angelus de coelis aliter Evangelizaret anathema diceretur à nobis De Praescrip Heret The sence this It is not lawful for us to induce any thing at our pleasure nor to choose that any one hath induced of his own will we have the Apostles of the Lord Authors who themselves nor chose nor brought in to the Church any thing of their free will but they faithfully assigned to the Nations the discipline received from Christ Therefore though an Angel from heaven should teach otherways let him be accounted as accursed of us Ap. What place is there then for a prudential Government in the Church How can Ministers plead for it or Magistrates set it up Dionisius Ep. to Demophilus Si distinctiones ordinesque confundere Sacratissimas Dei Sanctiones jura transgredi est omni profectò ratione caret Dei causâ pervertere traditum divinitùs ordinem neque enim in seipsum Dei sermo divisus est alioquin quomodo staret ejus regnum Clem. Alex. Lib. Strom. 7. p. 841. Quomodo ergo in bello non est ordo deserendus quem dedit imperator militi ita nec est deserendus ordo quem dedit nobis verbum quem accepimus principem ac ducem cognitionis vitae I may prove this by others but Tertull. whose Authority is questioned by none speaking to this exceeding pertinently I propose again as in his Book Adversus Marcion Et oportuerit utique prius alium Deum exponi postea ejus disciplinam induci quia Deus auctoritatem praestet disciplinae non Deo disciplina This I suppose proves sufficiently That in the Church no Discipline ought to be set up but what Christ in the Gospel hath commanded The second thing to be considered is The Ministery without the Church erected by Christ in the world to fit for the Church 1. The Books of Arnobius Lactantius Justin Martyr called Serm. ad Gentes prove it Clem. Alex. ad Gentes Venite venite ô meorum juvenum caetus nisi enim rursus efficiamini ut pueri regeneremini ut ait Scriptura eum qui vero est pater non recipietis neque unquam in regnum Coelorum intrabitis quando enim est hospiti permissum ingredi sed quando ut puto inscriptus fuerit cives effectus patrem acceperit tunc erit in numero filiorum patris tunc dignus habebitur qui sit haeres Come ye come ye O Congregation of my yong men for unless ye become again as children and be new born as the Scripture saith ye cannot receive him who is truly the Father nor shall ye ever enter into the Kingdom of Heaven When is it permitted the stranger to enter but when as I think he is inrolled and made a Citizen and hath received the Father then he shall be in the number of the Fathers children That this was to unconverted Gentiles is without doubt and farther shews They were to be inrolled and receive the Father that is I suppose they were to profess Faith in and Obedience unto God before he could be a Citizen or a Son which at first must be an estate of childehood in the Church again though men by nature or they could not enter Clemens in Orat. adhor ad Gentes Praecursor Johannis vox verbum praecurrit vox adhortatoria praeparans ad
1. All the Churches before An 200. constituted according to the Apostles were Jerusalem and after to the 400 year 2. All the Idolatrous false Churches set up after Antichrist of Rome since the year 46. are Romes daughters 3. All the Societies separated from Rome within this 150. years being not according to the Gospell frame or patterne are Samarias daughters 1. Their Priest was brought from Assyria or Babell as was Martine Luther from the Monastery 2. They made Gods of their owne every Nation as they please 2. Kings 17.27.29 3. Ver. 41. These Nations feared the Lord and served the graven Images both their children and childrens children as did their fathers The Application I leave to the Reader 1. It is observable Ierusalem is first Sodom next Samaria last in Scripture and in time yet ver 46. Samaria is called the elder sister and Sodom the younger yet first in time and Scripture God in this shewing the Samaritan estate had more of the truth then Sodoms estate and so may be said to be elder and hath honour given her of God in it and Sodom dishonour 2. Ierusalems Sodoms Samarias daughters shall be brought all again to their former estate that is the primitive gospel-government 3. In the bringing Sodoms and Samarias God will bring again Ierusalems Captives the Iewes in the midst of them their call promised and time intimated 4. Ver. 61. Thou shalt receive thy sister thy elder and thy younger here Samaria is spoke of first who first shall have the gospel government set up in her and shall be acknowledged by the gospel to be so and then God shewes how in saying he will give them to Ierualem for daughters who before were Sodoms and Samarias Rev. 20.6 this is the first resurrection of Churches Q. When shall this bee 1. When Ierusalem hath born her lewdnesse ver 5.8 2. After Ierusalem hath had all her daughters and Rome or Sodome all her daughters and Samaria or the Church departed from Rome had her daughters 1. They and their daughters are said to dye as it were as the true Churches were abolished by Anti-christ Anti-christ by Samaria God now by giving the truth abolisheth Episcopacy and Presbytery the daughters of Samaria and giving the true knowledge of the gospel-government first to Samaria which I think will be seen in England God is said to bring Samarias daughters and then after will Romes daughters France Spaine c. among whose returne the Iewes shall be called and returne also and the new Ierusalem shall receive them for daughters So that I suppose the true gospel-government will be set up and spread into farther parts Dominions and Countreys then ever the Apostles spread it and continue much longer in time and purity in the world 4. Sodom and Samaria shall lay down in a short time their corruptions abominations and false government taking up the way of God 5. This cannot be understood of the last day of Iudgement that after that resurrection the spirituall harlot Sodom or Samaria shall be daughters that is be constituted Churches according to the gospel pattern 6. Nor of Sodom burnt by fire in Gen. 20. for they shall never hereafter be given to be daughters to Ierusalem 7. This Scripture held by some to make against the call of the Iews rightly understood makes a strong and undeniable proof of it as any whatsoever 1. The Scripture following Mat. 25.20 compared with Luke 19.17 the first which is he in Matthew had the five Talents is promised to bee in Luke made Ruler of ten Cities which seemes to me to shew that there shall be abundance more of Churches under the new Ierusalem to be then under that that was the Gentiles shall bring their glory riches that is wisedom learning knowledge their all unto it In which is shewn how the Ministry shall bee taken from the single Ministry and given to the true Church Combination after which before the end may be Apostacy to a twofold Ministry but never to a single Ministry more Math 25.14 15 The Kingdom of Heaven c. In these words of Matthew are to bee considered two generall things 1. That which is the Parabolicall sence of the Scripture 2. That which is the Mysticall or the Prophetick sence In the first we are to consider what this Parable is alledged for by the Lord and that is to set out the Kingdom of Heaven by not in the inward operations of it on the Soule but the outward administrations of it in the Ministry of the word c. 2. Yee have the way the Lord takes in the disposing the government of the Church called the Kingdom of Heaven 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee did it by a call the way by which he ordained his Disciples at the first and still doth by an ordinary call of his messengers and without which none are to undertake the Ministry 2. Those that are called ate called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his own servants in which is signified the separating of the Ministers of the gospel from all other imployments and the destinating of them unto this only Acts 6.4 without which the Ministry cannot be discharged 3. After their Call and Separation then he comes to intrust them with the dispensations of the gospel rightly called his goods in which Sathan nor the world have not the least property which are left to the Ministers only not the people 1 Cor. 4.1.2 4. In the number of his servants which are three they have the number of the Ministers ordained by Christ for the right government of the Church in this world untill the end 5. Yee have the disposing of these goods of Christ remarkably set down the manner how and that is not all to any one but one hath one another two the third five Talents 6. He that had his one had his Call from Christ his Ordination from Christ his intrustment his Talent from Christ that is Jure Divino as well as he that had five 7. These are delivered to each according to his ability 1. Signifying that one of the Church Ministers hath more committed to him then an other 2. He that had five had as much as his ability could enable him to exercise he could not exercise the two the second had or that one more then his own five which the third had 3. Which shewes it was not the minde of Christ nor is it in the power of man to exercise the whole Ministry which by the Lords Institution is to be done by three Object This is a novelty and a new found Exposition Resp If it be the truth receive it though but Clemen Alex. lib. 1. Stro. understands hereby the Teachers of the Church 2. An uncertaine Author on Mathew translated by Erasmus and bound up with the third Tom. of Chrysostome◠applyeth these to the Ministry first the five Talents to the Presbytery which he makes to be Government Preaching Baptism offering Sacrifice and Prayer for the People 2. The two Talents