take it for granted having so much Charity as to hope that whatever any rash and violent spirits amongst us may think and speak yet those who are Judiciously godly have more Charity then to disclaim us for such If they dare I wish they would speak out But so it seemeth it is that even this Bitter Root of rigid separation as a Reverend Brother rightly calls it begins to grow spring up again amongst us there wanting not some who stick not to maintain and justifie this their Separation from this ground because we are no True Churches of Christ For their sakes or rather for yours in defence of the cause of God agaainst them let mee speak a few words and but a few 1. are not our Congregations True Churches What are not here the Pillars of Truth Is not the Word of Truth the Gospell of Salvation here held forth and that in an ordinary and constant way even as the Edicts and Proclamations of Princes are wont to be held forth by Pillars to which they are affixed Now if so shall wee question whether here be true Churches of Christ or no Heare the Apostle 1 Tim. 3. That thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thy self in the House of God which is the Church of the living God the Pillar and Ground or stay of Truth Where the Pillar of Truth is there is the House of God the Church of God Where the light of Gods truth is set up and held forth in a loving way to the guiding of passengers in the way to Eternall life are not here the Golden-Candlestick And if so shall wee question whether here be true Churches or no Let the spirit of truth decide it The seven Candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven Churches Revel. 1. So many golden Candlesticks so many Churches Here is a first evidence where the light of the Gospell is held forth ordinarily in a publick and Ministeriall way to a people that professes to walk by the direction of it can it be questioned whether there bee a Church a true Church or no Secondly where the Seales of Gods Covenant the Sacraments of the New Testament are for substance rightly dispenced according to the Institution of Jesus Christ can it be questioned whether there be a true Church or no Where the Seales of the Covenant are there is the Covenant it self the visible Covenant and where that is there is a Church To them pertained the Covenants saith the Apostle speaking of the Church of the Jewes Now who will deny these appurtenances to our Churches Here are the Seales of the Covenant and consequently the Covenant it self Arg. 3. And as the Covenant so the Glory To them pertained the Glory of the covenants so Paul putteth them together The Glory â—iz the Arke of the Covenant a Testimony of Gods gracious and glorious presence Now where this is shall wee question whether there be a true Church or no Where there is the presence of Christ in the midst of his Ordinances so as in an ordinary way they are made effectuall to the conversion and salvation of many where Christ sitteth walketh in the midst of the Golden Candlesticks displaying his Power and Glory can it be questioned whether there bee true Churches of Christ or no But that he hath done and doth this in some of our Congregations I think it will not be denyed It must be an envious hand that will dare to write Jchabod upon the dooreâ— of some of these houses Argu. 4. Where there are societies of visible Saintâ— all such by outward profession and some of them a considerable part of them walking in measure answerably to that profession can it be questioned whether there be true Churches of Christ or no To the Church of God which at Corinth to them which are sanctified in Christ Jesâ—â— called to be Saints It is the Apostles superscription to this Epistle in the sâ—cond verse of the Chapter where the latter clause is but an Exegesis an Explication of the former A true Church of God and a company of visible Saints are one and the same Ob. Why but wee are not all such Answ. No more were they in this Church of Corinth The incestuous person and many others amongst them they were strange Saints yet a Church a true Church A company of visible Saints joyning together in the Ordinances of God though there be an unapprovable mixture of some heterogeneous members amongst them maketh a Church a true Church Now as for these all these I think it cannot it will not be denyed but that they are to be found in some of our Churches Here are pillars of Truth golden Candlesticks the doctrine of the Gospel truely and purely preached here are the seales of the Covenant the Sacraments for substance rightly administred here is the glory the presence of Christ in his ordinances ordinarily concurring with them and giving efficacy to them for the begetting and nourishing up of Christian soules unto eternall life here are Congregations prefessing subjection to the Ordinances of Christ a considerable part whereof are visible Saints walking answerably to that profession Object True saith the Brownist for so I must look upon all those who shall deny the truth of our Churches as Separatists and that rigid ones Suppose all this be granted yet here are great defects and those no lesse then destructive making your Churches to be no true Churches But what are they Why possibly some of them will not spare to say that we have no true Ministery Answ. If not why then do they retain that Baptisme which they received through our hands Qu. But why have wee no true Ministery Here possibly some will cry out upon us as Antichristian charging us That wee have received our calling from Rome viz. by the imposition of the hands of those who had their Calling and Ordination from thence Answ. As for them I shall put them and the Church of Rome together to debate the point and so leave them The Church of Rome challengeth us that wee are no true Ministers Why Because wee have not received our Ordination from them The Separatist on the other hand hee cryes out upon us Wee are no true Ministers Why Because we have received our Ordination thence Sure both cannot speak truth I shall therefore here leave them to dispute it out whilest in the mean time I speak a word or two with those who are of somewhat more cool and 〈◊〉 Object Wee are no true Ministers say they Why Because wee have not received our calling from the people Wee are neither Ordained nor Elected by them Answ. To this charge take this Reply in breif First As for our Calling wee acknowledg we have not received it from them but from Jesus Christ our Lord and theirs His servants wee are and in his Name do wee execute our Ministeriall Offices and Functions not in the Churches
properly so called Which again may be either from the Church or from a Church From the Church Catholike the whole Church That was properly Donatism the direct Error of the Seekers at this day Or from a particular Church and that is properly Separatism My eye is cheifly upon the latter of these Of which to advance yet one step further following the conduct of the learned Chameron there are two kindes or rather two degrees There is to use his terms a Negative and a Positive Separation The former is simplex secessio when one or more do quietly and peaceably withdraw themselves from communion with a Church onely enjoying themselves and their consciences in a private way not making a head against that Church from which they are departed The other when persons so withdrawing do consociate and draw themselves into a distinct and opposite body setting up a Church against a Church Exercising the Worship and Service of God Administring the Ordinances Word Sacraments Censures apart in a separated body and in a separated way This is that which Augustine and other Divines after him alluding to that act of King Ahaz's 2 Kings 16. in setting up an Altar of his own making after the fashion of that which he saw at Damascus besides the Lords Altar call the setting up of an Altar against an Altar And this it is saith that judicious Author which in a peculiar manner and by way of eminency is and deserves to be called by the name of Schism And thus you see both the name and thing in measure opened unto you What Schisms are viz. Church Divisions Which if they be in Doctrine are properly Heresies in Practise Schisms Which may be either without Separation or with it The former are Sects and Factions the latter more properly Schism Which consisteth in an unwarrantable separating and withdrawing from Church-communion Whether it be from the whole Church which is Donatism or from a particular Church which is Separatism Which may be carried either in a private way by a simple secession and withdrawing or in a publike and open-way by setting up a Church against a Church the former a Negative the latter a Positive Schism Now these are the things which the Apostle here with so much earnestnesse and importunacy diswades his Corinthians from And surely not without cause is it that he should be so zealous in this cause as will appear if we do but rightly consider the nature of such Divisions such Schisms which are Evils and great Evils Evils Take it as you will for the evil of punishment or sin We shall finde it true in both 1. Schism is an evil of Punishment a Judgement and that a great one It is one of the judgements which the Prophet Amos threatens against Israel Amos 6. Behold the Lord commandeth saith he and he will smite the great house with Breaches and the little house with Clests That place Joramo applieth and that not unfitly to Hereâ—â—â—s and Schisms which are as Brâ—aâ—hes and Clests in the Church A sad Judgement Such are Divisions in the State Heal the Breaches thereof for it shaketh saith David speaking of the Civil Commotions in his Kingdom A judgement which we all feel of and groan under at this day And such are Divisions in the Church a judgement a sad and sore judgement Such are the Ecclesiastical Breaches in this Kingdom at this day The Schisms and Divisions which are broken in and that amongst God own people for my own part I cannot but look upon them as one of the blackest Clouds one of the saddest judgements which hang over the head of this Kingdom at this day Of sad influence for the present and unlesse they be healed of dangerous consequence for the future A great Judgement 2. And in the second place a great sin Such are heart divisions amongst a people They are both a judgement and a sin Their heart is divided saith the Prophet Hosea now they shall be found faulty Their heart is divided or He hath divided their heart as the Margin reads it This had God done In as much as they had divided their hearts from God God in his just judgement divided them amongst themselves taking away his spirit of peace and communion from them giving them over to Seditions and Fractions which afterward proved the ruine of their Kingdom And being thus divided now they were found faulty guilty of many and great evils Such is Sedition in the State and such is Schism in the Church each aâ— evil a Mother evil an inlet to an Ocean of Evils We have to deal with the latter Schism which is a sinful evil and that no small one Peccatum gravissimum So our judicious Casuist determines it concerning Schism properly so called It is a most grievous sin Musculus informs me of some who in point of sinfulnesse have compared it with Hâ—resie and others who have aggravated it beyond it as the greater evil of the two Himself concludes it a sin of a high nature And therein all Divines agree with him Augustine that famous Doctor of the Church disputing against the Donatists about their Schism which was a Separation from the whole Church he calleth it by the name of Sacriledge Sacrilegiâ—m Schismatis The Sacriledge of Schism Withall not sparing to tell them that that Schism of theirs was a greater sin then that which they took such high offence at and which was the ground of their Separation because it was not so severely proceeded against as they judged fitting but some that were guilty of it were still admitted to intermeddle in the affairs of the Church viz. The sin of the Traditores as they called them such as in time of persecution had through fear delivered up their Bibles to the Persecutors to be burnt This sin that judicious Father compares with their Schism And to try which was heaviest he brings both to the ballance of the Sanctuary Where he findes this out weighing that So much he collects from the grievousnesse of the punishment inflicted by God upon this sin above that I or any other Three sins he taketh notice of each of which was grievously punished The first was the Israelites Idolatry in worshipping the Golden Calf Exod. 22. The second was a sin not much unlike to that of the Traditores though for circumstance far more hainous viz. That foul act of King Jehoiakim in cutting and burning the prophetical Rowl Jere. 36. The third was that Schismatical and Seditious attempt of Corah and his company rising up against Moses and assaying to make a rent a breach amongst the people by dividing and separating themselves from the rest All three hainous sins and each grievously punished But none of them like the last The first the Israelites Idolatry was punished with the Sword The second Jehoiakims contempt was punished with Captivity But the third Corahs Schism with an unheard of judgement The earth
THE ARAIGNMENT Of the Present SCHISM OF New Separation In OLD ENGLAND TOGETHER VVith a serious Recommendation of Church-Unity and Uniformity As it was lately presented to the Church of GOD at great YARMOUTH By John Brinsley Phil. 2. 1. If there be therefore any consolation in Christ if any comfort of Love if any fellowship of the Spirit if any Bowels and Mercies Vers 2. Fulfil ye my joy that ye be like minded having the same Love being of one accord of one minde Jere. 32. 39. I will give them one Heart and one Way London Printed by John Field for Ralph Smith and are to be sold at the Signe of the Bible neer the Royal Exchange 1646. THe testimony of Christ was Truth Peace his Legacy he came into the World to bear witnesse to the Truth and at his departure bequeathed Peace to his Disciples This Author walking in his Masters steps hath contended for Truth against Heresie in his former Labors in these for Peace and unity against Schism A bold undertaking in these distracted times but yet necessary and hopeful Truth is strong and will prevail against Heresies and that Peace may be established in the Churches is the scope of this TREATISE and the Prayer of him who approves it to be Imprinted James Cranford TO THE Christian Reader Christian SEeing Dedication of Books which is not so much of Gods Truth as Mans Labors and a thing from Saint Lukes time who Dedicates a both his Treatises to b one Noble Personage which he wrote for the use of all the Churches till this present never questioned is now in this Sceptical age by c some made a scruple I shall for this once forbear it though otherwise at sometimes a d useful formality and at all times an innocent Ceremony Onely for thy satisfaction take this breif Epistolary Declaration Mistake it not It is not New England that I have here to deal with nor yet properly New Englands way commonly known by the name of Independency Which though I cannot in all things subscribe to as the way of Christ precisely laid forth in the Word for all the Churches to walk in yet were I there rather then make a Schism in the Body I would quietly submit to blessing God that I might sit down in it and enjoy the comforts of it It is Separation that my quarrel is against And that not Separation in a Church by purging of it but Separation from a Church by departing from it and forsaking communion with it For the former of these I plead as the most hopeful means to heal our breaches The latter I implead and that by the name of Schism properly and formally so called Whether this plea be just or no let the sequel speak Which as I was necessitated to Preach meeting with so just a ground for it in the Text which in my ordinary course passing through the Epistle I fell with and but too just an occasion for it in the place where I live so am I now to publish and that as for other ends so for the vindicating both the Truth of God and my Self from those unjust and unchristian imputations which have been charged upon both by some who have taken upon them to Censure what they would not vouchsafe to hear I know the subject is such as must look for little better entertainment abroad at many hands Naturally all men are given to think well and to desire to hear nothing but well of their own opinions and wayes What herein crosseth them goeth against the grain of nature and so no wonder if it seem harsh and unpleasing But this as it hath been no invitation to me to deal with it so neither is it now any discouragement to me in the publication of it The Work I trust is Gods not undertaken I am sure without an eye to his glory and his Churches good And therefore I shall leave the successe thereof unto him to whom I have consecrated my Labors and my Self Possibly somewhat of man may be found in the managing of it as in agitations of this nature it is hard not to mingle our own Spirits with Gods If so upon the discovery I shall freely acknowledge it In the mean time my conscience beareth me record that my aym hath been to inform and not to irritate to make up our breaches and not to widen them May my poor endeavors contribute the least to so a happy a Work I shall acknowledge it an abundant recompence for whatever I am able to do or am subject to suffer In the desire and hopes whereof I shall quietly waite and rest Thine in the Service of Christ JOHN BRINSLEY Yarmouth March 25. 1646. THE SAD SCHISM OF New Separation IN Old ENGLAND 1 COR. 1. 10. Now I beseech you Brethren by the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye all speak the same thing and that there be no Divisions no Schisms among you but that ye be perfectly joyned together in the same minde and in the same judgement HAving read this Text me thinks I could now deal with it as Origen is said once to have delt with a Text which he met with at Jerusalem Being there over-entreated to Preach opening his Bible he fell with that of the Psalmist Psal. 50. 16. Vnto the wicked God saith what hast thou to do to take my words into thy mouth c. Seeing thou hatest to be reformed Having read the words and being conscious to himself of what he had formerly done in offering sacrifice to an Idol and so denying the Truth he presently closeth up the Book and instead of preaching falls to weeping all his auditory weeping with him And truely even thus me thinks could I deal with this Text which I have now read unto you Having read it I could even close the Book and instead of preaching upon it sit down and weep over it inviting you to accompany me considering how far we in this Kingdom nay in this place at the present are from what is here desired What All speak the same thing No divisions A perfect union in the same minde and judgement Alas nothing lesse What multiplicity of divisions are here to be found Tongues divided Hearts divided Heads divided Hands divided State divided Church divided Cities divided Towns divided Families divided the neerest Relations divided Scarce a field to be found where the Envious man hath not sown some and many of these Tares Just matter for all our mourning But I remember what the Lord once said to Joshâ—a being faln upon his face weeping and lamenting over that unexpected repulse which a party of his Army till then reputed invincible had met withal at Ai Get thee up saith the Lord wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face Vp sanctifie the people c. Josh. 7. Brethren it is not weeping and lamenting without further endeavors that will heal our distempers Somewhat else must be done And the Lord teach every of us in our
to divide in a violent way Such is Schism A formal Schism is a Separation a breaking off viz. of Religious communion Which first presupposeth an Vnion Where there was no union there can be no separation and consequently no Schism Hence it is that neither Turks nor Jeâ—s stand chargeable with Schism in as much as they never were united to nor held communion with the Christian Church Schism is a withdrawing and breaking off of Church-Communion A going out from the Church as Saint Jâ—hâ— phraseth it 1 John 2. 19. They went out from us saith he speaking of Antichrists Apostates Hereticks Schismaticks 2. A separation from a true Church So it must be otherwise it cannot properly be a Schism A separation it may be but not a Schism Schism is the cutting off of a Member from a true Ecclesiastical body A cutting off Not a partial withdrawing from communion in some corruptions incident to a true Church which being done in a quiet and peaceable way cannot be called Schism But a total withdrawing a renouncing of all Church communion with such a Church 3. Which separation in the third place must be voluntary Not necessitated not enforced whether in a natural or moral way Where persons are unduly excluded and cast out of the Church by an unjust censure of Excommunication where they are driven away by unsufferable persecution or where they cannot hold communion with a Church but they must also have communion in their Corruptions their sins here is no voluntary secession or departure In these cases the persons withdrawing are fugati not fugitivi not separating but separated and consequently are thereby freed from the guilt of Schism which must be a voluntary separation 4. And that in the fourth place unwarrantable Unwarrantable either for the ground or manner The former an unjust the latter a rash separation each a Schism 1. Vnjust When there is no just ground for dislike or distaste When there is no persecution no spreading Error or Heresie no Idolatry no Superstition maintained or practised but the Church is peaceable and pure and that both for Doctrine and Worship And in a good measure free from scandals which no Church ever wholly was Now in such a case to separate is an unjust Separation And such a Separation as Chameron saith of it is extrema schismatis linea the very highest pitch and top of Schism 2. Rash Which again may be in two cases 1. Where a ground and cause is pretended but it is but a light cause Possibly some slight opposition or persecution it may be by some small pâ—cuniary mulcts or the like some lesser Errors in doctrins not fundamental nor neer the foundation some Corruptions in or about the worship of God but those not destructive to the Ordinances being not in substance but in ceremonie and those such as the person offended is not enforced to be active in Scandals few and those onely tolerated not allowed All tolerable evils such as charitie may well bear with Now in this case to separate it is a rash separation because it is upon a ground not sufficient a light ground 2. Where the separation is carried in an undue way and manner Though the ground of the separation be just yet if it be suddain and headie without due indeavour and expectance of Reformation in that Church it may be a rash and consequently an unwarrantable separation in as much as it is opposite to charitie So is an unjust separation Charitie saith the Apostle doth not rejoyce in iniquitie {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} in Injustice and so is a rash separation it being the nature of Charitie to suffer much and long Much Charitie beareth all things indureth all things {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} saith the Apostle in the same Chapter It beareth with the infirmities of others it endureth the burthens which are laid upon it selfe viz. if they be tolerable for so the Apostle {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} must be restrained All things that is all things which are sufferable and suffering much it suffers long {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} saith the fourth verse of that Chapter Charitie suffers long it is not presently distasted so as to fly off upon every small and triviall occasion no nor yet upon a just and weighty one without first assaying all possible meanes of remedie So deales the warie and carefull Surgeon with his patient not presently fall to dismembring upon every slight aylement no though the part be ulâ—erated yet so long as there is any hope hee forbeares that extremitie reserving it for the last remedie Even so deales Charitie by the Church not presently separate and break off communion which is the dismembring of a Church for some supposed errours or corruptions no though really such No this saith Chameron is not Chirurgia but Carnificina which Master Cotton in his Disswasive from separation Englisheth rightly applying it to the case in hand Not Surgery but Butchery Put these together you see what Schisme properly so called is Now then come wee and bring our separation from the Church of Rome to this Beame to this Touchstone and see whether it deserves the name of such a Schisme or no A separation wee confesse and acknowledge so far are we from denying of this as that wee rather glory in it standing to maintaine and vindicate it from all just imputation of Schisme 1. In as much first as it is not a separation from a true Church Let none here be deceived and deluded with the ambiguity of a word There is a twofold truenesse Naturall the one Morall the other In the former sense a cheater a theife may be said to be a true man and a whore a true woman and till shee be divorced a true wife yea and the Divell himselfe though the Father of lies yet a true spirit And in this sense wee shall not need to grutch the Church of Rome the name of a true Church if not so why doe wee call her a Church A Church shee is in regard of the outward profession of Christianitie but yet a false Church true in existence but false in beleefe Those Divines of ours who have indulged her the one have yet still charged her with the other with the same breath it may be calling her both true and false not one Protestant pen ever yet dissenting Such shee was at that time when the Waldenses Wickliffe Luther separated from her a just ground and warrant for their separation And such is shee much more since specially since their last Councell of Trent being thereby so much the more riveted into and setled upon her old corruptions So as now all that Charitie it selfe can afford her is that which that acute Doctour of our Church hath granted her shee may be verè Ecclesia but not vera Ecclesia truely a Church but not a true much