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lord_n	day_n	ghost_n	holy_a	10,874	5	5.1853	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A77507	The sacred and soveraigne church-remedie: or, The primitive and apostolicall way of composing ecclesiasticall differences, and establishing the churches of Christ. Wherein the authority and utility of lawfull councels and synods is asserted and vindicated, and divers of the sad controversies of the times modestly debated; first preached in the parish church of great Yarmouth, and now published for a preservative against the poyson of anti-synodall suggestions, and a preparative to the receiving of what mercy God shall please to convey unto his Church in this kingdome, through the hands of the present reverend Assembly of Divines. / By John Brinsley.	Brinsley, John, 1600-1665.	1645 (1645)	Wing B4725; Thomason E269_27; ESTC R212361	64,670	94

the Articles of our Religion were drawn up and agreed upon and by Law established What think we of the late Synod at Dort or of the later Assembly in New-England to which that Plantation under God owes not a little of her present subsistence Not to multiply words Certainly such is the utility such is the necessity if not of Generall Councels yet of Topicall Particular Nationall Provinciall Synods that the Church in this declined condition cannot well subsist without them And therefore let all take heed how they goe about to prejudicate either themselves or others against this Soveraigne Church-Remedie Which what is it but as if one should endeavour to loath a sick man of his potion before it come at him Then which what greater dis-service and injury can possibly be offered and done both to Physitian and Patient I know there are yet some other Arrows let flye at th●se Synodicall Assemblies but I finde them such as light as well upon this first Councell at Hierusalem as upon those which have or shall succeed it and in that respect the lesse to be regarded As viz. Object 1. That they are prejudiciall to mens gifts and parts and industry conjuring them all into a Synodicall circle as one unhappily expresseth it suffering them onely to dance there Answ. And might not the Churches to whom Paul here maketh delivery of these Synodicall Decrees have taken up the same exception against this Councell at Hierusalem to which as it is alleaged some of them were not called so much as to shew their judgements Object 2. Not unlike is that other that Assemblies of this nature are commonly swayed and carried by a few It is usuall saith the same Author that in such Councels some one or few of predominant parts or authority amongst them sway and s●eere all the proceedings and act the judgements and affections of the rest though conscientious and learned to a degree So that upon the matter and just account the resolutions of Councels and Synods themselves are but the fruits and puttings forth of the learning and judgement of a very few men Answ. And was it not so in this first Councell at Hierusalem were there not here some leading men amongst them Is not that the very Epithe●● which the holy Ghost giveth unto Judas and Silas that they were {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} chiefe men or leading men as the word properly signifieth amongst the brethren at whom no question the rest had a speciall eye And were no● the Apostles Peter and James and Paul such as by whose predominant parts and authority the proceedings of that Councell were mainly swayed and steered And yet for all that was that a free and orderly Councell And so may others after it be But I will say no more in this cause neither was I willing to have said so much Onely taking notice of a dangerous designe set on foot by some and driven on by others for the prepossessing and forestalling the minds and hearts of the people with prejudicate opinions against the determinations of the present Assembly in this Kingdome what ever they may be and thereby to blast all the hopes which the Church of God may conceive from thence I could not but thinke it my duty to say what I have done that it might serve both as an Antidote and Preparative unto you of this place to preserve you from the danger of this infection and to prepare you for the receiving and entertaining of such messages as God shall send unto us by the hands of those whom at the present by his providence he hath set a worke as his Instruments for the finding out and revealing of his minde and will unto his people Come we in a word or two to the third and last branch of this second particular which I will but onely touch upon therein making amends for my necessitated prolixity in the two former viz. the place where this Councell was held and these Decrees ordained viz. at Hierusalem Quest And why there rather then elsewhere Answ. Take a reason or two 1. To let passe the conveniency of the place which being the metropolis the chiefe City of that Kingdom as London is of this was most commodious for such a meeting whither persons from all parts were wont to resort 2. In the secound place as it was the chief Citie so it was the chief Church being the first Church The first 1. For time the first place where the Apostles after the Ascension of Christ gathered and constituted a Church 2. the first for number the number of beleevers belonging to that Church being very great as I shall have occasion God willing to shew you anon 3. the first for Honour and dignitie highly accounted of by all other of the Churches In some sense a Mother-Church So the rest of the Churches many of them looked upon it Non secus ac Matrem colebant saith Calvin They respected and honoured that Church as a M ther-Church And so indeed she was 1. In as much as the Gospell first went out from thence So it was foretold The Lord shall send the Rod or Scepter of thy strength out of Sion Psalme 110. It is spoken of Christ Now what is the Rod or Scepter of Christ why his word which is called the Scepter of his strength because it is the powerfull instrument wherby Christ brings and keeps the world in subjection to himself Now this Rod this Scepter was to go out of Sion out of Hierusalem So the Prophets both Esay and Micah explain both the one the other The law shall go forth of Sion and the word of the Lord from Hierusalem Isa. 2. Micah 4. Thus it was foretold and thus it came to passe Behold the accomplishment of these prophecies at the day of Pentecost when the Apostles being filled with the Holy Ghost preached the Gospell at once to all nations to some almost of everie nation By which meanes the Gospell was conveyed through the world Like water it is Calvins similitude which is conveyed from one fountain through many channels and conduit-pipes to divers places Thus did the Word of the Lord go forth from Hierusalem And in that respect a mother Church 2. A mother Church out of whose loines as I may say many other Churches were issued having their Originall from thence being but as so many slips and off-se●s from that first Root In which respect the Church of Hierusalem is called by some Ecelesiae Surcularis being like a Tree full of yong shootes and branches many of which are in time transplanted elswhere So was it with that Church many of the members thereof were in time translated to other parts by which means the Gospell was dispersed and the Churches increased And hereupon it was that the rest of the Churches gave so much honour to that Church being as you see a mother Church 3. Againe a mother Church as breeding of Churches so

earnest disputation The points propounded were controverted and agitated pre and con on both sides to blot out the truth Now what needed this had the Apostles been immediately inspired Immediate inspirations are like the sun-beams which are not brought unto the eye by any such crooked and winding rayes as they are sometimes painted but by direct lines Thus are immediate inspirations brought unto the minde The word of the Lord came unto the Prophets and so it came unto the Apostles who being immediately inspired spake as they were moved {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} carried on by the holy Ghost and that without any such consultations with themselves or others Put these three together we shall need no other evidence to cleare this truth that the Apostles in this Councell did not sit and act in the capacitie of Apostles as extraordinary Ministers of the Church neither did they proceed in this businesse as immediately inspired Object No you may say why their words seeme to make it plaine expresly averring so much that what herein they concluded and agreeed upon it was by the direction and instigation of the Spirit So run the letters of the Councell It seemed good to the holy Ghost and to us i. e. to the Spirit suggesting to them consenting To the Spirit as the master to them as the schollars subscribing to their masters Dictates Or To the holy Ghost and to 〈◊〉 i. e. to us being assisted and guided by the instinct and suggestion of the holy Ghost Answ. That the Apostles were thus assisted and guided must not be denied But what kinde of instinct or suggestion was this was it mediate or immediate ordinary or extraordinary Here is the knot of the controversie Papists generally contend for the latter supposing it to make something for the infallibity of their Councells which they look upon as directed by the same unerring Spirit But this whoever be the Patrons of it our reverend and learned Cartwright in his answer to the Rhemists who were of the same opinion censureth for a fond im●gination It seemeth saith he to them that ye understand not what is meant by those words of the Councell It pleased the holy Ghost and us The meaning is no● saith he as you fondly immagine that they were immediately 〈…〉 God This he avers as you see with great confidence And this hee maketh good by an argument which as yet hath not neither doe I thinke ever will be soundly and satisfactorily answered taken from the words themselves which say as much of the Elders as of the Apostles It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us But this will not cannot be said of the Elders that they were immediately inspired much lesse of the people whose presence and consent he conceiveth them to have made use of An immediate inspiring spirit then it was not What then Why an ordinary Synodicall spirit as the learned professour of Scotland calleth it even the same spirit which is promised to all the faithfull Ministers of the Church to the end of the world Loe I am with you alwayes to the end of the world Especially being so convened and met together in the Name of Christ Where two or three are met together in my name in my authority there am I in the midst amongst them Mat. 18. A promise which though not onely yet primarily and properly is to be understood of such Ecclesiasticall meetings of Church-Officers assembled together to consult about the affaires of the Church Christ promiseth to be in the midst amongst them both assisting and ratifying Thus was he present with this first Councell And thus is he at this day present with all Assemblies of like nature meeting and proceeding after the same manner that they did Quest But what then may all or any other Assemblies Synods Co●●cels in succeeding ages presume to take up their words and say the same of their decrees It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us Here is an argument which is looked upon by many as not onely Militant but Triumphant Answ. In answer hereunto I list not to lend an care to what our adversaries of Rome earnestly contend for This first Councell say Bellarmine and the Rhemists hath given this forme of speech to all other Councels lawfully called and confirmed viz. by the Pope to say the like It hath pleased the Holy Ghost and us Letting that passe which cannot be made good unlesse it be understood of that holy Ghost which the story tells us was carryed from Rome to Trent in a Clo●●●og For my own part I shall return to this Objection or Question this three-fold Answer 1. De facto it must be acknowledged that the Councels of old some many of them have made use of a forme of speech not unlike to this The ancient Father Cyprian with some other of the Fathers of an African Councell making report unto Cornelius then Bishop of Rome what the Councell had agreed upon they use these words Placuit nobis sancto Spiritu suggerente It hath seemed good to us by the suggestion of the Holy Ghost Wherupon Pamelius notes that this was no new thing but a form of speech anciently and commonly used in Councels This they have said And 2. De debito This all Councels and Synods should be able to say Decreeing nothing but what they may be able to say of as the Apostles and Elders doe here of their determinations I● seemeth good to the Holy Ghost and to us to him our Master to us his Schollers Herein this first should be a pattern to all succeeding Councels and Synods shewing them not what de jure they may doe but what de debito they should doe viz. so to proceed as they may say It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us 3. De Licito this they with holy reverence may say when they proceed as the Apostles and Elders here did viz. by the Direction of the Word So did the Apostles themselves here proceed grounding and bottoming their Decrees upon Scripture seconded with some evidences from Heaven And thus did that African Councell proceed Cyprian with the Fathers of Africa saith our judiciall Fulk did declare unto Cornelius Bishop of Rome upon what authority of Scriptures their determination was grounded c. And hereupon it was saith our Reverend Cartwright that the Apostles said that it pleased the Holy Ghost viz. the Holy Ghost speaking in the Scriptures Scriptures we know they are no other but the breath of the Holy Ghost endited by him And hence it is that the one is sometimes put for the other Scripture sometimes put for the Holy Ghost The Scripture foreseeing saith S. Paul i. e. the Holy Ghost the Author of them And the Holy Ghost sometimes put for the Scripture Wherefore as the Holy Ghost saith To day if you will heare his voyce c. saith the Apostle citing that of

can be nothing more prejudiciall to the gr●wth of them and of religion in them Their union settlement establishment maketh much for the encrease of both Applic. And doth it so Then let every of us be put in minde to seek this great blessing for the Church or Churches wherein we live Taking heed of being any wayes accessory to the unsetling hereof whether by hatching or brooding any new opinions or setting up any new wayes which have not cleare light and warrant from the word In these cases let that of the Apostle take place with us Hast thou faith have it to thy selfe Hast thou a strong apprehension and firm perswasion touching something which is not so fully and clearly revealed in Scripture as that others may see it have this faith to thy selfe enjoy thine own opinion and conscience but let it not break forth to the offence and scandall of others much lesse to the trouble and disquietment of the Church the settlement whereof ought to be exceeding precious in our eyes And so let it be Every of us seek it Seek it by Prayer Ye that are the Lords Remembrancers keep not silence give him no rest untill he establish and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth Seek it by all holy endeavours every one in our places private persons in theirs and publike persons in theirs all of us willingly embracing and carefully improving what ever advantages or opportunities God shall put into any of our hands for the effecting the furthering of so great so good a work So doth the Apostle here in the Text He receiveth the Decrees from the Councell and receiving them delivereth them whereever he commeth And what was his aime therein why that the Churches might be setled might be established Quest But what establishment was it that Paul here principally eyed and looked at A. The next word resolves it {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} So were the Churches established in Faith i. e. in the Doctrine of Faith the true Religion of God So the word is frequently used in Scripture Faith put for the whole Religion of God Calvin gives a reason for it viz. because Faith in Christ is the foundation and ground-work of all And this it was that Pauls eye was here mainly upon not so much the setling of an externall Order in the Churches This indeed he endeavoured but as Calvin saith of it this was but veluti parergon acc●ss●●ium a thing which he undertook by the by as being conducible and subservient to his maine design which was the Establishment of the Churches in the Faith As for Externall Order indeed it is a thing of great concernment to the Churches without which they will never be throughly established Thence is it the Prophet Esay puts these two together Isa. 9. 7. To Order and to establish speaking of the Church But the Kingdome of God is above it Regnum Dei externo ordine altius est ac praestantius The Kingdom of God saith Calvin which con●isteth in the doctrine and practice o Faith and Holinesse it is a thing of a more transcendent and excellent nature then externall Order is Superioregradu loca●ur religio pietas So he goeth on Religion and true piety are to be looked on as things in a higher sphear to be far preferred before Order Discipline Reason And great Reason they should be so in as much as the one maketh only for the bene esse the other for the esse the one for the well-being the other for the being of the Church There may be a Church an Ecclesiasticall Church I and an Integrall one too without Order but not without Faith the Doctrine and Profession of the Faith wherein lyeth the Essentiall State of a Church Not to dwell upon it Applic. Learne we hence how to look upon these two faith and order viz. upon the one as the Mistresse the other as the hand-maid so they are and so let us account of them giving to each that respect which is due unto them not preferring the hand-maid before the Mistrisse not standing so much upon Order as that in the mean time we should seem to neglect the faith True it is both are to be stood upon and contended for but not with a like heate As for the faith we have an expresse warrant for that That yee contend earnestly for the faith Jud. 3. I do not finde the like for Order However take heed lest our over-eager contestations about the one which is but the accessory prove prejudiciall and detrimentall to the other which is the Principall Let our first and maine care be for the faith so was Pauls here in the Text he delivereth these Decrees for the regulating of the Churches in these externall observances wherefore why that they might be established in the faith this was the pearle in his eye the main thing which he aimed at The other was only in order in a way of subserviency unto this A pattern in speciall to the Ministers of the Gospell shewing them what should be their maine designe in the course of their Ministery viz. to propagate the faith to set up the true Religion of God true piety and godlinesse faith and holinesse in the hearts and lives of their people As for matters of order having just occasion they may and ought to deale with them that so they may approve themselves faithfull Stewards not detayning any part of the truth not s●unning to declare unto their people the whole Councell of God as Paul saith of himself Act. 20. But their maine and principall worke should be the establishing of the Churches in the faith this is the maine end of our Ministery so saith Paul of his Apostleship Rom. 1. 5. We have received grace and Apostleship i. e. the grace or gift of Apostleship for obedience to the faith among all Nations i. e. that by his Ministery the Gentiles might be brought to imbrace the faith the Doctrine of the Gospell The best service that the Ministers of Christ can do for their Lord and Master hereby is his name exalted hereby is his Scepter and Kingdome advanced hereby is he set up●n the Throne It is a mistake but too common in the times to think that the Kingdome of Christ should consist either wholly or chiefly in the Externall Politie and Government of the Church No our Saviour himself Lack 17. teacheth the Pharisees to entertaine higher thoughts and more sublime conceptions touching his Kingdome telling them first that the Kingdome of God commeth not with observation vers. 20. i. e. saith Beza it a ut observari possit so as it may be observed and taken notice of by any outward garbe that it hath or as others it doth not consist in externall observation Then that it is aliquid intus The Kingdome of God is within you i. e. as it is commonly expounded in your hearts and souls which

d●ughters unto God by the incorruptible seed of the Word that so we may every of us be able to say at that great day as the Prophet I●●iah once did Behold Lord here am I and the children whom them hast given me Magistrates in their places shewing themselves nursing fathers and nursing mothers to the Church so as upon their k●●es the Churches may beare children as Rachel once said of her self and her maid Bilhah Gen. 30. Parents and Masters of families in their places endeavouring to bring up their children and servants in the knowledge and feare of God that so they may be true living members of the Church not only like wooden legs or armes tyed on to the body having only an outward visible communion with the Church but like naturall members they may be knit both to the head and body by joints and ligaments so as the Church may be increased with the increase of God Private persons in their places not only joyning themselves to the true Churches of God bnt endeavouring what in them lyeth to winne and gain others specially by their holy and exemplary conversation and demeanour Let your light so shine before men that they seeing your good works may glorifie your heavenly father Glorifie him as by other waies so by comming in and putting themselves under his government to which purpose there is scarce any one means more effectually availeable then for Christians to thrive and growe in grace So much Master Calvin collects out of the Text from the connexion of these two together the Churches were established in the faith and increased in number daily The growth and proficiency of those which were first called to the faith in these Churches was a speciall meanes to bring in others Old members in a Church it is a comparison which Ca●on giveth me the hint of they are like old stands in a Coppice or like old Vines or P●●tars or the like trees which being once throughly rooted themselves they put forth many imps and young shootes from their roots So was it here in these Churches The first members of chose Churches being rooted and established in the faith the Churches were daily increased in number A● s● propagi●e fides latius ad alios serperet saith my Author As if their faith being spread abroad had been a means to propagate itself unto others so it often commeth to passe It is that which Paul telleth his C●rinthi●ns concerning their forwardnesse in works of charity and mercy Your zeale saith he hath provoked ver● many And so is it with faith and holinesse To be zealous in profession and cons●ientious in practice it is a most effectuall incitement to provoke to draw to win others and in this way let all private Christians be active and forward that so they may do what in them lyeth to help forward this blessed Augmentation and Increase of the Churches And thus have I looked upon these two fruits of the Apostles endeavours severally and simply It remaines now that we put them together considering them joyntly and relatively as they stand in joint reference to that first particle in the Text So were the Churches established and So were the Churches increased So What meerly by the delivery of these Decrees Was this the proper and immediate cause of the Churches confirmation and multiplication Answ. Not so The Decrees here delivered were not matters of Faith but of Order and consequently not apt to produce such noble effects as these were to work such an establishment such an increase being but Decrees touching meates Now as the Apostle saith The heart must be established with grace not with meates The proper and immediate instrumentall cause of both these was Pauls preaching of the Gospel to the Churches Quest What influence then had these Decrees hereupon Answ. I answer they were though not properly Causa efficiens yet removens and promovens though not the immediate Efficient cause of both these yet the promoting and furthering cause facilitating the work and making way for it and that by removing obstacles and impediments and putting the Churches into such a posture such a state as they might be fit to be wrought upon by the preaching of the Word Even as it is with Physick however it self be not Nutritive yet by removing obstructions it putteth the body into such a state and temper as it may be apt to receive nourishment from such meanes as shall be applyed unto it proper for that purpose Even so was it here The Churches being distempered and out of course by reason of some jarres and differences which no question much obstructed and hindred the course of the Gospel the Apostle by applying and ministring of this Soveraign Remedy a Recipe of Synodicall Decrees he put them into such a temper as that his Ministery might take place with them both for their confirmation and increase And of such use Ecclesiasticall Decrees may be and often are though they be not meat yet they may be medicine making much for the propagation of the Gospel and that especially by composing Church differences which otherwise would be a maine obstruction and hinderance to it Of this latter we have had but too much experience How is the course of the Gospel at the present impedited and interrupted by these sad divisions which are broke in amongst us O that wee might but have the like proofe of the former of the Soveraign vertue of this Church-Remedy for the healing of these breaches and the composing of these differences as the Churches here had Then might we hope and expect the like successe that the Churches amongst us also should be established and increased Otherwise it is but in vaine to flatter our selves In an ordinary course this is the last Remedy Where this availes not there is little hope Where a Colledge of Physitians cannot master a disease it is commonly accounted desperate And therefore take we heed how we sleight much more oppose this way Take but this word of counsell and I have done In other matters I presume we would not be unwilling to be ordered by counsell especially by the counsell of a Councell In the multitude of Counsellors there is safety As in Military affaires by a Councell of warre in Maritime occasions by a Councell of Sea-men in a Law case by a Bench of Lawyers in a case of sicknesse by a Colledge of Physitians And why then shall we so farre leane unto our own understandings in matters of Ecclesiasticall concernment matters of Order as not to hearken to the consultations and determinations of a Religious and judicious Assembly Of all wayes for my owne part I must professe I know none so likely to heale our breaches to compose our differences as this and consequently to procure the Churches establishment Without Counsell purposes are disappointed but in the multitude of Counsellours they are established saith the wise man Thus were the Churches established