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A29528
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The saints solemne covenant vvith their God as it was opened in a sermon preached at Beccles in the countie of Suffolk, at the taking of the Nationall Covenant there, by the ministers and other officers of that division / by Ioh. Brinsley ...
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Brinsley, John, 1600-1665.
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1644
(1644)
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Wing B4728; ESTC R19027
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25,595
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42
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THE SAINTS Solemne Covenant VVITH THEIR GOD As it was opened in a Sermon preached at BECCLES in the Countie of Suffolk at the taking of the Nationall Covenant there by the Ministers and other Officers of that Division BY IOH BRINSLEY Minister of the Word at Great Yarmouth IER. 50. 5. Come and let us joyne our selves unto the Lord in a perpetuall Covenant that shall not be forgotten Imprimatur IOS CARYL London printed by Andrew Coe MDCXLIV To the much honoured Sir IOHN WENTWORTH and Sir IOHN ROWSE Knights With the rest of the Right Worshipfull the Commissioners for the Countie of Suffolke Councell and Strength RIGHT WORSHIPFULL BY the appointment and in the presence of some of you was this Sermon preached And at the like request it is now published together with an addition of a Supplement to the Applicatorie part which was then through straitnesse of time left imperfect My ayme in both was and is to promote the publique service of the Kingdome and in particular the service of that day If herein I have not done what haply some would have had me by speaking their conceptions I would have them and the world know I have done what I conceived most expedient for the promoting of the service which then I was put upon and as far as I apprehend the great designe of the Kingdome That I have herein concealed my own private judgement in the point of Church Government It is not because I am afraid or ashamed to give account of it but only that I might not by an unseasonable anticipation of the judgement of that venerable Assembly now convened for the deciding and stating of that controversie both render my selfe seemingly presumptious and lay blocks in my own way by sowing of scruples which my worke was to remove and pull up What successe God was pleased to give unto my poore labours at that time some of you are witnesses My hopes are that being not altogether unsuccessefull in the hearing they may prove not wholy unusefull in the reading Such as they are I presume to put them into your hands laying both them and my selfe at the Churches feet Whose I am and ever shall be JOH BRINSLEY THE SAINTS SOLEMNE COVENANT PSAL. 50. 5. Gather my Saints together unto me those that have made a Covenant with me by sacrifice THe same occasion that hath this day brought you together in this place hath also brought this Text to my hand Wherein as Expositors for the most part conceive of it you have a generall Citation or Processe issuing out of the high Court of Heaven against the Church and people of the Iews summoning and requiring them to come and appeare before the Tribunall of the great God there to make answer to somewhat that should be objected against them The Quarrell in brief was this In that Church as in every Church there ever have been and will be there were many formall Hypocrites such as stood much upon legall Ceremonies and Sacrifices in so much as they placed all their Religion in those externall observances in the mean time over-looking those {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} as our Saviour calleth them The weightier things of the Law Iudgement Mercie and Faith or Faithfulnesse with the exercises of true Pietie and Charitie not regarding the true inward Spirituall worship and service of God Hereupon the Lord by his Prophet here cites and summons the whole Church to come and give an account of the generall formalitie Gather my Saints together unto me c. In the words we might take notice of two particulars the Processe and the Persons The Processe or Citation it selfe in the first words Gather together unto me or before me The Persons cited summoned you have them here described first by their Quality they were Saints Gods Saints Gather my Saints together unto me Secondly by their Act they were Covenanters which Act is amplified by the Manner and Solemnitie of it they were such as had made a Covenant with their God and that a solemne Covenant Those that have made a Covenant with me by Sacrifice It is this last branch of the Text that my eie is upon at this time being led to it by the present occasion wherein you have the Saints of God described to be such as had made a Covenant a solemne Covenant with their God Those that have made a Covenant with me by Sacrifice By Sacrifice Gnales Zabach saith the Originall super Sacrificium Over Sacrifice This Clause I find diversly construed by divers Expositors some carrying it one way some another according to a threefold interpretation of the precedent word Saints 1 By Saints some here understand the Faithfull people of God among the Iews the select companie of True VVorshipers Taking the word in that sense they conceive this latter clause to be a description of them They were such as had made a Covenant with God over Sacrifice that is say they over and besides Sacrifice or in stead of Sacrifice So they explain the words super Sacrificium i.e. praeter Sacrificium or pro Sacrificio Besides Sacrifice they were such as did not rest themselves contented in any Legall Ceremonie they did not subsistere in cerenis umbris as Calvin speaks sit down in those shadows they apprehended that there was aliquid altius somewhat of a higher nature in the Covenant betwixt God and his people and that they mainly looked at and applied themselves unto Or in stead of Sacrifice In stead of those legall Sacrifices and ceremoniall observances wherein the greatest part placed all their Religion they consecrated themselves unto the Lord gave up themselves unto God by a solemne Covenant In stead of those dead and unreasonable Sacrifices of bruit beasts they offered up unto God that {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} that {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} as the Apostle describes the Sacrifices of Christians that Living Sacrifice that Reasonable service devoting themselves to the true inward spirituall worship and service of God whereunto they had bound themselves by solemne Vow and Covenant This Exposition I find Calvin and Mollerus after him not wholy disallowing 2 Others in the second place taking the word Saints in a clean contrarie sense understanding by it formall Hypocrites who are here called by the name of Saints either by way of 〈◊〉 of else because they were such {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} as the Apostle faith of them Iews and Saints outwardly in the outward appearance Saints by Profession they looke upon this 〈◊〉 clause as a Character of them They were such as had made a Covenant with God over Sacrifice or with or by Sacrifice 〈◊〉 say they they so offered Sacrifice to God as if that had been all that his Covenant required which when they had done they now thought that God could not but be well pleased with them nay they thought that hereby they had tied and bound God after a
men This is Superstition whereof what ever relicks may befound amongst us and evidenced to be such we all stand obliged by vertue of this Covenant to seeke and indeavour by lawfull ways and meanes the Abolition and Extirpation of them The second and third wee may put them together being neer akin Cosen German Heresie and Schisme The one an errour in Iudgment the other in Practice Heresie An erroneous opinion touching some Article and principle of the Christiand aith obstinately maintained against the evidence of the word This is properly Heresie to which there are these three things required 1. It must be an errour about some Article of Christian faith which is either of or neer the foundation 2. It must be an errour evident to bee such by the light of the Scriptures and gtnerall consent of the Churches 3. It must be an errour obstinately maintained and pertinaciously held after conviction and lawfull admonition Put these together they make up formall Heresie Heresie properly so called An evill weed not to be suffered in the Garden of God One of those workes of the flesh which Saint Paul speaketh of Gal. 5. The workes of the flesh are Heresies Of dangerous consequence pernitious not only to the person tainted with it but to the Church wherein it is tollerated An infectious evill spreading Gangrene of a diffusive nature very apt to spread and communicate it selfe insinuating it selfe into the breasts and bosomes of men for the most part by way of fair and smooth pretences and enticements The Whore of Babylons Cup wherein shee giveth her poyson to drinke is a Golden Cup In this respect amongst others it is that Heresie is elsewhere in the Revelation compared to whordome Revel. 14. Those which follow the Lambe the true professors of the Gospel they are said to be such as 〈◊〉 were not defiled with women for they are Virgins The simplicity and purity of the Orthodox faith that is virginity Heresie is whordome A secretly enticing sutablely seducing evill conveying it selfe as poysons for the most part are with some sweete mixtures the mixtures of some sweet and precious truths And surely such are some of those Errours which fly abroad in the world at this day That amongst other of Antinomianisme which under a colour of exalting of Christ setting up free grace the most glorious pretext in the world trample upon Moses beating downe the Law that Law which Christ came to establish not allowing it any directive power to be so much as a Rule of our obedience withall taking away all sense and conscience of sin as sin in the Regenerate An Heresie of that dangerous consequence that unlesse it be extirpated and rooted out it will endanger the eating out the heart and bowels of all true Religion 3 Schisme The word signifieth a Rending a taring {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} a {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} and it is nothing but a Rending and taring of the Unity of the Church As when men shall make divisions and factions in a Church breaking it into pieces and parts Such were those Schismes in the Church of Corinth so the Apostle calleth them I beseech you brethren that there be no divisions amongst you 1 Cor. 1. 10. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} saith the Originall Schismes where some were followers of Paul others of Apollos a third of Cephas a fourth of Christ so breaking the unitie of that body that Church Or when any shall seperate from Communion with a true Church Such a Seperation saith our Learned Doctor Ames by a speciall appropriation most rightly deserves the name of Schisme Which yet must be warily and tenderly understood Not that every withdrawing from some particular act or acts of Communion with a Church wherein men conceive that they cannot participate without sin should be presently called and accounted a Schisme It was the Case of many of late times in the point of Kneeling at the Sacrament They durst not hold communion with the Church in that particular act because of that Gesture about which they were not satisfied This partiall and peaceable withdrawing meerly out of tendernesse of Conscience cannot properly be called Schisme so long as the Church still owned and acknowledged and communion held with it in the mayn But where there is a totalis seccessio a totall departure and Seperation an absolute renouncing and rejecting of all Fellowship and Communion with a Church a true Church and that upon this ground because they adjudge it to be no Church or an imperfect and defective Church defective in her Constitution or Administrations and Ordinances Certainly if there be any Schisme in the world this is Schisme and that most properly so called An evilweed also no lesse dangerous then the former Some comparing them together Heresie and Schisme have aggravated this above the other as conceiving it to be the more dangerous of the two And surely dangerous it is not onely to the person himselfe who maketh this Schisme who hereby 1 Excommunicates himself cuts off himself from Fellowship and Communion with the Church and People of God depriving himself of Church-Priviledges as also of the publick Ordinances the means of his Edification and salvation to which God hath promised a speciall concurrence 2 Besides running out of the fold hee thereby exposeth himself to the Wolfe And hence it is that those which have made such a totall seccession and seperation they seldom stay there but are carried on to further and more dangerous errours as to grosse Anabaptisme and Fâ—â—â—ilisme and what not 2 But dangerous also the Committie to the Body of the Church which by this means is rent and torn and dismembred Which what it is to the Naturall body what danger and what Torment they which have felt it can tell I wish they which stand guiltie of this evill were but as apprehensive and fensible of what it is to the mysticall body how detrimentall how dangerous What it is thus to divide Christ thus to despise and contemne the Church of God or despise yee the Church of God saith Paul to some of his Corinthians A thing of sadder Consequence then I believe it is generally apprehended by most of those who upon every slight dislike presently fall to Partiall and from Partiall to Totall Seperation The Lord heal these breaches In the mean time who ever they are that have taken or shall take this Covenant let them take notice how by vertue hereof they stand ingaged to endeavour the Extirpation of both these evill weeds Heresie and Schisme A charge which as it lyeth upon all so after especiall manner upon publike Persons Magistrates and Ministers If wee then speake against both the one and the other you must beare with us It is no more then we are bound to do And if you that have Authority in your hands do not improve it for the suppressing and eradicating of both see you to it for my part I doe not see how you can be acquitted of this Oath wherein the obligation is so exprest that you shall endeavour the extirpation as of Heresie so of Schisme 4. The fourth and last is Prophanenesse A bitter and poysenous weed A Roote that beareth Gall and Wormewood as you have it described Deut. 29. Such a Roote none will suffer to grow in their Gardens much lesse God in his O let it bee the joynt endeavour of all and every of us to pull it up to roote it out Private persons every one roote it out of his own Heart Mouth Life Parents and Masters roote it out their Families not suffering it to grow within their walls Every one taking up Davids and Ioshuahs resolution He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house hee that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight Psal. 101. As for me and my house wee will serve the Lord Iosh. last Ministers endeavour to root it out of their Congregations laying the Axe of the Word to the Root of it Magistrates to root it out of their Iurisdictions and that by a due execution of the Laws upon publick offendours Such Laws you have divers Laws against Swearing against Drunkennesse against Sabboth-breaking c. all branches of the same Root Profanenesse Now take ye notice of it that this Covenant bindeth you to a more strict and impartiall execution of those Laws then ever heretofore Thus joining together Word and Sword Ministers and Magistrates there may be some hope of extirpating of this bitter and deadly weed which hath overrun and almost overspread the whole Garden of God being so rife in every City every Town And that that being extirpated and rooted out Piety and true Religion may come to put up head and flourish Which let it be the Ioynt desire and mayn Designe of every one that either hath or shall joyn himself to the Lord in this Covenant FINIS Mat. 23. 23. Rom. 12. 1. Species Ironiae subest quoad degeneres simulatos Iudaeos Calv ad loc. Ex opere operato putant se Deo placere Scultet ad loc. Gen. 15. 18. Ver. 9 10. Ver. 17. Ier. 34. 18. Virgil 〈◊〉 Aynsworth sup Psal. 25. 10. Ps. 89. 3. Doct. Gen. 17. 13. Q. A. Ier. 31. 33 Gen. 17 1. Gen. 28 21. Ex. 24. 7. Heb. 9. 26 1 Pet. 2. 5 Heb. 8. 6 Levit. 1. 4. Ier. 50. 5 2 Chron. 15. 12. Ver. 3. Ver. 5. 2 Chron. 29. 10. Ver. 6. Ver. 15 Ver. 8. Ver. 9. Neh. 9. 34. Ver. 35. Ver. 36. Ver. 37. Ver. 38. Ps. 50. 17 2 Chron. 15. 5 6. Object A. Object Ier. 4. 2. Acts 25 19. Acts 24 14. Mr. Case 1 Cor. 12. 28 Master Coleman in his Hearts Engagement Preached and published by Order and Master Cases Quarrell of the Covenant Acts 20. 28. Phil. 1. 1. Vse 1 Chron. 16. 15. Deut. 4. 23. Numb 18. 19. Pro. 2. 16 17. Levit. 26 25. Vse 3 Gen. 17. 2. Psal. 44. 17. Verse 18 Ps. 105. 8. 1 Chron. 15. 2 Chron. 6. 14. Verse 15. Mat. 15. 3 6 9. Ioh. 29. 13 Gal. 5. 20. Rev. 7. 4. Rev. 14. 4 1 Cor. 11. 10 11 12 Ames Cas. Muscul. loc Com. 1 Cor. 11. 22. Deut. 29 18. Ps. 101. 7 Ios. 24. 15