amongst us and that Gods way one way of Worship and one way of Government This latter viz. Discipline it is the Churches hedge which is of use as for other ends so to keep her sheep from scattering No way so probable to heal our divisions and confusions as the establishing of this In the second dayes work of the Creation when there was nothing but a Chaos a confused Masse Heaven and Earth mingled together God said Let there be a firmament in the midst of the Waters O that Authority would now say the same in this Kingdom at this day In this second day of Reformation what a Chaos of Confusion is there upon the face of this Kingdom by reason of the multiplicity of divisions and disorders in it O that Authority would now say and not say it but do it for such was Gods saying Dei dicere est facere Let there be a firmament a Rakiah as the Hebrew hath it an Expansion a Rule and Order which may spred it self in a uniform way from one end of the Kingdom to the other and that a {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} as the Septuagint renders it a Firmament a Discipline firmly setled and established in the Church It is the want of this that hath bred and it is the establishing of this that must heal our present and prevent our future distempers 2. That is the second 〈◊〉 I propounded Now how may that be done How may Schism for the future be prevented Here also take three or four Directions which I shall breifly propound and so take leave of this subject 1. Take heed of lesser Divisions Small wedges make way for great ones Small differences sometimes rise to divisions and those divisions if not healed grow up to Schisms and those Schisms run out into Heresies And therefore as much as may be be we precise in keeping the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace not leaving the beaten rode whether for doctrine or practise unlesse upon clear evidences 2. Be not over-affected with novelties new Truths whether such onely in appearance or in reality Of the latter sort what ever noise there hath been and is about them few there are which this present age hath yet brought forth As for those new Lights which have set this Kingdom on fire at this day for the most part they are no other then what have been taken out of the dark Lanthorns of former Hereticks Schismaticks and Sectaries Take we heed of having our eyes dazâ—led with them or following afâ—er them least they prove as many of them already have done to be no other but ignes fatui false fires useful onely to mislead those that will run after them Not that Christians should shut their eyes against any truth which with good and clear evidence is held forth unto them Truth is lovely and ought to be imbraced in what ever dresse she cometh whether now or old As not antiquity so neither should novelty be any prejudice to verity Onely take heed least whilest we over-affect the one we be mistaken in the other 3. Take heed of Scandals Whether of Giving or Receiving Of Giving to drive off others Of Receiving to set off our selves The former will come must come But Wo be to the man by whom they do come And therefore have a care every of us to demean our selves in regard of our personal walkings inoffensively and that towards all Give none offence neither to the Jews nor to the Gentiles nor to the Church of God And being wary not to give be not ready to receive Doubtful matters still construe them in the better part So doth Charity It beleeveth all things hopeth all things that is if credible if possible Not looking upon the infirmities of Brethren or blemishes of Churches thorow multiplying or magnifying Glasses so as to make them more or greater then they are But so far as may be without sin hide them cover them With Shem and Japhet go backwards and cast a garment upon this nakednesse Cursed Cham he espies the nakednesse of his father and makes sport with it Let not Christians dare to do the like by the nakednesse of their mother 4. In the fourth place Labor to see and acknowledge God in our Congregations There he is dwelling betwixt the Cherubins walking in the midst of his golden Candlesticks manifesting the presence of his grace in the midst of his Ordinances by a lively concurrence and effectual operation with them and by them If we see him not suspect our selves least the God of this world have blinded our eyes with prejudice or unbeleef Certainly some vail some film or other there is over our eyes Now if he be here how dare any withdraw When Jacob apprehended God present with him at Bethel surely the Lord is in this place he sets up his pillar there Are we convinced that God is present in our Congregations Have we our selves had some clear and comfortable visions of God there Have we met with him had communion with him in his Word and Sacraments there Why do we not set up our pillar here How dare any forsake that Church which God hath not forsaken True were it is that the glory of the God of Israel were gone up from the Cherub to the threshold of the house as Ezekiel saw it in his vision that God should make it manifest by clear evidences that he were about to withdraw and depart from his Church in this Kingdom then for us also to entertain thoughts of withdrawing there might be some plea for it But so long as he dwels betwixt the Chorubias manifesting his presence amongst us in a constant way and in a gracious manner so as we may with open face as the Apostle speaks behold as in a glasse the glasse of the Gospel the glory of the Lord In this case for us to withdraw communion with them with whom God is pleased to hold so gracious a communion how shall we answer it But I hasten 5. In the fifth place Take heed of what I touched upon before of despising the day of smal things What if the foundations of the second Temple be not so large so august and stately as the former was What if the present Reformation do in some things fall short of the patern and of what was expected and hoped for Yet be not discouraged be not discontented with these weak beginnings be not distasted with these imperfections so as to cast of all because we have not what we would have So indeed do children but so let not Gods children do who should be content with and thankful for their fathers dispensation though their portion be not so large as themselves could have wished 6. And lastly Take heed of having the persons of men in admiration This it was which occasioned all these Divisions in this Church of Corinth they had the persons of men
to the not onely present breach and interruption but unlesse God be the more merciful to the utter endangering if not destroying of Church-peace and unity in this Kingdom And if a bare connivance at these divisions have already occasioned such a combustion what do we think would a Toleration do A Toleration of all sorts of Sects and Schisms and Heresies and Blasphemies which is by some and those more then a good many under the abused notion of Liberty of Conscience so earnestly pleaded for For my own part should this be once yeelded which I hope their eyes shall first fail who look for it I should look upon it as the Passing-bell to the Churches peace and glory if not to the true Religion of God in this Kingdom Surely blessed Paul was of another minde otherwise he would not have been so earnest with his Corinthians for unity in judgement as well as in affection Never had he any thought of such a politike principle for the according of his Corinthians to indulge every of them their several opinions and Wayes No this he knew well enough was the high way to confusion And therefore he presseth upon them unity in judgement as well as in affection As we desire the one endeavor after the other Obj. Why but it is a thing impossible that there should be such an agreement among Christians Such a general consent in judgement that all should be of one opinion It never was so it never will be so Paul himself tells us expresly There must be Heresies Answ. True so there must be It is an unavoidable evil through Satans malice and mans corruption I but so there ought not to be So as this is no plea no just excuse either for the broaching or contenancing or tolerating of them 2. Neither in the second place is it a thing so absolutely impossible for Christians to attain to such an agreement in the Truth A thing in one Congregation very possible and orâ—â—nary why then impossible in many 3. However in the third place though there be some difference about circumstantials in some points of lesser consequence and concernment yet in the fundamentals the chief heads and principles of Religion there may and ought to be an agreement amongst the Churches of Christ This we are sure in a true Church is not onely possible but necessary Such an agreement there was in the last age betwixt the Church of England and other Reformed Churches as also betwixt her own members in her own bosome Some differences there were about Order Government Discipline Ceremonies but for Substantials matters of Faith they were agreed witnesse the sweet harmony of their confessions And O that there were but the like concord and agreement to be found amongst us at this day That our differences were confined wholly to the Hem of Christs Garment Such were the divisions of the last age in comparison of ours And yet even those divisions were then thought sad enough What would not the godly party on both sides have given to have bought them of O what then shall we do for the healing of our present Breaches All of us implore the help of the great Physitian that he would undertake the cure which if he do not vain is the help of man the Church of God among us is in a lost condition For this mercy let the Favorites of Heaven ply the throne of Grace with their prayers all of us second them with the best of our endeavors striving after a holy unity in judgement as much as others do after division To that end Whereto we have already attained as the Apostle adviseth let us walk by the same rule Truths upon good ground received and beleeved by the Churches of Christ and our selves hold them fast In other things if we be otherwise minded differing from our Brethren in some points of inferior concernment let us carry these our differences in a humble and as much as may be in a quiet and peaceable way rather somthering our private opinions in our own brests then to suffer them to break forth to set the Church on fire to the disturbance and breach of the publike peace which ought to be more dear to us then many of the children of our own brains So waiting upon God until he shall further reveal his Truth to our selves or others And thus I have with as much brevity as I could dispatched also this latter branch of this Apostolical Charge Concerning which I shall now onely pray that God by his Spirit which is the Spirit of peace and unity would imprint it upon your hearts and upon the hearts of all his people in this Kingdom Amen FINIS a Luke 1. 3. Acts 1. 1. b In personâ Theophili fidelibus omnibus sua scripta dedicavit Lucas Aret in Luc. Theophilus vir Senatorii Ordinisâ— ibid. Doctrinam omnium communem privatim suo Theophilo destinat Calv. ibid. Neque enim ideò minus ad omnes pertinet Pauli doctrinaâ— quia â—x suis Epistolis alias certis urbibus alias etiam hominibus dicavit Idem c Nathan Homes Animadversions upon Mr. Tombs Exercitations Preface to the Reader d Hâc lege Evangelium suum Theophilo nuncupat Lucas ut fidelem ejus custodiam suscipiat Calv. ibidem Introduction Josh. 7. 10. 13. Divisions Pauls affection insinuated Huic morbâ— exulceratisâ—imo primuâ— malagâ—â—ata quaedam adhibet Pareus ad Loc. Observ. A fit preparative for sharp Reproofs A threefold Argument here couched Each considered first simply 1. The Obsecration Estius ad loc. Obs. P. Mart. Com. ad loc. A language peculiar to the New Testament Phâ—l v. 8 9. Obs. The sweetnesse of the Gospel above the Law Applicat What language Ministers are to use to their people They may command 2 Thes. 3. 6 1 Tim. 4. 11. 1 Cor. 7. 10. And Rebuke 2 Tim. 4. 2 Cum auctoritate summa tanquà m Dei Legatuâ— Beza ad Loc. But sometimes beseech 2. The Compellation Gen. 29. 4. Brethren a word full of affection 1 King 20. 32 33. Obs. Christians should look upon each other as Brethren Loving as Brethren 1 Ioh. 3. 18. 1 Pet. 3. 8. Performing Brotherly offices each to other Deut. 25. Vid. Aynsworth ad loc. Prov. 17. 17. Obs. Ministers must look upon their people as Brethren Though not deserving so to be accounted 1 Cor. 4. 15. Applâ—c A patern for Ministers in these dividing times 2 Cor. 12. 15. Isai. 1. 2. Hoses 6. 4. How Christians should stand affected towards their separating Brethren Gen. 45. Ipsum fraternitatis nomen utcunque Donatistis fastidiosum est tamen Orthodoxis erga ipsos Donatistas necessarium Optat. lib. 3. 3. The Adjuration Eos per nomen Christi adjurat ut quantum ipsum amant tantum studcant concordiae Calvin ad loc. The name of Jesus what Estius Com. ad loc. 1. For Christs sake A prevalent Argument 2 Cor. 5. 14. Col. 3. 17. 2. By Authority from Christ
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
in admiration being taken with the gifts and parts of their Teachers some addicted themselves to one others to another making themselves their Disciples I am of Paul and I am of Apollo c. Take we heed of being taken in the same snare Let not our eyes be so dazeled with what ever eminency of parts or graces which we apprehend to be in others that we should set up their examples for our Rules This it was that drew many of the Jews and Barnabas amongst the rest into the Error of an unwarrantable Separation they saw Peter a leading man a prime and eminent Apostle going before them And surely this it is which hath misled many a well meaning soul in this Kingdom drawn them into the same error to separate from their Brethren because they have seen some prime leading men whose persons they honor and that it may be deservedly to go before them And this is the main Loadstone the principal attractive that inclines them to look that way No wonder in this case if they be subject to miscarry So hath many a ship done by following her Admiral which carried the Lanthorn in a dark night not heeding her own course as she should have done both have been bilged upon the same shelf A dangerous thing it is to shape our course by anothers compasse And therefore to draw to a conclusion take we heed how we look too much at man what ever he be It was Pauls resolution concerning those who seemed to be somewhat men of reputation such as the Apostles were for of some of them he there speaketh What ever they were saith he it maketh no matter to me God accepteth no mans person It is rule not example a divine Rule not a Humane example that we are to walk by Let this be our guide the Rule of the Word Being led thereby now are we in the way to peace and that both inward and outward with God our selves others As many as walk according to this Rule Peace shall be upon them and upon the Israel of God And thus I have at length dispatched the negative part of this Apostolical Obtestation or Charge Wherein if any conceive I have dwelt too long I shall make them amends in handling of the latter part of the Text the Positive part of this Charge which I shall passe over with as much brevity as possibly may be That ye all speak the same thing and that ye be perfectly joyned together in the same minde and in the same judgement We have here the Apostles Exhortation which in one word is to that which we so much at this day in this Kingdom want Vnity A threefold unity consisting in three particulars in Tongue in Heart in Head So Calvin and Beza distinguish the parts of this Gradation In Tongue That ye all speak the same thing In Heart That ye be perfectly joyned together in the same minde In Head And in the same judgement So the Apostle here placeth them in a retrograde Order Beginning first with that which in order of nature is last Tongue-unity floweth from Heart-unity and Heart-unity from Head-unity Men first agree in judgement think the same thing Then in Affection minding the same thing then in Language speaking the same thing The Apostle here goeth backwards ab imis ad summa from the bottom to the top from the stream to the fountain from the effect to the cause And in that method I shall follow him beginning with the first 1. Tongue-unity Such a unity should all Christians specially the Members of the same Church strive after and labour for A unity of tongues This is that which Paul wisheth for his Romans Rom. 15. where he prayeth that they might with one mouth glorifie God And this is one thing which here he so earnestly begs for from these his Corinthians {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} That ye all speak the same thing {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} The same thing both for Substance and Expression Christians should have an eye to both 1. For substance that they may speak the same thing though it be in different Language So did the Apostles at the day of Pentecost Acts 2. They spake divers Languages but the same thing A remarkable difference betwixt that division of Tongues at Babel and this at Jerusalem At Babel they spake different things as well as different words One speaks of Brick another answers him with Morter But at Jerusalem the Apostles however they spake different Languages yet they all spake the same thing all Preached the same Gospel delivered the same Truthes O that there were such an happy unity amongst us at this day in this Kingdom That there were but one Language to be heard in this Iland One Language amongst Ministers amongst people Ministers they are by their office speakers as it is said of Paul he was the cheif speaker Gods Mouth to his people Thou shalt be as my mouth O that this mouth might still speak the same thing having but one Tongue in it A mouth which should have more tongues then one in it we would look upon it as a strange monstrosity O let it not be said or thought that the Mouth of God should have so One Mouth So runs the phrase of Scripture As he spake by the mouth not mouths of all his holy Prophets And one Tongue One Tongue for one man It is one of Pauls qualifications which he requires in a Deacon he must not be {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Double-tongued speaking sometimes one thing and sometimes another A foul blemish to a Minister of Christ to be so to speak one thing to day another tomorrow to say and unsay to have more tongues then one If all should speak the same thing then much more the same man But that by the way One tongue for all That all the Ministers of Christ might speak the same thing the same Truths for substance so as though they deliver several points of Doctrine yet they may be such as are no way repugnâ—â— to another or to the Truth Truth we are sure is but one Error be various And the Word of Truth as Saint Iames calleth the Gospel Preached it is no more It is but one Word One Faith one Baptism saith the Apostle one Doctrine of Faith How is it then that amongst us there should be more then one How is it that not onely Parlors but Pulpits and Presses ring with such a contrariety of Doctrine And that not onely in some smaller differences as in the Interpretation of an obscure Text of Scripture or the like wherein men sometimes may safely disagree each abounding in his own sense but in points if not of yet neer the Foundation Surely a sad hearing presaging no good to the Church or cause of God in this Kingdom This it was as I have said which hindered the building of Babel And