THE CHURCHES RESURRECTION OR The CREATING of the New Heavens Written by an unworthy Gospel-Minister JOHN BRAYN Rev. 21.2 And I John saw the holy City c. Acts 13.41 Behold ye despisers and wonder and perish for I work a work in your days a work which you shall in no wise believe though a man declare it unto you London Printed for George Whittington at the Blew-Anchor in Cornhil near the Royal-Exchange 1649. To the Honorable The General Councel OF THE ARMY IN that I am assured you and your despised Armies are they by whom the Church is to be ushered out of her long hid estate into the world again I presume to present you with this insuing Tract as belonging to you which may something serve to help-direct your Councels in Church-affairs in the sound foundation whereof you will finde to consist the strength of your undertakings Councels and comforts to depend and issues to succeed it being the work onely of God to give man to his labor an expected end Now the Lord so direct you in your great undertakings to do the work of the Lord that he may have glory and you mercy in the day of Christ is the desire of Your Servant in the Gospel JO BRAYN To the Reader I Think good to acquaint thee that God may have the greater glory That the Form of Government I drew wholly from the Word before I saw the least footstep of it in the Primitive Practice mentioned by the Fathers which when I came to see them to be as so many Witnesses to the Truth I could not for the Truths sake but make it publique for thy profit It is not as large as intended but Epitomized onely my allowance for my Ministery being detained from me nor did I therefore translate but few of the Authorities cited some are for the use of the unlearned I desire you to pass by the errors committed in Printing it because having other occasions I could not attend the Press and it shall be your honor and be esteemed of Your Servant in the Gospel JO BRAYN IN these times it hath been the way of men to cry down the sound and saving Truths of God and the Gospel by branding them with terms of Novelty and New found Notions proudly and scornfully calling them ridiculous things in branding the men that God reveals them to with odious names hindring many from so much as trying the Truth then which Satan hath not had a greater Engine against the way of God in these last times which the tryal of the first and purest of Antiquity will reveal unto us and shew us how and I shall endeavor as my weak ability small reading and other great imployments will give me leave in these few sheets of Paper following to manifest And first THat the Government of the Church in the Primitive times was not looked on as in these latter times it hath been even to be a thing to be made conformal to every estate in which the Gospel is preached prudentially which is clearly to be proved by many witnesses but in that the Scripture saith Vnder two or three witnesses every thing shall be established I shall onely prove them by two or three and no more as being sufficient hereunto alone Tertullian who lived about Two hundred years after Christ saith Nobis vero nihil ex nostro arbitrio inducere licet sed nec eligere quod aliquis ex suo arbitrio induxerit Apostolos Domini habemus auctores qui nec ipsi quicquam ex suo arbitrio quod inducerent eligerunt sed acceptam à Christo disciplinam fideliter Nationibus assignarunt itaque etiamsi Angelus de coelis aliter Evangelizaret anathema diceretur à nobis De Praescrip Heret The sence this It is not lawful for us to induce any thing at our pleasure nor to choose that any one hath induced of his own will we have the Apostles of the Lord Authors who themselves nor chose nor brought in to the Church any thing of their free will but they faithfully assigned to the Nations the discipline received from Christ Therefore though an Angel from heaven should teach otherways let him be accounted as accursed of us Ap. What place is there then for a prudential Government in the Church How can Ministers plead for it or Magistrates set it up Dionisius Ep. to Demophilus Si distinctiones ordinesque confundere Sacratissimas Dei Sanctiones jura transgredi est omni profectò ratione caret Dei causâ pervertere traditum divinitùs ordinem neque enim in seipsum Dei sermo divisus est alioquin quomodo staret ejus regnum Clem. Alex. Lib. Strom. 7. p. 841. Quomodo ergo in bello non est ordo deserendus quem dedit imperator militi ita nec est deserendus ordo quem dedit nobis verbum quem accepimus principem ac ducem cognitionis vitae I may prove this by others but Tertull. whose Authority is questioned by none speaking to this exceeding pertinently I propose again as in his Book Adversus Marcion Et oportuerit utique prius alium Deum exponi postea ejus disciplinam induci quia Deus auctoritatem praestet disciplinae non Deo disciplina This I suppose proves sufficiently That in the Church no Discipline ought to be set up but what Christ in the Gospel hath commanded The second thing to be considered is The Ministery without the Church erected by Christ in the world to fit for the Church 1. The Books of Arnobius Lactantius Justin Martyr called Serm. ad Gentes prove it Clem. Alex. ad Gentes Venite venite ô meorum juvenum caetus nisi enim rursus efficiamini ut pueri regeneremini ut ait Scriptura eum qui vero est pater non recipietis neque unquam in regnum Coelorum intrabitis quando enim est hospiti permissum ingredi sed quando ut puto inscriptus fuerit cives effectus patrem acceperit tunc erit in numero filiorum patris tunc dignus habebitur qui sit haeres Come ye come ye O Congregation of my yong men for unless ye become again as children and be new born as the Scripture saith ye cannot receive him who is truly the Father nor shall ye ever enter into the Kingdom of Heaven When is it permitted the stranger to enter but when as I think he is inrolled and made a Citizen and hath received the Father then he shall be in the number of the Fathers children That this was to unconverted Gentiles is without doubt and farther shews They were to be inrolled and receive the Father that is I suppose they were to profess Faith in and Obedience unto God before he could be a Citizen or a Son which at first must be an estate of childehood in the Church again though men by nature or they could not enter Clemens in Orat. adhor ad Gentes Praecursor Johannis vox verbum praecurrit vox adhortatoria praeparans ad
at all 3. Hence the condition propounded to all old and yong rich and poor is That unless they become as little children sit among them learn among them c. bearing the image of the heavenly Infancy of Christ as of Adam they cannot enter the kingdom of heaven that is the Churches Society 1 Cor. 15.49 he that cannot deny himself in this is not fit for the kingdom That we may see we are not left onely to this Traditional Exposition onely but that we have Divine Authority more fully to confirm the same by see James 2. ver 1 7. The Objections are many against this the Scriptures abounds with as many Answers The Objections may be reduced to two chief heads 1. Do ye think old men will be made children and sit with children and endure to sit with them 2. Will rich men sit on Mats and poor men sit in Chairs what dishonor were this to greatness 1. This is one thing makes the entrance into the Kingdom so difficult Luke 18.17 Matth. 19.23 2. God respects not any mans person for his greatness 3. It is according to the will of God that goodness in his presence should be honored not riches 4. Hence the richest man of the world cannot be Christs disciple unless he thus deny himself But to the Scripture James 2.1 1. It is necessary to let you know That this Epistle was written to men out of Church society as this we are in whose meetings the Church Order or Discipline was not observed in which greatness not goodness was looked on 2. The Apostle reproves this corruption in the Jews and tells them This was an injury offered to the faith of Christ which is worthy of more honor then any thing else and make a man more honorable before God though not before the world 3. He shews in Church Discipline no respect of persons is of God to be permitted 4. That in Church-meetings before God onely faith is had in esteem and to be honored so that the way of the Church and of God are quite contrary to the world and our Church-way which is according to the world and not the word Ver. 2. 1. He shews in whom it was done in two men exemplarily 2. Where it was done and that was in their Synagogue 3. How it was and that was by placing one in a place of note a chair and the other on the Mat at his footstool 4. For what the one hath his good place and that is for his Apparel and gold Ring and the other is placed meanly because he have no better clothes 1. In which God reproves all carnal respect in Spiritual things either to disesteem the godly because poor or to honor others in the Church because rich Here let no man think that I write this to shadow the greatness or Authority of any in the Common-weal to whom God commands for conscience obedience of his people they having their Authority and Institution from God for the good peace and weal of the State in which we live Ver. 4. God condemns them for partiality and Ver. 5. Opposes the riches of the Saint to the natural mans riches and saith He is rich in faith far exceeding worldly goods and tells them They are also chosen of God though they condem them and imply That it is a grievous thing before God in Gods house to set up earthly glory and depose that that is the glory of the kingdom which thing is not according to God nor godliness And then tells them The poor are heirs of the kingdom and that the place and honor thereof may belong to them as to any other and to take it from him is to rob him of his inheritance as to take a rich mans possessions were to rob him Ver. 7. He shews them their error by representing the ungodly practice of graceless great men and thence shews how unfit they were to be honored in the Church 1. They were persecutors of those believers drawing them before Judgement-seats 2. They blasphemed that worthy name by which they were called by railing against accusing and condemning Godliness to the world 1. As to the Church that they give honor to none in the Church until they have that in them makes them honorable for the honor in the Church cometh from God first 2. Not to dishonor God or Godliness in a poor man for his poverty 3. To Christians not to imitate the Pharisees in their corruptions by seeking to have the chief places in Synagogues but to be content with that place Christ the Lord of the Church shall place thee in It is illustrated Luke 14.8 10. when called to a wedding that is to the Society of Christ in the Gospel sit not down 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the chief place v. 10. but sit down 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the lowest lest one more honorable then thou c. I believe that were the Jewish customs known better of us then they are many Gospel mysteries would be unfolded which now are hid the variety of words imply a diversity of matter intended as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by which God reveals that we without the Jews shall not be made perfect God will again come to honor that people to the world in these and many other things But the Scripture shews That a man must first sit in the lowest place and continue there until called higher that is to the higher means of grace when he should have honor of all I may say of this Scripture as the Apostle of another Doth God take care of Oxen so doth God take care of feasting onely here in feasting was but the bark the Church order the pith though I do not say but it serves to direct men in that also which is as the shell to the kernel Jam. 1.9 makes a sweet application of these things to the poor That though they were poor in the world yet by grace came to be exalted above worldly advancements Ver. 10. the rich they are exhorted to rejoyce in that they are made low that they have a heart to become children to see grace in a poor Saint set up above greatness in himself and his heart not oppose it For its hard for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven and 1 Cor. 1. Not many rich not many wise c. so that the mercy is the greater to those rich men are called and thus indowed with an humble minde and nature thus overcome in them by grace 1 Cor. 15.41 Tertul. in his book de Resurrectione carnis applyeth There is one glory of the sun another of the moon another of the stars to the differing estates of the Saints in the Church but if not to them if to the Saints in heaven it shews that there 's an agreement between the glory of Saints in heaven and those in earth those of the third Mansion of men shine as the Sun those of the second of youth as the Moon those of the first as
1. All the Churches before An 200. constituted according to the Apostles were Jerusalem and after to the 400 year 2. All the Idolatrous false Churches set up after Antichrist of Rome since the year 46. are Romes daughters 3. All the Societies separated from Rome within this 150. years being not according to the Gospell frame or patterne are Samarias daughters 1. Their Priest was brought from Assyria or Babell as was Martine Luther from the Monastery 2. They made Gods of their owne every Nation as they please 2. Kings 17.27.29 3. Ver. 41. These Nations feared the Lord and served the graven Images both their children and childrens children as did their fathers The Application I leave to the Reader 1. It is observable Ierusalem is first Sodom next Samaria last in Scripture and in time yet ver 46. Samaria is called the elder sister and Sodom the younger yet first in time and Scripture God in this shewing the Samaritan estate had more of the truth then Sodoms estate and so may be said to be elder and hath honour given her of God in it and Sodom dishonour 2. Ierusalems Sodoms Samarias daughters shall be brought all again to their former estate that is the primitive gospel-government 3. In the bringing Sodoms and Samarias God will bring again Ierusalems Captives the Iewes in the midst of them their call promised and time intimated 4. Ver. 61. Thou shalt receive thy sister thy elder and thy younger here Samaria is spoke of first who first shall have the gospel government set up in her and shall be acknowledged by the gospel to be so and then God shewes how in saying he will give them to Ierualem for daughters who before were Sodoms and Samarias Rev. 20.6 this is the first resurrection of Churches Q. When shall this bee 1. When Ierusalem hath born her lewdnesse ver 5.8 2. After Ierusalem hath had all her daughters and Rome or Sodome all her daughters and Samaria or the Church departed from Rome had her daughters 1. They and their daughters are said to dye as it were as the true Churches were abolished by Anti-christ Anti-christ by Samaria God now by giving the truth abolisheth Episcopacy and Presbytery the daughters of Samaria and giving the true knowledge of the gospel-government first to Samaria which I think will be seen in England God is said to bring Samarias daughters and then after will Romes daughters France Spaine c. among whose returne the Iewes shall be called and returne also and the new Ierusalem shall receive them for daughters So that I suppose the true gospel-government will be set up and spread into farther parts Dominions and Countreys then ever the Apostles spread it and continue much longer in time and purity in the world 4. Sodom and Samaria shall lay down in a short time their corruptions abominations and false government taking up the way of God 5. This cannot be understood of the last day of Iudgement that after that resurrection the spirituall harlot Sodom or Samaria shall be daughters that is be constituted Churches according to the gospel pattern 6. Nor of Sodom burnt by fire in Gen. 20. for they shall never hereafter be given to be daughters to Ierusalem 7. This Scripture held by some to make against the call of the Iews rightly understood makes a strong and undeniable proof of it as any whatsoever 1. The Scripture following Mat. 25.20 compared with Luke 19.17 the first which is he in Matthew had the five Talents is promised to bee in Luke made Ruler of ten Cities which seemes to me to shew that there shall be abundance more of Churches under the new Ierusalem to be then under that that was the Gentiles shall bring their glory riches that is wisedom learning knowledge their all unto it In which is shewn how the Ministry shall bee taken from the single Ministry and given to the true Church Combination after which before the end may be Apostacy to a twofold Ministry but never to a single Ministry more Math 25.14 15 The Kingdom of Heaven c. In these words of Matthew are to bee considered two generall things 1. That which is the Parabolicall sence of the Scripture 2. That which is the Mysticall or the Prophetick sence In the first we are to consider what this Parable is alledged for by the Lord and that is to set out the Kingdom of Heaven by not in the inward operations of it on the Soule but the outward administrations of it in the Ministry of the word c. 2. Yee have the way the Lord takes in the disposing the government of the Church called the Kingdom of Heaven 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee did it by a call the way by which he ordained his Disciples at the first and still doth by an ordinary call of his messengers and without which none are to undertake the Ministry 2. Those that are called ate called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his own servants in which is signified the separating of the Ministers of the gospel from all other imployments and the destinating of them unto this only Acts 6.4 without which the Ministry cannot be discharged 3. After their Call and Separation then he comes to intrust them with the dispensations of the gospel rightly called his goods in which Sathan nor the world have not the least property which are left to the Ministers only not the people 1 Cor. 4.1.2 4. In the number of his servants which are three they have the number of the Ministers ordained by Christ for the right government of the Church in this world untill the end 5. Yee have the disposing of these goods of Christ remarkably set down the manner how and that is not all to any one but one hath one another two the third five Talents 6. He that had his one had his Call from Christ his Ordination from Christ his intrustment his Talent from Christ that is Jure Divino as well as he that had five 7. These are delivered to each according to his ability 1. Signifying that one of the Church Ministers hath more committed to him then an other 2. He that had five had as much as his ability could enable him to exercise he could not exercise the two the second had or that one more then his own five which the third had 3. Which shewes it was not the minde of Christ nor is it in the power of man to exercise the whole Ministry which by the Lords Institution is to be done by three Object This is a novelty and a new found Exposition Resp If it be the truth receive it though but Clemen Alex. lib. 1. Stro. understands hereby the Teachers of the Church 2. An uncertaine Author on Mathew translated by Erasmus and bound up with the third Tom. of Chrysostome◠applyeth these to the Ministry first the five Talents to the Presbytery which he makes to be Government Preaching Baptism offering Sacrifice and Prayer for the People 2. The two Talents