that from them which otherwise they might in the Name of Christ command So doth the Apostle here Now I beseech you Brethren There is â—â—e Compellation Brethren A word very frequent in Pauls mouth Almost in every Chapter of every Epistle upon all occasions still this is his Language Brethren Brethren To let passe the proper signification of the word which is well enough known Brethren such are all men by nature Whence are ye my Brethren saith Jacob to the men of Haran Gen. 29. All partaking of the same common nature issuing from the same Womb having the same first parents Such are Christians by Grace All that professe the Faith of Christ holding the same God for their Father and the same Church for their Mother they are Brethren and so were these Corinthians in reference both to Paul and one to another Brethren A word full of sweetnesse breathing forth more then ordinary affection and love So the servants of Benahad apprehended it when they heard that word fall from Ahabs mouth concerning their master He is my Brother they presently take it up as a word importing more then ordinary respect and thereupon eccho like return it back to him again Thy Brother Benhadad Such Affections should all true Christians bear one to another Look upon one another as Brethren not as strangers as the guise of these dividing times is but as Brethren And that not onely calling one another so but really acknowledging one another such Loving not in word neither in tongue as Saint Iohn presseth it but in deed and in truth That is to love as Brethren as Saint Peter urgeth it 1 Pet. 3. Love as Brethren Such should the Church of God be a true Philadelphia where all the Members should be {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Lovers of the Brethren and loving as Brethren Withall expressing their love by a ready performance of all brotherly offices each to other Under the Law there was a brand of Ignominy set upon the Brother which refused to build up his brothers house by raising up issue to him for the upholding of his family The Law was that beside spitting in his face he should have his shooe pulled off and so was ever after called as the Rabines tell us The man that had his shooe pulled off The meaning of which Ceremony was to shew how worthy he was accounted and adjudged to go bare-foot himself that would not do the office of a Brother to his Brother An ignominious and infamous thing it is for Brethren by nature not to be ready to brotherly offices much more for Brethren by grace Christians in the fear of God remember your relation and let it be your care and endâ—â—vour to answer it Expressing Brotherly affection to such as are your Brethren specially to such as are so indeed not onely before men but bâ—fore God such as in whom the Image of your heavenly father is conspicuous To such shew your selves Brethren indeed helping comforting succouring releeving of them stepping in to them in their necessiâ—ies For such a time a Brother is born A Brother is born for adversity saith the Wiseman Then to be helpful is the part of a Brother indeed Thus should Christians in general stand affected each to other And thus should the Ministers of the Gospel in special stand affected towards their people looking upon them as Brethren bearing and expressing Brotherly affection unto them I notwithstanding they be such as in respect of personal wrongs and injuries deserve nothing lesse That was Pauls case here in the Texâ— Some of these Corinthians delt very unkindely and unworthily by him Notwithstanding God had made him to them their Father in Christ to whom they were as truely beholding for their spiritual as ever they were to their parents for their natural generation So much himself puts them in minde of 1 Cor. 4. Though you have ten thousand instructers in Christ yet have ye not many fathers For in Christ Iesus I have begotten you through the Gospel Yet for all this some of them would not now so much as own him nor his Ministery no they were of Apollos they were of Cephas Paul was now no body with them now they had gotten to themselves new Teachers An unkinde requital for all the pains he had spent upon them Yet for all this see how Paul still beareth his old affection unto them though they were changed yet he was the same though they would not own him yet he will own them and that as Brethren Now I beseech you Brethren A patern for the Ministers of the Gospel in these dividing times wherein some possibly may meet with the very like measure that Paul here did They have bestowed their pains upon a people and God hath blessed their labours amongst them making them instrumental in converting of some and building up of others of them yet now meeting with new Teachers the old are despised in their eyes their Ministery sleighted their persons disregarded if not un-Christianly traduced An ill requital it must be confessed But what of this Still look we upon them as Brethren specially apprehending the work of grace truly wrought in them let not all this unkindenesse make an alienation of affection from them still love them I though it do fall out with us as Paul complains of and to these his Corinthiâ—ns 2 Cor. 12. Though the more abundantly we love them the lesse we be beloved of them yet be we content and willing to spend and to be spent for their sakes {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} for their souls as the Original there hath it In so doing we have the Apostle for a patern Nâ—y herein we have God himself for a patern The people of the Jews how did they requite the Lord for all his fatherly mercies which he had shown to them Here himself expressing it in that Pathetical complaint Isai. 1. 2. Hear O Heavens and give ear O Earth for the Lord hath spoken I have nourished and brought up children but they have rebelled against me For children thus to requite their parents is an unnatural thing much more for a people thus to requite their God Yet for all this still God tenders that people owns them as his people and it ready to do any thing for them that might tend to their good O Ephrainâ— what shall I do unto thee O Iuda what shall I do unto thee Is it so that the Ministers of God meet with the like measure from a people whom God hath made them instruments to beget and bring up to and for himself yet let them tender them still bear them good will still with Paul here look upon them as Brethren This do we And this do you Your Brethren however by their unkinde withdrawing themselves from religious communion with you they may seem worthy to be unbrothered yet still acknowledge that
relation and though they will not own you yet do you own them still looking upon them as Brethren So did Ioseph upon his unkinde Brethren who had cast him into the pit and sold him into Egypt yet still he looketh upon them as Brethren his bowels yerned over them and as occasion was his hand was inlarged towards them in the supply of their wants thus stand you affected to your unkinde Brethren of the Separation Suppose by their uncharitable censures they should cast you into the pit excluding you from their communion and send you to Egypt to Rome as some of them have done by their rash and un-Christian censures past upon the Church of England and the Members of it yet still let your bowels yern over them and be ready upon all occasions to do all good offices to them Looking upon those of that way and dealing with them as Brethren Brethren of the Separation That was the stile of the last age which our fathers gave unâ—o theirs and let not us grutch it their children So call them so own them I mean such of them as in whom the Image of God appeareth Such still they are or may be to uâ— even as Iosephs Brethren were to him Brethren by the Fathers side though not by the Mothers though they will not acknowledge the same Church for their Mother yet they acknowledge the same God for their Father and in that respect let us yet look upon them as Brethren I beseech you Brethren By the Name of the Lord Iesus Christ There is the Apostles Adjuration so I may not amisse call it For what is an Adjuration but the requiring or commanding of a thing by interposing the Name and Authority of God or Christ And thus doth Paul here back his Obtestation or charge by the sacred Name of the Lord Jesus The name of Jesus Christ is the same with Christ himself I know some Romish Expositors would make more of it placing a great deal of weight in the very name it self In obtestationibus etiam nomina ponderantur saith the Iesuite Estius upon it In obtestations requests and charges of this nature names themselves have their weight Thus amongst the Iews saith he they had ever a special regard to that nomen Dei tetragrammaton that four-lettered name of God as they called it viz. Iehovah The name it self was sacred unto them and consequently they took it as the most solemn Obligation which was bouâ—d with it And of such account saith he should the name Iesus be unto Christians Nomen sacrosanctum super omnia venerabile a sacred name and a name above every name And therefore Paul in his Obtestation saith he here maketh use of that name as presuming it would carry a great deal of sway with them But this we decline as smelling too much of the Iesuit Who by advancing the name Jesus above all other names thinks also to advance 〈◊〉 is own Order above all other Orders Leaving them the shell seek we for the Kernel To beseech by the Name of Iesus Christ here is no more but to beseech for Christs sake or by Authority from Christ Take it either way we shall finde it a prevalent Argument 1. For Christs sake For the love of Iesus Christ so Calvin explains it Quantum ipsum amant As you love Jesus Christ as you bear any true respect unto him And can there be a more forcible perswasive to a Christian then this Paul himself having felt the working of this love in his own Brest he found a compulsory force in it The love of Christ saith he constraineth us And hereupon he maketh use of it as an Argument to others as conceiving that if this would not prevail with them nothing would And surely so it is Where the Name of Christ love to Christ respect unto Christ unto his Honor and Glory will not prevail with Christians there is little hope of prevailing The name of Christ it should be dear and precious to every Christian a thing alwayes in his eye Like the Pole-star to the Mariner which way soever he stears yet he hath an eye to that Thus in what ever a Christian undertaketh he should have a respect to this name So Paul presseth it upon his Colossians Col. 3. Whatsoever ye do in word or deed do all in the name of the Lord Jesus viz. With a respect unto him in reference to his Honor and Glory What ever may tend that way that do we What ever is dishonorable to Iesus Christ that avoid 2. Or secondly By the name of Iesus Christ that is by Authority from Iesus Christ Thus Officers speak and act not in their own but in their Masters name the Kings name by Authority from him And thus the Ministers of Christ being Church-Officers what they say or do to the Church it must not be in their own name but in the name of Iesus Christ In his name they must Preach as Ambassadors for Christ In his name dispense Sacraments and Censures In the name of our Lord Iesus Christ when ye are gathered together in the power of our Lord Iesus Christ to deliver such a one unto Satan So Paul would have his Corinthians deal with that scandalous person And so himself here dealeth with them not in his own name but in the name of the Lord Iesus Christ I beseech you Brethren by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ Thus have I cast a glance upon the words severally and simply considered finding somewhat in each branch not unuseful Give me leave now before I part with them to reflect upon them again looking upon them as they stand in reference to the thing here so much desired by the Apostle from these his Corinthians Which is Unity Peace Church-Peace and agreement amongst themselves A thing certainly of very great consequence of high concernment to the Church Otherwise questionlesse Paul would never have laid so much weight upon it never have put so much strength to his râ—quâ—st and charge concerning it Wise men do not use to intreat for trifles Much lesse to beseech and that with such earnestnesse It is Aretius his note upon the Text and it is a good one Wise men saith he will not make use of such serious obtestations much lesse of Adjurations except it be in matters of great importance and weight Now if this be a truth as undoubtedly it is and I wish it may be so looked upon by those who are so ready upon every sleight and trivial occasion to break out into such deep and solemn protestations not sparing to make use of the name of God to binde them surely this cannot be the part of wise men much lesse of wise Christians then certainly there is scarce any one thing of greater concernment unto Christians then this Sure I am there is no one thing that Paul doth nor I think any man can more earnestly
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