Brownish Turn Inside Outward, Title page – To the reader
BROVVNISME TVRNED The In-side out-ward.
BEING A PARALELL BETWEENE THE PROFESSION AND PRACTISE of the Brownists Religion.
By CHRISTOPHER LAVVNE, lately returned from that wicked SEPARATION.
MATH. 23.27.
Woe bee vntounto you Scribes and Pharises, Hypocrites: for yee are like vntounto painted Tombes, which appeare beautifull outward, but are within full of dead mens bones, and of all filthinesse.
GEN. 49.6.
Into their secret let not my soule come; my glory, be not thou ioyned with their assembly, &c.
LONDON Printed for Walter Burre, and are to bee sold at his Shop in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the Crane. 1613.
The Preface to the Reader.
IT is not Sathans weakest delusion, in these our dayes, to set the fairest glosses vponupon the foulest matters; and to dresse his deadliest hookes with the most delightfull baites: It is my purpose therefore (gentle Reader) to let thee vnderstand somewhat concerning this Sect of Brownisme; which miserable experience, (the mistresse of fooles) hath made knowne vntounto me, desiring that my mis-hap may preuent others harmes. I hauehave not, in the manifesting of the impieties of this Sect, written any thing, but that which I can of my owne knowledge, with good conscience, affirme; although I hauehave aledged sundry authors for the proofe therof; yet it is not for want of knowledge in my selfe; but rather for thy rresolution, that in the mouth of so many witnesses, euerything might be cōfirmed vntounto thee, that thereby thou mayst take heed lest thou tread that schismatical trace; the trauelling of which, I (with many more of my penitent brethren) do now bewaile. And I hauehave the rather chosen, at this time, to deale in this maner, with this their discription; because knowing that many of their Schismaticall bookes are brought in, and spread abroad in this land, whereby many good Christians are troubled and intangled, not discerning the errors therein, which they hauehave so cunningly hid and cloked with the manifold allegations of holy Scripture, the abuse where of is not (by the vnlearned) easily perceiued; among which this description is not the least, but rather a principal perswasion to inuite guests vntounto their Pharisaicall fellowship; hauing heard sundry (my selfe) confesse that this booke of their description hath beene the onelyonly cause that brought them vntounto Brownisme. But now the visard of their profession being pluckt off, and the hookes of their heresie laid bare; I am not without hope that the reader shall reape such resolution thereby, that some shall thereby be staid from vndertaking that hard and dangerous voyage of Separation, from the which so few hauehave euer returned to communion with the Churches of Christ. And thus wishing it for thy wealth, for which end I vndertooke it, I heartily bid thee farewell in the Lord.
C. LAVVNE.
A PARALEL BETWEENE THE OVTSIDE AND THE INSIDE of the Brownists profession.
The out-side is described and set forth by themselues on this manner.
1 AS there is but a one God, and father of all, one Lord ouer all, and one Spirit: So is there also but b one Truth, one Faith, one Saluation, one Church, called in one Hope, ioyned in Profession, guided by one c Rule, euen the word of the most High. a Gen. 1.1. Exod. 20.3. b 1. Tim. 2.4. Phil. 1.27. Ephes. 2.18. Iohn. 8.41. c Deuteron. 6.25. Rom. 10.8. 2. Tim. 3.15. Iohn. 8.51. 1 Iohn. 2.3.4. &c.
The In-side is turned outward; and fet forth by those that hauehave liued long among them and know their liues, doctrines, and conuersation.
1 As there is but one God, and Father of all, one Lord ouer all, and one Spirit: so is there but one Truth, one Faith, one Saluation, one Church, called in hope, ioyned in one Communion. Therefore the Brownists beeing a schismed from this one Communion of Saints, cannot bee that true b Church, by this word of the most high, alledged by themselues. Gen. 1.1. Exod. 20.3. 1. Tim. 2.4. Phil. 1.27. Eph. 2.18. Iohn. 8.41. Deut. 6.25. Rom. 10.8. 2. Tim. 3.15. Iohn. 8.51. 1. Iohn. 2.3.4. &c. a See the prophane Schisme of the Brownists, Sect. 1 Chap. 2. b See the prophane schisme. Chap. 7.
Ergo, the Brownists are not the Church of God, by their owne construction of these Scriptures.
2 This Church, as it is vniuersally vnderstood, containeth in it all the a Elect of God, that hauehave beene, or shall be: But being considered more particularly, as it is seene in this present world, it consisteth of a company and fellowship of b faithfull, and holy people, c gathered in the name of Christ Iesus, their onelyonly d King, e Priest, and f Prophet, g worshipping him aright, being h peaceably and quietly gouerned by his Officers and Lawes, i keeping the vnity of faith in the bond of Peace, and k LoueLove vnfeigned. a Gen. 17. chap. 1. Pet. 1.2. Reu. 7.9. 1. Cor. 10.3. Iohn. 17.10.20. b Psal. 111.1. & 149.1. Esa. 62.12. Ephes. 1.1. 1. Cor. 1.2. Deut. 14.2. c Deut. 12.5. Iohn. 6.37. & 3.14. & 12.32. Luke 17.37. d Gen. 44.10. Psalm. 45.6. Zach. 9.9. Heb. 1.8. e Rom. 8.34. Iohn. 17. Chap. Heb. 5.9. & 8.1. & 4.14. f Deut. 18.15. Mat. 17.5. Heb. 1.2. Gen. 14.18. g Exod. 20.4.5.6.7.8. Luke. 10.5. Iohn. 4.23. h Math. 11.29. 1. Cor. 11.16. Marke 13.34. Reu. 22.9. i Ephes. 4.3. 1. Cor. 1.13. Marke. 9.50. k Iohn. 13.34. 1. Cor. 13.4. 1. Pet. 1.22.1. 1. Iohn. 3.10.
2 This their Description, as it is vniuersally vnderstood, &c. But according to their application of it to themselues, considering their In-side more particularly, as they are to bee seene in this present world, in the Cittie of Amsterdam; They consist of a Company, and Fellowship of a irreligious and prophane people, gathered together in b Schisme, c abusing CHRIST, and all his Offices, prophaning his worship and Ordinances, through their d contention, and bitter enuying, and wrangling; neither keeping vnity of Faith in the bond of Peace, and but fained louelove. a See the prophane Schisme of the Brownists, throughout. b They neuer admit any man into their Communion, but with protestation to reiect communion with the Churches of Christ. c None of Christs Offices belong vntounto Schismatiques. d See Geo. Iohnson, his discourse.
Ergo, By these Scriptures, they are not the Church of God, Gen. 17. 1 Pet. 1.2. Reu. 7.9.
3 Most a ioyfull, excellent, and glorious things are eueryevery where in the Scriptures spoken of this Church. It is called the b Citty, c House, d Temple, and e Mountaine of the Eternall God: the f chosen Generation, the holy Nation, the peculiar people: the g Vineyard, the Garden inclosed, the Spring shut vp, the scaled Fountaine, the Orchard of Pomegranats, with sweet fruits: the h heritage, the Kingdome of Christ; yea his i Sister, his LoueLove, his Spouse, his k Queene. and his Body, the ioy of the whole earth. To this society is the l couenant and all the promises made, of m Peace, of louelove, and of n saluation: of the presence of God, of his graces, of his power, and of his o protection. a Psal. 87, 3. b Ibid. c 1 Tim. 3.15. Heb. 3.6. d 1 Cor. 3.17. Esa. 2.2. Mich. 4.1. Zech. 8.3. e 1. Pet. 2.9. f Esa. 5.1. & 27 2. g Song. 4.12. Esa. 51.3. h Esa. 19.25. i Mich. 5.2. Mat. 3.2. Ioh. 3.5. k Song. 5.2. l Psal. 45.9. m 1 Cor 12.27. Eph. 1.23. n Gal. 4.28. Rom. 9.4. o Psa. 147.14.2. Thes. 3.16. Esay. 46.13. Zach. 14.17. Esay 60. Eze. 47. Zach. 4.12. Eze. 48.35. Math. 28.20. Esa 62.
3 Most feareful & terrible things are eueryevery where in the Scriptures spoken of this society: It is called a a cursed generation for cursing Gods people': They are for their contentions b threatned to be no inheritors of the kingdome of heauen; for raging out their owne c shame, for them is reserued the blacke darkenesse for euer. Enoch d prophesied of such, that the Lord would come in iudgement against them, to reward both their deedes and words. Peter prophesied of such, that should e priuily bring in damnable heresies, and bring vponupon themselues swift damnation. These are makers of f Sects, fleshly, hauing not the spirit. They shall be g ashamed at the last day, for hating & excommunicating Gods people. a Gen. 12.3. b Gal. 5.20.21. c Iud. 13. d Iud. 14.15. e 2 Peter. 2.1. f Iude 19. g Esay 66.5.
Therefore it appeareth by these Scriptures, that they are not the Church and people of God. Psal. 87.3. &c.
4 And surely if this Church be cōsidered in her parts, it shall apeare most beautiful, yea most wonderfull, & euen a rauishing the sences to conceiue, much more to behold; what then, to enioy so blessed a communion. For behold! her b King and Lord is the King of peace, and Lord himselfe of all glory. She enioyeth most holy & heauenly c laws, most faithfull and vigilant d Pastors, most sincere & pure e Teachers, most carefull & vpright f Gouernours, most diligent and trusty g Deacons, most louing and sober beleeuers; and a most h hūble, meek, obedient, faithful, & louing people; eueryevery i stone liuing, elect, and pretious: eueryevery stone hath his beauty, his k burden and his order, all bound to edifie one another, exhort, reproue, and comfort one another, l louingly, as to their owne members, m faithfully, as in the eyes of God. a Song. 6.4.9. b Esay 62.11. Ioh. 12.15. Heb. 2.7.8. c Mat. 11.30. 1 Ioh. 5.3. d Eph. 4.11. Act. 20. c Rom. 12.7. f 1 Cor. 12.28. Rom. 12.8. g Acts 6. h Rom. 12.8. Mat. 5.5. Eze 36.38. Esa. 60, 8. Deut. 18.9.13. i Pet. 2.5. 1 Kin. 7.9. Zec. 14.21. k Gal. 6.4 1 Cor. 12. Rom. 12.3. &c. m Heb. 10.24. Leu. 19.17. 1 Thes. 4.9. Col. 3.23. 1. Ioh. 3.20.