The Differences of the Churches of the Separation, Title page – Table of contents
THE DIFFERENCES OF THE Churches of the ſeperation:
Contayning, A DESCRIPTION OF THE LEITOVRGIE AND Miniſterie of the viſible Church:
Annexed: AS A CORRECTION AND SVPPLEMENT TO A LITLE treatiſe lately publiſhed, bearing title: Principles and inferences, concerning the viſible Church.
Publiſhed,
1. For the ſatisfaction of every true lover of the truth eſpecially the Brethren of the Seperation that are doubtfull.
2. As alſo for the removing of an Vnjuſt calumnie caſt vppon the Brethren of the Seperation of the ſecond English Church at Amſterdam.
3. Finally for the cleering of the truth: & the discovering of the myſterie of iniquitie yet further in the worship & offices of the Church.
Divided into two parts
1. Concerning the Leitourgie of the Church
2. Concerning the Miniſterie of the Church:
which hath two ſections
One of the Elderſhip: Another of the Deacons office wherto aperteineth the Treaſury
BY IOHN SMYTH
Search the Scriptures:
Ioh. 5.39.
Try all things keep the good thing.
1. Theſ. 5.21.
Beloved: Beleeve not every Spirit.
1. Ioh. 4.1.
The Spirits of the Prophetts are ſubordinate to the Prophets.
1. Cor. 14.32. 1608.
Collegium Sancti Johannis Evangeliſtae in Academia Cantabrigienſi
To every true lover of the truth eſpecially to the Brethren of the ſeperation: Salutations.
NOt long ſince I publiſhed a litle methode intituled principles & inferences concerning the viſible Church: Wherin chiefly I purpoſed to manifeſt the true conſtitution of the Church, a matter of abſolute neceſſitie & now ſo cleered by the writings of the late witneſſes of Ieſus Chriſt the auncient brethren of the ſeperation as that it ſeemeth nothing can further be added, The abſolute necesſitie of the true conſtitution appeareth, becauſe if the Church be truly conſtituted & framed, ther is a true Church: the true ſpowſe of Chriſt: if the Church be falſely conſtituted, ther is a falſe Church: & …he is not the true ſpowſe ef Chriſt: Herein therfor eſpecially are thoſe auncient brethren to be honoured, that they have reduced the Church to the true Primitive & Apoſtolique conſtitution which conſiſteth in theſe three things. 1. The true matter which are ſayntes only. 2. The true forme which is the vniting of them together in the covenant. 3. The true propertie which is communion in all the holy things, & the powre of the L. Ieſus Chriſt, for the maintayning of that communion. To this bleſſed work of the L. wherin thoſe auncient brethten have labored I know not what may more be added: I thincke rather ther can nothing be added: but now Antichriſt is perfectly both diſcovered & conſumed in reſpect of the conſtitution by the evidence of the truth, which is the brightnes of Chriſts comming. Now al though they have alſo verie worthelie employed them ſelves in the Leitourgie, Miniſterie, & Treaſurie of the Church, both in diſcovering the forgeries & corruptions which the man of ſyune had intermingled, & alſo in ſome good degree reducing them to ther primitive puritie wherin they weere by the Apoſtles left vntounto the Churches: Yet wee are perſwaded that herein Antichriſt is not vtterlie eythet revealed or aboliſhed, but that in a verie high degree he is exalted even in the true conſtituted Churches: In regard wherof, as alſo being enforced vppon ſome courgie & miniſtrie of the Church: The Miniſterie I ſay conſiſting of the Preſbytery & Deacons office, wherto apertyneth the Treaſurie, & that for theſe ends: partly that the truth wee walk in may be manifeſted to the world, among whome our opinion and practiſe is ſo ſtraungely & falſely traduced: partly that the differences betwixt vsus & the auncienter brethren of the ſeperation may appeare, & therby men may be occaſioned to trye the truth from error & to hold it faſt. And although in this writing ſomthing ther is which overtwharteth my former judgmēt in ſome treatiſes by mee formerly publiſhed: Yet I would intreat the teader not to impute that as a fault vntounto mee: rather it ſhould be accounted a vertue to retract erroers: Know therfor that latter thoughs oft tymes are better then the former: & I do profeſſe this (that no man account it ſtraunge), that I will every day as my erroers ſhalbe d…ſcovered confeſſe them & renounce them: For it is our covenant made with our God to forſake every evill way whither in opinion or practiſe that ſhalbe manifeſted vntounto vsus at any tyme: & therfor lett no man plead now, as ſome have formerly done, theſe men are inconſtant: they would have they know not what: They will never be ſatisfied & the like: For wee profeſſe even ſo much as they object: That wee are inconſtant in erroer: that wee would have the truth, though in many particulars wee are ignorant of it: Wee will never be ſatiſfied in endevoring to reduce the worſhip and miniſtery of the Church, to the primitive Apoſtolique inſtitution from which as yet it is ſo farr diſtant: VVherfor my earneſt deſire is, that my laſt writing may be taken as my preſent judgment & ſo farre forth as it overthwarteth any former writing of myne let it be accounted a voluntary retractation & vnſeyned repē tance of my former errors & evil wayes before the whole earth. And lett no man bee offended at vsus for that wee differ from the auncient brethren of the ſeperation in the Leitourgie Preſbyterie & Treaſurie of the Church: for wee hold not our ſayth at any mans pleaſure or in reſpect of perſons, neyther doe wee bynd our ſelves to walk according to other mens lynes further then they walk in the truth: neyther lett the world think that wee approve them in all their practiſes: let them juſtifie their proceedinges or repēt of them: wee have (wee willingly & thankfully acknowledge) receaved much light of truth from their writinges for which mercy we alwayes bleſſe our God: & for which help wee alwayes ſhall honour them in the Lord and in the truth. But as Paull withſtood Peter to his face & ſeperated from Barnabas that good man that was full of the holy ghoſt & of fayth, for juſt cauſſes: So muſt they give vsus leave to love the truth & honour the Lord more then any man or Church vppon earth. Now if any of the adverſaries of vsus both ſhall heerby take occaſion of offence, thereby to ſpeake evill, or to withold or revolt from the truth: let theſe men conſider with themſelves: Firſt: that they even in that theyr Aegyptian da…kneſſe wherein they walk have their moſt violent oppoſitions & deadly contentions: Agayne, the Apoſtle hath foretold that it is neceſſary their ſhould bee diſſentions even in the true Churches that they which are approved may bee knowne: beſides the truth ſhall by our differences bee further clee…ed, & theyr Antichriſtian worſhip & Miniſtery more & more detected, & caſt into the bottomleſſe pitt from whence it iſſued. Finally the Apoſtle ſaith that Chriſt is a ſtone to ſtumble at & a rock of offence to the diſobedient aſwell as a cheef corner ſtone elect & pretious to them that beleeve: & bleſſed are they that are not offended at Chriſt or his truth. So deſyring the reader to weygh well what I plead & not to bee offended at the manifold quotations which are of neceſſ…ty that by places compared together the truth which is a myſtery may appeare & Antichriſtianiſme which is the myſtery of iniquity may bee diſcovered, I ceaſe, commending him to the grace of God in Ieſus Ch…iſt, who in due tyme will bring his people out of Aegypt & Babylon ſpiritually ſo called, though for a ſeaſon they are there kept in Antichriſtian captivity & g…eevous ſpirituall ſlavery: which the Lord in his due tyme effect, Amen, Amen.
Iohn Smyth.
The principall contents of this treatise & our differences from the auncyent brethren of the Seperation.
1 Wee hould that the worſhip of the new teſtament properly ſo called is ſpirituall proceeding originally from the hart: & that reading out of a booke (though a lawfu…l ecle…iaſtical action) is no part of ſpirituall worſhip, but rather the invention of the man of ſynne it beeing ſubſtituted for a part of ſpirituall worſhip.
2 Wee hould that seeing propheſiing is a parte of spirituall worship: therefore in time of propheſ…yng it is vnlawfull to have the booke as a helpe before the eye
3 wee hould that ſeeing singinging a psalme is a parte of spirituall worship therefore it is vnlawfull to have the booke before the eye in time of ſinginge a psalme
… wee hould that the Presbytery of the church is vniforme: & that the triformed Presbyterie consiſting of three kinds of Elders viz. Paſtors Teachers Rulers is none o… Gods Ordinance but mans devise.
5 wee hold that all the Elders of the Church are Paſtors: and that lay Elders (to called) are Antichriſtian.
6 wee hold that in contributing to the Church Treaturie their ought … bee both a separation from them that are without & a sanctification of the whole action by Prayer & Thankesgiving.