Consideration of Certain Controversies, To the synod at London – Errata
TO THE SYNOD at LONDON.
Reverend, and Beloved Brethren in Chriſt, aſſembled in the Synod at London,
WE have received by your moſt courteous Letters, written ſome Moneths ſince to the Churches of Zeland, an expreſſe teſtimony not only of your entire friendſhip, but alſo of your confidence, and ſincere affection towards us, into whoſe boſome you were pleaſed to poure forth your fluctuating minds. Our wiſhes and endeavours are, that we may give you a reall experiment of our brotherly compaſsion: for our very inmoſt bowels burn within us, with the zeale and love of Chriſt and the Saints, when we heare of the Churches of Chriſt in affliction, when the moanes and lamentations of our holy Brethren pierce our eares, and when we ſeriouſly conſider the cauſes of your calamities. O that our eyes were reſolved into Fountaines of waters, that we might lament day and night the deſolations of the people! Our mind trembles to heare the deſperate counſels and wicked attempts of thoſe whoſe endeavour hath been to blot out from amongſt you the whole face of a Reformed Church, and totally to hinder all better counſels, and have brought it thus to paſſe, that the band of the Kingdome being broken, all things are now involved in a cruell warre, all hope of peace and agreement taken away, and the happineſſe of Church and Kingdome overthrowne. But as God doth by his favour proſper right counſels, ſo for the moſt part he brings the wicked plots of men upon the heads of thoſe who contrive them, and by a divine wiſdome doth over-rule the vices of the world, whereby his Church is oppreſſed, either to the ſafety of his own, or a triall of their Piety. For whoever they are that truly love God, they doe not faſten the Anchor of all their hope on the barren ſands of mutable things and humane ſtrength, but on the ſolid Rock which cannot be moved by any waves, that is, Jeſus Chriſt, the Churches Husband, peculiar and preſent with every one. In whoſe boſome who-ever do with full confidence repoſe themſelves, and caſt all their care on him alone, are quiet in the midſt of troubles, and injoy comfort; and are as well thankfull in adverſity as in proſperity. Though, to ſpeake the truth, what is adverſe, but that which hindereth us in our courſe to eternall happineſſe? what is proſperous, but that which conduceth to it? Chriſt is both the Husband, the Lord, and Phyſitian of the Church. The Husband, becauſe being out of love to us drawn to die, he hath knit us to himſelf, and himſelfe to us in an everlaſting Covenant: The Lord, becauſe by the price of his bloud he hath reſcued us from the tyranny of Satan, he governes us, and beares rule in us, and diſpoſeth at his pleaſure of his own propriety: The Phyſitian, becauſe he is the Saviour, he alone doth efficaciouſly heale the evils of men, diſpelling the diſeaſes and diſtempers of the ſoules, purging his Church, and reſtoring it to health. He is oft-times more mercifull when he ſendeth bitter things, then when he refreſheth with ſweet things. He knowes what is expedient for his Church, and is neither ſlacke nor ſleepeth in the care of his. We oft-times judge thoſe things proſperous, which are moſt adverſe, and think thoſe things adverſe which are moſt proſperous: Our duty is to obey, it is Chriſts work to judge. All proſperity is from him, from whom if it proceed not, it cannot be called proſperity: from him commeth adverſiſity, which, to us, he makes to be either a remedy, or a gain to Piety: by that he comforteth our infirmity, that we may be able to beare it, by this he tryeth and crowneth our faith: The Church cannot have entrance to the glory of heaven but by the croſſe, that is the common way of all, whether we be Kings (as one ſpeakes) or poore Peaſants, every one muſt take up his own croſſe: But Chriſt liveth, ordering the Scene of humane affaires by his ſecret counſell. We pray, therefore, that he who knoweth what is conducing to the good of mankind, of his Church, of you, would vouchſafe to inſpire ſuch counſels into the hearts of Princes, which may reſtore to you Godlineſſe, together with holy agreement, and proſperity: ſince we ſee we have nothing but prayers left for the aſſwaging the flouds of troubles amongſt you. O God of Peace, remove this confuſion from the Church of thy Sonne, from the flouriſhing Kingdome of England. O Lord Jeſus, the fountaine of all peace, diſſipate the counſels of thoſe who out of a deſire of ſpoile, being greedy of glory, ſtirre up the tumults of warres, and waves of perſecutions, even againſt thoſe who deſerve it not. Thou art the Redeemer, ſave thine owne purchaſe: Thou art the Saviour, ſuffer not thoſe to periſh who depend on thee: Thou art the Lord, vindicate thine own poſſeſſion: Thou art the Head, afford ſuccour to thy members: Thou art the Prince of Peace, inſpire thoſe that are thine with mutuall love: Thou art God, have compaſſion on thy ſuppliants. And you, Brethren, indure labours with a good courage, and compoſe your ſpirits, that for the cauſe of God, and the Churches good you may with aſſured hope and firme confidence undergoe whatever by the counſell of God is laid upon you. There is no affliction ſo great, but humane nature may beare it, if accuſtomed to it, eſpecially if there be Chriſtian Fortitude, godly confidence, and a couragious mind. Thinke with your ſelves not only thus, That the Affliction doth thereby become the more mild, if born with patience: but that alſo the Philoſophy of the Goſpel binds you wholly to intruſt and commit your affaires to God our Saviour; like as one ſick and in danger of life commits himſelfe to the Phyſitian anointing, bathing, lancing, ſearing: being perſwaded that in whatſoever wayes he diſpoſeth of your troubleſome condition, he will do it all for your healths ſake. We are not to preſcribe to God, let him ſave or deſtroy, doe what he will; and know that he willeth nothing but what is beſt for you; you ſhall have God with you while you labour with a good reſolution in a good cauſe; and you ſhall have with you the righteous cauſe of faith, which was ever at laſt victorious againſt all the aſſaults and ſubtilties of the wicked, and will doubtleſſe be ſo now, though God in his juſt judgement for the grievous ſinnes of men may ſuffer the ſhip of his Church to be toſſed in theſe waves. Chriſt hath purchaſed the Church, his Spouſe with his owne precious bloud, and hath promiſed to be with her to the end of the world; he will not therefore now forſake her, but rather confound thoſe who feare not to extoll themſelves againſt the truth; from the great and gracious God therfore expect a happy iſſue. The ſeeds of mourning and of teares promiſe a harveſt of glory and joy. God will poure forth the oile of gladneſſe on thoſe that mourne in Zion; he will clothe them with the garments of ſalvation and praiſe, who are oppreſſed with a ſpirit of heavineſſe. The Houſe of God ſhall be purged by your teares, God hath ſent a fire into your lands, not to conſume the golden and precious veſſels of the Lord, but to purifie the ſons of Levi, and to cleanſe his houſe from the droſſe and filth of falſe and adulterate worſhip, ſuperſtition, ſchiſmes, errours and offences; that there be offered in all your borders a pure offering of ſpirituall worſhip according to Gods Inſtitution. For how great a thing are we to judge this, that theſe troubles of your Churches have produced this holy Covenant between the three Kingdomes; plucked up by the roots the differences between your Kingdome and that of Scotland; conjoyned the Engliſh and Scots as brethren in the ſtricteſt bonds of unity, and ingaged you all really, conſtantly, ſincerely, and to your utmoſt power to labour and endeavour to defend and maintain the Reformed Religion of the Church of Scotland in Doctrine, Worſhip, Diſcipline and Government againſt the common enemies; and alſo to endeavour the Reformation of Religion in the Kingdomes of England and Ireland in Doctrine, Worſhip, Diſcipline and Government, according to the Rule of the Word of God, and the Pattern of the beſt Reformed Churches: as likewiſe to bring the Churches of God in theſe three Kingdomes to the neareſt Conjunction and Uniformity in the Confeſſion of Faith, form of Church-Government, Directory for Divine Worſhip, and Form of Catechiſme, that all you and your poſterity after you may as brethren live in the true Faith and mutuall Love, and that the Lord may be pleaſed to dwell in the midſt of you. Which ſacred Oath doth promiſe fruits greatly profitable to the Churches of God, and exceedingly deſirable, wherein you have bound your ſoules under an execration, if you doe not holily, ſincerely, and conſtantly in the preſence of God perform thoſe things you have covenanted in the former heads of the Covenant. We beſeech you therfore in the name of God, that, denying all humane affections you deale faithfully in this buſineſſe, you do wholy caſt forth of the houſe of God, not only the Biſh…tyranny & ſuperſtitions already ſuppreſſed, but alſo hereſies, & ſchiſmes, and whatſoever is contrary to ſound doctrine and the power of godlineſſe, as your Oath aſſerteth. Let your own conſciences judge, how hereſies of all kinds can paſſe unpuniſhed, manyfold ſeeds of ſchiſmes be ſpread without controll, and prophane doctrines of errors be commonly vented in publike, in that city which by ſo expreſſe, ſo ſacred, and ſevere an oath hath bound it ſelf in the preſence of God to caſt out all errors, hereſies, ſchiſms, from the houſe of God. Pardon us, Reverend Brethren, it is juſt griefe of heart that enforceth us to complaine, for that we underſtand that in Religion, the publike worſhip of God, and the ſpirituall Government of the Church, there are ſuch confuſions riſe amongſt you: that thoſe amongſt you who endeaour ſchiſmes, ſpread hereſies, traduce the Reformed Churches, breed ſtirrs and render the Churches face polluted, do ſo without controll exult. The true Church of God favours, not ſeditious proceedings, as being, by inſtinct of its holy nature, averſe from all diſſention: for it is truly that Vine and that Figtree in the parable, in the booke of Iudges, which being by a meſſage from the Trees called upon to beare rule and to wage warre, anſwered, that they could not leave their naturall ſweetneſſe, and be involved in troubles. We exhort you therefore in the Lord, and do ſeriouſly in the abundance of charity require you, that you take care to diſcover a way and meanes whereby you wil endeavour the removall of this lothſome evill of ſchiſmes and errors, while the diſeaſe is yet curable, from the midſt of your nation, of your city. Unleſſe you do timely withſtand the ſpreading gangrene of ſeparatiſts and the unlawfull conventicles of ſchiſmaticks, farewell all ſacred diſcipline of the Church, due policy, and ſpirituall government. We have had experience, in the troubles of our Churches, of the ſubtiltie of thoſe who being day and night intent on innovating, leave no ſtone unmoved, go to and fro by ſea, by land, to gaine diſciples and patrons of their cauſe, and ſo at laſt by force and feare curb and oppreſſe the cauſe of Truth and of God. The remedie comes too late, when evils have gotten ſtrength by long delayes. The heavenly affaires of the Church goe to ruine, when by worldly reaſonings of humane wiſdome they are protracted, abated, retarded, ſetled and unſetled. It is not unknowne to the Churches of God what are the diſpoſitions of Hereticks and Schiſmaticks, who ſtudy to innovate, carry on their affaires ſubtilly, and firſt like the myſteries of Ceres they keep them cloſe, and doe firſt covently ſow the ſeedes of diſſention, they love the darke, ſay, and unſay, and ſay againe, as they find ſutable to the affaires and times, and are hardly drawn forth in publike: but when with open face they come forth to the light, they threaten ruine: Believe us upon our own experience. You muſt therefore ſpeedily withſtand their deſignes at firſt. Theſe things we adviſe, Deare Brethren, with a mind troubled and perplexed, yet brotherly and truly pious; for we ſigh, and from the moſt inward ſenſe of heart cry to God, both in private and publike, for your civill warrs, inteſtine confuſions, the dubious and darkſome condition of the Church with you. We are anxious for you, and therfore are forced to change our voice, and poure forth the griefe of our heart into your boſome. We are tranſported with zeale for the glory of God, the beauty of Gods houſe, the government of Chriſts Kingdome, and the Churches peaceable unity. Lord Ieſus …digeſt this Chaos of confuſions, let thy Spirit ſpread itſelfe upon theſe waters of evill fluctuating opinions; thou by thy Spirit haſt reconciled earth and Heaven, by it thou haſt joined ſo many tongues, nations, and ſeverall ſorts of men into one body of the Church, which by the ſame Spirit is knit faſt to thee her head; vouchſafe therefore to renew that Spirit in the hearts of our brethren, that all theſe confuſions and calamities may ceaſe amongſt them, and may tend to the advantage of godlineſſe to thy Church. Reverend Brethren, we are deſirous to repay to you our debts. When our country was on a flame by the inteſtine diſſentions about Religion; by your help, counſell, and aſſiſtance were our wounds healed, our griefes aſſwaged: when you therefore ly under the ſame diſeaſe, we labour in way of gratitude to heale you. This is our end: this is that we aime at. This our labour we beſtow to this end, that the ſeeds of ſchiſmes may be pulled up, that the divine government of the Church of Chriſt may be eſtabliſhed amongſt you, and the true peace of Chriſts Kingdome brought to you. We joyne therfore with theſe letters, our judgement concerning certaine controverſies now agitated in your kingdome, we omit many others, maintained by heretiks and ſchiſmatiks which diſturbe the peace of the Church, nouriſh diſſention, and put a ſtay to the deſired reformation of the Churches; not that we would call you to give an account at our tribunall; far be it from us; for we acknowledge that there are amongſt you, and thoſe bretheren who maintaine the contrary part in theſe controverſies, men learned, godly, lovers of peace, who are abundantly ſufficient in judging, explaining, and deciding all theſe controverſies; but in quenching a common flame in a city, they not without cauſe runne to help even uncalled, whoſe neighbours houſe is on fire: we are bound not only by the ſame bonds of Eccleſiaſticall unity, but by the common danger, and hazard of the Reformed Churches, to afford our adviſe and prayers, for the removing of thoſe opinions which would bring injurious and deſtructive damage to our Reformation. You have called upon us, in your moſt courteous letters, that we would be helpfull to you in your ſhaken condition by ſuch remedies as by our common adviſe ſhould be thought meet: and we have judged it at this time moſt ſutable, to ſhew to you, who are in conflict, your diſeaſes and their remedies; to ſignifie the practiſe and lawes obſerved by our Churches, in their ſpirituall Government and publike Worſhip of God, and to vindicate them by the Word of God, againſt the erroneous conceits of ſome. Of Some, we ſay, for we are aſſured that the whole body of the Church is not yet infected with this ulcer: and therefore what we have gathered out of the publike writings daily publiſhed amongſt you, we deſire not to impute to any, but thoſe who defend, nouriſh, and maintain thoſe perverſe opinions, or receive them into their Churches. If ſome of thoſe brethren of the contrary opinion do in ought differ from them, we wiſh they would declare ſo much by publike writing, and expreſſe it by common conſent, that the Reformed Churches of Chriſt might be freed from the juſt feare which their writings have cauſed them to conceive. For not without cauſe do the godly conceive that thoſe are hatching ſome monſter, that uſe ſhifts, and dare not with open face clearly ſet downe and maintaine their opinions. Therfore by the name of Chriſt and the love of the ſpirit we beſeech thoſe bretheren, that they would clearely, ſincerely, plainely and diſtinctly without the vizard of Rhetoricall flouriſhes, declare and deſcribe to us their Eccleſiaſticall policy, and forme of publick worſhip, not here and there a peece, but in the whole frame of it, and that they would not vent doubtfull expreſſions in publike, but in a due order, which tendeth to edification, manifeſt it to the Reformed Churches of Chriſt, if there be ought deficient in their Eccleſiaſticall Government; that with a peaceable brotherly mind, and in a due manner the truth may be ſearched out, and held forth in publike to the eyes of all. Theſe things we perſwade, moſt deare Brethren, with a mind ſtudious of your affaires, moſt deſirous of peace, well-affected to you, ſolicitous for the cauſe of the Church of Chriſt. And we pray that God, the Father of lights, would by the beames of his Holy Spirit inlighten your minds with the knowledge of his ſincere Word, unite your hearts in the bands of brotherly love, incline your minds to the Kingdomes and Churches Peace.
Middleburgh in Zeland, Octob. 16. 1644. ſtilo novo. Subſcribed in the name of the Walachrian Churches, by us,
Jacobus D'Herde, Preſident of the Walachrian Claſſis, pro tempore.
Iodocus Larenus, Aſſeſſor, pro tempore.
Iſaacus Hoornbekius, Preacher at Middleburgh.
Cornelius Beuckelarius, Preacher at Vere.
Melchior Burs, Miniſter of Weſt Souburch.
Errata.
PAg. 98. lin. 16. And doubtleſſe, &c. to the end of this Section, change of letter. p. 104. lin. ult: Luke relates, unto p. 105 l. 9. Calvin, theſe words muſt all be in the ſame letter as the former and the following. p. 113. l. 19. And it appeares, &c. untill p. 114. l. 13. where he ſhewes excluſivè, all theſe words muſt be in other letter. p. 114. l. 5. and one dele. p. 136. l. 11. Though therefore, &c. fifteen lines change of Letter. p. 137. l. 2. For a Synod, &c. this whole page and the following, unto lin. 20. We hold excluſive, change of letter. p. 97. l. 1. dele being. l. 18. read and not to be tedicus. p. 98. l. 21. read ſee examples. p. 114. l. 10. read foreign p. 128. l. 27. dele ſo. p. 137. l. 22. r. this is. p. 135. l. 3. and 1….5 Indices lin. 16. 1. Index.