The Mystical Brazen Serpent, Dedication 2
TO THE CHURCH, AND CHURCHES of CHRIST in Old ENGLAND; With all the Living Members of the ſame. Eſpecially, Thoſe in the Town of GREAT YARMOUTH, Grace and Peace.
CHRISTIANS,
LET not the firſt word in this Inſcription offend any of you: They who familiarly denominate the Ocean from that Coaſt, which it lieth upon, and paſſeth by, calling it the Brittiſh or Iriſh Sea, &c. ſhall not need to ſtumble at the like language being applyed to the Church: Nor yet that word, which you ſhall frequently meet with in the body of the Treatiſe, where I call the Church, under what-ever conſideration looked upon, a Myſticall Body. I am not ignorant that that Phraſe is commonly and properly given to the Church as Inviſible; but in as much as that Diviſion of Viſible and Inviſible is but of ſeverall Affections and Modes belonging to the ſame Subject, and that the one of theſe is ſo involved and inwrapped within the other, as that they cannot be actually ſevered, I have therefore indifferently (I hope without any juſt offence) applyed it to either.
This Apologie being premiſed, let me now crave acceptance of what I here preſent to you; all of you, every of you; whom from my ſoul I wiſh, I could as eaſily joyn together in reall Affection, as here I have done in a verball compellation and Dedication; this it hitherto hath been, now is, and ſo long as I am, ſhall be my deſire and endeavour: in order thereunto it is that I have heretofore adventured abroad ſome ſmall Tracts, tending to the prevention or removall of what might impede or obſtruct ſuch a conjunction. And upon the ſame errand I now ſend this after them; wherein I have endeavored to mind all the Members of the Myſticall Body of ſuch reſpects, Affections, and Offices, as by vertue of their Joint-Memberſhip they owe each to other; a Subject generally uſefull to all, who profeſſe and would approve themſelves Chriſtians; more ſpecially to ſuch as are under a particular and more regular Church Relation. A priviledge which I cordially wiſh for all in this nation that want it: Truth is (what cannot be denyed, or excuſed) the ſtones in our Eccleſiaſticall buildings, as they have done, ſo yet generally they lye too looſe, not cemented as they ought to be; Not that I look upon the formality of an explicite Covenant as eſſentiall to a conſtituted Church: I ſhall not dare upon ſo ſlight a ground to unchurch the Churches which have been and are in this Nation, and elſewhere; yet ſomewhat I conceive ſhould be done for the diſtinguiſhing of the Members of one Congregation from another, beſides their bare habitation within the compaſſe of a perambulation line; or yet then an ordinary attendance upon Ordinances in ſuch a place: Surely, beſides duties of Piety towards God, there are alſo duties of Charity, which Chriſtians are bound to performe, as to all their Brethren where-ever, ſo in ſpeciall to thoſe of the ſame particular Society with them. What theſe, and thoſe are, and how to bee diſcharged, I have indeavoured here to ſet forth: Herein beginning (ſo Providence hath ordered it) where my Reverend Brother in a Sermon Mr. Marſhal's Sermon at the Spittle, on Eaſter Munday, April 1652.lately preached and publiſhed upon the ſame Subject and Text, (which came to my hand the day before I finiſhed this) left. What I here hold forth, I deſire may not onelyonly bee read, but regarded, and practiſed. And that as by others, ſo in ſpeciall by you, among whom Providence hath caſt my lot: and to whom (under God) I have devoted and dedicated my ſelfe, and labours. To you (it cannot without great ingratitude bee either denyed, or concealed.) God hath beene good and gracious in the midſt of all thoſe late Changes, which have paſſed over the heads of this, and the Neighbour Nations: Not ſuffering the ſword to enter within your walls, (as it hath done many others) in an Hoſtile way: not giving you wholly for a ſpoile, whether to Domeſtick plunderers, or forraigne Robbers; but yet reſerving to you ſome competent remainder of a Temporall Subſiſtence: And whileſt he hath remembred the outward man, he hath not beene unmindfull of the inward; having vouchſafed to you the liberty and enjoyment of ſome Ordinances requiſite to the well being of a Church, and comfortable ſubſiſtence of a Chriſtian, which many other Congregations in this Nation deſire, but want. What remains then, but that you ſhould now make ſome returnes, anſwerable to theſe receipts; ſtirring up your ſelves to goe before others, as in duties of Piety towards that God who hath thus put a difference betwixt you and them, ſo in all offices of true Chriſtian Love each to other. Of this later I have lately minded you by word; and now doe it againe by writing, that ſo you may bee able after my deceaſe, (which how nigh it may bee, he above knoweth, in whoſe hand my times are) to have theſe things alwayes in remembrance. Which that you may doe, I ſhall ſecond my Counſels with my Prayers, reſting
Yours under God, ready to ſerve you in the Goſpell of his Sonne, JOHN BRINSLEY. July 1. 1652.