And lastly for the space of this long season neer unto the time of seventeen hundred yeers that great and huge Monarchy of the Romans our universall and mighty oppressors have dealt very cruelly with us even worse then all that were before them for their sword hath had a double edge called Force and Deceit cunning and cruelty and for power worse then all that were before them as Iron is the basest for value and hardest for strength for it breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things as one of my deare sons affirmeth Dan. 2. 40. which I and mine have found by dolefull experience all their tedious wofull and odious raign of the Iron legs and durtie toes how dolefull was it in the dayes of our blessed Saviour that that holy Prophet John the Baptist that takes his name from his office the harbenger the forerunner and preparer of the Lords own way that he should be killed and our innocent Lord grievously abuseded wounded crucified also and how was I and my children havocked and cruelly destroyed and wasted presently after the resurrection and ascension of our Lord in those numerous and unparalleld ten persecutions and all wrought and prosecuted against us by those legs of Iron all which power and authority of the legs are now gone and past as a storme that 's over and a tale that 's told and as a great fire that 's quenched excepting only the feet and toes consisting of Iron and Clay matter of two contrary natures in them the solidness and strength of Iron and the weaknesse or bricklenesse of Clay and yet such a powerfull enemy whose cunning craftinesse is managed by deceit and policy in which time iniquity hath and doth abound under the pretence of verity this fourth Monarchy from the first to the last in all the parts of it is deciphered by a strange beast diverse from all the beasts that were before it dreadfull terrible and exceeding in the greatnesse of power and strength it had Iron teeth saith the Prophet and they were great ones to tear and kill by and it devoured saith the Text and brake in pieces and stamped the residue with the feet of it and it had ten horns Dan. 7. 7. Heres But let us prove if his words be true for what is the Babylonian Assyrian Grecian or Roman Monarch to us for we have been and are the spirituall seed of Abraham by faith wee are Christians who have believed are baptized and communicate in all the Ordinances of God we are warranted in the Scriptures for our Church-discipline and government and wee walke in a Church state and Church way in constituting our Congregations in ordaining our Ministers our Pastors our Deacons and Elders Widowes Eunuches and divers holy orders as that of Jesus and John the Baptist Mary Magdalene and abundance more orders of men women and Angels and all these by authoritie of Scriptures and yet will you rank us amongst the Heathens and compare us to the four Ethnick Monarchs long ago past we doubt not but upon further discovery to prove your self to be untruth Truth What ever you are whether Papists Familists Arrians Arminians Anabaptists Brownists Antinomians Millinarists or Monarchists of all sorts and although all and every one of you of each sort gird and bind your selves with the new found common With of Independency yet my self and my little children are able to prove against you all even against the oldest and strongest of you and therefore observe and take notice of it even of the charge it self that so many of you that are not born of sorrow and comfort and have not your parts in mourning and rejoycing of water and the Holy Ghost as the Scripture speaketh I tell you plainly notwithstanding all your outward names and distinctions your affirmed Christianity your Church-way and state your participation in the Word and Sacraments your ordinations and orders and what discipline you are of or any kinde or manner however except I say you be separated or dissevered from naturall men by the vail of regeneration as the Temple of God the Altar and them that worship therein were separated by a vail from the outward and common court erected for the multitude of the house of Israel to offer and sacrifice yea again because the matter I speak of is of such great concernment I speak it the third time except you are by true repentance and assurance of mercy made capable spiritually to eat Christs flesh and to drink his blood thereby to have eternall life in you except you be thus gracious and made spiritually living by regeneration Gods Word I say and the Spirit of truth denominates you reckons and accounts you all among the Heathens and Gentiles Rev. 11. 1 2. and notwithstanding all your outside and overcast Christianity the whole wicked cursed defiled and unregenerate world and you make but one cast-away part one flock of goats for ever to be excluded from the sheep of Christ their sweet and pleasant pastor that flock and fold also Heres This fellow condemnes us all wee are esteemed of him as counterfeits or false coyne he abstaineth from our wayes as from filthinesse yet we marvell how he can prove that we that are Christians are a part of those Monarchs whose severall times and powers are wholly expired consummated and gone Truth As I have in generall proved it already in shewing that all the wicked party in the world make but one fort one cursed side on the left hand so also I prove it further by our Saviour Christs words to the Pharisees in his dayes Matth. 23. 35 That upon you saith hee may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias whom yee slew between the Temple and the Altar Here our Lord layes the murther of Abel and Zacharias to the Scribes and Pharisees charge although the personall actors were dead many yeers before saying to them present whom ye slew and the reason is because all murtherers from the beginning of the world to the end thereof make but one generation all of them even one generation of Vipers persecutors and destroyers Secondly as yet the whole Monarch of the Romans is not expired and past but still in being the feet that were partly iron and partly clay are not wholly consumed nor the mixt matter is not yet abolished for yet craft policy doth prosper in wicked practices to destroy the mighty the people of the holy One by standing up and opposing the Prince of princes who notwithstanding shortly shall be destroyed without hands Dan. 8. 24 25 even that man of sin that son of perdition even that opposer and exalter of himself above all that is called God and as God sitteth in the Temple of God whom the Lord that he opposeth shall consume with the Spirit of his mouth and destroy with the brightnesse of his coming notwithstanding all his serpentine working his
proving this his abomination and whorish power from Gods divine Oracles in these words To execute vengeance upon the heathen and punishment upon the people to bind their Kings with chains and their Nobles with fetters of iron This honour have all the Saints Psa. 149 8 9. avouching this Scripture to be fulfilled in the holy Church of Rome and that they were the Saints which by this prophesie were foretold of to depose and disthrone Kings and to cloak colour their covetousnesse which set all their trickes awork as Bulls and Pardons at all rates and prices whereby their coffers were filled with gold and silver from all countries and people And this hee affirmed was prophesied for his filthy holinesse maintenance and ungodly revenue in these words The Kings of Tarshish and of the Isles shall bring presents the Kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts yea all Kings shall fall down before him all nations shall serve him Psal. 72. 10. And notwithstanding their grosse abusing the Scriptures and false claims to Titles as Holy Father and holy Mother the Church time hath now proved him to be Antichrist the Man of sinne and capitall enemy to the truth of God And indeed this conceit that the Church of God should enjoy temporall peace and outward glory and authority hath been alwayes the opinion of carnall Christians and the Jewes to this day cannot see otherwise then when their still lookt-for Messiah should come that then they shall bee gathered to be a great people againe and made a worldly Monarchy to rule over all Nations as now all Nations rule over them But their groundlesse hope will prove but as the Spiders web and so it will be with all others of their mind for see how the Scripture resolves the question that the Saints the Church of God shall still suffer to the worlds end the question is made with a loud voyce saying How long O Lord holy and true dost thou not avenge our blood on them that dwell upon the earth And the answer from heaven saith that they should rest yet a little season untill their fellow servants also and their brethren that should be killed as they were should be fulfilled Rev. 6. 10. And the clad and washed with the righteousnesse of Christ and the blood of the Lamb are those that goe through great tribulations Rev. 7. 13 14. Finally of this doctrine we have a double witnesse two brethren and Apostles whose praise is in all the Churches Acts 14. 22. who both as one man conclude this truth as a Decree for ever That such as continue in the faith must through many tribulations enter into the Kingdome of God which Kingdome is that which all the Prophets and Apostles in all times have spoken of which in its due place I shall briefly unfold Heresie I pray you give us leave to speak Have we not clear Scripture for the glorious reigne of Christ upon the earth and that all the Martyrs and holy Prophets shall rise from the dead and reigne with Christ a thousand yeares in all prosperity peace riches plenty wealth and glory with such supreme power and Majesty as never any Monarch in this world had before nor ever shall have after for when the thousand yeares are expired then comes the generall resurrection Rev. 20. Truth Your confession shewes you to be a Millenarian which error as it hath been ancient so of late as of many other errors there is a reviving of this amongst the rest And as you say the summe of it is that now or they know not when Christ shall descend personally from heaven and then cause all the bodies of the Saints that have suffered martyrdome from the beginning of the world to be raised and Christ and his Saints to live in this cursed earth and corruptible world in the enioyment of riches wealth power and authority majesty and Emporality as no heathen nor Christian Monarchy ever had in this world before and you ground your mistake on Rev. 20. 1 2 3 4 5 6. Now I answer that the whole position is directly against the Scripture you alledge rightly understood for the Apostle Peter affirmeth it plainly that the heavens must containe and receive Christ personally untill the time of the restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy Prophets since the world began Acts 2. 21. Here are such witnesses as cannot be excepted against even all his holy Prophets and then and not sooner shall the Lord Jesus come which before was preached unto you verse 20. And the place you instance Rev. 20. proves no more the Millenary fancie as you describe it then it proves a new world in the Moon or that men may plow the floods of the Sea to sow and plant on them And because the true understanding of that Scripture will overthrow this error at once wee will shew you that the resurrection there spoken of is the spirituall and first resurrection which our Saviour Christ clearly layes down both in nature and order John 5. 25. And because it is a mystery therefore his expression is more then ordinary Verily verily twice affirming it I say unto you the houre is comming and now is when the dead shall heare the voyce of the Sonne of God and they that heare it shall live This is the spirituall resurrection from sin through the grace of regeneration and these are they only that live and reigne with Christ having sought and gained the Kingdome of heaven and the righteousnesse thereof Matth. 6. 33. And those only that are risen with Christ through regeneration are born of God and those that are born of God through faith are victors and overcome all opposition even the whole world and the Prince and King thereof 1 John 5. 4. and in this sense they reigne with Christ in their estate of temptation and regeneration who in their teares and sorrow are happy in the enjoyment of their Comforter who anointeth them with the unction of truth and teacheth and instructeth them so sufficiently that all the powers and thrones of Antichrist the subtilties crafts and deceits of him and all his learned Clerks who have endevoured and used all means possible to couzen and cheat the people of God for almost the space of this thousand two hundred and fourty yeares here expressed by the Millenary number onely because it shall not exceed more thousands then one in which cloudy and dark day the holy Ghost hath so led and guided the sonnes of truth that all the Jugglers at Rome and Babylon could not make them to mistake the mark of the Beast for the mark of the Lamb nor to worship the Beast and his image in stead of the Lord and his Christ yea rather then they would defile themselves with the adultery of the Whore they would die a thousand deaths for so saith the Text they lost their lives and their heads for the witnesse of Jesus for the pure worship
he deciphers his person by the appellation and name of a star vers. 1. thereby signifying hee was a high and great light in the Church even in the rank and course of the Apostles for so are they compared and called Rev. 12. and that this star was great in the outward office of the Church is farther intimated in these words in saying hee fell from heaven that was from the purity of the doctrine of the Saints preached and planted by Christs faithfull Apostles and Evangelists and in that it is said hee fell unto the earth it sheweth that as he fell from the light of the truth so he fell into grosse corrupt hereticall darknesse apostatizing and as opposite to the sincerity of the truth he formerly professed as the cursed polluted earth is to the pure undefiled heavens and as it is said To him was given the key of the bottomless pit it shewes the permissive power that should be granted and given to him that as hee loved lies more then truth so he that is the God of truth should give him up to strong delusions to believe lies and having in himself an adulterous evill heart a fit receptacle for an error so abominable doth with as great a longing desire preach and publish it to corrupt others like himself by all wayes and means whatsoever as first his own thirstie deceit was not satisfied proved in these words vers. 2. And hee opened the bottomless pit and there arose a smoak out of the pit as the smoak of a great furnace declaring hereby the nature of their corrupt doctrines even such as smoak soot and filth compared to the pure air and wofull darknesse to the glorious Sun-light The truth of God whose shining purity was obscured and darkned as it followes in the next words by reason of the smoak of the pit and the Text saith vers. 3. And there came out of the smoak Locusts upon the earth which shewes the great successe and large increase of false doctrines which are no sooner conceived and borne but presently it brings forth abundantly a viperous and wicked brood good for nothing but destruction it self and their great power is to hurt as a Scorpion which is the most cruell and venimous of all creeping things vers. 5. And as they are cruel so they are cunning crafty and unavoidable by which being once bit or stung it is incurable of such dangerous nature was this heresie of Arrius see the cruelty vers. 6. their power cunning and deceit vers. 7 8 9 10 11. The Apostle also by divine inspiration sets down the full and compleat time of this Arrian persecution saying It shall be five moneths that is moneths of yeers accounting as before in the audit of Antichrist thirty dayes to a moneth which multiplied by five amounts in the totall to one hundred and fifty yeers prophetically reckoning a day for a yeere as Ezek. 4. 6. which heresie was grown to such a height of esteem and applause that the then Christian Emperour call'd a generall Councel of all the Bishops in Christendome to confirm and establish this abominable false doctrine by a canon or Ecclesiasticall decree to be an unquestionable verity from which conclusion not any one of the learned Doctors did dissent but only godly Athanasius who by his alone wisdome and great knowledge in the Scriptures did protest and declare against this dark and smoakie error and he managed and maintained the truth so clearly by the authoritie of holy Writ that as Christ was perfect man so hee was truly God God and man our alone Saviour through which his grave and solid arguments raised from the beginning of the Evangelists of St. John and other holy Scriptures he gained the most of the generall Councel to be of his side and judgement whereupon they prevailed with him to make and write that famous and excellent Creed call'd after his own name even the Creed of Athanasius which then and ever since hath been imbraced approved honoured confessed of all Christian Churches although it is now neglected as gold in the dust and pearles by the ignorant Cock in the dunghill and fables in comparison even husks preferred before the verity thereof through the blindnesse of this present generation Heres Although the Popes universall supremacie in and over all persons and causes Ecclesiasticall and civill be an error and also heresie to deny the humane nature of Christ as doth the Familists and as bad in Arrius to deny the divine nature of our Lord and Saviour for I am of Athanasius his mind That hee was God of the substance of the Father begotten before the world were made and man of the substance of the mother born in the world perfect God and perfect man for as the reasonable soul and flesh is one man so God and man is one Christ And also I believe and maintain that every man naturally hath free will to do good as well as free will to do evill and that a Christian mans standing in the grace and favour with God depends upon his obedience in keeping the commandments and that there is no more or other certainty of salvation then that man by his own free good will continues obedient to Gods Word so that a man may be the childe of God to day and the childe of the Devill to morrow Truth You that did last speak shew your self to be an Arminian for although you confesse many truths yet indeed you differ no more from a Papist then Arminius that wicked heretike did and in your false doctrines of free will and falling from grace you agree with the ancient Anabaptists also for you all three are but one in these two errors And first for your tenent of Freewill that all men naturally have as great freedome and power of will to do good as to do evill this is a grosse error and directly opposite to the clear and plain Scriptures for the Apostle saith It is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure Phil. 2. 13. And the truth speaks thus 2 Cor. 3. 5. Not that we are sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves but our sufficiencie is of God and this is the faith and confession of the whole Church of God Isa. 26. 12. Lord thou wilt ordain peace for us for thou also hast wrought all our works in us and for us The error of Free will is a carnall opinion and naturally men are inclined to it and the holy Apostle St. James reproves it in his dayes who writing to the scattered Tribes saith you ought to say if the Lord will and not to say as you have affirmed your faith to be Wee will go c. James 2. 13. 15. So that it is plain no man of himself hath freedome of will to do good but there is no question but every man hath freedome of will to do evill as saith the Prophet Jerem. 4. 22. Secondly your doctrine of the uncertainty
in hand to take heed we do not mistake the meaning of Gods Word nor to give any other sense or exposition then that which is its own lest we be found such as fight against the Scriptures and by false and lying interpretations violate Gods Law and wage war to kill and slay the two witnesses the old and new Testaments the lamps and light of truth Rev. 11. 7 8. let us take heed of this brethren for the judgement against this sin is written and revealed already to adde or diminish from the Word of God to be a heavie inevitable dismall cursed sentence Deut. 4. 2. Prov. 30. 6. Rev. 22. 18. And if you had considered the Scriptures concerning the name of God and Lord you should have found even the Apostle himselfe to expound to the Church of Corinth what he meant by his speaking or writing to the Church of Ephesus One Lord c. for hee saith there be many Lords and many gods so call'd both in heaven and earth but to us saith he there is but one God the Father of whom are all things and wee in him and one Lord Jesus Christ by whom are all things and wee by him 1 Cor. 8. 5 6. there is but one such a Father and Lord and holy Spirit who is the giver the purchaser and worker of the grace by which we are called in the same one hope of our holy calling Eph. 4. 4. but in other respects the Heathens Idols and the Gentiles gracious Lords are called God and Lord for so did the Gentiles speak of Herod deifying him with a shout saying The voyce of God and not of man and Christian Emperors Kings States and Potentates in regard of authority and jurisdiction are called Lords and Gods in which they do represent God I have said you are gods saith the Scripture but you shall die like men Heres But wee have a plain word for our teaching and baptizing Matth. 28. 19. but you baptize infants for which you haue no word for and therefore it will be said at last Who hath required these things at your hands for indeed you do but continue the mark of the beast in all your babies baptizings Truth Whereas you say Christs words in the last of Matthew proves your preaching and baptizing you say more then you can make good or that I can believe from that Scripture and although there be no expresse words in the Scripture for the baptizing of Infants yet there is as sufficient warrant for it as for most things you practise your selves for what plain word have you for the time of publike assembling or generall meetings what word have you for your people to ordain their Minister what command doth authorize you your self to baptize what word have you when to receive the Lords Supper when to administer it and where who to provide the bread and wine and what bread and of what grain and the wine of what grape you have not a word for women to receive the Sacrament and abundance other particulars practised by you Will you therefore say you do that which you sin in doing so as you say we do I think not The truth is we need not a word for there are generall rules in the Scriptures that include particular practices and divers things under the Gospel being of the same nature under the Law the rules given under the Law serve under the Gospel so the Apostle proves to the Church of Corinth from the Law of Moses Deut. 25. 4. That Ministers of the Gospel should have maintenance that as they which minister about holy things live of the things of the Temple and they which wait at the Altar are partakers of the Altar even so hath the Lord ordained that they that preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel 1 Cor. 9. 13 14. compared with Deut. 18. 1. So we may truly say it is ordained that as the children of believers before Christ both Jewes and Proselytes were to be circumcised Gen. 17. 11 12. Exod. 12. 48 49. so believers and their children since Christ are to be Baptized as St. Peter speaketh the promise is to you and to your children and to all that are a far of even as many as the Lord our God shall call I beseech you observe this place St. Peter here spake to the Jews the men of Judah and Jerusalem vers. 14. Yee men of Israel hear these words saith he vers. 22. so preacheth to them that Jesus was the Saviour of the world whom yee have taken by wicked hands and have killed and being dead was buried who was raised again and now sits at the right hand of the Father and is made the Lord and Christ the alone Saviour of the world and they that gladly receive this doctrine of salvation by Christ were baptized vers. 41. who before had been circumcised Now as the promise did onely belong to Abraham and his Spirituall Seed and yet all his naturall children and the children of believing strangers were to communicate of circumcision which was the outward signe of the Covenant of the righteousnesse by faith as before is proved So likewise under the Gospel the same covenant of life and salvation is made only to Gods chosen faithfull regenerated servants and their spirituall seed yet the naturall children of these faithfull Christians may partake of the outward baptisme which is the outward signification of the baptisme of the heart as circumcision in the flesh was a signe of the circumcision of the heart and according to this rule the place before mentioned and divers other Scriptures speak as Acts 16. 15. that Lydia and her houshold was baptized so the Jailor was baptized and all his that is his houshold and the Apostle Paul baptized the houshold of Stephanus 1 Cor. 1. 16. And our Lord Jesus laid his hands on little children and blessed them and rebuked his Disciples for forbidding them to come Luke 18. 16. and the Apostle is cleer in the resolution of this question to the Church of Corinth 1 Cor. 7. 14. saith he the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the believing wife and the unbelieving wife by the believing husband else were your children unclean but now are they holy that is in respect they have right unto the outward covenant being born of one that believeth But some of you Anabaptists would have these words holy and unclean to mean bastards or unlawfully born which is such an exposition as was never heard nor read of before and this exposition admits of much absurdity for it nullifies the law of marriage amongst the Heathens who have as certain rules for marriage according to their manner and custome as Christians have for the Scripture prescribes no form Secondly this exposition makes Abraham himself and most of the Patriarchs wives to be bastards for they were the children of Heathens by father and mother as holy Sarah Rebecca Rachel and Josephs wife the mother of Ephraim and Manasses a bastard and that holy
subordinate is the salvation of the Saints the chosen ones of God from the beginning of the world And this is the faith that justifieth that comforteth that overcommeth that excelleth whose dignity and excellencie every where shineth throughout the Scriptures the ignorance of which this very age yea I say it again this very age of ours deserves all these present judgements and more also then lie upon us at this time we having had from God afforded us so great meanes to come to the knowledge of it which sort of faith whosoever hath shall never perish but men may partake of both the other sorts to their condemnation Other acceptations the terme Faith hath in the Scriptures also having reference sometimes to God himselfe and therein importing the stedfastnesse and unchangeable truth of his decree and promise And in other places it is to be understood of the doctrine of the Gospel and so also of their faithfull discharge of their office that are gifted to declare and preach the glad tidings of peace and salvation Of which office it is hard for an Antinomian holding such principles as he doth to come to understand wherefore repent in time lest at last you turn all Familists which you cannot avoid if you continue in your principles Her We have had the experience of this new found conceited light that such as have been dazled with it have been staggred in the truth and some have been so blinded therewithall that they have fallen from the faith But what say you to us We have the doctrine of the Gospel pure and cleare we hold faith and repentance to be the first works to life and salvation and that the Church of God are a company of holy beleevers and that now the time is come that the Church shall bee delivered from all her sufferings according to the testimony of the Prophets and Apostles the purity of Christs Ordinances shall be established Christ shall bee set up upon his Throne and his Church shall have the rule and preheminence in the world in greater power dignity and externall authority then all the Monarchs that ever have been in the world before And in this outward glory shall shee continue till her Lord come to translate her Truth You speak like those that maintaine that the Church of Christ shall now so flourish and prosper as that it shall extend its bounds and borders all Christendome over and most part of the world besides into a Monarchy and as formerly the temporall power in Christianity hath had the rule and greatnesse so now the Ecclesiasticall power shall take place and the Scepter of Christ in the censure of the Church shall be advanced and bear rule above all other government And that now already it is begun that God makes the kingdomes of this world our Lords and his Christs and that now it is come to passe that the godly shall rule over the wicked for now they are given to be captives to Gods people whose captives Gods people were before this time Wherefore I answer Great are the privileges and prerogatives that the Scriptures speak of Gods Church and people in the world to come after the resurrection is plain and evident in holy Writ but to apply those prophesies and promises to the Church in this present evill world it is not well considered of you for the Lord by his servants speaks of his Church in a double consideration as oppressed afflected and suffering here in this life and as delivered perfected and saved in the life to come then to rule but here to suffer then to bee advanced into Christs Throne but now and here to submit to the Crosse now his house is a house of mourning but then it shall be a palace of glory Jerusalem the Citie of the great King shall be set up the praise of the whole earth And in regard of his Churches present suffering her Lord himselfe thus speaketh to her Feare not little flocke and comforts her with the grace and favour of God for the time to come in these words For it is your Fathers pleasure to give you a Kingdom And it is a truth concluded of by all if we follow Christ in the estate of regeneration we shall be made partakers of his glorification if wee suffer with him we shall reigne with him the one condition is here the other hereafter the one in this world the other in the world to come This is the testimony of our Lord and all his servants Matth. 19. 28. 2 Tim. 2. 12. And that short time or while of suffering Saint Peter speaks of is this present life and the time of making such sufferers perfect is the life to come 1 Pet. 5. 10. agreeing with his brother Paul who according to the wisdome of God given to him had cast up his accounts in these words I reckon saith he that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us Even then saith S. John when Christ which is our life shall appear then shall we appear with him then shall we be like him in his dignity as in this life we are like him in his ignominy 1 John 3. 2. And friend looke into the Scriptures and you shall find the Church the blessed assembly described now to suffer to mourn to bee hated to weep to be persecuted for righteousnesse sake and the contrary estate to be none of Gods Church or inheritance Woe be to yee that laugh and rejoyce that are full and enjoy greatnesse and prosperity those that are rich here have received their consolation those that are full in this life shall hunger in the life to come those that are merry laugh and want not here shall weep and waile when the day of redemption comes then shall be fulfilled to him that suffers not here these words Thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things and to him that suffered here these words He his evill things therefore thou that sufferedst not art tormented but thou that didst suffer thou art comforted Matth. 5. Luke 6. and Luke 16. When Gods suffering people shall bee rewarded then such as have enjoyed their prosperity here shall be condemned I beseech you as you love the truth decline this doctrine of yours for by it you doe revive againe that old tenent of Popery For what ever you affirme in your confession they have maintained it with fire and sword execration and excommunication for they would prove that their Church by Christs appointment was to have supreme authority power and jurisdiction over all they place themselves above the starres of God And as in power so in title he must be called and stiled the Lord God the Pope And so he challenged worship also that Kings and Emperours must kisse his stinking feet and toes in token of their slavish subjection in honouring him with the power of heaven and earth to kill make alive to pardon and retain sins falsly
body so is Christ 1 Cor. 12. 21. and again by one Spirit wee are baptized into one body vers. 12 13. that is the whole Church whether we be Jews or Gentiles So then to follow the Apostles argument if there can be no Independency of the members of or in one body then no particular Congregation or Church can be independent from the rest and the reason is beyond answering because all particular Churches make but one which is the body of Christ and this is the Apostles inference and so also is Christ vers. 5. so we being many are one body in Christ and every one members one of another so then see the membership and Church-way of Gods Church in a spirituall and supernaturall respect and not in a humane voluntary covenant of which the Scripture saith they confederate but not by me saith the Lord therefore acknowledge not a confederacy to all them to whom this people saith the Lord shall say a confederacy Isa. 8. 12. For the confederacy or people convenanted together by God the Apostle calls all the suffering Saints these are the body of Christ in these words for his body sake which is his Church Col. 1 24. Wherefore now see in a word how by mistaking Gods Word you mistake the Scriptures and the meaning of Christs faithfulness in his house as a son in comparison of Moses faithfulness as a servant Heresie In this his saying hee reproaches us all for his speech against the externall and outward gathering of Churches whether Authority allow of it or no is against us all in particular for we all agree in that and in the freedome and liberty of our consciences without question or any controul of any power authority or magistracie whatsoever Truth Indeed this is the doctrine you all teach and cry out for with one voyce or consent for which cause I term'd you all at first all one enemy bound together wich the new-found common With of Independency which under a fair pretence as under the pleasant object of green grasse lies the Snake or Serpent to destroy the very truth of God and how ever you endeavour to bind Sampson the holy childe of God as Dalilah the Harlot did yet the With of your own invention which you call Independency can the child and mother of Truth break in sunder like a straw of Rye and grasse of the field to be burned with fire never again to be reckoned amongst the matter of Gods building and that we may discover this straw and stubble more cleerly let us consider what you say in that you all agree in the freedome and liberty of conscience c. whereby the term Conscience without due distinction you put upon us most grosse and absurd conclusions For what do you say in the generall you all say as much for Popery Familisme Arrianisme Arminianisme and all the rest of the Heresies in particular as for your selves Wherefore to cleere the question by the rule of truth note and observe that the Scripture speaks of the term conscience in a manifold distinction first generally of two sorts good and bad secondly apart and of both particularly and First for the good which is to be considered in a double respect a strong conscience and a weak conscience so distinguished because some are strong through experience of the truth and a great measure of knowledge others through want thereof are weak which weak conscience ought not to be forc'd but born withall and supported as 1 Thes. 5. 14. 1 Cor. 8. 7 9 10. 11. and chap. 9. 22. both which consciences the Scripture calls good pure washed and purged 1 Tim. 1. 5. 1 Pet. 3. 21. 2 Tim. 1. 3. Heb. 9. 14. and 13. 18. Again in the generall sense the bad or evill conscience that ought not to be born with and supported in no respect whatsoever which conscience hath a twofold distinction also for every man by nature the elect as well as the reprobate hath an evill conscience and therefore the Apostle speaking in the person of the regenerate elect Heb. 10. 22. saith thus Having our hearts sprinckled from an evill conscience and our bodies washed with pure water cleerly shewing hereby that the consciences of the elect themselves are wicked and evill by nature before regeneration And in the second place the Apostle to Timothy and to the Church of Thessalonica speaks of a higher degree of an evill conscience even of such as had known the truth and yet had not received the love of the truth for which cause God sends such strong delusions that they should believe lies 2 Thes. 2. And as such do not love the truth so they depart from the true faith and in stead thereof give heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of Devils speaking and preaching lies in hypocrisie having their consciences seared with a hot iron 1 Tim. 4. 1 2. And the Spirit of God speaks expresly of the latter times in which last dayes of the world wee now live in which dayes and times wee by experience find to be perillous and dangerous and by reason of the crafty cunning devillish doctrines that are invented and sown amongst us that wee find our Lords words true If it were possible they should deceive the very elect for under fair speeches and religious pretences they broach and sow dangerous doctrines one cries out for Popery and all the abominations thereof another with his pretended new light doth even darken the true light of men others say the Spirit of adoption is in all men a shining and burning light in the regenerate and in the naturall obscured and covered over with corruptions as the fire is rak'd up in ashes others say a man hath no more soule then a horse and that the resurrection shall be alike between men and beasts others say there is neither Angel nor Spirit neither heaven nor hell neither resurrection nor perfection others say they are Christ the prophesied Messiah others affirm of themselves they are the two Witnesses the two Olive-trees the two Prophets and the two Candlesticks others blasphemously say that our Lord Jesus Christ was a deceiver and so was the Apostles they also speak sleighly of the Scriptures and say of themselves that they can write as good scripture as any of those wee have others are meere Atheists and say all things come by nature and that they know not nor hope for any better condition then the present and will say these words and such like Let us eat and drink and be merry for to morrow wee shall die these and a thousand such blasphemies are maintained amongst us and will every one of them plead it is their conscience so to believe which by your doctrine should all be suffered without opposition and punishment for shame never plead any longer for Baal but search the Scriptures the Word of God and it will teach you that the mouths of such Heretiques and blasphemers must be stopped 1 Tim. 1. 11. and St. Paul is as
and perfection and the stone that smote the Image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth this is the mountain of Gods holinesse even the greatest power and soveraigne authority that ever was in the world before it And the Text notes out unto us three things the time when it shall be the place where it shall be and the manner how it shall be the manner hath a double consideration first the beginning and weaknesse of this powerfull kingdome expressed as before I have declared in her spirituall estate of renovation or regeneration in these words a stone was cut out without hands and in this first estate and condition of the Church it is said to live and reign to attain victory and overcome Rev. chap. 20. 12. but this victory is by faith this overcoming is by suffering they overcame him that is the Dragons pagancy by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony and they loved not their lives unto death and at this battell the armies were great on both sides and the victory glorious on the Saints side Rev. 12. 7. 11. In the second consideration wee are to understand the Church in her glory and perfection and to as far exceed all the Monarchies Kingdoms and Powers that were before it as the body exceeds the shadow the person the picture the circumference the center The Babylonian Monarchy the head of gold was a great power Thou O King saith the Prophet art a King of kings for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdome strength power and glory and wheresoever the children of men dwell beasts of the field and fowles of the heaven hath hee given into thy hand and hath made thee ruler over them all yet all these bounds and dominations are but by way of comparison to the universe the heavens earth and sea which are the bounds of Christs and his Church rule and Lordship Secondly the nature and condition of the kingdomes of this world and the power and greatnesse of Majesty that Christs Kingdome shall have in the world to come differs beyond all comparison For the kingdomes of this world are finfull kingdomes powers and authorities yea this present evill world is corrupted and lies under the cursed condition by reason of sin and as long as this face of the covering is cast over all people and this evill is spread over all nations Isa. 25. 7. even so long death the King of feares the wages of that sin shall raign in it according to the Scriptures Gen. 3. 17. Rom. 5. 17 21. 1 Cor. 15. but when the Lord shall set up his Kingdome hee will create new heavens and a new earth Behold saith he I will do it and the former shall not be remembred nor come into mind but be you glad and rejoyce for ever in that which I create For behold I create Jerusalem a rejoycing and her people a joy Isa. 65. 17 18. And the Apostle by the same Spirit of Prophecy saith that the heavens and the earth that are now with all these things shall be dissolved And according to Gods promise wee look that is all Gods Saints for new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness 2 Pet. 3. And the Apostle John tells us Rev. 21. what this new heaven and new earth is even the holy Church of God the new Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven prepared as a bride adorned for her husband and a voyce out of heaven expounds it to him Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men and hee will dwell with them and they shall be his people and God himself shall be with them and be their God and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes and there shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more paine for the former things are passed away And again saith the Lord Behold I make all things new write for these things are true and faithfull Once again observe the Prophet Daniel in these words and it became a great mountain of which our Saviour gives the meaning in these words The kingdome of heaven is like unto a grain of mustard seed which is the least of all seeds but when it is grown just as the Prophet it became so our Lord it is the greatest among herbs and became a tree c. both which places as one shews that although the Church be now so little that no man heeds or regards her yet her increase shall be from the least of all seeds to a tree with branches and from a small stone to a huge great mountain even so big as to fill the whole earth Which magnitude excellent glory greatnesse and soveraignty of the Church and Kingdome of God I shall in part discover by considering these eight particulars the King the Kingdome the Throne the Scepter the Lawes the Priviledges the Officers and the Subjects And for the King thereof thus saith the Prophet notwithstanding all the rage and opposition of the Heathens and the vain imaginations of the people Yet have I set my King upon my holy hill of Sion saith the Lord Psal. 2. 1. 5. and the title of his Crown is the title of his Cross This is the King of the Jewes Luke 23. 38. and himself testifying a good confession before Pilate saith Thou saist I am a King to this end was I born and for this cause came I into the world Joh. 18. 37. Secondly the Scriptures speake of the Kingdome of Christ above all comparison and calls it the kingdome of the Son of God and that there was given him dominion and glory and a Kingdome c. Dan. 7. 13 14. Now the consideration of these four things will briefly discover to us how this Church and Kingdome of Christ exceeds all other powers or kingdomes whatsoever First in the Majesty of it Secondly in its excellency Thirdly in its universality and Fourthly in its eternity The Majesty sets forth the magnitude and greatnesse of this kingdom the King is great and the Kingdom is great Behold saith the Angel to the Virgin he shall be great and he shall raign over the house of Jacob for ever Luke 1. 32. 33. And the Prophet Daniel describes this greatnesse and what this house of Jacob is in these words and the kingdome and dominion and the greatness of the kingdome under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the Saints of the most High whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdome and all dominions rulers and powers shall serve and obey him Dan. 7. 27. The excellency is set forth by the glory splendor and purity of it and in this respect it is in Scripture called the kingdome of God the kingdome of Christ a kingdome of Priests a kingdome of Saints the kingdome of our God the kingdome of glory heavenly countrey city inheritance possession reward all heavenly all glorious all holy there shall be nothing to hurt nor destroy in
coals thereof are coals of fire which hath a most vehement flame and it contemns all manner of substance to purchase it it is no way to be attained but by the gift of God I will put my lawes in their inward parts and write them in their hearts saith the Lord Jer. 31. 33. This glorious kingdome are all such as are made of God Kings and Priests these are the Levits to whom God hath given the Law and Covenant of life to this commandement of peace and salvation Mal. 2. 4 5 6. which hath comforted his people here and for ever doth guide and regulate them in the perfection the glorious and everlasting kingdome of Christ hereafter Which Law of Gods kingdome is called in Scriptures a holy law a royall law a law of life a law of libertie a perfect law and such like James 1. 25. Chap. 2. 8. 12. The sixt thing considerable is the priviledges of this kingdome of glory which are so great and many that I shall rather obscure then discover them their priviledge of power and Authoritie is exceeding much and abundantly set forth in the Scriptures for when the Lord shall exalt Jerusalem this his own kingdome then shall the Lord breake the staffe of the wicked and the scepter of the rulers Isa. 14. 5. Behold saith the Lord I will make them of the Synagogue of Satan which say they are Jewes and are not but doe lye Behold saith he the second time againe to his Church I will make them come to worship before thy feete and to know that I have loved thee Rev. 3. 9. This is such a dignitie and priviledge as the Lord himselfe with a twofold word of audience affirmeth to take them captives whose captives they were and to rule over their oppressors Isa. 14. 2. with the praises of God in their mouths and a two-edged sword in their hands to execute vengeance punishment upon heathenish people to binde their Kings with chaines their Nobles with fetters of iron this honour or priviledge have all the Saints Psal. 149. And so saith the Prophet The sonnes of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee and all that despised thee shall how themselves downe at the soles of thy feete and they shall call thee the Citie of the Lord the Sion of the holy One of Israel whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated so that no man went through thee or delighted in thy company I will make thee an eternall excellency a joy of many generations Isa. 60. 14 15. So also their priviledge of freedome and libertie doth set forth their glory Jerusalem which is above is free which is the mother of us all Gal. 4. 26. They are all free-borne so begotten and born by the Word it selfe for all the whole Kingdome are children of the truth and the truth it was that which made them free Joh. 8. 32. Now the Word and the truth are the Sonne and those that the Sonne makes free are free indeed ver. 36. and from all manner of bondage free from sinne free from death free from sorrow free from the grave free from corruption free from oppression free from suffering inlarged and set at libertie for ever to injoy immortalitie these are the people that possesse and injoy the glorious libertie or freedome of the sonnes or children of God Rom. 8. 21. Also the company and associates that are in this heavenly kingdome doe exceedingly declare the glory of it to have and injoy the presence of God of Christ and the holy Ghost the company of all the holy Angels the company and societie of all the holy Patriarks Prophets and Saints with the comfortable delight and excellency of the restitution and perfection of all creatures both in the heavens the earth and the sea and all that is within them as shall be shewed hereafter in the point of universall subjection In Gods presence saith the Prophet is fulnesse of joy and at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore Psal. 16. 11. You saith the Lord speaking to his Saints I appoint unto you a kingdome and yee shall eate and drinke with mee at my table in my kingdome Luk. 22. 30. And as the Angels are ministring spirits here in the Saints sufferings Heb. 1. 7. so in the world to come with the presence of God wee shall have the company presence of the Angels about the throne saith the text Rev. 7. 11. And there shall wee see Abraham Isaac and Jacob and all the holy Prophets in the kingdome of God and have heavenly sweet societie and company with them Luk. 13. 28. Now as the priviledges of the kingdome excell so also its Officers exceed all others I will saith the Lord make thy Officers peace and thine exactors righteousnesse violence shall no more be heard in thy land wasting and destruction within thy borders but thou shalt call thy walls salvation and thy gates praise Isa. 60. 18 19. Then shall mercy and truth meet together righteousnesse and peace shall kisse each other Psal. 85. 10. And this is the seventh consideration the eight followeth which are the subjects of this great King and Kingdome And the Apostle is so generall and universall in these that he excepts none neither in heaven nor in earth not sea nor under the earth even none that can be named but God the Father onely that subdued all under his Sons feet which is the King of this Kingdom for so saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 15. 27. For he hath put all things under his feete for when he saith all things are put under him it is manifest that he is excepted who did put all things under him so then it is cleare that Angels and men and all other creatures are the subjects of this great Kingdome He hath put all things in subjection under his feete saith the Apostle Heb. 2. 8. And this is the Prophets witnesse I have sworne by my selfe saith the Lord the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousnesse and shall not returne that unto me every knee shall how every tongue shall sweare Isa. 45. 23. And againe The nations and kingdomes that will not serve thee shall perish yea those nations shall be utterly wasted Chap. 60. 12. And of the Angels saith the Apostle Let all the Angels of God worship him Heb. 1. 6. And the Apostle expounds the Oath of the Lord for this universall subjection and saith It is written as I live saith the Lord every knee shall how to mee and every tongue shall confesse to God Rom. 14. 11. And againe he saith At the name of Jesus every knee shall how of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth and every tongue shall confesse that Jesus is Lord and King to the glory of God the Father Phil. 2. 10 11. And yet the holy Ghost is more particular to prove that all things in all places are subject to Christ Rev. 5. 13. And every creature saith he which is