who from this place reason against the common Tenet doe differ all of them among themselves in sundry materiall conclusions the old Chiliasts from the late and the late one from another Alstedius Mead Archer Goodwin Burrowes Matton every one of them have their proper conceits wherein they differ from the rest as will be found by any who compare their Writings Thirdly In all this Chapter there is not one syllable to prove Christs being upon the earth but that one word of the Saints reigning with Christ Suppose the Text had expressed that they who did reigne with Christ had beene upon earth themselves this would not prove that Christ because they are said to raigne with him was upon earth with them for Rom. 8.17 If children then joynt-heires with Christ if so beâ— that we suffer with him that we may be also glorified together There is here in one verse three paralell phrases with that in hand Heires with Christ Suffering with Christ Glorified with Christ and a fourth Ephes 1.3 Who hath blessed us with all Spirituall blessings in heavenly places in Christ Will it hence follow that Christs humane nature was then upon earth with them who suffered with him were heires with him were blessed in him in heavenly places with all spirituall graces and were to be glorified with him if none of these foure phrases imply a personall presence of Christ upon earth with men much lesse will the place controverted doe it for they speak expresly of men living upon the earth but it speakes as expresly of the soules of men that were in the heaven the same that are mentioned Revel 6.9 I saw under the Altar the soules of them that were slaine for the Word of God This place then is so farre from proving Christs personall presence upon earth that it imports the contrary both because they that are said to reigne with him were not upon the earth but under the Altar in heaven and also because in vers 11. Christs Throne whereupon he judges the quicke and the dead is mentioned after the raigne of these thousand yeares Now we have proved from many Scriptures that Christ remaines in the heavens till he come downe in the last day to sit upon that Throne Fourthly We deny that there is any thing in this place which imports a bodily resurrection They can produce no scripture where the first resurrection is ever applyed to the body there be sundry places to prove a spirituall resurrection of the soule from the death and grave of sinne of errors and corruptions before the last resurrection of the body Coll. 2.12 You are risen with him through fayth also 3.1 If then ye be risen with Christ c. But a first resurrection of the body no scripture intimates for so there should be not onely a first and second but a third resurrection as they tell us of a first second and third comming of Christ to the earth Further the resurrection here spoken of is attributed to the Soules of them that were beheaded these are not capable of a bodily resurrection in propriety of speech and if to these soules men at their owne pleasure without any warrant from scripture will ascribe a body they fall into a great inconvenience for their love to this imagined first resurrection of the body they overthrow both the heaven and the hell which hitherto have beene beleeved and make no scruple to create a new heaven and a new hell of their owne invention to the dangerous scandall of all Christians Master Archer seeing well the absurdity to bring a soule from heaven backe again to an earthly condition tells us plainely That no soule at all went ever to that which we call heaven That the Soule of Christ at his death and of the good theife went onely to an Elementary Paradise a place below the Moone in the region of the ayre or at highest in the Element of the fire That Enoch and Elias are gone no higher That no soule of any of the Saints goes to the third heavens where Christ is unto the last day As for hell he tells us that all Christians but the Independent his followers have beene in an error about it he teaches that the hell whether the wicked now goes is not that fire prepared for the Divell and his Angells whether at the last Judgement they shall be sent but onely a place of prison in the Low region of the aire or in some part of the Sea where the soules of the wicked are kept till the day of Judgement but at the day of Judgement he tells us of a second hell very large and farre higher then the present heaven of the Saints the whole body of the foure Elements all the heavens of the Planets and fixed Starres and what ever else is below the third heavens the habitation of God he turnes it all into the first Chaos and makes all that confused body without any distinction to be hell In all this the man is so confident as if there were nothing in these strange novelties to be called in question Fifthly We deny that in this place there is one syllable for any earthly Kingdome They shall reigne with Christ therefore they shall reigne with him upon earth this is an addition to the Text. For suppose the words did import a reigning upon earth yet this would not inferre an earthly reigne for the Kingdome of Christ is spirituall like his Preisthood and these two are here conjoyned ver 6. They shall be Preists of God and of Christ and shall reigne with him Christians on earth are Preists but not to offer bodily sacrifice and while they are upon earth they are Kings but not to rule mens outward estates for if so then there should be all these thousand yeares many more Kings then Subjects Master Archer tells us confidently without any scruple that not the Martyres alone and some few priviledged Saints as his Colleague T. G. would have it but that all the godly without any exception shall rise and be Kings to rule and judge the Saints who shall be borne in the thousand yeares Suppose it should be no disparagement for all these who then shall be borne to be excluded while they live from all places of authority and power yet would it not be some piece of disorder to have more Kings to command then Subjects to obey for I suppose that the godly of all by-gone ages arising together will be many more then the Saints in any one age of these thousand yeares Sixthly we deny that a thousand yeares in any propriety of speech can be applyed to Christs Personall reigne for if we speak of his reigne either in his nature or Person it is eternall and not to be measured by any yeares or time and if we speake of his regall office as Mediatour it must be much longer then a thousand yeares for although we should cut off from his Monarchy all the yeares that are past since his birth
not Heaven It s most probable that Christs soul never went into the highest Heavens till his Body went also Ibid. None but Christ and so none before Christ ever entered the highest Heavens The way to Heaven was never opened till Christ the high Priest entered Body and Soul into it The highest Heavens never had but one man into them namely Christ nor shall have till the worlds end Ibid. p. 25. If you ask where this place of Paradise is I answer It must be below the highest Heavens therefore surely it is in the Region or Element of fire where the Sun and Stars are or in the highest Region of the Ayr. SS 5. Archers personal raign p. 35. At the day of judgement the wicked shall be sent with the Devil unto Hell which Hell shall not be that which is now called Hell but another for the Hell that now is is but a prison and not the place of execution At the last day this Hell that now is shall cease This Hell which is at present to be sure is in some of the places of the Air or the Waters and not in the Earth But the Hell which shall be the everlasting torment of all the damned shall be all this lower and visible World All the places of the Earth Water Air Sun Moon Stars and the Fire called the Heavens and the Earth The things which God immediately made out of nothing shall never change As the highest Heavens and the Angels in them and the souls of men and this Chaos called the Earth but all other things being made out of something even out of this Earth or Chaos they shall after a time change and so all this World shall come to an Earth or Chaos again God in time did make two places Heaven and Earth immediately out of nothing to be eternal places the one of Joy the other of Torment Thus you see when Hell was made but it was quickly covered and shall not be uncovered till Christ do it at the last day TT Antap. p. 36. The Gentleman censured brings an accusation against Master Nye charging him with Pride want of Charity c. And this being brought before the Church continued in debate about half a yeer three or four days in a week and sometimes more before all the Congregation divers of the Members having callings to follow they desired leave to be absent Master Goodwin oft professed publikely upon these differences If this were their Church-fellowship he would lay down his Eldership and nothing was more commonly spoke among the Members then that certainly for matter of Discipline they were not in the right way for that there was no way to bring things to an end VV Vide supra TT CHAP. V. The Carriage of the Independents at London YOu have gotten a taste of the Fruits of this Tree as it grows in New-England and Holland When it is transplanted to Old-England consider if the Grapes of it be any thing sweeter These Five last yeers the chief of that party both from Arnhem Roterdam and New-England have kept their residence at London to advance by common counsels and industry their Way in these days of their hopes A full account of their courses in that place cannot be expected so long as many passages concerning them lie in the dark and the end is not yet come But three things seem to be clear which make their Way at London no more lovely then in the places mentioned First they have been here exceeding unhappie in retarding and to their power crossing the blessed Reformation in hand Secondly they have pregnantly occasioned the multiplication of Heresies and Schisms above all that ever was heard of in any one place in any former Age. Thirdly they have occasioned such Divisions in the State that had it not been for the extraordinary mercies of God the Parliament and all that follow them had long ago been laid under the feet of their enraged enemies and the whole Isle long before this totally ruined As for the first The Reformation of Religion so much wished for by all the godly for so many yeers all know it could never have been attained without the help of an Assembly of Divines Who opposeth the necessary Mean cannot be taken for a friend of the End The Assembly the necessary means of Reformation was for a very long time hindred by the diligence of the Independent party to be called A and when to their evident grief and discontent the Parliament had voted its calling they may remember their extraordinary industry to get it modelled according to their Principles both in its members and power B to have it an elective Synod onely for advice to consist of so many of themselves and of their favourers as was possible not any known Divine of any parts in all England of their opinion being omitted How cautious they were by great slight of hand to keep off so many of the old Puritan Unconformists and how much more enclinable towards men of Episcopal and Liturgick principles themselves do know This their underhand-working before the sitting of the Assembly was seen but by few but so soon as the Synod did sit it did then appear to the whole Company who were the men who made it their work and greatest studie to keep off by their endlesse Janglings the Assembly from concluding any thing that might settle the distracted Church C so that to this day after two yeers time and above in more frequent and learned Sessions then every we read of in any Assembly since the world began D There is nothing at all set up for the comfort of the afflicted Kingdom Their aversenesse to the Assembly doth appear not onely in their opposition to its calling in their retarding of its proceedings but in their pressing of its dissolution I do not speak of the huge Contumelies which some of their party have poured out upon the face of that most Reverend Meeting in a number of very wicked Pamphlets which to this day were never so much as censured though the Authors by name and sirname are complained of in Print But that which I speak of is the expresse Article of the Independent Petition desiring the Parliament in formal terms according to Master Peters dictates to dissolve the Assembly D 2. Had either the Popish faction or the Episcopal party or the malignant Courtiers procured the continuance of our woful Anarchie our anger would have been greater then our grief or shame But when the mercies of God now for some yeers have removed the Papists Prelats and Courtiers so far from us that by word or deed they have not hindred us in the least measure to heal the diseases of our Church at our pleasure that her wounds to this day should be multiplied and all kept open to drop out her best blood alone through the obstinacy of our Brethren though we compresse our indignation yet we cannot but be oppressed with a great measure of
of the Gentiles how much more their fullnesse Ans There is nothing here for the point in hand we grant willingly that the Nation of the Jewes shall be converted to the fayth of Christ and that the fullnesse of the Gentiles is to come in with them to the Christian Church also that the quickning of that dead and rotten member shall be a matter of exceeding joy to the whole Church But That the converted Jewes shall returne to Canaan to build Jerusalem That Christ shall come from the heaven to reigne among them for a thousand yeares there is no such thing intimated in the scriptures in hand Master Burrous fifth place is Acts 3.20 21. He shall send Iesus Christ whom the heavens must receive unto the times of the restitution of all things Ans That these words are to be understood of Christs comming to the last Judgement and not of his comming to any Temporall Kingdome on earth we did before prove His sixth place is 2 Pet. 3.10.13 But the day of the Lord will come as a Theife in the night in the which the heavens shall passe away with a great noyse and the Elements shall melt with fervent heate the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burnt up neverthelesse we according to his promise looke for new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousnesse Ans First it would be remembred that our Brethren do adde among many other things this also unto the Tenet of the old Chiliasts That before their golden age the earth and all things therein must be destroyed That the earth wherein they are to reigne that the Beasts Foules Fishes Trees and all other creatures they are to make use of in their thousand yeares are to be of new created all the old creatures in their whole kindes being burnt to ashes and destroyed We say secondly That this place is miserably misinterpreted for all that the Apostle is saying is in answer to the scoffers cavill verse 4. requiring in scorne the performance of the promise of Christs comming not unto this thousand yeares raigne but to the day of Judgement and perdition of ungodly men as the Apostle speaks expressely vers 7. Now all the Chiliasts confesse that this Judgement and that perdition is not till after the thousand yeares so the burning of necessity according to their owne grounds cannot precede but must follow them Thirdly the time whereof the Apostle speakes is called the day of the Lord the usuall discription of Christs comming to Judgement also the day that comes on the world as a theefe in the night which phrase oftentimes in scripture is attributed unto Christs comming unto Judgement but is not true of his comming to the Millenary reigne for the calculation of that time is so well knowne that it is preached and printed to be at such a yeare if not such a mounth or day Also this dissolving of the heavens and Elements with fire is a concomitant of Christ his comming to the last Judgement as is expressely intimated 2 Thes 1.8.9 As for the words whereupon alone they ground their argument the new Earth wherein dwells righteousnesse As if these words could not be true after the last Judgement no righteous man then dwelling upon the earth If they had looked upon the originall they would have seene the weakenesse of their collection for the words runne thus We in whom righteousnesse dwells looke for new Heavens and a new Earth The habitation of righteousnesse referring neither to the heavens not to the earth but to the godly and righteous persons who did waite for the performance of the promise of new heavens and a new earth as our late annotations doe observe And though you would reade them according to our English Translation yet that inhabitation needes not referre to the earth but to the heavens onely as Junius well observes For it is not in qua terra but in quibus coelis and our Brethren if they beleeve Mr. Archer must referre the Pronoune not to both the Substantives but onely to the one for he teaches That during the thousand yeares no righteous soule inhabites the heaven and thereafter that no righteous soule does inhabit either the earth or the heavens wherein now the soules of the godly are all these being turned into hell the habitation of unrighteous men and divells Mr. Burrows seventh place Isa 65.21 And they shall build houses and inhabit them and they shall plant Vinyeards and eate the fruit of them and ver 17. Behold I create new heavens and a new earth c. Hence concluding not onely a new heaven and a new earth for the Millenary reigne but a planting of Vinyeards a building of houses which cannot be after the day of Judgement Ans First Master Burrowes referres this place to the former passage of Peter if therefore Peters new heavens and new earth must be understood of the life to come Isaiahs new heavens and new earth must be understood of the same Secondly It s very new and harsh divinity to say that after the heavens have passed away with a noyse and the earth with all the workes thereof are burnt up that men shall plant Vineyards and build houses upon the new earth Therefore Master Burrows notwithstanding his argument and reference of Isaiah to Peter seemes in that same place to retract and acknowledge that the new heavens and the new earth must be expounded by a Metaphor and import no more then the doing of so glorious things by God for the Church in the latter days as shall manifest his glorious and creating power as if he did make new heavens and a new earth This is farre from the burning of the heavens and earth that now are It is no more then what the Apostle Peter brings from the Prophet Joel Acts. 2.19 And I will shew wonders in heaven above and signes in the earth beneath bloud and fiâ—â— and vapour of smoake the Sunne shall be turned into darknesse and the Moone into bloud All which Peter makes to be performed upon the day of the Pentecost It is no more then that of Haggay 2.6 Yet once it is a little while and I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and all the dry land which the Apostle Heb. 12.26 27. makes to be performed at the first comming of Christ Thirdly That the matter of this 65. chap. of Isai v. 16. is to be referred to Christs first comming and the Apostles first prâ—â—ching unto the Gentiles is cleare by comparing the first verse of this chap. I am found of them that sought me not with the 20 verse of the tenth to the Romanes But Isaiah was very bold and sayth I was found c. Fourthly to expound the Prophets in this fashion were to stumble the Jewes and to give them too great an excuse for their long misbeliefe and too pregnant arguments for to delay their fayth while the Messias come to performe
duty of holinesse Y Neither here did they stand but went on to aver the death of the soul with the body Z That all the Saints upon earth have two bodies AA That Christ is not united to our fleshly body but they would have him to be united to our new body BB with the same union where with his humanity is united with his Godhead That Christs Manhood was not now in the heavens CC but that his body was his Church These abominable errours and many more of this kinde to the number of Fourscore and eleven DD the New-English Independency did produce to the world in a very short time For the second The number of the erring persons this is said to have been incredible not onely multitudes of men and women every where were infected EE but almost no Society no Family of that Land was free of that Pest BB Boston the best and most famous of their Churches was so far corrupted that few there were untainted GG Concerning the Hypocrisie of these Hereticks it was exceeding great None appeared so humble so holy so spiritual and full of Christ as they HH In their speech nought but self-denial II In their prayers ravishing affections and heavenly expressions KK All their singular opinions were for the advancing of Free-grace LL For the glorious light of the Gospel for the setting up of naked Christ on his Throne MM Their malice towards all that dissented from them was so extreme that they made the life of many the most religious of their Neighbours to be bitter and a wearisome burden to them NN For their Ministers some of them they adored Master Cotton and Master Wheelwright they set up as the onely true Preachers of the Covenant of Grace they extolled them to the skies avowing that since the Apostles dayes none had received so much Gospel-Light as they OO But the rest of the Preachers not onely all in Old England PP but also all in New-England except a very few and most of all the best the most zealous and Orthodox even the instruments of their own conversion were to them Baals Priests Legal Preachers Popish Factors Scribes and Pharisees Enemies to the Gospel voide of the Spirit of Grace QQ Their contempt of the Magistrates was as great as of the Ministers Their late Governour they professed was a true friend to Christ and Free-grace RR but Master Winthrop their present Governour and the most of the Magistrates they proclaimed enemies of Grace Persecutors Antichrists Ahabs Herods Pilates whom God would destroy SS Their Preacher Master Wheelwright would exhort the people in his Sermon to deal with the Magistrates as such remembring them how Moses had killed the Egyptian TT Their Heresies did bring on so dangerous seditions as in a short time did put their Common-wealth in a clear hazard of utter ruine VV for the Heretikes had drawn to their side not onely multitudes of the people but many of the ablest men for parts in all Trades especially the Souldiers XX They kept such intimate familiarity and open correspondence with the most eminent men of the Land Mistresse Hutchinson and the late Governour kept almost every day so private and long discourse with Master Cotton that made them conclude all was their own YY and forced the wise Governour Master Winthrop to prevent their designes to put the former Governour and all that followed him from their places in the general Court and to desire him and them to be gone which was counted a real though a civil banishment out of their Land ZZ Also to disarm the most of that faction expresly upon fear least the Tragedy of Munster should be acted over again in New-England AAA Master Williams told me that he was imployed to buy from the Savages for the late Governour and Master Cotton with their followers a proportion of Land without the English Plantation whither they might retire and live according to their own minde exempt from the Jurisdiction Civil and Ecclesiastick of all others Master Williams was in so great friendship with that late Governour when he told me so much That I beleeve he would have been loth to have spoken any untruth of him Their obstinacy in all these things was truely marvellous for after all the pains which their godly Pastors took upon them in Preaching in Conference in Publike Disputations After the Magistrate had executed the Law and inflicted civil punishments upon some of their prime Seducers yea when God visibly from the Heavens had declared his anger against some of their cheif Leaders punishing Mistresse Hutchinson with a monstruous birth of more then thirty mis-shapen Creatures at one time BBB and Mistresse Dyer her principal assistant with another monstrous birth CCC of one Creature mixed of a Beast of a Fish and a Foul Notwithstanding all these admonitions their obstinacy was so great that many of them continued pertinacious without any repentance DDD For some of them separating of their own accord others being banished by the Magistrate retired into those Lands which Master Williams had bought for them and in that their new Habitation they continued not long till beside all the named Errours they fell into many more both Errours and Schisms EEE And Mistresse Hutchinson did make a new Separation retiring to a new dwelling FFF where after her long contempt of divine and humane patience at last God did let loose his hand and destroyed her sending in upon her a company of the Savages who burnt her self her house and all that she had GGG Notwithstanding all that God and man at that time and since hath done to discover the evil spirit that raged in that way yet such is the stoutnesse of many especially of the late Governour whose hand in all that businesse was cheif that to this day if you will confer with them they will assure That Mistresse Hutchinson was much mistaken and wronged that she was a most pious woman and that her Tenents if well understood were all true at least very tolerable We have oft marvelled that the Eldership of Boston did never so much as call her before them to be rebuked for any of her Errours though their general Assembly had confuted and condemned them yet still she was permitted to go on till the zeal of the new Governour and the general Court did condemn her to perpetual banishment then and not till then so far as we can perceive by the story did the Church of Boston begin a processe against her and when the processe was brought to an end Master Cotton by no means would put it in execution that burden was laid on the back of Master Wilson his Colleague how ever not the fittest instrument being the person to whom Mistresse Hutchinson from the beginning had professed her greatest opposition and when the sentence was pronounced against her they tell us That the great cause of it was none of her Heresies or Errours but her other practises especially
men are mortal like the Beasts AA Short story p. 59. These who are united to Christ have in this life new bodies and two bodies BB Ibid. She knoweth not how Jesus Christ should be united to this our fleshly body these who have union with Christ shall not rise with the same fleshly body and that the Resurrection mentioned in 1 Cor. 15.44 is not meant of the Resurrection of the body but of our union here in this life CC Ibid. p. 60. We are united to Christ with the same union that his humanity on earth was with his Deity That she had no Scripture to warrant that Christs manhood is now is Heaven but the body of Christ is his Church DD Ibid. Preface p. 1. You shall see a Litter of ninty one of their brats hung up against the Sun besides many new ones of Mistresse Hutchinsons EE Ibid. Multitudes of men and women were infected before they were aware FF Ibid. Preface p. 7. They had some of all sorts and qualities in all places to defend and patronise them Almost in every family some were ready to defend them as the Apple of their own eye GG Vide supra N 2. HH Short story Preface pag. 4. They would appear very humble holy and spiritual Christians and full of Christ II Ibid. They would deny themselves far and speak excellently KK Ibid. They would pray with such soul ravishing affections and expressions that a stranger could not but love and admire them LL Ibid. They lifted up their opinions by guilding them over with the specious termes of Free-grace Glorious-Light Gospel-Truths holding out naked Christ MM Vide supra LL. NN Preface p. 7. O their boldnesse pride insolency the disturbances divisions contentions they raised among us both in Church and State and Families setting division betwixt Husband and Wife Ibid. p. 9. And seeing a spirit of pride subtilty malice and contempt of all men that were not of their minde breathing in them our hearts were sadded and our spirits tyred OO Ibid. p. 4. Their followers in admiration of them would tell others that since the Apostles times they were perswaded none ever received so much light from God as such and such had done naming their Leaders See also before H. PP Short story pag. 39. She said it was revealed to her long since in England That all the pack of the Ministers there were Antichristian so that she durst hear none of them after Master Cotton and Master Wheelwright were once gone for they could not preach Christ and the new Covenant QQ Preface pag. 8. The faithful Ministers of Christ must have dung cast in their faces and be no better then legal Preachers Baals Priests Popish Factors Scribes Pharisees and Opposers of Christ himself RR Vide supra N 1. SS Preface p. 9. The Magistrates were Achabs Amazia's enemies to Christ led by Satan TT Ibid. These were enemies to Christ Herods Pilates Scribes and Pharisees yea Antichrists and advised all under a Covenant of Grace to look upon them as such And with great zeal did stimulate them to deal with them as such and alleadged the story of Moses that killed the Egyptian and left it barely so VV Ibid. It was a wonder of mercy that they had not set our Common-wealth and Churches on a fire and consumed us all therein XX Preface pag. 7. They had some of all quality to defend them some of the Magistrates some Gentlemen some Schollers some of our Captains and Souldiers some in Military Trainings YY Short story p. 33. They made full accompt the day had been theirs ZZ Master Williams in his Discourse to me assured me hereof AAA Short story p. 43. Vnder their conduct the old Serpent had prepared such an Ambushment as in all reason would soon have driven Christ and the Gospel out of New-England though to the ruine of the instruments themselves as well as of others and to the repossessing of Satan in his ancient Kingdom BBB Preface p. 12. Mistresse Hutchinson being big with childe and growing towards the time of her Labour brought out not one but thirty monstrous births or thereabouts at once none at all of them of humane shape CCC Ibid. Mistresse Dyer brought forth her birth of a Woman childe a Beast a Fish and a Foul all woven together in one and without an head DDD Ibid. Though he that runs may read their sin in these judgements yet behold the desperate hardnesse of heart in these persons and all their followers they turned all from themselves upon the faithful servants of God that laboured to reclaim them saying This is for you ye Legalists that your eyes might be further blinded by Gods hand upon us in your legal wayes that you may stumble and fall and in the end break your necks in Hell if ye imbrace not the Truth EEE Ibid. p. 5. These persons with many others infected by them went altogether out of our Jurisdiction into an Iland and there they live to this day most of them hatching and multiplying new opinions and cannot agree but are miserably divided into sundry Sects and Factions FFF Mistresse Hutchinson being weary of the Iland went from thence with all her family to live under the Dutch neer a place in the Map called Hell-gate GGG There the Indians set upon them and slew her and all her family her daughter and her daughters husband and all their children save one that escaped Some write that the Indians did burn her to death withall that belonged to her I never heard that the Indians in these parts did commit the like outrage upon any other HHH Vide KKK 1. III Ibid. p. 13. They grew also many of them very loose in their practises for these opinions will certainly produce a filthy life by degrees As no Prayer in their Familes no Sabbath insufferable pride frequent and hideous lying and some of them became guilty of fouler sins then all these which I here name not Cottons third Sermon 6. Vial pag. 9. The calamities of the Countrey are from God he takes away all whether by our pride that we must have every new fashion and be like the men of the world in houses apparel and the like or daintinesse that we must have our varieties though it cost never so much and no matter what followeth though it eat up our estates The Lord hath made use of our folly and pride and daintinesse our idlenesse and covetousnesse Idem 2. Vial pag. 26. We know that in England there is no such unfaithful dealing and hollow heartednesse no such bitternesse between Christians What will befal your posterity they will degenerate out of measure by the unfaithfulnesse of your lives and the unrighteousnesse of your promises KKK 1. Short story p. 44. The Midwife one Hawkins was notorious for familiarity with the divel and now a prime Familist The most of the Women who were present at Mistresse Dyers travel were suddenly taken with such a violent vomiting and purging without eating or drinking of
of the Doctrine to try and examine false Teachers lieth principally on preachers This is alike true of the Church of Antioch The hand of the Lord was in the City and a great number beleeved Acts 11.21 Thereafter by Barnabas labour there was much people added v. 24. yea by the joyned paines of Barnabas and Paul for a yeare together there was such a multitude converted that the name of Christians was first imposed upon them Here as in the Metropolitane City not onely of Syria but all Asia beside Barnabas Paul and other Prophets v. 27. Peter also and many other Doctors had their residence Gal. 2.11 It were too long to speake of the rest of the Apostolicke Churches whose condition was not unlike the former Our third Argument No Synod hath authority to impose Decrees upon an Independent Church But some Synods have authority to impose Decrees upon particular Churches whether Presbyteriall or Congregationall Ergo Particular Churches whether Presbyteriall or Congregationall are not Independent The Maior is not controverted our adverse party acknowledgeth the lawfull use and manifold fruits of Synods They grant it is the duty of every good man and much more of every Church and most of all of a Synod consisting of the Messengers of many Churches to admonish counsell perswade and request particular Curches to doe their duty But that any company on earth even an Oecumenicke Synod should presume to injoyne with authority the smallest Congregation to leave the grossest heresies under the paine of any censure they count it absurd Upon this ground that every Congregation how small soever how corrupt soever is an Independent body and not subordinate to any society on earth how great how pure how holy soever The Minor thus is proved The Synod of Jerusalem imposed with Authority her Decrees upon the Church of Antioch Ergo Some Synod and if you please to make it universall every lawfull Synod may impose its Decrees upon particular Churches The Antecedent is to be seene Acte 15.20 It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us to lay no further burden on you then these things necessary The Consequence is good for Antioch was among the chiefe of the Apostolicke Churches in it Barnabas Paul and other Prophets inspired of God were Preachers If this Church was subject to the Authority of Synods what Church may plead a freedome from the like subjection Many things are here replied as usually it hapneth when no solid answer can be brought The chiefe heads of the Reply are three First that the meeting at Jerusalem was no Synod Secondly What ever it was that it did injoyne nothing authoritatively to any other Churches Thirdly That other Synods may not pretend to the priviledges of that meeting since its Decrees were indited by the Holy Ghost and stand now in the holy Canon as a part of Scripture To the first we say that the meeting at Jerusalem is either a true Synod or else there is no paterne in all Scripture for Synods even for counsell or advice or any other use But this were inconvenient for they acknowledge that Synods are lawfull meanes for many gracious ends in the Church Now to affirme that any Ecclesiasticke meeting is lawfull necessary or convenient for gracious ends whereof no patterne no example can be found in Scripture were dangerous But beside this argument towards our adverse party we reason from the nature of the thing it selfe A meeting consisting of the Deputies of many Presbyteriall Churches is a true Synod but the convention at Jerusalem Acts 15. was such a meeting The Maior is the essence of a Synod there are many accidentall differences of Synods for according to the quantity and number of the Churches who send their Commissioners the Synod is smaller or greater is Provinciall Nationall or Oecumenicke according to occasion the Churches sending Commissioners are sometime moe sometime fewer sometime neerer sometime further off also according to the commodity of place and necessity of affaires they come from one Church moe and from others fewer all these are but accidentalls which change not the nature of the thing Unto the essence of a Synod no more useth to be required then a meeting of Commissioners from moe Presbyteriall Churches The Minor is cleare That the Church of Antioch and Jerusalem were moe Churches no man doubts that both were Presbyteriall it was proved before that from both these Presbyteriall Churches Commissioners did sit at that meeting it is apparent from that oft cited Acts 15. Yea that from the other Churches of Syria and Cilicia besides Antioch Commissioners did come to Jerusalem may appeare by conference of the 2. vers of the 15. chap. with vers 23. for that with Paul and Barnabas Commissioners for the time from the Antiochians others also did come it is certaine that those others at least some of them were Deputed from the Churches of Syria and Cilicia it is like because the Synodick Epistle is directed expresly no lesse to those than to this of Antioch also those no lesse than this are said to be troubled with the Questions which occasioned that meeting But to passe this consideration it is cleare that in the Convention at Jerusalem were present not onely the Commissioners of some few Presbyteriall Churches but also they whom God had made constant Commissioners to all the Churches of the world to wit the Apostles their presence made all the Churches legally subject to the Decrees of that Synod though they had no other but their grand and constant Commissioners to Voyce for them in that meeting The second Answer is clearely refuted from the 28. vers where the Decrees are not proposed by way of meere advice but are injoyned and imposed as necessary burdens with Authority not onely of the Synod but of the holy Ghost Concerning the third we say that the meerely Divine and more than Ecclesiastick Authority of these Decrees in their first Formation is not made good from this that now they stand in holy Scripture and are become a part of the Bible for a world of Acts meerely indifferent and which without doubt in their Originall had no more then Ecclesiasticke Authority are Registred in Scripture Was the Presbytery of Lystraes laying on of hands on Timothy any other then an act of Ecclesiastick Ordination The Decree of the Church of Corinth for the incestuous mans Excommunication or relaxation after Repentance was it any more then an act of Jurisdiction meerely Ecclesiasticke Pauls circumcision of Timothy his Uow at Cenchrea the cutting off his haire at Jerusalem were free and indifferent actions The nature of these things and many moe of that kinde is not changed by their Registring in the Booke of God Neither also is the meerly Divine Authority of the Decrees at Jerusalem proved by this that in their first framing they were grounded on cleare Scripture and after proclamed in the name of the holy Ghost for that is the condition of the
till the last day when Christ renders up his Oeconomicke Kingdome having destroyed all his enemies especially death fully perfected the work of his mediation This Resurrection is after the sound of the last Trumpet when all the godly rise and are changed and put on incorruption and immortallity when death is swallowed up into victory and the godly inherit the Kingdome of God these things are done at the last day not a thousand yeares before it as John 6. Christ avoweth thrice in the end ver 39.40.44 I will raise him up at the last day At that time the judgement is universall both of the godly and wicked and the execution of both their sentences is immediately by the present glorification of the one and the destruction of the other as we have it Math. 25.31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory before him shall be gathered all Nations and he shall separate them one from another as a shepheard divideth his sheepe from the Goats Fourthly we reason from the nature of Christs Kingdome The conceit of the thousand yeares makes Christs Kingdome to be earthly and most observeable for all worldly glory but the Scripture makes it to be Spirituall without all wordly pompe neither doth the Word of God make the Kingdome of the Mediator of two kindes and of a different nature but one uniforme from the beginning to the end Luke 1.32 The Lord shall give him the throne of his Father David and he shall raigne over the house of Jacob for ever 1 Cor. 15.25 He must raigne till he have put all things under his feete here there is but one Kingdome and one way of ruling a Kingdome meerely Spirituall and nowise worldly Luke 17.20 The Kingdome of God commeth not with observation neither shall they say loe here or loe there but the Kingdome of God is within you John 18.36 My Kingdome is not of this world if my Kingdome were of this world then would my servants fight but now is my Kingdome not from hence Rom. 14 17. The Kingdome of God is not meate and drinke but righteousnesse peace and joy of the holy Ghost Ephes 1.20 He raised him from the dead and set him at his right hand in heavenly places and hath put all things under his feete and gave him to be head over all to the Church The Millenaries make his Kingdome to appeare in Armies and Battells in feasts and pleasures in worldly pompe and power and will not have his Kingdome to stand in any of that spirituall power which since his ascention he hath executed on principalities and powers or shall performe upon the soules of men till these thousand yeares of worldly power and earthly glory visible to the eyes of men shall begin We take our fifth argument from the nature of the Church Scripture makes the Church of God so long as it is upon the earth to be a mixed multitude of Elect and Reprobate good and bad a company of people under the crosse and subject to various temptations a company that hath neede of the Word and Sacraments of Prayer and Ordinances that hath Christ a High Priest within the vaile of heaven interceding for them But the Doctrine in hand changes the nature of the Church and makes it for a thousand yeares together to consist onely of good and gracious persons without all trouble without all Ordinances without any neede of Christs intercession For the first That Scripture makes the Church alwayes to be a mixed company See Matth. 13.40 As the tares are gathered and burnt in the fire so shall it be in the end of the world The Sonne of man shall send forth his Angels and they shall gather out of his Kingdome all things that offend and that doe iniquity and vers 49. So shall it be in the end of the world the Angels shall come forth and sever the wicked from among the just Also Chap. 24.11 Many false Prophets shall arise and deceive many because iniquity shall abound the love of many shall waxe cold Luke 18.8 When the Sonne of man commeth shall he finde faith upon the earth These places declare the mixture of the wicked with the godly in the Church to the worlds end and most about the end As for Crosses See Psal 34.20 Many are the afflictions of the righteous Mat 5 4. Blessed are they that mourne and that are persecuted for righteousnesse Acts 14.23 By many tribulations we must enter into the Kingdome of heaven Rom. 8.17 If so we suffer with him that we may be glorified together 2 Tim. 3.12 All that will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution Heb. 12.6 Whom the Lord loves he correcteth and he scourgeth every child that he receives Many such places shew the condition of the Church in this life that she is ever subject to tribulation Concerning Ordinances that they must continue to the last day See Ephes 4.11 He gave some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the worke of the Ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ till we all come to a perfect man And for the continuance of the Sacraments 1 Cor. 11.26 As often as you eate this bread and drinke this cup yee doe shew the Lords death till hee come That in the most godly while they live on earth sinne doth remaine and that alwayes we have neede of Christs intercession in the heaven with the Father it is cleare from 1 John 1.8 If wee say we have no sinne the truth of God is not in us And Chap. 2. ver 1. But if any man sinne we have an Advocate with the Father Heb. 9.24 Christ is entred into the heaven it selfe now to appeare in the presence of God for us Thus the Scripture describes the condition of the Church on earth but the Doctrine in hand alters much the nature of it for a great part of its time here for of the 2650 yeares which they give to the Church from the comming of Christ to the last judgement they make her to consist for a whole thousand yeares only of godly persons without the mixture of any one wicked and all the millions who are borne in the Church in that large time they are free from their birth to their death of all crosses of all sorrowes of all temptations and as it seemes of all sinne also for that is the time of the restitution of all things when old things are past and all things become new They make them to have neede neither of Word nor Sacraments or any Church-Ordinance neither of Christs Intercession in the heavens with the Father for they have him among them in the earth and they are freed from all sinne and all misery A sixth Argument Scripture makes the time of Christs second comming to be secret and hid not onely to men but to the very Angels and to Christ himselfe as he is man Marke 13.32 But of that day and that
to this day which were much against the currant of scripture since all this while he hath beene sitting upon the Throne of his Father David and ruling his Church as King and Monarch thereof yet it were uncomely to confine the time of his reigne to come to a thousand yeares this were too small an endurance for his Monarchy Many humane Principalities sundry States and Empires which have beene and this day are in the world might contend for a longer continuance for this cause it seemes to be that Master Archer the most resolute Doctor in this question that I have met with makes the thousand yeares we debate of to be onely the evening of Christs Personall reigne but to the morning therof wherein at leisure all the processes of the Last Judgement are gone through he ascribes a great many more yeares readily another thousand and why not two or three or more thousands It is good to be wise to sobriety arrogant curiosity and presumptuous wantonnesse of wit â—s detestable though in the best men Seventhly the place makes Satan to be bound up onely from seducing the Nations that he should not be able as before the comming of Christ he was to misleade the Nations of the whole world to Idolatry a free doore then being opened to the Gospell in every Nation for their conversion to the truth but our new Doctors extend the place much further they will have Satan bound up for a 1000 yeares not onely from seducing Nations to Idolatry but from tempting any person to any sin this is contrary to these Scriptures which makes every Saint in all ages to fight not onely with flesh and bloud but with Principalities and Powers which makes Satan always to goe about like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may devoure and that so boldly that in the very presence of Christ he doth seeke to winnow the best of his Disciples yea the place in hand gives to Satan in the very time of the thousand yeares so great power upon multitudes of men who never were sanctified but ever his vassalls led by him at his will that he makes them compasse the holy City and the Campe of the Saints to fight against God till fire from heaven did destroy them Beside this famous place Master Archer Master Mattoun and T. G. in his glimps bring a number of other scriptures for their Tenet wherewith we neede not meddle for Master Petree and Master Hayne in peculiar treatises have answered them all onely the cheife of them which Master Burrows in his treatise upon Hos 1. is pleased to chuse out we will consider He builds much upon Daniel 12. as if it did prove the resurrection of some of the godly to an earthly glory a thousand yeares before the last Judgement he borroweth from the glimpse foure arguments word by word there is a fifth also in the glimpse which the most of that party doe much insist upon the first is taken from the second verse of that 12 chap. At the last Judgement say they all shall rise but in that place many doe rise not all Answer We prove that the Prophet speakes here of the last resurrection by two grounds which our Brethren will not deny First the resurrection unto life eternall is onely at the last day but the resurrection whereof Daniel speakes is expresly to life eternall not that prior resurrection which out Brethren aime at to a temporall Kingdome of a thousand yeares Secondly the resurrection of the wicked to eternall shame is onely at the last day for according to our Brethrens Doctrine the wicked have no part of the first resurrection and rise not till the thousand yeares be ended now the resurrection whereof Daniel speakes in verse 2. is expressely of the wicked to shame and death as well as of the godly to life and glory As for their Argument from the word Many it proves not that all did not rise but onely that these that did rise were many and a great multitude Therefore Deodate Translates the words well according to the sence of the Originall The multitude of these that sleepe in the dust The Collectives omnes multi are sometimes Synonemy's according to the matter in hand as omnes must sometimes be taken for multi so multi must sometimes be taken for omnes Secondly They reason from the third verse that in the last resurrection the bodies of all the Saints shall shine as the Sunne But in the resurrection whereof the Prophet speakes no body shines as the Sunne but some as the Starres others as the Firmament Answ The preceding verse evinces unanswerably that the Prophet here is speaking of the last resurrection to life everlasting as for the argument it doth not follow that they who here are said to have so much glory may not elsewhere be said to have more for that which here the Prophet intends to expresse is not the absolute but the comparative glory of the Saints however the least disciple should shine as the Sunne yet if ye compare his glory with the greater light of an other you may expresse the glory of both in the similitude of lightsome bodies lesse glorious then the Sunne if so these bodies differ one from another in degrees of glory for all that the Prophet here aimes at is onely this difference of glory Christ in the Gospell makes all the Saints to shine as the Sunne yet the Apostle 1 Cor. 15.45 distinguishing the different degrees of glory that is among the Saints scruples not to expresse the glory of the most of them in the similitude of bodies lesse glorious then the Sunne There is one glory of the Sunne another glory of the Moone another of the Starres for one Starre differeth from another Starre in glory so also is the resurrection from the dead Further will our Brethren affirme that the bodies of the Saints on earth during the time of those thousand yeares shall be so farre changed as to shine like the Starres and yet to eate drinke and sleepe so much glory can hardly stand with so much basenesse Thirdly They reason from the fourth verse The last resurrection is no mystery nor any secret to be sealed up to the end of the vision But the resurrection here spoken of is such a mystery as must be sealed up Answer First according to Mr. Burrowes expresse profession in the same place the Argument may be inverted for the first resurrection to the thousand yeares of glory he makes a Doctrine very well knowne and much insisted upon by all the Prophets before Christ but the Generall resurrection and life everlasting he makes to be a hid and secret Doctrine which the Prophets in the old Testament doe scarcely touch Secondly Life eternall and death eternall heaven and hell are to this day very great Mysteries to the most of the world and Scriptures concerning these are hid and closed above any other Thirdly The words speake not onely of the resurrection but of the
the Father gave to the Son at his Incarnation Luke 1.32 33. The Lord shall give unto him the throne of his Father David and he shall raigne over the House of Iacob for ever This Kingdome for the matter of it is truely everlasting being the glory which Christ and his Saints injoy for ever in the heavens albeit for the manner of the administration thereof it be rendred up by the Sonne to the Father when the worke of mediation is perfected and all enemies are fully destroyed To deny the beginning of Christs Kingdome over his Church unto the thousand yeares is many wayes absurd And because of the eternall indurance of his dominion and glory in the heavens to make the Church on earth in which he raignes to be voide of all tribulation of all changes to have a perpetuall day without any darkenesse is contrary to the Scriptures alleadged in the former arguments In the eleventh place he alledgeth Revel 19.13 And he was cloathed with a vesture dipped in blood And Ezek. 21 28. And there shall be no more a pricking brier unto the house of Israel nor any grieving them of all that are round about them Whence they inferre That in the beginning of the thousand yeares Christ with his owne hands shall kill so many of the wicked that his garments shall be dipped in blood and not one of them left to trouble the Church Answer It is a very strange conception to make the Lord Jesus embrue his holy hands in the blood of so many men That these battells are not fought with the hands of Christ in a literall way will appeare by a paralell place Isay 63.1 Who is this that commeth from Edom with died garments from Bozra Unto Christ here are ascribed garments died in blood because of the slaughter of the Edomites a little after the Babylonish captivity at which time Christ had neither a body nor a garment in propriety of speech As these battells were fought by Christ not in his owne person nor upon the earth so neither these battells of the Revel-which so much the lesse can be literally expounded as in the 14 and 15 verses of that 19 Chapter the instrument whereby Christ is said to fight these battells is not any Sword in his hand but the two-edged Sword of his mouth and the Souldiers whom he leads out to these battells are not armed with Sword and Speare but ride upon white Horses cloathed in fine linnen white and cleane As for that of Ezechiel if you consult either with the originall or the best Interpreters it must be expounded first and principally if not solely of the Towne of Sidon which the Lord was to destroy that it might no more be a thorne in the side of Israel From this to inferre the purging of the Christian Church of all other enemies in this life and that by killing of them all as cursed Canaanites were a dangerous conclusion farre from the justice and innocence of Christians in all by-gone times the beleefe whereof would quickly renew unto us the horrible tragedies of the Anabaptists In the twelfth place he cites Rev. 21.23 24. And the City had no need of the Sun neither of the Moone to shine in it and the Kings of the earth doe bring their glory and honour unto it also chap. 22. ver 1 2 3. and he shewed me a pure river of the water of life c. Ans The Divines who apply these two chapters to the condition of the Church upon earth after the calling of the Jewes take the most of the passages in a figurative and allegoricall sence To expound them literally and properly of any Church on earth the Text will not permit Shall ever the Church on earth be so free of sorrow and death as not to sorrow for sinne or to have none of its members mortall Shall they so immediately see the face of God as the use of Temples Tabernacles or any ordinance shall be needelesse shall ever man upon earth be without the Sunne and the Moone These things are true in a proper sence onely of the Saints of heaven What is here alleadged to the contrary That the Kings of the earth bring not their riches and honours to the Heavens we say it is but a part of the Allegorie to expresse under that similitude the glory wealth of the life to come as in the same place the Spirit of God expresses the happinesse of heaven by the Metaphors of gold and pretious stones of rivers and fountaines of trees and fruits To expound all these in a literall sence of any Church either in earth or heaven were incommodious except our Brethren would put us upon more fancies then any of them yet have spoke of In the last place they cite for the gifts of the Saints Zach. 12.8 He that is feeble among them in that day shall be like David and the house of David shall be as God and for the honour of the Saints that in the thousand yeares they shall be taken into private familiarity by Princes and great men Rev. 11.12 And they heard a great voyce from heaven saying unto them come up hither and they ascended up to heaven in a cloud and their enemies beheld them Ans The gifts meant by Zachary are such as are powred upon all the Saints of the New Testament with the spirit of grace and supplication which makes the least of the Kingdome of Heaven to be like unto David to Elijah and greater then John the Baptist as Christ speakes But what is this unto the imaginary glory of the Chiliasticke Kingdome The honour they speake of cannot be fetched out of that eleventh of the Revel For who but themselves will expound heaven in that place of the Thrones of Kings of the Privie Chambers of Princes and great men The calling up of the two witnesses to heaven by none else but them will be taken for the Saints familiarity with great States-men And according to their own Tenets in the Chiliasticke Kingdome there is no such degrees of honour as in this world For there Christ in his owne Person is King and all the Saints doe shine at least as the firmament and the glory of these Saints is greatest whose grace is most eminent Familiarity with Princes and worldly States-men is then for no purpose Beside the ascention of the two witnesses to the heavens is before the fall of the tenth part of Rome and so before the thousand yeares beginne There be yet some more places cited by Master Burrowes and others for their Tenet but these which we have answered are the principall and if they be cleared there is no difficulty in the rest Besides Scriptures Master Burrowes takes from the Glimpse of T. G. sundry testimonies of antiquity all which T. G. does borrow from Alstedius To the which I answer That no Protestants build their fayth upon humane testimonies and no men in the world make so small account of