Philop. Cuphophron will have his conceit on every thing be it never so serious Let him call it what he will I pray you Philotheus reade it leisurely and distinctly Philoth. XXXVIII Theomanes his Vision of the seven Thunders I shall Philopolis The Title is The space of the seventh Trumpet dividing it self into the seven Thunders with their previous Coruscations in order as follows It begins with a straight stroke and broken line abruptly after this manner And the first Coruscation cast forth its Light which shone from one end of the Heaven to the other Whereupon a most dreadfull Thunder uttered its voice insomuch that the Earth shook and trembled and shrunk under it Wherewithall the Clouds were discharged of a most noisome and prodigious Rain of Bloud of Fire of Hail and infectious Dust with other such like Plagues of Egypt insomuch that men were exceedingly tormented and enraged by reason of the intolerableness of the Plagues Philop. This I believe is but a more broken and confused Representation of the Effusion of the seven Vials or of something synchronall thereto As you have already declared that the seven Vials are Synchronall to the first Thunder Philoth. It may be so Philopolis Philop. But I pray you go on I shall not again interrupt you Philoth. After this I looked up and behold in the East a large white Cloud which came sailing as it were with a cool and refreshing gale of wind toward an exceeding high Mountain at a certain distance from which the second Coruscation discharged it self from this Cloud Whereupon I heard a more chearfull Thunderclap re-echoing through the Air and the Cloud breaking a-pieces I saw a most glorious City lightly descending carried in the stream of this cool breeze obliquely downward and so settling at last on the Top of this high Mountain But I had not long fed mine eyes with so beautifull a Sight when unexpectedly from over the City a bright Coruscation broke forth so great and so glorious from the pure Sky that the light of the Heavens was sevenfold more clear then the light of the Sun Upon which immediately I heard from thence the voice of the third Thunder and thereupon as it were the voice of a Man tunable and articulate saying Hallelujah Apoc. 19.6 The Lord reigneth And suddenly after a whole Quire of voices seconded this first Voice saying Hallelujah Psalm 87.3 Glorious things are spoken of thee O thou City of God The Mountain of the Lord's House is established on the top of the Mountains Isa. 2.2 and all Nations flow unto it Apoc. 21.24 The Nations of them that are saved walk in the light of it and the Kings of the Earth do bring their glory and honour unto it Hallelujah Which Heavenly and enravishing Melodie was heard from the Holy City for the space of four hours After this I cast mine eyes toward the West and I saw a large Cloud of two colours black and pitchy on the West part thereof and of a bright shining colour toward the East And lo of a sudden the fourth Thunder uttered its voice from the West-side of the Cloud and discharged it self upon certain hollow Rocks and Mountains tearing them a-pieces and rending open their infernall Caverns While in the mean time there issued out on the East-side a strong Wind but pure and refreshing which dividing into severall parts that turned round became so many innocuous Whirl-winds of sincere Air tinctured onely with a cool refreshing smell as if it had passed over some large field of Lilies and Roses Which Whirl-winds moved from man to man lifting them somewhat from the Earth and so letting them easily down again but left a Mark upon the Bodies of every one they thus lifted and a sweet Savour on themselves and on their Garments And the number of them thus lifted and marked is the number of the Companies of the Lamb and their number was 1728. But in the Western part of Heaven the Air was ill-sented by reason of the Fumes from those dark Caves out of which were seen to come many direfull and dismall Forms with part of their melted Chains which the Thunder-clap had broke a-pieces hanging upon their bodies Which Hellish Shapes ran up and down after men upon the face of the Earth catching them and breathing upon them a poisonous breath that corrupted their bodies and made them look black and deformed like Devils But the lifted Companies were too light-footed for them neither had they any power over them because they bore the Mark of the Lamb upon their bodies These things I saw under the voice of the fourth Thunder After which I beheld and lo the whole Heaven was overcast with Clouds especially toward the bottom And immediately the fifth Thunder uttered its voice And there was a re-echoing noise round about the Heavens like the beating of Drums Whereupon I saw innumerable Armies of men from the four Quarters of the Earth marching up toward the Holy City to lay close Siege unto it Apoc. 20.9 And they encompassed the Camp of the Saints round about And I was in an exceeding great fear and trembling But in the midst of this solicitude there came a large flash of Lightening from the East which shone unto the West and the sixth Thunder uttered its voice And I saw the Clouds rent from the Horizon upwards and they were parted toward the North and toward the South like the Curtains of an opened Tent or Canopie Whereupon a marvellous Light sprung up very fast from that quarter and the voice of the Thunder was immediately drowned with a terrible sound of a Trumpet which filled the whole Concave of the Heavens and made the Ground tremble under mens feet Apoc. 20.11 And lo there suddenly appeared a great white Throne arched like a Rain-bow with the Son of man sitting upon it with glory and great majesty from whose face the Earth and Heavens fled away and there was found no place for them And the dead all appeared before the Tribunal of God and the Books were opened And they whose names were written in the Book of Life their strength was renew'd unto them and they mounted up with wings like Eagles and associated themselves with the Angels of God But the Hypocrites and Prophane were condemned whose hearts grew more heavy then lead and became the dregs and sediment of the World Fear and Despair sinking them down while Joy and Assurance lifted up the Sincere into those more defecate Mansions For the whole Sky was filled with Myriads of myriads of Shapes in this great Compearance where the purer Spirits ascended upwards and the more gross were precipitated downwards by the stupendious operation of the great Refiner of the Universe And I saw the Good perfectly separated from the Wicked and the King of Glory rise from his Throne And this general Assises was turned suddenly into a Triumphal Pomp to the Godly they marching orderly in the open Sky with the
and also have declared the steddy efficacy of his yesterday's discourse For though I was highly exalted through the sense and power of his Reason yet I do not now flag again as the day before but having a full and comprehensive view of things I finde in my self a permanent assent to Truth as well now I am cool and calm as then when I was most transported and which is a wonderful accession to all this this firm and full satisfaction I have thus unexpectedly received touching the Existence of God and the unexceptionableness of his Providence draws in along with it a more hearty and settled belief of all the fundamental Points of Christian Religion so far forth as the Scripture has declared them So that that of Christianity which hung more loosely and exteriourly in my mind before methinks I have now imbibed into the very centre of my heart and soul and do without all hesitancy close with the truth thereof Whence I hope I shall be the more idoneous Auditour of this higher Discourse of yours O Philotheus touching the Kingdome of God Philoth. I am exceeding glad O Hylobares that my former Discourses have had this excellent effect upon you though it be no more then I hoped for and have often experimented in others and most feelingly in my self who could never doubt of Christianity when I had once satisfied my self of the truth of those Points you profess your self now at length so fully satisfied in Which I must confess makes me prone to think that those that either slight or misbelieve Christianity so far forth as the Scripture has declared the same do not seriously or settledly believe there is a God or a Divine Providence but are of a light Sceptical confounded and heedless spirit and take more pleasure to seem able to talk then to find themselves of any determinate judgement though in things of the greatest moment Cuph. The greatest Wits of the World have been such persons as you seem so freely to perstringe III The folly of Scepticism perstringed O Philotheus that is to say Sceptical or Aporetical Witness not onely the whole Sect of the Academici but that Miracle for wit and eloquence Plato himself Diog. Laert in vita Platon that sweetly-singing Swan as Socrates had him represented to him in a dream Is there any thing more pleasant then his mellifluous Dialogues and yet ordinarily nothing concluded but is a mere Sceptical or Aporetical chace of wit a game wherein nothing is taken or aimed at but mere ingenious pastime Philoth. Such wilde-goose chaces in matters of less moment O Cuphophron may be more plausible or tolerable but in Points of greater consequence to speak eloquently on both sides and then to be able to conclude nothing nor it may be so much as desirous thereof is not so much like the famed melody of the Swan's voice as like the clapping of her wings one against another and so making a fluttering noise for a time but after casting both behind her back not at all regarding whether the right or left wing were stronger Hyl. A flourish O Cuphophron that every Goose can make as well as a Swan But for my part Philotheus I desire nothing more then a settledness of mind in matters of the highest consequence such as the Existence of God the Immortality of the Soul the benignity of Providence and the like and therefore I think my self infinitely happy in that full satisfaction I have received from your excellent Reasonings I find them so firm and permanent Philoth. And I wish they may long so abide Hylobares Hyl. Why what can dissettle them Philotheus Philoth. Nothing IV That there is a Divine temper of Body requisite for the easilier receiving and more firmly retaining Divine Truth with the method of obtaining it unless dissettledness of Life If you fix in the Divine Life which is fixable no-where but in the Divine Body then the reasons of Divine Truth will take root in this ground and so prove permanent indeed But if they grow not up from this ground they will be but as a Flower in your hand or a Feather in your cap and having no vital Cognation with the Subject they are in they will easily be blown away or wither Hyl. I had thought the Soul had been so Divine a thing of it self that the Cognation betwixt it and the reasons of Divine Truth had been sufficient if once received firmly to retain them Philoth. O no Hylobares The Soul by sympathizing too much with this earthly and brutish Body becomes brutish her self and loses her Divinity else all would be alike capable of Divine Truth But the recuperation of the Divine Body by virtue of her true and real Regeneration is also the recovery of her Divinity Hyl. But what do you mean by this Divine Body O Philotheus Philoth. The same which the Pythagoreans mean by their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is also called Ethereal or Heavenly Euist. That is no wonder that the Heavenly Body and the Divine should be all one De Coelo lib. 2. c. 3. whenas Aristotle himself calls Heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Divine body Hyl. But how shall we be able to attain to this Divine Body O Philotheus in which so far as I see is the Root and Substance of Truth forasmuch as the Life is in it Philoth. Reason without this is but a dead 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or umbratile Imagination a faint and ineffectual thing evanid fugitive and flitting but Reasons flourishing out of this stock are the immarcescible Flowers of the Paradise of God Hyl. Wherefore Philotheus I am the more desirous to know how we may come by this Divine or Paradisiacal Body Philoth. By a firm and lively Faith in the Power and Spirit of the Lord Iesus whereby he is able to mortifie and subdue all sin in us and extinguish all Selfishness so that we become utterly dead to our selves and as little concerned for our selves in any externall gratification of worldly Honour carnal Pleasure mundane Power or any thing that is grateful to the mere Animal Life as if we were not at all in being If we stand firm in this Faith and second it with constant and sincere Devotion and inward breathings toward the prize set before us adding thereto a due and discreet Temperance and circumspection in all our externall deportments that we neither act nor speak any thing from the promptings of the Selfish Principle or any way to gratifie our corrupt Animality this method will in due time bring us to a perfect state of Self-deadness which death being finished there does most certainly succeed a spiritual Resurrection from the dead into the Life which is truly Divine and which is not found but in the Divine Body So that by our sincere Devotions and breathings toward God we imbibe both the Divine Life and the Divine Body at once which is the true spiritual Birth of Christ Joh. 1.12 whom as
future state of the Church out of the Apocalypse Philopolis What you can recall to minde I pray you propound Philop. More comes to my minde then is needfull I will omit therefore those passages which import but the same things you observed out of the old Prophets The Righteousness and Purity of that Holy City there described implied in the exclusion of every thing that defileth and figured out by those precious Stones and pure transparent Gold and in that all tears are said to be wiped from their eyes Apoc. 21.4 it is an intimation of Peace and security from Persecution And all the whole description of it is so full of Glory and Light and Joy that no man can miss of that character But I would ask you Philotheus the meaning of other passages as Why this Holy City is called the new Ierusalem Ver. 2. Why said to come from Heaven Why said to have twelve Gates with the names of the twelve Tribes of Israel thereon Ver. 12. and why the Wall of the City to have twelve Foundations Ver. 14. and in them the names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb Why the City is said to be measured with a golden Reed Ver. 15. and why found to be twelve thousand Furlongs Ver. 16 17 and the Wall an hundred forty four Cubits What also is the meaning of that saying Ver. 3. Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men and yet that there was seen no Temple there Ver. 22. because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the Temple of it and again What the genuine sense of that sixth verse And he that sate upon the Throne said It is done I am Alpha and Omega the Beginning and the End I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely And lastly of the last verse And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth neither whatsoever worketh abomination or maketh a Lie but they that are written in the Lamb's Book of Life Philoth. You have congested a number of things together Philopolis but however I shall return answer to them as orderly and as briefly as I can I conceive therefore to begin with the first that the City which Iohn saw is called the new Ierusalem in counterdistinction to that old Ierusalem where our Lord was crucified Apoc. 11.8 whether understood literally or typically as also because its Citizens have put on the new man Eph. 4.24 which is framed according to Righteousness and true Holiness because they are the sons of the new Birth or new Creation of God But it is said to come down from Heaven in such a sense as the Doctrine of Iohn is said to be from Heaven Matt. 21.25 and agreeably to that passage in the Apostle that the Ierusalem that is above is free Gal. 4.26 which is the Mother of us all That actual City of God consisting of Saints and Angels in Heaven this new Ierusalem which S t. Iohn describes being so like to them in Purity and Holiness it is therefore said to descend from Heaven as being a Copy or Transcript of that Heavenly Perfection To all which you may adde that what the Prophets have seen in Heavenly Visions touching this City it being thus at last accomplished upon Earth it is therefore said to be a City descended from Heaven And this is that very City Ezekiel saw Ezek. 48.31 of which he says And the Gates of the City shall be after the names of the Tribes of Israel three gates Northward one gate of Reuben one gate of Iudah one gate of Levi and so of the rest three gates of a side in all twelve gates as it is said in S t. Iohn's Vision that the City had twelve Gates and the names of the twelve Tribes of the Children of Israel written thereon This among other things intimates that Ezekiel's City and this of the Apocalypse is all one City And in that the Apostles Names are said to be writ on the twelve Foundations of the Wall that shews jointly considered with the other that Ezekiel's Prophecy must have its completion in the Iews Conversion to Christianity viz. when Iew and Gentile are gathered together under one Head Christ Iesus and become of one Faith and one Church which is this Holy City But the Apostles Names are said to be in the Foundations of the Wall because their Doctrine is the Foundation of the Church into which the Iews are to be graffed and through that Mercy that is communicated to the Christians may also finde mercy at that day This comparing the Church to a Building is very usual in Scripture S t. Peter tells the Believers 1 Pet. 2.5 that they as living stones are built up a spiritual House And S t. Paul to the Ephesians Now therefore you are no more strangers and foreiners Eph. 2.19 c. but fellow-Citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God and are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth into an holy Temple in the Lord In whom you are also builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit And in this is that expression fulfilled Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men And the name of Ezekiel's City is also Iehovah shammah Ezek. 48.35 The Lord is there And yet there is no material Tabernacle nor Temple where he might be conceived to rest him and toward which the people should worship But the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the Temple thereof that is to say In this new Ierusalem there will be no visible Fabrick toward which men will affect to worship but with bended knees and pure hearts and hands and eyes lift up to Heaven where Christ sits at the right hand of God shall men worship the Father in spirit and in truth Joh. 4.23 Philop. And yet God says to Ezekiel before that accurate description of the Temple and City and all the Iudaicall Ordinances Ezek. 43.10 Thou son of man shew the House to the house of Israel that they may be ashamed of their iniquities and let them measure the Pattern This seems to be quite contrary to this new Ierusalem described by S t. Iohn Philoth. The summarie sense of that accurate description of the Iudaicall Oeconomie in Ezekiel is onely this interpreted plainly by S t. Iohn That when all the glory and exactness of the Iudaicall Dispensation is set off to the utmost the measuring of the Pattern the matching and fulfilling of it is that state of Christianity which will appear after the effusion of the seven Vials when Iew and Gentile become one Church one holy Temple and City of God Which spiritual meaning betrays it self even in Ezekiel's own description of things For what other sense then a Mysticall one can be made of the holy
state of the Church out of the Apocalypse 265 IX The Angel's Measuring the City with a golden Reed what the meaning thereof 278 X. Severall passages of the Mercavah expounded or the Vision of the Cherubim seen by Ezekiel 280 XI An Exposition of the Vision of the Throne of God in Heaven the four Beasts and twenty four Elders seen by S t. John 298 XII What Grounds of hope out of Scripture for that glorious state of the Church to come 313 XIII That the glorious Times predicted by the Prophets have not yet appeared on the face of the Earth 321 XIV What grounds in Reason for the coming of those glorious Times 326 XV. That there is no fear that either Familism or Behmenism will supplant the expected glory of the Apostolick Church 332 XVI J. Behmen's marvellous pretence to the knowledge of the Language of Nature 337 XVII Farther Indications that J. Behmen did not write from an infallible spirit 342 XVIII Bathynous his judgement touching J. Behmen with some Cautions how to avoid the being ensnared by Enthusiasts 349 XIX That there is an Elias to come and in what sense 355 XX. The Character of this Elias gathered out of Prophecy 356 XXI His Character taken out of History 362 XXII The time of Elias his coming 367 XXIII Certain Principles tending to the Acceleration of the glorious Times of the Church 370 The First Principle 371 XXIV Of Luther's Conference with the Devil touching the abrogating of the Mass together with his Night-Visions of flying Fire-brands ibid. XXV Of the Obnoxiousness of Luther and other Reformers 377 The Second Principle 384 XXVI Of the Church of Rome's being a true Church 388 XXVII That although the Church of Rome were not a true Church yet it follows not but the Reformed Churches are 392 The Third Principle 398 XXVIII Of the Vse of the Word and of the Spirit in counterdistinction to dry Reason 402 The Fourth Principle 403 XXIX How a man shall know that he has the Spirit 404 The Fifth Principle 409 The Sixth Principle 412 XXX How the Church shall attain to the Vnity of the Spirit ibid. The Seventh Principle 415 XXXI How the mind of man may arrive to a state of Vnprejudicateness 416 The Eighth and last Principle 417 XXXII The Doctrine of Faith in the Power of God's Spirit for the ridding us of Sin why not so much insisted on at the beginning of the Reformation 423 XXXIII The true means of Vnity in the Church again glanced at 426 XXXIV The marvellous Efficacy of Faith in the Power of the Spirit of Christ for the vanquishing of Sin 429 XXXV An answer to an Objection touching this Doctrine of Faith 430 XXXVI Of the Duration of the glorious Times of the Church 434 XXXVII The Character of Theomanes 435 XXXVIII Theomanes his Vision of the seven Thunders 440 XXXIX A brief Explication of Theomanes his Vision 451 XL. The important Vsefulness of Theomanes his Vision together with the Iustifiableness of his yielding to such an Impression 453 XLI Philotheus prevail'd with to play a Divine Rhapsodie to the Theorbo 456 XLII Philopolis his mistake in preferring high Contemplations before the usefull Duties of a Practicall Life 461 XLIII His Complement to Cuphophron and his Friends with Cuphophron's return thereof upon Philopolis 464 FINIS ERRATA sic corrige Page 9. line 5 reade Paradisiacall p. 118. l. 9. for But after r. But upon p. 157. l. 26. r. then this other p. 188. l. 6. r. Description p. 207. l. 21. r. Emissarie Powers p. 276. l. 21. r. Prosperitie also the. p. 309. l. 2. r. off of p. 378. l. 21. r. spirit That p. 380. l. 3. r. Postillion in
Imprimatur Sam. Parker RR mo in Christo Patri ac Domino Ex Aedibus Lambeth Decemb. 20. 1667. Domino Gilberto Divinâ Providentiâ Archiepiscopo Cantuariensi à Sacris Domesticis THE TWO LAST DIALOGUES Treating of the Kingdome of God Within us and Without us AND OF His special PROVIDENCE through CHRIST over His CHURCH from the Beginning to the End of all Things Whereunto is annexed A brief Discourse of the true Grounds of the Certainty of Faith in Points of Religion together with some few plain Songs or Divine Hymns on the Chief Holy-days of the Year LUKE 9.62 No man having put his hand to the Plough and looking back is fit for the Kingdome of God REVEL 1.17 Fear not I am the first and the last I am he that liveth and was dead and behold I am alive for evermore Amen and have the Keys of Hell and of Death LONDON Printed by I. Flesher 1668. THE PUBLISHER TO THE READER Reader I Believe thou wilt wonder at the preposterous Order of my publishing these Two Dialogues before the Three first have seen the Light and indeed it may be most of all why I publish them at all If it were a matter of ordinary intelligible Political Interest or the Solution of some Algebraicall Probleme or the Discovery of some quaint Experiment towards the perfecting of Natural Philosophy or the Decision of some notable Point in Polemicall Divinity Reason would that we should accept of your Performance and have the patience to peruse it But to draw out a long tiresome Story of the Kingdome of God and Fate of the Church through I know not how many dark Types and obscure Aenigmaticall Prophecies where we can fix no sure footing in any thing Quis leget haec The Gallio's of this Age care for no such things Well admit the case to stand so Reader as thou suggestest yet this could be no just Impediment to either the Writing or Publishing these Dialogues For every genuine Minister of the Kingdome of God has a commission to preach in season and out of season 2 Tim. 4.2 He that observes the Winde shall not sow Eccles. 11.4 and he that regardeth the Clouds shall not reap If S. John's Apocalypse had not been writ nor published before it would have been readily read and understood the date of those Visions had been at least fifteen hundred years later then it was and the Event of things had anticipated their Prediction And for the pretended Aenigmaticall Obscurity of the Types and Prophecies the endeavour of this Authour has been that they should cease to be so any longer which I believe they do to them that look upon them with an impartial eye and are duely prepared to receive the Sense of them For some Pollutions may hinder them from seeing any thing as they say it is in the looking into the Magick Crystall or Shew-stone Two looking into the same Crystall but differently prepar'd or predisposed the one sees clearly a Scene of things to come the other nothing Which though it be strange in that case yet it seems far stranger in this of the Prophecies the main things aimed at being of as clear Solution the Postulata admitted that is to say the truth of History and the Sense of the Prophetick style though no farther then the Scripture it self interprets it as any Probleme in Algebra As will certainly appear to the intelligent from M r Mede's Synchronisms and the eight last Chapters of the first Book of Synopsis Prophetica And admit but that Joint-Exposition of these two Chapters of the Apocalypse the thirteenth and seventeenth there will be little Controversie of the Solution of the rest And still the less upon the Perusall of these Dialogues which give light into the whole Apocalypse and so take away that Excuse from some that pretend they cannot safely promise themselves they understand any part unless they understand all This Reader is in return to thy false Surmize as if the whole Dialogues were stuffed with nothing but the recitall of dark Prophecies Whenas besides plain History there are many usefull moral Passages As that Method of regaining a due Divine temper of Body which consists in a more aethereal Purity of the Spirits that we may possess our Vessell in a right measure of Sanctity and Holiness that it may be more meet to receive and retain Divine Truths As also the means of arriving to that state which is the Kingdome of God within us Which though it be not a matter of Politicall or Secular Interest yet it is so palpable an Interest of every man as methinks there should no man be such a Gallio as to slight it unless he think it an indifferent thing whether he be damned or saved But believe it if any one have really attained to the Kingdome of God within him it is then impossible that he should be unconcerned for the Kingdome of God without him he being so certainly united with that Spirit the Eternall Minde that superintends the Affairs of the Vniverse and of his own peculiar Kingdome and People in a more special manner He that has lost the sense of his own carnal and personal Concerns is naturally as I may so speak seised upon and actuated by the Spirit of God and all his Affections of Love and Care and solicitous Foresight are taken up with the Interest of that Communialty of which he is a living Member under one Head Christ Jesus And therefore as it is supposed by the Poet that it was a great satisfaction to Aeneas to be instructed by Anchises concerning the Fate and Success of his Family and Posterity their glorious Atchievements and the Largeness of their Empire that they should Virgil. Aeneid lib. 6. super Garamantas Indos Proferre Imperium so likewise they that once have got into a real Cognation and Spiritual Consanguinity with the true Apostolick Church as having derived upon them or transfused into them from their Head that Divine Spirit that actuates the whole Body of Christ it cannot but be a transcendent Pleasure to them to understand the overspreading Glory and Success which the Family of God of which they are part I mean the true Apostolick Church will have in the World before the Consummation of all things Which illustrious Scene of Futurities though they neither descend with Aeneas to get a view of them amongst the Shades below nor with S. John have the Heavens open upon them from above to exhibit those Celestiall Visions yet they casting the pure eyes of their Minde upon the Scripture see all those glorious Futurities writ in Heaven plainly reflected to them from the Books of the Prophets as we see the Sky and Clouds the Moon and Stars by looking on some River or Pool to their ineffable pleasure and satisfaction Which may excuse this Authour 's so laborious a Ramble as it may seem to some through so many dark Types and Prophecies to finde out this future Glory of the
expressive of the Crucifixion of our Saviour then the lifting up of the brazen Serpent in the wilderness as he himself intimates in S t. Iobn As Moses lifted up the Serpent in the wilderness so shall the Son of man be lifted up that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Bath That is very well observed of you Philopolis it is a very expressive Type indeed and it has been a great delight to me when I have considered with my self not onely on that one Symbol of the brazen Serpent but how the whole Camp of Israel with the Tabernacle among them was one entire holy Type of the itinerant Church of Christ travelling through the Wilderness of this World to the Land of Promise or the Kingdome of Heaven The Incarnation of Christ his Divinity and Apotheosis his Passion Ascension and Intercession all these are lively set out in those standing Figures among the Israelites Hyl. I pray you how Bathynous Bath The Incarnation of the Logos O Hylobares is plainly figured out in the Tabernacle and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from whence God spake And you know the Apostle calls this mortal body 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Tabernacle 2 Pet. 1.13 as the ancient Pythagoreans 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. 1.14 And the Word in S t. Iohn is said to tabernacle amongst us the Apostle speaking there of his Incarnation God's Residence therefore in the Tabernacle the Children of Israel in the mean time encamping about him in their booths is an easie Representation of Christ's Incarnation of the Word his living in the flesh amongst us that live in the flesh Hyl. It is so Bathynous Bath And for Christ's Passion what more significant thereof as Philopolis has rightly observed then that of the brazen Serpent Christ as it being lifted up in his Crucifixion on a Pole of wood And as that Telesm was of the most accursed shape of Creatures so Christ was made sin and a curse for us crucified betwixt two Thieves as if himself had been such a Malefactour But himself having no sin the Contemplation thus of him on the Cross had a sovereign power to take away both the pain and poison of Sin and redeem us from eternall Death as the brazen Serpent being no Serpent but a Figure heal'd them that look'd up to it from the sting and poison of the fiery flying Serpents and so redeemed them from a temporal death Hyl. But how is his Ascension and Intercession figured out in these Israelitical Types Bath His Intercession Hylobares is signify'd by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Mercy-seat For in that Christ has suffered in the flesh and is now set down at the right hand of God he is our Atonement with him in him God is made propitious to the world But his Ascension as also his Intercession is farther typify'd by the High-priest's entring alone into the most Holy Hyl. That is the very same that the Authour to the Hebrews takes notice of Hebr. 9. Bath And lastly Hylobares his Divinity is most magnificently embroidered on the Robes of Aaron the High-priest who undoubtedly was an illustrious Type of Christ. For according to Philo Iudaeus his own confession the Robes of Aaron were a Type of the visible Universe and who can be said to wear and bear out into shape and order and fill the whole frame of Nature with his Presence but he that made it and continues it in Being who but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Divine Logos None can be said to fill out these Robes but he And that Aaron's Robes were not onely a Type of the Universe but fitted according to the truest Systeme thereof is apparent forasmuch as the Ephod and Breast-plate which was placed about the region of the Heart which is the Sun of this lesser World had its contexture of Scarlet and Purple Exod. 28.6 with Gold and white Silk which plainly denote the vehement heat and refulgent light of the Sun the Pythagoreans 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as this Ephod and Breast-plate are placed in the midst of the body of Aaron The blew Robe also resembles so much of the Heaven as comprehends the space of the Planets which the pendulous Pomegranates represent and that farther-reaching Stole of eye-work the Coelum Stellatum the Stars resembling so many twinkling eyes but the Bells the Harmony of the Universe Hyl. I understand you very well for I have read in a late Authour a more full description to the same purpose The consideration of these Congruities of the Israelitical Types strikes my minde with a marvellous pleasure They are very admirable Bathynous and very delectable and solid pledges compared with the completion of them in the Christian Church of a perpetuall and peremptory Providence of God in carrying on thus the affairs of his own People and Kingdome Philop. But some XXIV Vocal Prophecies touching the Kingdome of Christ and its Success in the world Hylobares are convinced more by express vocal Prophecies then by silent Types the slowness of their wit suspecting such Interpretations of over-much Phancifulness Hyl. Wherefore Philopolis Philotheus will easily return again to that province upon your least intimation Philoth. That I shall Hylobares But I hope Philopolis does not expect I should range through all the Prophecies that concern the Iewish Church for it were a Task that would require a Volume Philop. I am so far from desiring that Philotheus that I am rather afraid of it and therefore debarr it as also the troubling your self much with setting out the success of the Iewish Affairs while their Polity held For these things are to be seen orderly in the Bible and are so numerous that we should lose our main design by entring into them That their Captivities were fore-threatned by reason of their sins at good distances and their Return predicted is ordinarily known For fear time fail us let us intreat you Philotheus to confine your discourse to such Prophecies and Observations onely as concern the Kingdome of God set on foot by the Son of God the Lord Christ. Philoth. Such as the Prophecie of Iacob which I last mentioned In which that long Captivity of the Ten Tribes seems to be involved For Iacob's Prophecie pitches upon that Tribe that was to continue till the coming of the Messias Philop. That 's a plain Indication that Iacob's Prophecies touching his sons were not uttered at randome Philoth. So it is Philopolis And as Iacob's Prophecie so plainly bounds the time within which the Messias would not fail to come so do also those of Haggai and Malachi Chap. 2.6 Chap. 3.1 they both declare plainly that it should be within the time of the second Temple Philop. I know they do Wherein Providence was very faithfull to the people of God in giving them so certain a sign of the Advent of their Saviour and that the Iews might understand upon the demolishing of their Temple that there was no
Temple left for them to worship towards but the Holy Body of Iesus the Son of Mary which he carried into Heaven with him at his Ascension Philoth. These are very manifest Traces of Divine Providence Philopolis but nothing methinks so exact for the designation of the time of Christ's coming as the Seventy Weeks of Daniel we above mentioned For beginning the Epoche of the Weeks from the seventh year of Artaxerxes in Ezra 7 the Passion of Christ or of the Messiah who is there said to be cut off will fall within the last Week And is not this a notable precise Prediction to be made five or six hundred years before the Event Hyl. This is indeed a notable demonstration of Providence if there be an easie Congruity of the Text to the Event Philop. Take that upon my credit Hylobares the Application is marvellous easie and natural and such as can have no corrival as I understand from * See Doctor More 's Mystery of Godliness Book 7. chap. 4. a late Explication of that Prophecy Philoth. But there is yet a more early Prediction O Philopolis of the Sufferings of Christ in Isay who prophesied above an hundred years sooner which Prophecy contains severall other Characteristicks also of his Person Philop. You mean Isay 53. That is indeed a very illustrious Prophecy and such as I am abundantly satisfied in As also of the exact Providence of God and of his vigilancy over his Church in thus foretelling the determinate time and proper characters of the Person of Christ the Saviour of the World But my mind is carried on to the Success of his coming Philoth. He that is represented riding on the white Horse at the opening of the first Seal in the Apocalypse Apoc. 6.2 with his Bow in his hand did at last hit the mark which was aimed at and he then took possession of that Crown that was given him when at the sixth Seal the Roman Empire under Constantine became Christian. But as the Spirit of Prophecy had foretold that through many tribulations and afflictions we should enter into the Kingdome of Heaven so through many horrid and bloudy Persecutions and difficult Oppositions did Christianity possess it self of the Empire And therefore this time of Conflict is fitly prefigured by that bloudy Battel betwixt Michael and the seven-headed Dragon and that most direfull Persecution of all begun in Diocletian's time and continued through the Reigns of some other Emperours by the Altar Apoc. 6.9 10. at the fifth Seal under which were seen the Souls of them that were slain for the word of God and for the testimonie which they held who cried saying How long O Lord holy and true dost thou not judge and avenge our bloud on them that dwell on the Earth But after this greatest extremity was that high Victory of the Church in Constantine that mighty Earthquake Ver. 12. at the opening of the sixth Seal which dissettled and broke a-pieces the Pagan Power and cast the Empire into the lap of the Church Wherefore that was fulfilled in a more eminent manner which was spoken by the Prophet Daniel Dan. 2.44 And in the days of these Kings shall the God of Heaven set up a Kingdome which Kingdome is called the Kingdome of God and the Kingdome of Heaven as I told you before out of these Prophecies which begun indeed with Christ and his Apostles and therefore is more commonly called the Kingdome of Christ but was most notoriously so when by their fortitude and sufferings they had subdued the Roman Empire to Christ's Sceptre and so continued while the Church was Symmetrall as it was all the time of the six Seals But within the confines of the fourth and fifth Century this externall Kingdome of Christ began to degenerate into the Kingdome of Antichrist and the Beast that had received the deadly wound was again a-healing Apoc. 13.3 and all the Idolatries and Superstitions of the Pagans were at last revived in a spurious kind of Christianity and the new-fangled Idolatrous Ceremonies of the Church became the living Image of old Heathenism Ver. 14 and finally the Beast that was not during the Reign of the purely-Christian Caesars became the Beast that was Apoc. 17.8 and is not and yet is For the Empire became Pagan again by becoming Idolatrous and yet not that old Pagan Empire because it was paganized with a pseudo-Christian kind of Idolatry and yet by resemblance it is that old Pagan Empire Idolatry and Murther and other gross Enormities being so lively strokes in the feature of them both This is the Success Philopolis Philop. XXV The Apostasie of the Church how consistent with the durableness of God's Kingdome in Daniel This I believe is too true Philotheus but how consistent is that Apostasie of the Church with what follows in Daniel For he saies In the days of those Kings suppose in the fourth of them viz. the Roman shall the God of Heaven set up a Kingdome which shall never be destroy'd but it shall break in pieces and consume all those Kingdoms and it shall stand for ever How is this standing consistent with that Apostasie Philoth. This is a material Objection Philopolis but the Answer is not far to seek For though we should not grant that in a more Externall and Politicall sense even degenerate Christendome may be called the Kingdome of Christ and that these Representations of her Apostasie do not so much mean that she is no Spouse of Christ at all as that she is a whorish one and that her Enormities are onely set off at that height the more effectually to reclaim her or make people forsake her Communion This alone may satisfie this difficulty that all along this abhorred Apostasie of the Church set out by those figures of the Whore of Babylon the two-horned Beast and the false Prophet the healed Beast with ten Horns and the Proculcation of the outward Court by the Gentiles for 42 months as also by the little Horn with eyes spoken of by Daniel Dan. 7. who was to domineer for a time and times and half a time we are to consider that there is a Continuance of the true Apostolicall subjects of Christ's Kingdome all this time synchronall to this Apostasie and prefigured by the Virgin-Company in the Apocalypse by the two Witnesses prophesying in sackcloth 1260 days and by the Woman in the wilderness continuing there for a time and times and half a time So that the Kingdome begun by Christ and his Apostles though plagued and persecuted and cruelly opposed by both Rome Pagan and Rome Antichristian was never yet subdued but remains still for all those glorious purposes God intends it to this very day This is that precious stone cut out without hands which must become that Mountain that will fill the whole Earth Dan. 2.35 and not that carnal lump of Idolaters and bloudy Murtherers These are the Hundred forty four thousand mustered on Mount
thereabout For in that the Church was then measured by a man Apoc. 11.1 but this new state of things by an Angel that simply with a Reed Apoc. 21.25 17. this with a golden Reed it implies that this new state of things will as much surpass that state though the best the Church has yet been in as Angels do Men and a golden Reed an ordinary combustible one Assuredly there was something in thosedays though much better then then when the Church did grossly apostatize that will not abide the fire but consume into smoak and vanish But all in this new Creation is like the Measure it is measured with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Aristotle somewhere speaks such as will abide the fire without wasting Thy word is very pure saith the Psalmist Psalm 119. And again Psal. 12. The words of the Lord are pure words even as the silver that is tried from the earth and purified seven times in the fire It is therefore the precious Word of God or pure Law of God which David esteems above thousands of gold and silver which is this golden Reed to which the new Ierusalem is commensurate Psalm 119.72 Nothing is retain'd as having an authentick stamp upon it in this new Dispensation but what is plainly agreeable to the Word of God 1 Cor. 3.12 All the hay and stubble of humane Traditions and Institutions will be burnt up and the pure and Apostolick Doctrine and Discipline will be the sole Measure of all So that the measuring of the City with a golden Reed and the hundred forty four Cubits and the twelve thousand Furlongs end all in this sense That the Constitution of things then will be purely Apostolicall squared all by that Doctrine by that Spirit which is the eternall Spirit of God the Fountain of all holy Truth and Divine Reason Philop. Indeed Philotheus these Interpretations of yours seem to me very natural But are there no farther Characters of this excellent state of the Church in other Visions or Prophecies Philoth. X Several passages of the Mercavah expounded or the Vision of Cherubims seen by Ezekiel There are Philopolis but it were an endless thing to pursue all And yet I cannot abstain from giving you some Intimations from Ezekiel's Vision of the four Cherubims or Chariot of God with which the Throne of God in Heaven amongst the four Beasts seen by S. Iohn has no small correspondency For this you are to understand Philopolis that the great purpose of that early-begun and long-continued Negotiation of the Son of God with us terrestriall Creatures has been the enlarging the Kingdome of God even to these earthly Regions that the Kingdome of Heaven may be also upon Earth perfectly corresponding to the Heavenly pattern thereof And this is that which we are taught to pray for by our Saviour Thy Kingdome come that is to say Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven namely by his holy Angels And therefore the ultimate end of the Dispensations of Divine Providence is as I noted from the Angel's measuring the new Ierusalem to reduce the Church to an Angelicall state or condition that it may answer that Heavenly Pattern in the Visions of God Philop. I do not yet well understand you Philotheus Philoth. But you will do Philopolis if you do but attend to the orderly process of my discourse I say therefore in the first place that the Vision of the Cherubim or Chariot of God seen by Ezekiel but not first by him Ezek. 1.4 for I doubt not but the same appeared also to Moses and Aaron on the Mount Exod. 24.10 is the Pattern of the Angelicall Polity over which God immediately rules Psalm 68.17 The chariots of God are twenty thousand even thousands of Angels and the Lord is among them as in Sinai in the holy place Now the great design of all is that in the fulness of time the Church upon Earth may be his Chariot as fully and commandingly as the Angelicall Orders in Heaven Philop. Why how fully is that Philotheus Philoth. That methinks the Vision of Ezekiel does lively describe though I will not omit other observables in my brief passage through the Vision and yet think it needless to touch upon all Ezek. 1.4 I looked saies he and behold a Whirlwinde came out of the North a great cloud and a fire enfolding it self and a brightness about it and out of the midst thereof as the colour of Amber out of the midst of the fire This colour of Amber out of the midst of the fire I cannot but parallel to that description of the new Ierusalem Apoc. 21 18. And the City was pure Gold like unto transparent glass Think with your self how near in resemblance Philopolis transparent Gold and Amber are one to another Philop. Very like one another surely But what is the meaning thereof Philotheus Philoth. The fire and the light is the Spirit throughly penetrating and possessing this pure amber-like or transparent Gold as Iron it self looks in a manner transparent when it is ferrum candens which they ordinarily call red-hot Isa. 33.14 Who shall dwell with devouring fire who shall dwell with everlasting burnings Philop. Pure Gold certainly though as transparent as Amber and such as has lost all its Dross They must be of a pure Angelicall nature indeed For God is a consuming fire to whatever is contrary to his own Holiness Deut. 4.24 Philoth. Wherefore there being nothing to resist in this Cherubick Chariot of God they are perfectly obedient to his Will and he has an absolute empire over them they are wholly guided by his Spirit as is also intimated in the Vision more then once Ezek. 1.12 And they went every one straight forward whither the Spirit was to goe they went And in that it is said they went straight forward and that they returned not when they went this signifies the peremptory and irresistible progress of Divine Providence administred by his Angelicall forces Ver. 18. For in that the wheels of his Cherubick Chariot are said to be full of eyes I conceive this is meant thereby That the Circuits and Periods of times and Ages are carried by a special Providence of God who oversees all things And whereas it is said Ver. 19. And when the living Creatures went the Wheels went by them and when the living Creatures were lift up from the earth the Wheels were lift up this signifies the Adnexion of the Dispensations and Periods of times to the Ministry of the Angelicall Hosts and that they spirit actuate and animate all such Circuits and Periods The matter is by the decree of the Watchers Dan. 4.17 and the demand by the word of the holy ones Euist. I had thought Philotheus that these Wheels with eyes might have been the starry Heavens turned about by the Intelligences Philoth. That 's a phancie as far dissonant from the ancient wisedome of the Iews
and the God of Israel will be your Rereward And Man you know has the Sovereignty of all that move on the Earth as the Eagle of all that flie in the Air. Philop. But he is Sovereign over the Fowls of the Air too Philotheus Philoth. He is so and is the symbol of Righteousness and Peace And that is the very nature of the true Man and the highest perfection in him and the Charter whereby he rules over all 1 Joh. 4.20 He that says he loves God and hates his brother he is a Liar Philop. I partly understand you Philotheus But have you not forgot to descant on the feet of the Cherubims as well as on their faces Philoth. You say well Philopolis I will give you my observation of that also though I have already touched upon more things then I intended Their feet are said to be like Oxe-feet Ezek. 1.7 and to sparkle like the colour of burnish'd brass In that they are said to resemble burnish'd brass it denotes the steddy strength and purity of the Angelicall Affections which the Pythagoreans also compare to Feet But in that they are said to be Oxe-feet it signifies they neither affect nor travel for that which is useless and unprofitable Isa. 55.2 They do not labour for that which satisfieth not nor expend their pains for that which is not bread Though each Cherub be said to have the face of an Eagle yet none have any other feet but those of an Oxe Which insinuates that the most speculative Angels spend not their time in fruitless Subtilties though never so high nor soar up into unedifying Contemplations Hyl. All this methinks goes off naturally enough Philotheus onely that of the Oxe resembling that part of the Polity that comprehends Agriculture and what other offices that require the labour of the hand how this can belong to the Angelicall World unless as they are Presidentiary Powers over such in this Terrestrial Region I know not Wherefore I thought of this conceit while you was discoursing that these four faces of an Eagle a Man a Lion and Oxe may signifie the four Cardinal Vertues Prudence Iustice Fortitude Temperance Philoth. And it was not thought of much amiss Hylobares I 'll assure you this is an early specimen of your towardliness in these kinde of Contemplations Onely you should have put Sapience for Prudence the latter being so proper to Man and such a concomitant to Iustice and Practice of Life that they as one and the same thing may be both emblematized by the Man But Sapience which is the searcher of the highest or deepest causes of all Justice both to God and Man Lib. 2. de Legibus which Cicero rightly derives from the Divine Intellect is more fitly set out by the Eagle who is so strong-sighted as to be able to look upon the Sun to which Philo resembles the eternall Mind of God the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. Jud. lib. de Somniis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he calls him Wherefore the highest or ultimate judgement of the truth of things is rightly represented by the Eagle as being able to give sentence from that eternall Law of Divine Reason Sophr. It never came into my head before now why the Standard of Dan bore the Figure of an Eagle Bath Because Dan signifies Judgement But I was thinking of something else that favours Hylobares his conjecture namely of that Degree of the Cardinal Vertues which Plotinus calls Paradigmaticall which makes the Soul of man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say in the condition of a pure Angel Theosophists also declare that the four Rivers of Paradise signifie the four Cardinal Vertues even in the Intellectual or Angelicall world Which things have not onely Authority but reason on their side but that it would be too long to unfold it So that so far as I see Philotheus and Hylobares conjectures touching the meaning of this quadriform aspect of the Cherubims may both stand together and clash no more then an Abstract and Concrete which make but one Subject Philop. I think so too But indeed I did not hope there could have been drawn out so many profitable Lessons out of this dark Vision of Ezekiel But you have yet said nothing Philotheus of him that rides in this Cherubick Chariot who has the shape of a Man Ezek. 1.26 27. and the colour of Amber with circumfulgent fire Philoth. That is the Heavenly Humanity of the Son of God His very Title is writ in the Amber I mean in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if you reade it Cabbalistically And yet he is said to be the God of Israel Ezek. 10.20 and the surrounding Rainbow emblematizes him the God of the whole Universe But enquire no farther of these things I shall proceed to what follows Philop. I beseech you do Philotheus Philoth. Now this Type of the state of Perfection in the Church the time of Moses being not capable of the truth thereof yet God thought fit to draw down the Shadow of it to beautifie the Religion of the Israelites So that the Heavenly Type seen onely by Prophets and holy men of God was also impressed upon Earth and made visible amongst the people of the Iews who bore this Figure among them For they both had material Cherubims in the Dabir on which the Eternal Word was conceived to fit and give Oracles Exod. 25.18 22. as he that sate on this Chariot in Ezekiel is said to speak from among living Cherubims the Prophet saw Ezek. 10.1 2. and besides which is an admirable correspondency of things the Throne in the midst of the four Cherubims in that Chariot answers very plainly to the Tabernacle in the midst of the four Camps of Israel Numb 1.52 and 2.2 under the Standard of Reuben toward the South under the Standard of Iudah toward the East under the Standard of Ephraim toward the West and under the Standard of Dan toward the North the Ensigns also of each Camp according to the tradition of the Rabbins answering to the posture of the faces of these four Cherubims the Ensign of Reuben being a Man XI An Exposition of the Vision of the Throne of God in Heaven the four Beasts and twenty four Elders seen by S. John the Ensign of Iudah a Lion the Ensign of Ephraim an Oxe and the Ensign of Dan an Eagle Philop. The Correspondence indeed is very admirable Philoth. Thus did the people of God in those days bear the Heavenly Type in an earthly and carnal manner They did also receive the Law with the appearance of fire and lightening as this Cherub-Chariot is also described But their Dispensation was not that fiery Law of the Spirit which our Saviour at his coming introduced who is said to baptize with the Holy Ghost and with fire He began therefore this true Cherubicall or Angelicall Dispensation amongst his Apostles and Disciples and it continued in some measure for
with this Out-world but as part of it To say nothing of the Light world which I must confess I take to be material also Sophr. And so do I Bathynous nor can by any means admit that Heaven and Hell are in the same space forasmuch as the Inhabitants of Heaven are Corporeall For the glorified Saints have Bodies and so have the Angels too according to the Opinion of the best Divines and Philosophers Bath But in the same place or Region Heaven and Hell may be manifested in particular Creatures what is common administring to their property as the Seminal Soul of the World is as busie in forming Toads and poisonous Serpents as in the fairest and most harmless Creatures Euist. What do you think then Bathynous that I. Behmen was not at all inspired that there is so little assurance of any considerable truth he has communicated to the World Bath To declare my conjecture of him freely and impartially XVIII Bathynous his judgement touching J. Behmen with some Cautions how to avoid the being ensnared by Enthusiasts Euistor I will in the first place allow him to be a very serious and well-minded man but of a nature extremely melancholick And in the second place I conjecture that he had been a Reader of H. N. and Paracelsus his Writings Both which being Enthusiasticall Authours fired his Melancholy into the like Enthusiastick elevations of spirit and produced a Philosophy in which we all-over discover the foot-steps of Paracelsianism and Familism Love and Wrath Sulphur and Sal-niter Chymistry and Astrology being scattered through all I do not deny Euistor but that both H. N. and I. Behmen were inspired but I averre withall that their Inspiration was not purely Spiritual Intellectual and Divine but mainly Complexionall Natural and Daemoniall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Aristotle speaks which is best understood by that of Plotinus Ennead 2. lib. 2. c. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This therefore was an Inspiration too far removed from the first pure Fountain to come clear Complexionall Love the noblest Motion impressed upon us by the Spirit of Nature first oppress'd in the Constriction Compunction and Anguish of a down-bearing Melancholy and after burning and flaming out into a joyfull liberty and carrying captive with it those severer Particles that would have smothered it into a glorious Triumph of Light and chearfull Splendour of the Spirits which makes the Soul overflow with all kindness and sweetness this I conceive is all the peculiar Inspiration or Illumination these Theosophists had at the bottom Which yet is not so contemptible but that they justly magnify it above the grim ferocities of the superstitious Factions in the imbittered Churches of the world who have not so good an Inspiration as this but their tongues and hearts are set on fire of Hell Jam. 3.6 This Light of Nature I say is abundantly well appointed both for Right and Skill to chastise and reproch the gross and grievous Immoralities of Hypocriticall Religions and to be subservient to that Truth and Life that is really Divine Euist. But they writ professedly as from the Spirit of God And I. Behmen seems to have had the assistence of a good Angel by that story of an Old man who upon pretence of buying a pair of Shoes of him read him his destiny and gave him holy and pious Instructions Bath Who knows but that it was really a man For he carried the Shoes away with him which he bought nor did he vanish in his sight And suppose he was a good Angel not a Devil does it follow straight that he was infallible The Inhabitants of the other World are good Physiognomists and know very well who are most for their turn in this Cuph. As an Horse-courser knows an Horse by his marks Bath And lastly that Iacob declares what he writes is from God that is but that which is necessary for all Enthusiasts to doe For if they did not think themselves inspired they were not Enthusiasts But there is a very powerfull Magick in this their heightened Confidence for the captivating others to them Hyl. How shall a man doe then Bathynous to keep himself from being ensnared by their Writings and from being hurried away with their Enthusiasms Bath For him that reads them there is onely this one short Remedie and safe To observe the moral and pious Precepts they tumble out with such extraordinary Zeal and fervour and to endeavour to be as really good as they declare themselves and all men ought to be and to make that your first and chief care without any design of engrasping great Mysteries This is the onely way of being assuredly able to judge them and of coming to that state which David blesses God for Psalm 119.99 I have more understanding then my Teachers because I keep thy Commandments Philoth. That is very good advice Hylobares and the most certain way of keeping out of the snares of Enthusiasts and one of the greatest good effects that God intends by the permission of them to inveigle certain Complexions in the ways of Holiness and to exercise the gift of discerning of Spirits in others to whom he has given it for the Safety of his Church and the magnifying the Ministry of the Gospel of his Son Iesus in the true and Apostolick Promoters thereof Sophr. If this way were taken my fears and jealousies O Philotheus were all hush'd nor could I doubt but the pure Apostolick Religion would carry all before it Philoth. And verily as touching those two Sects I must farther confirm to you O Sophron that there is not any such great danger in them no not in that more suspected one for as for the Behmenists I am of Bathynous his minde that they are unjustly suspected For at present by a kinde of oblique stroke God does notable execution upon the dead Formality and Carnality of Christendome by these zealous Evangelists of an internall Saviour and if any of them out of mistake and errour should in a manner antiquate that part of Religion that respects the externall which I hope are not many nor will be yet and mark what I say if they continue sincere I do not doubt but they will be fetched in again at least at the long run as being to be found in that third part of the Cities that are to fall by the sword of him that sitteth on the white Horse at the time of the effusion of the last Vial. Apoc. 19.21 and 16.19 Philop. That is very likely Philotheus nor have I now any doubt but those glorious Times of the Church will come and in such a sense as has been predefined But the next point is concerning the Signs of their coming Philoth. Can you desire a better Sign then the orderly succession of the Vials Philop. But I had in my thoughts the Rumour of Elias his coming first XIX That there is an Elias to come and in what sense as at the first coming of Christ for
deface Teach us our Lusts to mortify In virtue of thy precious Death That while to sin all-dead we lie Thou maist infuse thy Heav'nly breath To Righteousness our Spirits raise And quick'n us with thy Life and Love That we may walk here to thy Praise And after live in Heav'n above Grant we in Glory may appear Clad with our Resurrection-Vest When thou shalt lead thy Flock most dear Up to the Mansions of the Blest An HYMN Upon CHRIST's Ascension The Historicall Narration GOd is ascended up on high With merry noise of Trumpet 's sound And Princely seated in the Sky Rules over all the World around The Tabernacle did of old His Presence to the Jews restrain But after in our Flesh enfold A larger Empire he did gain For suffering in Humane Flesh For all he rich Redemption wrought And will with lasting Life refresh His Heritage so dearly bought Sing Praises then sing Praises loud Unto our Universal King * Act. 1.9 He who ascended on a Cloud To him all Laud and Praises sing Captivity he captive led Triumphing o're the Powers of Hell And struck their eyes with glory dread Who in the Airy Regions dwell In Humane Flesh and Shape he went Adorned with his Passion-Scars Which in Heav'n's sight he did present More glorious then the glittering Stars O happy Pledge of Pardon sure The Application to the Emprovement of Life And of an endless blissful State Since Humane Nature once made pure For Heav'n becomes so fit a Mate Lord raise our sinking Minds therefore Up to our proper Country dear And purifie us evermore To fit us for those Regions clear Let our Converse be still above Where Christ at thy right hand doth sit And quench in us all worldly Love That with thy self our Souls may knit Make us all Earthly things despise And freely part with this World 's good That we may win that Heav'nly prize Which Christ has purchas'd with his Bloud That when He shall return again In * Act. 1.11 Clouds of Glory as he went Our Souls no foulness may retain But be found pure and innocent And so may mount to his bright Hosts On Eagle's wings up to the Sky And be conducted to the Coasts Of everlasting Bliss and Ioy. An HYMN Upon the Descent of the Holy Ghost at the day of Pentecost The Narration WHen Christ his Body up had born To Heav'n from his Disciples sight Then they like Orphans all forlorn Spent their sad days in mournfull plight But he ascended up on high More Sacred Gifts for to receive And freely showr them from the Sky On those which he behind did leave He for the Presence of his Flesh To them the Holy Spirit imparts And doth with living Springs refresh Their thirsty Souls and fainting Hearts While with one minde and in one place Devoutly they themselves retire In rushing Wind the promis'd Grace Descends and cloven Tongues of Fire The house th' Amighty's Spirit fills Which doth the feeble Fabrick shake But on their Tongue such power instills Acts 2. That makes th' amazed Hearer quake The Spirit of holy Zeal and Love The Application And of Discerning give us Lord The Spirit of Power from above Of Unity and good Accord The Spirit of convincing Speech Such as will every Conscience smite Act. 2.37 And to the Heart of each man reach And Sin and Errour put to flight The Spirit of refining Fire Searching the inmost of the mind To purge all foul and fell desire And kindle Life more pure and kinde The Spirit of Faith in this thy Day Of Power against the force of Sin That through this Faith we ever may Against our Lusts the Conquests win Pour down thy Spirit of inward Life Which in our Hearts thy Laws may write That without any pain or strife We naturally may doe what 's right On all the Earth thy Spirit pour In Righteousness it to renew That Satan's Kingdome 't may o'repow'r And to Christ's Sceptre all subdue Like mighty Winde or Torrent fierce Let it Withstanders all o'rerun And every wicked Law reverse That Faith and Love may make all one Let Peace and Ioy in each place spring And Righteousness the Spirit 's fruits With Meekness Friendship and each thing That with the Christian spirit suits Grant this O holy God and true Who th' ancient Prophets didst inspire Haste to perform thy Promise due As all thy Servants thee desire An HYMN Upon the Creation of the World WHen God the first Foundations laid The Narration Of the well-framed Universe And through the darksome Chaos ray'd The Angels did his Praise rehearse The Sons of God then sweetly sung Job 38.7 At first appearance of his Light When the Creation-Morning sprung To deck the World with Beauty bright Within six Days he finish'd all What-ere Heav'n Earth or Sea contain And sanctify'd the Seventh withall To celebrate his Holy Name Then with the Sons of God let 's sing Our bountifull Creatour's Praise Who out of nothing all did bring And by his Word the World did raise O Holy God how wonderfull Art thou in all thy Works of might Astonishing our Senses dull With what thou daily bringst in sight The fit returns of Night and Day The gratefull Seasons of the Year Which constantly man's pains repay With wholesome fruit his Heart to chear The shape and number of the Stars The Moon 's set course thou dost define And Matter 's wilde distracting Iars Composest by thy Word Divine The Parts of th' Earth thou holdest close Together by this sweet Constraint Thou round'st the Drops that do disclose The Rain-bow in his glorious Paint Thy Clouds drop fatness on the Earth Thou mak'st the Grass and Flow'rs to spring Thou cloath'st the Woods wherein with mirth The chearfull Birds do sit and sing Thou fill'st the Fields with Beasts and Sheep Thy Rivers run along the Plains With scaly Fish thou stor'st the Deep Thy Bounty all the World maintains The Application All these and all things else th' hast made Subject to Man by thy Decree That thou by Man might'st be obey'd As duely subject unto thee Wherefore O Lord in us create Clean hearts and a right spirit renew That we regaining that just state May ever pay thee what is due That as we wholly from thee are Both Gifts of Minde and Bodie 's frame So by them both we may declare The Glory of thy Holy Name An HYMN Upon the Redemption of the World through CHRIST in his Re-introduction of the New Creature THe Lord both Heav'n Earth hath made The Narration His Word did all things frame And Laws to every Creature gave Who still observe the same The faithfull Sun doth still return The Seasons of the Year And at just times the various Moon Now round now horn'd appears The Plants retain their Virtue still Their Verdure and their Form Nor do the Birds or Beasts their guize Once change or shape transform 'T is
as Falshood is from Truth Euist. Why Philotheus Ionathan Ben Vzziel is expresly of this opinion as you may see in Moses Aegyptius his More Nevochim Part. 3. c. 4. And he brings no small reasons for it For he shews how in the repeated Narration of the Vision a Wheel is called a Globe or Sphear Ezek. 10.13 which makes him alwaies render Ophannim by Galgallim Wherefore to have a Sphear in a Sphear as it will then run what can be more significative of the celestiall Orbs This is very notable Besides that they are said to have eyes which answer to the Stars and their colour to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Seventy also translate it which the Latine renders ut visio Maris which is a caeruleous colour correspondent to that of the Heavens Philoth. This I confess Euistor besides the authority of the Rabbi bears in it self a special prettiness with it But it has no force nor solidity at all For though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifie a globe or sphear yet it signifies a wheel also and therefore is interpretable in that same sense that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is viz. a wheel Besides that one wheel is said to be on the Earth Ezek. 1.15 but no celestiall Orb is on the Earth And all the Wheels for ought I know may be intimated by that one Wheel and by the Earth all the terrestriall Regions of the Universe For all the four Cherubims or Animals are said also to be but one Ezek. 10.15 And what this means in the Cabbalisticall style is easie enough to conjecture And that there may be a wheel in a wheel in such a sense as Ben Vzziel would have a globe in a globe There are lesser and bigger Circuits of Providence in humane affairs the one surrounding the other and the Completions of the lesser Circuits are antecedaneous to those of the greater Which is of notable observation in the Church of God and in the fulfilling of Types and Prophecies And those of the farthest reach and largest Compass are those Wheels that are so dreadfull and stupendious for their vastness Ezek. 1.18 as the Vision describes them And such is that large voluminous Period of Providence which beginning with the first Fiat Lux in Genesis ends not till the last Thunder-clap intimated in the Revelation And whereas the colour of the Wheel is said to be tanquam visio Maris that ratifies our former Exposition that those Wheels are the Circumvolutions of Providence and Periods of Kingdoms and People and Nations which the Prophetick style compares to the Sea And lastly in that they are said to be full of eyes it denotes the assistence of the Angelicall Orders in humane affairs their intermingling themselves and meddling with them they being those numerous eyes of Providence watching over the terrestriall Regions and carrying all things on according to their own purpose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cuph. These Wheels of Ezekiel have made my minde all this while run upon the Wheel of Fortune that vulgar expression so often in mens mouths now-adays Euist. Not onely now-adays O Cuphophron Clio cap. 207. but as ancient as Herodotus in whom this is the very language of Croesus to King Cyrus in his speech touching his encountring with Tomyris Queen of the Massagetae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cuph. This Conceit of the Wheel of Fortune I perceive is far more ancient then I was aware of Philoth. But the Conceit being so early and so common it is an indication how naturally expressive it is of the thing and therefore a farther ratification of the easiness and naturalness of our exposition of that part of the Vision which makes these Wheels the periodicall Circumvolutions of humane Affairs But here is the difference betwixt this Divine Vision and that prophane History that in the one it is the Wheel of Providence or of Divine Fate in the other the Wheel of Fortune if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must needs imply that it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But this onely by the bye The main thing to be urged against Ben Vzziel's exposition of the Wheels is that it implies a false systeme of the World Besides the meaning of Ezekiel's Mercavah is not Physicall but Moral Spiritual or Divino-politicall if I may so speak Philop. I pray you then hold on your Interpretation Philotheus in that sense and give us some more Remarks upon this Vision What say you to the number and form of the Cherubims and the Man enthroned on this Cherubick Chariot Philoth. As for the number of the Cherubims which is four I conceive it intimates the universal Comprehension of the Angelicall Orders or of those at least that are ministring Spirits For the Pythagorick 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is comprehended in the Tetractys And in that their faces are said to be four it seems to signifie so many sorts of natures or offices in this Angelicall Polity which it may be are more grossly distinguishable in the Polities of men and with an eye whereunto this Angelicall Type perhaps has been exhibited to Prophets and holy men of God I conceive therefore that the four distinct Faces of a Lion Man Oxe and Eagle signifie those four main parts that make up their Polity the Lion the Military part the Man all that part employ'd about the hearing of Causes and peaceable administration of Iustice the Oxe the Labouring part whether in Agriculture or what other usefull employment in things done by the hand and the Eagle the Sacerdotal and Philosophicall part the Speculative and Devotionall This general Quadripartition of Genius's or Employments may not unfitly be conceived some way to belong to both men and Angels But every Beast is said to have all these four Faces because every Beast is a fourth part of the whole Comprehension of the Angelicall Host and these sorts are mingled one with another Moreover in that their whole body and their backs and their hands and their wings were full of eyes Ezek. 10.13 it signifies that all their strength and activity is guided by Knowledg and that they see whither they goe and whence and act not out of blinde obedience but out of the light of Life And in that their faces are set all one way Ezek. 1.9 it notes that they are without distraction all of one mind and purpose as being one over-ruled Cherub-chariot of God Ver. 4. And that they drive from the North the Region of darkness and coldness toward the South the signification is obvious As also why the face of the Man is placed toward the South in the Van Ver. 10. the Lion on the East-side the Oxe on the West and the Eagle on the North to bring up the Rere For it seems the Van and the Rere are the two most honourable places according to that of Isay Isa. 52.12 For ye shall not goe out with haste nor go by flight for the Lord will go before you