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
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
many as receive they become the sons of God as being born 2 Cor. 4.16 not of bloud nor of the will of the flesh but of God And this also is that inward man of which Paul professes that though the outward perish is yet in the true Saints of God renewed day by day Wherefore he that is arrived to this Substantiality of life will be fixt in all useful Divine Truths and the Reasons that grow on such a Root will be found solid and permanent by him that has the Root but where they are merely verbal and imaginarie and float onely in the Brain the Heart being animal and brutish they may easily prove very weak fugitive and vanishing Not that they are so in themselves but may appear so to those who have onely the Picture of the Flower in their Brain not the Root in their Heart in which is the Pavilion of Life and inmost Tabernacle of God in the Soul He that lives in this dispensation of life O Hylobares can never be dissettled in his thoughts touching the Existence of God and his Providence or the Immortality of the Soul For he cannot be prone to suspect the Soul's capacity of living separate from the Body whiles he perceives her to live at that distance and defiance with the Body already while she is in it nor at all doubt of the Existence of God whose power spirit impulse and energie he so distinctly perceives in his own Soul For such is the nature of the Divine Life that none that feels it but must confess it not to belong to any creature as such but to be the very Power and Spirit of God actuating the Soul How can he then doubt of Him whose power and presence he so sensibly feels Wherefore this Dispensation of Life Hylobares is all in all to him that desires to philosophize with steddiness and solidity Hyl. These are great and magnificent things which you declare O Philotheus but yet such as seem to me neither incredible nor unimitable And therefore God willing I shall endeavour as well as I can to steer my course according to the Rules you have intimated and make it my main scope to attain to that state which you call the Dispensation of Life For I see all is very vain and shadowy without it But in the mean time I must crave pardon of Philopolis that I have occasioned Philotheus to mis-spend so much of that time that he thought too little for his own design and for the present purpose in hand Philop. Philotheus speaks so favourly and edifyingly of every subject he is put upon that it is ever pitty to interrupt him But sith he has now desisted of himself if he please at length to enter upon the Subject I first of all propounded it will very much gratifie my desires Hyl. It is therefore now Philopolis very seasonable to propound your Quere's to him Philop. My First Quere V Philopolis his Quere's touching the Kingdome of God O Philotheus was What the Kingdome of God is the Second When it began and where it has been or is now to be found the Third What progress it has hitherto made in the world the Fourth and last What success it is likely to have to the end of all things These are the Quere's Philotheus which I at first propounded concerning which if you please to instruct us plainly and intelligibly though not so accurately and scholastically we shall think our selves eternally obliged to you for your pains Philoth. I shall doe my best I can to serve you herein Philopolis and that as briefly and perspicuously as I can with all plainness of speech and without any affectation of Scholastick Scrupulosities being desirous onely to be understood and to convince And the God of Heaven assist us in this our discourse of his heavenly Kingdome that we may so understand the Mysteries of it as that we may faithfully endeavour the promoting the Interest thereof both in our selves and in all men to the Glory of God and Salvation of the World Amen Philop. Amen I pray God Philoth. VI What the Kingdome of God is in the general Nation thereof with a defence of the truth of the Nation Your first Quere O Philopolis though it be very short yet is exceeding comprehensive and by reason of the multisarious signification of the terms involves much matter in it at once which yet I shall endeavour to comprise and take in as well as I can by this brief Definition of the Kingdome of God in general The Kingdome of God is the Power of God enjoyning exciting commissioning or permitting his creatures to act according to certain Laws which considering all circumstances or upon the compute of the whole are for the best Philop. I partly understand you Philotheus and conceive you intend such a Definition of the Kingdome of God as takes in the Kingdome of Nature also and respects those Laws whereby both the brute Animals are guided and the senseless Plants and dead Meteors and Elements according to the extent of your defence hitherto of Divine Providence running from the highest and most Intellectual Order of things even to those Material Beings which are framed and actuated by the Spirit of Nature or Seminal Soul of the World Sophr. Why that is no more then the Scripture it self will warrant him to doe Philopolis The Psalmist is very frequent in such expressions The Lord has prepared his throne in Heaven Psalm 103.19 21 22 and his Kingdome ruleth over all Bless ye the Lord all his Hosts ye Ministers of his that doe his pleasure Bless the Lord all his works in all places of his dominion Bless the Lord O my Soul This in the 103. Psalm And in the 148. Psalm he makes all the several degrees of the Creation from Heaven to Earth from Angels to Brutes Plants and Meteors the Hosts of God and exhorts them all to praise the name of the Lord For he spake the word and they were made he commanded and they were created he hath made them fast for ever and ever he hath given them a Law which shall not be broken And again in the 119. Psalm O Lord thy word endureth for ever in Heaven thy Truth also remaineth from one generation to another Thou hast laid the foundation of the Earth and it abideth they continue this day according to thy ordinance for all things serve thee Whence it is plain that the Dominion of God and his Kingdome reaches as far as the whole comprehension of the Creation Cuph. Why then in some places O Sophron the Kingdome of God will be coincident with the Kingdome of the Devil Bath Why Cuphophron what greater inconvenience is there in that then that the Kingdome of Nature and the Kingdome of God should be coincident which you seem not to gainsay Cuph. Methinks it sounds very odly and besides we may conceive a subordination betwixt the Kingdome of God and the Kingdome of Nature but 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
rest of the Army of the great King with such splendour and luster as is ineffable their Mouths also being filled with Songs of Victory and their Ears with the Echo of their own Melodie For the Air was miraculously tuned into Musicall Accents to their Divine Ditties as if some invisible hand had play'd upon the Concave of the Heavens as upon some well-strung Harpsicall or Theorbo So that my Soul was so enravished with the sight and with the Musick that my Heart melted mine Eyes flowed over with tears and my Spirits failed within me for very excess of Joy Philop. Certainly Theomanes was in a very great Rapture when he was thus affected Philoth. And he was thus really affected Philopolis as he told me and I dare believe him for he is a man of the greatest Simplicity imaginable Philop. But I have interrupted you again Philotheus before I was aware I pray you go on Philoth. But part of this pleasure was quickly intercepted by a sudden overcasting of the Heavens as it were with an universal thick Cloud of a rusty hue But I heard the Musick still whereby I might discern the motions of that Triumphal Pomp. But a more dreadfull noise presently put an end to that Rapture also For this Cloud of Night broke into a Chasm near the celestial Army which was instantly filled with a most glorious Light and through that lucid passage I heard a mighty voice like the sound of a Trumpet saying I am Alpha and Omega the First and the Last the Beginner and Continuer and Ender of Ages I am he that lived and was dead and behold I am alive for evermore and have the Keys of Hell and Death Whereupon the Chasm closed again and the Souls of the forsaken were filled with horrour For they presently expected the execution of that dreadful Sentence Matt. 25.41 Go ye accursed into everlasting Fire And indeed after some pause and silence wherein I again heard that Heavenly Melodie but a little farther off that Triumphant Company ascending higher and higher through the bright azure fields of peacefull Bliss the arched roof of this hollow Dungeon seemed all on fire with cross Flashings and Lightenings running all over Which had no sooner ceased but the seventh Thunder uttered its voice which was accompanied with a rowling and tearing noise every way over the whole Sky Whereupon the Clouds set a-raining one continuall sad and direful showr of Fire and Brimstone upon this forlorn Crew till the whole Earth became but as one round Lake or Pond of burning Sulphur Apoc. 20.15 And whosoever had not his name found in the Book of Life his portion was in this Lake of fire burning with Brimstone Apoc. 21.8 which is the second Death This is Theomanes his Vision O Philopolis of the seven Thunders Which contains in it the most distinct order and succession of Affairs in the Church from the beginning of the seventh Trumpet to the end of all things that I ever met with I must confess the Distinctions are but general but if I had had any thing more precise and particular that great sincerity and nobleness of spirit and hearty love and zeal for the Interest of the Kingdome of God which I persuade my self I discern in you would have obliged me to have imparted it to you with a very good will Philop. I give you many thanks Philotheus for your good opinion and bountiful intention But what you have imparted is more then I could merit or hope to obtain from any other hand and such as I must acknowledge my self competently well satisfied with as having some guess what every one of those Thunders mean but should be better confirmed in my apprehensions thereof if you would briefly communicate your thoughts of them Philoth. That I shall doe XXXIX A brief Explication of Theomanes his Vision and very briefly O Philopolis These seven Things therefore are orderly contained in the seven Spaces of the seven Thunders In the first the Effusion of the seven Vials In the second The settling or establishing of the Church into the State of the new Ierusalem come down from Heaven In the third That more full and universal Reign of Christ called the blessed Millennium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or in a more proper and eminent sense In the fourth The loosing of Satan or the visible vergency of the World to another Degeneracy or Apostasie from the Kingdome of Christ. In the fifth An Attempt of the apostatized part of the World to get the Dominion again over the Godly and the danger of the Wicked's again captivating the Iust. In the sixth The visible appearance of Christ in the last Judgement wherein he gives Sentence upon both the bad and the good In the seventh and last The Execution of this Sentence the Godly and sincere Believers ascending with the holy Angels towards their Heavenly Inheritance prepared for them while Hypocrites and Unbelievers are tumbling with the Devils in the Lake of Brimstone burning with Fire Philop. I thought there was some such meaning of this Vision and plainly see through the Symbols and Iconisms of it that there is nothing contained in it that is at all dangerous or Heterodox But the manner of his being affected in his receiving these orderly-ranged Truths seems to me something extraordinary Does not Theomanes highly relish such a peculiarity of Dispensation O Philotheus Philoth. XL The important Usefulness of Theomanes his Vision together with the Iustifiableness of his yielding to such an Impression Not at all Philopolis so far as I can discern He onely expresses himself well pleased with the Reasonableness and Usefulness of the Vision For he professes it consonant to both Scripture and Philosophy and has taken notice severall times in my hearing how useful it is both for the digesting all those Visions in the Apocalypse that appertain to the last Trumpet into their right Order according to Synchronism and also to discover the Ignorance of some that have pretended to Inspiration who guessing that the last Trumpet is the Trumpet of the last Judgement in a Politicall sense but not discerning these distinct parts of it I mean the distribution thereof into the seven Thunders have adventured to conclude to the prejudice of the Apostolick Faith that there is no other Judgement but this nor any other Trumpet to raise the Dead and to summon them before the Tribunal of Christ then the Evangelization of a certain Doctrine of their own broaching But assuredly Philopolis that Resurrection which S t. Paul treats of in his first Epistle to the Corinthians is not a Moral nor Politicall Resurrection as cannot but be palpably manifest to any one that impartially peruses his Discourse and therefore the last Trumpet there mentioned cannot bear a mere Moral or Politicall signification As it is manifest that cannot in his first to the Thessalonians For the Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout 1 Thess. 4.16 17. with the voice of
the truest Grounds of the Certainty of Faith This is the common Protestant Doctrine and a great and undeniable Truth and will amount to the greatest Certainty desirable if the Spirit of Life and of God assist For that will seal all firm and close and shut out all Doubts and Waverings In the mean time even in mere Moral men but yet such as use their Sense and Reason rightly-circumstantiated in their Dijudications touching the truth of Holy Writ and Religion it is plain they are upon the truest Grounds of Faith they can goe or apply themselves to forasmuch as the Holy Writ is the truest and most certain Tradition and no Tradition to be discerned true but upon the Certainty of rightly-circumstantiated Sense and Reason as appears by the first Conclusion These Advertisements though something numerous are yet brief enough but very effectual I hope if strictly followed to make thee so wise as neither to impose upon thy self nor be imposed upon by others in matters of Religion and so Orthodox as to become neither Enthusiast nor Romanist but a true Catholick and Primitive Apostolick Christian THE END DIVINE HYMNS DIVINE HYMNS An HYMN Upon the Nativity of CHRIST THe Holy Son of God most High The Historicall Narration For love of Adam's lapsed Race Quit the sweet Pleasures of the Sky To bring us to that happy Place His Robes of Light he laid aside Which did his Majesty adorn And the frail state of Mortals tri'de In Humane Flesh and Figure born Down from above this Day-Star slid Himself in living Earth t' entomb And all his Heav'nly Glory hid In a pure lowly Virgin 's Womb. Whole Quires of Angels loudly sing The Mystery of his Sacred Birth And the blest News to Shepherds bring Filling their watchfull Souls with Mirth The Application to the Emprovement of Life The Son of God thus Man became That Men the sons of God might be And by their second Birth regain A likeness to His Deity Lord give us humble and pure mindes And fill us with thy Heav'nly Love That Christ thus in our Hearts enshrin'd We all may be born from above And being thus Regenerate Into a Life and Sense Divine We all Ungodliness may hate And to thy living Word encline That nourish'd by that Heav'nly Food To manly Stature we may grow And stedfastly pursue what 's good That all our high Descent may know Grant we thy Seed may never yield Our Souls to soil with any Blot But still stand Conquerours in the field To shew his Power who us begot That after this our Warfare's done And travails of a toilsome Stage We may in Heav'n with Christ thy Son Enjoy our promis'd Heritage Amen An HYMN Upon the Passion of CHRIST THe faithfull Shepherd from on high The Historicall Narration Came down to seek his strayed Sheep Which in this Earthly Dale did lie Of Grief and Death the Region deep Those Glories and those Ioys above 'T was much to quit for Sinners sake But yet behold far greater Love Such pains and toils to undertake An abject Life which all despise The Lord of Glory underwent And with the Wicked's worldly guize His righteous Soul for grief was rent His Innocence Contempt attends His Wisedome and his Wonders great Envy on these her poison spends And Pharisaick Rage their Threats At last their Malice boil'd so high As Witnesses false to suborn The Lord of Life to cause to die His Body first with Scourges torn With royal Robes in scorn th' him dight And with a wreath of Thorns him crown A Scepter-Reed in farther spight They adde unto his Purple Gown Then scoffingly they bend the knee And spit upon his Sacred Face And after hang him on a Tree Betwixt two Thieves for more Disgrace With Nails they pierc'd his Hands and Feet The Bloud thence trickled to the ground The Pangs of Death his Countenance sweet And lovely Eyes with Night confound Thus laden with our weight of Sin This spotless Lamb himself bemoans And while for us he Life doth win Quits his own Breath with deep-fetch'd Groans Affrighted Nature shrinketh back To see so direfull dismall sight The Earth doth quake the Mountains crack Th' abashed Sun withdraws his Light The Application to the Emprovement of Life Then can we Men so senseless be As not to melt in flowing Tears Who cause were of his Agonie Who suffer'd thus to cease our Fears To reconcile us to our God By this his precious Sacrifice And shield us from his wrathfull Rod Wherewith he Sinners doth chastise O wicked Sin to be abhorr'd That God's own Son thus forc'd to die O Love profound to be ador'd That found so potent Remedie O Love more strong then Pain and Death To be repaid by nought but Love Whereby we vow our Life and Breath Entire to serve our God above For who for shame durst now complain Of dolorous dying unto Sin While he recounts the hideous Pain His Saviour felt our Souls to win Or who can harbour Anger fell Envy revengefull Spight or Hate If he but once consider well Our Saviour lov'd at such a rate Wherefore Lord since thy Son most just His natural Life for us did spill Grant we our sinful Lives and Lusts May sacrifice unto his Will That to our selves we being dead Henceforth to him may wholly live Who us to free from Dangers dread Himself a Sacrifice did give Grant that the sense of so great Love Our Souls to him may firmly tie And forcibly us all may move To live in mutuall Amity That no pretence to Hate or Strife May rise from any Injurie Since thy dear Son the Lord of Life For love of us when Foes did die An HYMN Upon the Resurrection of CHRIST The Historicall Narration WHo 's this we see from Edom come With bloudy robes from Bosrah Town He whom false Jews to death did doom And Heav'n's fierce Anger had cast down His righteous Soul alone was fain Isa. 63.3 The Wine-press of God's Wrath to tread And all his Garments to distain And sprinkled Cloaths to die bloud-red 'Gainst Hell and Death he stoutly fought Who Captive held him for three days But straight he his own Freedome wrought And from the dead himself did raise The brazen Gates of Death he brake Triumphing over Sin and Hell And made th' Infernall Kingdomes quake With all that in those Shades do dwell His murthered Body he resum'd Maugre the Grave's close grasp and strife And all these Regions thence perfum'd With the sweet hopes of lasting Life O mighty Son of God most High The Application to the Emprovement of Life That conqueredst thus Hell Death and Sin Give us a glorious Victory Over our deadly Sins to win Go on and * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. Iud. Flesh and bloud in the moral sense Edom still subdue And quite cut off his wicked Race And raise in us thine Image true Which sinfull * The old Adam Rom. 6.6 Edom doth
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