not Heaven It s most probable that Christs soul never went into the highest Heavens till his Body went also Ibid. None but Christ and so none before Christ ever entered the highest Heavens The way to Heaven was never opened till Christ the high Priest entered Body and Soul into it The highest Heavens never had but one man into them namely Christ nor shall have till the worlds end Ibid. p. 25. If you ask where this place of Paradise is I answer It must be below the highest Heavens therefore surely it is in the Region or Element of fire where the Sun and Stars are or in the highest Region of the Ayr. SS 5. Archers personal raign p. 35. At the day of judgement the wicked shall be sent with the Devil unto Hell which Hell shall not be that which is now called Hell but another for the Hell that now is is but a prison and not the place of execution At the last day this Hell that now is shall cease This Hell which is at present to be sure is in some of the places of the Air or the Waters and not in the Earth But the Hell which shall be the everlasting torment of all the damned shall be all this lower and visible World All the places of the Earth Water Air Sun Moon Stars and the Fire called the Heavens and the Earth The things which God immediately made out of nothing shall never change As the highest Heavens and the Angels in them and the souls of men and this Chaos called the Earth but all other things being made out of something even out of this Earth or Chaos they shall after a time change and so all this World shall come to an Earth or Chaos again God in time did make two places Heaven and Earth immediately out of nothing to be eternal places the one of Joy the other of Torment Thus you see when Hell was made but it was quickly covered and shall not be uncovered till Christ do it at the last day TT Antap. p. 36. The Gentleman censured brings an accusation against Master Nye charging him with Pride want of Charity c. And this being brought before the Church continued in debate about half a yeer three or four days in a week and sometimes more before all the Congregation divers of the Members having callings to follow they desired leave to be absent Master Goodwin oft professed publikely upon these differences If this were their Church-fellowship he would lay down his Eldership and nothing was more commonly spoke among the Members then that certainly for matter of Discipline they were not in the right way for that there was no way to bring things to an end VV Vide supra TT CHAP. V. The Carriage of the Independents at London YOu have gotten a taste of the Fruits of this Tree as it grows in New-England and Holland When it is transplanted to Old-England consider if the Grapes of it be any thing sweeter These Five last yeers the chief of that party both from Arnhem Roterdam and New-England have kept their residence at London to advance by common counsels and industry their Way in these days of their hopes A full account of their courses in that place cannot be expected so long as many passages concerning them lie in the dark and the end is not yet come But three things seem to be clear which make their Way at London no more lovely then in the places mentioned First they have been here exceeding unhappie in retarding and to their power crossing the blessed Reformation in hand Secondly they have pregnantly occasioned the multiplication of Heresies and Schisms above all that ever was heard of in any one place in any former Age. Thirdly they have occasioned such Divisions in the State that had it not been for the extraordinary mercies of God the Parliament and all that follow them had long ago been laid under the feet of their enraged enemies and the whole Isle long before this totally ruined As for the first The Reformation of Religion so much wished for by all the godly for so many yeers all know it could never have been attained without the help of an Assembly of Divines Who opposeth the necessary Mean cannot be taken for a friend of the End The Assembly the necessary means of Reformation was for a very long time hindred by the diligence of the Independent party to be called A and when to their evident grief and discontent the Parliament had voted its calling they may remember their extraordinary industry to get it modelled according to their Principles both in its members and power B to have it an elective Synod onely for advice to consist of so many of themselves and of their favourers as was possible not any known Divine of any parts in all England of their opinion being omitted How cautious they were by great slight of hand to keep off so many of the old Puritan Unconformists and how much more enclinable towards men of Episcopal and Liturgick principles themselves do know This their underhand-working before the sitting of the Assembly was seen but by few but so soon as the Synod did sit it did then appear to the whole Company who were the men who made it their work and greatest studie to keep off by their endlesse Janglings the Assembly from concluding any thing that might settle the distracted Church C so that to this day after two yeers time and above in more frequent and learned Sessions then every we read of in any Assembly since the world began D There is nothing at all set up for the comfort of the afflicted Kingdom Their aversenesse to the Assembly doth appear not onely in their opposition to its calling in their retarding of its proceedings but in their pressing of its dissolution I do not speak of the huge Contumelies which some of their party have poured out upon the face of that most Reverend Meeting in a number of very wicked Pamphlets which to this day were never so much as censured though the Authors by name and sirname are complained of in Print But that which I speak of is the expresse Article of the Independent Petition desiring the Parliament in formal terms according to Master Peters dictates to dissolve the Assembly D 2. Had either the Popish faction or the Episcopal party or the malignant Courtiers procured the continuance of our woful Anarchie our anger would have been greater then our grief or shame But when the mercies of God now for some yeers have removed the Papists Prelats and Courtiers so far from us that by word or deed they have not hindred us in the least measure to heal the diseases of our Church at our pleasure that her wounds to this day should be multiplied and all kept open to drop out her best blood alone through the obstinacy of our Brethren though we compresse our indignation yet we cannot but be oppressed with a great measure of
the heavens must receive till the time of the restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of all the holy Prophets since the world began This place proveth clearely the aboade of Christs body in the heaven till the time of the restitution of all things So much our Brethren grant but they deny our assumption that the time of the restitution of all things is the last day this therefore we prove not by the Testimony of all the reformed who unanimously bring this place as a maine ground against the Papists and Lutherans in the questions of Transubstantiation and Ubiquity but by three reasons from the Text it selfe First that time here is understood when all things that are spoken of by all the Prophets are performed But all things spoken of by all the Prophets are not performed till the last day Master Burrowes alleadgeance that all the Prophets are frequent and large upon the Raigne of the 1000 yeares but rare and sparing upon the doctrine of the last Judgement and life eternall might well have beene spared for the one halfe of it and left to the Socino-Remonstrants but suppose it were all true yet if any of the Prophets have spoken any thing at all of the last Judgement as the Apostle Jude puts it out of question even of Enoch it is cleare that the time of the performing of all things which any of the Prophets have spoken cannot possibly exist before the last Judgement as we may see Rom. 8. ver 21. compared ver 18.23 where the restitution of the creatures to their desired liberty comes not before the redemption of our bodyes and the glory to be revealed upon the whole Church at the last day Secondly the time here spoken of is when the Jewes to whom Peter did speake were to be refreshed by the Lords presence but this shall not be before the Generall resurrection for the Chiliasts doe maintaine that all the Jewes shall not rise neither that any of them to whom the Apostle did then speake shall be partakers of the first resurrection unlesse some of them who were Martyres for the honour and Glory of this first resurrection the most of them make it so rare and singular a priviledge that Daniel himselfe does not obtaine it but by a speciall promise Thirdly The time when God doth solemly before Men and Angels declare the absolution and blotting out of the sinnes of all his people is not before the last day But this is the time whereof the Apostle Peter speakes in the present place as appeares by the 19 verse That your sinnes may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. Take but one other place for Christs aboade in the heaven till the last day John 14.2.3 I goe to prepare a place for you I will come againe and receive you to my selfe that where I am there you may be Behold Christ goes to the heaven and comes backe againe but once for this very end to take his Disciples with him not to abide with them upon the earth but to place them in the Mansions of his Fathers House in the Heavens which he went to prepare for them wherein all the time of his absence he himselfe was to remaine A Second argument we take from Christs sitting at the right hand of God This errour how innocent soever it seeme to some yet it perverts the true sence of sundry articles of our Creed and forceth its followers to coyne new and false senses to a great many Scriptures whereupon these articles were builded This was the reason why neither Piscator nor Alstedius nor Mead when they laide too fast hold upon some of the branches of Chiliasme yet the bulke and roote of that Tree Christs comming downe to the earth in his humane nature a thousand yeares before the last day they durst never touch but our Brethren have more venturous Spirits they see much further then their Masters they scruple nothing to make all these things popular and Catecheticke doctrine The reason I spoke of is this Christ sits at the right hand of God till the last day Ergo he comes not to reigne on earth a thousand yeares before the last day The consequence is builded upon this Proposition Christs sitting at the right hand of the Father is not in earth but in heaven which many Scriptures prove Ephes 1.20 He set him at his own right hand in heavenly places Heb. 1.3 He sat downe at the right hand of the Majesty on high Heb. 8.1 He is set on the right hand of the Throne of the Maiesty in the heavens The antecedent I prove thus He sits at the right hand of God till all his enemies be made his footstoole So speakes the Psalmist Psal 110.1 But all his enemies are not made his footstoole till the last day for till then Satan Sinne Death and all wicked men are not fully destroyed Our third argument we take from the resurrection of the dead All the Godly at Christs comming from heaven doe rise immediately to a Heavenly Glory Ergo none of them doe arise to a Temporall glory of a thousand yeares upon earth The antecedent see in Heb. 9.28 Vnto them that looke for him shall he appeare the second time without sin unto salvation Christ hath but two times of comming to the earth first in weakenes to die upon the Crosse The second time in glory to give eternall Salvation without distinction to all beleevers who looke for his comming Also 1 Thes 4.14 Them which sleepe in Jesus will he bring with him The Lord himselfe shall discend from heaven with a shout and the dead in Christ shall rise first then we which are alive shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meete the Lord in the ayre and so shall we be ever with the Lord. The ground of comfort which the Apostle propounds to the Thessalonians for all their dead as well Martyrs as others was their resurrection not before the Lords comming with the voice of the Archangell but at that time when all the dead in Christ without exception do arise and non of them abide on the earth but all are caught up in the ayre to meete the Lord and all remaine with him eternally thereafter without any separation See also 1 Cor. 15.22 In Christ shall all be made alive but every man in his owne order Christ the first fruits afterward they that are Christs at his comming then commeth the end when he shall have delivered up the Kingdome to God The Apostle here speakes of the Resurrection of all and particularly of the Martyrs such as with the Apostle dyed daily and every houre were in jepoardy and fought with Beasts although he professes to distinguish the diversity of order that might be in this great worke of the Resurrection yet he affirmes that these who are Christs do not arise till his comming and his comming he makes not to be
of the Gentiles how much more their fullnesse Ans There is nothing here for the point in hand we grant willingly that the Nation of the Jewes shall be converted to the fayth of Christ and that the fullnesse of the Gentiles is to come in with them to the Christian Church also that the quickning of that dead and rotten member shall be a matter of exceeding joy to the whole Church But That the converted Jewes shall returne to Canaan to build Jerusalem That Christ shall come from the heaven to reigne among them for a thousand yeares there is no such thing intimated in the scriptures in hand Master Burrous fifth place is Acts 3.20 21. He shall send Iesus Christ whom the heavens must receive unto the times of the restitution of all things Ans That these words are to be understood of Christs comming to the last Judgement and not of his comming to any Temporall Kingdome on earth we did before prove His sixth place is 2 Pet. 3.10.13 But the day of the Lord will come as a Theife in the night in the which the heavens shall passe away with a great noyse and the Elements shall melt with fervent heate the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burnt up neverthelesse we according to his promise looke for new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousnesse Ans First it would be remembred that our Brethren do adde among many other things this also unto the Tenet of the old Chiliasts That before their golden age the earth and all things therein must be destroyed That the earth wherein they are to reigne that the Beasts Foules Fishes Trees and all other creatures they are to make use of in their thousand yeares are to be of new created all the old creatures in their whole kindes being burnt to ashes and destroyed We say secondly That this place is miserably misinterpreted for all that the Apostle is saying is in answer to the scoffers cavill verse 4. requiring in scorne the performance of the promise of Christs comming not unto this thousand yeares raigne but to the day of Judgement and perdition of ungodly men as the Apostle speaks expressely vers 7. Now all the Chiliasts confesse that this Judgement and that perdition is not till after the thousand yeares so the burning of necessity according to their owne grounds cannot precede but must follow them Thirdly the time whereof the Apostle speakes is called the day of the Lord the usuall discription of Christs comming to Judgement also the day that comes on the world as a theefe in the night which phrase oftentimes in scripture is attributed unto Christs comming unto Judgement but is not true of his comming to the Millenary reigne for the calculation of that time is so well knowne that it is preached and printed to be at such a yeare if not such a mounth or day Also this dissolving of the heavens and Elements with fire is a concomitant of Christ his comming to the last Judgement as is expressely intimated 2 Thes 1.8.9 As for the words whereupon alone they ground their argument the new Earth wherein dwells righteousnesse As if these words could not be true after the last Judgement no righteous man then dwelling upon the earth If they had looked upon the originall they would have seene the weakenesse of their collection for the words runne thus We in whom righteousnesse dwells looke for new Heavens and a new Earth The habitation of righteousnesse referring neither to the heavens not to the earth but to the godly and righteous persons who did waite for the performance of the promise of new heavens and a new earth as our late annotations doe observe And though you would reade them according to our English Translation yet that inhabitation needes not referre to the earth but to the heavens onely as Junius well observes For it is not in qua terra but in quibus coelis and our Brethren if they beleeve Mr. Archer must referre the Pronoune not to both the Substantives but onely to the one for he teaches That during the thousand yeares no righteous soule inhabites the heaven and thereafter that no righteous soule does inhabit either the earth or the heavens wherein now the soules of the godly are all these being turned into hell the habitation of unrighteous men and divells Mr. Burrows seventh place Isa 65.21 And they shall build houses and inhabit them and they shall plant Vinyeards and eate the fruit of them and ver 17. Behold I create new heavens and a new earth c. Hence concluding not onely a new heaven and a new earth for the Millenary reigne but a planting of Vinyeards a building of houses which cannot be after the day of Judgement Ans First Master Burrowes referres this place to the former passage of Peter if therefore Peters new heavens and new earth must be understood of the life to come Isaiahs new heavens and new earth must be understood of the same Secondly It s very new and harsh divinity to say that after the heavens have passed away with a noyse and the earth with all the workes thereof are burnt up that men shall plant Vineyards and build houses upon the new earth Therefore Master Burrows notwithstanding his argument and reference of Isaiah to Peter seemes in that same place to retract and acknowledge that the new heavens and the new earth must be expounded by a Metaphor and import no more then the doing of so glorious things by God for the Church in the latter days as shall manifest his glorious and creating power as if he did make new heavens and a new earth This is farre from the burning of the heavens and earth that now are It is no more then what the Apostle Peter brings from the Prophet Joel Acts. 2.19 And I will shew wonders in heaven above and signes in the earth beneath bloud and fiâ—â— and vapour of smoake the Sunne shall be turned into darknesse and the Moone into bloud All which Peter makes to be performed upon the day of the Pentecost It is no more then that of Haggay 2.6 Yet once it is a little while and I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and all the dry land which the Apostle Heb. 12.26 27. makes to be performed at the first comming of Christ Thirdly That the matter of this 65. chap. of Isai v. 16. is to be referred to Christs first comming and the Apostles first prâ—â—ching unto the Gentiles is cleare by comparing the first verse of this chap. I am found of them that sought me not with the 20 verse of the tenth to the Romanes But Isaiah was very bold and sayth I was found c. Fourthly to expound the Prophets in this fashion were to stumble the Jewes and to give them too great an excuse for their long misbeliefe and too pregnant arguments for to delay their fayth while the Messias come to performe
these promises upon earth till their Ierusalem were againe builded and they put in possession of the holy land to build their houses and plant their Uineyeards therein till they saw themselves put in possession of their present carnall legall hopes Yea T. G. his literall exposition of this and the like places goes beyond the most of the Iewish apprehensions For that any of the Talmudists do dreame that at the comming of the Messias the Lyon shall eate straw that the Leoparde and the Lambe the Serpent and the sucking childe shall be brought to such a sympathy of natures as not to have the least disposition to doe harme the one to the other That the life of men shall be so much at that time prolonged as one of an hundred yeares must be taken but for an Infant and a childe that the most fabulous of the Rabbins have gone thus farre in a litterall beleefe I doe not know His eight place is Heb. 2.5 8. For unto the Angells he hath not put in subjection the world to come but now we see not yet all things put under him whence he inferres that Christ in the world to come is to reigne and to have all things put under his feet which is not now performed the Apostle saying expressely that now all things are not put under him neither is this true in the life to come for then the Kingdome of Christ is rendred up to the Father Ans The world to come is not that imaginary world of the 1000 yeares whereof the Scripture speaks no thing but the dayes of the Gospell of which the Apostle is there speaking and shewing that the Gospell was administred not by Angells as the Law had beene upon Mount Sinai but by the Sonne of God himselfe This new world under the Gospell did differ more from the old world under the Law then the earth in the dayes of Noah and the Patriarchs after the floud from the earth in the dayes of Noah before the floud This new world of the Gospell began with Christs first comming in the flesh it was demonstrated in his Resurrection When all power in heaven and in earth was given to him Math. 28.18 When all the Angells of God did worshippe him Heb. 1 6. When he was set farre above all Principalities and Powers Ephes 1.21 The accomplishment of this world is not till the Last day when Death Hell and Satan which yet are not made Christs footstoole shall fully be conquered These things cannot be verified of the thousand yeares For according to Mr. Burrowes grounds before they begin many things are annihilated and so not made subject The heavens and elements are melted with fervent heate The earth and the workes thereof are burnt up with fire Also during these thousand yeares Christs chiefe enemies are not fully subdued death still hath dominion over men the devill is onely bound but yet alive and not cast into the lake His ninth place is Ier. 3.16.17 They shall say no more the Arke of the Covenant of the Lord neither shall it come to minde neither shall they remember it at that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the Lord and all the Nations shall be gathered unto it neither shall they walke any more after the imagination of their evill heart Hence he inferres A state of the Church in the Last dayes so glorious that all things by-past shall be forgot That Judah and Israel shall returne from their captivity to Jerusalem That all Nations shall joyne with them That they shall no more walke after their old sinnes That Jerusalem which before times was at best but the footstoole of God shall then become a throne of glory Answer There is no word here of Christs abode upon earth for a thousand yeares Secondly the old things that are to be forgotten are expressed to be the Ceremonies of the Law but no Ordinance of the Gospell The Prophet names the Arke and the Temple which by Christs first comming were removed Thirdly The walking of Iudah and Israel together and the Nations joyning with them Imports no more but the calling of Iewes and Gentiles by the Gospell to the Christian Church the heavenly Ierusalem The same which the Prophet Esay hath in his second Chap. vers 5. The establishing in the Last dayes of the House of God on the top of the mountaines the flowing of all Nations thereto for out of Sion shall goe forth a Law and the Word of the Lord from Ierusalem These Last dayes were the dayes of the Apostles when they from Sion and Ierusalem did blow the Trumpet of the Gospell to all the Nations These were the times whereof Ieremy in the 15 verse of the Chapter in hand doth speake I will give you Pastors according to my heart which shall feede you with knowledge and understanding The Pastors there promised were Christ and his Apostles better Pastors then these God never sent neither ever shall send to his Church Fourthly Walking after Gods owne heart doth not import a freedome from all sinne but onely a state of grace wherein according to the new Covenant God gives his people a newheart and writes his Lawes upon the same Fifthly That whereupon the greatest weight of the argument is laid seemes to be a very groundlesse conceit That Ierusalem when it is a throne of glory must be the old Ierusalem builded againe as if Ierusalem under the Law and Ierusalem in the dayes of the Gospell the Church in the new Testament the mother of us all were but the footestoole of God This is a doctrine expresly against Scripture for in divers places Ierusalem Sion and the Arke even in the old Testament are called not onely the footstoole but the throne of God Ier. 14.21 Doe not abhorre us for thy names sake doe not disgrace the throne of thy glory Also Chap. 17.12 A glorious high throne from the beginning is the place of our Sanctuary The Lord did as it were sit upon the Mercy Seate as upon a chaire of State under the Canopy of the wings of the Cherubins within the Sanctuary the chamber of his most Majestuous presence Ierusalem under the new Testament is called not onely the throne of God but his footstoole Esay 40.13 To beautifie the place of my Sanctuary and I will make the place of my feete glorious This place our Brethren expound of the Sanctuary during the time of the thousand yeares However it is cleare it must be expounded of the Church in the same times whereof Ieremiah speakes in his third Chapter whence the Argument in hand is brought The tenth place is Dan. 2 44. And in the dayes of these Kings shall the God of heaven set up a Kingdome which shall never be destroyed and it shall stand for ever Whence is inferred an everlasting Kingdome of Christ a joy of Ierusalem unchangeable to any sorrow Answer Christs Everlasting Kingdome is meerely spirituall and heavenly That dominion which
alone 177 Seventhly the Apostles appointed none to preach but â—ders ibid. Eigthly the preaching of men out of office is a meanes of confusion and errour ibid. The contrary arguments which Mr Cotton in his Catechism and Answer to the 32 Questions borrowes from Robinson answered 178 Chap. 9. Whether the power of Ecclesiastick Iurisdiction belongs to the people or to the Presbytery What is meant by Ecclesiastick Iurisdiction 181 The state of the Question ibid. For the Negative that the people have no power of Iurisdiction we reason First The Officers alone are Governours and the people are to be governed p. 183 Secondly the people have not the Keyes of heaven to binde and loose p. 184 Thirdly the people are not the eyes and eares in Christs body for so all the body should be eyes and eares ibid. Fourthly the people have not any promise of gifts sufficient for government ibid. Fifthly the popular government brings in confusion making the feet above the head p. 185 Sixthly the people have not the power of Ordination p. 186 Seventhly this power in the people would disable them in their Callings p. 187 Eigthly this power of the people would bring in Morellius Democracy and Anarchy in the Church ibid. Ninthly this power of the people will draw upon them the power of the Word and Sacraments p. 188 Mr Cottons ten contrary arguments answered p. 189 Chap. 10. Independency is contrary to Gods Word God is the Authour of the union and dependency of particular Churches p. 196 Separation and Independency were the Anabaptists inventions ibid. From them Morellius and Grotius learned the Tenet p. 197 The state of the Question cleared ibid. That single Congregations are not independent is proved First from 1 Tim. 4.14 p. 199 The second argument from the Apostolick Churches which exercised full Iurisdiction the chiefe whereof if not all were Presbyteriall and not Parochiall p. 202 Our third argument from the subordination of the Church of Antioch to the Synod at Ierusalem Acts 15. p. 205 Our fourth argument from the subordination of fewer to more appointed by Christ Matth. 8. p. 209 Our fifth argument from the evill consequents which reason and experience demonstrate to follow Independency necessarily and naturally p. 212 Our last argument Independency is contrary to all the Discipline that ever was knowne in Christendome before the Anabaptists p. 215 The first objection or argument for Independency from Matth. 18. p. 216 The second objection is taken from the practise of the Corinthians excommunicating the incestuous man p. 218 The third objection from the example of the seven Churches of Asia p. 220 Their fourth objection from the practise of the Churchâ—s Thessalonica and Colosse ibid. The fifth sixth seventh and eigth objection p. 223 Chap. 11. The thousand yeares of Christ his visible Raigne upon Earth is against Scripture The Originall and progresse of Chiliasme ibid. The mind of the Indepâ—ndent Chiliasts ibid. Our first reason against the Chiliasts is that Christ from his Ascention to the last Iudgement abides in Heaven p. 225 Our second reason is built on Christs sitting at the right hand of God till the day of Iudgement p. 227 Our third reason is grounded on the Resurrection of the dead the Godly and ungodly doe all rise together at the last day p. 228 Our fourth reason is builded on Christs Kingdome which is spirituall and not earthly p. 229 Our fifth reason is taken from the nature of the Church p. 230 A sixth reason from the secrecy of the time of Christs comming p. 231 A seventh reason from the Heavenly and eternall reward of the Martyrs p. 232 An eigth reason the restoration of an Earthly Ierusalem brings backe the abolished figures of the Law p. 233 A ninth Antichrist is not abolisht till the day of Iudgement ibid. The Chiliasts first reason is from Revel 20. 4. p. 234 Our new Chiâ—iasts are Inventors of a new Heaven and of a new Hell p. 236 Twelve other reasons of the Chiliasts answered p. 237 The PREFACE WHile the fire of War continues to scorch every one of these miserable Dominions it is the duty of all compassionate Countrey-men to contribute the uttermost of their best endeavours for the extinguishing of these unhappie Flames before the remainder of all our Churches and States be burnt down to ashes Too much Oil already hath dropped from many unhallowed Pens the times now do passionately call for Waters and them the more cold and clear the better for quenching the thirst of this devouring Beast Vinegar and Gall though in the largest measures whole rivers of Blood will not allay but augment the heat of a Civil War The most hopeful Peace-makers from whose intermedling the greatest successe is to be expected are they whose vessels are filled most plentifully with tears to be poured out before the Throne of God The fire which this day prevails against us which burns up not the flesh onely but the very bones of our Kingdoms is from above it is the Lord who burns against Iacob like a flaming fire which devours round about When the scorching heat of the Sun dries up the moisture from the grasse and corn there is no remedy for the languishing fields till the vapours ascend from below and thicken in a cloud then incontinent the burning beams are intercepted the showres descend from above to refresh and renew the withered face of the parched ground The most seasonable exercise of al who love the peace of Ierusalem is to fill the air with the exhalations of their Spirits with the perfumes arising from the kindled Incense of their Prayers much of these holy vapours will hardly make up one cloud wherefore many hearts would daily be breathing up together some store of that heavenly smoke However for a time all our endeavours may seem to be quite evanished and when we have gone out to behold much ofter then seven times there may appear to our eye not so much as the smallest beginning of the least cloud yet when the period of Gods appointed season is come when the three yeers and six moneths are past over and gone there will certainly arise a cloud which however at first very small and no broader then a hand yet will quickly become so big as to fill the heavens with voices and send down to the wearied earth such plenty of rain as could be wished But to the end the waters of our Prayers may be the more acceptable in the sight of our Prince of Peace who alone dispenses at his pleasure to persons and Nations that very desirable and much longed-for blessing of quietnesse we must cleanse our hands of those crimes which have drawn down from the Throne of Justice that plague of War which so much this day doth vex and well-neer undo us If once our ways did please the Lord he would quickly make our enemies to be at peace with us If Israel did walk in his ways their enemies should soon
be subdued and the hand of God so far turned against their adversaries that they should submit themselves without further opposition But what peace can be expected so long as the Whoredom and Witchcraft the Idolatry and Oppression of Iezebel the crying Crimes of many in the Land yet unrepented for doth offend the holy eye of the great Dispenser of Peace and War A Reformation after mourning is the second step to a solid Pacification Long may we petition both God and men for peace in vain long may we article and treat for that end without any successe unlesse a reall Reformation remove from the sight of God the personal abominations the State-transgressions and the Church-impieties of our Lands The Crimes of persons are grievous but those of a State are more The corruption of a member is not so grievous as of the whole Body and the deformity of the Body Political is not so unpleasant to the eye of God as of the Church this is the Body this is the Bride of Christ nothing so much provokes the passion of a loving Husband as the polluting of his Spouse Church-grievances were the first and main causes of our present Troubles the righting of these will open the door of our first hope of deliverance Whoso will observe either the spring or progresse of our present Woes in all the three Kingdoms will finde that the open Oppression and secret Undermining of the Common-wealth by the craft and tyranny of the malignant Faction did highly provoke the wrath of God and was a great occasion of all this Dâ—scord which hath broke out among men Yet it is evident that the pâ—incipal cause which hath kindled the Jealousie of God and enflamed the spirits of men to shake off and break in pieces those Yokes of Civil Slavery which ingenuous necks were no more able to bear was the constuprating of the Church the bringing in upon her by violence and daily multiplying of Errours Superstitions Idolatries and other Spiritual Burdens The Method of our Cure if ever it prove solid must lead our Physitians to the fountain of our Disease All Treaties for accommodating State-differences will be lost if in the first place Religion be not provided for according to the minde of God If once the Temple were builded and filled with the cloud the Difficulties would be small in making up the breaches in the house of the Kingdom and filling it with Peace and Prosperity So long as the Temple lies desolate it is not possible to rear up the walls of the City It were the wisedom of our great Builders when they finde themselves over-toiled in the Fifth yeer of their Work as they desire not to have all their by-past labours vain and fruitlesse at last in good earnest to set upon the building of the Church Interests of private persons and particular Factions laid over with the colour of pretended State-reasons may procrastinate days without number setling of Religion yet if we trust either ancient or late experience these States-men provide best for the welfare of their Countrey who give to the God of heauen to his Worship and House the first and most high place in all their studies and cares If we behold either the former or the later Reformers of the State of Israel if we consider the practice of Moses of David of Hezekiah of Zerubbabel and others it is evident the Tabernacle the Ark the Temple did first and most lie at all their hearts Our Neighbours and Brethren of Scotland when this our Disease was upon them and did presse them well-neer to death and ruine by this method of Physick did in a short time regain their full health and strength in the which they had great appearence to have continued without any Recidive unlesse their pious compassion and brotherly attendance upon us in our languishing had made them partakers of these evils in our Company which they had clean escaped The lamentable neglect for so long a time of the Churches disease makes now the Cure if not desperate yet much more difficult then once it was so much the more had every good man need to bring forth the best of his wits at least of his wishes for the encouragement and assistance of our great Physitians who now blessed be God with all their care are busied above all things else about the recovery of that languishing Patient The voices of some of her more faithful servants crying aloud in the ear of all the world of their Mistris extreme danger of her approach to the doors of death this noise hath a wakened and given an Alarm to many that now they run with speed to recover the exparing breath of their dying Mother not without some disdain and â—ndâ—gnation against them by whose subtil artifices and more then ordinary industry they have been kept off all this while from so much as approaching the sick bed of the dangerously-diseased Spouse of Christ And now while so many gracious hands are about this noble Patient every one out of their rich shops bringing the choicest Medicaments they can fall upon I also out of my poor store rather from a desire to testifie affection then confidence of any skill in this Art do offer unto her as one mean of help a Looking-glasse wherein if she will be pleased but to behold the Symptomes of her Disease by this inspection alone and clear sight of her face in this Glasse without any further trouble whether of Potions within or Applications without I am hopeful through the blessing of the great Master of all lawful Arts she shall be able to shake off the principal of those evils which now do most afflict her That by the eye alone very noisome Diseases may be conveyed to the body it is the ancient credulity of some However dayly experience puts it out of all doubt that thorow the glasse of the eye the soul may be infected with the desperate Diseases of most pestilent passions But that which here is offered is much more rare and singular by looking in a Glasse to cure the worst Diseases and to remove from the soul the most dangerous passions by meer contemplation To leave Metaphors my meaning is that the greatest hazard of our Church this day comes from the evil of Errour This if the Apostle Paul may be trusted doth eat up the soul no lesse then a Gangrene the body This if we will believe the Apostle Peter is a pernicious and damnable evil which brings on sudden destruction It is a sin before God no lesse abominable then those which brought fire on Sodom the flood on the first world the chains of darknesse upon the evil Angels At this instant when the evil of Errour hath spred it self over the whole Body of this distracted Church it seems it may prove a remedy not unprofitable to draw together the chief heads of those errours which now are flying abroad their faces being cleerly
if so it fall out that his insuperable obstinacy â—orce them to draw out the terrible Sword their proceeding here also is so exceeding leasurely and full of sensible grief and love to the party of fear and Religion towards God that it is a singular raâ—â—ty among them to see any heart so hard as not to be mollified and yeeld before that stroke be given Excommunications are so strange in all the Reformed Churches that in a whole Province a man in all his life will scarceâ—e witnesse to one and among them who are cut off by that dreadful Sword very few do fall in the States hand to be troubled with any civil inconvenience By this kinde of Government other Reformed Churches with ease have kept themselves pure and clean of all our Heresies and Schisms not onely Scotland Switzerland and divers parts of Germany but France it self which to this day was never blessed with any assistance from the secular Arm by this spiritual and divine adminicle alone have kept themselves safe from the irruption of all erroneous Spirits I confesse that Holland hath been a cage to these unclean birds but the reason is evident the civil State there walking in the corrupt principles of carnal Policy which cannot be blessed with final successe doth imped the exercise of Church-Discipline in its most principal parts these last fourty yeers that Land hath not been permitted to enjoy more General Assemblies then one and how great Service that one did towards the purging of the much corrupted Church and calming the greatly disturbed State all their Friends in Europe did see and congratulate while their foes did grieve and envy it It is not prophecy but a rational prediction bottomed upon reasons and multiplied experience Let England once be countenanced by her superior powers to enjoy the just and necessary Liberty of Consistories for Congregations of Presbyteries for Counties of Synods for larger Shires and National Assemblies for the whole Land as Scotland hath long possessed these by the unanimous consent of King and Parliament without the least prejudice to the civil State but to the evident and confessed benefit thereof or as the very Protestants in France by the concession of a Popish State and King have enjoyed all these four spiritual Courts the last fourscore yeers and above Put these holy and divine Instruments in the hand of the Church of England by the blessing of God thereupon the sore and great evil of so many Heresies and Schisms shall quicly be cured which now not onely troubles the Peace and welfare but hazards the very subsistance both of Church and Kingdom without this mean the State will toile it self in vain about the cure of such spiritual diseases CHAP. I. The Original and Progresse of the BROWNISTS THe greatest without comparison and most admirable work which the hand of God hath brought to passe upon earth in these later Ages is the Reformation of Religion from Antichristian pollution and tyranny No other could have been expected from the Prince of Darknesse but extreme opposition to this so high a prejudice to his Kingdom Incredible is the help which this unclean spirit hath made to Antichrist his chief servant for the upholding of his tottering Throne How many Princes and States hath he stirred up to persecute with Fire and Sword to the cruellest deaths the innocent Witnesses of the Truth How many learned Divines hath he bewitched with his Enchantments to spend their spirits and time in maintaining by Word and Writings the grossest abominations of that Romish Idol But the chief Artifice whereby this crafty Serpent hath most impeded the progresse of the Gospel and kept the Triple-Crown upon the Popes head is his powerful working in the midst of the Children of Light So cunningly hath he insinuated himself into the counsels and actions not onely of the Children of this World but of the Sons of Sion themselves that by their hands more then any other he hath laid in the way of Christs running Chariot scandals insuperable impediments irremovable by any humane might till the Lord from heaven put them out of the way The Light of the Gospel broke out so clear the heat of Zeal the truely heroick and more then humane wisdom and courage of the first Reformers were so irresistable that all the power of Papal Princes and all the learning of their Clergie were not sufficient obstacles unto the Torrent of their spirit all these humane Bulwarks were overflowed with the Flood of the Gifts of Gods Spirit in his Servants The whole Kingdoms of England and Scotland Denmark and Sweden Ireland and Navar were subdued to the Scepter of Christ much of France and Pole the most of Germany both above and below the most of Hungary and Switze were pulled out of the Popes mouth Italy and Spain were entred and fair beginnings of a gracious day did appear to both But behold in the midst of our Conquests and Triumphs while all our enemies without were upon the point of fainting and despair the Dragon and his angels got entresse in the heads of our friends and by their hands drew us back from the pursuing of our foes who were ready to have given over and submitted but remarking our unexpected halt and turning from them one upon another they got a time to breathe and to gather such strength that ever since they have been the pursuers and as long ago they have regained much of their losse so doubtlesse had it not been for the invincible strength of our Captain before this day they had totally ruined us To passe a number of stratagems whereby Satan hath diverted Protestants from carrying on their work against the Popish party I touch but upon two a double erroneous Principle whereby he hath infatuated many a thousand of men otherwise not irrational nor ungracious and brought divers whole Churches to such perplexities and confusions that they lie to this day entangled unable to disengage themselves of those snares and fetters that as all piety and reason do command they may joyn cordially their whole strength with their Brethren against the common enemy In our flight from Rome he got some perswaded to stand too soon before they had past the Territories of the Whore and the Line of her Communication Others he wrought to the contrary perswasion he made them run on too long not onely to the utmost Line of Errour but also far beyond all the bounds both of Charity and Truth Hence our greatest Woes all our Discords and mutual Wounds have sprung from these two Fountains This is the true original of our diversion from following the enemy to attend the worst of Wars our Civil and Domestike Combats By a very evil advice Luther and his followers stuck at the later parts of Reformation they could not down with the whole Body and in this their sensible infirmity they became utterly impatient of all contradiction That Calvin and his Brethren should
That God is not onely the Author of sin KK but also of the sinfulnesse the very Formality the Anomy the Ataxy the Pravity of sin LL A doctrine which all Protestants ever did abhor as high Blasphemy and which the Assembly of Divines with both the Houses of Parliament did condemn as such appointing Master Archers Book for that worst Heresie of the Libertines and grossest Blasphemy of the Antinomians to be solemnly burnt by the hand of the Hangman MM There was also another sparkle of new Light brake up in that Church wherein one of their Doctors doth so much delight to this day That not being content to have holden it out in Holland he is said to have Preached it over and over in the most solemn Assemblies both of Scotland and England That it is a duty incumbent to all who would be perfit to know God as God without Christ without the Scripture in notions abstracted not onely from all Grace but from all Scripture and from Christ NN I dare not affix unto this the late Doctrine of some Seraphick Jesuites and Monks wherein they have extravagated in their Lent Sermons so many absurd and Heretical senses as some very learned and good men have done in Print without any answer OO yet I must professe if it be a truth it is a very metaphysical one and much transcending my shallow understanding In that Church also the Doctrine of extreme Unction was so far brought back That they began to annoint their sick with oyl PP taking it as an Ordinance of Christ and a kinde of a Sacrament for the people at least a holy Ceremony no lesse of divine Institution then Ordination and imposition of hands were for Officers QQ Also they set on Foot another Religious ceremony in their Congregation the holy Apostolick kisse RR And as if all these innovations had not been sufficient they begun to put down all singing of Psalms and to set up in their place Their singing Prophets making one man alone to sing in the midst of the silent Congregation the hymns which he out of his own gift had composed SS 1 And this as I am informed by some who have been present is now the settled practice of the remainder of the Church of Arnhem Master Edwards layes to their charge not onely that their principles lead to that horrible Errour which 〈◊〉 of their followers maintain The mortality of the sou◠〈◊〉 but also that their cheif Doctors had Preached both is 〈◊〉 and England without the rebuke of any of their fr◠〈…〉 of the Saints go not after death to the Heavens SS◠〈…〉 same place the Pastor of Arnhem without the reproof o◠any of his party to this day so far as ever I heard doth take away and deny that Heaven and that Hell which all Christians before him did ever beleeve and in the place thereof gives us new Heavens and new Hells of his own invention He tells us confidently That no soul before Christs Ascension did ever enter into that place which we commonly call Heaven neither ever shall enter there if you except Christ alone unto the last day That all the souls of the godly remain in a place of the higher Region of the Air or at highest in the Element of the Fire That Enoch and Elias that the soul of Christ before the Resurrection and the soul of the good Theif went no higher SS 4. He tells us That the place of the damned before the last judgement is not any infernal fire but some prison in the low Region of the Air or at lowest in some place of the Sea After the day of judgement he makes Hell a very large place the whole Elements the Heavens of the Planets and of the fixed Stars yea the whole Heavens except that wherein God and the Angels do dwell being all turned to their first matter to him is Hell With such fine new speculations do the Independent Pastors feed their Flocks SS 5 I have heard also one of their Doctors deliver it as his opinion That it was expedient for the Minister in Preaching to have his head covered and the people in time of Preaching to sit uncovered But in the holy Communion that it was expedient the Minister should celebrate that Sacrament uncovered unto the people covered I do not deny my suspition of the Spirit of these men who are not affraid in so short a time to vent such a multitude of strange novelties But the clearest memento which God hath given us to beware of the wayes of that Church is Their bitter and shameful contentions among themselves which if not stopped by the Churches dissolution might long before this day have produced as foul effects as any of the former A part of this story and but a part of it you may read in that unanswerable Book of Master Edwards where at length you will see how their new fancies brought them to so bitter publike contention and irreconcileable strife as made their people confesse their doubting of the truth of their way TT and their principal Doctor Master Goodwin to avow his inclination to desert their society and leave their Church VV The Testimonies A Anatomy of Independency pag. 24. That Independent Church at Roterdam was formerly under Presbyterial Government and conformable to the Dutch Churches and had onely begun to decline in Master Peters his time B Antap. p. 17. Master Bridge and Master Burrows were men judged conformable till the yeer of Bishop Wrens visitation and the sending down of his Injunctions to Norwich C Ibid. Master Bridge fell suddenly into the Church-way as the short space between his Suspension at Norwich and his being received into a Church at Roterdam and thereupon his first Letter to some of his old friends in Norwich will fully shew D Anatom pag. 23. They all renounced their Ordination in England and ordained one another in Holland first Master Bridges ordained Master Ward and then immediately Master Ward ordained Master Bridges E Antap. pag. 142. Master Simpson after some time of beholding the order and way of the Church at Roterdam desired to be admitted a Member and was upon his Confession received in F Ibid. Master Simpson stood for the Ordinance of prophecying and that the people on the Lords day should have liberty after the Sermon to put doubts and questions to the Ministers Mr. Bridge opposed Yet he yeelded so far that the Church should meet on a week day and then they should have that liberty but this would not satisfie Master Simpson whereupon the difference increased and Master Simpson would abide no longer but quitted that Church and with the help of a woman whom Master Bridge called the Foundresse of Master Simpsons Church set up a Church against a Church G Mistresse Bridge laid these bitter differences and reports so to heart that they were a great means of her death H Ibid. Whether Master Bridges weaknesse and distempers were not occasioned by the divisions
Body But every single Congregation is the Kingdome of God c. Answ Passing by the Minor The Major is false and Anabaptisticke for by the same reason the Anabaptists exempt from all authority both Ecclesiasticke and Civill not onely every Congregation but every single person who are the members of Christ and his Spouse and in whom the Kingdome of God doth dwell The high and excellent stiles of honour which the Scripture gives not onely to whole Churches but to every particular Saint exempts neither the one nor the other because of their immediate subjection to God and Christ from the bonds and yoake of any authority either Ecclesiasticke or Civill which the Lord hath appointed in holy Scripture Christs internall government of soules by his Spirit albeit never so immediate taketh not away the externall administration of men either in the Church or Common wealth Who please to see much more upon this Question let them consult with Mr. Rutherfoord his Peaceable Plea with Appolonius and Spanheim with the Author of Vindiciae Clavium especially with the Divines of the Assembly their Answers to the Reasons of the dissenting brethren of purpose I have abstained from making use of any of these Writings at this time waiting for the Independents last Reply for their Reasons and the Modell of their positive Doctrin which they have made the world to waite for too too long a time CHAP. XI The thousand yeares of Christ his visible Raigne upon earth is against Scripture AMong all the Sparckles of new light wherewith our Brethren doe intertaine their owne and the peoples fancie there is none more pleasant then that of the thousand yeares a conceit of the most Ancient and grosse Hereticke Cerinthus a little purged by Papias and by him transmitted to some of the Greeke and Latine Fathers but quickly declared both by the Greek and Latine Church to be a great error if not an heresie Since the dayes of Augustine unto our time it went under no other notion and was imbraced by no Christian we heare of till some of the Anabaptists did draw it out of its grave for a long time after its resurrection it was by all Protestants contemned onely Alstedius after his long abode in Transilvania began in his last times to fall into likeing with some parts thereof pretending some passages of Piscator for his incouragement Alstedius Heterodox Writings were not long abroad when Mr. Meade at Cambridge was gained to follow him yet both these Divines were farre from dreaming of any personall raigne of Christ upon earth onely Mr. Archer and his Colleague T. G. at Arnheim were bold to set up the whole Fabricke of Chiliasme which Mr. Burrowes in his London Lectures upon Hosea doth presse as a necessary and most comfortabe ground of Christian Religion to be infused into the hearts of all children by the care of every parent at the Catechising of their family Our Brethrens mind in this point as I conceive they have Printed is this That in the yeare 1650. or at furthest 1695. Christ in his humane nature and present glory is to come from heaven unto Jerusalem where he was crucified at that time the heaven and earth and all the workes therein are to be burnt and purged by that fire of conflagration mentioned by Peter 2 Epist Chap. 3. At the same time all the Martys and many of the Saints both of the Old and New Testament are to rise in their bodies The Jewes from all the places where now they are scattered shall returne to Canaan and build Jerusalem in that City Christ is to raigne for a full thousand yeares from thence he is to goe out in person to subdue with great bloodshed by his owne hand all the disobedient Nations when all are conquered except some few lurking in corners then the Church of Jewes and Gentiles shall live without any disturbance from any enemy either without or within all Christians then shall live without sinne without the Word and Sacraments or any Ordinance they shall passe these thousand yeares in great worldly delights begetting many children eating and drinking and injoying all the lawfull pleasures which all the creatures then redeemed from their ancient slavery can afford In this Earthly happinesse shall the Church continue till the end of the thousand yeares when the relicks of the Turkish and Heathenish Nations shall besiege the new Jerusalem and Christ with fire from heaven shall destroy them afterwards followeth the second resurrection of all the dead good and bad for the last judgement Thus farre the Independent Preach and Print further Cerinthus himselfe went not if you will except the Polygamy and sacrifices of the old Israelits What truth may be in these things let the arguments which are usually brought either pro or contra declare Against the mentioned Tenet I reason first He that remaines in the heaven unto the last Judgement comes not downe to the earth a thousand yeare before the last Judgement But Christ remaines in the heaven unto the last Judgement Ergo. The Maior is unquestionable the Minor is proved from the Article of our Creede From that place he shall come to judge the quicke and the dead importing that Christ from the time of his ascention doth abide in the heaven at the right hand of the Father and commeth not downe from that place to the earth till he descend in the last day to judge the quicke and the dead I know they are not moved with the authority of any humane Creed yet they would doe well to speake out their minde of this Article as they doe of some others Surely to say that Christ shall come from heaven in his humane nature to abide a thousand yeares on the earth and then to returne againe to the heaven that he may discend the third time from the heaven in the last day to judge the quicke and the dead is so evident a perverting of that Article that Mr. Mead their great Doctor and leader in this Tenet to eschew it falleth into a very strange and singular conceit wherein I doubt whether any of the Independents will be pleased to follow him with all other Orthodox Divines he makes but two commings of Christ from the heaven to the earth the first at the Incarnation the second at the day of Judgement but this day of Judgement he extends to a round thousand yeares and this day to him is the onely time of the Millenary raigne We neede not refute this fancie for the best arguments which are brought for it are some testimonies from the Talmudicke Rabbins and these as I conceive understood against the true sence of the Authors The streame of Scripture and Reason runne more against this conceit then any other part of Chiliasme as the most of the Chiliasts themselves will confesse However what I brought from the Apostolick Creed of Christ his aboade in the heaven till the last day I prove it from Scripture Acts. 3 21. Whom
who from this place reason against the common Tenet doe differ all of them among themselves in sundry materiall conclusions the old Chiliasts from the late and the late one from another Alstedius Mead Archer Goodwin Burrowes Matton every one of them have their proper conceits wherein they differ from the rest as will be found by any who compare their Writings Thirdly In all this Chapter there is not one syllable to prove Christs being upon the earth but that one word of the Saints reigning with Christ Suppose the Text had expressed that they who did reigne with Christ had beene upon earth themselves this would not prove that Christ because they are said to raigne with him was upon earth with them for Rom. 8.17 If children then joynt-heires with Christ if so beâ— that we suffer with him that we may be also glorified together There is here in one verse three paralell phrases with that in hand Heires with Christ Suffering with Christ Glorified with Christ and a fourth Ephes 1.3 Who hath blessed us with all Spirituall blessings in heavenly places in Christ Will it hence follow that Christs humane nature was then upon earth with them who suffered with him were heires with him were blessed in him in heavenly places with all spirituall graces and were to be glorified with him if none of these foure phrases imply a personall presence of Christ upon earth with men much lesse will the place controverted doe it for they speak expresly of men living upon the earth but it speakes as expresly of the soules of men that were in the heaven the same that are mentioned Revel 6.9 I saw under the Altar the soules of them that were slaine for the Word of God This place then is so farre from proving Christs personall presence upon earth that it imports the contrary both because they that are said to reigne with him were not upon the earth but under the Altar in heaven and also because in vers 11. Christs Throne whereupon he judges the quicke and the dead is mentioned after the raigne of these thousand yeares Now we have proved from many Scriptures that Christ remaines in the heavens till he come downe in the last day to sit upon that Throne Fourthly We deny that there is any thing in this place which imports a bodily resurrection They can produce no scripture where the first resurrection is ever applyed to the body there be sundry places to prove a spirituall resurrection of the soule from the death and grave of sinne of errors and corruptions before the last resurrection of the body Coll. 2.12 You are risen with him through fayth also 3.1 If then ye be risen with Christ c. But a first resurrection of the body no scripture intimates for so there should be not onely a first and second but a third resurrection as they tell us of a first second and third comming of Christ to the earth Further the resurrection here spoken of is attributed to the Soules of them that were beheaded these are not capable of a bodily resurrection in propriety of speech and if to these soules men at their owne pleasure without any warrant from scripture will ascribe a body they fall into a great inconvenience for their love to this imagined first resurrection of the body they overthrow both the heaven and the hell which hitherto have beene beleeved and make no scruple to create a new heaven and a new hell of their owne invention to the dangerous scandall of all Christians Master Archer seeing well the absurdity to bring a soule from heaven backe again to an earthly condition tells us plainely That no soule at all went ever to that which we call heaven That the Soule of Christ at his death and of the good theife went onely to an Elementary Paradise a place below the Moone in the region of the ayre or at highest in the Element of the fire That Enoch and Elias are gone no higher That no soule of any of the Saints goes to the third heavens where Christ is unto the last day As for hell he tells us that all Christians but the Independent his followers have beene in an error about it he teaches that the hell whether the wicked now goes is not that fire prepared for the Divell and his Angells whether at the last Judgement they shall be sent but onely a place of prison in the Low region of the aire or in some part of the Sea where the soules of the wicked are kept till the day of Judgement but at the day of Judgement he tells us of a second hell very large and farre higher then the present heaven of the Saints the whole body of the foure Elements all the heavens of the Planets and fixed Starres and what ever else is below the third heavens the habitation of God he turnes it all into the first Chaos and makes all that confused body without any distinction to be hell In all this the man is so confident as if there were nothing in these strange novelties to be called in question Fifthly We deny that in this place there is one syllable for any earthly Kingdome They shall reigne with Christ therefore they shall reigne with him upon earth this is an addition to the Text. For suppose the words did import a reigning upon earth yet this would not inferre an earthly reigne for the Kingdome of Christ is spirituall like his Preisthood and these two are here conjoyned ver 6. They shall be Preists of God and of Christ and shall reigne with him Christians on earth are Preists but not to offer bodily sacrifice and while they are upon earth they are Kings but not to rule mens outward estates for if so then there should be all these thousand yeares many more Kings then Subjects Master Archer tells us confidently without any scruple that not the Martyres alone and some few priviledged Saints as his Colleague T. G. would have it but that all the godly without any exception shall rise and be Kings to rule and judge the Saints who shall be borne in the thousand yeares Suppose it should be no disparagement for all these who then shall be borne to be excluded while they live from all places of authority and power yet would it not be some piece of disorder to have more Kings to command then Subjects to obey for I suppose that the godly of all by-gone ages arising together will be many more then the Saints in any one age of these thousand yeares Sixthly we deny that a thousand yeares in any propriety of speech can be applyed to Christs Personall reigne for if we speak of his reigne either in his nature or Person it is eternall and not to be measured by any yeares or time and if we speake of his regall office as Mediatour it must be much longer then a thousand yeares for although we should cut off from his Monarchy all the yeares that are past since his birth
the Father gave to the Son at his Incarnation Luke 1.32 33. The Lord shall give unto him the throne of his Father David and he shall raigne over the House of Iacob for ever This Kingdome for the matter of it is truely everlasting being the glory which Christ and his Saints injoy for ever in the heavens albeit for the manner of the administration thereof it be rendred up by the Sonne to the Father when the worke of mediation is perfected and all enemies are fully destroyed To deny the beginning of Christs Kingdome over his Church unto the thousand yeares is many wayes absurd And because of the eternall indurance of his dominion and glory in the heavens to make the Church on earth in which he raignes to be voide of all tribulation of all changes to have a perpetuall day without any darkenesse is contrary to the Scriptures alleadged in the former arguments In the eleventh place he alledgeth Revel 19.13 And he was cloathed with a vesture dipped in blood And Ezek. 21 28. And there shall be no more a pricking brier unto the house of Israel nor any grieving them of all that are round about them Whence they inferre That in the beginning of the thousand yeares Christ with his owne hands shall kill so many of the wicked that his garments shall be dipped in blood and not one of them left to trouble the Church Answer It is a very strange conception to make the Lord Jesus embrue his holy hands in the blood of so many men That these battells are not fought with the hands of Christ in a literall way will appeare by a paralell place Isay 63.1 Who is this that commeth from Edom with died garments from Bozra Unto Christ here are ascribed garments died in blood because of the slaughter of the Edomites a little after the Babylonish captivity at which time Christ had neither a body nor a garment in propriety of speech As these battells were fought by Christ not in his owne person nor upon the earth so neither these battells of the Revel-which so much the lesse can be literally expounded as in the 14 and 15 verses of that 19 Chapter the instrument whereby Christ is said to fight these battells is not any Sword in his hand but the two-edged Sword of his mouth and the Souldiers whom he leads out to these battells are not armed with Sword and Speare but ride upon white Horses cloathed in fine linnen white and cleane As for that of Ezechiel if you consult either with the originall or the best Interpreters it must be expounded first and principally if not solely of the Towne of Sidon which the Lord was to destroy that it might no more be a thorne in the side of Israel From this to inferre the purging of the Christian Church of all other enemies in this life and that by killing of them all as cursed Canaanites were a dangerous conclusion farre from the justice and innocence of Christians in all by-gone times the beleefe whereof would quickly renew unto us the horrible tragedies of the Anabaptists In the twelfth place he cites Rev. 21.23 24. And the City had no need of the Sun neither of the Moone to shine in it and the Kings of the earth doe bring their glory and honour unto it also chap. 22. ver 1 2 3. and he shewed me a pure river of the water of life c. Ans The Divines who apply these two chapters to the condition of the Church upon earth after the calling of the Jewes take the most of the passages in a figurative and allegoricall sence To expound them literally and properly of any Church on earth the Text will not permit Shall ever the Church on earth be so free of sorrow and death as not to sorrow for sinne or to have none of its members mortall Shall they so immediately see the face of God as the use of Temples Tabernacles or any ordinance shall be needelesse shall ever man upon earth be without the Sunne and the Moone These things are true in a proper sence onely of the Saints of heaven What is here alleadged to the contrary That the Kings of the earth bring not their riches and honours to the Heavens we say it is but a part of the Allegorie to expresse under that similitude the glory wealth of the life to come as in the same place the Spirit of God expresses the happinesse of heaven by the Metaphors of gold and pretious stones of rivers and fountaines of trees and fruits To expound all these in a literall sence of any Church either in earth or heaven were incommodious except our Brethren would put us upon more fancies then any of them yet have spoke of In the last place they cite for the gifts of the Saints Zach. 12.8 He that is feeble among them in that day shall be like David and the house of David shall be as God and for the honour of the Saints that in the thousand yeares they shall be taken into private familiarity by Princes and great men Rev. 11.12 And they heard a great voyce from heaven saying unto them come up hither and they ascended up to heaven in a cloud and their enemies beheld them Ans The gifts meant by Zachary are such as are powred upon all the Saints of the New Testament with the spirit of grace and supplication which makes the least of the Kingdome of Heaven to be like unto David to Elijah and greater then John the Baptist as Christ speakes But what is this unto the imaginary glory of the Chiliasticke Kingdome The honour they speake of cannot be fetched out of that eleventh of the Revel For who but themselves will expound heaven in that place of the Thrones of Kings of the Privie Chambers of Princes and great men The calling up of the two witnesses to heaven by none else but them will be taken for the Saints familiarity with great States-men And according to their own Tenets in the Chiliasticke Kingdome there is no such degrees of honour as in this world For there Christ in his owne Person is King and all the Saints doe shine at least as the firmament and the glory of these Saints is greatest whose grace is most eminent Familiarity with Princes and worldly States-men is then for no purpose Beside the ascention of the two witnesses to the heavens is before the fall of the tenth part of Rome and so before the thousand yeares beginne There be yet some more places cited by Master Burrowes and others for their Tenet but these which we have answered are the principall and if they be cleared there is no difficulty in the rest Besides Scriptures Master Burrowes takes from the Glimpse of T. G. sundry testimonies of antiquity all which T. G. does borrow from Alstedius To the which I answer That no Protestants build their fayth upon humane testimonies and no men in the world make so small account of
to a beleever Ans not so but as to an Apostle and Elder of the Church 2. Till the Church replies that the people have power of Excommunication Anser The Church here to be told is the Presbytery and not the people according to our Brethrens own grounds 3. The people of Corinth did Judge and Excommunicate the incestuous man Answer Tbe Text will prove no such matter 4. The people of Colosse might censure Archippus their Minister Answer there is no Word in this Text of the peoples censure 5. The whole Church of Pergamus is rebuked for not censuring the Hereticks Answer The power of Censure was in the Angells but the whole Church might be faulty in not incouraging the Angels to doe their duty 6. The twenty foure Elders sit on Thrones with Crownes on their heads Answer This will not prove a regall power of judging in every one of the people 7. The Galatians must stand fast to their Liberty Anser By Liberty hereinothing lesse is understood then a power of presence and concurrence in judgement without all power of Authority 8. The whole Congregation of Israel had power to punish malefactors Answer What the people under the Law did in the State is not a warrant for the people under the Gospell to doe the same in the Church 9. The people elects their Officers Ergo. they may depose and Excommunicate them Answer Election is no act of power or of Jurisdiction 10. The people must be present and consent to every act of Judgement Answer It is not so and if it were yet it inferres not their power of Jurisdiction God is the Author of the union and dependencie of particular Churches From them Morellius and Grotius learned the Tenet Laying aside all prejudice we will reason the matter The state of the Question cleared That single Congregations are not Independent is proved first from the 1 Tim 4.14 because they have not the right of Ordination Ordination belongs to the Presbytery No Congregation is a Presbytery No Congretion hath within it selfe necessarily a Presbytery No single Congregation ought to have within it selfe Pauls Presbytery Onely Pastors lay hands on Pastors The second Argument from the Apostolicke Churches which exercised full jurisdiction the chiefe whereof if not all were Presbyteriall and not Parochiall Such was the Church at Jerusalem How the Church commeth together The Church of Samaria also was Presbyteriall So that of Rome And of Corinth And of Ephesus Also of Antioch and the rest Our third argument from the subordination of the Church of Antioch to the Synod at Jerusalem Act. 15. Answer to the Replies The meeting of Jerusalem was a true Synod It doth not onely advise but command The Decrees of that Synod at their first making had onely Ecclesiastick authority Our fourth argument from the subordination of fewer to moe appointed by Christ Matth. 18. Christs subordination is to be extended to the utmost bounds of the Church universall Our fifth argument from the evill consequents which reason and experience demonstrate to follow Independency necessarily and naturally Neither the duties of charity nor the authority of the Magistrate can remedy these evills Our last Argument Independency is contrary to all the discipline that ever was knowne in Christendome before the Anabapâ—ists The first Objection or Argument for Independency from Matth. 18. The second Objection is taken from the practise of the Corinthians excommunicating the incestuous man The third Objection from the example of the seven Churches of Asia Their fourth Objection from the practise of the Church of Thessalonica and Colosse Their fifth objection from the Episcopall tyranny of the Presbyterie Their sixt Objection from the Congregations right to elect their Pastor Their seventh Objection from pluralitie of cures cast upon one Pastor Their eight Objection from Christs immediate government of his Church The Originall and progresse of Chiliasme The minde of the Independent Chiliasts Our first reason against the Chiliasts is that Christ from his ascention to the last judgement abides in the heaven Our second reason is builded on Christs sitting at the right hand of God till the day of judgement Our third reason is grounded on the resurrection of the dead the godly and ungodly doe all rise together at the last day Our fourth reason is builded on Christs Kingdome which is Spirituall and not earthly Our fift reason is taken from the nature of the Church Which ever on earth is mixt of good and evill And subject to crosses Having neede of Ordinances Because of her sinfull infirmities A Sixt reason from the secresie of the time of Christs comming A Seventh from the heavenly and eternall reward of the Martyrs An eight reason the restoration of an earthly Jerusalem brings backe the abolisht figures of the Lgw. A ninth Antichrist is not abolisht till the day of Judgement The Chiliasts first reason is from Reâ—â—l 20.4 Answer Our new Chiliasts are inventors of a new heaven and of a new hâ—ll Their second reason from Daniel 12. We Answer Their third argument Answer Their fourth place Answer Their fifth place Answer Their sixth place Answer Their seventh place Answer Their eight place Answer The ninth place Answer Their tenth place Answer Their eleventh place Answer The twelfth place Answer Their last place Answer
till the last day when Christ renders up his Oeconomicke Kingdome having destroyed all his enemies especially death fully perfected the work of his mediation This Resurrection is after the sound of the last Trumpet when all the godly rise and are changed and put on incorruption and immortallity when death is swallowed up into victory and the godly inherit the Kingdome of God these things are done at the last day not a thousand yeares before it as John 6. Christ avoweth thrice in the end ver 39.40.44 I will raise him up at the last day At that time the judgement is universall both of the godly and wicked and the execution of both their sentences is immediately by the present glorification of the one and the destruction of the other as we have it Math. 25.31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory before him shall be gathered all Nations and he shall separate them one from another as a shepheard divideth his sheepe from the Goats Fourthly we reason from the nature of Christs Kingdome The conceit of the thousand yeares makes Christs Kingdome to be earthly and most observeable for all worldly glory but the Scripture makes it to be Spirituall without all wordly pompe neither doth the Word of God make the Kingdome of the Mediator of two kindes and of a different nature but one uniforme from the beginning to the end Luke 1.32 The Lord shall give him the throne of his Father David and he shall raigne over the house of Jacob for ever 1 Cor. 15.25 He must raigne till he have put all things under his feete here there is but one Kingdome and one way of ruling a Kingdome meerely Spirituall and nowise worldly Luke 17.20 The Kingdome of God commeth not with observation neither shall they say loe here or loe there but the Kingdome of God is within you John 18.36 My Kingdome is not of this world if my Kingdome were of this world then would my servants fight but now is my Kingdome not from hence Rom. 14 17. The Kingdome of God is not meate and drinke but righteousnesse peace and joy of the holy Ghost Ephes 1.20 He raised him from the dead and set him at his right hand in heavenly places and hath put all things under his feete and gave him to be head over all to the Church The Millenaries make his Kingdome to appeare in Armies and Battells in feasts and pleasures in worldly pompe and power and will not have his Kingdome to stand in any of that spirituall power which since his ascention he hath executed on principalities and powers or shall performe upon the soules of men till these thousand yeares of worldly power and earthly glory visible to the eyes of men shall begin We take our fifth argument from the nature of the Church Scripture makes the Church of God so long as it is upon the earth to be a mixed multitude of Elect and Reprobate good and bad a company of people under the crosse and subject to various temptations a company that hath neede of the Word and Sacraments of Prayer and Ordinances that hath Christ a High Priest within the vaile of heaven interceding for them But the Doctrine in hand changes the nature of the Church and makes it for a thousand yeares together to consist onely of good and gracious persons without all trouble without all Ordinances without any neede of Christs intercession For the first That Scripture makes the Church alwayes to be a mixed company See Matth. 13.40 As the tares are gathered and burnt in the fire so shall it be in the end of the world The Sonne of man shall send forth his Angels and they shall gather out of his Kingdome all things that offend and that doe iniquity and vers 49. So shall it be in the end of the world the Angels shall come forth and sever the wicked from among the just Also Chap. 24.11 Many false Prophets shall arise and deceive many because iniquity shall abound the love of many shall waxe cold Luke 18.8 When the Sonne of man commeth shall he finde faith upon the earth These places declare the mixture of the wicked with the godly in the Church to the worlds end and most about the end As for Crosses See Psal 34.20 Many are the afflictions of the righteous Mat 5 4. Blessed are they that mourne and that are persecuted for righteousnesse Acts 14.23 By many tribulations we must enter into the Kingdome of heaven Rom. 8.17 If so we suffer with him that we may be glorified together 2 Tim. 3.12 All that will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution Heb. 12.6 Whom the Lord loves he correcteth and he scourgeth every child that he receives Many such places shew the condition of the Church in this life that she is ever subject to tribulation Concerning Ordinances that they must continue to the last day See Ephes 4.11 He gave some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the worke of the Ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ till we all come to a perfect man And for the continuance of the Sacraments 1 Cor. 11.26 As often as you eate this bread and drinke this cup yee doe shew the Lords death till hee come That in the most godly while they live on earth sinne doth remaine and that alwayes we have neede of Christs intercession in the heaven with the Father it is cleare from 1 John 1.8 If wee say we have no sinne the truth of God is not in us And Chap. 2. ver 1. But if any man sinne we have an Advocate with the Father Heb. 9.24 Christ is entred into the heaven it selfe now to appeare in the presence of God for us Thus the Scripture describes the condition of the Church on earth but the Doctrine in hand alters much the nature of it for a great part of its time here for of the 2650 yeares which they give to the Church from the comming of Christ to the last judgement they make her to consist for a whole thousand yeares only of godly persons without the mixture of any one wicked and all the millions who are borne in the Church in that large time they are free from their birth to their death of all crosses of all sorrowes of all temptations and as it seemes of all sinne also for that is the time of the restitution of all things when old things are past and all things become new They make them to have neede neither of Word nor Sacraments or any Church-Ordinance neither of Christs Intercession in the heavens with the Father for they have him among them in the earth and they are freed from all sinne and all misery A sixth Argument Scripture makes the time of Christs second comming to be secret and hid not onely to men but to the very Angels and to Christ himselfe as he is man Marke 13.32 But of that day and that
houre knoweth no man no not the Angels which are in heaven neither the Sonne but the Father But this Doctrine makes that day open and tells the time of it punctually for they make the thousand yeares to begin with the 1650 yeare or else with the 1695. and the day of Judgement to be at the end of the thousand yeares so if their count doe hold every child in the Church might tell us that Christ will come to Judgement in the beginning of the 2651 yeare or at farthest in the beginning of the 2696. A seventh Argument The reward of the Martyrs is eternall life in the heavens promised to them at Christs comming to judge the just and the unjust Ergo It is not temporall in an earthly Kingdome of a thousand yeares The Antecedent is proved from Matth. 5.10 Blessed are they that are persecuted for righteousnesse for theirs is the Kingdome of heaven 2 Tim 4.6 I am now ready to be offered and the time of my departure is neare I have fought a good fight I have finished my course henceforth is laid up for me a crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give at that day c. The reward that Paul expects after his Martyrdome is the Crowne which Christ at the last day gives to all that waite for his comming at that time when he takes ven-geance on the wicked as we have it 2 Thes 1.6 7 8 9.10 where the rest and retribution of the Martyrs of Paul himselfe and those who at that time were troubled for the Gospell is said to be at Christs coming to take vengeance in flaming fire on all the wicked and to be glorified in all the Saints and admired in all them that beleeve which without all doubt is not before the last Judgement and if it were otherwise the Martyres would be at a losse for instead of a reward a punishment should be put upon them their condition should be made worse then that of the common Saints who during the time of the thousand yeares remaine in the heavens among the Angels beholding and injoying the Trinity while the soules of the Martyrs are brought downe to the earth and returne to a body not like to the glorious body of Christ nor unto these incorruptible immortall Spirituall bodies which yet are promised to the least of the faithfull at their resurrection 1 Cor. 15. but unto such a body that eates drinkes sleepes fights delights in fleshly pleasures and converses with beasts and earthly creatures in such a Paradise whereof the Turkish Alcorane and the Jewish Talmud doth speake much but to a godly soule is very tasteles and to a soule that hath beene in heaven or to one that injoyes the presence of Christ is exceeding burthensome and bitter An eight reason The opinion of the Millenaries supposeth the restauration of Jerusalem and of the Jewish Kingdome after their destruction by the Romans But Scripture denies this Ezek. 16.53 55. When I shall bring againe the captivity of Sodome and her daughters and the captivity of Samaria and her daughters then will I bring againe the captivity of thy daughters in the midst of them When thy Sister Sodome and her daughters shall returne to their former estates and Samaria and her daughters shall returne to their former estate then thou and thy daughters shall returne to your former estate The Jewes are never to be restored to their ancient outward estate much lesse to a greater and more glorious Kingdome Ierusalem was to be rebuilded and the spirituall glory of the second Temple was to be greater then the first and in the end of this same chapter the restitution of the Iewes after the Babylonish captivity by the vertue of the new covenant is promised but the outward estate of that people was never to be restored to its ancient lustre more then Samaria or Sodome as Amos speakes of Samaria chap. 5.2 The Virgine of Israel is fallen she shall no more rise And Isaiah of Jerusalem The transgression thereof shall be heavy and it shall fall and not rise againe according to the Prophesie of Iacob Gen. 49.10 The Scepter shall not depart from Iudah till Shiloh come Importing that the Tribe of Iudah should ever have some outward visible rule till the comming of Christ in the flesh but thereafter the Scepter and power of the Church should be onely spirituall in the hand of Shiloh the Messias he was the substance and the body of all these Types the restauration of Ierusalem and the erecting of a new Monarchy in Iudah for the Iewes were to bring backe the old evanished shadowes contrary to the doctrine and nature of the Gospell One other reason The Millenaries lay it for a ground that Antichrist shall be destroyed and fully abolished before their thousand yeares beginne but Scripture makes Antichrist to continue to the day of Judgement 2 Thes 2.8 Then shall that wicked man be revealed whom the Lord shall consume with the Spirit of his mouth and shall destroy with the brightnesse of his comming The brightnesse of Christs comming is not before the last day as before is proved See also Revel 19.20 The beast was taken and with him the false Prophet these both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with Brimstone Compare it with vers 7. Let us be glad and rejoyce for the Marriage of the Lambe is come Antichrist is cast alive into the lake at the Marriage of the Lambe no living men are cast into hell before the last day and Christs Marriage with his Church is not solemnized with a part of the Elect but with the whole bodie at the generall resurrection For the opposite Tenet divers Scriptures are brought above all Rev. 29 4 5 6. And I saw the soules of them that were beheaded for the witnesse of Jesus and they lived and raigned with Christ a thousand yeares but the rest of the dead lived not againe till the thousand yeares were finished this is the first resurrection Hence they do infer Christs personall reigne upon earth for a thousand yeares also the resurrection of the Martyrs and of some others a thousand yeares before the generall resurrection Divers such conclusions doe they draw from this place We Answer First that the resurrection here is mentioned onely occasionally also this place as the most of this Booke is Mysticall and Allegoricall besides it is without all controversie the words cited are among the most obscure and difficult places of the whole Scripture the most of the places alleadged in the former arguments did speake of the resurrection purposely and at large also in proper termes without any Tropes or Figures and were all cleare without obscurity it is not reasonable to bring an Argument from one place where a point is handled onely by the way and that in Mysticall and exceeding obscure termes against a multitude of places wherein the matter is handled of purpose largely and clearely Secondly they