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
men are mortal like the Beasts AA Short story p. 59. These who are united to Christ have in this life new bodies and two bodies BB Ibid. She knoweth not how Jesus Christ should be united to this our fleshly body these who have union with Christ shall not rise with the same fleshly body and that the Resurrection mentioned in 1 Cor. 15.44 is not meant of the Resurrection of the body but of our union here in this life CC Ibid. p. 60. We are united to Christ with the same union that his humanity on earth was with his Deity That she had no Scripture to warrant that Christs manhood is now is Heaven but the body of Christ is his Church DD Ibid. Preface p. 1. You shall see a Litter of ninty one of their brats hung up against the Sun besides many new ones of Mistresse Hutchinsons EE Ibid. Multitudes of men and women were infected before they were aware FF Ibid. Preface p. 7. They had some of all sorts and qualities in all places to defend and patronise them Almost in every family some were ready to defend them as the Apple of their own eye GG Vide supra N 2. HH Short story Preface pag. 4. They would appear very humble holy and spiritual Christians and full of Christ II Ibid. They would deny themselves far and speak excellently KK Ibid. They would pray with such soul ravishing affections and expressions that a stranger could not but love and admire them LL Ibid. They lifted up their opinions by guilding them over with the specious termes of Free-grace Glorious-Light Gospel-Truths holding out naked Christ MM Vide supra LL. NN Preface p. 7. O their boldnesse pride insolency the disturbances divisions contentions they raised among us both in Church and State and Families setting division betwixt Husband and Wife Ibid. p. 9. And seeing a spirit of pride subtilty malice and contempt of all men that were not of their minde breathing in them our hearts were sadded and our spirits tyred OO Ibid. p. 4. Their followers in admiration of them would tell others that since the Apostles times they were perswaded none ever received so much light from God as such and such had done naming their Leaders See also before H. PP Short story pag. 39. She said it was revealed to her long since in England That all the pack of the Ministers there were Antichristian so that she durst hear none of them after Master Cotton and Master Wheelwright were once gone for they could not preach Christ and the new Covenant QQ Preface pag. 8. The faithful Ministers of Christ must have dung cast in their faces and be no better then legal Preachers Baals Priests Popish Factors Scribes Pharisees and Opposers of Christ himself RR Vide supra N 1. SS Preface p. 9. The Magistrates were Achabs Amazia's enemies to Christ led by Satan TT Ibid. These were enemies to Christ Herods Pilates Scribes and Pharisees yea Antichrists and advised all under a Covenant of Grace to look upon them as such And with great zeal did stimulate them to deal with them as such and alleadged the story of Moses that killed the Egyptian and left it barely so VV Ibid. It was a wonder of mercy that they had not set our Common-wealth and Churches on a fire and consumed us all therein XX Preface pag. 7. They had some of all quality to defend them some of the Magistrates some Gentlemen some Schollers some of our Captains and Souldiers some in Military Trainings YY Short story p. 33. They made full accompt the day had been theirs ZZ Master Williams in his Discourse to me assured me hereof AAA Short story p. 43. Vnder their conduct the old Serpent had prepared such an Ambushment as in all reason would soon have driven Christ and the Gospel out of New-England though to the ruine of the instruments themselves as well as of others and to the repossessing of Satan in his ancient Kingdom BBB Preface p. 12. Mistresse Hutchinson being big with childe and growing towards the time of her Labour brought out not one but thirty monstrous births or thereabouts at once none at all of them of humane shape CCC Ibid. Mistresse Dyer brought forth her birth of a Woman childe a Beast a Fish and a Foul all woven together in one and without an head DDD Ibid. Though he that runs may read their sin in these judgements yet behold the desperate hardnesse of heart in these persons and all their followers they turned all from themselves upon the faithful servants of God that laboured to reclaim them saying This is for you ye Legalists that your eyes might be further blinded by Gods hand upon us in your legal wayes that you may stumble and fall and in the end break your necks in Hell if ye imbrace not the Truth EEE Ibid. p. 5. These persons with many others infected by them went altogether out of our Jurisdiction into an Iland and there they live to this day most of them hatching and multiplying new opinions and cannot agree but are miserably divided into sundry Sects and Factions FFF Mistresse Hutchinson being weary of the Iland went from thence with all her family to live under the Dutch neer a place in the Map called Hell-gate GGG There the Indians set upon them and slew her and all her family her daughter and her daughters husband and all their children save one that escaped Some write that the Indians did burn her to death withall that belonged to her I never heard that the Indians in these parts did commit the like outrage upon any other HHH Vide KKK 1. III Ibid. p. 13. They grew also many of them very loose in their practises for these opinions will certainly produce a filthy life by degrees As no Prayer in their Familes no Sabbath insufferable pride frequent and hideous lying and some of them became guilty of fouler sins then all these which I here name not Cottons third Sermon 6. Vial pag. 9. The calamities of the Countrey are from God he takes away all whether by our pride that we must have every new fashion and be like the men of the world in houses apparel and the like or daintinesse that we must have our varieties though it cost never so much and no matter what followeth though it eat up our estates The Lord hath made use of our folly and pride and daintinesse our idlenesse and covetousnesse Idem 2. Vial pag. 26. We know that in England there is no such unfaithful dealing and hollow heartednesse no such bitternesse between Christians What will befal your posterity they will degenerate out of measure by the unfaithfulnesse of your lives and the unrighteousnesse of your promises KKK 1. Short story p. 44. The Midwife one Hawkins was notorious for familiarity with the divel and now a prime Familist The most of the Women who were present at Mistresse Dyers travel were suddenly taken with such a violent vomiting and purging without eating or drinking of
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
eeeeee Secondly doe not their principles hold out of the Church and deprive of all Christian consolation which flowes from any Church priviledge the farre greater part if not absolutely all Kings and Princes that are this day in the Christian world and have been since the dayes of the Gospel or ever are likely to be upon earth to the worlds end how exceeding few of all that are or have been Members of Parliament of either House of all that have been or are Magistrates in England if their principles might be put in practice would be admitted to the Lords Table or yet their children be baptised or themselves be reputed Christians and Members of any lawfull Church Thirdly of these exceeding few Kings Princes Peeres Commoners and Magistrates of the Land which they could take into their Congregations how many could have assurance to live any long time in a Christian condition as Members of a Church according to their principles Since they tell us that they are to Excommunicate without any delay the greatest Kings for any fault either in beliefe or life which doth subject the poorest servants to censure how many and frequent these faults may be it is hard to judge but the worst is when the greatest Kings and the chiefe Members of Parliament without any respect to their dignity are cast out of the Church for themselves and their children by the peevishnesse or errour or malice of a few in a small Congregation they have no meanes under heaven to redresse themselves of their injury they and theirs must live as Pagans out of the Church till they who did cast them out be perswaded and become willing to take them in should all the Divines all the Assemblies all the Churches of their Dominions see cleerly as the light their notorious wrong yet there were no possibility to helpe it by any mortall hand till the injurious Congregation it selfe of its own accord should be pleased to repaire it Fourthly they permit none to be Magistrates where they have power not so much as to be a member of their smallest civill Courts except they be fully for their way and be admitted members of their Church as it hath ever been their practice in New-England to this day but the Magistrates they admit of who are of their minde they debase their power so low as to suspend it all on the will and pleasure of the promiscuous multitude not only to limit the Soveraignty of Princes within the bounds of their just Lawes and to confine them unto the Counsell of their Parliaments but to bring both them and Parliaments and all Magistrates to their first originall and Makers to the free will of these whom they use to stile the prophane multitude ffffff Fifthly have any of the Reformed Churches now for an hâ—ndred yeares and above given to Magistrates such occasion to feare an unjust insurrection as they in the few yeares of their being have already furnished To passe by all their threatnings in this time of confusion gggggg while their strength is yet inconsiderable and their mighty endeavours to get Armes into their hand to enable themselves with the evident hazard of the whole Isle to doe what they please by force hhhhhh Let men only look over to the fruits of their principles in New-England not many yeares agoe there upon a very small and so farre as I know very groundlesse suspition to have somewhat of their Government altered by the King contrary to their Patent they did quickly purchase and distribute Armes among all their people and exact of every one an Oath for the defence of their Patent against all impugners whosoever Mr Williams opposition to this Oath as he alledgeth was the cheife cause of his banishment iiiiii What principles could these be that moved the same people a little after to doe and say such things for which their Magistrates did disarme so many of their Church members not only elsewhere but even at Boston upon fear of an apparent insurrection for the killing of the principall Magistrates and overturning the whole state of that Countrey kkkkkk 1. Few Magistrates will hereafter confide in these principles which saved not the Governour and generall Court of New-England from extreme danger by the members of Mr Cottons Congregation at New Boston Sixthly doe the Independents principles give to the Magistrate any Ecclesiastick power at all will they submit to his civill power in any Ecclesiastick affaires will they be hindered by the Magistrates sentence unlesse it be executed with violence to erect Congregations within his Dominions at their own pleasure will their principles permit them upon the command of King and Parliament to refuse to take into their Congregations the members of other Parish Churches without a dismision or take and admit upon the Magistrates command within their number any whom they account unfit for membership or to recall for the Magistrates pleasure any of their Church censures have they not very lately declared to the Parliament that they esteem all matters of Religion free and exempt from their sword and power That all matters both of worship and doctrine that all things of the mind as they speak or matters of opinion and all matters of outward forme wherein uniformity is required according to our Covenant are so farre to be ruled by every mans own conscience his own light and reason that the Parliament is not in any such matters to interpoâ—e their power whither this bee the true sence of their openly avowed and repeated letters to the Parliament it selfe let every intelligent man consider who reads the words kkkkkk 2 Seventhly are any of the Reformed Churches or any Churches or persons of the whole world so injurious to Magistrates as their principles force them to be who â—poyl Christian Kings and Parliaments of their whole Legislative power they will have us to beleeve as good Divinity that it is not only unlawfull for Church-assemblies to make Ecclesiastick Canons but that it is alike unlawfull for any Prince or State to make a Civill Law llllll That the placing of a Legislative power in Kings or Parliaments is to usurp the property and prerogative of God mmmmmm 1 These Principles cannot be very favourable to the State which at one stroke annihilate all the Acts of Parliament that now are in force either in this or any other Kingdom and make it impossible if they were beleeved to have any more in any place of the earth to the worlds end Look back upon what I have cited from the chiefe of the Brownists writings I grant the New English polishers of Brownism doe not expresse their Tenets in tearms so hugely grosse yet see how neare they come to them in substance when they tell us that no Magistrate may make any Lawes about the Bodies Lands Goods Liberties of the Subject which are not according to the Lawes and Rules of Scripture Scripture being given to men for a perfect rule as well
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
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