now proceed to the third particular the King of this new and heavenly world Silv. The King of Sion is her Saviour and the Scriptures call him the King of Glory and that title that was written on his Crosse in his humiliation in Latin Greek and Hebrew that is the title of his Crown and Dignity in his Exaltation This is the King of the Iews And as himself saith for this end was I born and for this end came I into the world and so testifies the Angell unto the Virgin Mary and tells her that her Sonne Iesus should be great and called of all the Sonne of the Highest and the Lord shall give unto him the Throne of his Father David and he shall raigne over the house of Israel for ever and of his Kingdom there shall be no end Thus that great favourer and much beloved of God the Prophet Daniel speaking by the holy Ghost of Iesus the Lord he calleth him the Sonne of God and in the spirit of prophesy saith that there was given him Dominion and Glory and a Kingdom that all people nations and languages should feare him his Dominion is an everlasting Dominion which shall not passe away and his Kingdom that which shall not be destroyed The same Prophet in another place saith In the days of these Kings meaning the great oppressors of the earth from the beginning of the world to the end In their days as before I told you of the Kings of the East and the whole world For although there be many differing powers as of gold and silver c. yet they all make but one enemy one adversary as it is said of Rome in her shall be found the bloud of all the Saints and Prophets and of all that were slaine upon the earth It is so said because all persecutors make but one generation and it follows and in the days of these Kings shall the God of heaven set up a Kingdom which shall never be destroyed and the Kingdom shall not be left to other people but it shall break in pieces and consume all these Kingdomes and it shall stand for ever For David saith though the heathen rage and the wicked people imagine vaine things yet saith the Lord I have set my King upon my holy hill of Sion who shall speak to them in his wrath and vex them in his sore dispâ—easure his Dominions is from Sea to Sea from the River to the ends of the earth they that dwell in the wildernesse shall bow before him saith the Prophet and his enemies shall lick the dust How full doth Almighty God prove this himself it s more clear than the Sun in its full light In these words thou art my Sonne this day have I begotten thee ask of me and I will give thee the Heathen for thy inheritance the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession thou shalt rule them with a rod of Iron and break them to pieces like a potters vessell Thus reasoneth the Apostle for unto the Angels he hath not put into subjection the world to come whereof we speak but unto the Sonne he saith Thy Throne oh God is for ever and ever a Scepter of righteousnesse is the Scepteâ— of thy Kingdom thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet and of that subjection more hereafter And thus speaketh another of the Prophets the Lord is King for ever and ever and againe the Lord sitteth King for ever for the Lord most high is terrible and he is a great King over all the earth And againe sing praises with understanding for God is the King of all the earth fâ—r all Kings shall fall down before him all nations shall serve him so long as the Sun and Moone endureth Oh worship the Lord in the beauty of holinesse feare before him all the earth say amongst the heathen that the Lord raigneth the world also shall be established that it shall not be moved he shall judge the people righteously and governe the nations on the earth These Scriptures are so plaine they need no exposition therefore let the Heavens rejoyce and let the earth be glad â—et the sea roare and the fulnesse thereof let the field be joyfull and all that therein is then shall the trees of the wood rejoyce before the Lord and the reason the holy Ghost giveth in these words following for he cometh for he cometh that is the Lord cometh to judge the earth he shall judge the world with righteousnesse and the people with his truth Oh sing unto the Lord a new song for he hath done marveilous things his right hand and his holy arme hath gotten him the victory for its the Lord that sitteth upon the throne of his holinesse it is the Lord that reigneth over the heathen And another saith the Lord shall be King over all the earth and in that day shall there be one Lord and his name one And the Apostle calls him the everlasting King Iesus who is the faithfull witnesse and first begotten of the dead and the Prince of the Kings of the earth who alone is the Lord of Lords and King of Kings thus one all the messengers of salvation say unto Sion thy God raigneth and the same language the Lord himself speaketh Thus saith the King of Iaâ—ob the Lord the King of Israel who is thy redeemer even the Lord of hosts I am the first and I am the last and besides me there is no God and aâ— another time he saith all power is given unto me of my Father both in Heaven and earth great and speciall things do the Scriptures declare of this Kingdom of its power and glory of which our Saviour acquainted his servants Within these fourty days speaking to them of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God which made them so desirous of the injoyment and possession of it that before his descending from them their generall request was unto him in these words wilt thou at this time restore the Kingdom to Israel just like the Mother of the two Sonnes of Zebedee in the behalf of her Children Lord saith she out of a true affection of that perfection she desired that her two Sonnes might sit the one at his right hand the other at his left in his Kingdom and truly now may we say for thine is the Kingdom power and glory for now we see it is the Lords only and if all what hath been said will not satisfie we have Gods own oath for it saying by the mouth of the Prophet I have sworn by my self and the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousnesse and shall not returne that unto me every knee shall bow every tongue shall sweare and the Apostle affirmes it from the Prophet that at the name of Iesus every knee shall bow of things in heaven and things on earth and things under the earth and that every tongue shall confesse that Iesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father I will adde
the making parts and true nature of every particular living stone and member of which and which only the whole frame or fabrick consisteth Now to the making of any part thereof and so of every part 3 things are considerable and required that is to say the spirit water and bloud whereof the first is the worker the two last the work or matter or makeing parts of every living stone of the Church it self Of these three termes the first is literall by which we are to understand the finger of God the spirit which proceeds from the Father and the Sonne the other two are Metaphoricall by which other things are meant namely repentance and remission of sins as it is written Except a man be borne againe from above of water and the holy Ghost he cannot see the Kingdom of God Hym. I pray Sir expresse your self unto me concerning the two Metaphoricall termes Silv. That I shall willingly do and give you their definition in their due place For the first which is repentance the Lord in the working thereof unhardens the heart that naturally by sin is obdurate hard flat and quite contrary and disobedient to God and his will which graciously God of his meete and alone goodnesse by a kind of heavenly power softens and makes it plyable and inclinable to God and his will And the word of God compares this humble broken bruised contrite heart to plowed ground to soft and tender flesh and to water and such like setting forth by all these comparisons the true nature and condition thereof That as flesh differs from a stone barren fallow weedy ground from that which is broken up and plough'd and as the plyablenesse and softnesse of water differs from the hardnesse of a Dyamond so a broader and greater difference is there between this penitent heart and that it was before for that which was pleasant delightfull is now become nothing but grief sorrow of heart that which before was chiefly fought after is now most abhorred As formerly its joy and gladnesse was in such sinfull ways as carried him from God now he uncessantly seeketh prayeth desireth and longeth after every way and meanes whereby he may be brought to God to be refreshed with his favour which by his sins and transgressions he hath lost and never did any hunted and chased haâ—t pant more after the water brooks than this soul doth thirst and desire the favour and grace of God in Christ No undone man no wounded man no diseased man no deadly sick man no man in bondage and thraldome so miserable and wretched in a naturall sence as this penitent man in his own apprehension in a spirituall and godly sence Therefore it is said of Iohn the Baptist the great and powerfull preacher and worker of repentance that he should prepare the way of the Lord that is make a people ready for the Lord to heale and cure and in working the preparation he bruised the reed he caused the flax to smoak he turned the hearts of the Fathers to the children the disobedient to the wisdom of the just he humbled and brought low the high and lofty the rough ridged and untoward he made gentle and smooth the crooked and perverse hearted he bent bow'd and made straight he made the rich poor the well sick the whole broken in a word all these terms do but set out and declare his great and heavenly work of repentance which he wrought in the hearts of men According as it was prophecyed of him that he should go in the power and spirit of Elias and as the Angell said to Zacharias his Father And many of the children of Israel shall he turne to the Lord his God Yea the whole life of this holy Prophet and every houre therof preached repentance for he chose the desart place in the wildernesse to dwell in before the stately City Ierusalem And hunger and thirst before dainty fare wine or strong drink and sack-cloth rather then soft rayment his Garment was hair-cloth and his Girdle a leather skin Neither boyld nor rost was his food but what he found unbought or uncared for his meate was locust and wild hony His life and Doctrine being thus one and the same and both so wonderfully powerfull and effectuall that all Ierusalem Iudea and the Region about Iordan went out to see and heare him the like Prophet being never heard nor seen before And he preached unto them repentance for the remission of sins for so powerfull was his ministery in working repentance in their hearts that the holy Ghost saith of them they were baptised of him in Iordan confessing their sins An apt and plaine figure or resemblance is the baptisme of water of that of repentance for repentance it is the preparation of the way of the Lord the signe or badge of it is the baptisme with water and so Saint Marke doth plainly preach Iohn did baptize in the wildernesse there 's the signification and preached the baptisme of repentance for the remission of sins there 's the substance which heavenly gift repentance he calls the beginning of the Gospell of Iesus Christ by which he proves cleerly that the beginning of our new birth or regeneration is the beginning of the new covenant of life and salvation herein agreeing with all the Prophets who speaking of the new covenant still begin with the unhardning the heart taking away the stony heart and giving an heart of flesh Hym. You have been large in the description of repentance and I desire to heare your definition of it as you promised Silv. The supernaturall grace and first part of unregeneration may be thus defined that it is the work gift of God by which the heart is turned from all the pleasures and delights in sin into great grief and unspeakeable sorrow for them with humble confession and acknowledgment of all its sins expressive an unsatisfied desire of pardon and forgivenesse and to be received into the love and favour of God through Iesus Christ Hym. You cald to me to prove the description I made of the Church I pray therefore proove this to me Silv. It is well desired this definition of repentance and every part of it is fully set forth in the prodigall Sonne who once was so full of affection to sinfull pleasures that he rejoyced in it but God working repentance in him now is become forlorne and miserable in his own apprehension and seeing his rash rebellion and unadvised sinfulnesse against God his most bountifull and loving Father Creator and preserver in utter dislike of himself and all his doings sorrowfully resolves And in the second place returnes to his Father by which is set forth the displeasure and dislike he now takes against all his sins which have been the cause of all his misery and Gods dishonour being conscious thereof dislikes forsakes leaves them and goes from them plainly and clearly declaring his returning unto God in his heart Manifested in the third place
Who is weak and I am not weak who is offended and I burne not remember them that are in bounds as bound with them and them that suffer adversity as being our selves also in the body So saith Saint Iames the wisdom that is from above that is the children of wisdom of whom Ierusalem from above is Mother to all is first pure then peaceable gentle and easy to be intreated full of mercy and good fruits and Saint Paul saith their fruit is love joy peace long suffering gentlenesse goodnesse faith c. They are filled with peace and joy in believeing and it is given unto them not only to believe but to suffer for his sake that is for the sake of their beloved Lord and Redeemer I might be large in all these excellencies but I know you can inlarge them in your minde Friend Hymeneus Hym. How can this excellent Church be miserable Silv. The Apostle answereth in these words If in this life only we had hope we were of all men the most miserable so that the misery hath only respect to this life Hym. How can that be Silv. Paul and Barnabas makes it clear saying we must through much tribulation 〈…〉 the Kingdom of God this suffering and tribulation was it that was the cause why our Lord in these words comforts his Church Feare not little flock it is your Fathers pleasure to give you the Kingdom for none shall raigne with Christ in the world to come but he that suffers with him in this life Now as it was in Abraham's Family between Ishmael and Isaack so is it now between the outward and false Christian and the inward and true for then as he that was borne after the flesh persecuted him that was borne by promise so is it now saith the Apostle the Christians in name onely which are overcast with a profession of Religion cleane in skin and not in heart like the Pharisees lay claime to be the true Church and call her that is so indeed barren forsaken and desolate and cast her out with termes let God be glorified and such like when notwithstanding with hatred they beate her so the Church cryes out in one place My Mothers Children were angry with me when they were no more the true Mothers Children then Ishmaels which was not Sarahs but the bond-womans neither were the Pharisees the children of the promise though Abraham's after the flesh nor righteous although they justified themselves This Jerusalem that is from below the common Christians I call them so because they are not capable but of common gifts of which they may partake and perish and except they repent so it wiâ—l be with them yet notwithstanding these fiâ—l the world with voices of the Church of God the cause of Christ bragge and boast of their righteousnesse duties and performances when notwithstanding they never yet knew what it is that is the true worship of God the acceptable sacrifice they bragge of their prayers their fasts and their charity and yet know nothing at all of either as they are the offerings and sacrifice of the truly faithfull but as the fat cattle the Prophet speaks of push gore and oppresse the leane so do these whole hearted faire rich fat and full seeming comfortable Christians contemne and despise the humble the low and emotie although notwithstanding the Lord filleth the emptie with good things and sendeth the rich emptie away I could inlarge my self in this exceedingly having felt their cruelty and oppression as being slighted by them dayly and made as the dirt in the street under their feet by treading dayly upon me but as they are men for and of this world so we will leave them to it and proceed to shew you how miserable the Saints are here in this life in regard of their own corruptions the flesh lusteth against the spirit and many times so captivates it that they cry out Oh wretched Men that we are who shall deliver us from this body of death what is worse then a dead body amongst the living and yet so and worse are the corruptions of Gods people to their pure mindes vexed and grieved by them dayly as Righteous Lot in Sodom inclosed by them in a Citie whose buildings are transgressions whose streets are wayes of error whose bul warks are the strength of death whose gates do lead to hell which makes them to dye dayly to be tormented dayly and cry dayly to be delivered from sin and from the body thereof Lastly the misery of Gods people is aggravated by the devill for so saith the Apostle he goth about like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may devoure And so it is said The Devill shall cast many of you into prison The righteous man Iob had miserable experience of this adversary Misery in regard of the destruction of his wealth misery in the losse of his health and misery to his mind in regard of his wife and his childrens death besides the many temptations against his soul and this the Apostle knew well which moves him to exhort the Corinthians on this wise For I am jealous over you with Godly jealousie for I have espoused you to one husband that I may present you as a choyse Virgin to Christ for I feare lest by any meanes as the Serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ Hym. You have clearly proved the miserable sufferings of the Church in all these particulars you promised but is your meaning that the Church shall never be free in this life I meane from misery and sufferings by mens persecution and Sathans their sworn enemies Silv. So long as there is any enemy that is so long as death and sin raigne so long shall Gods people suffer and undergo misery Hym. Then your meaning is to the end of the world Silv. You understand me truly Hym. How answer you this Scripture And Sathan was bound for a thousand years and the Saints lived and raigned with Christ a thousand years this is the first resurrection Silv. This error of the Millenaries is ancient and as groundlesse in the text you alleadge as many more new mistakes are which were all forged in the Devils work-house of lyes and that they may all be answered if truth will do it by their turns they shall be tried and condemned Hym. The Millenaries first alleadge the words of Saint Paul to the Thessalonians The dead in Christ shall arise first that is say they there shall be a generall Resurrection of all the Martyrs and righteous people a thousand years before the generall Resurrection and they shall have great plentie and riches abounding in worldly felicilic and greatnesse injoying Christs bodily presence in this corruptible earth grounding their opinion on the twentyeth chapter of the Revelation as I said before where it is said Sathan shall be bound for a thousand years and they lived and raigned with Christ a thousand years this is the fiâ—st
one place more which proves all that hath been said of the time the place and the King and that is shewed in the days of the voice of the seventh Angel when it shall begin to sound there shall be time no more the mystery of God shall be finished there 's the end of the world the time and the voice he sounded saith the Kingdoms of this world are become the Kingdoms of our Lord and his Christ and he shall raigne for ever and ever there 's the place and the King both as he hath declared to his servants the Prophets Hym. To me the consent and harmony of the Scriptures thus applied give great satisfaction and is very comfortable I pray Friend make good your promise in the other particulars Silv. The next thing I promised was to consider what the Scriptures declare concerning the Subjects of this glorious King and Kingdom for the Prophet saith the Lord shall build up Sion when he shall appear in his glory by Sion we are to understand Gods faithfull people and by building them up a restoring of them to an estate of perfection according to his promise Now because the Subjects of the world to come in a generall respect is the whole creation for so intimateth the Apostle not only we saith he but every creature also waiteth for the glorious Liberty of the Sonnes of God therefore we will consider them in their order and first for the Angels to prove they shall be subject it is written and let all the Angels of God worship him Angels saith the Apostle they are ministring spirits sent forth c. that is Subjects or Servants and the reprobate Angels they are included in the generall dimensions of the Prophets and Apostles before mentioned Now in the next order of creatures we will consider man-kind first the Saints then the wicked And that the Saints shall feare and serve their Lord the King is clear by that Oath which he swore unto our Father Abraham witnessed by Zacharias the Priest that we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies might serve him without feare in righteousnesse and holinesse before him all the days of our lives and these of all other the Prophet David calls the most free faithfull and loyalst Subjects in these and other words O come let us worship and bow down let us kneele before the Lord our maker for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture and againe Praise ye the Lord sing unto the Lord a new song and his praise in the Congregation of Saints let Israel rejoyce in him that made him let the Children of Sion be jâ—yfull in their King for the Lord taketh pleasure in his people he will beautifie the meek with salvation let the Saints be joyfull in glory let them sing aloud upon their beds And Saint John hee joynes in the Angels with all the Saints saying And I beheld and heard the voice of many Angels round about the Throne and the holy Beasts and Elders and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands saying with a loud voice Worthy is the lambe that is slaine to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing and the foure Beasts said Amen and the foure and twenty Elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever so David calls upon the house of Israel the house of Aaron and the house of Levy Yee that feare the Lord blesse the Lord blessed be the Lord out of Sion which dwelleth at Jerusalem praise ye the Lord I find foure things in Scripture that doe set forth and declare the excellency of the glorious estate of the Saints in light first by a chast spouse for purity and beauty Secondly to a goodly City for glory and safety Thirdly to a high Court of commission for authority wisdom and Iudgment and fourthly to a curious planted garden for pleasure and delight and all these are subject and subordinate to their King and that the Saints in their glorified estate are set forth by a bride or chast Virgin is plain ful and admirably described in Scripture the Prophet Esay is very elegant in this speaking of the Churches glorification saith thou shalt also be a Crown of glory in the hand of the Lord and a Royall Diadem in the hand of thy God thou shalt no more be termed forsaken neither shall thy Land be any more termed desolate but thou shalt be câ—llâ—d my delight is in her and thy Land married for the Lord delighteth in thee and thy Land shall be married for as a yong man marrieth a Virgin so shall thy Sonnes marry thee and as the Bridegroom rejoyceth over the Bride so shall thy God rejoyce over thee Isa. 62. So the Apostle speaks to the Corinthians that his ministery his labour and Godly jealousy over them was to present them a chast Virgin unto Christ and they that sung before the throne as it were a new song which no man could learn but the hundred fourty and foure thousand which were redeemed from the Earth these are they which were not defiled with women faith the holy Ghost for they are Virgins and so also this holy Apostle saith And I Iohn saw the holy City new Ierusalem comming downe from God out of heaven prepared as â— Bride adorneá for her husband So also she is called the Lambs wife and againe Let us rejoyce and be glad and give honour to him for the Marriage of the Lamb is come and his wife hath made her selfe ready And to her was granted that she should bee arrayed in fine Linnen cleane and white for the fine Linnen is the righteousnesse of the Saints in the time of her temptation and sufferings shee was the Kings daughter and all glorious within but now in her exaltation and nuptialls she is also all glorious without excelling in ornament and perfection and in that shee is the Lambs wife she hath right interest in all his glory that is honourable above all Lords and Kings being their Lord and King for shee is flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone And as her chastity and purity excells so doth her beauty so that the Lord her Bridegroom calls her the the fairest among women glorious as the morning faire as the Moone cleare as the Suâ—ne My beloved saith the Church spake and sayd unto me Rise up my Love and faire one and come away for loe the winter is past the raine is over and gone the flowres appeare in the earth the time of the singing of Birds is come the Figge tree putteth forth her green figs and the Vines with the tender Grapes give a good smell Arise my love my faire one and come away which place shewes plainly these speeches of love and beauty are spoken to and of the Church in her perfection and restauration and what speeches can exceed for love and beauty these expressions Secondly
and againe he saith he made not the Earth for nought but to be inhabited and he hath established it that it shal not be moved and in another place speaking of the generall restitution as Saint Paul doth he saith with righteousnesse shall he judge the poore and with the breath of his lipps shall he slay the wicked and then from man-kind goes on to other creatures and saith then shall the Wolfe dwell with the Lambe and the Leopard shall lye down with the Kid and the calf and the yong Lion and the Fatling and a little Child shall lead them and the Cow and the Beare shall feed their yong ones shall lye down together and the Lion shall eate straw like the Ox and the sucking Child shall play over the hole of the Aspe and the weaned Child shall put his hand on the Cockatrises den they shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountaine saith the Lord for the earth shall be full of the knowledg of the Lord as the waters cover the Sea in another place the same Prophet saith again that the Wolfe and the Lambe shall feed together and the Lion shall eate straw like the Bullock and dust shall be the Serpents meate and againe he saith seeke ye out of the book of the Lord and read no one of these shall faile none shall want her mate for my mouth it hath commanded and his spirit it hath gathered them and the beast of the field saith the Lord by the same Prophet shall honour me and againe Oh Sion break forth into singing and let all the trees in the field rejoyce and clap their hands for in stead of the thorne shall come up the Figg tree and in stead of the bryer shall come up the mirtle tree and it shall be unto the Lord for a name and for an everlasting signethat shal not be cut off and another of the Lords faithfull ones saith moreover even the woods and every sweet smelling tree shall over shadow Israel by the commandement of God for God shall lead Israel with joy with the light of his glory even with the mercy and righteousnesse that commeth from him Hym. That all Creatures shall be restored me thinks the Scriptures are plaine and evident for so that I cannot but acknowledge it is so yet many objections also appear to me some of the Scriptures you alleadge because such expressions are used which concern this present life as the Calf a Child and Straw as if there should be plowing and sowing and increase and multiplication of Creatures againe Silv. As you say the Scriptures in some particulars do seem so to speak both for fructification and sustentation for the last our Lord speaks as if there might be such a thing even as Adam had for his delight and pleasure to eate even in the time of his innocency in Paradice the fruit of all the trees in Eden and excepted none but the tree of knowledg of good and evill and the words of our Lord are these but I say unto you I will not drink hence forth of this fruit of the vine untill I drink it new with you in my Fathers Kingdom Note here this fruit of the vine as distinguished from that which shall be new when the Kingdom of God comes as Luke saith as also that our Lord speaks further these words I appoint unto you a Kingdom as my Father hath appointed unto me that you may eate and drink at my Table in my Kingdom and sit on Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel and that there shall not be any more marrying or giving in marriage by which I understand there shall be no further increase but that man shall be as the Angels of God in Heaven in the resurrection secret things belong unto God and things revealed belong to us and our Children and seeing the Scriptures have revealed so much therefore break forth into joy sing together ye wast places of Ierusalem for the Lord hath comforted his people he hath redeemed Sion the Lord hath made bare his holy Arme in the eyes of all the nations and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God thy faithfulnesse Oh God is unto all generations thou hast established the earth and it abideth they continue this day according to thy ordinance for all are thy servants Who shall not feare thee O Lord and glorify thy name for thou only art holy for all nations shall come and worship before thee for thy Iudgements are made manifest FINIS
A TRVE REFORMATION AND PERFECT RESTITVTION Argued by Silvanus and Hymeneus Where in the true Church of Christ is briefly discovered here in this life in her estate of regeneration as also her perfection in the life to come As it hath been foretold by all the holy Prophets and Apostles which have been since the world began By J. G. a Friend to the truth and Church of God Feare not little Flock it is your Fathers pleasure to give you the Kingdom For now is our Salvation neerer than when we believed LONDON Printed by T. B. and are to be sold by S. B. in Corn-hill 1643. TO THE CHVRCH OF CHRIST IN ENGLAND Faithfull and beloved I The unworthyest of ten thousand of you have presumed to speak while you all were silent of this Subject and have made bold with your honourable and spirituall conditions to make a brief description of you the Lords people who are all of you the Children of wisdom and so taught of God that your own God termes you the wise that shall understand the keepers of his truth his remembrancers the people in whose heart is his Law to whom it is given to know the mysteryes of the Kingdom of God I intreate you all fellow sufferers truly noble and honourable Christians that how much the neerer our salvation approacheth so much the more let our joynt prayers and praises be to our God the lambe that sitteth upon the Throne let us not cease nor give him no rest till he establish and till he make Ierusalem a praise in the earth and if I have failed in negotiating your great affaires let our garment of love cover it and your wise and grave reproof or admonitions shall be as balme to cure my weaknesse so the God of truth multiply the comforts of it in us all in the clear demonstration of the spirit with power that as we are the Children of Abraham by Faith so we may do the works of our Father Abraham for which your Brother J. G. shall ever pray with you and for you to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ to whom be glory for ever and ever Amen A True Reformation and perfect Restitution argued by Silvanus and Hymeneus Silvanus OLD Friend Hymeneus how hath it been with you a long time I heare seven years a go you were in new England Hymeneus I thank you Sir that you would acknowledge your long unseen although longer known Friend for I think it is neere twice seven years since I last spake with you Silv. What news in new England I heare you are there at a hard-ship both for soul and body provision for back and belly foode and clothes very scarce and Religion which should be as both to the soul is so lost that that which seemed unitie in the truth is turned to dissention the ground of error and falshood which custome the Church of Christ hath not which is the Church of God Hym. Friend you may heare more than is true yet I say the superfluitie of this world is not alwayes expedient and for Religion it is requisite that there should be difference amongst us that the approved may be manifest Silv. I see you have not forgotten your former Custome frequently to alleadge Scripture-phrase but I perceive also you have not learned the Apostles rule perfectly which saith if any man speak let him speak as the Oracles of God that is the true meaning of it for all that were in the Church of Corinth were not of the Church Hym. I hope I have done the same in what I have said Silv. I spake before of the truth and of the children thereof which admit of no dissention and you speak of the Church of Corinth in which were some which were Sectaries and not the children of the truth and though they were amongst them yet they were not of them but were false Apostles and wicked inordinate persons Hym. I pray expresse your meaning to me more fully Silv. My meaning is that Christians should still intend by their speaking the same meaning which the holy Ghost doth in the termes he useth for one and the same terme sometimes is to be understood in a speciall sence sometimes in a generall as by Iew sometimes the same word intends the inward Iew sometimes the outward so of Religion and of the Church vaine Religion aswell as pure Religion the Synagogue of Sathan aswell as the true Church of God Hym. These distinctions under one and the same name are very profitable without doubt in the reading the Scriptures Silv. I pray you Friend tell me what matter and what manner you have for the constitution of your Churches in new England Hym. The matter are a company of believers the manner or forme is this we from amongst our selves choose a pastor the pastor and we being entred into a mutuall Covenant the one to be faithfull in teaching and feeding the other in hearing and obeying according to Christs ordinance by this reciprocall bond we become one Congregation or body as the head and members are one and so the pastor and people together choose other Church Officers as Elders and Deacons Silv. I understand you thus that this is your first way you take to give your Church the being or name of a Church but what way do you take to encrease this Church or ad unto it for the Scripture saith there were dayly added to the Church such as should be saved Hym. Our custome is that we admit none to be Members of our Church but such as cannot give an Accompt of their conversion and that they do renounce all other congregations as Members to them and doth make themselves by covenant that is by a solemne vow calling God to witnesse that they joyne themselves to us to be our Members only and so to no other Church but to walk with us according to Christs Ordinance and though some of other congregations may come in Communion in the Ordinance of the word yet we account them no Members Silv. And this is all you believe that the Scripture expresses tending to the making and being of a true Church Hym. I professe unto you I know no other Silv. You now grow old and therefore it should not be with you as it is with such as are Novicees in Religion wherefore take heed of faire speeches and holy pretences for there is nothing so common in the world as that which is like the truth yet not the truth the name of the Church and pure spouse and yet upon examination doth prove Strumpets and harlots for Christs Church his Sanctuarie his true Tabernacle is that which he her Lord pitcheth or buildeth not man therfore that we may trie the truth of your Church pray shew me how you prove it by Scripture and first where it is proved that the people of every particular Church are to call and choose their Pastor Hym. In the sixth chapter of the Acts it is thus written wherefore
King in this glorious Kingdom And lastly what are the subjects and inheritors thereof Hym. The names that the Scriptures give unto the eternall estate are very many and excellent and your method very good therefore I pray proceed Silv. The time of the Churches deliverance to the estate of perfection is at the end of this world when he that ascended shall descend as saith the Scripture whom the heavens must conteine and receive untill the restitution of all things forespoken by all the holy Prophets hath been since the world began which things therefore the world might not be ignorant of which are testified by so many witnesses for so saith the spirit every one that have spoke have spoke of these things but the cause of mens ignorance in this as in many other truths of God is in regard people do not labour with God to understand and know the Scriptures for although every one for the most part hath a Bible yet generally they are as ignorant of the intent and meaning of the Scriptures as he that never saw the written word of God at all but no more by way of digression And that the time of the Lords glorious Kingdom and the Churches deliverance shall be at the end of this world is clear by our Saviours own words in parable The harvest is the end of the world and the reapers are the Angels As therefore the tares are gathered and burnt in the fire so shall it be in the end of this world the sonne of man shall send forth his Angels and they shall gather out of his Kingdom all things that do offend and them which do iâ—iquity as also in that Scripture where the question is made by the servants to the house-holder whether the tares the envious man sowed amongst the good seed should be pluckt up the Master answers nay let them both grow together untill harvest and sheweth what shall be done then both with the wheate and with the tares saying at his glorious comming shall be gathered before him all nations and he shall sever the Sheep from the Goates c. Then the King shall say to them on his right hand comeye â—lessed inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the woâ—ld and to this agreeth the Angels words to Daniel Go thou thy ways Daniel at the end of the days shall the end be and thou shall stand up in tâ—y lot meaning thou shalt then be raised to shine as the brightnesse of the Fiâ—mament amongst them that have turned many to God even to shine as the Stars for ever and ever There is none in all the world but the Child of God the heires of salvation have the benefit of the Prophet Ieremies exhortation in these words Ier. 31. Refraine thy voice from weeping and thine eyes from teares for thy work shall be rewarded saith the Lord and they shall come againe from the Land of the Enemy there is the returne from captivity of the naturall Israel and there is hope in thy end saith the Lord that thy Children shall come againe to their own border there is the deliverance of the sâ—irituall Isâ—ael at their Resurrection as the Patriarks have exprest their hope as is more clearly proved in the next particular the place where the bride shall for ever enjoy her bridegroome the King of glory his gloriouâ— Kingdom which the holy Ghost calleth the earth in these worâ—s Behold the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth And so saith our Lord Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth Their inheritance is their recompence then and not before shall the earth be filled with the knowledge of God as the waters cover the Seas which must needs be understood of the new earth promised and to come such an earth as the Lord shall make when he will make all things new for the contrary is most true now here in this old cursed earth that ignorance fills this earth as the waters cover the Seas Hym. This is not understood in these days for I never heard these Scriptures so applied before Silv. To make it more plaine we will first cite the Testimonyes of the Prophets our Lords and his Apostles and then I will shew you how plainly and clearly the heires of the promise have particularly declared her hope and confidence in it Job had the true knowledge and comfort of it which ravisht him and made him thus to cry out as if he were out of himself Oh that my words were now written Oh that they were printed in a book that they were graven with an Iron Pen in a Rock for ever for I know that my Redeemer liveth and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth and though after my skin wormes destroy this body yet in my flesh I shall see God whom I shall see for my self and my eyes shall behold and not another In which he clearly expresses that the place of his blessednesse after the resurrection shall be in the earth where his Saviour shall stand that is shall rule and raigne for ever David a man after Gods own heart excells in this Faith and hope what man is he that feareth the Lord saith he him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose his soule shall lodge in goodnesse and his seed shall inherit the earth And againe Let all the earth feare the Lord let all the inhabitants of the world stand in aw of him for evill doers shall be cut off but those that waite upon the Lord they shall inherit the earth and though it be but a little while and the wicked shall not be saith he and his place shall not be found yet the meek shall inherit the earth and delight themselves in the aboundance of peace for such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off And so he singeth Psa. 48. Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised in the City of our God in the mountaine of his holinesse beautifull for situation the joy of the whole earth is mount Sion And also in another place The Heaven even the Heavens are the Lords but the earth hath he given to the Children of men So testifieth the Prophet Esay saying Thus saith the Lord that created the Heavens God himself that formed the earth and made it he hath established it he created it not in vaine he formed it to be inhabited I said not saith the Lord to the seed of Iacob seek you me in vaine I the Lord speak righteousnesse I declare things that are right And the same Prophet makes proclamation Behold saith he I create new Heavens and a new earth and the former shall not be remembred nor come into mind and as the new Heavens and new earth which I shall make shall remaine before me saith the Lord so shall your seed and your name remaine Which clearly shews the intent of the promise to the Patriarks and
shall be subjected now the principall enemies to God Christ his truth and his children are the Devill and these hard hearted stif-necked rebells his Children that as their Father so are they implaceable and unreconcilable and as he so do they resist the holy Ghost and will not have this man to raigne over them that is the Lord Christ but they do and will break his bonds and cast his cords from them and as they have always done so they do now and will continue till he comes to raigne in power and Majesty professe themselves sworn enemies and adversaries to him and his but when this world shall come to an end and that world is come of which our Saviour saith his Kingdom is of then even shall he take and slay before him all those his enemies Slay them before me saith the Lord then shall the head wholly prevaile and triumph over him that ever hath so exceedingly bruised mortified and persecuted his heele then he shall so subdue and break in sunder Sathan and his Children by his invincible power and regall authority that he shall undo frustrate and make void Sathans whole plot and work and the Scripture then shall be fulfilled which saith and he that is Christ shall break his head then the Devill that hath deceived mankind ever since the world began shall be cast into the lake of fire and brimston and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever Then there shall not be one knee amongst all the reprobate Angels and men but shall bow nor any tongue but shall confesse to the glory of God the Father that Iesus Christ is both Lord and King and although now they rage and take Counsell together against the Lord and against his annointed and invent lyes and mischiefs against the Lords truth and all his faithfull servants yet he that sitteth in the Heavens doth laugh at them the Lord shall have them in derision for the begotten of God the King of Sion shall rule governe and subdue those heathens yea he shall break them with a rod of Iron saith the Prophet and dash them to pieces like the vessell that the potter makes of clay as was before mentioned and as the Lord so shall all that are his have dominion over all the out-cast heathenish hard hearted and unregenerate gentilish generation for such names the Scripture gives them all and therefore thus saith the Lord himself he that overcometh and keepeth my words unto the end to him will I give power over the nations and he shall rule them with a rod of Iron c. even as I received of my Father that is they shall execute the same power my Father hath given me to this agreeth that Scripture which saith All nations shall feaâ—e and obey him And againe the Children of those that afflicted thee shall be sold for slaves unto thee And againe With thee will I break in pieces Captaines and Rulers the old and yong man and maide Kings subjects none exempted of what language sex estate or degree whatsoever Finally the last particular is that the whole Creation that is to prove all other Creatures besids men and Angels they shal for ever serve that is magnifie set forth and further the glory of the great King and his Kingdom for ever without any opposition cruelty savagenesse or evill whatsoever and therefore it s conteined in Scriptures that every creature that is in Heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the Sea and all that are in them heard I saying saith Saint Iohn blessing honor glory and power be to him that sitteth upon the Throne and unto the Lambe for ever and ever this proof is so generall as it takes in all places Heaven and Hell the whole Earth and the Sea and all that are within them are heard by the Apostle to praise honour obey the Lamb and this truth the Prophet David declares excellently where he saith What is man that thou art so mindfull of him or the Sonne of man that thou visitest him thou hast made him a little lower then the Angels thou hast crowned him with glory and honour thou hast made him to have Dominion over the work of thy hand thou hast put all things under his feet all sheep and oxen yea the beasts of the field the foules of the aire and the fishes of the Seas which makes the Prophet cry out in admiration and wonder O God our Lord how excellent is thy name in all the earth Now the Apostle to the Hebrews declares this that David spake of Christs Kingdom the world to come as hath before been described and therefore saith he for unto the Angels he hath not put in subjection the world to come whereof I speak but one in a certain place testified rehearsing the very words before repeated of the Prophet David so that if any man say the Prophet is not so to be understood the Apostle himself makes answer and gives us an assurance so to believe and this doctrine he preaches for truth without exception to the holy Romans where he saith for the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the Sonnes of God and he gives the reason cleare and plaine because saith he the creature it self also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious Liberty of the Sonnes of God for we know saith he speaking as if it were so well known to them as certain as their hoped for inheritance that the whole creation that is every creature groaneth and travaileth in paine together untill now note how exact and elegant he is he expounds the whole creation to be every creature that all these by a speciall instinct of nature are like a woman in travel that nothing in the world can prevent her bringing forth so it shal be with the whole creation in its restitution to its perfection lest it should not be clear enough the Apostle goes on and in particular and apart speaks of the adopted of God the heires of the world to come the inheritance of the salvation saying and not only they but our selves also which have received the first fruits of the spirit even we our selves groan within our selves waiting for the adoption to wit the redemption of our bodies the words are so plaine they need no exposition proving the restauration of the whole creation as well as the Saints which is further confirmed by that knowing Evangelist Saint Luke who saith And he shall send Iesus Christ which before was preached unto you whom the heavens must receive untill the times of restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy Prophets since the world began which truth in times past was well known unto men although now the world through ignorance understand it not for the Lord saith by a holy Prophet that his covenant with Sun and Moon day and night is for ever
the eternall glory of Gods people is set forth under the name of a City And so saith that holy Prophet Glorious things are spoken of thee O thou City of God yea even as a City stately builded gloriously ordered impregnably fenced prudently governed soundly and fully taught and instructed safely kept and watched the beauty and lustre of whose building astonishes and amazes all that passe by which consider and behold it For thus saith the Lord Looke upon Sion the City of our Solemnitâ—es thine eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation a Tabernacle that shall not be taken downe not one of the starks thereof shall be removed neither shall any of the cords thereof be broken and the inhabitant shall not say I am sick the people that dwell therein shall bee forgiven their iniquities And I will saith the Lord make thy Officers peace and thy exactions righteousnesse Violence shall be no more heard in thy Land wasting nor destruction within thy borders but thou shalt call thy Walls salvation and thy Gates prayse And be you glad saith the Lord and rejoyce for ever in that which I create for behold I create Jerusalem a rejoycing and her people a joy and I will rejoyce in Jerusalem and joy in my people and the voyce of weeping shall be no more heard in thee nor the voyce of crying for from henceforth shall no more come into thee the uncircumcized nor the unclean none shal enter into this City but such only which are both in heart and in flesh circumcised as the Prophet Ezeck saith And the holy Citizens of this heavenly Citie the Sun shall no more burn them by day nor the Moon by night they shall neither suffer hunger nor weeping nor sin nor dye more saith the Lord Wherfore awake awake saith the Prophet put on thy strength O Syon puton thy beautifull garment O Ierusalem the holy City This is the City of the great King wherefore arise and shine for the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee For thus saith the Lord I will extend peace unto thee like a River and the glory of the Gentiles as a flowing stream As one whom his mother comforteth so will I comfort you and you shall be comforted in Jerusalem This is Sion whom the Lord hath chosen he the Lord hath desired her for his habitation this is my rest for ever saith the Lord here will I dwell The glorie and safety of this Citie is so amply set forth by the Apostle when he saw her in a vision where he saith And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountaine and shewed me that great City the holy Jerusalem descending out of heaven from God having the glory of God and her light was like unto a stone most precious and describes the great City in her glorious building her walls great and high having twelve Gates kept by twelve Angels and that she had twelve foundations so precious for the matter of it that it exceeds pure gold and all pretious stones and pearles magnificent for form the length the breadth and the heighth of it equall upon the twelve foundations were written the names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb the glory of God did lighten it and the Lamb is the light thereof the Nations of them that are saved shall walke in the light of it and there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth c. Here is both the glory and safety of this happy City described this is the City that God prepared for the Patriarchs the City with foundations before shewed which all the faithfull expected and looked for whose builder and maker is God And upon one and all the Citizens of this City I will write upon him saith the Lord the name of my God and the name of the City of my God which is new Ierusalem which commeth downe c. And these faithfull Subjects of God the holy Ghost calls by the name of the City it selfe speaking of the evill reigne and time of Antichrist And they shall saith he tread the holy City under foot forty and two moneths but when those dayes of the Cities desolation shall be ended then she shal have a Commission under the great Seale of heaven to tread her enemies under her foot for so faith the Apostle The Saints shall judge the world And now we are come to the third particular The commission of power and authority that the Saints shall have with their Saviour which the Scriptures doe largely declare And thus the Lord saith to prove it He that overcommeth will I grant to sit with me in my Throne There is the commission and authority too even as I have overcome and am set with my Father in his Throne and so promiseth our Lord to his Apostles and assures it with an asseveration Verily I say unto you that yee which have followed me in the regeneration when the sonne of man shall sit in the Throne of his glory yee also shall sit upon twelve Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel and what in this he said unto them he said unto all And this the Prophet David well knew when he sung this song Ierusalem is buildeá as a City that is compact together whither the Tribes goe up The Tribes of the Lord unto the testimony of Israel to give thanks unto the name of the Lord for there are set Thrones of judgement the Thrones of the house of David And so in another place Let the Saints be joyfull in glory let the high prayses of God be in their mouth and a two edged sword in their hands to execute vengeance upon the heathen and punishment upon the people to binde their Kings with chaines and their Nobles with fetters of Iron to execute upon them the judgement written This honour have all the Saints praise yee the Lord And thus saith the Lord to the Church of Thiatira To him that overcommeth and keepeth my word to the end to him will I give power over the Nations and he shall rule them with a rod of Iron As the vessells of a Potter shall they be broken to shivers even as I received of my Father So likewise doth he speake to the Angel of Philadelphia Behold I will make them of the Synagogue of Sathan which say they are Iewes and are not but doe lye Behold I will make them to come and worship before thy feet and they shall know that I have loved thee So speaketh Solomon in his Proverbs the prudent are crowned with knowledge the evill bow before the good and the wicked at the gates of the righteous then shall it be most true in the world to come as hereafter shall be shewed So the Lord by the Prophet Ieremiah speaking of Israel The rod of the Lords inheritance saith thou art my battell Axe and Weapons of warre for with thee will I break in pieces the Nations and with thee will I destroy Kingdomes and with thee
will I destroy old and young and with thee will I break in pieces the Chariot and his rider And I will render unto Babylon and to all the Inhabitants of Chaldea all their evill that they have done in Sion in your sight saith the Lord And when thine eyes shall see this thine heart shall rejoyce as I have shewed before Sing O daughter of Sion shout O Israel be glad and rejoyce with all thy heart O daughter of Jerusalem for the Lord hath taken away thy judgements and hath cast out thy enemy the King of Israel is in the midst of thee thou wast humbled but now thou art exalted thou wast oppressed but now thou art delivered thou wast judged but now thou art freed thou wast of low degree but now thou art raised Ierusalem is set up the praise and Iudge of the whole earth According to this speaketh the Prophet Micah to the Church concerning her deliverance from sufferings to reigning Behold at that time saith the Lord I will undoe all that afflict thee and I will save her that halteth and gather her that was driven out and I will get them praise and fame in every Land where they have been put to shame At that time will I bring you again in the time that I gather you and I will make you a name and a praise amongst all people of the earth when I turn back your captivity befoâ—e your eyes saith the Lord Hym. I am much beholding to you for this excellent discovery of Gods servants condition in the world to come I pray declare to me the fourth particular you promised Silv. I said that the state of perfection the Scriptures did well illustrate by a Garden for pleasure and delight And in this the Prophet Isaiah is very fluent in speaking of the perfection of Gods people saith for the Lord shall comfort Sion he will comfort all her waste places and he will make her wildernesse like Eden and her desert like the Garden of the Lord joy and gladnesse shall be found therein thanks-giving and the voyce of melody And so in another place he saith And the Lord shall guide thee continually and satisfie thy soule in drought and make fat thy bones And thou shalt be like a watered Garden and like a spring of water whole waters faile not So saith the wise King Solomon in the person of Christ A Garden inclosed is my sister my Spouse a spring shut up a fountaine sealed thy plants are an Orchard of Pomegranets with pleasant fruits Camphire with Spikenard Saffron Cinamon with all trees of Frankinsence with all the chiefe spices Awake thou North-wind come thou South blow upon my Garden that the spices thereof may flow out And the Church saith again let my beloved come into his garden and eate his pleasant fruits All which expresse nothing but pleasure and delight in reciprocal affection between Christ and his Church the King saith the Lord dwelleth in the garden and the Lord him selfe saith I have chosen Sion to dwell in her The beauty and excellency of this Church in her perfection was shewed to Balaam in a vision And made him thus fall into admiration yea how goodly are thy Tents oh Iacob and thy Tabernacles O Israel as the vallies are they spread forth as gardens by the River side as the trees of Ligna aloes which the Lord hath planted and as the Cedar Trees by the waters And there is a great deale of reason that the holy Ghost in the testimony of the Prophets should set forth the estate Eternall the estate of perfection by a pleasant Garden for so God created it at first in that perfect condition in which it stood where he gave his holy man Adam Dominion over all over the Fish of the Sea and over the Fowle of the Ayâ—e and over every living thing that moveth upon the Earth And just so it shall be againe in the Restauration the second Adam the Lord from Heaven shall have a never fading and a perpetuall Dominion as the Apostle speakes for unto the Angels hee hath not put in subjection the World to come whereof we speake But one in a certaine place speakes which is David admiring what was prophesied of Christs Kingdome breakes out in a Question being amazed at the great Glory and Dominion prophesied of and asked What is man O God that thou art so mindfull of him or the Sonne of man whom thou so visitest to give him Dominion over the Worke of thy Hands Thou hast put all things in subjection under him And this the Apostle understands the Prophet speakes of Christ and his Kingdome That holy Scribe Ezra being largely shewed the glorious estate of the Churches Deliverance in the World to come sayth For unto you is Paradice opened the Tree of Life is planted the Time to come is prepared plenteousnesse is made ready a Citie is builded and Rest is allowed yea a perfect Goodnesse and Wisedome O happy are they that have thus the Lord to bee their God happy are the peohle that are in such a case Arise shake thy selfe from the dust arise from trouble and sit downe in quiet Oh Ierusalem enter into your Masters joy Him Good friend seeing the glory is so great of such as shall be saved which are willing and obey and therefore eate the good things of the promised Land what shall become of such as perish Silv. They that would not in their life time learn obedience by mercy shall be constreined after death by paine its true that Hagars generation the bond-womans Children shall be cast out from inheriting with those that are free born of Sarah for so directly speak the Scriptures by a doubâ—e witnesse the Lord himself and one of his servants Cast out this bond-woman and her Son for the Sonne of this bond-woman shall not be heire with my free born Sonne even my Sonne Isaac Where its plaine and without all question that this generation shall not inherit that is shall not participate of the glory in the world to come whereof we speak with Sarahs free born Children but that they shall serve and be subject to their King and his Saints for ever and this appears plainly by Scripture thus speaks Noah by the spirit of prophesie Cursed be Canaan a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren and Canaan shall be Shems servant and againe the Lord saith in another place the elder shall serve the yonger and that the yonger shall be Lord over his brethren and then as all things shall be made new so righteousnesse and judgement shall have the victory and then shall Esay serve Iacob Ishmael Isaac and Cain Abel and although in their former life time they hated persecuted scorned disdained and killed them even serving themselves of them whom they ought to have served if truth had taken place yet at the returne of the Lord as all his enemies shall be subdued to him and brought under his feet these enemies amongst the rest