wrath But whatsoeuer Anabaptist do retaine the mariage of the Church of England do retaine the marke of the Beast Therefore whatsoeuer Anabaptist do retaine the mariage of the Church of England shall certainly drinke of the cup of Gods wrath Euery mariage which is marke of the Beast must be made void to auoid the wrath of God But euery mariage of the Anabaptists in the Church of England before their schisme from it is a mark of the Beast Therefore euery mariage of the Anabaptists in the Church of England before their schisme from it must be made void to auoid the wrath of God Which being true then cease they to be maried as children to be baptized That the baptisme of children neither is nor can be the mark of the Beast spoken of in Reuel 13. 16. These men might easily perceiue if they were not altogether ignorant and destitute of vnderstanding what the nature of that marke is For the marke of the Beast there spoken of is such a thing indeed as yong children are not capable of and therefore they are not set downe among those that are said to receiue the same And hee causeth all both small and great rich and poore free and bond to receiue a marke in their right hand or in their forehead Meaning by small and great such as are so in regard of their high and low places and callings in the world and by rich and poore such as are rich or poore in regard of the plenty or scarcitie of the riches and things of this world and present life and by free and bond they that are at libertie and free and they that be in bondage or captiuitie in regard of any captiuitie or seruitude to men Hee doth not say yong and old which if yong children had been included amongst them he should haue said because they are all so distinctly and seuerally named that doe receiue it Besides the marke of the Beast being such a thing as it is namely a voluntary submission and resolute purpose to do and subscribe to all the lawes and commandements of the Beast whether secretly or openly and to declare and testifie themselues to be such as are allied vnto him both by word and deed And thus hauing also made cleere this point we end hoping that the things which are spoken will giue to those that are not wilfull and obstinate but of a meeke and lowly heart full satisfaction Their seuenth point That Church of England is a false Antichristian Church and ought to be seperated from That it is false and Antichristian we proue thus That the Church whose Bishop and Ministers haue had their first ordination from the false Antichristian Church of Rome whereof Antichrist is the head is false and Antichristian But the Church of England her Bishops and Ministers haue had their first ordination from the false Antichristian Church of Rome whereof Antichrist is the head Therefore the Church of England is a false Antichristian Church That it ought therefore to be seperated from we proue thus If euery false Antichristian Church ought to be seperated from then the Church of England ought to be seperated from because she is false and Antichristian as before is proued But euery false and Antichristian Church ought to be seperated from as Reu. 18. 4. Come out of her my people c. Therefore the Church of England ought to be seperated from We Answere THe first proposition of this Argument is false A Church whose Bishops Ministers haue had their first ordination outward from the false Antichristian Church of Rome whereof Antichrist is head may yet notwithstanding be a true Church and they true Bishops and Ministers and not Antichristian It is not the outward ordination which a Bishop or Minister hath before his conuersion receiued of a false Antichristan Church that can either pollute him benow conuerted and called of God or make the Church to which he ministreth false or Antichristian Neither is it the bare outward ordination receiued of the best Church that euer was in the world and in the best outward forme that is that can make either him that receiueth it a true faithfull Minister of God or the Church to which he ministreth a true Church of Christ But he may be both a false teacher an Antichrist and his Church false and antichristian notwithstanding Those false teachers and Antichrists that were in the Apostles times had no doubt their first ordination from the true Church of God in as good an outward forme as any is or can be and that Church or people that were led by them could not chuse but be vnsound The Scriptures foretelling of false prophets false teachers Antichrists and of the great Antichrist which should arise describeth them to rise not from among the heathen or Iewes as some imagine the great Antichrist shall but in and out of the Church of God euen of and from among those that should succeed the Apostles and Elders of the Churches which the Apostles did plant succeed I say as touching the outward ordination in the externall offices and places of them Saint Paul being neere his departure from his labors to the Lord calling the Elders of the Church of Ephesus together forewarned them saying And now behold I know that yee all amongst whom I haue gone preaching the kingdome of God shall see my face no more wherefore I take you to record this day that I am pure from the bloud of all men for I haue kept nothing backe but haue declared vnto you all the counsell of God take heed therefore vnto yourselues and to the flocke whereof the holy Ghost hath made you ouerseers to feede the Church of God which he hath purchased with his owne bloud For I know this that after my departing shall grieuous wolues enter in among you not sparing the flock Moreouer of your owne selues shall men arise speaking peruerse things to draw disciples after them Therefore watch and remember These were such as the holy Ghost had made ouerseers so that their outward calling ordination and succession could not be excepted against and yet we see what Paul foretells and forewarnes them of Againe Saint Iohn speaking of Antichrists that rose in his time saith They went out from vs c. And Christ himselfe foretelling of the abhomination of desolation which should be set vp by the great Antichrist saith that it shall stand in the holy place where it ought not When yee therefore shall see the abhomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the Prophet stand in the holy place Meaning by the holy place the Church of God the place where God dwelleth and is worshipped as Saint Paul declareth saying Let no man deceiue you by any meanes for that day shall not come except there be a departing first and that the man of sinne be reuealed the Sonne of perdition who opposeth and exalteth himselfe aboue all that is called God or that is
of Iudas and of his fellow disciples who could not relish the words of eternall life which Christ spake saying Except ye eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his blood ye haue no life in you and the case of those Antichrists and of those vnfaithfull euill hearted draw-backs as it hath been the case of many thousands more and is still at this day yet the case of Peter of Iohn and the rest of the Apostles was far otherwise as is now also the case of all regenerate true hearted Christians they beleeue to the sauing of the soule they eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his blood spiritually by faith and haue eternall life abiding in them they dwell in Christ and Christ in them they are borne of God and therefore draw not backe sinne not to perdition for the seed whereby they are begotten remaineth in them neither can they so sinne because they are borne of God nay they are sealed by the holy Spirit of promise vnto the day of redemption they ouercome the world endure and keepe his words and works vnto the end they are the liuely stones of Gods temple built vpon the chiefe corner stone who are made a spiritual house to offer vp spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christ his Church against which the gates of hell shall not preuaile they are the good ground spoken of the good trees which cannot bring forth euill fruit but good only the euill which they doe at any time is not their fruit because it proceedeth not from their hearts but is done vnwillingly through weaknesse for in their hearts they serue the law of God The Scriptures account that to be a mans fruite which cometh from his heart whether it be good or euill because thereby the nature of the fountaine which is the heart is knowne as the nature of trees are by their fruite So that the nature of a good man I meane that which is borne of the Spirit not his fleshly nature is now to bring foorth good fruite only as Christ testifieth saying A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth foorth that which is good We can do nothing against the truth saith the Apostle A good tree cannot bring forth euill fruite And whereas the Scriptures speake so often after this maner If ye hold fast vuto the end If ye continue Him that ouercometh and keepeth my words and works to the end then are ye his house then will he approue of ye then shall ye be saued And on the contrary He that looketh behind him He that endureth not If any draw backe or fall away c. he is not meete for the kingdome of God My soule shall haue no pleasure in him There remaines no more sacrifice for sin The drift of the Spirit of God is to informe vs of the different estates and conditions of Christians of the danger of the one estate and of the well being and safetie of the other that so we seeing the difference and being forewarned thereof might not depend vpon that which is so dangerous but striue vnto that wherein there is safetie And where it saith of some Let them be blotted out of the booke of the liuing I will put his name out of the booke of life The meaning is not that God will put any mans name out of the booke of life that is written therein but his meaning is that such desperate and wicked persons as blaspheme his truth and Spirit shall be set down as it were with a blot cursed vtterly excluded and pronounced against for such as there is no hope or place for repentance as was Iudas and others of his companions of whom it was foresaid Let them be blotted out of the booke of the liuing let them not be written with the righteous c. for they persecue him whom thou hast smitten they talke to the griefe of those whom thou hast chosen So that whereas men may seeme to haue a place among the Saints in the Church of God and to be in as good an estate as they by reason of some gifts of the Spirit which they may receiue and some alteration the word of God may worke in them yet being neuer sanctified in heart by the faith of the Sonne of God in time they discouer themselues to be in heart euill and aduersaries to the truth and such as God doth by his word exclude and pronouuce cursed children twice dead and pluckt vp by the rootes such as neuer had nor shall haue their names written with his people in his records of life which before their discouerie might seeme both to themselues and to others to haue and therefore it is said And from him that hath not shall be taken away euen that which he seemeth to haue which seemeth also to be an improper speech for how can that which a man hath not be said to be taken from him He had something may some say and it is true he had heard and receiued the word with ioy but not in deepenesse of root not in a good heart his heart was neuer sanctified by faith like vnto his that brought forth fruit he was enlightned and had tasted of the good word of God and of the powers of the world to come but he seemed and made shew to haue more he presumed no doubt that his name was written in the booke of life which was more then that he had receiued could warrant him This his pretended shew is now also taken from him and his name is openly by the iust sentence of Gods word put out of all hope of being or euer to be written in the book of life and he is now like the earth which bringeth forth nothing but briars and thornes neere vnto cursing it is impossible he should now be renewed For nothing is secret saith the text that shall not be made manifest nor any thing hid that shall not be knowne and come to light Therefore saith he take heed how ye heare For whosoeuer hath to him shall be giuen and he shall haue abundance and whosoeuer hath not from him shall be taken away euen that which he seemeth to haue But what is the booke of life for peraduenture it is a secret to some doubtlesse It is both Gods secret and reuealed decree or will concerning such as shal be saued by that which is reuealed the secret is made knowne His secret decree we haue in the first beginning of our writing shewed which briefly is this That God before the world was foreseeing the fall of mankind did chuse in Christ a certaine number of them to life and saluation which were all foreseen and knowne of him and recorded by his decree in the roule of Christ before they were his reuealed will or decree which we haue before also at large exprest is briefly this namely the speciall promises and testimonies of
life and saluation which are most fully and often recorded â—nd testified in the Scriptures of God to and concerning such persons in such maner qualified as we haue before according to the Scriptures described So that euery man so qualified may see and know through the Spirit of God in and by the same records his name to wit his person soule and body decreed and recorded of God in Christ euen from the foundation of the world to be for life and saluation This is the booke of life of the Lamb slaine for in him it was and is done and of this decree there is no alteration And whereas it seemeth to some that God doth alter his purpose and change his word because he sometimes promiseth blessings and life to men which by reason they on their parts do not that which he requireth he performeth not and likewise threatneth iudgement which by reason men repent he executeth not The truth is it doth but so seem to ignorant men who doe not rightly conceiue of the power of God nor vnderstand the drift and scope of his word For God is not like vnto men to purpose one thing to day and resolue vpon another to morrow but whatsoeuer he hath decreed in his heart shall surely come to passe though he sometimes vse to speake after the maner of men because he knoweth they are but men whom he speaketh vnto He publisheth his Gospell to all men in generall and doth promise saluation to all men that repent and beleeue and he requireth repentance and faith of all yet notwithstanding but few do repent and beleeue and so come to saluation doth God therefore alter his purpose and change his word He also gaue a law to all men before and required obedience thereunto promising life likewise to all that obeyed it but no man euer kept it and liued thereby did God therefore alter his purpose and change his word nay God did neuer purpose in his heart nor promise that any man should here in the flesh keepe his law and liue by it though the Familists say he did neither was it giuen to that end though they affirme it was For if it had bene so God would neuer haue giuen the other nay he knew such was mans miserable condition by his fall and the fiery sharpnes of that law against him that it was so farre impossible for him to keepe the same and liue thereby as that it vtterly slue him and kept him off Therefore God hauing decreed in his heart to saue some was pleased to giue the other if he had not done so but should haue proceeded against all for the breach of the first should he haue done any man wrong nay who dare say so And is he now vniust in publishing his Gospell to all because he saueth not all or darest thou say he altereth his purpose and changeth his word nay let God be true and vnchangeable and all men liers and moueable Men are as backward and vnwilling and haue as little power or strength in themselues to obey the Gospell as they had to keepe the law nay such is yet naturally the pride and loftinesse of mans heart as lamentable experience hath long proued that he rather desireth to remaine vnder the rule and command of the law and so seeke life by the works thereof then to subiect his soule to the rule and commandements of the Gospell viz. to repent of his sinnes from the bottome of his heart and seeke life by faith in the free grace of God in Iesus Christ and follow Christ in the regeneration But so it is I say that before the world was God did purpose and decree in himselfe to saue by the Gospell of his Sonne Iesus Christ a seed a remnant of the foreseene fallen posteritie of mankind which seed he reserued from the beginning coÌ„prehended them in the promise which he first made to Adam saying The seed of the woman shal breake the Serpents head Christ being the principall and they in him and of him and seuereth them with him from the seed of the Serpent in these words And I will put enmitie betweene thee and the woman and betweene thy seed and her seed And afterwards againe to Abraham in these words In thy seed shall all nations of the earth be blessed Meaning by thy seed Christ and by the nations those children which God made Abraham the father of as he said I haue made thee a father of many nations euen they that were to haue the faith of Abraham the seed that were to beleeue in that one seed Christ And again in these words In Isaac shall thy seed be called By all which it is euident that as Christ was promised and seuered from the seed of the serpent so all the seed betweene whom and the seed of the serpent there was to be enmitie were also promised as Gods free people meerly giuen of him to life and seuered by him also from them and as Isaac was borne by promise so are they At this time will I come saith God and Sara shall haue a sonne So Saint Paul saith Now we brethren as Isaac was are the children of promise And that these children of the promise onely are the children of God and counted for the seed the same Apostle also in another place witnesseth in these words They which are the children of the flesh are not the children of God but the children of the promise are counted for the seed And they are called the children of God because also they are borne of God and adopted through the Spirit of his Son and therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God as he said to Abraham I will he thy God and the God of thy seed For be hath prepared for them a citie Now this seed as God foreknew them all and had chosen them in Christ froÌ„ the beginning and predestinated them to be conformed to his image and likenesse who are therefore said to be written in the Lambs book of life from the foundation of the world And as he seuered them by promise from the seed of the Serpent so from time to time hee calleth them and whom he calleth hee iustifieth and whom he iustifieth them also he glorifieth He hath not done these things to all The seed of the Serpent neuer had any of these priuiledges God neuer chose them in Christ nor predestinated them to be conformed to his image neither were they euer written in the Lambs booke of life from the foundation of the world neither did God euer promise to call iustifie and glorifie them or any of them therefore God neuer altered his purpose nor changed his word or promise as some ignorantly imagine but there hath been euer enmitie betweene the seed of the serpent and the seed of the woman euen from the dayes of Cain and Abel to this present and shall be to the end according to the word
life is by one euen Christ and none shall liue but by him And that not any one man whatsoeuer old or yong male or female shall euer enter into life except he be changed from that he is by nature by a heauenly power of grace through the Spirit Christ himselfe fully ratifieth and confirmeth saying Verily I say vnto thee except a man be borne againe he cannot see the kingdom of God And againe the second time Verily verily I say vnto thee except a man be borne of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdome of God Meaning by a man euery child of man without exception of what age or sex soeuer if he be one conceiued and borne of flesh he must be borne againe of water and of the Spirit or else he cannot be saued Meaning by water a heauenly power whereby the heart which is naturally euen from the birth hard and stubburne being seasoned with Adams sinne euen from the conception is dissolued and made meeke and tender as water and by the spirit a heauenly gift of the holy Ghost which comforteth his tender heart and brings vnto it from God in and through Christ peace and ioy vnspeakable and that children are capable of this in and from the womb let the babe which sprang in his mothers wombe for ioy giue testimonie And if any shall say Christ doth not call a child new borne a man let him reade these words of Christ A woman when she trauaileth hath sorrow because her houre is nigh but as soone as she is deliuered of the child she remembreth no more the paine for ioy that a man is borne into the world If children dying before they commit actuall sinne are saued because they haue no originall pollution of sinne as these silly men say then Christ died not for children neither was he promised vnto them nor yet are they saued by him but by their owne innocencie and so this promise The Seed of the woman shall bruise the serpents head belonged only to Adam and Euah and not to any of their children because they were to be borne all innocents without sinne These with many other absurdities will follow from this their doctrine But it is an error as their other points are and therefore error must needs be the consequence of it If one should aske these men at what age a child may commit an actuall sinne whereby it doth lose it innocencie and perfection of nature and then at what age it is capable of the new birth and also why the lust or thought of euill in the heart as well as an act of euill may not take their innocencie and vertue of nature from them It is much to be maruelled what answers they would make But to leaue them to better conderations hoping they will now see their folly and learne to be wiser for time to come Their sixt point That none ought to be baptized but such men and women of yeares onely as haue attained to true repentance and iustifying faith being both in the account of the Church and in the sight of God regenerate persons and that the baptisme of children vsed is no baptisme at all but is the marke of the Beast spoken of in Reuelat. 13. Answ THe doctrine of the Church of God is that not only such men and women of yeares as haue true repentance and iustifying faith but that all which do beleeue Iesus to be the Christ and acknowledge him submitting themselues to be informed and guided by his word and Gospell may be baptized though as yet they neither haue true repentance nor iustifying faith and that the children of all such may be baptized That such as haue true repentance iustifying faith may be baptized it is granted of all men without any further consideration to be past all question but it is euident there may be such who yet notwithstanding may not lawfully be baptized Cornelius Lydia and the Eunuch were true worshippers of God as the Spirit testifieth of them and therefore had both true repentance iustifying faith before they knew Christ to be come in the flesh yet these might not be baptized till they did know and acknowledge Christ to be come in the flesh and that Iesus Christ was he but Christ being manifested vnto them the Scriptures concerning him being vnfolded and God opening their hearts to attend vnto the same and they beleeuing the truth thereof were baptized being now of all other the meetest persons therefore For we are to know that when Christ came into the world he found the people in seuerall conditions some though but few very true Israelites who had both repentance and iustifying faith before Christ as touching his personall appearing in the flesh was known vnto them as Simeon Nathaniel those before named and others For the same way to saluation that is now was euer euen from the dayes of Abell and shall be to the end as repentance from dead workes and faith towards God c. And some poore repentant sinners and these were few also which had not yet Iustifying faith but onely trauelling vnder the burthen of their sins did much desire to be releiued Such were those poore which are spoken of the bruised and heauy laden Sicke lost dead c. And others were they that had neither repentance nor faith as the multitudes of the Iewes and of the whole world and to these seuerall sorts of people the Gospell was preached in seuerall maners To the first sort that Christ was now come euen the messenger of the couenant whom they desired in their hearts to see and heare as one that did spiritually dwell in their hearts already these beleeuing were baptized To the second was preached that Christ is come and also that the glad tidings of peace and reconciliation with God in him did belong to them in particular and therefore Christ calleth these particularly saying Come vnto me all ye c. Againe The Sonne of man is come to seeke and saue that which is lost c. The poore haue the Gospell preached vnto them and these beleeuing and acknowledging Christ were baptized And to the other third sort Christ was not to be preached in any such special peculiar manner as to the former but more generally as namely that Christ is come in the flesh c and that repentance and remission of sinnes is granted in his name so that whosoeuer doth repent and beleeue the Gospell shal be saued Now they that did beleeue and accknowledge the truth of these things as Iudas the many disciples mentioned in the fourth and sixt of Iohn the thornie and stony ground Simon Magus with many others were and might lawfully be baptized though they had not yet true repentance nor iustifying faith Nay it is manifest that neither Christ nor his Apostles did reiect any from the outward baptisme for the want thereof so as they did beleeue and outwardly submit themselues to the
for baptising of children I answere It saith oft times that whole housholds were baptized without any exception of children and we haue small reason to thinke that beleeuers should be barren more then others The naming of whole housholds without any exception sheweth plainely that the Spirit of truth neuer intended to exclude children If he had euer intended any such thing then doubtles would he haue giuen some little touch or tittle to that purpose which he hath neuer done And to set downe in plaine words particularly that children were or might be baptized there was then no neede because there were none in those dayes that questioned it as there might well and would doubtlesse haue beene if the Apostles had not baptized any but refused them If it might be concluded that there were no children in those mentioned Families as we haue small reason to thinke that Christians beleeuers should be more barren then Infidells yet no doubt in all the Apostles times some children were offered as we see some were brought to Christ and not refused of him which if the Apostles had once reiected the Iewes especially would haue taken exception against them as well they might and haue enquired what should be the reason thereof and also haue demanded why children might not aswell be baptized as before they were circumcised And the Apostles would haue giuen them answere and so by that meanes your question had beene dissolued long agoe But because there were not then in their dayes any such questioners nor any cause of any such question by them giuen therefore they tooke no care either to set downe in particular that children were or might be baptized nor yet to shew any one the least exception against it for they knew it was not a matter of such consequence as you imagine If they had either seene or foreseene any such dangerous euill as you conceiue you see in it as that it was or would be the marke of the Beast which the Spirit speaketh of they would certainly haue foretold and forewarned the Church of it as they haue done of other things which in your sight is of lesse moment that so either it might not haue taken such great place as it hath or else at least that the people of God might without so great difficultie haue seene what a dangerous euill it was or would come to and with constancie and comfort haue auoided and withstood it but they being guided by the holy Ghost haue done whatsoeuer was needfull Againe if there must needs be a plaine word either by some precept or example exprest for the proofe of whatsoeuer may be practised among Christians then where finde we any where written that women in particular may partake in the Sacrament of the Supper though doubtlesse it may be soundly prooued by argument from Scripture that women may partake therein as we haue already proued children may be baptized If I should now demand of you your warrant for a man to baptize himselfe I much maruell where you would finde such a practise in all the new Testament of Christ I am sure it would be a taske too hard for you to find Well to let passe those things we will now go on When the Apostle Peter spake of the baptisme which saueth lest any should mistake him what baptisme he meant he saith Not the doing away of the filth of the flesh So if any of the Apostles or pen-men of the Scriptures when they did set downe that whole housholds were baptized or at any other time had but said except yong children it had been enough And if they had so said what occasion might the Iewes haue taken to except and obiect against it Might they not haue reasoned against it thus Doth Christ the messenger of the couenant of peace and Preacher of good tidings deale more hardly now in this time of the plentie of grace then he did before in the time of the law Might children then be admitted by circumcision into the congregation of the Lord and may they not now by baptisme They were formerly called Iewes and counted of the seed of Abraham in whom a blessing by promise was to be expected as namely that God would call a seed out of that stocke or seed which should inherite his couenant whereof circumcision was a signe vnto them and may they not now be allowed the name of a Christian through Baptisme They are the same that they were then and why should not Christ in whom the blessing and promise resteth be the same Thus they might haue argued if it had been so if the case were now so altered as touching children if Christ were not the same that he then was but it is otherwise and Christ is the same yea and in regard of the large bountie and plentie of grace which he hath now vouchsafed he is more then the same therefore let not children be denied that which belongeth vnto them Christ was much displeased with those disciples that rebuked them that brought little children vnto him that he should touch them and said Suffer little children to come vnto me and forbid them not for of such is the kingdome of God Verily I say vnto you whosoeuer shall not receiue the kingdome of God as a little child he shall not enter therein And the text saith he tooke them vp in his armes and layd his hands vpon them and blessed them Whence it is euident that little children ought by no meanes to be denied baptisme because they are such true similitudes of regeneration of which baptisme is a signe and seeing also Christ maketh it an argument against those that would haue hindered them to be brought vnto him saying for of such is the kingdome of God so that it may be as rightly said Suffer little children to come to baptisme and forbid them not for of such is the kingdome of God of such as be conuerted and are become like vnto little children doth the Church of God consist Whereas they further affirme that infants baptisme is the marke of the Beast and so must be cast away with euery part thereof because whosoeuer dieth with that marke on them without repentance shall certainly drinke of the cup of Gods wrath Which marke of the Beast is thus deciphered by them All maner of ordinances which are performed by the ministery of the Church of England being an Antichristian ministery whereof infants baptisme is one are none of Gods ordinances but a marke of the Beast From which obserue what will follow against themselues Euery action which is performed by the ministery of the Church of England is a marke of the Beast But the mariage of the Anabaptists in the Church of England is an action performed by the ministery of the Church of England Therefore the mariage of the Anabaptists in the Church of England is a marke of the Beast Whosoeuer do retain the marke of the Beast shall certainly drinke of the cup of Gods
and meeknesse whatsoeuer they shall inflict vpon them for they are here called to suffer And that there will come a day in which all Kings Princes and powers must lay downe their Crownes and Scepters at the feet of Christ and resigne all their power and authoritie to him the King of kings and Lord of Lords whose right all the kingdomes of this world are and that all powers and principalities peoples and nations shall serue and obey him the most high Lord and King of all for euer and euer the Scriptures do euidently and often declare so often as would be too long for me now to recite onely some few I will mention for proofe thereof The Prophet Daniel hauing described the foure great Monarchs which were to reigne in the earth ouer the inhabitants thereof frō that time to the end of the world and hauing also foreseene the end and destruction of them saith I saw in the night visions and behold one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heauen and came to the Ancient of dayes and they brought him neare before him and there was giuen him dominion and glorie and a kingdome that all people nations and languages should serue him his dominion is an euerlasting dominion which shall not passe away and his kingdome that which shall not be destroyed This doth he further explane in the 27 verse of this Chapter saying And the kingdome and dominion and the greatnesse of the kingdome vnder the whole heauen shall be giuen to the people of the Saints of the most High whose kingdome is an euerlasting kingdome and all dominions shall serue obey him As also in the interpretation of the dreame of Nebucadnezzar the first of the f◅ure Monarchs after he had described the last he saith And in the dayes of these kings shall the God of heauen set vp a kingdome which shall neuer be destroyed and the kingdome shall not be left for other people but it shall breake in peeces and consume all these kingdomes and it shall stand for euer And againe speaking of the reigne of the same Monarch he saith But the Saints of the most High shall take the kingdom and possesse the kingdom euen for euer and euer By all which the Prophet sheweth plainly that the Stone which was cut out of the mountaine without hands Christ which was to come of the house of Dauid should by the power of the most high through the word which was to proceed out of his mouth breake in peeces consume destroy all those Monarchs which were to reigne in the world and that he the Lord owner of all should possesse the kingdome and reigne on the earth for euer and euer world without end And that the Saints of the most High not the carnall Iewes yet remaining as some imagine but all his redeemed from the beginning of the world to the end shall possesse the kingdome and reigne with him not in a carnall earthly maner but in a heauenly estate of glorie not for a time but for euer euer beyond all time and that then from thenceforth all powers and dominions people and nations whatsoeuer shall serue and obey him This in briefe is that which the Prophet intendeth which also the rest of the holy Prophets foresaw and foretold of as Saint Peter testifieth saying And he shall send Iesus Christ which before was preached vnto you whom the heauens must receiue vntill the time of restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy Prophets since the world began meaning this great restitution which is to be fulfilled at the second coming of Christ in the clouds of heauen when the seuenth Angell shall sound the last Trump as Saint Iohn witnesseth saying And the seuenth Angell sounded and there were great voices in heauen saying The kingdomes of this world are becom the kingdomes of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reigne for euer euer And that this shall not be till the great Trump shal sound mentioned by Esaias the Prophet by Christ in the Gospell by Saint Paul to the Corinthians Thesfalonians by Saint Iohn in the Reuelation till Christ shall come in the clouds of heauen and that euery eye shall see him euen they that pierced him and that all the kindreds of the earth shall mourne and waile before him is manifest I say by all those seuerall Scriptures as also by the testimonie of the holy Author to the Hebrewes where he saith For vnto the Angels hath he not put in subiection the world to come whereof we speake but one in a certaine place testified saying What is man that thou art mindfull of him or the son of man that thou visitest him thou crownedst him with glorie honour and didst set him ouer the workes of thy hands thou hast put all things in subiection vnder his feete c. In which place the Apostle sheweth cleerly that it is the world to come in which all powers and things shall be actually and visibly seene to be vnder his feet and all the kingdoms of this world shall be the Fathers and his then I say in that world not in this as Christ saith My kingdom is not of this world then when the last enemy is destroyed when this world shall be made another world according to his promise then shall all powers and principalities all people and nations serue and obey him he will no longer be dishonored by them they shall not vse their tongues and powers then as they list and as they had wont to do but all tongues shall confesse and euery knee shall bow to him they that in their life times would not be brought by the faire meanes of his Gospel to serue obey him shall be brought to do it after death by paine yea Satan himselfe the author of wickednesse who neuer intended to giue praise and honour to God or to Christ euen he with all his angels and spirits of wickednesse vnder their torments and by force of the rod of iron which Christ the King of the whole earth shall exercise ouer them in that world shall be compelled with all powers people and kings whatsoeuer to confesse and bow before him serue and obey him praise and magnifie him his iustice and mercie for euer For if at the name of Iesus euery knee shall bow both of things in heauen and things in earth things vnder the earth and that all tongues shall confesse that Iesus Christ is the Lord to the glory of God the Father as the Apostle speaketh then doubtlesse Satan and his followers are not exempted yet euermore vnder torments as we haue said If Satan and his Angels or any of the cursed children of men which shall be condemned and tormented for euer with them should after iudgement raile against God and blaspheme him as some do teach they shall or