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A86501 The nevv world, or, the nevv reformed church. Discovered out of the second epistle of Peter the third chap verse 13. First opened briefly, and some points pourtrayed and propounded before some of the nobilitie and others in the country. Afterwards more fully delineated, and prosecuted before the Honorable House of Parliament; May 30. An. Dom. 1641. And upon the request of some of them, desiring coppies, was limbed up for the presse, according to the maine parts then, and there delivered. / By Nath. Homes Dr. in D. Homes, Nathanael, 1599-1678. 1641 (1641) Wing H2570; Thomason E171_4; ESTC R8246 64,684 86

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then a place Secondly and Hyperbole or high sounding expression of the newnesse or newalty of this state of the Church calling it a new heavens a new earth as if of another substance for so new imports of a new substance Howbeit the Apostle only meanes new in accidents in qualities circūstarces Yet so he speakes to draw on our minds to reach home to a right opinion of those new heavens c. That there shall be such a renewed condition of the Church as if it were a new one The like expression the Apostle useth in describing the righteous condition of the renewed Church saying that therein shall dwell righteousnesse putting the Abstract for the Concret Righteousnesse for righteous men a righteous people For no men or people can be purely righteous in this life That is the prerogative and incommunicable difference of Heaven properly so called Lastly for a full evidence what is the meaning of this text let us consider it Theologically in the Divinity of it Neverthelesse is a distinctive particle first of a new Heaven on Earth from that above secondly of the Saints hopes from the worlds As for Heavens and new Earth Some looking on these words cursoryly A lapide and with an ordinary eye have runne away with a confidence that they are to be understood of the Heaven of Heavens and the eternall glory of the Saints there But these interpretors are heavenly wide For this interpretation is too spirituall For besides what we said in the Grammaticall consideration Note here first what neede was there of this commendatorie information of the glorious estate of Heaven which is glimmering in the darke minds of heathens witnesse their discourses of the Elysian fields 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the immortality of the soule much more doth it glare in the inlightned minds of the Saints Last of all was there any neede to tell the Saints that in Heaven above dwells righteousnesse Secondly how or wherein might the Prophets and Apostles meane that the heavens of the blessed were new more to the Saints in their ages then to the rest of all the Saints who by a continued howerly sucession in one place or another are going to the same Thirdly If Heaven here signifies the state of glory what shall wee doe with or what shall wee make of the new earth Fourthly if the new heavens here meant are promised new heavens and with knowne promises and in all ages the ablest of Gods Church could never parallel to this text any other places then Isa 65.17 Isa 66.22 as precedent promises And Revel 21.1 Asuttered by S. Iohn the Apostle who was Co-Apostle and Coeve of the same time with Saint Peter though the time of writing may somewhat differ how shall we wrest those promises to meane the heavens of glory for no violence can doe it without many manifest contradictions Object Other Divines commonly called the Chiliasts or Millenaries would as their names import understand this text of the Martyres reigning a thousand yeares on earth as in a particular speciall heaven upon earth peculiar to them before they be taken up soule and body into heaven above But these are as wide on the other side and that as farre as earth from heaven of innumerable particulars that might be alleadged let us at this time bee content with a few touches First for that leading place as they account it Revel 20.4 c. let us goe no further then the expresse text and thus farre it acquites it selfe First that the text speakes of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That the soules of them whose bodies had beene smitten or be headed with the axe not their bodies too should reigns these 1000. yeares And although soules oft times in the Scripture do signifie the whole persons soules and body conjunct yet soules cannot so signifie here because the holy Ghost precisely and emphatically prevents this by telling us that the axe or some such mortall engine of Martyr-dome had distinguished the soule from the body as farre as Heaven from Earth The holy Ghost intending hereupon to comfort herein the Church on earth touching those bleeding members Answ That howsoever to the senses opinion of the world these slame Saints may seeme to perish yet as their bodies are asleepe in the earth so their soules for each moment of Martyrdom and bodily death have 1000. yeares reigning i. e. an eternity of felicity in Heaven or their soules have many yeares felicitie in Heaven till God set their heads on their shoulders againe and rev●ite their bodies to their soules Object Secondly it is not in the text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they rose againe or lived againe which would have somewhat sounded of a resurrection of their whole person But it is only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They those soules lived in Heaven And although there be in the next verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they lived againe yet it is about a contrarie sort of people and about a contrary businesse Namely that the wicked unregenerated world the meane while had not so much as attained to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of living againe by regeneration in the second Adam since their death in lapsed first Adam in whom standing in innocency they were alive And so saith the text expressely for the thousand yeares Pareus on Revel Haee opinio est contrasidem cothalicam Ioh. 5.28.29 Let him that wil be satisfied in this poine reade that learned Pareus on Apoc. 20. where besides his c●ment he hath exquisite tracts and particular disputes of the point i. e. the long time the Martyres soules had beene and should be in Heaven even afore the generall resurrection the wicked so ill thrift all this time on earth under the meanes of grace that they attaine not to the first resurrection the first degree of life eternall to live by conversion Answ This opinion of Chiliasme saith a most grave learned generally approved Divine as most hath beene in Christendome is contrary to the generall and universall faith and beliefe professed by the Church in John 5.28.29 as hee quotes the place And therefore it made the Church of God along time to doubt of the authority and authentie of the books of the Revelation Even so long as unskilfull interpr●tours wrested it to this opinion Object We are not desirous to conceale that many of the more pious and learned Fathers were led away with that opinion Answ But then let us have leave to note the levitie of the cause and the ignominie of the event The cause was a meere credulousnesse of the later believing the report and opinion of the former Augustine believes Victorinus Picta●iensis He Dyonisius Alexandrinus He Hepos Episcopus Egypti He Tertullianus He Irenaus He Justin Martyr at lest these were the men if the order not so exact that handed this tradition from one to another And the last man on whose sleeve they all hang the chiefe of their beliefe in this point as
and 40 verses together it well easily appeare Zech. 13.1 Gen. 4. Heb. 11. but as they finde and center upon Christ And it is common with the most of men to build their false righteousnesse where the nest may easily bee pulled downe Vpon some non causes some meere probables or some peeces or fragments of obedience some care of the second Table with neglect of the first or contrariwise To seeke righteousnesse or put righteousnesse in any of all these is as vaine as to seeke waters in the Mill-streame when they are exactly pind up in the Mill-pond If the fountain of Christs righteousnesse be not opened upon the uncleannesse of men how shall they be washed righteous in person nature And if not righteous in person nature how shall they practise any righteousnes towards men as a righteousnesse much lesse can they doe any performances of religion so rightly as to make of them any small peece of righteousnes Abell by faith i. e. in Christ offered an acceptable sacrifice First Christ is made to us righteousnesse 1 Cor. 1. two last before wee can make or doe any thing so as we may glory in God or take comfort in him and not in our selves 2. Negligent of righteousnesse when men know of the fountaine Christ of the Scriptures the promises the cocke to let goe that fountaine of faith the only hand to turne it yet are of a sluggish nature and practise strive not to be eminent in righteousnesse eminent in the assurance and application of Christs righteousnesse and in the insurance and warranting that application by the evidence of a conversation of righteousnesse as a Christian I say this sort at most Heb. 10 22.23 Ephes 5.15 strive not to be eminent to beleeue confidently to wake accuratly lye along as contented to live as bed-ridden Chrstians from hand to mouth No good suit to their backs of Christs righteousnesse by application No good glasse upon that suite or profession of Christ of more holy and innocent conversation No good warmth by putting on of Christ as by the spirits infusion of abundance of grace This Spittle or Hospitall of pittifull Christians these impotent professors grant they be true improve not their stock And so at every turne of great expence of much faith and hope and prayer in a sickly time of feares and afflictions they are found to bee exceeding poore A defection or declining from righteousnesse more and more appeares oft in this old Heaven As when people and Ministers the starres and the starers after them erre from the right doctrine and doctrine of righteousnesse when they dislike the puritie power and plenty of it what neede thinke they such grinding the edge of the sword of the spirit the word so thinne what neede such nice and close dividings by it Heb. 4.12 And lesse of any preaching will serve once a day enough of conscience i. e. of their conscience and enemy to the rule of conscience lesse profession is enough 2 Tim. 4.1 unlesse men will be too forward They like a mixture that may abate the acrimonie of sound truth as not induring truth in the simple Therefore the ingredients these men give and take in the mixture are smokey distinctions popish evasions carnall pretences pharisaicall collusions human rules and traditions fleshly formes of worship seeming pretences of flattering devotions by all which to blinde the eyes and puddle the streames of the Scriptures sibires non se rebus submittere For they make the Scrptures by violence to justifie these not to try these just by the Scriptures This pack or heard of men are like horses that first pounce or plunge with their feet and mudde the water and then drinke They put in their corrupt ingredients to the word or doctrine and then give it and take it to drinke Thirdly the want of righteousnesse in the old heaven appeares by a frequent disaffection to righteousnesse to deale and to unrighteously doe set against and abuse righteousnesse to bee unrighteous both against God and man First against God Father Sonne and Holy Ghost The world will smite God by oathes cursings imprecations blasphemies God never wronged them he that is wronged by them was the maker of them Acts 17.28 Jn him they live and move c. against whom they move and live so wickedly they debase and vilifie God to his face They preferre every creature yea every sinne they have a minde to commit above God himselfe To commit spirituall adultry idolaterie in preferring the first and witchcraft to love and put confidence in the devill in preferring the second is nothing with them Psal 11 9. God is good and doth good to them And they are evill and doe evill against him as a meet requital As for Christ if they do not sweare by his precious wounds passion body death sacramentall bread they will be sure to slight his merits Heb. 10.29 his sufferings as things of no necessitie or use to them His Gospel to them a pack of fables no more faith and credit to speake of effectuall faith doe they give to it As once a Bishop one of the Popes said how great a gaine have we made of this fable of the Gospell They live as if they should never dye and die as if after that they should never live As another of the Roman Bishops a Pope was unresolved at his last dying pillow Saying now I shall saith he be resolved of three things 1 Whether there be a God 2. Whether the soule bee immortall 3. Whether there bee an Heaven and Hell And for the Holy Ghost they will jeare and scoffe at that holinesse that is wrought in mens spirits by that holy spirit yea hating and opposing all holy profession and conversation Secondly they are unrighteous against men both themselves and others They will put out both their own eyes to put out one of their godly neighbours like the Philistins that stopped Isaacks * A fountaine and an eye in Hebrew called by the same name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wells to their owne hurt as well as his They reproach religion as fast as they can wherein they doe as the Roman that cut off the bridge he stood on although hee must needs fall into the river himselfe so as hee might drowne his enemies Religion and profession is the bridge to carry them over the lake of hell to heaven yet it s no matter they will cut it off by sharpe sarcasmes and derisions that by their good will there should bee no such conscience-troubling profession upon earth Therefore they let flee freely at others that seeme to have any thing of God in them These worldlings these earth Ier. ●ar●● ●●●th as the Prophet speakes all dirt will bedaub the Saints most odiously They will smite them as I●r●miah with the tongue Name-blast them They will smite them in the body Acts as Saint Paul on the mouth yea on the back● Yea they will
nor the man nor his hope can possibly bee mistaken what hee is told Nor can hee mistrust him that promised whether he will make that good hee told him in the promise Heb. 6.18 19. Hope is an Anchor its tooth or beard is afarre off unseene and the ship may play about but not from the Anchor So the things hoped are not seene The soule hovers Rom. 8 23. and seemes to bee ready to runne into the quick-sands and sinke Psal 119. Heb. 6. but that the Anchor hope fastened in the promise held toughly And in this tempest the Anchor is wrought further into the rocke of Christ promising by the windlesse or engine of prayer As the Apostle subjoineth unto hope energeticall and efficatious prayer Rom. 8. Thus brave Hope shewes her selfe fixed resolute and valiant both for the man and the Church Will the spirituall enemies of the particular Christian fight shee will fight and conquer too If sinne and Sathan and world strike to make him dispaire 1 Iohn 5.4 Rom. 5.1 2 3 4 5 6. he will by the promise get up and stampe upon them Faith steps up first hope immediately at the heeles as the Armour-bearer after Ionathan and both triumph together will the backe friends of the Church dispute hope will dispute and confute too If difficultie object hope will answer Difficulty objecting that tampering a reformation especially it speedily and throughly is full of danger to a state to cause Casmes and such violences as attend on vacuum Hope answers that she hopes better things Reformation if reformation cannot bee dangerous Papists have not beene affraid in Phillip and Maries dayes to alter Religion the true to false therefore saith hope shee hopes that good protestants neede not be affraid to make a reformation in the out-workes of true religion ecclesiasticall offices and discipline c. A thing which hath beene done in so many places with no mischievous effect as in the Low Countries Denmarke Geneva yea the reformation of all Christendom by Luthers meanes wherein the substance of religion was altered mischiefed no Common wealth or state matters Yea Henry the eight his rejecting the Popes supremacy mining of the Abbeys a greater matter then the things now talked off brought no prejudice to Church or state but a preparative benefit to both So in Edward the sixt time to goe much further And Queene Elizabeths time to returne backe all those turnings of religion persons ceremonies discipline Nullus pudor ad meliora transire Ambros c. invading by Queene Mary did all well succeede So that the Churches neede not repent of any thing they did If Difficulty object that great is the antiquity of many things in the present goverment Hope answers that she hopes whatsoever is sinne or error may not pleade prescription Such things are not veritatis antiquitas but vetustas erroris Tertul. Or if but things in nature indifferent or at first of some probable use yet as the Brazen Serpent in the use were so altered that they were altared though they were seene onely in the aire but made crosses or scratchings of blood in the conscience they may saith hope for ought she knowes very conveniently by good Hezekiahs be taken downe much more must ill customes be cancelled Iustin though very ancient if ill Consuetudo non munita ratione non est consuetudo sed corruptela And that in our Church offices Liturgies Ceremonies and discipline are things much to be complained off we cannot doubt when the Fathers though in some things parties at least some of them doe among them make up a great and many voted complaint against all those things we complaine of The complainers are Ierom Ambrose Austia Sedulius Primasious Chrysostome Theodoret Oecumenius Theophilact Cyprian Ignatius And their particular complaints will Bucer Gerard Iewell Schamier and Voctius tell you in heapes and clusters if any have not time to reade the fathers themselves turne in those named controverters to any head of Episcopacy discipline c. and ye may store your selves And no wonder that these Fathers among the rest of their invectives and stated questions resolved that Bishops are not Jure divino when Pope Pius the fourth said to the Spanish Embassadour that his Master did not know what he desired in petitioning that Bishops should be declared to be Iure divino in the Councell of Trent For said the Pope that being done they would be as independent as hee the Pope himselfe If Difficultie object that if things were so amisse all this while in the Church why did not the world heare of them sooner Hope answers that she hopes the world hath heard of somethings from some heretofore And she hopes that men will see that later times have set a new impression almost upon all Ecclesiasticall things and persons and so by simpathie or consequence upon many secular Men were not permitted to speake write dispute or any how to meddle with the questions now on foot unlesse to state them the cleane contrary way Scholars put upon it that they must chifely reade fathers and Schoolmen The booke binders found their very trading to be altered Few books unlesse written by Papists would sell among Schollars And the great volumes of renowned Protestants yea a whole study of them at once pronounced in mine eares a packe of Puritan Authours Men comming to be made Ministers told they must hold their Tenets according to the times And unlesse the body of the Common wealth had been sicke of convulsion fits that men had smarted in their purses and bodily priviledges God knowes how long the soule of the Church had laine speechlesse with unutterable sorrow without comforting compassions or incouraging permissions shewed unto her that shee might speake for her selfe But saith Difficulty why what is the matter what great reformation yet wanting have not we now gone fairely on farre enough let ut not please our brainesicke humours with changes Hope replies that she cannot but think that good changes rung by Artizans are musicall in judicious mens eares That an ill Scholler is not said to bee gone from his Colledge and university till he be gone Cum pannis with his cloathes no more is inormitie gone from the universalitie of Ecclesiasticalls till it bee gone Cum pannis Not a ragge of superstition left behind In some Courts it is held that in some cases a dogge keepers possession Sparkes left in ashes sometimes fire an house And that it hath beene found by experience that a doore of an house being left unbolted and tapers or candles left in a readinesse they have beene easily lighted by pilferers to affright the inhabitants and rob them Christ at his passion rent the vaile of the Temple in twaine from top to bottome to teach the Jewes to rend all their Iewish ceremonies And when in thirtie or fortie yeares they would not understand the Lord sent Vespasian and Titus who beate the Temple to peeces Better that
but a part of glory Rom. 8.29.30 and therefore in the chaine of mans salvation the Apostle includes it and signifies it under the word glory And all these heavens sweetly move one under another orderly and perpetually 3. The order is observable first the heavens are named then secondly the earth answerable to the order of the Creation and the historie thereof Gen. 1.1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth If ever wee will have men reformed we must get religion to be reformed If salt shall loose it favour wherewith shall any thing bee salted If ever wee will hope for a reformed common wealth we must helpe forward the refortamion of the Church The standard must bee right if you will have private men measure and deale right If the vitall parts the braine liver and heart be amisse doe not minister right blood spirits and motion the exterior limbes of the body cannot bee well A sad soule makes a sickly man Till Iacob reformed the Church in his family casting out the idolls c. hee was never setled in the politie Gen. 31. Gen. 32. Gen. 33. Gen. 34. Gen. 35. ver 2 3 4 5 6. and worldly affaires of his familie but hunted like a patridge by Esau by Laban by feare of Sechemits But when the Idols were throwne out and an alter built to the true God and religion setled then had he rest in Canaan So when Church and common wealth grew to bigge for the shell of a particular house and familie and so crept forth into a Kingdome and Nation when the whole Church in her generall worship was corrupted the whole common wealth was vassalised looke else over all the storie of the Judges 3. Earth Heare is the last part of the new world And though there is but one earth in the singular mentioned yet here is more then one thing remarkeable First The Church is called Earth 1. To minde her of her impietie mortalitie and miserie while shee is on earth Ier. That as the Prophet Ieremiah cryed out three times O earth earth earth heare the word of the Lord to put every man in the world in mind that he is earth in his beginning earth in his continuance earth in his dissoltuion So it puts all the collective Church in mind that whiles she is on earth she hath some iniquitie some sinne and so hath not here her spirituall perfection That she shall meete with outward miseries besides inward agonies of minde and conscience and so shall have the Gospel-afflictions 2 Tim. 1.8 Partake of the afflictions of Christ That shee is mortall she must leave the earth at last to get to heaven Secondly to minde her of her consolation that where she hath beene wronged shee shall bee righted shee hath beene tyrannised over on earth and shee shall reigne on earth Revel 5.10 she hath beene made old in her face by teares in her cloathes by superstition and humane inventions And now she shall bee made a new earth All her particular members shall be new with grace comfort liberty of the Gospel above all that formerly shee hath had in quantitie or qualitie in one if not both Rugaque in antiqua fronte senilis erat I am juvenilis erit 2. The earth is joyned to or with the heavens Nay it is placed in the middle of the round of the heavens so that it cannot depart from its center point when that may be but unto the heavens i. e. at the last day into glory So that all the particular members are compassed about with heaven influenced with the virtue of heaven All of them are heavenised and therefore all the members of the Church are called the new earth within the Orbes of these new heavens The Church is the whole of the particular members Not a Hierarchie a Prelacie or a Cleargie onely are termed the Church But all that Christ redeemed are called Christ body i. e. his Church A body must have all its varietie of members 1 Cor. 12. It were monstrous to see one all mouth or all eye or all both Ministers can bee no more of the body of the Church as a Church but the eye and mouth of the Church yea moreover when the whole earth that is under heaven is put to signifie the Church what lesse can be understood then that all the world shall be a Church in the renewed condition thereof Sure not many if any whole Kingdomes shall be excepted Mat. 13. Out of our common prayer booke was expunged the faire interpretation of kneeling at the Communion That the Papists might not be offended Then 2. The prayer against the Pope that we might not offend his Clerge 3. The prayer for the Kings posteritie as the electe posteritie of an elected father That the word elect might not offend the Arminians some sprinklings of bran theremay be in the 3. peckes of meale of the Church but not one or two of sand and the rest of meale The Protestant reformed Church shall no more shoot away themselves to finde Papists c. till they had almost lost themselves Thus of the substance of this new world Heaven and Earth Next of the qualities Newnesse Righteousnesse For both are to be referred both to Heaven and Earth For it is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in which earth But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in which heaven and earth As for the Sea that is not mentioned unlesse by way of exclusion i. e. of the bad As for the good ye sea of Chrystall the sound doctrine that cannot bee said to be new for it is semper cadem alwaies the same in substance and meaning Nor can it bee said to have righteousnesse for it is righteousnesse it selfe and so non recipit magis minus it is alwaies alike righteous But the heavens of a reformed worship of worship made more spirituall set more right and the earth of men renewed in knowledge and grace and made more righteous in life may bee properly said to be new heavens and new earth wherein dwells righteousnesse 1. These Heavens and Earth are said to be New first to note that all old things are done away Revel 21.4 Isa 65.17 All things of the old Serpent Idolatry Revel ●1 12 superstition prophannesse Hos 2.17 All the things of the old man All his man inventions Mat. 15.9 All old things of the old ceremoniall law of Judaisme much more of Hethenisme Papisme c. When God abolished that he intended not that his Church should onely change their yoake and burthen The whole dispute of the Apostle in his Epistle to Galat● tends this way The intent of Christs comming was to this purpose Iohn i. The Law came by Moses but grace truth came by Iesus Christ 2 To note that this new state of the Church must be as created of nothing So the promise Jsa 65.17 men are so wedded to their own phātasies braine devised formes so opposite by nature to