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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85050	Vindiciæ mediorum & mediatoris. or, the present reigning errour arraigned, at the barr of Scripture and reason. Wherein is discovered the falshood and danger of that late borne opinion, that pretends to an immediate enjoyment and call of the Spirit of God, both above and against its owne fffects, [sic] cause, word, ministry, and witness, in all respects. Occasioned by a pamphlet, intituled, The saints travell to the land of Canaan, or a discovery of seventeen false rests, &c. By one R. Wilkinson, a preacher of this errour about Totnes in the West. In the treatise following, the reader shall finde, most of the maine fundamentall doctrinall truths that this age doth controvert, faithfully vindicated, cleared, confirmed. By F. Fullwood, minister of the Gospell at Staple Fitzpane in the county of Somerset.	Fullwood, Francis, d. 1693.	1651 (1651)	Wing F2521; Thomason E1281_1; ESTC R202060	131,348	337

the punishment Lam. 3. of his sin The consequence is cleare as the Sun for what the Spirit hath revealed to us we cannot have an ignorant unbeleif thereof We are to beleive every Truth that God hath revealed to the World in Scripture But there are many Truths in the Scripture that the Spirit hath not yet revealed to most if to any Therefore we are to beleive more Truth and Scripture then the Spirit hath yet revealed to us The Proposition is clear because all revealed Truth is to be beleived First by that Law of Reason that is implanted in every man by Nature Secondly by the Law of God that condemneth every spirit as foolish and bewitched that obeyeth not the Truth in believing of it Gal. 3. 1. But now how shall we prove the Assumption to them that deny the Scripture viz. that there is more Truth in Scripture then the Spirit hath yet revealed to any They will be forced to grant it will they but yeild a little to consult their own experience for they will acknowledge that there are some that are more enlightened inspired with the spirit of Truth then others even among themselves Now that revelation that hath honored them above and beyond their Brethren was either made known by a spirit of Truth or Error but they not acknowledging the later of these then that they have received from the Spirit of Truth must needs be Truth and that may be the Truth for their sufficient conviction that is not revealed by the Spirit to many There is some Truth in Scripture that is not yet revealed to some men all the Truth in Scripture ought to be beleived by all men therefore men ought to beleive more Scripture then the Spirit hath yet made clear and manifest to them But a word to hint at the absurdity and danger of this Opinion and I shake hands yea wash my hands of this And first we must needs infer that there is no sin * Ignorantia Juris of ignorance can possibly be committed for if I am bound to beleive no more then the Spirit doth reveal I can be ignorant of nothing that I ought to know for whatsoever the Spirit doth reveal I must needs know There can be no sin of unbeleif for so far as the Spirit perswades and enlightens I must and cannot but assent There can be no actual sin at all among the Heathens for they either have the Spirit of Christ or not The first is too absurd to be imagined Then if they have not the Spirit they cannot have the Law revealed to them by it therefore the Law concerneth them not and where there is no Law there is no Transgression The Man of sin himself as so cannot sin i. against the Gospel the Saints or Christ since he is not perswaded by the Spirit of Truth that these are true Neither do I well conceive how the People of God can sin either for so far as they receive the Truth from the Spirit so far do they not obey it and no further are they bound to regard it Or to conclude if the Saints can sin the Saints it seems are the onely sinners in the World upon this account However men may wallow and tumble in the grossest prophaneness and yet not lose their Cloak The Spirit hath not revealed it to me it will be said I am not yet convinced that what I do is sinfull or evil And Happy thrice happy are ye blinde and ignorant Indians rise up and cal this way above all other blessed it freeth you from sin and punishment also for where there is no Conviction of spirit there is no Law and where there is no Law there is no Transgression and where there is no sin there is no punishment As this Opinion lays a good Foundation for sin so for Ignorance and Error also Well might the Papist say that Ignorance is the Mother of Devotion it being so good a Preservative against sin and wickedness And for Error this will lead us to deny Jesus Christ and God himself the Resurrection of the Body Immortality of the Soul Heaven Hell and worse if possible and bring a man safely off and free from any sin or check upon this account plea ground and warrant I am not yet convinced hereof by the Spirit of God And to conclude it doth plainly levell the holy Bible with any other Book whatsoever whether godly or profane and make the Word of God of no better Authority then they which even the very very worst of which I am bound to beleive so far as the Spirit I mean by Scriptures shall convince and assure me of the truth thereof And yet which I greive to think and tremble to write this is a most commonly received Opinion among us in this Age. Ah! let us take heed of loosing that if such Errors as these once spread and prevail wherein our very Souls are bound up Religion it self CHAP. VIII Of the Scripture as it is the Rule of Faith WE now shal pass on in the defence of the Scripture to consider it respectively to our use thereof first altogether in the bulk whole therof as denied by this error in these two assertions 1. That the Scripture or Bible is not to be the Rule of Faith Page 128. 2. Nor the Judge and triall of the spirits page 66. line 2. 3. page 127. Both these are also known to every one that hath any knowledge of popish tenets to be ranke Popery The difference lies only in the different use hereof the Jesuist using them to advance his Pope and the men of this Errour making them a mean to carry on the designe of their spirit but of them in order Now in answer to the first viz. The deniall of the Scriptures to be the rule of Faith these popish assertions are found in the Jesuites Books Namely That the Gospell was written not to rule our Faith but to be ruled by it That it receiveth all the Authority it hath from the Church And that we must live more according to the Authority of the Church then Scripture c. Now may we but call the Church here the Pope and the Pope the Spirit a most easie mistake and in these and many other particulers the Abbettors of the Errour we are disputing against do willingly bow do obeysance to his holiness if not even fall down and kisse his Toe But there being nothing to be brought for this Errours upholding that I can think of at present that hath not already The truth proved received an answer upon an other occasion before I shall immediately betake my self for the strength and establishment of the contrary affirmative viz. That the Word or Scripture is to be the rule of our Faith For First we have cleere and pregnant scriptu●e for it 2. Tim 3. 15. The scriptures are able to make us wise unto salvation through the Faith that is in Christ Jesus where observe 1. That Christ

is here held out to be the object of Faith Faith the prime meanes of our salvation and the Scripture the way rule and guide of Faith The practice of this hath attained an honorable record of the men of Berea the Holy Ghost still testifying that they of Berea were more noble then others even in this for that they would not give credit or Faith to the truths delivered by the Apostles themselves further then they made and found the word of Scripture to be the rule thereof they searching the scriptures daily whether these things were so Acts 18. 11. But the men we speake of while they winde up all Religion and rules of Faith into their unadvised presuming spirit what do they less so heinously obnoxious they are to the way of the spirit of truth then to be wise above that which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is written But besides divine Authority seconded also as might be abundantly instanced if occasion did require with the numerous Testimony of the Spirit of God in Holy men of all ages plaine reason proves it viz. That the Word of God or Scripture is the rule of Faith 1. That is and only is the rule of Faith that is of infallible truth But the Scripture is and only is of infallible truth it being the word and minde of truth Therefore the Scripture undoubtedly is and only is the rule of Faith Truth being the proper immediate object of Faith it must needs be the rule Rectum norma sui obliqui therof i. of that that is to be beleived For truth or what ever is streight and right is the rule and measure both of it selfe and that that is Erronious and crooked The Rule of Faith must be certaine and known for if it be not certaine it is no rule at all And if it be not known it is no rule to us But nothing is more certaine nothing is more known then the Holy Scriptures contained in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles wherefore the sacred Scripture is the rule of Faith most certaine and most safe And for the case in hand it is worth our notice that the Scriptures must needs be better known then the spirit in some cases as namely where it is received where it speaketh plainly and the question is concerning the spirit These are Bellarmines own Reasonings not against us but Libertines relying upon Revelations which as they will serve to condemn the Scripture-blaspheming-Papists out of their own mouthes so also to confute our Anti-scripturists in this particular These things are written notwithstanding that we might have the certainty of that wherein we are instructed and that we might beleeve in Jesus and in beleeving have Life Eternal But how many absurdities and dangerous Danger consequences are the issue of the deniall hereof It followes 1. That the scripture is not the word of God it is all one in effect to say so and to deny it to be the rule of Faith for that that is the Word i. the will sense and truth of God revealed must needs be the rule of Faith And if the scripture be not the rule of Faith it may not be received as the Word of God for as we see God by the eye of reaeson in the World through that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Creation and Providence so with the eye of Faith alone in the Holy scriptures as he is there revealed to us by his Prophets and Apostles Thus 2. It robs the Lord of his infinite Glory and injuriously strips the World of the greatest Blessing wherewith ever God in blessing blessed it the scriptures for as to God they are the greatest outward pledge of his admirable favour and as to us the best yea the only ordinary way and meanes of heavenly light life and happiness To refuse the scripture as to the rule of Faith it must of necessity either expose us to the folly of acknowledging unwritten Traditions and to fall professed Papists or worse to the danger of waiting and attending on immediate Revelations and arise to Familisme But since the way of this Errour doth directly lead to the later of these we have a considerable price put into our hand to purchase though short yet seasonable digression touching Revelations of this Quere Qu. Is it not lawfull in these dayes of light to expect Revelations Answ The word Revelation is used in the scripture in the good sense but such Revelations as either take away from or add to the Scriptures and such Revelations as claime to be immediate may not be expected And such are the Revelations we now speake of Such as derogate from i. deny or contradict any part of the scripture is utterly unlawfull and ridiculous and cannot possibly be of the spirit of God For observe When there was but part of the Word express and extant and God shewed at any time by revealing his minde to the Prophets his intention to add an increase and inlargement towards the decreed perfection of the Holy Writ He never argued so much former improvidence or present contradiction to himselfe as by the now reigning spirit of truth to charge the other truth that had been revealed before by the same spirit to be false and Erronious And even as Gods word of six severall daies in that most admirable frame and fabrik of the World doth sing and set forth the praise of the Glory of Divine Wisdome with the sweetest Harmony even so doth the glorious building of scripture though the stones thereof were laid at sundry times by severall instruments and in diverse manners That Land is not surely the Finger of God that endeavours to demolish it yea or to take down a stone thereof But this Errour would remove the very corner stone and with violent hands labours every way to bury the beauty of this building in the ruines thereof denying not only the Word to be the rule of Faith but the triall of Faith at all yea Faith it selfe and Christ himself c. and almost what ever the scriptures affirme unlawfull abominable Revelations For I protest saith our Saviour unto every man that heareth the Words of the Prophesie of this Booke that if any man shall diminish of the Words of the Prophesie of this Booke God shall take away his part out of the Booke of Life and out of the holy City the place you so much boast in and from these things that are written in this Book Rev. 22. 19. That Revelation that adds to the word is as impious unwarrantable also The top stone is laid the work is finished the whole Will and Minde of God is already revealed to us in the scriptures and we may looke for waite for no more Johns writings contemning every thing to be known to the end of the World even till he which testifieth these saith surely I come quickly c. Rev. 22. 20. And yet this Errour will expect more truths yet the scripture being not the rule

of Faith sufficient for it but I Protest unto every man that heareth the words of the Prophesie of this booke if any man shall add vnto these things God shall add unto him the Plagues that are written in this Booke Rev. 22. 18. Immediate Revelations may neither be lawfully expected by us For though it was necessary or at least most convenient for God intending to blesse the World at the length though gradually with a standing visible mean for its recovery in knowledge c. To reveale his will at the first in a more immediate manner to some yet if I mistake not we never read of any such inspirations so absolutly immediate way of Revelation as my Antagonists boast of God for the most part making use of some kinde of mean more or lesse through which he conveyed his minde to the men of God themselves He did not distill inspire and reveale it into them much lesse into the People in so secret insensible a manner as this age mentions Which we shall further cleere unto you by a few meditations upon this scripture viz. God who at sundry and in diverse manners spake of old to our Fathers by the Prophets hath in the last daies spoke unto us by his Son Heb. 1. 1 2. These words may testifie not only that but how God hath declared himselfe to the World both in the first and last dispensation But the question in hand is not about the truth but the manner of these Revelations Quest First then how did God declare himself in the time of the Law Answ This Place informeth that then in diverse manners he spake to our Fathers by the Prophets Observe God did not of old before any part of the Bible was written immediately reveale his minde to our Fathers i. the People but by the meanes of his Prophets Gods speaking to our fathers by the Prophets here must needs be meant of his speaking to the Prophets and rather in then by them to our Fathers For the Prophets for ought I have read had only one way of revealing i. by voice the Word and Will of God to the People but here this speaking must therefore be the speaking of God to the Prophets since it is as that was not only at sundry times but in diverse manners also God spake that truth unto the Prophets that they were to declare to the People in diverse manners i. not immediately but by diverse waies and meanes Somtimes by Vrim and Thummim somtimes by a voice somtimes by dreames somtimes by visions c. these are all mediums in and through which God cannot reveale himself immediately These are all carnall waies of Revelation when compared with our late inspirations the spirit of our daies not only speaking into but in them without the help of the shadow of any meanes whatsoever But Hath in these last daies spoken unto us by his Son Whence observe 1. The Prophet of Gods People in the daies of the Gospell is the Son of God 2. The way wherein the son of God giveth us his Fathers minde and Councell is his word voice or speaking to us 3. Untill the very last of daies shall expire we must look for the Minde and Will of God in the word of Christ his Son Hath in these last daies c. 4. That in these very last of daies the Son of God instructeth immediately by speaking unto us by his Word rather then by speaking immediately in us by his spirit Object Then what use of the spirit is not it promised to lead us into truth yea and to put into our mindes what we shall say when occasion serves c. Answ We admire and adore the promise and blessing of the spirit in all its use yet doth not the spirit or breath of Christ still come with his Word see the Office of the spirit declared expounded Joh. 14. 26. vers 25. These things saith our Saviour have I spoken unto you being at present with you but the Holy Ghost ver 26. shall come and teach you all things but how it is immediately expounded for he shall bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you Christ by his word both writ and preached declareth to the World his Fathers Councell As writ his minde is revealed as preached his Word is revealed to the World but the spirit can only take off the vaile from our hearts and make it effectuall and thus it doth its Office and maketh the Word to be spirit See Joh. 6 36. and life and the Ministers thereof the savour of Life unto Life and the ministration 2 Cor. 2. 16. of the spirit If it be in point of truth the spirit brings the word to our mindes or understanding and thus it is said to lead us into truth the way of truth is already laid in Scripture the spirit Joh. 16. 13 only leads us into it For he shall not speake of himself but whatsoever he shall heare that shall he speake if in point of Grace and Comfort The spirit doth worke these in us Joh. 1. 17. 17. by and in the use of the Word thus bringing the Word of Christ to our remembrance i. to our knowledge and improvement approving himself according to the Scripture in all respects as a Rom. 14. Acts 9. 31. spirit of truth and Holiness and consolation Obj. But he is also a spirit of supplication to us and doth he not then immediatly inspire when as he speaketh our praiers in us Answ Here is to be avoided a double fallacy 1. There is a difference observable betwixt the spirit speaking in us with respect to God by Prayer and with respect unto our selves by truth the sense we are now about Besides there is a double meaning in this little particle preposition in as in these two propositions it is used His speaking in us by praier is rather a speaking by us But his speaking in us by teaching is a speaking immediately into us 2. But more plainly the spirits speaking in us by Praier or as he is a spirit of Praier in us is not happily to be taken in such an immediate sense and way as some may think of it implieth as I can conceive only 1. A teaching us 2. An helping us to pray 1. The spirit as a spirit of praier teacheth us to pray either before praier or in our praying 2. The Spirit teacheth us how to pray before we pray by preparing our hearts to praier by meanes and by degrees by bringing unto us the knowledge of our estates wants the mercy and fulnesse of God by the word the Law and Gospel and by its daily increasing this habit of praier by daily acts Quest therefore it is that we never see a perfection of ability in the performance of this Heavenly duty of praier in instanti but by degrees But secondly It teacheth us to pray in the very exercise now is not that immediately Answ I answer not totally immediately

Law and to the Testimony Now if but part of the Minde of God now revealed to the World was sufficient for Gods People in these former daies is not the whole sense and truth of God both in Law and Gospel sufficient for us when as we have so much of written word let us not be so foolish as to be wise above it our Saviour our King commands the like therefore upon us that live under the Gospell Search the Scriptures Joh. 5. 39. The whole Chapter argueth the wicked infidelity of the Jews against Christ himself who did not only doubt of his spirit but said in plain tearmes he was a blasphemer and in any other place that he was acted assisted by the Joh. 5. 18. Prince of Devils the spirit of Belzebub Yet Christ will have his owne spirit tried even by scripture search the scriptures to the Law and to the Testimony your Law is my Testimony they are they that testifie of me I protest to every one that shall add to the Words of this book I will add all the curses that Rev. 22. are written in it Now if God hath commanded this way he hath surely intended it if it be the way of God surely then it is the way and we may conclude it in divine authority to be truth also viz. That the word of scripture is the judge and triall of spirits 3 From example that way that Christ and his Apostles did try and judge of spirits cleere the truth and discover Errour by must needs be the best and surest way But that way that these walked in Mat. 21. 42. 22. 29. Luke 4. 1. Joh. 7. 42. Acts 17. 2. 18. 28. for this end was the written word which must needs be therefore the best and surest way 4 From Divine Testimony 2 Tim. 3. 16. 17. Framed thus that which is able to make the man of God perfect and throughly furnished c. is a sufficient good Judge and triall of spirits But the Scriptures are able to make the man of God perfect c. therefore the Scriptures are a sufficient good Judge and triall of spirits The major must needs be granted as the minor is unquestionable for it most properly belonging to the man of God or a Minister of Christ to try the spirits whether they be of God it being a necessary qualification in him and an essential part of his ministerial perfection to be able to convince Gainsayers if the Tit. 1. 9. Scriptures be not found sufficient for this it cannot make him perfect and throughly furnisht to every good work But doubtless All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable to teach to improve to correct and to instruct in righteousness that the man of God may be perfect and throughly furnished unto every good work From divine encouragement that which the holy Ghost hath not onely appointed commanded to be the judge and triall of spirits in general but hath also highly and honorably commended to all future posterity in holy Writ for the judging and trying of himselfe must needs be the Judge and triall of spirits The Assumption is most clearly found Acts 18. 11. where we have it not onely related not barely commended but highly honoured and honorably recorded for an act of a truly and bravely noble spirit that they searched the Scriptures whether those things were so that they would not receive any truth from Paul himself yea the Spirit of God in Paul without searching the Scriptures making the Scriptures the Rule Judge and triall thereof How easily then may we conclude that the Scriptures are the judge and triall of all other spirits unless we will deny divine truth divine commands divine examples divine authority and divine encouragement and invitation But this Branch will appear more worthily cut off if we will but a little Danger of the Error consider what wilde and dangerous fruit it bears For If this be concluded that the holy Scripture is not the judge and triall of spirits we strip our selves of all possible means for this important and most weighty end Once it is our duty to take heed what we hear to try all things yea and expresly to try the spirits John 4. 1. Doth God command his Children to make him Brick without straw It is their duty totry the spirits and have they no way left no means of obedience Dearly beloved beleive not every spirit but try the spirits whether they be of God I desire my candid Reader to bear with a short Digression for the opening of this Text. We finde the holy Ghost hath not onely laid this Command upon us negatively Beleive not every spirit and positively but Try the spirits but hath also pressed this Doctrine with a Reason or Motive seconding that with Directions respectively The Reason why we should try the spirits is immediately subjoyned viz. For many false Prophets are gone out into the world The fals and heretical Prophets go out into the World but the true ones are sent for how shall they preach Rom. 10. except they be sent But this Motive here hath three steps in it whereon we might ascend to obedience There are false Prophets as well as true and therefore try c. There are men abroad that bearing the name of Prophets though false carry Lies in their right hand that carry on Errour very dexteriously and thou maist if thou take not good heed if thou do not try before thou trust thou maist happily shake such a hand therefore Try the spirits There are many false Prophets as they are deceitfull in quality so numerous in quantity he that walketh in a place over-crept with many Snakes Adders c. will he not take heed be very carefull watchfull over every step he treads Now are there not many Wolves in Sheeps cloathing many Snakes and Serpents under the hearbs in Gods Church Garden Take heed therefore Try therefore c. Many false Prophets are gone out into the World the Plot to deceive is not onely laid but executing and that not in private or secret only but publickly openly the Deceivers very cunning or the Times most corrupt Many false Prophets are gone out into the World therefore beleive not every spirit but try the spirits whether they be of God Quest But how shall we try the spirits Answ There are Rules sufficient in the Word of God and amongst the rest Saint John hath left us two or three here as being more seasonable for those Times and happily not unsuitable for ours For Hereby ye shall know the spirit of Error every spirit that denieth that Christ that is come in the flesh is not of God but this the spirit of Antichrist who is already in the World Vers 3. Whosoever heareth not us i. doth not with Faith and Conscience receive the Word whether written or preach't is not of God for hereby know we the spirit of Truth and the spirit of Error Vers 6. He that loveth

and those of as good authority perhaps as yours for the way you explode that will seal to the divinity and testifie to the most comfortable excellency of the use and benefit of Church fellowship answering that they were ever more fearfull to offend never more humble and self denying lesse carnall lesse censorious c. Then while they walked in the good sweet safe and sacred way of Saint-Communion But is his abuse against this way 1. Argument for affirmative Gods own Command of use is for it Let all things be done decently and in order If no Church no order in it if no visible Church no disorder in the Church there being no disorder in the Church invisible 2. Where there is no Church-Communion there can be no Admission or Excommunication what then is become of these duties what meant by 2 Cor. 5. and more the like places What is the meaning of the Keys of the Church Which signifie both a shutting some in and the turning the Key upon others as also the priviledge of the first and the losse and disgrace of the later 3. If no Church fellowship then what room use or occasion of the Sacraments 4. And lastly What is become with the men of this way of the ancient practise of primitive Christians which was wont to be held the neerest to Perfection for they ranked into a visible order continued stedfastly in the Apostles Doctrine and Acts 2. 42 46 47. fellowship and breaking of Bread and Prayers But the Saints joint experience hath I hope so powerfully fully convinced them of the expediency comfort necessity hereof that there need no more be said for their confirming in it Only let us hold fast the profession of our Faith without wavering considering one another to provoke one another to love and to good Works Not forsaking the Assembly of our selves together as the manner of some is but exhorting one another and so much the more as yee see the day approaching not so much the lesse as we see Christ comming in his Spirit or Person to guid or to judge Heb. 10. 33 34 35. us But so much the more assembling our selves and exhorting one another as wee see the day approaching CHAP. XIIII Of Gospell Ordinances in generall BUT we passe on from the way of the ministry to that is most materiall viz. the Ordinances themselves the matter thereof The generall conclusion of these men against Ordinances is plainly this Those forms that Christ appeared in when Errour in the flesh are dissolved cease at his coming in the spirit And they for their parts have received the comming of the Spirit therefore all forms i. Ordinances cease to them The potent Scripture for this end and the ground purpose is Revela 21. 22 23. And I saw no Temple therein For the Lord God almighty and the Lamb are the Temple thereof and the City hath no need of the Sun neither of the Moon to shine in it For the Glory of God did light it and the Lamb is the light thereof Hence they conclude they being in this City therefore they have no Temple of Ordinances no need of Sun or Moon the Lord c. and the Lamb lighting them But in answer hereunto I shall I hope prove these two things Eirst That this glorious City is not yet built And secondly That when this glorious day shall be it shall not probably dissolve or darken but rather inlighten and certifie Gospell Ordinances 1. First to prove this glorious City here mentioned magnified is not yet in the World Some hold that it is the state of the Church in Heaven and that upon such like grounds as follow 1. Because of its intire perfection no ver 27. uncleane thing being admitted into it and none but such as are written in the Lambs Booke 2. Because of the full and even immediate ver 23. Presence of God there 3. Because then shall be the day of ver 24. ver 4. Redemption even of compleated Salvation 4. Because the day of Judgment seemeth chap. 20. ult to precede it Now if we look upon this new Jerusalem as the perfect Estate of the Church after Judgment in Heaven As our Saviour will submit to give up his ministeriall Kingdome to his Father then so those wickedly presume that would take it out of his hand before But others and they perhaps more truly conceive this new Jerusalem to be the Church on earth made exceeding glorious by the wonderfull presence of the Spirit of Christ for we here take no notice of the presence of his person with it And this opinion hath these grounds amongst many more against the former Cap. 12. 20 1. Because the glory of this City seemeth to appeare before the last comming of Christ Vers 25. compared with Mat. 25. 10. 2. Because there is yet a proffer of Salvation and the water of Life the Gates of this City being not shut by day and there shall be no night there but the Gate of Heaven at the last day is shut upon the foolish Virgins Vers 10. 3. And cheifly because this great City and new Jerusalem discendeth out of Heaven from God But to apply to our present drift now as we cannot imagine that unlesse all tears paine sorrow death yea resurrection and Judgement are already past us Things most grosse ridiculous and senselesse that the state of the Saints is already Heaven and conceit our selves to be set free from the use and performance of duties and Ordinances upon that first account so neither can wee plead our freedome from them upon the second construction of this City namely to be that glorious appearance and presence of Christ upon and with his Church at the day there spoken of which though indeed it be nearer to the World our sins yet I suppose it is as truely absent yet from us as Heaven it selfe And first 1. Because this new Jerusalem cometh downe out of Heaven after the condemnation Vers 2 3. judgement and burning of the great Whore the utter downfall and ruine of Antichrist 2. This new Jerusalem cometh downe from God after or upon the glorious Forbes and visible conversion of the Jewes vers 24. with 27. Now neither is Antichrist yet totally ruined or the Jewish Nation and People yet visibly converted 3. Because this City shall be so illustrious as that it shall be glorious in the eyes of all It shall be generally both ver 24. 26 by Kings and Nations owned honoured and admired 4. And lastly There shall no unclean thing enter into it Now is there any way Church People yet in the world thus owned and admired by all thus pure and undefiled hath no uncleane Livers or lying hypocriticall men to be the followers of it Obj. But this erronious way we plead against will say comparatively there is none unclean or hypocriticall person that entreth into her if you compare her followers with