the Iewes do hold that the Warres of Gog and Magog shall goe before the setled Kingdome of Messiah or as Ram bam that is according to the 4. radicall letters R. M. B. M. Rabbj Moses Ben Maymony sayth in the beginning of Messiahs dayes shal be the Battailes of Gog and Magog The poore wretches speake a truth but vnderstand it not inasmuch as they beleeue not that Christes comming is twofold the first in Humility the second only in Glory With the heathenish Gog-magogs our Sauiour warred by the ministery of his Apopostles whose weapons were spirituall but the Gog-magog spoke of in the Reuelation must arise after the vnloosing of Satan And indeed vpon the downefall of that enemie and his infinite Army which can not be done but by the power of Christ Messiah is to settle a Kingdome of Glory 1. From Christes birth to Ierushalems finall ruine the world then being aged 4000. yeares were 73. yeares 2. From Ierushalems downe-fall through the times of Antichrist to the fall of his Babel be 1260. yeares 3. From the Periode to Satans being let loose be 1000. yeares The whole summe from our Lords birth till Satans loosing be 2333. yeares Then the Christians be to expect open Hostilitie But God knowes how to deliuer his in that day of tentation that shall come vpon all the earth A thousand yeares shall the Desolation be sayth the Talmud ¶ Meane time it would be remembred that the Râ—bbiâ—es ordinarily hold that God reneweth not the world Nisi septem millibus annorum transactis till 7000. yeares haue passed from the Creation And we may thinke that as for the Electes sakes he did shorten the dayes of the Romaines siege layd to Ierushalem so he will cut short the dayes of Gog-magog besieging the Tentes and Citie of Christians CHAP. xix Touching the last Iudgment TOgeather with the Fire falling from heauen vpon Gog-magogs Army euen the whole body of Heathenrie for then the Saints liuing shal be taken vp aloft and meete Christ in the Ayre 1. Thess. 4. 17. as the eight soules in the Arke were caryed vp aloft from the iudgment of Water S. Iohn noteth that the great and glorious Iudgment presently followeth Take his owne wordes for I thinke not good to paraphraze at this time vpon them 10. Vers And the Diuell that deceaued them was cast into a Lake of Fire and Brimstone where the Beast and the false Prophet shal be tormented euen day and night for euermore 11. And I saw a great white Throne and one that sate on it from whose face fled away both the Earth and Heauen and their place was no more found 12. And I saw the dead both great and small stand before God and the Bookes were opened and an other Booke was opened which is the Booke of life and the dead were iudged of those thinges which were written in the Bookes according to their workes 13. And the Sea gaue vp her dead which were in her and Death and Deapth deliuered vp the dead which were in them and they were iudged euery-man according to their workes 14. And Death and Deapth were cast into the Lake of Fire this is the Second death 15. And whosoeuer was not found written in the Booke of life was cast into the Lake of fire CHAP. xx Touching a certaine description of the Church in Reuel 21. and 22. FInally after the vniuersall day of Doome S. Iohn draweth an excellent Mappe of the Church but whether of the Church tryumphing after iudgement or of the Church militant heere before iudgement as it is seene by the eye of Fayth it is not a litle questionable Many haue taken it for the Church Tryumphant not onely for his description in the last place for that will not necessarily conclude seeing somewhat in the last place may be but an expositiue Commentary of that which went before but for that it is sayd of this people that All teares are wipe away from their eyes c. Which in proper sense accordeth to the Church Triumphant Some againe do take it for the Church heere Militant not onely for that the Apostle in Galat. 4. doth stile the Christian Church heere by the name of Ierushalem from aboue but also for that in this Church there be certaine Leaues of a Tree wherewith the Nations were to be healed and after this life there is no healing of any errour much lesse of the Gentile-kinges bringing their glory vnto the Triumphant Church And I haue long suspected that it is a description of that part of the Church Militant which should betide the Gentiles vpon the vniuersall addition of the Iewes or rather of all Israel For as we neuer read of the ten Tribes vnited againe with Iudah howsoeuer it be plainely foretyped twyse ouer in Ezek. 37. and there spoken of next before the Warres of Gog and Magog so S. Paul sayth that after the fulnesse of the Gentiles be come in All Israel shal be saued Rom. 11. 25. 26. And so S. Iohn seeth not onely thousandes of Iudah Benjamin and Leuj sealed in the forehead to Godward but also of other Tribes Reuel 7. following the Lambe and singing Moses his song of Deliuerance of whom it is sayd that there was no guile in their mouth and that they were without spot before the Throne of God Reuel 14. 1. c. which is the state of all to whom sinne is not imputed Herewith I haue marked that S. Iohn doth heere keepe the same methode as did Ezekiel for Ezekiel presently after the downefall of Gog-magog doth describe the New Temple and distinguish a new the Israelites portions in Canaan all one in effect with this description of S. Iohn Ezekiel ending with Iehouah Shammah and S. Iohn with this that in this new Citie The Lord is there But let it be at the first hand that it is a Description of Christes mysticall Body heere whose heartes are purified by Fayth yet at the second hand it may as a Type giue vs a resemblaunce of the Churches finall glory and that the rather for that to their glory there shal be after the destruction of all by Fire A new Heauen and a new Earth wherein shall dwell Righteousnesse as S. Peter plainely teacheth Heere I know that some vnderstand not according to sobrietie but as if they were Prophets of extraordinarie spirit they boldly determine of thinges yet secret As the light of the Righteous encreaseth till mid-day so the light of Gods Spirit shal be enlarged vpon his Church But euery age brings not with it all things and let vs be contented with our present measure Meane time the meditation of the Glory to come will effect in vs patience vnder present tentations because The Afflictions of this present life are not worthy of the Glory which shall be shewed vnto vs. Heere Neighbours crosse pierce both hands feete Angels and Saints be there our Neighbours sweete Heere famine
phrase the Brownist vnderstandeth ordinarily a Society of People Really Sanctified for the whole testified in obedience to the whole of Gods will reuealed Such a Communion can they finde me one In Adams few it was not so In Noahs Eight it was not so With Rebeccaâ—s Twins it was not so With Israels Conuention it was not so With Iudahs assemblies it was not so With Christs Twelue it was not so With Corinths Church it was not so Fiue of Asiaes seauen Churches were not so And as for 〈◊〉 Philadelphia they be praised for the Generall of their obedience not for euery particular for In many things as the Holy Ghost witnesseth we sinne all That the Catholike Wheate-field or Church euen Christs possession through the World For by World there is intended the Earths Largenes as in Psa. 2. 8. that in it should be Weedes yea inseperable Weedes our Sauiour teacheth in Math. 13. from which parable may be obserued 1 That it is the Kingdome of Heauen neuer taken in the ill part as some times the word World is which is there compared 2 That the seed of the Kingdome is sowen through the World 3 That in the midst of that good seed the Tares be sowen and not without the Church as some Schismatikes would 4 That such euill is sowne when Christs seruants are a sleepe into the midst of Gods temple the aduersary so got 5 The Seruants awaking see these personall Euils keeping-vnder the personall Good And therefore the euill ones visible euen as visible as the Wheate and not onely Hypocrites as some badly haue taught 6 A purgation of all such Visible euill cannot with the Churches good be made till the Lord in the worlds end do come vnto iudgment And therefore meane time to be permitted which without rending the church cannot be seuered That for the estate of the Church Catholique That a Particular Church is no more priuiledged then the Totall or vniuersall must necessarily follow for that Sathan as an enuious man sowes his Tares Ana méson tou sitou euen through the middest of that Wheate his malice being no lesse against the partes then the whole as may appeare in Reuel 12. where not preuailing against that Woman hee goes and warres with the remnant of her seed And no maruaile it be so seeing euery particular person still sinneth whereupon still that petition is in force Forgiue vs our trespasses In which respect also it is that in Leuiticus is appoynted sacrifice both for the whole Congregation erring and for the partes of that whole as Priest Prince People So Gregories Decretall concludes Iudicium Dâ—â—veritatâ— quae non fallit nec fallituâ— sâ—â—peâ— iâ—nititur Iudicium autem Ecclesiae 〈◊〉 Opinionem sequitur quam fallere saepe contingit fallj â— propter quod contingit interdum vt qui ligatus est apud Deum apud Ecclesiam siâ— soâ—utus qui liber est apud Deum ecclesiastica sit sententia innodatus Particular Congregations are therefore called Communions of Saints or Holy-ones not because they all Really and indeed be such but for that they be called to be such as also haue vndergone the outward Signes and Meanes of sanctitie or holines Heereupon Israel became an Holy-nation though not al of them indeed holy So Israel after the Schisme from Iudah is called Gods sonne and Gods people and yet the most of them turners aside to grosse Idolatry which of all sinnes diuorceth froÌ„ God So the Corinths are Saints by calling yet amongst theÌ„ grieuous kinds of sinners both against Faith and good Manners This I speake not as the Schismatique raileth for iustifiing faults but for iustifying the Churches true-being notwithstanding such faults Let the Schismatique looke into himselfe let him search into the meanders and turninges of his heart and then let me see if he can say vnto God My heart is cleane there is no spot in mee If he be of the minde whereof one in Lyn-regis was that Dauid did lie of himselfe when he sayd to the Lord I was borne in iniquitie c. then I will say to sir Schismatique as I sayd to him I am too lowe to talk with one that is so hie Or as Constantine the great vnto the Nouatian Bishop Acesius Prouide thee a Ladde◠ô pure Puritane and thy selfe aione climbe vp into heauen CHAP. v. Touching the Churches Visibilitie in the earth OVR Sauiour saying that vpon that Rocke which Peter then preached and that was Christ himselfe hee would builde his Church against which Hel-gates should not preuaile cannot be vnderstood that hee speakes of this or that particular Church but of the Catholique body whereto himselfe is the Head For the Church of Rome it was chased away from that seat many yeares togeather by the Gothes and Vandales witnesse the Stories which cannot be gainesayd And no maruaile for from that place not onely proceeded the power whereby Christ was crucified but also whereby the great persecutions flowed for the extirpation of Christianitie Vpon which foresight no doubt S. Iohn hath left that Citie vnder the deepest curse in his Booke of Reuelation For the 7. Churches of Asia-minor which S. Iohn saw to be as Starres in Christes right hand a priuiledge neuer giuen to Rome they quickly vanished Which among other reasons doubtles was for keeping vs from tying faith to any particular place or person And if God spared not his owne peculiar people the Iewes but rooted them out for their sinnes sake what reason is there that he should spare any wilde branches inserted in the place of that naturall Oliue That promise therefore in Math. 16. must euen by euidence of Consequent be vnderstood of the Catholique Church which howsoeuer it might be beat downe in some part yet should continue in some other Euen as the Moone whereto she is compared might to some part of the Earth be eclipsed when to some other part she shyned brightly This I note against the Romanist which would not only tye the Church to some one place but also conclude that the Church hath beene to this part of the world alwayes visibly glorious Besides I conclude the Euer-visibilitie of the Church though in such defectiue manner for conuincing of some who haue not knowne how to answere the Romanist otherwise then by denying all visibilitie through some misunderstanding of some Scriptures in 2. Thess. 2. as also in the Reuelation Whereas indeed a great departure was to be made from the Fayth but yet meane time it should not cease to be Gods Temple though the Aduersarie vsurped a chiefe place in it for as S. Iohn foresaw some Trees should keepe greene in the Lordes court hauing the sauing Seale of Gods Grace printed vpon them And were it not so how should sauing Grace be conueyed vnto vs without new Apostles furnished extraordinarily from heauen And how should we come by Gods Booke contayning his written will if the Lord reserued not a Remnant
Prayer specially he being a Priest vnto God and deuoted to Prayer By this little taste iudge of our Aduersaries learning and discretion though I of many be most vnfitted to propound it 4. Touching their exception at Capitall letters an exception now very vulgare the case standes thus There be in the Common-seruice Booke certaine great Letters within whose Circumference the Grauer of these Letters hath sometimes put certaine Pictures resembling Triton Hercules c. For which diuers doe charge the Booke for an vpholder of Idolatrie I answere it is nothing to the Matter because not of the Bookes matter Nor is the Matter a pinne the worse though the Manner of conuaying it be not so sutable as may be If there be a fault in the Fashion blame the Taylor not the Wearer These Spirites by like proportion may rayle vpon euery Bible as an vpholder of Corruption Why for that euery Printer wil be found to haue fayled in something as in mistaking a Letter displacing a Poynt c. Secondly if they so stumble at the Pictures of persons that haue been idolatrized why not also at the Picture of a Rose which some Mahumetistes venerate as sproung of the blood of the most lasciuious Goddesse that the Gentles ouer had namely Venus others of them for that it had as they say the originall from the sweat sweete sweat of their Prophet Mahomet a sweete sweatie Prophet vpon which superstitious conceites the Rose may not forsooth fall to the ground And why with as good reason doe they not reiect the two Capitall letters T and X the first hauing been idolatrized as the Crosse of Christ the other as the Crosse of S. Andrew Or why contend they not about the Capitall I which being the fashion of a Piller vnder which forme it is sayd of Clemens Alexandrine the Gentiles did worship God they might also entitle it a Monument of Idolatrie The Apostle forbids men to contend about Wordes and these hold it a vertue to make warre about Letters yea about the very Ornament of Letters I perceiue that they will play small play ere they sit out for wranglers Though it be not alwayes of Absolute necessitie that there be a Leitourgie yet respectiuely times may bring with them a deepe necessitie thereof And if any times then these times for if no forme be concluded of but euery one left to his owne discretion herein as the Apostles iustly were they being filled with spirit of Discretion not one Congregation wil be like another But as among the Romanistes the multiplicitie of Monckerie begot multiplicitie of Differences euery one affecting so his owne Order as therewithall grew a contempt of the other so this Church would so affect this Forme and that Church that Forme and a third a third forme c. as therewithall would arise such praysinges dispray singes likinges dislikinges as no one Parioch would be at quiet with another nor any possible vnitie among the Teachers Let it remaine then for Orthodoxall not onely that such a Leitourgie is lawfull but also for begetting and continuing vnitie that such an vniforme Leitourgie is very expedient and needfull With the Apostle to the Corinths he there handling also matters of Order in the Church I thus conclude If any man lust to be contentious we haue no such custome nor the Churches of God CHAP. xij Touching the Beginning of the Christian Chruch c. VVHen the fulnesse of time was come God sent his Sonne made of a Woman who being aged about 30. yeares the age whereat the Koâ—athite began to waite at the Altar did then publiquely fall a preaching and of gathering Disciples vnto him About three yeares a halfe after he suffered and was buried The third day after he arose and for fourtie dayes after he appeared to his Disciples specially to eleuen of them who are called Apostles Then he ascended vp into Heauen and ten dayes after the Apostles then being conuened in an house in Ierushalem he raines downe Guiftes vpon his Disciples by the which they were not onely fitted to Teach and Gouerne the Church but also furnished with all Language and power of Myracles They so furnished doe take to themselues Assistants called Euangelistes or Prophets and the Church of Ierushalem being shaken asunder they to Samaria and so to the vttermost partes of the earth as they were of Christ foretold and commaunded immediatly before his Ascension And as they were before commaunded to cry that as vpon the house-top which he had told them as in the eare so they repaire vnto the most publique and populous Cities which were Head-townes to the Countrie adiacent So they preached in Ephesus Corinth Colossus Philippi Thessalâ—nia Rome c. that so the Christian fayth might not onely beat the Diuel at first hand out of his principall fortes but also from these Head-townes the Law might goe out to their Pagies or Villagies which Pagies receiued the Gospell at second hand and so subiected themselues to the Church in their Citie And because many Pagies were long ere they came to the Fayth being much remote from the holy meanes in the Citie they came to be called Paganes in an ill sense as Infidels whereas before it was but the tearme that belonged to the inhabitants of these Pagies or Country places Heere I could note and it is worthy the noting that the Countrie Christians howsoeuer meeting in some Countrie house might be tearmed a Church as before yet they made not an established Church The Church for plenarie power of doctrine and gouernement was stablished in the Citie that City-church exercising her iurisdiction ouer Country assemblies came to be called the Metropolitane Church and the like Ecclesiastique Histories make this poynt plaine and easily from the Apostles Actes and Epistles the thing may be collected The Bishop of Brownisâ—â— must needes in this ioyne with mee seeing his Established Church at Amsterdam in Netherland exerciseth authoritie ouer some assemblies in England and elswhere which is a Bishoppricke of more length by many hundred myles then any Bishop in England hath besides that betweene him and some of his Sheepes dwelling plots there is a large Sea if not Seas by the which he is not like to ride somuch as once in a yeare through the Suburbes of his Church for keeping Visitations But what doe I following that squeaking Lapwinge As the Apostles were appoynted to take possession for Christ from one corner of the earth to another and to the Romaines he testifieth that their sound then was gone through the earth as Dauid also foretold in the 19 Psalme though in amâ—sterie so that blessed gladâ—tidinges was brought into Britaine and our predecessors then barbarous rude naked and painted with Woad were amongst others of Iaphets seede allured by the sweetnesse of the Gospell to come into Shems Tent and to worship one and the same true God the Father of Christ Iesus That some of the Apostles or