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 â—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 Galatâ— 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 phaÌ„tasies braine devised formes so opposite by nature to
THE NEVV WORLD OR THE NEVV REFORMED CHVRCH Discovered out of the second Epistle of Peter the third chap verse 13. Neverthelesse we according to his promâ—se looke for new Heavens and a new Earth wherein 〈…〉 righteousnesse First opened briefly and some points pourtrayed and propounded â—â—fore somâ— 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. LONDON Printed by T. P. and M. S. for William Adderton and are to be sold at his shop in Duck-lane 1641. TO THE HONORABLE THE KNIGHTS AND BVRGESSES OF THE HOVSE OF COMMONS ASSEMBDED IN PARLIAMENT Worthies of Israel IN this extreame age for this last is mostly upon extreames if I should write nothing but a Title of dedication as they call it J should seeme Cynically to neglect Nâ—mios in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hesiod If J should inlarge the Phylacterie or Panegyrick of usuall prefacing J should be thought Pharisaicall or Parasitiscall If I should relate what relations have been between some of you and this Embryon of thoughts to quicken it to that it is now growne J might be deemed here importune unseasonable if not impertineÌ„t Or if I should take upon me now to implore your forward spirits to doe any thing for the Church or State I should but anticipate the booke it selfe Therefore J shall onely spend so much time paper and words as to assure you that in and from my best intentions and affections this discourse is yours my prayers yours and what by my utmost abilities and endavours J may doe for you in the Lord is also yours Your acceptance is onely to reade that and to beleeve this I know truth will maintaine it selfe The Lord hath made it a God on earth Magna est veritas praevalebit But somtimes her speaker is maligned Gal. 4.16 for her sake though an Apostle The ungrammar'd world will pinch on the moode and tense when they cannot gaine say the sence Jf the sermon was preached for your sake and the world prate against mee for the Sermons sake I hope you will looke upon mee innocent and candid in my intentions for the same reason Solomon favored Abiathar that was really in fault * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hortis vir Hee forbare to punish him as he deserved because saith heto him thou bearest the arke of the Lord God before David my father and because thou hast beene afflicted in all wherein my father was afflicted J minde my promise of brevitie Therefore for close The sweet God of heaven blesse his Majestie the true nobly Nobles and you worthies in this our Israel for that great good you have done and the same God prosper you that the wine of the Churches through reformation kept to the last may prove the best to the increase of the Churches joy of feasting bere with her Christ Iohn 2. Prov. 9.1 2 3 4.5 Isa 25.6 Mat. 22.4 in his pure ordinances Is the earnest prayer of him that is intirely yours in the Lord with all humblenesse NATH HOMES From his unworthy obscure study Agust 4. 1641. THE NEVV REFORMED CHVRCH 2 Epist of PET. 3. cap. verse 13. Neverthelesse we according to his promise looke for new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousnesse THat your thoughts may goe Logically downe with me to my Text I shall give but a word but point with the finger to intimate the way of the Apostles method viz. his scope being to cure the immorality of the last times he goes the Paracelsian way of Physicke That is to apply hot remedies to hot diseases The diseases of the last times Verse 3. being scoffing and jearing at the last times the common walking fire or squib-guns of Hell-Zelotes to flare and flash in the face of truth and honesty The Apostle applies this hot operating dosis That as sure as the Lord would hasten the last day so would hee make it an hot day as much hotter then the day of judging the old world as fire would bee hotter then those waters vers 5. to the end of the 10. This therefore saith the Apostle should awaken men before it come The consideration before the execution as the dawning before the sunne-rising and put men first upon a conversation of piety vers 11. And so secondly upon an expectation of eveilasting felicitie vers 12. Yet so saith the Apostle as we doe not looke over or beyond that wee are to looke for before that great day namely new Heavens c. And therefore the Apostle like a Cautionist brings in the word with a Neverthelesse Neverthelesse we according to his promise c. You perceive already I beleeve that in the first word there is just occasion given not to slight the very Grammaticall expression of the holy Ghost in my text As that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greeke to which the Syr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 directly answers signifies either Neverthelesse as in our new translation or an adversative High Dutch Aber. So also Arius Montan. or diversative But as in the old translatioÌ„ and in the translations of other Churches in their native language The learned Translators therefore in our last translatioÌ„ saw some emphaticall thing in this small title 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they drewit out into such a length and perceived no doubt as wee conceive receive the Apostle that if he had here meant the same materiall Heavens as in the former verses he would have said And we expect and not have used such an exceptive or a word so commonly rendred exceptively adversatively as therby to glance our expectation to an heaven upon earth before the Churches arivall at the Heavens above the earth And that with a beleeving expectation or hope as the word in the original signifies and not a conjecturall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or of bare opinion So that the blessed Apostle in his illation of this verse seemes to use a kind of Rhetoricall Epanorthosis or correction of himselfe thus say I the heavens shall bee dissolved Neverthelesse so understand me as that I still meane we shall have now heavens c. here And because naturally mens thoughts are very flat and their affections dull touching this heaven upon earth therefore the holy Ghost useth other flowers of eloquence to dresse forth and adorne this glorious estate of the reformed Church First a metaphor comparing it to Heaven the best condition that is because the Churches reformation hath its origâ—nall thence and its end of perfection there And meane while hath the speciall presence of God there which is the very forme of heaven Some of the pious Fathers In so much as in that respect some of the Ancients said Heaven was a qualitie rather
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 circuÌ„starces 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 revâ—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 câ—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 interprâ—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 Pictaâ—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
So that as in the morning you heard handled by my predecessor the Architectonica Out of 1 Chron 28.10 By Mr. Symonds the building of the new house of the reformed Church So now I am to present you with a map of the Cosmographie or discription of the new world of the Church A Map I say one map not severall particular ones and upon that to discoutse or at the bottom or margin thereof to set downe the historie thereof This one map is the generall thesis or doctrine I shall draw out of all the parts of the text or wherein I shall draw together all the parts of the text thus Doctrine What ever the world vainely promise themselves yet the godly in all ages hope for new Heavens and a new Earth of a righteous reformed Church according to Gods promise As for our historie or discourse to be added or annexed to this doctrinall map it consists of the explication vindication probation demonstration and application of if First Explication for the illation of the Doctrine from the text is most plaine I neede not insist upon it The knot is how the godly in all ages expected a reformed Church Gen. 3. which we explaine thus That as upon the First fall God made the first and grand promise of raising the Church so ever and anon as the Church tooke some wrenches of her old hurt so the Lord renewed and inlarged the first grand promise When the Church received a second blow in the murther of Abel the Lord bound her up with the birth of Seth and a prophesie upon him Gen. 4.25 And Adam knew his wife againe and she bare a sonne and called his name Seth. For God said she hath appointed me another seede in stead of Abel whom Caine slew When the Church in Seths posteritie grew sore sicke then the Lord cheered the Church in Noah Gen. 6.2 Gen. 5.29 Gen. 6.18 Hee shall comfort her with thee saith the Lord will I establish my Covenant When by the drowning of the world the Church was almost fallen into her grave then the Lord raised her to life by a gratious promise to that most eminent Son i.e. Melchisedeck Gen. 9.26.27 King of Salem and of righteousnesse When the Church fell from the buildings of the tower of Babel Gen. 11. that she was confounded in her language like one speechlesse or amazed with a fall then God renewed the grand charter of the first promise with inlargements to Abraham and his posteritie Gen. 12. And at the same time that it was prophesied and after performed that the Church should sinke as low as the clay pits and brick kilnes of Egypt was it promised and after proportionably performed that shee should be advanced by Gods power in Moses Gen. 15. Exod. 12. 1 Sam. â— 1. Sam. 3.19 20.21 1 Sam. 8. 1 Sam. 13.14 When the Church was lapsed by Elies sonnes Samuel is chosen and manifested by speciall signes that that the Lord had appointed him as a support to the Church When things declined by Samuels sonnes and the ill propping it up by Saul then David was promised as a sure and perpetuall stay in himselfe and his posteritie Finally when the Church had that great blow in Babylon whereof shee lay sicke seventy yeares then was Christ promised Dan. 9. All the chapter the magnus instaurator The stay of all stayes for ever So that when Christ came and began the new Testament was Mirabilis annus the admired period of the Church All those periods of restoring and comforting the Ghurch in the Old Testament were but praeludia prefaces to this one of Christ comming in the New Testament But this great restitution of the Church of the New Testament hath severall particular periods before it come to that instaurationem maximam O that greatest and inaugmentable restitution at the end of the world For that is called and well may a restitution Whom the heavens must containe untill the time of restitution of all things Acts 3.21 For Saint Peter had seene one great period of the New Testament reformation from his fishing to his fishing after men as Christ promised and prophesied yet he thinks not that the foregoing promises of the Prophet Isaiah were yet quite emptied Some payments yet due some of the fart and strokings of these brests of consolation yet to be milked out Isaiah 66.11 Some thinke Saint Iohn lived till neere an 100. yeares after Christ Neverthelesse we looke for new heavens c. And Saint Iohn the longest living Apostle after Christ had seene more of the effect of Christs restoring the Church yet doth hee prophesie in the Revelation of seven particular periods of the Church of the New Testament to come in the seven seales the seven trumpets seven thunders and seven viols All which in briefe for our understanding them in short may be reduced to these two heads First That from Christs time till our time was the Apostolicall reformation particular and interrupted Secondly that after this time or not long hence as we shall shew more after in the use of examination That Apostolicall condition of the Churches reformation that hath beene but in few places or Kingdoms here and there Mat. 24.14 The Gospel shall bee preached to all the world and with many interruptions transplantations and the like shall from thence forward be universall as wide over the face of the earth as God will ever have it and as continued and uninterrupted as is sutable for a Church not yet in heaven it selfe 2. Vindication Because a doubt riseth out of this explication we insert this next before probation Object Object The objection is that if there be so many degrees and periods of the Churches reformation how shall each age know how much belongs to their time Answ Answ The answer is that first to each age to which belongs a perticular promise God gives a speciall light to compare the promise and the event together Secondly by consideration of evens yet unfulfilled in former ages Antichrist not yet pulled downe The Gospel not yet preached to all the world Isa 30.20 The Jewes not yet converted That the Churches teachers should be no more driven into a corner Thirdly that as Saint Iohn hath measured out the changes of the Church by periods of halfeings Daniels great period for his time to Christ which was about 490. yeares distinguishing them into about 250 yeares So the Church that casteth up far greater peeces of chronologie may the more easie account how the Church passeth through any of her seven two hundred and fifties especially of the first sixe so plainely noted by Saint Iohn by severall events and circumstances For as Eclipses of the Sunne or Moone or such remarkable events are the Time-markes of cronologie that in computation of hundreds of yeares not one yeare is lost So the sevens of events set downe by Saint John are the stages of the course of times
most easily pointed at 3. Probation wee goe no further for proofe then Saint Iohn Coeve and of the same time with Saint Peter who also was told by the spirit of God that though the promises of the Prophet Isaiah touching the new created heavens were to be fulfilled in this life that yet the events were yet to come And therefore that the Church might know them more distinctly Saint Iohn sets them downe more largely so as in every verse throughout that 21. chapter of the Revelation wherein hee handles the point there is a plaine argument that Saint Iohn cannot bee understood of heaven above as some would but of the new heauen here below 4. Demonstration the reason why the Church hopes is in regard of God The reason why the Lord gave the Church that ground of hope is in regard of the Church The Church hopes in regard of God i.e. in regard of his promise to the Church There would be no looking no sight if there were no colour and light no ground of word and a Prophet or an Apostle from heaven to give light of it And the Lord makes those promises by the Prophet Isaiah and gives us more light of them by his Apostles in regard of his compassion to the Church To remove her evills To promote her good To remove the evils of the Church viz. Nothingnesse Childishnesse Rustinesse That the Church might not decline either towards nothing or childishnesse and foolishnesse or rustinesse and sinfulnes For what is originall to the Church the Church is inclined to be actuall in if she be in her declension not in her spirituall augmentation By Adams fall was the grand wound given the Church to make her decline to breake her and imprayre her perfection yea and at first almost brought her to nothing So then God made the Church the first grand promise to put her in hope that as long as the world stood shee should not turne into nothing she should not bee annihilated After this all the times of the old Testament espectially of the Fathers the Church grew so childish that nothing but rudiments the rattles of the ceremoniall law the guilded corners of things shaddowed landskips of things would give her content Of these the Apostle speakes in his Epistle to Galat. Chapters 2.3.4 Therefore least the Church should rest in these the Lord by his Prophts in the old Testament prophesied and promised a more excellent estate under the New Testament Finally when this time was past that the New Testament was begun the Church no sooner obtained some rest from persecution but shee grew rusty with ambition contention and other aberrations both of opinion and practise See Fox Acts and Mon. in Constantine As is apparent soone after Constantine the great his time and neerer both of times and places how restinesse causeth the Churches rustinesse Therefore that still the Church might hold up her head and looke beyond all these things to a more glorious condition then the world could afford the Lord by the Apostles sét before them the promises of the new heaven and earth 1. By Saint Peter in text 2. By Saint Iohn inlarging and inculeating them in Revel Because vice versâ by a retrograde motion from rustinesse the Church will decline to childishnesse Rust weakens the mettle sinne weakens the soule And rusty old age makes a man twy-child And from childishnesse will the Church decline towards nothingnesse In Rome if not nearer this may be seene From abundance of sinfulnesse through ease and idlenesse the Church grew to abundance of ceremoniousnesse From thence she fell into idolatrousnesse and so farre she went there shee became utterly nothing To prevent therefore such a gradation and dissolution of the Church both in regard of his owne Compassion and in regard of that impression hee hath made upon the Church hee hath promised to lend her his assistance to raise her to this glorious condition In regard of his Compassion for if when the Church wanted no goodnesse he promised her greatnesse in Paraâ—lise much more now in more distresse that shee hath iâ—oulke a greatnesse but wants goodnesse will hee promise it and performe In regard of that impression the Lord hath made upon the Church for if God hath stampt on nature a generall abhorring of vacuum of a voyde place emptie of any naturall body for that would breake off some linckes of the chaine and fast dependance of the naturall universe and cause a selfe annihilation of nature more or lesse And therefore nature hath devised many changes generation corruption alteration augmentation diminution locall motion and that of particular bodies contrary to their owne proper natures as water to ascend in a pumpe Aire to descend into the earth in an earthquake to shift her naturall sonnes out of the way upon attempts of vacuum that none of them may perish how much more is there an impression of grace on the Church of abhorring this least selfe annihilation or loosing any of its spirituall perfection and is most loth to be worse but desires to be as much better as shee may Therefore as the Lord helpeth the naturall world to conserve it selfe so hee helpeth the Church by efficacious promises to sustaine her spirituall condition 2. To promote the Churches good viz. To draw on the Church To draw up the Church To draw on the Church in patience and holinesse So runnes the context with the succeeding verse Wherefore beloved seeing that ye looke for such things i. e. promised new heavens earth as it is in the text be diligent that ye may be found of him in Christ without spot and blameles Heb. 12. i. 2. Compare with this that of the Epistle to the Hebrewes Wherefore seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses let us lay aside every weight and the sinne which doth so easily beset us and let us runne with patience the race that is set before us looking to Iesus the authour and finisher of our faith As aparent promising his married children to bee a daily friend to them to build their decayed house new for them and to make every thing new is a great incouragement to them more patiently to beare the deprivation of their parents personall presence and the combrance of the many cares and troubles in the flesh 1 Cor. 7.28 as the Apostles speakes attending on marriage so Christ personally being gone into heaven till the full restitution of all things promising his children to build them a new world Revel 21. or a new citie i.e. many houses and to make all spirituall things new for them it doth much stay their hearts It makes them hold up their heads as after a redemption drawing nigh as after a recovery to life after a lying at the point of death Rom. 11.15 As a travellour the more hee sees the approach of his journeyes end the more hee is cheared so spiritually in this 2. To draw up the
Church to make her as more heaven-like so more heavenly And that in her judgement as well as her desires For if an estate of the reformed Church on earth be called heaven compared to a new heaven how excellent is heaven it selfe which is the patterne exemplarie cause it selfe which this lower heaven doth but imitate Acts 3.2 If the gates of the materiall temple were beautifull how beautiful is that temple of heaven where God himself is immediately in fulnesse of glory whose maker builder is God If one part of this new heaven be so glorious viz. Heb. 3.4 2 Cor. 3.5.6 the Ministrie of the Gospel in so much that the ministrie of the law in the Mosaicall Church had no glory in comparison how transcendent is the glory of the whole state of glory 1 Cor. 2 8.9.10 If eye had not seene nor eare heard nor heart conceived the excellency of the Gospel till God revealed it experimentally by his spirit much lesse can it be apprehended what are the heavens of glory till we pertake of the glory in heaven And as these prophesies and promises doe make the Church more heavenly in her apprehensions so in her affections As woings make lovers minds betrothings betrothings make them minde marrying so these woing and betrothing restitutions doe cause the Church to long for that condition when the Church shall be as a bride ready trimmed to be fully married and enter into heaven to sup with the lambe Revel 21. Christ Jesus her husband in glory As the more successe the sayler hath in his voyage rounde the world the more acquaintance he hath with and delight in the new hemispheres of the heavens and new constellations of starres so the further the Church on earth goes with her full-saite of knowledge faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 coll 2.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 10.22 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 6.11 and hope of the new militant Church on earth the more shee will discerne and desire the last and best heaven of heavens This Doctrine being thus inferred explained vindicated proved demonstrated is usefull for Instruction Examinatiō Humiliation Consolation Exhortation First for Instruction or information of the judgement in three things 1. That the thoughts and hopes of the world are very much at rovers and randume besides and asquint from the common cause the Common good So the Doctrine closely grounded on the text whatever the world promise themselves c. whatever they tinck or thinke they think not as the godly hope not as the godly intent on the common good yea who can guesse what their vaine thoughts or hopes are The common good Ier. 4.14 or evill of the Church is nothing to them so they passe by Lam. 1.12 If they bee presented with considerations of Divine justice future judgement in case of non-repentance at these either they mocke or are as stupified through wilfull ignorance So our Apostle in the beginning of this chapter before the text They returne to their former walke in their own vomit or common mire or salt matshes of the world ut juvat immenso spatiantem vivere Caelo like vaine-headed men in a walke whiles they see most of heaven they thinke least of heaven If their spirits be a wakened they turne their edge the cleane contrary way If a Rome as one once said in an Apothegme be to be sould these worldlings these terrae fily these roving archers are the men that set the price on her A Machiavellian a tribe of friends a kingdome of common good for his own ends For he holds close to his theoreme or rule Pereant amici modo intercidant inimici He is at the same passe to put off at a low price some few great ones as many inferiour ones Now he can as trimly act the Judas If the K. of the Jewes may be bought and sold for Quid aabis at a rate he will betray him These are the Popes Merchants and Markets Revel 18.13 and his butchers shambles to deale in slaves and soules of men But one the other side let these worldlings meet in the face any opportunitie of advancing the common good to bind up the wounded Levites to preserve many a poore Sosthenes from beating Acts like Gallio they care for none of those things especially if the businesse of so great consequence as to rebuild the decayed temple they stick heavily answer lazily Hag. 1.2 The time is not yet come to set about it If a church a Kingdom should put themselves into such mens hands intrust themselves with such moles how profoundly and remedilessely might all bee betrayed And therfore it is not a small mercy that the Lord hath found out so many worthies of Israel to be faithfull to Israel 2. Thing wherein this Doctrine doth instruct is this It is the common condition of godly men that though they dwell in the heavens of the Church on earth as long as they dwell in the old heavens in that state of the Church that is old in comparison of the new to come they shall bee where there is a want of righteousnesse There will be store if not of corporall bee sure of spirituall wickednesses in * So Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heavenly places Ephes 6.2 This heaven is seamed and fringed about with Hell Things are not right there is a want of righteousnesse in the * Psal 12.1 Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vilitas Gen. 15. Zech. 1. Psal 137. abstract So when the godly dwell in Egypt in Babylon still they found righteousnesse to bee a Phaenix a scare bird Alwaies thus it will be be we contented with old things as long as wee will I meane still the old Heavens either there will bee a defect of righteosnesse Or a defection from righteousnesse Or a disaffection against righteousnesse A defect of righteousnesse either men will bee ignorant or negligent of righteousnesse Ignorant when men looke not after the righteousnesse of God the originall of all righteousesse but goe about to establish their owne rightousnesse Rom. 10.3 and so doe not submit to the righteousnesse of God Thus it is with men when they are blind at the Doctrine or fumble at the practise of righteousnessse So stubborne Papists and ignorant sottish Protestants they seeke a righteousnesse in blankes as that they meane no hurt In negative ' Phariseisme they are not this nor that In things of no life or activitie in themselves viz. in performances as their wee have fasted Isa 58.3 Luke 18.12 And that often too though too oft to bee good However Performances of duties are good praises not payments to God thankesgivings to God No salvation given to men For they all are nothing in themselves though done never so well Iohn 5.39.40 Observe well and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word search is to bee read indicatively as a relation rather then imperatively as a command Compare the 39
instruction upon the doctrine is this that the Church hopes for that shee yet hath not Saint Peter so long since Christ and the Church still so long since Saint Peter sees more in the promise Hope that is seene is no hope Rom. 8. all is not yet shaken into the lappe of the Church She hath in the Apostles time and in all times of true conversion some newnesse Ephes 4.23 Collos 3.10 i. e. some personall new qualities some particular new dispositions and actions Againe she hath some righteousnesse 1. Cor. 1.30.31 Tit. 2.11.12 i. e. Relatively righteous in Christ applied by faith and imputed by God personally in her particular members righteous with qualities and actions But these are nothing to that shee shall have Bee yee Ephe. 4.23 Heaven and Earth Renewed Eph. 4.23 Col. 3.10 Saint Peter putts a difference how a few members severally then all the body of the Church joyntly through the whole Habitable of the Church now in qualities and actions then as it were in the very substance Now in the Concret But then in the abstract shall the Church be new and righteous All the word of the Church so New Revel 21. Greated as a new substance Isa 65.17 made righteousnesse in the abstract Revel 19.8 Righteously Tit. 2.12 All her newnesse now is but as the new-moone to a sevenfold sun-shine All her righteousnesse is but as a glaring Diamond ring on one finger Isa 30.26 to a whole suit of cloth of gold of sun-beames nay of the sunne nay of the sunne of righteousnesse Mal. 4.2 Rev. 12.1 And in this glory and state shall righteousnesse dwell as Master of the house of the Church and command in every roome and corner But as yet hitherto the Church hath beene withheld from this eminent condition partly by the opposition of the old world mixing the old things of ceremonious Iudaisme Mat. 9.16 and Gentilisme which spoyle the newnesse of the Church Hindring and withholding righteousnesse Rom. 1. verse verse 18.32 And partly by the indisposition of the old infirmitie of the Church to be darke sighted and stiffe in her limbs spiritually to see and move for that of her dowry behind Shee hath beene examinated unsouled and exoculated So that as Christ said to the Disciples Iohn 16.12 and Saint Paul to the Hebrewes she was unfit to heare of and see a better condition Heb. 5.11.12 She hath beene beaten with unrighteousnesse and bound from righteousnesse that she could not preach speake dispute or practise righteousnesse Psal 125. Psal 37.6 Mat. 13.43.12.20 till shee was black and blew with her bonds and blowes and looked old with sorrow yet hath beene flattered to bee the most knowing and righteous Church But these to come when new Vse of examination 1. Who are the true godly 2. What the new heavens c. promised by God First EXAMINATION who godly In generall they are persons of an excellent hope of an hearty heavenly heroick hope They looke and expect for what ever God hath promised to them singly to their persons or collectively to them in their relation to the Church We our selves saith the Apostle groane within our selves waiting for the adoption Rom. 8.23.24 there demption of our bodies For wee are saved by hope But hope that is seene is no hope But if we hope for that we see not then doe we with patience waite for it or expect it As sure as Elijah hoping for raine from heaven to refresh him and the whole kingdome looked for it sent his man to view the clouds So hope mentally lookes for the mercies it hopes for from heaven for himselfe and the Church Hope is the eye to faith as in the face is the eye to reason to looke after what we beleeve or know shall come to passe And therefore the Saints from time to time in the Scriptures marke it you that think ye beleeve as they professed their faith Ezra 10.2 Iob 5.16 Psal 42.11 Psal 43.5 Psal 119.49 Pro. 10.28 Ier. 17.7 Act. 26.6.7 so solemnly they professed their hope To teach us no doubt what a barren faith that is which breedes no hope what an helpelesse faith that will prove that is an hopelesse faith Let the wicked and ungodly therefore take this as their character to have no true hope Ephes 2.12 For they are the men that are but the imagery the imaginary of Christianitie that seeming to have an eye of hope but cannot turne it this way or that way after that they professe they believe In particular the hope of the true godly man is notable for its Resolution Distinction Foundation Dimension Gradation That is its Setlednesse and courage Difference from false Buildings on the promise Looking to the Church too Expectance of yet more newnesse and righteousnesse All which shew the bravenesse of the godly mans spirit 1 Cor. 2 1â— above them that have received onely the spirit of the world The resolution or setldnesse of his hope shewes the godly mans patient spirit patient through courage Rom. 8.24 The distinction the betternesse of his spirit like Calebs Numb 14.24 Psal 119.80 2 Tim. 1.7 Phil. 1.20.21 Heb. 11.24.25 Like the Bereans Acts 17.11 The foundation shewes thee soundnesse of his spirit The Dimension or width shewes his publike spirit And the gradation his sublime and heroick spirit Resolution The godly mans hope is an hardy hope For though as the Doctrine intimates his hope shall bee put to it and that with so much and more as breakes or melts away the worlds hope And although in all ages especially hitherto there is somewhat still behind even of this promise that is hoped for and so the man is never fully pertaker of his hope and although the day of judgement comes apace that cuts off all hope and the scoffing of the unbelievers hasten it yet the godly mans hope comes in with a Neverthelesse what ever the world hope however his hope be put to it yet he will hope Hope in the Motion is an expectation of future happinesse of this life and that to come Spes in motu grace and glory in the inchoation augmentation and consummation So that in regard of thus much of its nature hope must be nay is an holding hope Spes in virtute If it be not alwaies of a like bignesse and strength yet it is a long and lasting hope Hope in the vertue is a boldnesse of minde conceived upon Gods promised bounty by which through the use of the meanes to attaine to all the degrees of happinesse So that is not ashamed it is groundedly confident Rom. 5. though it bee not demonstratively sure like the certainty of reason as it is not so contingently certaine as the certainty of bare opinion yet relatively in relation to the promise and by the relation of the promise informing for certaine what God will do it hath an infallible mentall spirituall certaintie of Narration
and halfe a time three yeare and a halfe i.e. 1260. dayes But if wee beginne the accompt lower From the ceasing of the sacrifice and setting up abomination after that scattering Then the dayes are 1290. But if any desires to be so happy as to see not only the inchoation but also the augmentation of the Church his new reformation let him reckon upon 1335 dayes i.e. yeares So Saint Iohn had a double sight of the new Church first prepared Revel 21.2 secondly consummated verse 9. First she is a prepared bride Secondly a married wife to Christ Close we the consideration of time with propounding that Dan. 12. vers 7. verse 11. vers 13. to the consideration of wise men Lasty for ought I can see you are the promised people you the Parliament Parliaments of his Majesties three kingdomes to be leaders examples to the Christian world to pull downe that of Antichrist that is yet standing Beside that you are Gods grâ—â—◠〈◊〉 â—ost solemne ordinance for such a designe for nation 〈◊〉 exploits 1 Sam. 6.1 You are the votes of all well 〈…〉 You are the subject of Millions of prayers 〈◊〉 â—â—â—ng cryes of the godly no small good signe Psal 10.17 This further is to be considered that they that are to measure out the reformation of the city the Hierusalem of God must be a man yet an Angel Revel 21.17 Humane yet divine and sublime in a higher degree of having stampt upon them the image of God in power and Majestie 2 Sam. 14.17 And a King which is the chiefe of your intire body is by the Scriptures termed an Angel Revel 21.8.12 Yea sometimes a collection of worthies in the Church is termed an Angel as one Angel for their divine unitie and amitie Revel 21 5.6 See Brightman Againe they that helpe in the reformation must bee those that can make a decreed writing can write statutes Finally the northerne gates of the reformed Church are set up with the first Revel 21.13 Absolutely first Ezech. 48.31 should seeme the Northerne people of the Christian world shall first or with the first enter into the new reformation They and the Easterne parts the forefront New England Swedes Danes and our Kingdomes belonging to his Majestie Evill from the North. Ier. 4.6 Good from the North. In stead of the former Abs Aquilone malum spoken in Scripture and in our countrey proverbe in another sence now it is Abs Aquilone bonum God will thus in mercy recompence the evills of the Church that the places of her troubles shall be the beginning of her reformation Psal 48.2.3 Isa 14 13. As the temple was at the North side of Zion King Davids palace and therefore his posterity looked much on that Northerne tract So Christ the Son of David on the North of the Church Now all your hearts that are ballasted with true hope upon the consideration of the promises will take more life will be fed and refreshed with the promise the most proper Cordiall and food of hope You will heare the promises say oft in your eares as God did oft even foure times in one chapter to Josh Be strong Iosh 1.6.7.8.9.18 and of a good courage And as you heard in the Morning by another out of 1 Chron. 20.10 Be strong and doe it Mat. 7. But false hope being unpropt by promise in tempestuous trials falle as the house on sandy foundation False hope produceth nothing but the water-bladders of phantasie they seeme as comely as bigge but they are as suddainly nothing as they swelled to that seeming thing Fourthly Dimension The compasse and reach of true hope Heaven and Earth It gripes within its circle the publike good the restauration of the Church like repayring Nehemiah and Ezra Ezra 10.2 Lam. 3.20.24 Psal 130.7.8 Like lamenting condoling Ieremiah like Psalmodious King David Though true hope bee not alwaies a strong hope at every minute in every inch of the twisting it is not alike big yet it is a long hope every way large And in the publike good good men hope to finde their particular good Psal 132. As Alexander hoping to conquer the world hoped no doubt to finde a meete palace for his owne habitation And as sounds come to the eare per circuitum by ayrie waves and circles and so the sound is gathered into the eare per anfractus by the windings therof so true hope comes to the eare of the soule by the circulations of the generall promises of the promises of the generall good of the Church that in the midst of that and no otherwise they shall find true comfort This part or peece the Saint hopes no otherwise to live and be safe but in the wellfare of the whole The whole being of relation is to be referred to another Hope is relative to the promise as wee said before and the Hoper is relative to the Church as a part to the whole And therefore true hope cannot bee divided from its strongâ—tye and subsistence with and upon the generall promise of the publik good In so much that this genuine generous hope strongly sympathiseth with the publike good Lam. 1.12 Amos 6. Psal 139. with an Antipathie against the worlds Apathy and sencelesenesse of the common good Is it nothing to you all ye that passe by And woe be to them they consider not the afflictions of Ioseph Hate I not them O Lord that hate thee On the contrary the worldly mans hope is a narrow hope His way is the broade way But his goodnesse even his seeming goodnesse is very narrow No wider then his owne doore No longer then the reach of his owne armes Himselfe is the center All meanes to advance his owne ends the circumference like a jugler he labours to conjure all into his owne circle upon all else his hope lookes a squint with a purblind eye that can see onely things close to it selfe He hopes to live to build to purchase to injoy the world what ever become of the common good The world can Glut it and bowle it at least cant it Amos 6. and laze it and never be troubled at the affliction of Ioseph Fisthly Gradation eminency or Exaltation of this pole starre of hope For a yet more new and righteous heaven and earth The godly man hopes that the Church shall not alwaies live in a meere drudgery and strugling to maintaine life and soule and to attaine to no more still to live from hand to mouth and gett no stocke of comfort afore hand But as there are heroick morall so heroick theologicall virtues among which faith and hope have their chiefe roomes Rom. 4.38.4.18 Hab. 3.17.18.19 So that this heroick hope of the godly man is that though all the Church in the true members be new a new creature be righteous is in a kingdom of heaven i. e. in the Kingdom of grace yet that there shall be a more abundant grace and godlinesse bestowed
on the Church shee shall be more heavenly more new more righteous And that upon earth Even the earth of the Church should become more new The earth shall bee as the Heavens and the Heavens shall bee farre more heavenly Isa 30.26 The light of the moone shall be as the light of the sunne And the light of the sunne shall be seven fold as the light of seven dayes in the day that the Lord bindeth up the breach of his pâ—ople and healeth the strok ' of their wound And whiles the godly man primarily hopes thus for the advancement of the Church he cannot but put in himselfe by consequence that hee hopes for himselfe that hee shall he a Convert of the second edition Not a convert barely and for want of Gods speciall presence and his speciall acquaintance with God to be as a beast sometimes in temptations especially This speciall acquaintance with God of which Iobs friends spake is as a second convertion Psal 73. Iob 22.21 Such a man knowes more of God such a man is not contented to be new borne onely Psal 25.14 Iob 22.21 and cry as an infant and barely live Be a generall honest man salute God in morning in familie duties for all day And not live particuly with him all day after Psal 119.164 Cant. 1.2.13 Cant 2.5.6 But he must have intimate society with God eminent conscience comfort On contrary Carnall Gospellers pusillanimous halfe professers are men of a weake spirit of a dwinderling spirit They think it is a jolly hope a great strength to hope the Church shall not be annihilated totally eclipsed A good hope to sit downe and say it is well the Church is no worse Shee shall never be free from blemishes and therefore to what end should I seeke for further reformation And such a man as this that is so low and flat in his hope for the Church he is as flat in his hope for himselfe He hopes if he can a little dislike some grosse vices in others some inormous disorders in the Church that presently this is conversion That a good kind neighbour a good common-wealteh man to maintaine the principles of the building no matter for the wainscot and trimming within verse 13. like the Kings daughter Psal 45. is presently a good Christian He mindes not the example of Ioab that was good in the former way but little or nothing in the latter that we can reade Magistratus judicat virum If a man hath any power of godlinesse Exod. 32.26.27.18 he will shew it on Gods side when hee is impowred with civill power to countenance the power of godlinesse David having danced before the Arke would not now bee daunted for his dauncing Thus Joshua Josia Hezech Nehem. Ezra upon a lawfull call he will be as zealous as Phineas Vpon an open contempt of profession he will answer for the honour of religion as David to Michâ—l upon a threatning of the true worship of God and disclaiming Idolatry he will be as resolute and as open as Daniel No flatteries of the Court or feares of his enemies cruelties cold make him to shut his windowes to true pietie or open his mouth to Idolatry 2. EXAMINATION what is that promised newaltie in the text and doctrine And by the way let me tell you that now before it be on earth every man hath not a sight strong enough to see it They have a false eye as he that thought a field of thistles to bee a squadrant of pikemen and armed men So many feare the thistles of the Church as edge-tooles sharpe swords to cut the hands of them that shall meddle with them Cherubicall et Serapbicall Flying and flaming knowledge zeale as before we shewed that angelicall men only meet to make an angelicall Church exact walking Noah and Enoch with God in thir persons the fit men to set up righteousnesse in their generations so now that not every man is capable to see absent or afarre off this new estate Neverthelesse we saith the Apostle not every one looke for a new heaven c. And so the Apostle Saint John in the 21. of the Rovelation makes the same preface to his discourse of this new estate with shewing to whom this shall bee revealed aforehand to an angelicall man A Iohn like man acquainted with Gods speciall manifestation This the Scripture intimates every where Both in the places alleadged for the speciall convert Iob 22.21 Psal 25.14 and else where As God drew neerer to the true plaine hearted Iacob then to divers others Shewd himselfe more to tender conscienced Iosâ—ph Psal 16.7 then to all his brethren More to David then to many other good men of the same greatnesse In a word therefore Psal 45. Cant. in every chap. the man that would have still more close union with Christ shall see more of the glory of the Church A man slacke in practice shall bee dimme in knowledge 2 Pet. 1.5 6 7 8 9. But whiles men are coÌ„sciencious doing men they shall bee more knowing men Iohn 7.17 A moving hand strikes fire and causeth more light Let mee appeale to men and Ministers that lay still foure and five yeares since not stirring a finger for many truths whether they have not seene more since they have practised more All this I preface being carried by the text and commentary Revel 21. that men may see that if they canâ— not foresee not withstanding all discriptions that new glorious Church that the fault is in themselves Now to the use of Examination it selfe This new glorious Church if we goe to the promise intimated in Doctrine and Text as thither we must goe is to bee discovered under these three notions This new Church is a new world An holy Citie An a dorned bride So that though in the Text and Doctrine is expressed only a new world yet in the promise is consignified and in the world is included the citie the persons the Bride or it would be a strange world that had neither of the other two in it A NEW WORLD The substance whereof are Heaven Earth Sea The qualities Newnesse Righteousnesse 1 Substance 1. Sea There S. Iohn begins first Telling us there was none i. e. No foggie pudled restlesse sea of corrupt Doctrine And our Apostle Saint Peter mentions not the sea at all therefore it was all one as if hee had said there was none He would have it taken for granted and yet the Church hath a sea that is a pure sea of sound doctrine And therefore called a Sea of glasse cleare as christall Revel 4. Revel 15. For as such a sea is most like to the shining heavens and is the more excellent strained clarified part of the earth like as Diamonds c. So the sound doctrine of the Church is the most excellent thing on earth and most like to Heaven But the Church thus renewed hath no watry puddle sea of corrupt doctrine At
the mention whereof Saint John beginnes because such doctrines As good doctrine transformes 2 Cor. 3. last so bad such All-things State doctrines make timeservers phantastick quidditative doctrines make proud factious man advancing doctrines the power of his will the goodnesse of his nature the worth of his workes make licentious livers in confidence they can mend and make God amends when they lust Sin-mincing doctrines Socinianisme is herein worse theÌ„ Arrianisme Arrianisme denies the Deitie of Christ But yet makes him as ancient as the creation That God created Christ first and then by him all things But Socinianisme denies the Deitie of Christ saying he is of no more antiquity then his conception Est ne Christus Deus Imo sed non summus So the Socin Chatechisme Phil. 3.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 21.25 John 7.16 2 Pet. 1.21 The Pope is not The Antichrist neglect of the Lords day after publike duties is no fin c. Make a high way for the Popish Synagogues and the Protestant Churches to become one masse or lumpe of confusion For this cause this is laid first as a foundation of comfort that the Church hath no corrupt sea of false doctrine No sea of Rome no Episcopall sea that shall commit or permit or shall be permitted to cause any tides of new Arrianisme i. e. Socinianisme or Pelagiamisme Semi-Pelagianisme Arrinianisme advancing nature or Papisme advancing superstition and workes Observe that the new Heaven and new Earth hath no sea when new i. e. when the power of the Church was restored to her selfe all the Heavens the Earth called the Church and in it wholly was the power to sist doctrines No Churches so free from diversities and corruptions of doctrines as the Churches of Holland Geneva c. 2. Heavens as heare are many Heavens mentioned so many things to be noted But we can but name them hardly because many 1. The Church is called Heaven 1. because she is heavenly Heavenly in her mind conversation Her whole politie or traffick is in heaven her doctrine is from heaven not from men Heavenly in her devotions Vnto thee O Lord saith David Psal 25. will I lift up my soule And thy will be done in earth as it is heaven O our Father which art in Heaven Heavenly in her intention all she doth do tend to heaven that shee may end in heaven 2. Because shee is Heavenlike 1 Cor. 10.31 Revel 4.10 11. The whole platforme of her discipline and forme of worship is according to the fashion of Heaven See you make all things according to the patterne shewed thee in the mount Heb. 8.5 i. e. from heaven When she prayes in all things thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven be sure she meanes chieftly in things of divine worship Malach. 4.2 Revel 1â— 1 that all may bee as immediately from God to God as spiritual as may be Shee is heavenlike for her light heate motion influence c. She hath the light of the sunne The glorie and righteousnesse and doctrine of Christ Shee hath at her severall changes when it pleaseth God to cleare her nights the light of the moone outward comforts Revel 12.1 Revel 1. Gen. 1. She hath the light of the starres her Ministers and all their parts to inlighten her Yea as God made the first heavens all a light body before the severall lights were made since by the translucidation of all the starres no part of heaven is dark Ier 31.34 So all the heaven of the new Church is full of light in every member every true member hath the spirit of illumination and knowledge teaching them the inmost meaning of the Scriptures in all necessaries to salvation So also hath the Church heate as well as light as the light of the heavens is the chariot to bring heat to and in the sublunarie bodies here below naturall and proper light that is not borrowed will not be separated from heat Therefore the officers of the Church are called Angels And they oft are called Seraphims coales for their zeale and all the members of the Church are said to seeth in spirit i. e. Rom 12.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 servent in zeale Not like Sardis nominall or like Laodicea lukewarme in profession The Church also is full of motion like the Heavens She hath her motion of trepidation Psal 2 She rejoyces in the Lord with trembling at his glorious greatnesse Shee serves him but with holy feare Shee hath her direct motion from east to west she riseth from death to life she growes in her graces she hath her sublimities of heavenly raptures and she hath her retrograde motion her returning motion That when shee hath gone astray like a loss sheepe she repents and return's to the chiefe shepheard of her soule she returnes to her first husband 1 Pet. 2. last Shee returnes to her father as the Prodigall For her motion Hosea 2. her Ministers are also called Angels which are oft called Cherubims i. e. wings Finally Luke 15. the influence of the Church is hevenlike That as the heavens prosper the earth with spring and harvest so whoever receive and entertaine the Church or its members prosper for her sake Potipher by entertaining Ioseph Laban by entertaining Iacob Psal 122. Obed-Edâ—m by entertaining the Arkâ— yea all that love and pray for Hierusalem shall prosper 3. Church called Heaven Because as there is more heaven then earth So there is reckoning every way spiritually more heaven then earth more heavenlinesse then earthlinesse i. e. In the Churches judgement desire approbation supplications She altogether esteemes approves desires all heavenly things And all earthlinesse creepes in by stealth with dislike when discovered The Church meddles with earthly things but in an heavenly manner Shee hath to doe with earthly things but for a moment but shee hath an eternall state of glory in heaven Finally the earth is of no use to her Luke 16.9 but to further her towards heâ— ven The unrighteous Mammon to be her friend to befriend her in her journey to heaven Acenter is onely to draw a circle 2. The Church is called or compared to heavens in the plurall And that because there is a plurality of heavenly things in the Church Beside that principally God is there Revel 21. His doctrine is there His worship is there his graces there in every true particular member So that here is the heaven of the primum mobile the first moving heaven viz. Convertion by Gods grace God is called by the heathen Philosopher the first mover and he first moves by his grace Here is the Christalline heaven The heaven of purity and sanctitie of discipline moving every thing orderly Here are the heavens of the starres of light of which before Yea here is in the reformed Church The Caelum empyrium the heavens of glory For that sanctification of mens persons conversation is nothing else
spirituall worship they themselves being carnall sensuall that God must create all new if he will have all new And this he will do as he did the world He created it by the word let there be let it be so So the Lord by the power of his word of his Gospel will direct and draw his owne Church and all the friends thereof to set up their new reformed worship and to draw men to that new life and conversation in and towards the Church which he calles here the new heavens and the new earth The Lord will in speciall manner inlighten and inliven men especially Ministers to write and discover what is this new state of the Church Master Brightmar on Rev. 21.9 Thinkes that some holy man shall set forth a booke wherein he shall make it plaine to all the faithfull that the glorie and Majestie of this Church shall bee most divine and heavenly But more likely a collection of men one or two out of every shire and County appointed by authority to meet and agree as one man to draw nakedly and barely out of the Scriptures those cleare truths concerning this new state as will not indure any quiddities or querckes and able to beare downe all contradictories opposed against them 2. These Heavens and Earth are said to have righteousnesse dwelling in them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in which Heavens Earth dwells righteousnesse Therefore all these righteousnesses dwell in the one or the other First the doctrine of truth righteousnesse or right tenets Not the doctrines of lies legends fables flatteries 2. The Doctrine of Christs righteousnesse of justification by faith in him As with much struggle that doctrine was opened in the first founding of this new Church though long much Rom. 10.3 since that eclipsed so now it shall dwell abide in the setled new estate and never be banished from its free hold The doctrines of mans ability to keepe the law of justification by works c shall have no more place 2 Tit. 11.12 Thirdly the righteousnesse of piety or godly conversation every man shall have a care in his particular conversation to practise righteousnesse Fourthly the righteousnes of amitie charity shall dwell heare Isa 11.5.6 Men shall not be wolves tygers c. i. e. persecutors of their brethren Fiftly here shall be the righteousnes of Christs discipline Christ himselfe by the scepter of his mouth not of mers braines shall order and disposeall things Isa 11.3.4.5 He shall so settle his Church that the unrighteous not the righteous shall be smitten And in what Churches doe all these righteousnesses more evidently dwell then in those that come nearest to the Apostolicall founding of Churches See the Churches of Geneva Holland c. No cryes there by reason of persecution No cryings up there of human traditions Thus of the new world Next that this might not seeme to be a world without inhabitants the holy Ghost describes the holy citie which intimateth inhabitants in which as we shall see in the last place dwells the adorned spouse Secondly therefore we come to the holy citie Where we are to note 1. Civitas the Citizens 2. Vâ—bs the Citie 1. The citizens And that these are here to be understood both the Apostle Peter intimateth in the text putting righteousnesse for righteous men And dwelling which relatively inferrs inhabitants As also the Apostle Iohn Revel 21. both in calling the new Hierusalem the adorned bride As also in saying God shall dwell with men in this holy citie and no lyer or abominable person shall enter therein Of these citizens note the Substance That is the societie of them 2. The quality Holy 1. The substance i. e. Societie Citizens constantly make a corporation a well governed body answerably this citie called the holy citie which hath great varietie of officers yet with great unity amitie and regularity As things digested in a predicament or table No opposition betweene things subordinate as we see in the wheeles of a clocke that wheele next the poyse being the first mover communicates motion to all the rest This corporation is governed by themselves among themselves that is according to their immediate particular lawes and priveledges The supreame magistrate runnes above them in the generall lawes for the whole kingdom i. e. The King and Parliament and Commonlawes are above them But otherwise their privilegia i. e. their privata leges their private lawes of their owne corporation are managed by themselves among themselves The foundation of the relation betweene each member of the corporation is internall the generall choose the particular And the particular accepts the priviledge and promiseth faithfulnesse and justice towards the generall The communion that is amongst them is such that they admit into their societie onely the good and they eject the degenerating that turne bad Just thus it is in the reformed Church of Christ every congregation is as a particular corporation First In it are all the sorts of officers appointed by Christ named often by Christ that the Church might not be ignorant I say al the officers to continue to the end of the world Ephes 4.11 Pastors and Teachers 1. Cor. 12.28 Teachers and helpes in government 1 Tit. 5. Elders or Bishops in every citie And Deacons two besides the elders 1 Tim. 3.1.2 c. to the end of the 13. Philip. 1.1 To all the Saints at Philippi with the Bishops and Deacons Rom. 12.7.8 Are named Teaching and exhorting 1 Tim. 4.17 Let the Elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour especially they that labour in the word and doctrine Secondly in and among them with great unitie and amity the goverment of themselves is by themselves touching all things done among them Mat 18.19 Observe well Two or three cannot may not dâ—eâ—â— So the text But the Church Tell the Church saith Christ if more private admonition will not serve And if the offender will not hearken to the Church then let him bee excommunicated which Church throughout the New Testament the holy Ghost by the Apostles explaines to be every particular congregation So that from Christs time downeward it was so to be taken As the Church at Antioch Acts 13.1 And when they had preached at Derbe Lystra Iconiâ—m Antioch they ordayned them Elders in every Church Acts 14.23 And when he bad â—anded at Cesarea and gone up and saluted the Church Act. 18.22 He sent to the Ephesus and called for the Elders of the Church Acts 20.17 The Church at Aquila and Priscillas house Rom. 16 3. 1 Cor. 16.19 So the Church at Philemons house In hard times particular Churches were made up of religious families and other Christians there abouts joyned to them in their meetings So Peter Martyr Willet The Church at Corinth 1 Cor. 1.2 The Churches of Asia 1 Cor. 16.19 which Saint Iohn names to the number of seven Revel From the Apostles time 300. yeares hot persecution for the
Secondly more distinctly and exactly that it was measured with a reede 12 thousand furlongs and the length and breadth and hight were equall First from the more indefinit expression observe that however it was a square whiles it is expressed under the notion of a citie And the Church is a round a round heaven and a round earth whiâ—es expressed under the notion of a world the round to signifie the laboriousnesse of the Church labor agricolae currit in orbe 1 Cor. 3.9 the Church is Gods husbandry her worke is never at an end She must continually move here propter quiâ—tem that she may rest whe shee is above the rowling heavens To signifie that the Church thus renewed shall be capeable of all truthes and conteine and know and teach all truthes of doctrine of discipline of manners and practise then too As a circle saith the Philosopher is the most capacious figure that is The square to signifie that as according to the Philosopher a square is the most setled and solid fast standing figure so the Church thus renewed refined in doctrine Heb. 12.26 discipline and manners shall never bee shaken any more never altered in the substance of either no not of her discipline that hath beene liable to so many changes but only in degrees to as much better as may be Secondly from the more distinct expression that the Church is as much in altitude as latitude as high as broad this signifies that as the Church is growne eminent in holinesse and high in heavenly mindednesse so shee is seene of men and esteemed and esteemed and highly extolled with the respect she hath from them So that Hierâ—salem is the praise of the whole earth according to promise Isay 62.7 So that as King David preferred it above his chiefe joy Psal 137 6. So all Kings shall bring their honour to it Revel 21 24. All shall as the Psalmist delight to tell the towers thereof Psal 48.12 i. e. joy to finde all perfect nothing missing All shall lay downe all forget all even the cunning of their right hand in comparison of the Church as Psal 137. Christ in this his comming shall as at the last day be admired of all that beleive 3 Thes 1.10 Thus of the forme or fashion Next of the matter oredifice which includes the Walles Townes Streetsâ— Temple or publike place of worship The walles are confidesor their Situation Foundation Superstruction Apertions First her situation 1. The walles are without the citie 2. Containe all the citie 3. Are conformable to the fashion of the citie 1 Without the citie to signifie that no annoyances things or persons should come neere the citie of the reformed Church Mat. 27.33 without the walls are the dunghills without Hierusalem is Golgotha the place of dead mens sculls The forme of execution of offenders was to carry them out of the citie Heb. 13.12 and so to punish them The civill punishment carrying in it a character of the spirituall excommunication Phil. 3.2 The Church is warned to beware of Dogges i.e. Those Mat. 7.6 For they are of the concision and are evill doers as the Apostle intimates They have their dogges nature and skinne still in and on in heart and in life for they are evill doers biters as well as barkers And how shall the Church better beware of dogges then as the house-holder by shutting them out of doores So the prophesie runnes Revel 22.15 without there shall bee dogges which are described by their dogge-trickes Their mad sorceries filthy lecheries biting murthers houling idolatries false barking lyes 2 The walles thus situated containe all the whole citie parts and persons thereof exclude none of those To signifie that Christ his Church in no wise doth plucke up the wheate in stead of tares For she sees plainely the tares to bee tares Mat. 13. by their ripenesse before she plucke at them She remembers her Saviours rule That hee will in no wise cast out him that commeth to him Iohn 6.37 Thirdly the walles so conformed to the citie signifie the sweet harmonie proportion and conformitie that is betweene the Church and her discipline She is not yoaked with a discipline that will wring her neck gall her shoulders Nor with such a one as is like the hoope that the Juggler can creepe through Gal. 5.1 Compare maâ— 11.28.29 Her discipline reacheth to all occasions causes persons things Shee makes not her meshes so wide as Actaeon A hunter of wild beasts that catcheth only those that would with open mouth devoure him Nor doth she as Vulcan make her net so subtile that the simple naked soule may be catcht before it is aware The Church hath from God her exact measure how to knit her discipline the pure golden measure of an unstrretchable reede i. e. The pure word of God Revel 21.15 Isa 8.20 Gal. 6.16 Blessed are they that walke according to this Canon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 marke the double emphasis This notable Cannon This Canon of Christ This Canon of the Scripture or this Canon of walking as a new creature in and by Christ according to the Scripture Secondly Foundation And this is of twelve precious stones The naturall foundation as of an house the rocke 1 Cor. 3. gravell or compacted clay is onely one and that rocke is Christ But the Artificiall foundation as of an house is the wall built within the ground this is twelve fold or many fold consisting of the plurality and variety of all the offices These twelve stones were used in the old Testament as prophesies of the qualities conditions of the twelve Paâ—â—iaâ—kâ—s and their tribes And hereof the state and condition of the Ministers building 〈◊〉 â—ew Church on the doctrine of the Apostles ministers and their severall gifts grounded and guided by the doctrine of the Apostles Small parts or peeces make not a foundation many ranckes of stone make a foundation Disunion or interruption of the continuation of a foundation is dangerous The Church cannot consist with an index expurgatorius cannot possibly beare inhibitions of reading these or those bookes of Scripture of preaching these or those fundamentall doctrines or sound truthes 3. Superstruction or raising the superstructure And that is done up all of Iasper as the foundation was of 12. precious stones whereof the first also was a Iasper as two other were the Sardius and Emerauld which three stones are put to represent the Trinitie Revel 4. The green Iasper the eternall Godhead and Father the redde Sardius the crucified Sonne Christ The groenish Raâ—e-bowlike emerauld As Gods bow in the clowd a token of an outward covenant Gen. 9.14 15. the proceeding Holy Ghost the token of Gods covenant in the heart Now that the wall muâ—â—â—â— built up above the foundation all of Iasper what can 〈◊〉 signifie but that the Church must be ad of God all according to the Scriptures If men will build on the
that the Church shall see that all in the worship of God that is not evidently from the word of Christ is not of Christs but of Antichrist then will the Lord reveale to her the full of the discipline of the Church The full freedome of the Gospel The scales must first fall from Saint Pauls eyes before he can see the Gospel to preach it Whiles our Church lay swadled and rocked in the unsetled cradle of humane inventions the face-cloth of ignorance lay over the eyes hundreds of truths lay hidden which now are talked of distinctly in every ones mouth So great an advantage of light doe they get that turne their faces towards the Sun-rising and their backes upon the darke climates of the old heavens 3. The scope and intention of the Church shall be to advance holinesse not to make her selfe great in honour and dignity among men but good with holinesse towards God Not to inrich her selfe with worldly pompe but with comfort and with conscience and the graces of the spirit Her doctrine her discipline her forme of worship c. all spread the winges to hatch up holinesse even as Saint John was carried by the Angell Revel 21.10 willingly to see what the Angell was eager to shew him from the top of an high mountaine touching the new state of the holy citie so sure the new Church must looke and aymes at holinesse and newnesse And not onely aymes and addresses all things to that purpose but also hitts the white For Fourthly the new Church is holy in practise and conversation Shee makes all her members in the common eye and charity of men to bee holy or else shee will not owne them for her children By this generall frame of holinesse in all her members Ministers and people she becomes all glorious For sanctification is a kind or degree of glorification Rom. 8. Therefore the Apostle wrappes it up in glorification in reckoning all the linckes of the chaine of salvation Psal 45. And the Church is said by holinesse to be all glorious within The Church is all glorious by justification But that is without her and about her She is wrapped in that as in a garment Rom. 13.14 But sanctification is within her as her proper qualitie as a Church Answerably Saint Iohn calles her holinesse and lightsomnesse with knowledge and reformation Verse 11. her having of the glory of God And that God was the light of the citie and the nations that were saved should walke in the light thereof And for all things that are contrary to this new holy Verse 23.24 and glorious estate shee cast out Revel 21. verse 4. verse 27. Fifthly and lastly holy in opinion and estimation The Church should be so really and universally holy making all her members at least outwardly and probably to imbrace holinesse that holinesse shall be in fashion and so in estimation among men It shall be no more a jeere but a joy As it s said by the Prophet many shall take hold of one Jew for religions sake so in this new Church much more shall men admire and esteeme her for holinesse So verse 24. The Kings of the earth shall bring their glory to the Church Revel 21. verse 24. And thus of the Civitas the citie the corporation of men Next of the Vâ—bs the materiall citie of buildings c. whereof note 1. The forme or fashion 2. The matter or edifice The forme is considerable for two things 1. Quantitie 2. Figure 1. Quantitie As here the compellation or comparison Heavens signifies or intimates greatnesse For what is of created things extra calum ultimum without and beyond the utmost heaven So the geometricall dimention there in Rev. 21. delineated makes it by some accompts the greatest citie that ever was For if we reade the text according to the ordinary reading Verse 16. And hee measured the citie with a reede 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the some of twelve thousand furlones and understand them in a more plaine and obvious sence of the compasse of the citie that every side of the foure square was three thousand furlongs it will follow that this citie of the Church is twelve thousand round For every foure square is one hundred times as much every way from side to side as the length of that side is Supspose a foure square of 110. furlongs in each straight line of the sides of that square Thâ—s foure square measured all along over-thwart from side to side was 3000 furlongs â—â—n King So Geographers And the whole plot of ground from each side to each side three hundred thousand furlongs which is beyond all other cities that ever wee reade of For old Babylon the great was but a village in comparison Every side of the square thereof being but 120 furlongs and so the whole plot of ground could be but foure thousand furlongs So Nineveh was not comparable for the text in the Prophet Ionah 3 3. was oâ— three dayes journey i.e. as the learned will have it the walles were three dayes journey about A dayes jurney being according to the civill law twenty miles So that every â—â—â—e square oâ— side of the quadeâ—angle was 15. miles i. e. 15. 〈◊〉 eight furlongs i.e. 120 furlongs and so was just of the 〈◊〉 of old Babylon in the East and no more Not is Babylon in the West Babylon the new Rome comparable for at first it was but two miles in compasse now at last but a-leaven miles in compasse and in the middle age thereof but 50. in compasse so that it fall 10 miles short of the measure of the compasse of the walls of Nineve But if we reade as Arias 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To the summe of furlongs 12. times 12. thousand Then the citie is 44. thousand furlongs about and the whole flore a 100 times more And just as the state of the new Church under the notion or a citie is greater then other cities so under the notion of a Church greater then ever was any Church For the largest description of the former Church was but 144 thousand long and but 12. thousand broad But this renewed Church is by this last reading 144. Revel â— thousand in the whole square compassing it about And by the former reading 12 thousand in the whole square bouting the city And the whole floore or breadth every way 300. thousand measures For it makes no matter what you call them whether furlongs or c. The bare numbers sufficiently report the proportions And well may the new Churches proportion so exceed seieng this makes one maine difference that she shall be as wide as the world as wee said before neeâ—e upon before the Lord leave the worke And so she shall be as great as good i.e. greater and better both then ever any Church was 2. Figure Which is expressed first more indefinitly As if onely a square upon a flat i.e. square in regard of length and breadth