by God at mount Sinai so well as the ecclesiasticall it was subiected to the pleasure of straungers then where was their beauteous Constitution And at the end of seauenty yeares Babels Monarch was subiected to the Medes and Persians who licenced Iudah to returne for building their Cittie and Temple which after some nine and fortie yeares were reedified but where was the sacramentall Arke of God his presence Where was Moses originall copie Where was Vrim and Thummim for decision of extraordinarie scruples What was become of Aarons rod and the sacramentall Manna And that which was not least what became of their Iudiciall pollicie from that time vnto Christ Iesus Somewhat I know there was but farre from the first patterne Curtailed they were of their Mosaicall constitutions First by Babels monarch secondly by that of Medes and Persians thirdly by the Greekes Alexander fourthly by the two legged gouernement of Aegypt and Syria springing out of the third Monarch and lastly by that last Monarch Rome swallowing vp the former togither with Messiahs appearance who had so manacled Iudah that they coulde not condemne Iesus but by the policie of wicked Rome This being the condition of the typical church it followeth say we that the New-testaments-church be in some measure thereto analogized And then onely it is so when we find after her fulnesse of grace a declining thereof running into schismes and desperate apostacies whereby God is prouoked to lessen her light to diminish her glory to ouer-turne her constitution to abbreuiate her pollicie Scripture II. Secondly the scriptures which inferre such lamentable ruine of the church they be many wherof a few to this purpose pregnant That 89. psalme is a typicall prophecie of Christ his kingdome who grants not wherein wee first see a glorious large kingdom giuen to Christ for his possession but anon behold as grieued at his Messiah or vncted who hath sinne considered as vpon him but in his members he casteth his crown on the ground he breaks downe his walles ruinates his fortresses and leaues him to be spoyled rebuked of the multitude Wherof the learned monke Folengius thus writeth These things may be applyed to the Christians times and perchance to our present times Presently whervpon he plainely saith that Religion is conculcate and trode vnderfoote And Aben-ezra citeth a certayne Spanish Iew so amazd at this psalm for the Iews dreame Io. Baptista Fol. in psa 89 40. Ad christianorum tempora forsanque praesentia aptari possunt that Messiahs kingdome shoulde be according to the worlds glory so perpetuall as he refused to reade it euen as the Romanists at this day can not abide to hear or reade any thing that crosses their Iudaicall opinion touching the outward face of Messiahs kingdome Nor maruell I thereat seeing heere in the person of Aetham brought in by the holy Ghost expostulating the cause of such downfall wee are taught howe hardely our nature brooketh the cast-down estate of Messiahs outward glorie Another Scripture wee haue in the foure and twentieth of Mathew whereas our Sauior euidently foretelleth the notable intricate estate of the faithfull in after times namely that many false christs false apostles false prophets shoulde arise in the church to the seduction of many charitie growing colde and iniquitie hauing the vpper hande Yea heerewithall that seduction and delusion as in the second Epistle of Paul to the Thessalonians and the second chapter should be so strong that if it were possible the very elect of God shoulde be seduced This generalitie of false prophecie of horrible iniquitie and mightie delusion it can not stand with a notable and glorious visibilitie of the Church nor yet can be considered where the constitution and pollicie is as at first sounde and vnshaken Nay it argueth according to that of Saint Paul in 1. Tim. 4.1 2 3. and 2. Timoth. 3.1 2 3 4 5 c. and that of Saint Peter 1. epistle 2.1 c. that all shall lie in horrible confusion and disorder do the holy men of GOD what they can Which also is denoted by the * This I haue manifested largely in my Antidoton Hieron in Zeph. 1.12 Recte aeutem Ierushalem c. parable of tares Math 13.24 c Touching which first and latter estate of the Church hearken what Ierome writeth on Zephaniah 1. Chronic. verse 12. I will search Ierushalem with candles Rightly Ierushalem that is the church which first was called Iebus that is trode vnder foote Because it was conculcate of the Gentiles and was a laughing stocke to the Deuils it was called Iebus And after the peace of the Lord began to dwell in it and his place made in peace it was called Ierushalem But because in the last-times as I haue oft said Charitie shall freeze and Iniquitie shall be multiplied yea the light of the Sun shall withdraw from Ierushalem and the vastation shall be so great that the verie elect of God shall hardlie be saued the Lord therefore then with the Lanthorne of his word and Reason will search all the vices in Ierushalem and bring them into sight Another plaine scripture we haue in Reuel 6. where after our Salomon hath rid foorth vpon the cleere word of Truth Ps 45.4 and Meeknes and Iustice and by the bowe of his right hand hath subdued a people vnto him We presently after see bloodie persecution scarsitie death slaughter together with a fearfull darkning of the Sunne blood stayning the Moone accompanied with a generall Apostacie of the Church-starres from the kingdome of heauen vnto earthly conuersation effecting therewith a generall dissolution of all good order All which thinges can be but mystically vnderstood according to the nature of prophecie and so a plaine declaration of the Church turned vpside downe with a losse of her large visibilitie and glorie Other Scriptures may of Romanistes be held more litigious these shall here suffice Besides the type and plaine euidence of Scripture III Experience I will adde the argument of experience signed by Antiquitie For the first 300. yeeres and better after Christes incarnation we are not ignorant of a reasonable glorious estate of the Church for the which some haue not altogether vnfitly vrged that of the Apocryphall Esdras 2. Esd 7.28.29 a thing that he might gesse at by comparison of Scripture where in the person of the Lord he saith My sonne Iesus shall appeare with these that be with him and they that remaine shall reioyce with him 400. yeeres After these yeeres shall my son Christ dye and all men that haue life as if he should say Christ shall liue in his Church 400. yeeres then shal he dye and the Church be darkned And indeed for so long we find the writers giuing in a more excellent testimonie then for the 200. yeeres after But after 600. yeeres or there abouts I trow that by one litle horne starting vp at Rome and an other in the East vniuersall Pope and
Sun when he riseth in his fortitude But here some will obiect Either Iehouah dwelleth not in and about his Church or els he hath promised no such protection for we see many of his people to fall by the sword c. I answer there is no contradiction in all this for as he dwelleth in and round about them for protection so he denieth them not the thing he promiseth but performes it with aduantage He lets Abels blood to be spilt he suffers Stephen to be stoned c. but what then Hath he not protected them to the death It is appointed that all men shall die for death is gone ouer all and then commeth iudgement Abell did but die Stephen did but die and all must die But marke those that die in the Lord are blessed for they thenceforth rest from their labours Reuel 14.13 This life is but a vallie of teares a prison a purgatorie when his people remoue hence teares are taken away no more prisoners free from necessitie of purgation no more labours for they rest in the Lord yea they enter into Abrahams bosome of blisse as did Lazarus they are with Christ Iesus in the kingdome of glory euen the very howre of “ Consider that in Iohn 19.31.32 and it cannot be easily iudged but at the very vpshot of the day he dyed and that day he was to be with Christ Luk. 23.43 their death as was promised to the penitent thiefe on the Crosse At the eleanenth houre he entred into the vineyarde the Church and in th end of the twelfth houre for the day hath but twelue houres he receiued the penny Matth. 20.9 and as saint Paule beleeued when hee concluded that it was best for him to die that so hee might goe to the Lorde and no maruell for pretious saieth the Psalmist in the eies of the Lorde is the death of his Saints If it bee good for them to stay heere they shall with Iudahs three yong gentlemen be vnsinged in the fornace vnharmed with Daniel of the greedy Lions for the Lorde knoweth howe to deliuer His in the day of trouble If it bee not good in some respect for them here to stay then he remoues them from an inconstant estate to a constant from sadnes to gladnes from a temporary life to an eternall in a word from hell to heauen They loose a rusty counter and therewith obtaine eternall treasure Furthermore protection is for good not for euill therefore no longer hee protecteth them heere because longer it shoulde not bee good for them to be here Agayne their body onely looseth such protection not theyr soule for the blessed Angelles attend the poorest Lazarus for conveying the soule into eternall blisse Besides neyther is the body in trueth howsoeuer in shewe vnprotected in death and graue for as not an haire shall fall but by the heauenly Fathers appoyntment so neyther is the body vnguarded of his good Spirite seeing that the flesh doth rest in hope Lastly although theyr bodies fall by sundry deaths and all but death yet euer are they victors First in that their soules the chiefer part they triumph nor can of man be slain Secondly in that the whole body of this Citty neuer can of man be put to death but as the pruining of a vine causeth it rather to encrease in good so is all cutting afflictions sanctified to the Churches encrease Sanguis Martyrum semen Ecclesiae And warriours neuer say they are conquered notwithstanding the losse of many men when so the day is theirs in the end of the day And euer in the end the Church is found the conquerour her enemies dying for euer but her members raized vp to glorie as not euer slaine but hauing been in a sleep or slumber Iehouah-Shammah the Lorde is with his Church and if the Lord be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with vs then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who can be against vs Nor diuell nor man much lesse inferiour creature Though Rom. 8.36.37 c. we be killed all the day long accounted as sheepe for the slaughter neuerthelesse in all these things we are more than Conquerours through him that loued vs. For I am perswaded sayeth S. Paul to the Romanes that neyther death nor life nor angells nor principalities nor powers nor thinges present nor thinges to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shal be able to seperat vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. What shall we returne vnto the Lord who of * So is the Hebrew lo gnammi Not-my-people hath made and pronounced vs gnammi my people that where before we were many Nations now he hath made vs One people one nation Beda in 1. Cor. 12. ex Aug. ps 85. Vna gens vna patria c. Wee now are sayeth a holy Father of this Citty One Nation One Countrey Our countrey is heauenly our countrey is Ierushalem Whosoeuer is not thereof a Cittizen he pertaineth not to this people But whosoeuer is thereof a Cittizen he is of this people of God And this people is stretched forth from the East to the West from the North and the sea it is stretcht through the foure parts of the whole world For all his exceeding fauours irradiating this Citty this Church this People it resteth that we all walke more worthie our holy calling more worthy such a Gouernour as is Iehouah Shall I with the Psalmist say vnto all our soules * Lift vp your heades ye gates and lift ye vppe yee euerlasting doores the King of Glory shall come in Yea I say so and I moreouer say Take heede you fetch not in the Lorde of life with spreading braunches garments and crying to day Hosanna then to morrow betray him cry Cruci-fige It beseemeth Princes to cut traitors from their Citty and it shall neuer vnbeseeme God to execute speedy vengeance on the wicked This Citties gates Saint Iohn seeth euer open to the Elect such as cleanse themselues by vnfained repentaunce come they from what coast soeuer Vpon euery coast open three gates and euery gate an entire pearle by sacred Trinitie in vnitie euen by their sweete loue of more worth than any pearle al must enter For Porters there stand Angells euen the twelue great Angels of the particular Churches who by God his word inuite the repentant If Dauid accounted it such an happinesse to stand on this Cities thresholde what glory must it bee to walke in the streetes of pure golde to haue the face of Iehouah for theyr Sunne-shine to haue the Lord God almighty and the Lambe for their Temple and to haue for fellow Citizens Adam Habel Sheth Henoch Noah Shem Heber Abraham Isaac Iaakob Ioseph Moses Aaron Ioshuah Samson Samuel Dauid Salomon Hezekiah Iosiah Daniel Zerubbabel Ezra Nehemiah in a word all the Patriarchs Prophets Apostles true Martyres and Confessors of all ages As all waters returne into the Sea so all happinesses returne into this Citties vnitie gathered by the Holy-ghost founded on Iesus Christ gouerned by God almightie But without this Cities vnitie * Reuel 21.8 are dogs and inchaunters and whoremongers and murtherers and Idolaters and whosoeuer loueth or maketh lyes The holy enlightned as Israel in Goshen but the vn-holie darkned as the Aegyptians in the land of Mizraim God within the Deuill without for as there is no third gouernour so there is no third Place These that are not of Michaels side all these are of the Dragons side who shall fight but not preuaile neither shall they haue any place in heauen As the Prophet Ezekiel with reuerent admiration shutteth vp his Prophecie with this The name of that Citie that is of the New-testaments Church from a Day euen from the time of typicall Ierushalems ende shal be Iehouah-Shamma The Eternall is there so I with S. Iohns speach will finish my Sermon Reuel 22.14 Blessed be they that doe his commaundements that their right may be in the Tree of lyfe and may enter in through the Gates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into That Citie FINIS Errata in this Booke correct thus Page 16. line 8. for that reade this Page 40 line 19. reade departed Pag. 45. li. 22. for Chron. reade chap.
so in this one word the Iewes are put in mind of God his prouident sight in Abrahams offring vp his Isaac and of Melchi-zedeks blessing powred vpon Abraham after his returne from slaughter of the Kings Others compound it of Iebus and Shalem And very certaine it is that this Citie at seuerall times enioyed these seuerall names But these two termes drawen into one should so yeeld not Ierushalem but Iebushalem Answere is made that B. is turned into R. for mysterie sake as Saul was turned into Paul Sarai into Sarah Abram into Abraham the change of letter being a sacramental signe of the Cities change from sin to Sanctitie no longer to remaine a cage of such vnclean and hatefull byrds as were the Iebushits but a Citie for the Saints an habitation for the mighty God of Iaakob And this mysticall sense the B. turned into R. will further imply if so they be considered in Hebers language where B. is termed Beth in English an House R. is termed Resh in English an Head as if one would say that vnclean House became the Head or Metropolitane citie And in verie truth euery one of vs in our first creation was Shalem at peace with God but by Apostacie and miscreation we became in the second place Iebus a receptacle of vnclean spirits but by recreation and the new gift of God we are made Ierushalem a Citie for the great king The truth resting betweene these two last repeated iudgements you may demaund whether of them vtters the truth I answer both speak probably for any thing yet vnto me reuealed If of Iireh and Shalem it signifieth vision of peace if of Iebus and Shalem B. turned to R. it also commeth to be as before Iirehshalem by contraction Ierushalem the vision of peace or the place of such vision as bringeth True peace For all false vision doth effect but a false peace compared by Ezech. chap. 13.11 c. to vntempered morter that will not hold out a storme when the wrath of God commeth out against sinners Whereas that vision which issueth from God and his Ministrie it offreth and to the Beleeuer giueth a Peace which the Receiuer shall neuer need to repent of This touching the Iudaicall and typicall Ierushalem premised Let vs now examine the remoouall of this shadow for establishing the substance And the Name of that Citie from a Day shal be Iehouah-shámmah As if he should say From the day of this new Cities building a terme shall be put vpon this Citie which shall be vnto it as a sacrament of Iehouahs presence there for euer So that herein we are to obserue First the remooual of an old Citie 2. for building of a new with the remoouall of an old name for baptizing this Citie into a new First touching the remoouall of the old Haggai including Citty Hag. 2.7 Temple Land doth tearme the pollicie ecclestiasticall and ciuill an heauens and an earth which God would shake after a while euen then shake the same what time the expectation of the Nations that is Messiah should come And because we should not doubt what he meaneth by shaking marke how the Author to the Hebrewes descants thereon Yet once more will I shake Heb. 12.27.28 not the earth onely but also the heauens And this word Yet once more signifieth a remoouing of those things which are made that the things which are not shaken may remaine Wherefore seeing we receiue a kingdome which cannot be shaken c. In all which is plainly concluded that the old pollicie of the Iewes togither with their whole kingdome it was to be shaken and by the Messiah remooued that so we might receiue the new kingdome of Messiah that neuer was to be shaken or remooued The Prophets are plentifull in this poynt and the Author to the Hebrewes maketh this doctrine as the mayne argument and subiect of his Epistle And what doth Iaakob in his prophecie vpon Iudahs tribe inferre principally if not this that Iudahs tribe should continue till Shiloh come Gen. 49.10 but Shiloh once come he should gather the people to himselfe and so consequently dissolue Iudahs tribe and annihil their City and pollicy The tribe shall not depart Iudah that is Iudahs tribe shall not be dissolued and confounded till Shiloh come and the people shall be gathered vnto him And how apparant this is let Iudahs present dispersion the losse of their Canaan the subuersion of their city the ouerthrow of their priesthood and sacrifice and that for these 1500. yeeres and vpward let that their tragike experience be as ten thousand subscriptions to this doctrine Nor were these heauenly Mosaicall heauens and earth shaken and remoued for a season but for euer For from the day of that shaking we receiued a kingdome that was neuer to be remooued Now if with our vnmooueable kingdome the kingdome of Christ we should after a season expect the Iewish kingdomes restauration vnto their Mosaicall pollicie this were to confound Christ and Moses shadowe and substance I do not define whether euer the Iewes shall be gathered into some forme of gouernment but I conclude that their figuring kingdome was as a shadowe euer to be abolished that so the figured and substantiall kingdome of Messiah might be planted for euer The Synagogues kingdome was notably shaken when Messiah hanging vppon the crosse the earth quaked the vayle rent the stones cloue a sunder Yea they might take knowledge of a new world when as the graues togither with the Lord of resurrection did send out their dead Matth. 27.51 c. who walked into the City and shewed themselues to many putting them in mind of Daniels Dan. 12.2 resurrection of many About 40. yeares after their Temple was fired their city by the Romanes rased to the ground and their whole common-wealth vanished as a scrowle folded togither Euseb dem Euan. l. 1. c. 6. This caused Eusebius to say Soluta est confestim omnis Mosi constitutio c. The whole constitution of Moses forthwith was dissolued and all things of the old Testament whatsoeuer till then reserued they then were taken away From this day Ezekiels new city was to be builded The lowe Ierusalem was to giue place vnto that new one which th'apostle termeth “ Gala 4.26 so vnderstood of Luther Caluine Mariorat Hemin gius Hyperius others See Hebr. 12.22 heauenly and free yea the mother of vs all and by Iohn defined to be the “ Concilium Senosense in primo decreto vnderstandeth so of Reuel 21. Tabernacle of God resiant with men Of the old citie excellent things were spoken but greater and more meruailous things are recorded of this city the substantiall city of God And no maruayle seeing this is compacted in such durable manner of such durable matter as one with God it must continue for euer Th' other was but Leah that is Rahel the beuty of the nations and better then the Egyptian Queene may bee called * In
demaund of them first how it doth appeare in Deut. 12 that the Israëlites were tyed to examine whether all such places had been so dedicated from the verie foundation Secondly I would know of them how they know that all our Churches were founded by Romes Apostacie to that Idolatrous woorship Here they must make a religion of it to search after the ages of Churches and whether they were builded since Anti-christ was mounted Here I will help the Nouices Dioclesian destroyed the Temples Euseb l. 8. cap. 2. as Eusebius recordeth verie aged were these Churches and then the Gentiles vpbraided the Christians saith Orig. ad Celsum l. 4. Arnob. l. 2. Origen with their lacke of Temples as now they might well laugh vs to scorne if we would pull down our Churches for satisfaction of Brownists who neuer are like to build a Church destroyers somuch as in them is both of Churches materiall and spiritual The former losse by Dioclesian was recouered by the edict of Galerius Maximinus after the hand of God had been sharp vpon him as Euseb l. 8. c. 16. 9. ch 10. Niceph. l. 7. c. 3. Eusebius and Nicephorus witnesse After this how bountifull Constantinus Magnus was this way th'ecclesiasticall hystories sufficiently vtter Nor was this of Constantine effected so late as 340. yeeres from our Sauiours incarnation Now let our Church-ruinors teach vs First when Antichrist had subdued our Westerne parts vnto him so that thence-forth all stood subiects to that Beast Secondly let them proue vnto vs that our Churches in such and such times of Antichrist they were builded at his commandement and by his members vnto his apostaticall woorship Sixtly admit that Antichrist and whosoeuer had reared vp and dedicated our Temples to idoles yet the creature recouered out of their handes it ceaseth not to be the good creature of God 1. Tim. 4.4 5 For the Apostle teacheth me that euery creature of God is good and nothing ought to bee refused if it be receiued with thankesgiuing and reason heereof he thus rendreth Because it is sanctified by the word and praier If no meat entring into me though once vncleane by the Lawe can now pollute the beleeuer much lesse can garments and houses that are creatures externall and outward The Apostle indeede saith that in not touching tasting handling such things as the Law once counted vncleane Coloss 2 it hath a shew of wisedome but in trueth no substance of wisedome And for that cause he calleth it no better then Ethelo-threskeia A will-worship whereas if we be risen with Christ then wee will vse our Christian liberty in the free vse of God his creatures not bring our selues backe into a Iudaicall bondage Iohn 4.20 21. c. Hereof the woman of Samaria coulde not be ignorant who by our Sauiour himselfe was taught that not in Iaakobs mountaine nor yet in Beniamins hilles was Gods worship or sacrifice to bee longer seated but the houre was comming and euen then was begunne for abolishing that forme of sacrifice as also the Place And hitherto Saint Paul had relation when hee writeth thus vnto Timothy 1. Tim. 2.8 I will therefore that the men pray euery where lifting vp pure hands without wrath or doubting Because foolish man hath dedicated Creatures to the patronage of this or that true or false Saint I must therfore abhorre the creature specially in ecclesiasticall or spirituall vsage By this crooked rule I may not preach nor pray in England because it was dedicated to Saint George nor in Wales because Dauid is there made patrone nor in Ireland by reason of Saint Patricke nor in Scotland bicause of Saint Andrew nor in Fraunce because of S. Denys nor in any countrey where Rome hath domineerd because all is dedicated to somewhat Nay I must in no one day of the yeare preach or pray because they haue to euery day giuen a Saint Thus if a man desire to runne himselfe into a labyrinth and endlesse Maze let him but leape into the Brownists and Anabaptists faction This shal suffice for manifestation of the former Doctrine namely That Christians are not to retayne the whole or any part of Moses Ceremoniall kingdome in the nature of Ceremony THE Second Sermon THe second generall doctrine That the newe Testaments kingdome once established it can neuer bee totally remooued that remaineth in the next place to be further cleered And that by the grace of God shall be done first by obseruing the difference betwixt vs and the Romanists we both holde the Church euer visible but they in one forme we in another secondly by examining the Arrians Anabaptists and Brownists allegations whereby they would haue the Church for very many yeares to haue no Face or visibilitie at all Touching the discrepance twixt Romanists and vs it lieth heerein they hold that the new Testaments church once generally planted the face thereof continueth euermore gloriously visible And to this end they alledge diuers places specially out of the prophets which doe inferre a large and glorious face of Christ and his kingdome here We of the other side doe teach that this new church howsoeuer in her first plantation by the Apostles it was both passing large and glorious yet in succeeding times it wained with the Moone shee lost much of her glory and of her outstretched visibilitie And to this purpose wee allege first the state of Israels church as a tipe and figure thereof secondly very many scriptures old new which can admit no other collection lastly we vrge experience it self First I. Type touching the Type or Figure we see the church of Israel going out with banners in the wildernes and finally seated in glorious Canaan by Ioshuah After his death al ranne out of order the vncircumcised had them long in subiection there was no king in Israel and euery man didde what was good in his owne eyes Then in Saul Dauid Solomons times we see the church by sundry steps mounted enlarged but in Rehoboams dayes wee see ten tribes schisme from the twoo that is from Iudah and Beniamin and that which was worse didde reare vp and woorshippe first calues in Dan and Bethel secondly Baalim with his abhominations Nor was the bodie of these tenne tribes at anie tyme recouered but finally in Hosheahs raigne carried away by the Assyrian armie Colonies of straungers beeing in their rowme transported vnto theyr Metropolitane Citie Samaria and them parts In the meane time the little kingdome of Iudah contayning also Beniamin it did not euer retayne the face of her orderly gouernement for sundrie of the Kinges brought Idolatrie in but by others agayne in some good sorte purged Yet finally such was the height of their sinne GOD left them to the boyling potte of the North euen to Nebuchadnetzar who spoyled their Cittie and Temple and departed the chiefe of the Royall seede vnto Babel Then for seuentie yeares did orderly sacrifice cease their Iudiciall pollicie giuen