The Propheticall INTELLIGENCER Shewing The causes why all corrupt Churches of Christendome shall passe away or depart and all their Sees of corrupt Doctrine and Discipline shall be abolished and that the holy City of the Church of new Jerusalem is now comming down from my God out of HEAVEN LONDON Printed by M. Simmons and are to be sold by John Hancocke in Popes-head Alley 1647. The Propheticall Intelligencer shewing the causes why all corrupt Churches of Christendome shall passe away or depart and all their Sees of corrupt Doctrine and Discipline shall be abolished and that the holy City of the Church of new Jerusalem is now comming downe from my God out of Heaven Revel 21.1 And I saw a new Heaven and a new Earth for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away and there was no more Sea SOme falsely gather that this is to be understood of the Church Triumphant after the resurrection but what need the Church then to be described to be comming downe from heaven it should rather be seene going up to it And what need shall there be of gates a Wall and City and a Tree when all the Saints shall be as the Angels of God in heaven and equall unto them Math. 22. Luke 20 But the Holy Ghost doth not paint out unto us here that Angelical happinesse of the Saints to come For it is spoken of matters to be done in this life upon earth as the sequell shall declare for it is spoken of a new church that shall be upon earth For the glory of the heavenly and pure Church cannot bee seene nor conceived off the heart of a mortall man 1 Cor. 2.9 Neither can it be set forth with words of comparisons of earthly things but seeing it shall be an heavenly Church therefore the glory and dignity of it is commended in heavenly things and yet the description thereof maketh a way to comprehend in our mindes heavenly felicity for if the glory of the Spouse be so great upon earth what manner of things and how excellent are those which God have prepared for his Saints in the fulnesse of joy truely our mindes are too dull and dimme to meditate of these things let us turne our eyes to contemplate of this blessed paradise which shall openly be seene in the world as 2 Esdras 8.52 For unto you is paradise opened the tree of life is planted Rev. 2.7 The time to come is prepared plenteousnesse made ready the City builded v. 18. and rest prepared perfect goodnesse and absolute wisedome the root of evill is sealed up unto you Dan. 9.24 the weakenesse and moth is destroyed from you and into hell fleeth corruption to be forgotten Rev. 21.8 Sorrowes are vanished away and in the end is shewed the treasure of immortalitie v. 4. I follow him as he goeth with Scripure Now the interpretation of the new heaven may be taken out of Heb. 12.26 whose voyce did then shake the earth but now he hath denounced saying yet once more will I shake not the earth onely but also heaven where to shake heaven and earth is by the interpretation of the Apostle to abrogate the former Church worship Temple to cast off the earthly people of all Nations that would not receive him by a New birth Joh. 1.11 Io. 3.3 And so he will cast off all people that are earthly of all Nations whether of the Churches or heathen that will not receive his counsell to buy of him gould tried in the fire to make them rich 1. Rev. 3.18 The lively faith of the merits of Christs death in our baptisme for remission of sinnes and white raiment justification to cloth them that the shame of their nakednesse might not appeare and eye salve of the spirit in the scriptures that men may see Heaven is by a borrowed speech taken for the Temple the legall worship and the Church of the Jewes whereof the Temple was a seate and dwelling place the shadow of heavenly things Heb. 8.5 and we know that the Church is called the Kingdome of Heaven in many places of Scripture as Psal 107. Mar. 4.2 So that shake heaven is to abolish the visible Church that were of the Jewes or are now of the Gentiles Matth. 13.41.43 Luke 10.9 Col. 1.13 For where God will shake the heaven first of the Church and the Earth of unbelievers they shall be abolished Heb. 12.27 but once more saith the Lord will I shake the heaven 1. Of the Church and the Earth 1. Vnbelievers Ergo they shall be abolished By the Earth is meant in that place men corrupt unbelievers as O Earth heare the word of the Lord. Ma. 1. O men that are earth of all Nations of the Earth and all the Kingdomes of the Heathen shall be shaken as Hagg. 2 27. as well as the Churches For behold saith the Lord I have begun to plague the City which my Name is called upon and should you escape you shal surely drinke Iere. Mi. So God will shake the heaven of the church of Christians and should the Earth of Turkes and Heathens escape they shall be overthrowne Con. To shake the earth therefore is to shake the corrupt unbelieving earthly people out of their places as he shooke the Iewes heaven of the church and the Earth of the heathen because they received not one baptisme into Christs death for remission of sinnes but despised the counsell of God against their owne soules and to make a church and therefore he shooke them downe Luke 7.30 Eph. 4.5 Act. 2.38 Ro. 6.3 So that heaven you see is put for the Church and the earth for all corrupt unbelieving people Therefore as God shooke the heaven and the earth after Christs death for their not receiving of him by baptisme into his death as Ioh. 1.9.10 Gal. 3.27 For every soule that will not heare that Prophet 1. To be baptised in his Name if he have not for the remission of sinnes Act. 2.38 Shall be destroyed among the people and they were destroyed from being the church and people of God and became the Synagogue of Sathan Rev. 2.9 God rejected the old church of the heaven of the Iewes and set up a new heaven of the Church of the Gentiles that did receive Christ by baptisme and faith as the 3000. did and the Churches of all Nations So when God shall have mercy upon the forlorne forsaken Nation and make them partakers of salvation by Christ he shall shake the former heaven of the corrupt Idolatrous dead lukewarme churches of the Gentiles because they believe not one baptisme into Christs death for remission of sinnes as Act. 2.38.22.16 Rom. 6.4 and make the dignity and honour of the holy City of the New Ierusalem of Iewes and Gentiles to be so glorious as a new heaven and a new earth Hence I gather this Doctrine Observati ∣ on That there shall be a new church of the new Jerusalem upon earth and this I prove by Esay 65.17 For behold I
am about to create new heavens and a new Earth as if he should say I will institute a more pure church faith and worship in spirit and in truth and I will take unto me a new people in the Assemblies wherof I will be worshipped and honoured and I will make a new Earth of new creatures for if any man be in Christ he is a new creature 2 Cor 5.17 For old things are passed away behold all things are become new 2 Cor. 5.17 which shall be most plainely verified when the old churches passe away and the new Jerusalem appeare as Esay 43.19 Behold I will doe a new thing in the Earth now it shall spring forth shall yee not know it when may some say Ans Rev. 21.5 Behold I make all things new and he said to me write for these words are true and faithfull 1. There shall be a new heaven and a new Earth a new church and people for he that sat on the Throne bad Iohn write it and he hath given me a minde to know him that is true and for to write of things that are true for if it be true as it is â—â—th Behold I make all things new then that must be a new church or else al things shall not be new for as the new heaven and the new earth which I will make shall remaine before me saith the Lord compare the place with this and you shall finde it agree with this and cannot agree to the former churches of Ephesus Smyrna Pergamus Thyatira Sardis Phyladelphia Laodicea for they shall passe away but the church of new Jerusalem shall remaine For to him that overcometh in the Churches I will make him a pillar in the Temple of my God and shall goe no more out and write upon him the Name of the new Ierusalem that cometh downe from my God out of heaven Rev. 2.12 but when is this to be when the lukewarme Angell that is neither cold nor hot is spued out of Christs mouth Rev. 3.16 in Laodicea of England this new Church is to appeare but now the lukewarme Angels are spued out Ergo. It is now to appeare I could prove this by many Arguments but I set downe but five Reason 1 The causes why the Churches of the Gentiles shall depart and all their Sees of iurisdiction and the new Ierusalem appeare Ma. For if there shall be an holy City of new Ierusalem come downe from God out of Heaven trimmed as a Bride for her Bridegroome then there must be a new Church upon Earth for by new Ierusalem is meant the Church of God Mi. But Iohn saw the holy City the new Ierusalem come downe from God out of heaven Rev. 2â— 2 Con. Ergo there must be a new Church upon earth Reason 2 Ma. That City which shall be foure square and shall be measured by an Angell a man with a golden reed 12000. Furlongs must needs be upon Earth for there is neither squares nor furlongs nor reedes nor men measurers of any thing there for all was prepared for thee before the foundation of the world Matth. 25 34. Mi. But the Church of the new Ierusalem shall lye foure square and be measured by an Angell a man with a golden reed 12000. Furlongs Con. Ergo it must needs be upon earth for there is no squares reeds or Furlongs or men measurers in actuall glory Reason 3 Ma. That City which shall have twelve gates and twelve Angels and the Names of the Tribes of Israel 3. On the East 3. On the North 3. On the South 3. On the West Mi. must needes be meant of a Church or City upon Earth for there is no East nor West North nor South in actuall glory or but twelve gates or but twelve Angels for there is more then twelve Legions of Angels there but the Church of the new Jerusalem shall have twelve gates and twelve Angels and the names of the twelve Tribes of Israel 3. to the East 3. to the North 3. on the South 3. on the West as Rev. 21.13 Con. Ergo it must needs be a City or Church upon earth and â—t shewes it must be a Church of the Iewes baptized and made new creatures for the Gentiles have not twelve Tribes and if there be any gates in heaven they were â—t made long before their were any tribes of Israel v. 12.13 Reason 4 Ma. That City which shall have a Wall with twelve foundations and in them the Names of the Lambs twelve Apostles must be new Church upon earth build on the doctrine of the twelve Apostles Mi. for the Apostles can be no foundation of a Wall of a City in heaven for it was made before there were Apostles before the foundation of the world Matth. 25. But the new Ierusalem shall have a Wall with twelve foundations and in them the names of the lambe twelve Apostles as v. 14. Con. Ergo. It must be a new Church upon Earth Reason 5 That City which shall have the Nations that are saved to walke in the light of it and the Kings of the Earth to bring their glory and honour to it must be a new Church upon Earth Ma. For the people that are saved they shall not need to walke in heaâ—en for they shall be as the Angels of God in heaven which flie or passe in an inconceivable time as the body of Christ to heaven and the things of the Earth shall bring no honour or glory to heaven for heaven shall give glory and honour to them Mi. But the Church of the new Jerusalem shall be such wherein the Nations that are saved shall walke in the light of it and the Kings of the Land shall bring their honour glory to it Rev. 21.24 i. e. they shall account it their honour and glory to be Citizens of new Ierusalem and bring their subjects to it Con. Ergo it must be a new Church upon Earth I could give more reasons if these be not sufficient Objection Shall there be a new Church upon earth Then say the Anabaptists Brownists Seperatists Familists Adamites Millenaries Antitrinitarians Arminians Socinians Sectaries and Selectaries all which are commonly notable Pharises and by a superabundance of religion Which have no assurance of salvation for out of the church is no salvation nor assurance of it like scabs and warts by the abundance of humors grow out of the body of man so by the humours of their braine doe these grow out of the Church and seperate from it then we will goe make a New Church Answer You are greatly deceived not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God for first it must come downe from heaven from my God Ergo man cannot build it 2. That which is of God shall stand for God is the builder and founder of that City Heb. 11. But the worke or Church that is of man shall come to naught Act. 5. Thirdly The Church of new Ierusalem must be built 12000. Furlongs in length breadth and height
you cannot build none so great Fourthly The New Church must be built of pure gold like unto cleare glasse but you have got none of that to build with for the gold growes in the Church of Laodicea Rev. 3.18 Which wee have forsaken Fifthly You have no Iasper stone for your wall nor fine linnin which is bright and pure the justifications of the Saints to trime your Church with but your Bride hath got a menstruous garment of mans righteousnesse that sayes stand a part I am holier then thou or I will stand a part and separate from you thus you have neither gold nor precious stones nor white raiment to trime your Church but your builders are all divided and your language confounded before you begin you shall build a Babel for the New Church comes from heaven and the builder and founder of it is God and the government of it must come from God before we shall have one as I tould you three yeares since in my Epistle to the Booke of the bloud of the Lambe but you believed it not but thought you should have had a better Reformation and government before this time but are deceived and not I. It followeth for the first Heaven and the first Earth are passed away Question What shall the other Churches then of the Gentiles faile come to decay for hath heaven noteth out the Church as you have proved Answer We need not trouble our selves to prove it for the divisions of all Churches and people against themselves doe shew it for they are sending one another to hell as fast as they can by sword persecution hatred envy and malice dissention heresies sects and schismes and drunkennesse and covetousness they make post hast to hell-ward For where the heaven of a Church is divided against itselfe it cannot continue Matth. 12. But the Church of the Lutherans and of Calvinists and of Papists and of English are heaven of Churches that are divided against themselves Ergo they cannot continue they are heavens that are waxed olde as a garment and as a vesture shall hee change them The Pope and all his Idolaters and his ceremonies the dead faith consubstantiated Lutherans and the luke-warme faith of the English and Calvinists shall be spewed out of Christs mouth Rev. 3.10 And the Heretickes Seperators from the Church with the profane unbelievers shall be rooted out Ma. For every plant which my heavenly Father planted not shall be rooted out Matth. 15.15 Ma. But they which will not buy gold white raiment and eye-salve are plants which my heavenly Father hath not planted Con. Ergo they shall be rooted out Quest As touching the reformed Churches What shall the receiving of the Jewes bee the estranging of the Gentiles from being Churches as if casting away the Church of the Jewes was the reconcilement of the world i. e. Of the Churches of the Gentiles Rom. 11.15 Answ It is very plaine because the Apostle certifieth us in that place that there is a certaine fulnesse of the Gentiles to be made up which is to be at the calling of the Jewes vers 25. for if John saw the former heaven and the former earth departed then you must appoint them a time to passe away in And when the luke-warme Angels of Laodicea is spewed out of Christs mouth i. e. which is the last Church of the Gentiles they shall passe away for being any more churches for the former heaven are the Churches of the Gentiles which he saw departed Ergo they shall passe away Object The Gentiles which are saved shall walke in the light of the new Jerusalem Answ Answ Then they shall leave the candle-lights of the Churches of the Gentiles which are called Candlesticks Rev. 1. they were of and walke in the light of the new Church that shall be on earth and be one with them For blessed is he that doth his commandements that his right way may be in the tree of life that bee may enter in through the gates of the City Rev. 22.14 Object And the Kings of the Earth shall bring their glory and honour to that Church of the new Jerusalem Answ An. This makes against you also for if they doe so then they shall leave to honour their olde Churches and their governments and shall honour the holy City to be the only true Church And as we have had Kings of England that above all the Kings in Christendom have been Kings of Jerusalem So wee shall have againe Kings of England that shall be Kings of the Church of new Jerusalem Let our King hearken to this for the Kings of the earth shall bring their honour and glory both vers 14. The causes why the Churches of the Gentiles shall depart and their Sees and the Church of new Jerusalem appeare Object It seemes there shall be a flourishing Church of the Gentiles when the Jewes shal be called For saith Paul If the casting away of the Jewes were the riches of the Gentiles or the reconciliation of the world what shall their assuming be life from the dead I answer it is true for the Lutherans that escape the bloudy Civill warr and turne shall arise out of the dead faith and the Calvinists and the English shall arise out of the luke-warme faith to walke in the golden street of the lovely faith of the merits of Christs death in one baptisme for the remission of sins as the 3000. did Acts 2.38 and so Papists and Heathens shall arise out of their idolatrous and superstitious faith and embrace the true faith of the new Jerusalem of the Jews and Gentiles v 24. Out of which words we gather that the fulnesse of the Gentiles is not a certaine end of their believing at the calling of the Jewes as if faith should utterly fall away among the Gentiles as nothing can be powred more into a full vessell but that there shall be a more plentifull comming in of all the Nations of the Earth leaving their olde dead luke-warm and Idolatrous Churches and shall obey the true faith of the Church of the new Jerusalem as Zach. 14.9 The Lord shall be King over all the earth in that day there shall be one Lord and one faith and one baptisme saith Paul Ephes 4.5 whereas now wee have many and his Name shall be one i.e. and the name of his Church shall be one new Jerusalem Rev. 3.12 God will write it on them and one Shepheard and one sheepe-fold John 10.16 and Isa 25.7 8. And the Lord shall destroy in this mountaine the covering that covereth all people and the vaile that is spread upon all i. e. the vail of ignorance of their baptisme into Christs death for the remission of sinnes Rom. 6.3 Acts 2.38 For few have this vaile of infidelity removed and the Lord shall wipe all away all teares from their faces and he will take away the rebuke of his people out of the earth i. e. at the calling of the Jewes as Psalm 77.9 10 11. For the Kings
But the Church have been abused and evill entreated a longtime of the Gentiles Con. Ergo shee will forsake them and goe to another people Re. 5 Now those heavens that waxe olde as a garment and as a vesture shall hee change them and they shall be changed shall passe away because they are impure in his eyes Job 15.15 Now this cannot be so properly meant of the starry heavens as of the Churches for how should they be impure in Gods eyes which never sinned neither can any shew that God ever imputed any sin to them or curse as to the Earth for Adams sake for they are as God have made them and they all continue by his appointment But the Church of the old World waxed olde and the church of the Jewes and the heaven of Papists Lutherans Calvinists and England are waxed olde because they are impure in his eyes for he saith he hath some things against them Ergo they shall passe away For the heaven of the visible Churches of England Lutherans and Calvinists are not only uncleane at this day in a small manner Now mistake mee not to thinke that I meane the justified people of God of all these 3. churches for I believe they are cleane every whit The causes why the visible Churches shall depart and the Church of new Jerusalem appeare perfectly righteous and holy without spot before the Throne of God But of the outward visible Church and all separate Synagogues that call themselves churches of Hereticks Sectaries and Schismaticks which I count farre worse then the seven churches because Christ wrote to these by name and hath his Elect amongst these but he writes not to the other and if the Fathers say true hee hath not God for his Father that hath not the church for his Mother and the Scripture saith God added to the Church such as should be saved yet I say the visible church is uncleane not in a small manner though it be called by so glorious a name as heaven which is spoken in respect of the darke dungeon of hell of the Jewes Turkes Heathens and Papists then for any heavenly clearenesse of the glory of God in gold of the merits of Christs death in one baptisme for a perfect remission of sinnes or for the glory of the Lambs white rayment justification for an everlasting righteousness Shew me a church on Earth that is found in the faith of these three gold white raiment and eye-salve Phillida solus habebis let her be thy Love Re. 6 Ma. For the Church is defiled with a false faith or reigning sinne there the church is uncleane and shall therefore be removed Mi. But all the churches of the Gentiles are defiled with a false faith or reigning sinne for why should Christ say else hee hath some things against them Con. Ergo they are uncleane in Gods sight and shall therefore be removed For what foote steps of one baptisme for remission of sinnes and of a white raiment Justification doe remaine For doe not all visible Churches hold they must goe knocke at heaven gates every day to get a pardon for their sins as if they were not forgiven as Col. 1.14 Rev. 1.6 And to wipe off olde scores as if God did score up sinnes every day till they pray and they must goe get God to cast all their sins into the bottome of the Sea as if they were not cast into the bottom of the red Sea of Christs bloud already Mic. 7.19 in baptisme into Christs death Acts 22.16 And confesse God is angry with them for their sinnes and see sinne in them and punish them for the same is not this to serâ—e an angry God as all heathens Turkes and Jewes doe and not a reconciled Father which if it were to get remission of sins to the conscience I would not fault it but to the person as if that were not reconciled it crosseth Coloss 1.21 And the article of the Creed i. e. I believe the remission of sinnes as for the Lutherans of Sardis they are in the dead faith and their works not perfect before God Rev. 3.1.2 Their dead workes of hatred to the Calvinists declare their dead faith And as for the English luke-warme Laodiceans they hold as the Bishop of Canterbury did at his death he said he hoped God would forgive him his sinnes Now such as the faith of the great Angel was such is the faith of most people of the Church What heathen Jew Turke Papist or Devill had not as good a faith as this to say I hope God is mercifull and will forgive me my sinnes he might goe to Purgatory if there were one for all this faith The decay in knowledg of one baptisme for remission of sins and in the Articles of the Creed they doe not preach or pray in this faith that we have redemption as Colos 1.14 And that our sinnes are forgiven us for his names sake 1 John 2.12 It is an hard thing to finde a Minister that hath assurance of salvation or that can tell where he had remission of sins for few of them believe they were made in their baptisme members of Christ children of God and Inheritors of the Kingdome of heaven or believe that in the white raiment they are so cloathed that God beholds no shame of nakednesse of sin in them And seeing this faith is lost what new Errours spring up every day and broached in many places olde ones are called backe from hell by hereticks Anabaptists Papists Familists Adamites Arminians Socinians Brownists Seperatists all the profession of unity spirituall peace turned to bloudy and civill Warre in all the churches in Christendome These are fearefull signes and evident Prognostications that the Churches are departing Re. 7 Ma. For where the churches are fallen from the trueth it is an argument the church shall depart from them For thus saith the Lord Remember from whence thou art fallen Rev. 3.5 Or else I will remove the Candlesticke out of his place Mi. But all the visible churches are fallen from the truth as Papists to idolatry Lutherans to a dead faith and workes Re. 3.1.2 and the English and Calvinists to a luke-warme faith reigning sin usury or drunkennesse for it was never known that the truth did continue in any one church above 100. years but they fell from it as the homily of our church of the perill of Idolatry 3. p. c. it is 100. yeares since England received the truth and therefore the time is come by their owne confession that they should fall from it Con. Ergo it is an argument the church should be removed Re. 8 Ma. Every kingdome city or house divided against it selfe cannot stand but come to nought Matth. 12. Mar. 1. Mi. But all the former churches of the Gentiles are kingdomes cities or houses divided against themselves witnesse the Papists Lutherans Calvinists and English You see what fighting and writing there is now one against another Con. Ergo they cannot stand but come
to nought Re. 9 Ma. For where the Sunne ariseth the light of the candle must depart for the light of the Churches of the Gentiles was but as candles for the churches were but golden Candlesticks Rev. 1.6 Mi. But the light of the New Jerusalem is as the light of the Sunne that shall never goe downe and their light of the Sunne shall be 7. fold and as the light of seven days Con. Ergo the light of the churches of the Gentiles must vanish because their light is but as candles Object Some say it is not said the former heaven and the former earth went away but that they departed as if these words did not respect the churches of the Gentiles at all but the legall worship of the Jewes onely For a man may call that the first heaven by right as which was instituted by God himselfe in the beginning of the World a little time after the floud But the Christian people among the Gentiles was neither the first heaven neither were their Ordinances which are observed of them the first Ordinances that were delivered from heaven unto the church so that some would have it taken in this manner as if it were said although this people of the Jewes did thirst after their olde rights and worship all this while of their rejection and did make their bragges of it that the time would come when they should have power given them one day to exercise their former worship freely after their old manner which is the thing they have boasted of till this day Yet in this restoring of the Jewes they shall so wholly frame and apply themselves to the will of God that they shall willingly renounce their ancient customes used in the service of God which they shall then acknowledge to have had their end in Christ and by this meanes they shall make it plaine to all men that the first heaven and the first earth which they hoped to see againe was departed was past for ever Object The Pope that would have Saint Peters chair to remain to the end of the world and all Sectaries that would have their church way as they falsely call it and all other that are loth their churches should depart like this interpretation best Answ But this is false to this place of Scripture For the first heaven cannot be meant of the Churches of the ancient Jewes but of the churches of the Gentiles these are my Reasons First because the olde church of the Iewes was not called by the name of heaven for John the Baptist and Christ were the first that preached the kingdome of heaven to be at hand therefore the first heaven must belong to the Gentiles for the last shall be first and the first shall be last i. e. the last Church of the Gentiles shal be the first heaven and the first church of the Jewes shall be the last new heaven Secondly If this should be expounded of of the Jewes church then there should have been no heaven of a church among the Gentiles ever since Christs time But onely the first heaven hath been among the Jewes all this while and the Gentiles have had none in the 7. churches although Christ wrote to them yet they were no heaven or church too absurd Thirdly this must be understood of the church of the Gentiles because the Jewes were broken off as Rom. 11.15.24 i. e. from being a church and the Gentiles graffed in and made an heaven Fourthly for the Kingdome of heaven which was offered to them and preached among them but they put it away from them Acts 13.46 The Kingdome of heaven was taken away from them and given to the Gentiles above 1600. yeares and therefore the Jewes could not be the first heaven because they did not receive it when it was offered but despised the counsell of God therefore if the first kingdome of heaven was given to the Gentiles then the first heaven belongs to them For as Christ came to his owne but his owne received him not so the kingdome of heaven was preached to them but they received it not The causes why the Churches of the Gentiles shall depart and the Church of New Ierusalem appeare Note Fiftly This cannot be meant of the Iewes that they are now the first heaven because as the Apostle speaketh of Oxen doth God take care for Oxen. 1 Cor. 9.9 So doth God take care for Iewes that are made the Synagogue of Sathan Rev. 2.9 For that which is so is not an heaven Therefore the first heaven that passed away is to be understood of the Church of the Gentiles for the true Church of the Gentiles was the Kingdome of Heaven Matth. 3. Matth. 13. Now the causes why the first heaven of the Churches of the Gentiles depart are these Causes why the Churches of the Gentiles depart First the church of Ephesus was a famous heaven watered with the bloud of the Martyrs in the 10. persecutions of the primative Church built upon the baptisme into Christs death for remission of sinnes and faith in the same as Act. 2.38 Act. 8. Act. 10. Act. 16. and Act. 22.16 and on the love of God shewed in the same as Eph. 5.25 Tit. 3.5 Rev. 1.6 But because they forsooke their first love of Christ 1. e. Their first Baptisme wherein the first love of Christ was shewed to take a second Baptisme which they did by the counsell of the Hereticks Pelagians and Donatists that all that were baptized by Hereticks must be baptized againe and because they did not know who was baptized by Orthodox men they rebaptized the people which was iniquity of so high a nature a sinne against the worke of the Holy Ghost that Christ removed the Candlestick of the church out of that place by the Turke and so that heaven is departed 2. The church of Smyrna though a famous rich conquering reigning Church in the time of Constantine the great for it was rich as the Lord said Rev. 2.9 i. e. In the faith of one Baptisme for remission of sinnes as the Article of the Niceen Creed declares but in time they followed after Ephesus as all the other churches of Greece they forsooke the truth of one Baptisme the first love of God declared Tit. 3.5 as many now doe in these dayes by forsaking their first Baptisme into Christs death for remission of sinnes for it was never knowne that the truth did continue in one place above an hundred yeares but they forsooke it or fell from it into some false faith or reigning sinne Ma. 3. The church of Pergamus 1. e. Of old Rome is departed from being a church because they maintained the doctrine of Balaam i. e. Idolatry and fornication and the Doctrine of the Nicholaitans by Stewes whoredome Mi. Therefore Christ fought against them with the sword out of his mouth and Con. they are departed from being true church for where God fights against a church for sinne by the sword out of his
third we will build another way all of you say so for you cannot see the New Jerusalem but are divided Ergo. you cannot stand but come to nought Matth. 12. I proceed of the overthrow and departing of all corrupt Sees of Iurisdiction And there was no more sea or the sea was extant no more Now what is meant by the word sea in this place we must finde out this ridle or enigmaticall metaphor or else we shall faile to finde the new Jerusalem for it must not be founded on a sea for it commeth downe from heaven from my God but the seas are upon the Earth or the Earth upon them for they make but one globe as Cosmographie declares Now this cannot be understood of the materiall sea as if when the new Jerusalem come downe from God out of heaven there should be no more seas for ships to saile in for then how should the Kings of the Earth bring their honour and glory to the new Jerusalem if there were no more seas to saile on which dwell beyond Sea as v. 24. And how should men goe downe to the Sea in ships and occupy their businesse in great waters if there were no more materiall sea of waters to faile in wherefore as God made heaven and Earth the Sea and all things therein so long as the Earth shall remaine there must be a materiall Sea for God hath founded the Earth upon the Sea and prepared it upon the flouds Psal 24.2 This cannot properly be understood of the molten Brasen Sea which Salomon made 2 Chron. 4.25 For the Priests to wash in which shall not come into the new Jerusalem for that Sea of Brasse and that legall ceremony or worship never came into the heaven of the church of the Gentiles therefore much lesse shall it come into the holy city of the church of New Jerusalem which shall be most free from all legall cermonies It is true that the Jewes have a proper Sea of their owne of Brase even till this day which is most grosse foule and darke like to the rageing Sea that the wicked Jewes are like which foameth out mire and dirt Esa 57.20 for they cast out many forged doctrines out of their owne braine and legall devises as touching a Messias to come and a legall worship with sacrifices and righteousnes by the law and many other heads of corrupt doctrines which shall all depart from the Jewes and shall never come into the heavenly Jerusalem neither was this in the church of the Gentiles and therefore this Sea here spoken of must be such an one as was in the heaven of the churches of the Gentiles that shall be no more Thirdly for the Sea here spoken of is such as the heaven was as Meyer noteth a metaphoricall heaven and a metaphoricall sea and that is the sea of the Iurisdiction of corrupt doctrine and discipline or government which have been in the heavens of the churches of the Gentiles in their seas for what hath been more common for these many 100. yeares then to talke of the holy Sea of Rome and for the church of England to talke of the Sea of Canterbury and the Sea of Yorke and of the Bishops Sea as such an impropriation belongs to the Sea of Norwich and such a land to the Sea of Eli and appeales were made to the Sea of Rome and so were our appeales from one Bishops Sea to another but there shall be in the new heaven and in the new earth no more Sea Ergo. there shall be no more Sea of Rome or Canterbury or Yorke and of Bishops or Lutherans or Calvinists Sea for all Seas of Iurisdiction of government of a corrupt discipline and doctrine shall now depart and not enter into the holy Church of the new Jerusalem and that this is the meaning of the place these are my Reasons Reason 1 Ma. For if the materiall heaven and earth should passe away the Sea must not remaine for the Earth must be with the Sea for it is founded upon it Mi. so if the metaphoticall heaven and Earth of the Church and people passe so must their Sea of Iurisdiction as text but the first heaven and the first earth of the Churches shall passe away Rev. 11.1 Con. Ergo so shall their seas of Iurisdiction for if a Church depart then the government also must depart with it and where the government of a church depart the church commonly departs with it for if a Kingdome depart or passe away must not the government depart with it Reason 2 So if a church depart that had the government of an Hierarchie of a popedome Episcopacy for Presbytery or Independent or any other government for the Sea or discipline of a church cannot remaine where the church depart except you can make an accident remaine without a subject for sublato subjecto tollitur etiam accidens quta accidentis esse est inesse for take away the subject and the accident of it is taken away because the being of an accident is to be in the subject as true reason and the best Phylosopher shewes Reason 3 Ma. For if we shall have an holy city of new Jerusalem i.e. a new church come downe from heaven trimmed as a Bride for her Bridegroome then we must have a new government from heaven also which must not be a Sea for that was old and not from heaven or else it will not be very trimme long Mi. But we shall have a church of New Jerusalem come downe from heaven trimmed as a Bride for her Bridgroome Reason 4 Rev. 21 2 Con. Ergo. we must have a new government or else it will not be trimme long for if it be true that God saith behold I make all things new then there can be no more a Sea of Rome Iurisdiction or of an Episcopacy or Lutherans or Calvinists or of any other Church that shall passe away for all these are old and in that he saith a new covenant he hath abrogated the old He. 8.13 And that which is disanulled and waxed old is ready to vanish so in that he saith I make all things New he hath abrogated the old churches and seas But it is true that God saith behold I make all things new v. 5. Ergo there can be no more Sea of Romes Iurisdiction or of an Episcopacy or Lutherans Calvinists or of another Church that shall passe away for then all things should not be become new Reason 5 For every plant which my heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted out Matth. 15.13 But of the Sea of Romes Iurisdiction or discipline or of the Episcopacy of England or of the Sea of Lutherans or Calvinists are plants which my heavenly Father hath not planted if you say they be prove it if you can But you cannot for the Sea of Rome was set up by the Pope and Papists the Sea of the government of the Bishops by the Protestants of England and the government or Sea of the Lutherans
of Tarshish and of the Isles shall bring presents whereof the King of England and Scotland and Ireland is a King of the Isles Ergo he that is or shall be King shall bring gifts to the new Jerusalem and the Kings of Sheba and Saba shall bring gifts Yea all Kings shall worship all Nations shall serve him Ergo the King of England and the Nation of the English or else all shall not For such a contradiction cannot be true that all should serve him and some should not that all Kings should serve and all Nations though it be not said every particular man of every Nation for many shal be cast into the lake as vers 8. 27. But all the Kings of the Earth shall be Citizens of the new Jerusalem for none shall be counted a true King except hee embrace the faith of the new Jerusalem that as heretofore the Kings of the Earth have counted it their honour to be Citizens of Rome and to have brought honour to Rome and crowned there so they shall count it their honour and glory to be Citizens of the new Jerusalem and bring their Subjects to it The King would have no Presbytery and the Parliament will have no Episcopacy and the Independents will have none of both You may heave and shove and plot by policy to set up a government but you shall set up none as I have told you three yeares since untill the Church of new Jerusalem appeare that shall have a government from heaven for all your labour will be but to pull downe each other for you are divided that your house cannot stand much lesse set up a house or government in such a division and you will say hereafter I could see further into a milstone then you Object In this common resort therefore of the Nations how shall the first heaven i. e. the Church among the Gentiles passe away must we distinguish the Nations thus some are Heathens and some Christians shall there be an accesse made of those as the prophesies declare and doe it signifie a departure and revolt of these Answ The vision which these words declare point at some such matter for it is said the first heaven parted away for what other heaven is there amongst men then thâ— Church amongst us Christians for the church is called heaven as in many places of Scripture as in page 1. The promise made to Philadelphia of the Calvinists namely that it should be a pillar in the Temple of God never to be cast out Rev. 3.12 It was if they held fast that faith that they had and did not let any man take their crown from them i.e. the crowne of their baptisme The gold of heaven which is made of the pure gold of heaven the merits of Christs death in one baptisme for remission of sinnes which that church in many places have lost by taking a second baptisme for no remission but for discipline and therefore shall have a grievous destruction as 2 Pet. 2.1 their peace with Spaine which procures it for whilst they were at war with Spaine their Sectaries and Hereticks all held together against the common enemie but now they will all fall apieces as England doth and the sword destroy them Quest One asketh this question to what end was this promised to Philadelphia as a proper and peculiar benefit if all the rest enjoy the same together with her Answ I answer it belongs to her no more then it doth to all the rest for what I say to you saith Christ I say to all Mark 13. so what I say to one Church I say to all for the Lutherans few names and the English that overcome and bold fast that they have and let no man take away their Crown of baptisme shall be made a pillar of the Temple and have the name of the new Jerusalem written upon them as well as the Philadelphians For all the promises are yea and Amen to them that believe and are baptized as well as to them For hee that believeth and is baptized into Christs death for the remission of sins shall be saved and the Philadelphians shall be no more Mar. 16.16 And this appeares to be so by the saying Let him that hath an eare heare what the Spirit saith to the Churches not to the Church Doct. Now out of these words thus discussed I gather that the former heaven or the Churches of the Gentiles that are now visible shall depart and passe away as by many reasons Re. 1 Ma. For where there is an unfruitfull fig-tree that cumbereth the ground the destiny of it when it hath been digged and dunged and yet bringeth forth ill fruite it is to be hewne downe that another may be planted as the Jewes were Mi. But the visible Churches of the Gentiles have been unfruitfull fig-trees that have been digged and dunged and yet have brought forth ill fruit as idolatrous dead and luke-warme fruit as Rev. 2. 3. ch Con. Ergo their destiny is to be cut downe Con. that another may be planted Re. 2 Ma. For where the Husbandmen looke ill to the Vine-yard that was let out to them there it shall be taken away and let out to others as the Church of the Jewes was to the Gentiles Matth. 21.41 Luke 13.6 Mi. But the churches of the Gentiles are Vineyards that have been let out to Husbandmen i.e. Angels that have looked ill to them For by the Vineyard let out to Husbandmen is meant the Church as the parable declares and the Husbandmen were the high Priests Scribes and Pharises of the Jewes and the Idolatrous dead or luke-warme Bishops or Pastors of Christians Rev. ch 2. 3. Con. Ergo the churches of the Gentiles are Vineyards that shall be taken away from them and let out to others i.e. to the Jewes For the Kingdome of heaven shall be taken away from you saith Christ and let out to others i.e. the Church which is not only given to the Jewes but also to the Gentiles that have abused the Church as they Re. 3 Ma. For where Christs Ministers are beaten and stoned and killed there Christ saith he will destroy those murtherers and burne up their City Mi. But in the Churches of the Gentiles as of Rome France Germany Ma. Mi. of the Lutherans and of England his Ministers have been killed beaten and abused with sundry persecutions Con. Ergo he will destroy those murtherers and burne up their city you see a shrewd argument why Rome Paris and many cities of the Lutherans and London should be burned Re. 4 Ma. For where the Church hath been abused and evill intreated a long time she will bethinke her selfe of trussing up her stuffe and forsake them and goe to another people as the church of the olde world forsooke them and got into the Arke and the church of the Jewes forsooke them and went to the Gentiles and the Church of Papists forsooke them and went to the Lutherans Calvinists and English Mi.
mouth it must depart from being a true church but the church of Pergamus was such Rev. 2.16 Ergo. Fourthly The church of Thiatira of new Rome is departed from being a true church because she suffered the woman Iezabel amongst them which was a Witch a whore and a murderesse and though God hath given her space yea the longest space to repent of any other yet she repented not of her witchcraft in bewitching men to Idolatry not of her whoredome and abomination nor of her murdering the Saints for the scarled coloured Whore is drunke with the bloud of the Martyrs And therefore Christ hath made her the Synagogue of Sathan Rev. 3.9 because they 〈◊〉 themselves Iewes or a catholique church and are not because they have had time to repent and did not they shall be destroyed They are divided against themselves France against Spaine and Spaine against it selfe it must downe Now if any will account the Martyrs and true believers that lived for 200. yeares before Luther that suffered the manners of the Iezabel of Rome amongst them that should have been put away out of the church as Luther and Calvin and England did I account it the truth but that which is spoken to Iezabel is spoken to Rome as their sinnes declare The church of Sardis of the Lutherans is departing because they are in the dead faith which brought forth dead workes that were not perfect before God Rev. 3.1.2 and dead in love to the Calvinists and in love one to another their faith of consubstantiation is a dead faith that believe not their workes are perfect before God by justification neither can they believe so that live in hatred and persecution of their brethren the Calvinists that church is divided against it selfe thus the Sweeds and Danes both Lutherans were at Warre one with another lately which have shot downe the one side of their church from within and a Papist the Emperour and a Calvinist is undermining the other side for both Papists and Calvinists fight against the Lutherans and they fight one with another truly if one stone of a church should fight against another could it stand no it must fall Sixtly The Phyladelphian church of the Calvinists is passing away because they have not held fast that they had for they had the true faith and one baptisme into Christs death for remissions of sinne taught by Calvin and that doctrine established amongst them but many of them have not held fast that they had but have let the Anabaptists take their crowne for the crowne of a christian is his baptisme for therein are all the Elect crowned Rev. 1.6.5 10. with the crowne of pure gold of the merits of Christs death for remission of sinne and made Kings and Priests to God their father Rev. 1.9 for as no man is a King before he be crowned so no man is a King and Priest to God till he be baptized many of them have lost this crowne by turning Anabaptists and Sectaries a Papist a Lutheran and an Anabaptist are pulling downe the one side of their church and a Sectary and a Drunkard are cutting and beating downe the other side therefore it cannot stand for Anababtisme and drunkennesse will destroy any church wheresoever they grow witnesse the churches of Greece and Munster and many places in Iermany for Heresie is like Ivie that kills an Oake by growing over it and then men cut downe Oake and Ivie too and so where Heresie is suffered to grow in a church it kills the church by overgrowing it then God will destroy the church and heresie too as shall be seene by the church of Calvinists in suffering Anabaptists it will be the destruction of the church of Holland The church of Laodicea of England is passing away for Christ spues the Luke-warme Angels people that are lukewarme in the faith of their baptisme for remission of sinnes and in the white raiment for England hath been divided against it selfe and also Scotland and Ireland fights against them both and divided against it selfe also The Papists and Cavalleers have shot great holes in the one side of our church to get an Episcopacy but cannot because Christ spues it out of his mouth an Anabaptist stands as it were with a rope to pull downe the steeple for he called it first a Steeple-house and the Hereticks Sectaries and Selectaries have pulled up all the foundations as instance Baptisme the Creed the Lords prayer the Decalogâ—â— the Eucharist and Christmas day and the Eucharist which hath bin as a foundation of all the seven churches ever since the Apostles time and so divided as I know not whether the King and Parliament will be reconciled ever but the Presbyters and Independents will never for their quarrell is begun and will never end for they scould can such a church stand no it must depart and passe away for the people have so many frothings of religion in their braines so many opinions and Heresies that they will fall from being a church to be a Babel for as the Babilonians having a strange phantasie would begin to build a tower to reach to heaven yet had no good materialls but made brick instead of stone and had slime instead of morter this was mans invention and it came to confusion for God confounded their language scattered them so many Hereticks Sectaries have got a conceipt in their crowne to goe make a new church as a Tower to reach to heaven for they would all goe to heaven if they could goe their owne way and they have concocted brick of the Brownists braine instead of doctrine and they have discipline of phantasie instead of morter I am not against doctrine or discipline if they be from heaven but our new church-mungers have no good materialls of gold white raiment and eye-salve from heaven to build with but the new Ierusalem must be builded of pure gold like cleare glasse Rev. 21.18 Of the gold of the merits of Christs death in regeneration for remission of sinnes and of white raiment to make the Bride trimme and eye-salve of the Scriptures that every thing may be done according to the patterne shewed in the mount of Gods word But doe you thinke blinde men are fit to build a church you will say no no more are all the Pharises of our time of all Sectaries and Hereticks whose froathing faith or fancie makes them boyle out of the church which are blind leaders of the blinde for they leade many from Christs ordinance for remission of sinnes and blind in the assurance of salvation for they know not where they had remission of sinnes but runne after every winde of Doctrine and know not whether they shall be saved or be damned or goe to heaven or to hell are you fit men to build a church that are all so blinde that you cannot see spirituall things so here sayes one wee will build this way so there says a second we will build that way so here sayes a
by the Lutherans and the sea of the Calvinists by the Calvinists now if the counsell of Gamaliel approved on in Scripture be true then they must all come to nought For every counsell or worke of man shall come to nought but that which is of God shall stand Acts 5.28 But the Popedome or Sea of Rome Sea of an Hierarchie of Bishops Sea of Lutherans and Calvinists are counsels and workes of men Ergo. they shall come to nought but the church and government of the New Jerusalem from God shall stand Reason 6 Where a great voyce shall be heard out of heaven saying behold the Tabernacle of God is with men there the church must be governed by the Oracles of Gods word and not by a sea of discipline of men for the Oracle is in the Tabernacle but in the New Jerusalem there shall be a voyce out of heaven saying behold the Tabernacle of the Lord is with men Rev. 21.3 Ergo there the Church must be governed by the Oracle of Gods word and not by a Sea of discipline of men Reason 7 For as fishes swimme and live in the Sea so have Christians sailed sworne and lived in the Sea of Rome Canterbury of Lutherans and Calvinists for they lived and walked in their Iurisdiction government discipline for as the Sea have drowned many that have sailed in it so that Sea of Rome and of Canterbury and of Lutherans Calvinists that have drowned many mens faiths in perdition that sailed in them they are worthy to be no more but the Sea of Rome have drowned mens faith in Idolatry and purgatory and the Lutheran Sea have drowned mens faith in confustantiation dead faith and workes to the Calvinists the Sea of our Episcopacy and sea of Calvinists have drowned many faiths in Lukewarmnesse Ergo they are worthy to be no more all these have drowned the faith of one baptisme into Christs death for remission of sinnes for if this faith had swome in other Seas what needed a Popes pardon a purgatory a pilgrimage consubstantiation and workes not perfect before God and a luke-warme faith without assurance of salvation Reason 8 Those Seas that have devoured abundance of substance of poore Christians and worthy to be no more But the Sea of Rome by purgatory pardons and pilgrimage and the seas of Lutherans and Calvinists and of our Episcopacy by licences visitations and courts have devoured abundance of substance of poore Christians Ergo. they are worthy to be no more Of the overthrow and departure of all the corrupt Seas of jurisdiction of the churches of the Gentiles For as the Sea compasseth the Land and sendeth Springs or Rivers to all parts of the Land to water it So did the See of Rome and of Canterbury and of the Lutherans and Calvinists paâ—se through all the parts of their Dominions to water them with their Jurisdiction For who was free in any Popish kingdome from Saint Peters pence or Inquisition Court and Maâ—se and power of the Pope and who was freed in our Hierachy of the Episcopacy from the high Commission Chauncellor or Commissaries courts Synods Licences or Parators or freed in the Lutheran or Calvinists Sees from their Iurisdiction and Discipline Now if the See of the Iurisdiction of the Hierarchy of England be so departed that it can be no more then the Sees of Lutherans and Calvinists and of Rome must follow because the Text saith there shall be no more Sea But by the decree of God Rev. 3.16 and by the vote of Parliament and the Oath of the people the See of the Iurisdiction of the Hierarchy of England is so departed that it can be no more For though King Parliament were agreed to set up an Episcopacy or Presbytery but the Independents and Souldiers would never endure it for they rout them where they come Ergo the Sees of Lutherans and Calvinists and of Rome must follow because the Text saith there shall be no more Sea Judgement is begun at the house of God for their See what shall become of the wicked See of Rome even that which came upon olde Babylon shall come upon the new Babylon of Rome I will maintaine thy cause and take vengeance for thee I will dry up her Sea and make her Springs dry for the people of Gods cause Ier. 51.36 See O heaven rejoyce of her for God will punish her to be revenged of her for your sakes For when a mighty Angel tooke up a great stone like a mil-stone and cast it into the Sea saying with such violence shall that great thy of Babylon be cast and shall be found no more Revel 18.20 21. If the great city of Babylon of Rome shall be so cast what shall become of their See He that believes not that Rome is Babylon that shall be destroyed hath not so good a faith as the Devill who knows it is his habitation vers 2. and an hold of all foul spirits Reason 10 For as the Sea useth to roare presaging stormes which causeth Marriners to beware Ps 46.3 But he breaketh the raging of the Sea when the waves thereof doe roare Jer. 31.35 So when Martin Luther powred out his viall of Doctrine of free Iustification how did the See of Rome and Leo 10. roare against him with his execrable bull but the Lord brake off part of that See and it became a Lutheran Calvinian and Cantuarian See And when the Lutheran See began to roare against the Calvinists for consubstantiation and persecuted them the Lord hath broken that See with one breaking after another And when the See of Canterbury roared against the white-raiment christians and Non-conformists suspending them and cast them into prison On worthy Prin Doctor Bastwick And though a Shepheard got a piece of an eare out of the mouth of a lion Amos 3. yet our Lion loved rost cheekes and eares so well that he left never a piece Therefore the Lord hath broken the waves of the Cantuarian and Episcopal See when it roared and that See shall be no more and the See of Lutherans that have roared at the Calvinists shall be stilled and the See of Rome that have roared and devoured the Martyrs of Jesus shall be dryed up and shall be burne and be no more For as Christ rebuked the materiall Sea when it roared against his Disciples he stilled it So because waves of the Metaphoricall seas that have roared against Reason 11 his people he will still them and they shall be no more for as the raging troubled Sea casteth out mire and dirt Esa 57.10 So have the troubled See of Rome Lutherans Calvinists and of Canterbury been like this troubled Sea for when any troubled their seas by writing or preaching the truth they conceived it was against them how have they foamed out mire and dirt of bloud and persecution Reason 11 Now if there shall no uncleane thing enter into the new Jerusalem then no such miry diâ—ty Seas shall come into it Ma.
or a Judas for secum valet if he believe for baptisme administred in the name of the Trinity the Father baptized the Son baptized the holy Ghost baptized for if there come true faith that they are washed sanctified justified that evidence it Now therefore if Christ be and will come as a Thiefe with the Turke upon Germany for that greatest Church destroying sinne of the Protestants for denying their first baptisme what shall become of your Sees then my Text tells you they shall be no more neither Episcopall Presbyteriall or Independent but a new Jerusalem and a new government from heaven I have thought fit to admonish our brethren the Lutherans and Calvinists that I conjecture by Scriptures that the Turke shall come and destroy Germany Reason saies hee is like to come for his Empire from small beginnings hath risen to such greatnesse by the discord of Christians which you see to be in Germany and you know that Soliman the Turke did come with 250000. men and besieged Vienna but the sins of Germany was not then full and for the Protestants sake the Turke was defeated and overthrowne by the Protestants and driven out of Germany mark saith Foxe what victories God gives to reformers of Religion But now your sinnes begin to be full hee will come againe for your sins and discord procure him The conjunction not of stars but of Scriptures I judge by are these Rev. 3.1 2 3. Rev. 16.15 Dan. 11.41 42 43 44. For the first of these you know that the church of the Lutherans is the counterpain of Sardis For you as they have a name you live but are dead i. e. in the dead faith that have no assurance of salvation by remission of sins For you believe not your workes are perfect before God vers 2. for how can you when you live in hatred with the Calvinists for the errour of consubstantiation and they with you v. 3. Remember both of you what you have received i. e. one baptisme into Christs death for remission of sinnes and heard of Luther out of Christs word of free Justification to make the tree good the fruit good but you have not held fast your first baptisme but many among you have given heed to the doctrine of Devils to deny your first love i e. your first baptisme and have not repented of this sin as Ephesus did not i. e. the Church of Greece for which God removed the Candlesticke out of their place by the Turk Therefore because thou didst not watch in the faith of thy baptisme into Christ he is come upon thee as a Thiefe and will come by the Turke and spoile thy Candlestick in thy place and thou didst not know when he would come upon thee as a thief Now you know that a Thief commeth not but to rob to kill and to destroy as Joh. 10.10 You see Christ is come upon you with a judgement as a Thiefe first to rob you because you have not kept Christs garments unto you by faith that were given you in baptisme Gal. 3.27 Therefore he hath been upon you with a plundering robbing and spoyling civil war and he hath been upon you as a Thief to kil you For many places have bin put to the sword men women and children by Tilly and others and he will come upon thee as a Thief to destroy by the Turk For behold I come as a Thief and therefore wil come all the 3 ways of John 10. I tell thee Christ will never leave comming as a Thiefe to steale kill and to destroy untill thou awake out of the sleep of this sinne and repent and keep Christs garments unto you that you walke not naked without a wedding garment given in baptisme and they see thy filthiness Rev. 16.15 And for Dan. 11.41 at the end of time i. e. of the churches of the Gentiles now at hand The King of the North i. e. the Turke saith Brightman and I judge so too for the Turke lyes North of the place that Daniel writ in hee shall enter into the pleasant Land this cannot be meant of the Land of Canaan for the Turke hath possessed that for many yeares Ergo the pleasant Land must be the church of Christians in Germany where is a true Church and many countreyes shall be overthrowne many churches of Idolatrous Christians beware Hungary Poland Transylvania that are in his way to Germany But these shall escape out of his hand Edom and Moab and the chiefe of the children of Ammon Now this cannot be meant of the materiall Kingdomes of these 3. spoken so often on in Scripture for they were destroyed long since as the Scripture declared they should be and those places are in the hands of the Turke already from Tauris to Syria and Ægypt therefore shall not escape out of the Turkes hand as if he should not come there for those places are in the Turkes hands already or waste as Geography and Scripture declare But this is to be understood of the Spirituall Edom Moab and Ammon of idolatrous Christians for the spirituall Edom is Italy For 1. as the Edomites came of Isaac but were now Idolaters So the Italians came of the Church but are Idolaters 2. As the Edomites were alwayes hatefull to the Israelites so are the Italians to the Protestants 3. As Edom would have killed Jacob and his posterity was bloudy minded to the Israelites so have the Italians killed and are bloudy minded to the Protestants 4 As Edom rejoyced at the day of Jerusalem saving down with it even to the ground Ps 50. So have the Italians at the day of the Protestants of the Palatinate Bohemia and of Ireland rejoyced to kill them and say down with their Church even to the ground and yet shall escape out of the hand of the Turke for the destiny of Rome is to be burnt by the Protestants for reward her as she hath rewarded you i. e. Protestants not Turks give her double and in the cup she filled to you of bloud and fire give to her Rev. 18.6 And the spirituall Moab is Idolatrous Spaine For 1. As the Moabites were affraid the Israelites would eare them up when they say over against them Numb 22 So have the Spaniards been affraid the Protestants would eâ—t them up that lay over against them 2. As the King of Moab sent for Balaam the false Prophet that was near the children of his people to curse the people of God believing he whom he blesseth is blessed and he whom he curseth is cursed so hath the King of Spaine believed that the false Prophet Balaam of Rome that is nigh the children of his people whom he blesseth or curseth is so 3. As the King of Moab fought against the true church of the Israelites so hath the King of Spaine against the churches of Protestants 4. As wee have heard of the pride of Moab his stoutnesse and his arrogancy Esay 16.6 Jerem. 48. So wee have heard of the
shall trouble him that is Germany For old Aegypt would be too near and therefore he is like to be sent a further journey from the River Euphrates that the new Christians may have better oportunity to enter into his Dominions And for Edom Moab and Ammon mentioned in Scripture to come to destruction desolation Mal. 1.3 They lay upon the borders of the Israelites always troubled them So have Spain Italy and France lain upon the borders of the Protestants and troubled them For as the Apostle saith doth God take care for Oxen So doth God take care for Edom Moab Ammon or those dragons that dwell in them as Mal. 1.3 To make mention of their escape from the Turk when he shall array himselfe with Aegypt for those Kingdoms never were Edom Moab and Ammon to the Protestants to trouble them But he meaneth of the spirituall Moab of Spain as Amandus Polanus calls it of the spirituall Edom of Rome and of the spirituall Ammonites of France which lay upon the borders of the Church of Protestants and have some people of God to goe out of them which have been as great enemies and troublers of the Protestants as these were of the Israelites For what use should we make of the Scriptures that speak of Edom Moab and Ammon If there were not such Edomites Moabites and Ammonites to the Protestants as they were And thou London I have been much troubled for thee I could shew thee how thou hast taken thy bane Thy Episcopacy is fallen before Romes and I feare thy City will For there are 3. things that mine heart feareth and my face is afraid of the fourth Treason in a City as firing an house willingly the assembly of the people and false accusation of the brethren and truth these 3. are heavier then death Eccl 26.5 Preludiums of ruine but division overthrows all O thou City divided within and without how canst thou stand Christ say true Matth. 12.25 O London wash thy heart from wickedness thou maist be saved how long shal thy wicked and dividing thoughts remain in thee Jer. 4.14 Labour to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace Take Christs counsell to buy of him gold white raiment and eye-salve and be zealous of these and repent For behold I stand at the door knocke and will not leave knocking at the door of thy heart except thou open the door hear his voyce let him in to sup with thee thou with him Rev. 3.18 19 20. You are divided for a Presbytery and Independent government and some for the old I have counselled you to agree but you will not but will have one Well upon these conditions I may consent First you shall prove your government to be from heaven for it is prophesied that England shall have a government from heaven that shall last till the day of Doom But I am sure the new Jerusalem comes down from heaven Rev. 21.2 and therefore the government must come with it 2. That you shall find above one good Preacher for every Shire to make your Classes or governors of which if you can do you will shame all the Parliaments that have allowed our bookes of Homilies to be a good and wholsom doctrine For these are the words of the 3 d. part of the perill of Idolatry p. 56. l. 23. It hath been continually true will be to the worlds end in our time and herein our country too true that every Shire should scarcely have one good Preacher if they were divided Mark if there shall not be above one good Preacher for every shire where will you find governours for your Church 3. That none shall be chosen for a Governour that hath no assurance of salvation For how should hee set other men to heaven which knows not whether he shall come there 4. That no man shall be chosen a governour of a Church that is an Usurer or ambitiously desire it for they are most unfit for it as Abimilech and Absolom were Therefore agree for you have pulled down one government and you shall not set up another nor that again that you had For I believe my Text though you doe not There shall be no more Sea I tell you plainly you shall not set up but pull down each other til the new Jerusalems government come down from heaven that shal be it that shall reigne The Presbyters have overthrown the Bishops the Independents will overthrow the Presbyters and the Independents are divided and shall overthrow the Anabaptists But the new Jerusalem shall overcome all For there shall be no more Sea Written by I. E. Pastor of the New Jerusalem FINIS