one place more which proves all that hath been said of the time the place and the King and that is shewed in the days of the voice of the seventh Angel when it shall begin to sound there shall be time no more the mystery of God shall be finished there 's the end of the world the time and the voice he sounded saith the Kingdoms of this world are become the Kingdoms of our Lord and his Christ and he shall raigne for ever and ever there 's the place and the King both as he hath declared to his servants the Prophets Hym. To me the consent and harmony of the Scriptures thus applied give great satisfaction and is very comfortable I pray Friend make good your promise in the other particulars Silv. The next thing I promised was to consider what the Scriptures declare concerning the Subjects of this glorious King and Kingdom for the Prophet saith the Lord shall build up Sion when he shall appear in his glory by Sion we are to understand Gods faithfull people and by building them up a restoring of them to an estate of perfection according to his promise Now because the Subjects of the world to come in a generall respect is the whole creation for so intimateth the Apostle not only we saith he but every creature also waiteth for the glorious Liberty of the Sonnes of God therefore we will consider them in their order and first for the Angels to prove they shall be subject it is written and let all the Angels of God worship him Angels saith the Apostle they are ministring spirits sent forth c. that is Subjects or Servants and the reprobate Angels they are included in the generall dimensions of the Prophets and Apostles before mentioned Now in the next order of creatures we will consider man-kind first the Saints then the wicked And that the Saints shall feare and serve their Lord the King is clear by that Oath which he swore unto our Father Abraham witnessed by Zacharias the Priest that we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies might serve him without feare in righteousnesse and holinesse before him all the days of our lives and these of all other the Prophet David calls the most free faithfull and loyalst Subjects in these and other words O come let us worship and bow down let us kneele before the Lord our maker for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture and againe Praise ye the Lord sing unto the Lord a new song and his praise in the Congregation of Saints let Israel rejoyce in him that made him let the Children of Sion be jâ—yfull in their King for the Lord taketh pleasure in his people he will beautifie the meek with salvation let the Saints be joyfull in glory let them sing aloud upon their beds And Saint John hee joynes in the Angels with all the Saints saying And I beheld and heard the voice of many Angels round about the Throne and the holy Beasts and Elders and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands saying with a loud voice Worthy is the lambe that is slaine to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing and the foure Beasts said Amen and the foure and twenty Elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever so David calls upon the house of Israel the house of Aaron and the house of Levy Yee that feare the Lord blesse the Lord blessed be the Lord out of Sion which dwelleth at Jerusalem praise ye the Lord I find foure things in Scripture that doe set forth and declare the excellency of the glorious estate of the Saints in light first by a chast spouse for purity and beauty Secondly to a goodly City for glory and safety Thirdly to a high Court of commission for authority wisdom and Iudgment and fourthly to a curious planted garden for pleasure and delight and all these are subject and subordinate to their King and that the Saints in their glorified estate are set forth by a bride or chast Virgin is plain ful and admirably described in Scripture the Prophet Esay is very elegant in this speaking of the Churches glorification saith thou shalt also be a Crown of glory in the hand of the Lord and a Royall Diadem in the hand of thy God thou shalt no more be termed forsaken neither shall thy Land be any more termed desolate but thou shalt be câ—llâ—d my delight is in her and thy Land married for the Lord delighteth in thee and thy Land shall be married for as a yong man marrieth a Virgin so shall thy Sonnes marry thee and as the Bridegroom rejoyceth over the Bride so shall thy God rejoyce over thee Isa. 62. So the Apostle speaks to the Corinthians that his ministery his labour and Godly jealousy over them was to present them a chast Virgin unto Christ and they that sung before the throne as it were a new song which no man could learn but the hundred fourty and foure thousand which were redeemed from the Earth these are they which were not defiled with women faith the holy Ghost for they are Virgins and so also this holy Apostle saith And I Iohn saw the holy City new Ierusalem comming downe from God out of heaven prepared as â— Bride adorneá for her husband So also she is called the Lambs wife and againe Let us rejoyce and be glad and give honour to him for the Marriage of the Lamb is come and his wife hath made her selfe ready And to her was granted that she should bee arrayed in fine Linnen cleane and white for the fine Linnen is the righteousnesse of the Saints in the time of her temptation and sufferings shee was the Kings daughter and all glorious within but now in her exaltation and nuptialls she is also all glorious without excelling in ornament and perfection and in that shee is the Lambs wife she hath right interest in all his glory that is honourable above all Lords and Kings being their Lord and King for shee is flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone And as her chastity and purity excells so doth her beauty so that the Lord her Bridegroom calls her the the fairest among women glorious as the morning faire as the Moone cleare as the Suâ—ne My beloved saith the Church spake and sayd unto me Rise up my Love and faire one and come away for loe the winter is past the raine is over and gone the flowres appeare in the earth the time of the singing of Birds is come the Figge tree putteth forth her green figs and the Vines with the tender Grapes give a good smell Arise my love my faire one and come away which place shewes plainly these speeches of love and beauty are spoken to and of the Church in her perfection and restauration and what speeches can exceed for love and beauty these expressions Secondly
A TRVE REFORMATION AND PERFECT RESTITVTION Argued by Silvanus and Hymeneus Where in the true Church of Christ is briefly discovered here in this life in her estate of regeneration as also her perfection in the life to come As it hath been foretold by all the holy Prophets and Apostles which have been since the world began By J. G. a Friend to the truth and Church of God Feare not little Flock it is your Fathers pleasure to give you the Kingdom For now is our Salvation neerer than when we believed LONDON Printed by T. B. and are to be sold by S. B. in Corn-hill 1643. TO THE CHVRCH OF CHRIST IN ENGLAND Faithfull and beloved I The unworthyest of ten thousand of you have presumed to speak while you all were silent of this Subject and have made bold with your honourable and spirituall conditions to make a brief description of you the Lords people who are all of you the Children of wisdom and so taught of God that your own God termes you the wise that shall understand the keepers of his truth his remembrancers the people in whose heart is his Law to whom it is given to know the mysteryes of the Kingdom of God I intreate you all fellow sufferers truly noble and honourable Christians that how much the neerer our salvation approacheth so much the more let our joynt prayers and praises be to our God the lambe that sitteth upon the Throne let us not cease nor give him no rest till he establish and till he make Ierusalem a praise in the earth and if I have failed in negotiating your great affaires let our garment of love cover it and your wise and grave reproof or admonitions shall be as balme to cure my weaknesse so the God of truth multiply the comforts of it in us all in the clear demonstration of the spirit with power that as we are the Children of Abraham by Faith so we may do the works of our Father Abraham for which your Brother J. G. shall ever pray with you and for you to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ to whom be glory for ever and ever Amen A True Reformation and perfect Restitution argued by Silvanus and Hymeneus Silvanus OLD Friend Hymeneus how hath it been with you a long time I heare seven years a go you were in new England Hymeneus I thank you Sir that you would acknowledge your long unseen although longer known Friend for I think it is neere twice seven years since I last spake with you Silv. What news in new England I heare you are there at a hard-ship both for soul and body provision for back and belly foode and clothes very scarce and Religion which should be as both to the soul is so lost that that which seemed unitie in the truth is turned to dissention the ground of error and falshood which custome the Church of Christ hath not which is the Church of God Hym. Friend you may heare more than is true yet I say the superfluitie of this world is not alwayes expedient and for Religion it is requisite that there should be difference amongst us that the approved may be manifest Silv. I see you have not forgotten your former Custome frequently to alleadge Scripture-phrase but I perceive also you have not learned the Apostles rule perfectly which saith if any man speak let him speak as the Oracles of God that is the true meaning of it for all that were in the Church of Corinth were not of the Church Hym. I hope I have done the same in what I have said Silv. I spake before of the truth and of the children thereof which admit of no dissention and you speak of the Church of Corinth in which were some which were Sectaries and not the children of the truth and though they were amongst them yet they were not of them but were false Apostles and wicked inordinate persons Hym. I pray expresse your meaning to me more fully Silv. My meaning is that Christians should still intend by their speaking the same meaning which the holy Ghost doth in the termes he useth for one and the same terme sometimes is to be understood in a speciall sence sometimes in a generall as by Iew sometimes the same word intends the inward Iew sometimes the outward so of Religion and of the Church vaine Religion aswell as pure Religion the Synagogue of Sathan aswell as the true Church of God Hym. These distinctions under one and the same name are very profitable without doubt in the reading the Scriptures Silv. I pray you Friend tell me what matter and what manner you have for the constitution of your Churches in new England Hym. The matter are a company of believers the manner or forme is this we from amongst our selves choose a pastor the pastor and we being entred into a mutuall Covenant the one to be faithfull in teaching and feeding the other in hearing and obeying according to Christs ordinance by this reciprocall bond we become one Congregation or body as the head and members are one and so the pastor and people together choose other Church Officers as Elders and Deacons Silv. I understand you thus that this is your first way you take to give your Church the being or name of a Church but what way do you take to encrease this Church or ad unto it for the Scripture saith there were dayly added to the Church such as should be saved Hym. Our custome is that we admit none to be Members of our Church but such as cannot give an Accompt of their conversion and that they do renounce all other congregations as Members to them and doth make themselves by covenant that is by a solemne vow calling God to witnesse that they joyne themselves to us to be our Members only and so to no other Church but to walk with us according to Christs Ordinance and though some of other congregations may come in Communion in the Ordinance of the word yet we account them no Members Silv. And this is all you believe that the Scripture expresses tending to the making and being of a true Church Hym. I professe unto you I know no other Silv. You now grow old and therefore it should not be with you as it is with such as are Novicees in Religion wherefore take heed of faire speeches and holy pretences for there is nothing so common in the world as that which is like the truth yet not the truth the name of the Church and pure spouse and yet upon examination doth prove Strumpets and harlots for Christs Church his Sanctuarie his true Tabernacle is that which he her Lord pitcheth or buildeth not man therfore that we may trie the truth of your Church pray shew me how you prove it by Scripture and first where it is proved that the people of every particular Church are to call and choose their Pastor Hym. In the sixth chapter of the Acts it is thus written wherefore
And the Iudgement of the enemie follows And the Devill that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and Brimston where the beast and the false Prophets are and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever And so the holy Ghost goes on in the description of the generall â—udgement by describing first the Iudge himself in these words And I saw a great white Throne and him that sate on it from whose face the earth and the heavens fled away and there was found no more place for them And so proceeds to describe them that are judged And I saw the dead small and great stand before God and the books were opened That is all those meanes were manifested and those severall ways by which the Gospell and way of salvation had been preached to them whether they had the Scriptures or the Creatures or only the more secret dictates of conscience all which preached the word of grace and although it prove a Savour of death to some yet to others a Savour of life by every of those books as it followeth And another book was opened which is the book of life and the dead were judged out of those things which were writen in the books according to their works c. There needs no Paraphrase the Scripture is so clear to prove the thing intended Hym. It doth appear to me that the Millenaries opinion hath no ground in the Scriptures they alleadge yet I must tell you plainly in my judgement the Resurrection is past already proved by your self in your description of the first Resurrection Silv. That was an old error which S. Paul condemns in his 2 Epistle to Timothy where he taxes one of your name saying their word doth fret as doth a gangrene of whom is Hymeneus and Philetus who concerning the truth have erred saying the Resurrection is past already and overthrow the faith of some Hym. Shew me how that doctrine may be said to overthrow the Faith Silv. This doctrine is the Religion of Homo-novus or of the new-man falsely so called in plaine termes the Familists doctrine who turne the whole Faith of our Lord Iesus Christ into an allegory affirming Christ to be a quality saying righteousnesse is Christ and sin is Antichrist teaching that all the Articles of the Creed are fulfilled in every one of their illuminated ones and that now they themselves are dead and buried raised and ascended set at the right hand of the Father descend and come and judge the world the quick and the dead that they are the holy Catholique Church that they only are the forgiven people and have the Communalty of the Saints and enjoy life everlasting infinitely succeeding one another in this coedified condition affirming also that God is cohominified with them and so this estate and condition even this present evill world to continue for ever saying that as we come from God so againe we return to God at our death affirming no other Resurrection then from that sinfull estate to be illuminated in which illumination they say they are conceived of the holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary c. Hym. You know the Apostle speaking of two seeds of Abraham one born of Hagar the bond woman the other of Sarah the free woman and he saith that by them another thing was meant Silv. As at the first I told you that Christians when they speak they ought to speak as the word of God that is according to the meaning of the Scriptures for though Saint Paul say the two seeds are an allegory in regard of the two Covenants that either stood in the one thereby the child of death the other the child of life Yet he doth not as you do make them nothing but an allegory turning the person of our Lord Iesus Christ into a quality and the person of Antichrist into sin which is no substance but a privation of good take heed of this Hymeneus for it calls to my mind the Apostles words who saith that such doctrine to the soul is as dangerous and destructive as a gangrene is to the body which is inevitably destructive for nothing can prevent the saving of the next member but the death the cutting off of that which is but infected Hym. I am sure if I be mistaken in my opinion yet that which you have delivered in other respects concerning the short time of this worlds continuance crosses most Ministers opinions both in new England and here too Silv. What is that which they teach that I have said doth oppose their Tenents Hym. They almost all with one consent hold the nationall calling of the Iews and that there shall be a great and glorious estate of the Church both of Iews and Gentils alleadging all the Prophets that speak of the deliverance of Syon from all her Captivities and bring the Jews into their own Land out of all Countries whither they have been disperst and scattered Silv. What Scriptures do they bring to prove that the Nation of the Iews shall be called and brought out of every Countrey into their own Land Hym. The 11 Rom. in these words I would not Brethren that you should be ignorant of this mystery lest you should be wise in your own conceits that blindnesse in part is hapned to Israel untill the fulnesse of the Gentils be come in And so all Israel shall be saved as it is written c. Silv. In these verses there is not one word of the Nationall calling of the Iews but shews that the Apostle declared to the believing Romans a Mystery to take off their vaine boasting of themselves who thought that God had forsaken the seed of Abraham wholly and therefore he secretly reproves them and saith It was but a part of the seed that was hardned or blinded as in the seventh verse he clearly distinguisheth between the Elect part and the rest what then Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for but the Election hath obteined it and the rest were blinded or hardned and in this verse he saith They shall be hardned untill the fulnesse of the Gentils be come in that is for ever Agreeing with the Prophet lâ—t their eyes be darkned and bow down their backs alwayes thus God putting no diffâ—rence between the Iews and the Gentils extends his free grace to both for the calling of the full number of his Elect in all the world and so all Israel shall be saved that is the whole house even every one fâ—reknown and chosen of God shall be câ—lled sanctified and saved both Iews and Gentils throughout the world and this word saved hath respect unto the estate of perfection in the world to come according to the Prophet Esays words Israel shall be saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation he shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end That is all Gods Elect wheresoever of all kindreds tongues nations and people Hym. In this Scripture it doth not appeare there is any
word as they infer from the text but what say you to the words of the Prophet Ezechiel 34. 14. And I will bring them out from the people and gather them from the Countrys and will bring them to their own Land and feed them upon the mountaines of Israel by the Rivers and in all the inhabited places of the Countrey As also the Prophet Ieremy 33 and 26. For I will cause their captivity to returne and have mercy on them Silv. It greives me to see the Ignorance and yet boldnesse of many Ministers amongst us who erre for want of reading the Scriptures for the very literall expression might teach them better then to tell us that from these two testimonies is declared the calling of the Iews from their dispersed and scattered estate to the belief of the Gospell in this last age of the world For both these Prophets writ within few years one of another Ieremy a little before Ezechiel and both of the Babylonish Captivity and of their returne againe into their own Land which according to the word of the Lord was performed above two thousand yeares ago for their returne was in the days of Ezra the Scribe some years after the Prophet Daniels death And if you read the second chapter you cited with a searching affection you shall find the Prophets both of them speaks of also the deliverance of Sion the whole house of Israel from all their Captivities Therefore will I save my flock they shall be no more a prey I will judge between cattel and Cattel and I will set up one shepheard over them and he shall feed them even my servant David he shall feed them and he shall be their shepheard and I will be their God and my servant David a Prince amongst them In those days Iudah shall be saved and Ierusalem shall dwell safely and this is the name wherewith he shall be called the Lord our righteousnesse But this deliverance we will more largely open hereafter Hym. Master Cotton in new England doth much preach of these things of the calling of the Iews and of the flourishing estate of the Church of the Gentils and sence I came to London I heard a preacher say if the two last Chapters of Esay were not to be understood of the glorious estate of the Church before the comming of the Lord to Judgement I do not know saith he what is meant by chose Scriptures Silv. By what he saith I believe he doth not understand what is meant by those Script for the Proph. words are these Behold I create new Heavens a new Earth the former shall not be remembred nor come into mind but be thou glad rejoyce for ever in that which I creat for behold I creat Ierusalem a rejoyceing and her people a joy And I will rejoyce in Ierusalem and joy in my people and the voyce of weeping shall be no more heard in her nor the voyce of crying and there shall be no more thence an infant of days c. In which the Prophet speaks as clearly to my understanding as words can expresse it of the world to come after the Resurrection the salvation that brings Gods chosen people Jerusalem from above into the same perfection againe which by sin we lost and fell from in the day of our transgression and this agrees with Saint Peters and Saint Johns exposition the two most excellent and beloved Disciples and Apostles Saint Peter speaks directly of the end of this world the dissolution of this present Heaven and Earth in these words But the Heavens and the Earth which are now that is now present by the same word are kept in store reserved unto fire against the day of Iudgement and perdition of ungodly men And so proceeds to other arguments and proves that the Earth also and the works that are therein shall be burnt up and the Heavens and the Elements shall be dissolved concludes with notwithstanding or neverthelesse we according to his promise look for new Heavens and a new Earth in which dwelleth righteousnesse First the time when these things shall be fulfilled is twice spoken to be in the day of the Lord which throughout the Scriptures notes unto us the day of Iudgement as the time of his second comming Secondly the manner how it shall be when righteousnesse shall dwell in the Earth which must needs be understood of the world to come for in this world righteousnesse is a Pilgrim a stranger and a sojourner and Saint Iohn transcends in his expressions of it after the generall Iudgement in order after the Resurrection of just and unjust saying 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 and I Iohn saw the holy City new Ierusalem comming down from God out of Heaven prepared as a bride adorned for her husband and I heard a great voyce out of Heaven saying behold the Tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people and God himself shall be with them and be their God and God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes and there shall be no more death nor sorrow nor crying nor shall there be any more paine for the former things are passed away The former things are the corruptible things and the things that shall take place are the new created things of God which are all good for nothing can proceed from him but what is very good the words are so plaine that they need no exposition The other proof they do bring to prove their mistaken opinion are these words As one whom his Mother comforteth so will I comfort you and you shall be comforted in Ierusalem and when you see this your hearts shall rejoyce and your bones shall flourish like an herb and the hand of the Lord shall be known towards his servants and his indignation towards his enemies for by fire and by sword will the Lord plead with all flesh And the slaine of the Lord shal be many for any man to think that the Prophet in these words speaks of any time of the Churchs sufferings in this life doth as much as if he should tell me it was his own foolish conceit and that he did not at all search the Scriptures noâ— labour in the word and doctrine for Saint Paul to the Thessalonians to me doth directly comment upon this place of the Prophet saying it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you and to you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Iesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and the glory of his power when he shall come to be glorified in his Saints and
will I destroy old and young and with thee will I break in pieces the Chariot and his rider And I will render unto Babylon and to all the Inhabitants of Chaldea all their evill that they have done in Sion in your sight saith the Lord And when thine eyes shall see this thine heart shall rejoyce as I have shewed before Sing O daughter of Sion shout O Israel be glad and rejoyce with all thy heart O daughter of Jerusalem for the Lord hath taken away thy judgements and hath cast out thy enemy the King of Israel is in the midst of thee thou wast humbled but now thou art exalted thou wast oppressed but now thou art delivered thou wast judged but now thou art freed thou wast of low degree but now thou art raised Ierusalem is set up the praise and Iudge of the whole earth According to this speaketh the Prophet Micah to the Church concerning her deliverance from sufferings to reigning Behold at that time saith the Lord I will undoe all that afflict thee and I will save her that halteth and gather her that was driven out and I will get them praise and fame in every Land where they have been put to shame At that time will I bring you again in the time that I gather you and I will make you a name and a praise amongst all people of the earth when I turn back your captivity befoâ—e your eyes saith the Lord Hym. I am much beholding to you for this excellent discovery of Gods servants condition in the world to come I pray declare to me the fourth particular you promised Silv. I said that the state of perfection the Scriptures did well illustrate by a Garden for pleasure and delight And in this the Prophet Isaiah is very fluent in speaking of the perfection of Gods people saith for the Lord shall comfort Sion he will comfort all her waste places and he will make her wildernesse like Eden and her desert like the Garden of the Lord joy and gladnesse shall be found therein thanks-giving and the voyce of melody And so in another place he saith And the Lord shall guide thee continually and satisfie thy soule in drought and make fat thy bones And thou shalt be like a watered Garden and like a spring of water whole waters faile not So saith the wise King Solomon in the person of Christ A Garden inclosed is my sister my Spouse a spring shut up a fountaine sealed thy plants are an Orchard of Pomegranets with pleasant fruits Camphire with Spikenard Saffron Cinamon with all trees of Frankinsence with all the chiefe spices Awake thou North-wind come thou South blow upon my Garden that the spices thereof may flow out And the Church saith again let my beloved come into his garden and eate his pleasant fruits All which expresse nothing but pleasure and delight in reciprocal affection between Christ and his Church the King saith the Lord dwelleth in the garden and the Lord him selfe saith I have chosen Sion to dwell in her The beauty and excellency of this Church in her perfection was shewed to Balaam in a vision And made him thus fall into admiration yea how goodly are thy Tents oh Iacob and thy Tabernacles O Israel as the vallies are they spread forth as gardens by the River side as the trees of Ligna aloes which the Lord hath planted and as the Cedar Trees by the waters And there is a great deale of reason that the holy Ghost in the testimony of the Prophets should set forth the estate Eternall the estate of perfection by a pleasant Garden for so God created it at first in that perfect condition in which it stood where he gave his holy man Adam Dominion over all over the Fish of the Sea and over the Fowle of the Ayâ—e and over every living thing that moveth upon the Earth And just so it shall be againe in the Restauration the second Adam the Lord from Heaven shall have a never fading and a perpetuall Dominion as the Apostle speakes for unto the Angels hee hath not put in subjection the World to come whereof we speake But one in a certaine place speakes which is David admiring what was prophesied of Christs Kingdome breakes out in a Question being amazed at the great Glory and Dominion prophesied of and asked What is man O God that thou art so mindfull of him or the Sonne of man whom thou so visitest to give him Dominion over the Worke of thy Hands Thou hast put all things in subjection under him And this the Apostle understands the Prophet speakes of Christ and his Kingdome That holy Scribe Ezra being largely shewed the glorious estate of the Churches Deliverance in the World to come sayth For unto you is Paradice opened the Tree of Life is planted the Time to come is prepared plenteousnesse is made ready a Citie is builded and Rest is allowed yea a perfect Goodnesse and Wisedome O happy are they that have thus the Lord to bee their God happy are the peohle that are in such a case Arise shake thy selfe from the dust arise from trouble and sit downe in quiet Oh Ierusalem enter into your Masters joy Him Good friend seeing the glory is so great of such as shall be saved which are willing and obey and therefore eate the good things of the promised Land what shall become of such as perish Silv. They that would not in their life time learn obedience by mercy shall be constreined after death by paine its true that Hagars generation the bond-womans Children shall be cast out from inheriting with those that are free born of Sarah for so directly speak the Scriptures by a doubâ—e witnesse the Lord himself and one of his servants Cast out this bond-woman and her Son for the Sonne of this bond-woman shall not be heire with my free born Sonne even my Sonne Isaac Where its plaine and without all question that this generation shall not inherit that is shall not participate of the glory in the world to come whereof we speak with Sarahs free born Children but that they shall serve and be subject to their King and his Saints for ever and this appears plainly by Scripture thus speaks Noah by the spirit of prophesie Cursed be Canaan a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren and Canaan shall be Shems servant and againe the Lord saith in another place the elder shall serve the yonger and that the yonger shall be Lord over his brethren and then as all things shall be made new so righteousnesse and judgement shall have the victory and then shall Esay serve Iacob Ishmael Isaac and Cain Abel and although in their former life time they hated persecuted scorned disdained and killed them even serving themselves of them whom they ought to have served if truth had taken place yet at the returne of the Lord as all his enemies shall be subdued to him and brought under his feet these enemies amongst the rest
and againe he saith he made not the Earth for nought but to be inhabited and he hath established it that it shal not be moved and in another place speaking of the generall restitution as Saint Paul doth he saith with righteousnesse shall he judge the poore and with the breath of his lipps shall he slay the wicked and then from man-kind goes on to other creatures and saith then shall the Wolfe dwell with the Lambe and the Leopard shall lye down with the Kid and the calf and the yong Lion and the Fatling and a little Child shall lead them and the Cow and the Beare shall feed their yong ones shall lye down together and the Lion shall eate straw like the Ox and the sucking Child shall play over the hole of the Aspe and the weaned Child shall put his hand on the Cockatrises den they shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountaine saith the Lord for the earth shall be full of the knowledg of the Lord as the waters cover the Sea in another place the same Prophet saith again that the Wolfe and the Lambe shall feed together and the Lion shall eate straw like the Bullock and dust shall be the Serpents meate and againe he saith seeke ye out of the book of the Lord and read no one of these shall faile none shall want her mate for my mouth it hath commanded and his spirit it hath gathered them and the beast of the field saith the Lord by the same Prophet shall honour me and againe Oh Sion break forth into singing and let all the trees in the field rejoyce and clap their hands for in stead of the thorne shall come up the Figg tree and in stead of the bryer shall come up the mirtle tree and it shall be unto the Lord for a name and for an everlasting signethat shal not be cut off and another of the Lords faithfull ones saith moreover even the woods and every sweet smelling tree shall over shadow Israel by the commandement of God for God shall lead Israel with joy with the light of his glory even with the mercy and righteousnesse that commeth from him Hym. That all Creatures shall be restored me thinks the Scriptures are plaine and evident for so that I cannot but acknowledge it is so yet many objections also appear to me some of the Scriptures you alleadge because such expressions are used which concern this present life as the Calf a Child and Straw as if there should be plowing and sowing and increase and multiplication of Creatures againe Silv. As you say the Scriptures in some particulars do seem so to speak both for fructification and sustentation for the last our Lord speaks as if there might be such a thing even as Adam had for his delight and pleasure to eate even in the time of his innocency in Paradice the fruit of all the trees in Eden and excepted none but the tree of knowledg of good and evill and the words of our Lord are these but I say unto you I will not drink hence forth of this fruit of the vine untill I drink it new with you in my Fathers Kingdom Note here this fruit of the vine as distinguished from that which shall be new when the Kingdom of God comes as Luke saith as also that our Lord speaks further these words I appoint unto you a Kingdom as my Father hath appointed unto me that you may eate and drink at my Table in my Kingdom and sit on Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel and that there shall not be any more marrying or giving in marriage by which I understand there shall be no further increase but that man shall be as the Angels of God in Heaven in the resurrection secret things belong unto God and things revealed belong to us and our Children and seeing the Scriptures have revealed so much therefore break forth into joy sing together ye wast places of Ierusalem for the Lord hath comforted his people he hath redeemed Sion the Lord hath made bare his holy Arme in the eyes of all the nations and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God thy faithfulnesse Oh God is unto all generations thou hast established the earth and it abideth they continue this day according to thy ordinance for all are thy servants Who shall not feare thee O Lord and glorify thy name for thou only art holy for all nations shall come and worship before thee for thy Iudgements are made manifest FINIS
so accordingly they understood it as shall be proved hereafter The Apostles Peter and John both testifie to this truth without question as before I have briefly shewed and that it may be out of question here what Saint Iohn saith of the Testimony of the foure and twenty Elders praising and lauding the lamb their Lord and they sang a new song saying that art worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof for thou wast slaine and hast redeemed us unto God by thy bloud out of every kâ—ndred and tongue and people and â—atiâ—n and hast made us unto our God Kings and Priests and we shall raigne on the earth Which Scripture without explanation is a full answer unto all such thoughts that concerne this inheriting the earth may be in â—his life in a Mystery all which agrees with â—ur Lords words to the Apostles at his parting from them let not your hearts be troubled c. In my Fathâ—rs house are many mansions and I go to prepare a place for you and if I go an prepare a place for you I will come againe and receive you unto my self that wheâ—e I am there you may be also Now our Lord is gone into Heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father where he is preparing the blessed and glorious estate for us as the Apostle Peter saith Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his aboundant mercy hath begotten us againe unto a lively hope by the Resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance incorruptible and undâ—filed and that fadeth not away reserved in the heaven for us who are kept by the power of God through Faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time of which last time and revelation of the glory S. Iohn speaks where â—e saith 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 In that he saw no more sea he declareth that the great oppressors of Gods Church consisting of heathen as open enemys or Christians as secret and cunning enemys shall all cease there shall be none to hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountaine saith the Lord And S. John goes on and declares the place where the Lord shall be with his at his returne and I Iohn saw the holy City new Ierusalem comming down from God out of heaven prepaâ—ed as a bride adorned for her husbanâ— And I heard a great voice â—ur of heaven saying the Tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and thâ—y shall be his people and God himself shall be with them and be their God and so goes on in describing the perfection of that condition thaâ— there shall be no more death sorrow crying and paine and as it follows after no more curse This is the glorious condition of Christ comming againe to his own people according to his promise and that he will abide with them forever in the new things which he shall create that it may appear unquestionable that the Saints shall inherit the earth after the Resurrection heare Gods promises to the Patriarks and their understanding of and hoâ—â— and expectation in them and first we will begin with Abraham where it is said and the Lord appeared unto Abraham and said unto thy seed will â— give this Land and againe I will give unto thee thy seed after thee the Land wherein thou art a stranger all the Land of Canaan for an everlasting possession and I will be their God Noâ—e here that the Lord promiseth the possession of the Land to Abraham himselfe to his owne person as well as to all and every one of his spirituall seed and so witnesseth the Author to the Hebrews saying That Abraham was called to go into a place which he should afterwards receive for an inheritance Marke it is said he that is himself not others for him as some unwarily have affirmed in these last times and 〈◊〉 this sence â—nly Saint Paul calls Abraham the heire of the wâ—rld by promise and grace included in Gods promise above and I will give unto thee c. So the the Lord Almighty engages himself to Isaack that he would performe the oath that he sware unto his Father Abraham saying unto thee and thy seed will I give all these Countries and God appeared to Iacob his chosen at Lusse in the Land of Canaan saith to him the Land whereon thou lyest to thee will I givâ— it and to thy seed and their seed shall be as the dust of the earth and thou shalt spread abroad to the West and to the East and to the North and to the South and in thee and thy seed shall all the families of the earth be â—…essed Hym. Most Christians understand that â—hâ—se promises were fulfilled by Ioshua when he divided the Land of Cannan by lot â—or a possession to the Tribe of Israel Silv. But had our Ministers and Christians read and laboured to understand the Scriptures they would have been of the Apostles mind who affirmes and clearly sheweth that Abraham Isaac and Jacob and all the faithfull and holy servants of God ever understood thereby the everlasting inheritance and possession to them and their seed for ever when they in their own persons that never enjoyed it yet shall inherit it for the holy Ghost saith by the testimony of faithfull Stephen the Martyr That Abraham had no inheritance in Canaan no not so much as to set his foot on yet he that is God promised that he would give it him for a possession and to all his spirituall seed which the aforesaid Apostle to the Hebrews in the eleventh Chapter proves beyond all exception to be the heavenly Countrey and the temporall Canaan no other or further neither in promise nor possession of the following seeds nor otherwise I say then that it was a speciall representation a tipe figure and shaddow preaching and teaching unto them the spirituall heavenly holy new and everlasting Land wherefore thus saith the Apostle These all dyed in Faith not having received the promises but having seen them a far of and were peâ—swaded of them and imbraced them and confessed that they were strangers and Pilgrims on the earth for they which say such things declare plaiâ—ly that they seek a Countrey and truly had they been mindfull of that Country from whence they came out they might have had opportunitie to have returned but now they desire a better Countrey that is a heavenly wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God for he hath prepared for them a City which City new Ierusalem is that before spoken of even that new and heavenly City that comes with our Lord at his descension to the earth where and in which he will dwell for ever Hym. I did not think the Scriptures had been so plain for this matter as now I see them I pray
now proceed to the third particular the King of this new and heavenly world Silv. The King of Sion is her Saviour and the Scriptures call him the King of Glory and that title that was written on his Crosse in his humiliation in Latin Greek and Hebrew that is the title of his Crown and Dignity in his Exaltation This is the King of the Iews And as himself saith for this end was I born and for this end came I into the world and so testifies the Angell unto the Virgin Mary and tells her that her Sonne Iesus should be great and called of all the Sonne of the Highest and the Lord shall give unto him the Throne of his Father David and he shall raigne over the house of Israel for ever and of his Kingdom there shall be no end Thus that great favourer and much beloved of God the Prophet Daniel speaking by the holy Ghost of Iesus the Lord he calleth him the Sonne of God and in the spirit of prophesy saith that there was given him Dominion and Glory and a Kingdom that all people nations and languages should feare him his Dominion is an everlasting Dominion which shall not passe away and his Kingdom that which shall not be destroyed The same Prophet in another place saith In the days of these Kings meaning the great oppressors of the earth from the beginning of the world to the end In their days as before I told you of the Kings of the East and the whole world For although there be many differing powers as of gold and silver c. yet they all make but one enemy one adversary as it is said of Rome in her shall be found the bloud of all the Saints and Prophets and of all that were slaine upon the earth It is so said because all persecutors make but one generation and it follows and in the days of these Kings shall the God of heaven set up a Kingdom which shall never be destroyed and the Kingdom shall not be left to other people but it shall break in pieces and consume all these Kingdomes and it shall stand for ever For David saith though the heathen rage and the wicked people imagine vaine things yet saith the Lord I have set my King upon my holy hill of Sion who shall speak to them in his wrath and vex them in his sore dispâ—easure his Dominions is from Sea to Sea from the River to the ends of the earth they that dwell in the wildernesse shall bow before him saith the Prophet and his enemies shall lick the dust How full doth Almighty God prove this himself it s more clear than the Sun in its full light In these words thou art my Sonne this day have I begotten thee ask of me and I will give thee the Heathen for thy inheritance the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession thou shalt rule them with a rod of Iron and break them to pieces like a potters vessell Thus reasoneth the Apostle for unto the Angels he hath not put into subjection the world to come whereof we speak but unto the Sonne he saith Thy Throne oh God is for ever and ever a Scepter of righteousnesse is the Scepteâ— of thy Kingdom thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet and of that subjection more hereafter And thus speaketh another of the Prophets the Lord is King for ever and ever and againe the Lord sitteth King for ever for the Lord most high is terrible and he is a great King over all the earth And againe sing praises with understanding for God is the King of all the earth fâ—r all Kings shall fall down before him all nations shall serve him so long as the Sun and Moone endureth Oh worship the Lord in the beauty of holinesse feare before him all the earth say amongst the heathen that the Lord raigneth the world also shall be established that it shall not be moved he shall judge the people righteously and governe the nations on the earth These Scriptures are so plaine they need no exposition therefore let the Heavens rejoyce and let the earth be glad â—et the sea roare and the fulnesse thereof let the field be joyfull and all that therein is then shall the trees of the wood rejoyce before the Lord and the reason the holy Ghost giveth in these words following for he cometh for he cometh that is the Lord cometh to judge the earth he shall judge the world with righteousnesse and the people with his truth Oh sing unto the Lord a new song for he hath done marveilous things his right hand and his holy arme hath gotten him the victory for its the Lord that sitteth upon the throne of his holinesse it is the Lord that reigneth over the heathen And another saith the Lord shall be King over all the earth and in that day shall there be one Lord and his name one And the Apostle calls him the everlasting King Iesus who is the faithfull witnesse and first begotten of the dead and the Prince of the Kings of the earth who alone is the Lord of Lords and King of Kings thus one all the messengers of salvation say unto Sion thy God raigneth and the same language the Lord himself speaketh Thus saith the King of Iaâ—ob the Lord the King of Israel who is thy redeemer even the Lord of hosts I am the first and I am the last and besides me there is no God and aâ— another time he saith all power is given unto me of my Father both in Heaven and earth great and speciall things do the Scriptures declare of this Kingdom of its power and glory of which our Saviour acquainted his servants Within these fourty days speaking to them of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God which made them so desirous of the injoyment and possession of it that before his descending from them their generall request was unto him in these words wilt thou at this time restore the Kingdom to Israel just like the Mother of the two Sonnes of Zebedee in the behalf of her Children Lord saith she out of a true affection of that perfection she desired that her two Sonnes might sit the one at his right hand the other at his left in his Kingdom and truly now may we say for thine is the Kingdom power and glory for now we see it is the Lords only and if all what hath been said will not satisfie we have Gods own oath for it saying by the mouth of the Prophet I have sworn by my self and the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousnesse and shall not returne that unto me every knee shall bow every tongue shall sweare and the Apostle affirmes it from the Prophet that at the name of Iesus every knee shall bow of things in heaven and things on earth and things under the earth and that every tongue shall confesse that Iesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father I will adde