other men but rather mistrust my own conceptions in which I go alone unless I can prove that I have Daniels spirit or justifie it by irrefragable arguments Answ My desire is to dive into these types and Prophecies with an humble and self-denying mind and to be free from puffed-up phansies of mine own wisdom above others or beyond the measure God hath given me neither do I acknowledge immediate revelations and inspirations as Daniel and the Prophets had to belong to any in our time but mediate by the word and for mine own particular am very cautious what I receive for truth upon these Prophecies either from myself or others untill by comparing Scripture with Scripture together with the event it be cleared up to me by manifest arguments As for other interpreters some of them I adjudge to be godly learned and wise and highly prize their interpretations wherein I finde them to agree with the natural sense of the text Yet they sticking in national Churches and living in the obscurer times of the tribulation were so veiled that they could not behold the next dispensation of Christ after the 1260 yeers should be expired But now the date of that time being finished God hath and will raise up a separated people who stand at the Glassie sea Revel 15.2 in the more bright unfolding of the mind of the Apostles and Prophets both for matter and time answerable to the promise made to such a returning people Isa 42.16 I will make darkness light before them And for my sense upon them as I have with diligent circumspection examined it my self so I wish others truly to weigh it by the balance of the Sanctuary and they may find that it comes not from me but from Christ his Apostles and Prophets nor to me only but to all those freed redeemed ones whose eyes the Lord hath and will inlighten Your insuing discourse on this subject contains two particulars Object 1. The doctrine of Christs persons offices the meanes to apply him faith the most dangerous errors in faith and worship are better learned out of doctrinal texts of Scripture then out of the Revelations that holding forth a story of the enemies of the Church who they should be how they should oppress the Church and at last be destroyed by her and of the Churches estate before the enemies rising under their power its deliverance and glorious estate in the end and not of faith worship and good works Answ 1. The book of the Apocalypse is doctrinal as well as other Scriptures for all Scripture is profitable for doctrine 2 Tim. 2.61 if all be doctrinal then this book is not excluded 2. The offices of Christ faith worship and good works are here figured out by allegories which being compared with other plainer texts make their sense much more full and bright to such whose eyes are open to discern the mystery 3. This historical narration doth not only shew who the Churches enemies are but what they are and in what they chiefly stand to wit in the court without Chap. 11.2 nor barely describes her persecution by and deliverance from but also presents before us the several dispensations of God the divers outward stands of his people in their distinct periods both that of the primitive that under antichrist this of the separation that of the visible marriage and call returning and the glory of new Jerusalem all which are of great and high concernment for a Christians knowledge and walk Chap. 1.3 and the ignorance whereof may occasion deep misery Revel 18.4 Chap 14.9 c. Besides the subject we are treating upon to wit who the beast is what he is in his latitude what was the dispensation and stand of the Saints in mystical Babylon what it is and ought to be in the season of their separation from her is not expressed by plain text of Scriptures but by dark prophecies and visions by way of prophesie it must be as being to come in the ages when Scripture was penned and the Lord in divine wisdome hath delivered it more obscurely that the common multitude in hearing might not hear and in seeing might not see but as was fore-prophesied might be deceived by the beast and partake with Babylon in her plagues as also that the curious art of the Spirit might the more be magnified in its wrapping up so much choice matter into such brief compendious platforms and at last in its bright explicating those intricate types and sayings to his despised servants which are veiled from the great Rabbies of the time for such with other causes these wayes and judgements of God are parabolically delivered Now we must search them where they are written if we intend to find Object 2. The Revelations is veiled with such mystical visions as very learned Christians cannot uncover the vaile nor clearly see to the end of them An. That this is concealed from such as adhere to national Churches is true it being prophesied that the veile should lie upon nations Isa 25.7 Chap. 30.8 9 10 11. Chap. 42. 19 20. also Chap. 29.10 The Lord hath poured out upon you Prophets the spirit of a deep sleep and vers 11 12. And the vision of all is become unto you like to a book that is sealed which men deliver to one that is learned saying Read this I pray thee and he saith I cannot for it is sealed And the book is delivered to him that is not learned to read and he saith I am not learned Here the Spirit meets you in your argumentations of this nature for those who are most eminent amongst you alleadge that the visions of the Revelations and Prophets are sealed or as you here say veiled and we must not presume to dive into secrets such as are of a lower capacity complaine that they are unable to comprehend those mysteries and tell us that it belongs to scholars and learned men The reason of this darkness is because the Lord hath covered you But behold in vers 18 what the Spirit promiseth to such whom you adjudge to be blind and deafe The deaf shall hear the words of the book and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity and out of darkness And to these people who are inlightned to follow the Lamb this book together with the parables of Christ and the Prophets are as a cloudy pillar to lead them in their journey This worthy prophecie is the last book given by the Father unto the great Prophet after his ascension into glory and sent by his angel unto his servant John and is called a Revelation being delivered to shew to his servants things that were to come and that of Jesus Christ an emphatical title and proper to this book wherein it carries a dignity beyond the other Scriptures in the front whereof is promised an especial Gospel-blessing to such as read hear and keep the words of this prophecie keeping implies both an understanding of and a way or walk for his
people to keep in and the conclusion is sealed with a dreadful curse against adders to or detracters from it This being the last so nobly given and peculiarly stiled by the name of Jesus Christ his Revelation so argues it to be full of majesty to be the compleature and perfection of the whole Scripture and shews the matter to be very precious and the comprehension thereof to be of weighty consequence for the welfare of the Saints And therefore it will prove our wisdome being here invited as at the one side to count the number of the beast and distinguish Gods things from mans Chap. 13.18 so on the other side to keep close to the administration therein deciphered for the times in which we live neither can any wander therefrom but he must needs run into multitude of errors and absurdities Sir we stand amazed that you should inveavor to deter us from searching into this prophecie and eclipse the light thereof from shining into our hearts that thereby if it were possible you might disrobe us of our blessing take heed lest you bring upon your self the curse However we shall rather obey the counsel of the Spirit in counting the number of the beast by those rules whereby he is described and to seek Christ in the path of separation in this book where the call and way are lively set before us I shall have occasion to speak more upon this subject in the fourth Paragraph Paragraph III. WE informed you that the foundation of the beast consisteth in an usurped power of Church-discipline footed on mans will without the call of God Object Against this is alledged That the foundation of the beast lieth not in false discipline but doctrine Answ Doctrine may be considered either in a more general sense for whatever may be taught and thus discipline may be comprehended under that notion it being teachable or else it is used in a narrower and more limited acceptation as it is opposed to and set apart from discipline and worship and so doctrine respects the free grace of God and justification by Jesus Christ and discipline is that part of divinity whether conceived spoken written or exercised which concerns external Church government Now that the beast described Revel 13. grounded himself primarily originally and radically in this latter part of discipline or government and not in Doctrine we render these insuing reasons 1. Because the Scripture declares that his residence should be in the court without which must pertaine to the outside in discipline and not to the inside in doctrine 2. Where Antichrist first grounded himself there he brought a whole corruption for the foundation of the beast and that of truth are extream contraries and cannot in the same thing subsist together Now Doctrine Christ believed and professed were not originally razed in Rome being all born up by the power of Christ but Discipline as confined to that government peculiar to a stated-Church was wholly defaced by that destroyer hereupon in office he was a meer beast the Angel of the bottomless pit and the Church became bottomless of truth and Babylon 3. This total defection lasted 1260 yeers and some space after till the seventh vial during all the former season he was a beast utterly false in his office and that prevailing all that while the court was excluded and the nations had power to trample Revel 13.5 Chap. 11.2 And you cannot for shame affirme that the Church of Rome hath for so long a time been radically false in doctrine 4. If the beast had primarily eradicated the principle of doctrine there could not have been any breathing for an elect number in such an outward station where neither the grace of God nor Christ nor justificaby him was to be found But the Scripture doth tell us that there was a sealed company a temple a woman and feeding for her in Mystical Babylon and the event hath cleared that there were a godly people a ministery of Christ to nourish them in the Romish Church during the abovesaid season or else it was nowhere for many ages 5 It is assented to by all the Protestant party that the Pope and his hierarchie make up this beast Now the foundation of the Pope is his Popedom whose rise was as Mr. Brightman well observes from the Authority of Peters Chaire the ground of his hierarchie is their respective orders and prelacies all which chiefly belong to discipline 6. The Beast carries the woman Babylon chap. 17.37 and who knowes not that the Pope with his creatures bear up the Romish Church by their ecclesiastical government 7 Upon a serious view you may finde that most if not all the corrupt Tenents of Rome meet radically in some false maximes of discipline which argues that to be the corrupt root from whence they sprouted forth 8. The Dragon gave him power Rev. 13.2 which is the soul and spirit of Antichrist The original of doctrine never was in the Devils hands to give it being upheld by Christ but the externallitie of rule being forsaken and cast out by God was left in Satans power who inspired the beast therewith hereupon ensued a Throne and great Authority all which appertain to discipline Your Arguments on the other side to prove the beast to ground in doctrine Object 1. The foundation of Christian religion lieth in Doctrine therefore also doth doth the Antichristian Answ This your consequence carries no convincing force but rather cusus contrarium verum est The contrarie sequel may challenge the truer sense for as the naturalists say Ars incipit ubi natura desinit Art begins where nature ends because natural existences being the workmanship of God begin first with the intrâ—nsecal and more essential parts and thence pass outward to the external whereas Artificers begin with the exteriour or outward part So Christian religion being created of God founds first in the inside of grace and faith and from thence operateth to the outside of discipline whereas the Antichristion being an artificial structure or man in its base Rev. 13.18 initiates in the superficies of discipline and thence goeth gradually into corruptions of Doctrine Object 2 Your next is taken from John 4.2 3 He that denies Christ to be come in the flesh is not of God this is the spirit of Antichrist false doctrine then about Christs nature Persons and Officers is the foundation of Antichristian religion Answ This great Antichrist doth not directly deny Christ his natures persons and offices as some petty ones in the primitive time might but secondarily and by consequence The first Popes and Bishops at the entrance of the 1260 years were so far from denying these that they published and zealously preached them up before the world as you also do onely they layed another foundation of discipline by taking the government from Christ his shoulders and laying it on their own and so in their outward order or rather disorder they denied Christ in his natures persons and offices and
deceits and thereby free his people from defilement and bondage That the tallest cedars for parts and piety have been much blinded by the mystery of iniquity the following of whom in a higher light hath procured the fall of many That Antichrist is not fully unmasked at once but gradually by a consumption and hence there must be new and further discoveries of him the first breaking forth whereof will be dissonant to the maximes of the age preceding Amidst these and such-like distracting and dissenting motions I was as a ship betwixt two seas sometimes tossed one way sometimes another my affections inclined more to the Independent Church-order the strength of argument seemed rather to prevail against it and could finde no way out of this Meander till entring into a nearer communion with my God I received answer by a light of Spirit beyond mine owne that the way to be resolved in the case I desired was to abstract my thoughts from all former conjectures of my self and others and look nakedly into the Prophecies speaking of the Antichristian times the age we live in and that to come compared with the primitive In the managing of which task the same Spirit who only knows the mind of God directed and seconded my labours with such success as made facile and easie what seemed before impossible and revealed the sense of those Scriptures which were till then sealed up from my apprehension If my opposers deride the Lord lay it not to their charge However to the ingenious pious and impartial reader I speak You may view the most and clearest of those Scriptures in the insuing manuscript I shall advise you to take the counsel given to me and you may perhaps reap the fruits of your indeavours I found upon diligent search that there was a sinke and dissolution of the primitive Order That Rome alone was not the whole woman Babylon as hath been commmonly conceived but that she contained besides the grand one many harlots distinct in their form as daughters from the mother and were after in time and so younger which must be new modelled Churches one differing from the other Rev. 17.5 that of all these were many defiled women chap. 14.4 that every one of these had for their foundation a false Christ or Antichrist and false Prophets and so the woman being many the false Christs and false Prophet are many accordingly Mat. 24.24 That this whole Babylon both mother and daughters boasting her self that she sits a Queen in a visible married constituted order is a plain property note and mark of a false Church from the end of the primitive day till the true marriage descends from God out of heaven Rev. 19.7 Againe I considered that the Scripture holds forth not a reformation of but a direct separation from those defiled women and false formed Churches and that the next path and way of Gods people after the 1260 yeers of tribulation specified in the following book is to reduce themselves in their walk to the imitation of these types and parables Rev. 7.9 chap. 14.2.3 4 5. c. chap. 15.2.3 4. Math. 25.1 7. Luk. 15.20 which we have endeavoured to the utmost of our power Moreover I observed in minding the Scriptures that there is in the entrance of the time of separation a new returning Ministery as a little book opened and a pure Gospel segregated from those Antichristian mixtures published in the foregoing times of the Apostacy proved besides many other place by these texts Rev. 10.4 Isa 29.9 10 11 12 18.19 Rev. 14.6 7 8 9 10. chap. 18.4 Math. 25.6 Isa 28.23 chap. 30.29 c. chap. 41.18 19 20. chap. 48. 20 21. chap. 45.19 20. Ier. 31.10 Hos 14 5 7 9. and 2 Es d 11. 38 39 c. chap. 12.32.33.34 This is called Zeph. 3.9 A returning to the people a pure language thereby implying an impure before and is stiled a judging work Psal 96.13 Rev. 15.4 Deut. 32.36 Isa 26.8 chap. 4.4 because of its discovery of righteousness and declaring the judging wrath of the vials it is also termed a new song Rev. 14.3 Psal 98.1 2. Isa 42.9 10 11.12.13.14 and a song chap. 24.14 16. chap. 30.29.30 31. new as it answers to the new work then arising Isa 43.19 and for that it is a pure Gospel-song which beats the glory of newness in respect of the old waning apostated ministery and a song because of its gladsome tidings and the melodious joy that it bringeth and worketh in the hearts of the hearers I gathered that the sum and substance of this Ministery was to reduce all to God and Christ onely both in Doctrine and Government to cry down Babylon in her utmost extent to denounce the judgement written against the Beast his Image and Mark in its whole latitude also to unmask the spiritual drunkenness fornication blindness slumbering and sleeping of the Babylonish Nations likewise to teach the coming and neer approach of the bridegroom and the going forth to meet him by separation And withall to teach up the finishing of the Mystery of God as is evangelized for so is the original by his servants the Prophets Rev. 10.7 that is to explicate the prophecies pertaining to our times and the fulness of the dispensation to come and to expound the old Testament by way of allegories and allusions bringing all the outward and historical narrations to a Gospel-unfolding as looking into the mystery contained within the veil of the letter and so to know the distinct times of the Prophets both those of their proper literal fulfilling and that of their allusive sense and accomplishment extracting the quintessence of all and applying it to our owne age and that succeeding For this Ministery in its upshot beholds the eyes of the old Scripture in its furthest extent as if the aspect of its Evangelizing did centre in this last age and therefore called the finishing of the Mystery That as the primitive Christians backed their Ministery by the Prophets and explained the old Testament by way of Allegories so these returners confirme their everlasting Gospel by the Prophecies and unfold the things of God in a figurative interpretation and as they then did thereby convince that of Judaisme so these discover more largely both it and that of Antichristianisme too wherein the deepest mystery of deceit resideth The dispensers of this last Ministery must have the testimony of Jesus which is the Spirit of Prophecie Rev. 19.10 whereby to understand the minde of the Prophets both for matter and time being herein like to the men of Issachar who by a secret dictate were taught to be skilful in the â—imes to know what Israel ought to do which kind of people though now despised by the Formalists of our dayes will I believe in few yeers be counted very pretious and of high esteem This finishing of the mystery is now but in its entrance and will not have its compleature of dispensation till the marriage come Rev. 19. which was my next
as having no such promise annexed to them and why should this be but to shew that these keys in the Churches hand should receive a sink and loss of their efficacie for a time For certainly the Lord knowing the apostated times if they had continued through the Babylonish defection would have added some word of remaining to them as well as to the profession To these we shall annex that Zech. 4.2 12. in which we may behold that related as evidently as the face is seen in the glass The Angel vers 2. sets before the eyes of Zechariah the image of the primitive Apostolical Church the like was also seen of John Rev. 1.12 20. onely here was the difference the Prophet sees the type of one Candlestick as representing the Church in her unity John beholds seven he writing to the seven Churches and here in vers 12. is pictured out a platform of the dispensation of the sealed elect number during the times of Antichristianism That the Candlestick vers 2. did embleme the primitive Churches we render these reasons 1. From the Angels answer vers 6. that this was not built by might or by power as outward Zerubbabel's temple was but by the Spirit as without hands by Christ the true Zerubbabel 2. From the head-stone of this spiritual building vers 7. which was the Lord Jesus 1 Pet. 2.6 Psal 118.22 Isai 28.16 Matth. 2◠42 Act. 4.11 3. From the shout and cry which was not Works works but Grace grace the manifest difference betwixt the Law and the Gospel 4. From the despising of small things the Jewish Ceremonies and the sight of the Plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel Christ vers 10. which teacheth the coming off from Mosaical rudiments to that of Christianity 5. From the seven eyes opened to be the Lambs eyes and for time in the primitive Rev. 5.6 and the seven Lamps vers 2. agreeable to Rev. 4.5 That the two Olive-branches and the two golden pipes vers 12. pertain to the next following Antichristian times is apparent by the decrease of the former fulness and the answer of the Angel vers 14. which can aptly be applied to no other time then that of the elect in Babylon From hence we shall evince this argument That there was a fulness of Ordinances in the primitive Age there were seven pipes to the seven Lamps vers 2. the number seven notes out a perfection the Pipes signifie Ordinances Luke 7.32 these being the organ by which the light and oil of Ministery is displayed whereas in the Antichristian season there are seen but two pipes that had golden oil the least of numbers and yet sufficient to testifie the truth of inward grace Now why should there be seven at the first and but two at the last but to set forth the cessation of the former five in their efficacie and power as being dead empty and without golden oil viz. Ordination Confirmation with the other stative Ordinances and that Ministery Prayer c. being predicted of God for abiding must as the two golden pipes remain and the two anointed ones by these empty themselves as the two Olive-branches In Rev. 7.1 the four open windes which are causa procreans conservans the begetting and preserving cause of these visible keys Ezek. 1.4 5. Act. 2. were by reason of the falling away wholly with-held from their apparent blast and the cause failing the effect must also cease this Spirit of life being restrained they must needs be meerly formal That as in the Scriptures before cited they were not promised to abide so the Spirit doth here desert and leave them empty of its lively influences In Chap. 9.1 2 3. the Angel who had usurped all Church-power into his custody totally apostated from heaven to earth becomes a meer earthly Angel by which that Church-policie that before was a kingdom of heaven is become a bottomless pit or a false Church without any bottom of Truth in her order and in stead of the keys of the celestial kingdom was another contrary key of the same bottomless pit the key being the same with the Church in the room of that sweet recreating winde or lightsome smoak descending from Gods glory to beget the truth of Office was the dark and delusive smoke or dispensation ascending from this bottomless furnace which ingenders none but locusts a degenerate brood of false Officers Here we may take notice of the effects that ensue upon the former with-holding of the windes God having forsaken and left it void Satan hath full power gives another key with other smoke whereby of Christ all is become Antichrist and bottomless of Truth In Chap. 11.2 where though the Temple was measured of which we shall speak anon yet the onward court was excluded and forbidden to be measured for so saith the Spirit The court without 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies cast out That this outward court must belong to the visibility of Church-government may be cleared by these Arguments 1. Because this as opposed to the Temple within must be the exteriour outward part and who knows not that the Order of Ecclesiastical Government is the outside or visibility of the Church 2. Because this here excluded was given to the Nations the inward rooms of true grace with Worship flowing from those internal springs was never in the power of man to intermeddle with but the outward court of Church-Regiment was in the hands of Nations for many generations and nowhere else 3. Because the Nations by enjoying this outward court did tread the holy City under foot Now woful experience hath taught the Saints that that by which Antichrist hath trampled upon the godly was by sitting in the externality of Ecclesiastical Discipline in Spiritual Courts and Classes The four windes above restrained must be from this rejected Court the bottomless key pit and smoke in this unmeasured to Truth In Chap. 12.6 14. the same externality given to the Nations and mixed with worldly things becomes a worldly wilderness into which the woman fled That this wilderness is the National Babylonish Church is proved at large by Scripture and the analogie in Sect. 5. of the first Paragraph In Chap. 13. the Principality or chief of the power ruling here is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a wilderness-beast compared with Mark 1.13 answerable to those false christs and false prophets which our Saviour foretold should be in the wilderness Matth. 24.24 The second Beast is here called a false prophet inferring the first to be a false christ or Antichrist as is shewed in our answer to him on Matth. 24. In Chap. 17. the Church born up by this Beast is called Mystery Babylon as being another and distinct from Sion in her very foundation who also was seen of John in this wilderness To sum up all if we consider the Gospel-times aright as they are pourtrayed in the Prophecies we shall finde that in the primitive there was the smoke of Gods glory preceding Isai
an earthy bottomless and Babylonish wilderness Now the woman could not be in the wilderness while her officers were in heaven but they must both fall together 2. This mournful season emphatically stiled by our Saviour the time of tribulation Mark 13.24 must initiate with the first of those three grand woes sounded by the Angel flying in the midst of heaven and that began with the fifth trumpt Chap. 8.13 The former four were gradual preparations the fifth the full accomplishment of that great defection The begining of this time The same as I conceive took its exordium about the yeer 390 after Christ at the time the Bishop of Rome by the general consent of the Asian Affrican and Europian Bishops obtained the priority and Bishoprick of the first seat which is the sole interest and proper centre of Jesus Christ And where this universal primacy was granted to a bare creature Christ would not give his glory to another but wholly departed and left it empty whereby it became meerly humane and bestial The Duration thereof The duration of this time is declared in the Revelations to be 1260 dayes or fourty two moneths which taken according to the Egyptian and Jewish account thirty dayes to a moneth make up exactly the former number of dayes the like doth time times and an half Chap. 15.3 the beast had power given him to make war or prevaile for so is the original forty two months also Chap. 11.2 the nations so long trod the holy City under foot likewise vers 3. the witnesses prophesied clothed in sackcloth the same space of time Chap. 12.6 all this time the woman was in the wilderness which in vers 14. is described to be time times and half a time answerable to the former account which raken prophetically a day for a yeer as this book is delivered in the highest majesty of a prophecie constitute 1260 yeers The computation 0390 1260 nbsp 1650. Now to reckon up the period of this season if we add to 1260 the foregoing time of 390 we may finde the expiration thereof to be about 1650. Many arguments may be produced to prove these dayes to be prophetically a day for a yeer but it hath been done by others and most that are judicious by pondering the hight and order of this prophecie with the event successively answering will proprio nisu of their own voluntary consent agree with me and them in this particular What remarkable turnings and alterations of affaires there were about 1650 in all our dominions even in these ends of the earth with the subsequent success is shewed in Parag. 4. 2. The second material passage to be expostulated is what is the dispensation now approved of God in this next revolution after the former season of adversity Quaere 2. whether by new erecting of visible Churches or by separation without stating waiting till the Lord begin it or thus whether the time for the return of visible marriage be now or hereafter For the resolving of this Gorgian knot See Parag 4. we may propose to our selves a twofold rule First Whether there be a call to foot any Church-constitution in our time or in a time to come Secondly what is the next immediate cause to give vital being to the same 1. For the first we observed by searching the Scriptures that every thing belonging to Church-order either at its first rise or after a general long and total loss was grounded on the written word of God and manifested by the spirit of Prophecie Surely the Lord will do nothing in this but he reveales his secrets to his servants the Prophets Amos 3.7 that the book of the Revelations compiling in a certaine method the several changes and administrations time after time must as well inform us when this manifest kingdom reverts as it doth teach us when and how the primitive was dissolved and became Babylon and upon strict inquiry we could not espie the least hint either by type or vocal expression for any approved visible Church-marriage in the age we live in but that the Revelations together with the old Prophets agree with one accord that the time for this noble work is to be fulfilled in an after-age The signes to know this magnificent fabrick to be to come are these 1. The destruction of the Antichristian enemies and removing obstacles out of the way as Hos 2.18 The Lord will make a covenant for them with the creatures and will breake the low sword and battel ouâ— of the earth and make them to lie down in safety and then verse 19 20 I will marry thee to me for ever also Mat. 13.30 43 the tares are first cut down before the wheat is gathered into the barn so Revel 11.18 19. Chap. 15.8 there is no visible temple in heaven opened till the were destroyed who destroyed the earth even till the destruction of the great City mentioned Chap. 16.19 and Chap. 18. likewise Chap. 19.7 8 9. there is no marriage specified till the Hallelujahs be sung for the finall ruine of Babylon and the glorious reign of God Almighty and then Zech. 14.9 when the Lord only is king in all the earth the marriage of the Lamb is come and his wife prepared for her husband then she hath a new grant of his beautiful wedding-garments whereby she shall be outwardly Isa 611 10 covered with the robe of righteousness as a bridegroome decketh himself with his ornaments and a bride adorns her self with her jewels then is there a new call to the Marriage-supper of the Lamb. Thus we may note that this illustrious prophecy given by Christ to shew to his servants future events leads us as by a hand-dyal to the time when the primitive was cast out and to the very season when it returns in its own supernatural lustre 2. The next signe is the call of the Jews and those Eastern parts as Psal 50.1 The Lord hath called the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof and then God will shine out of Sion the perfection of beauty vers 2. So Matth. 24.27 28 when there is a true manifest gathering to the dead carcase Christ noting a stating work then he will manifest his shining dispensation from east to west like lightning and thus Rom. 11.12 15 speaking of the Jews concludes What shall their receiving be but life from the dead 3. The last signe is the visible effusion of the Spirit which being more properly a cause then a signe I shall refer the proof thereof to the Rule next ensuing The final subversion of-Antichrist the call of the Jews and the eastern parts and the open pouring of the Spirit are all as yet unaccomplished 2. The next rule of Trial is what gives life and present existence to a visible Gospel-constitution and the keys thereof Under this notion we examined the common received Maxime of all the lesser independent bodies which is this That in times of Apostacie as this of
for this later coming of the Bridegroom by the pouring glory of his Spirit shall go in with him to the Marriage and not all they but properly the wise virgins shall be thus immediately invested from heaven * See Parag 4. Matth. 25.10 what may be afterwards by the sons of the Church we leave to the times to manifest If you will bring all our new-stated Churches to this touch-stone you may finde them to be of a different metal from the true and however so neer the primitive they seem to be in the outward shell yet in reality to be grounded upon another foundation to wit upon believers not possessed with such a power visibly sent down from heaven Now that faith or the profession thereof without such a divine call and spiriting cannot be a ground-work for stating Churches I shall further prove by these following Arguments 1. Faith must foot on a call as done in obedience to the heavenly voice but now there is no call for visible Church-marriage as is declared in our first Rule and no call no faith nay it wanting that must bottom upon our own call name and time which is presumptuous disobedience 2. God having promised to spirit this again faith must rely upon the same promise till fulfilled and not upon its own power the hundred and twenty were believers and yet begun not any constitution by vertue of that but waited till the keys were given 3. Profession alone can no more give life unto Ordinances from which the glory of God is departed then it can infuse a living soul into a dead carcase It is God's sole prerogative to create their breath of life which he will do in his own season according to what he hath promised Faith and profession are but effects and to attribute such a causal vertue to them is to confound and turn the causes upside down and to set the creature in the place of his Creator 4. This pretended saith void of the call and promise of God and the vital influence of its prime original cause is but a meer work a bare creature-foundation by far too weak to lay a Gospel-fabrick upon and being but humane must in divine things be bottomless and whether the smoke or dispensation arising thence be not then that of the bottomless pit we leave it to wise men seriously to consider We are sure that this is the proper distinguishing character to difference the true from the false The true begins with the smoke or winde Gods glory inspiring the follow the keys opening and entering and by that it becomes a spiritual building the false begins with the key the smoke ensueth and thence is it a building made with hands grounded on tradition Rev. 9.1 2. The true is as smoak descending from heaven the false as smoke ascending from an humane bottom I shall now speak a little to you of the Separation who are modeled into the form of stated Churches I know there are many precious Saints amongst you in whom the character of Jesus Christ is printed and confess that some of you have been instruments to bring to light some solid Truths and prepared way for greater You hold a Separation from all National Hierarchies according to the Scriptures have in part cleared that the Beast reacheth further then the Papal Chair of Rome have renounced prelacies and precedencies have vindicated the consciences of the godly from the Laws and Canons of Courts and Classes maintain the Gospel to come in the liberty and power of the Spirit have rightly pleaded that members of true Gospel-Churches must at least have a visible Saintship have to this day been real and cordial in that noble Cause beginning in our ends of the earth For these good things found amongst you I protest in the presence of the great Tribunal I am obliged by the bond of entire affection and desire your spiritual welfare as my own salvation Yet I must not dare not flatter or dissemble in matters divine but because I love I am compelled to deal plainly and faithfully resting confident that those who are truely pious will desire to see their combustible works burn by the fiery trial of the Vials What I shall expostulate with you I have already convinced in my self Consider seriously whether consultations be not weak grounds to bottom Gospel-Churches or whether the primitive the patern you labour to model by was ever laid upon such sandy foundations or whether these your actings do not contradict many of your own tenents before named Did the Kingdom of God in that first day come by observations or by the descending majesty of the Spirit Or will Christ think you be less glorious in this later Reformation then in the former View I beseech you the Scriptures treating of the dignity of this later marriage Or if you cannot search primarily into the cause look into the effects that follow these your undertakings For knowledge in the ordinary way comes to us secundum posterius so that by those signes or symptomes which break out in manifestation we are directed to look into the fountains whence they issue forth Why was there so great efficacy in the outward order of the primitive Government but because it proceeded originally from the manifest blast of the Spirit Why is there so little in your externalities if not because arising from weak humane principles You that are most discerning do you not see too much of formality too little of power Nay why was that one and the same in every particular drawing the flock of Christ into a general unity unless because it footed in the Spirit which by its illuminating glory virtual operation and perswasive attraction congregated the whole body of Sions sons unto it Why are yours manifold disagreeing and occasions of dividing the Saints but because basing on obscure carnal apprehensions Experience informs us that your various constitutions have rent the Lords people in pieces and are as so many walls to keep them asunder and that which divides is carnal Tell us To which of you shall we joyn to come to the general Assembly Yea to what form shall we come and not in the very act of sitting down sequester our selves from the major part of the godly By a narrow search you may finde your union to ground in division your gathering in scattering View Ezek. 34.5 6 and compare them to your divisions Peter James and John chosen vessels were like in their minority to fall into the same relapse Matth. 17.4 Master if thou wilt let us build tabernacles but alas they knew not what they said understood not that Gospel-tabernacles were not to be made with hands but by the powerful dispensation of the Spirit Much like to this do you Let us build temples let us erect Gospel-Churches Well if you must needs be doing the proper work of your Master observe what censure he gives of such designes Matth. 24.23 24 26. Iuke 17.20 21 22 23. Mark rightly the secret chambers
union of the Spirit which is their breath of life and represents them unto us as the lively appearance of Jesus Christ And this may be called ours it being part of our inheritance when the same Spirit is severed and departed from them they remain as empty rudiments Object But many partake of the Ordinances that have not nor ever shall have union with Christ. Answ Those who do truely partake of the Ordinances must in the participation thereof have union with the Spirit of grace because the same Spirit that is in the Ordinances is in the Saints But to such as have in no kinde the workings of that Spirit the Ordinances are both dead and empty or rather a savour of death not that they are so in themselves but by accident because of their spiritual blindness and unbelief There may be a clear and bright light in the air yet for want of light in the eye a blinde man cannot see nor enjoy the comfort thereof Thus the ministery of Christs Gospel was a light shining in darkness but the darkness comprehended it not Joh. 1.5 the Gospel was not void of light nor the Ordinances being as pipes to the Lamps in the dispensation of their lustre but the men wanted spiritual eyes to behold and embrace its beauty Object But the foundation of Ordinances is the institution of Christ. Answ We deny not the institution of Christ to be the foundation of Ordinances but withal affirm that the next immediate principle is the Spirit of grace proceeding from Jesus Christ which by its union gives them their life and soul There may be an institution before the Ordinance hath its proper existence sometimes the command as made known to us by Scripture-record may be a ratification of that which was in being and practise before as we can instance in both However if the institution be perpetuated in the Word then it continues and the Spirit joyns constantly with it when existing if not then may the Spirit leave it sometimes always sometimes for a certain time determined Object The later are grounded on the Covenant of grace and so are the former if by founded you mean they are effects c. Answ 1. If they be effects they must depend upon their cause as their base and principle Every cause is a principle for Omnis causa est principium 2. We deny not that the later are branches of this Covenant but the former have a more neer relation and connexion therewith then the later for the former were used while Christ was on the earth before the keys of the later were given also the elect in mystical Babylon were Israelites as those within the Covenant Rev. 7.3 4. and having their election sealed up had some breathing and nourishment by the former of these Ordinances but the visible Order in which they stood is by the Spirit termed a wilderness and Babylon and the later Ordinances coming from the false key of that Church were bottomless and bestial In the like manner Israel in Egypt had ministery the Passeover c. before the Legal Marriage was contracted likewise the ten apostated Tribes had Circumcision where the visible stated Church was idolatrous Thus the former being before and without the later have a more immediate compliance with the Covenant and the later with visible orderly Church-constitution joyned thereto the one declares a Covenant member the other together with it a visible Church-constituted member To your sixth Objection from Rev. 7.1 I shall hereafter answer in its proper place in Sect. 2. Now we come to examine and remove your Objections brought against the Cessation which we will divide into five Sections Section 1. Our first was that Ministery Prayer the Sacraments Faith with Profession had the promise of the Word to uphold their successive abiding But the later as Ordination Confirmation Church-censures c. wanted the said promise and so lie void and desolate for a time as is proved in the Cessation I shall return to your two first Objections in the third Section next following Object 3. In the third to prove the later sort to endure successively as well as the former you bring Eph. 4.11 12 13. and 1 Tim. 6.13 14. Answ 1. To that of Eph. 4 we assent that all the Officers there exhibited were gifts sent down from Christ after his ascension to his Father vers 8.11 as also that they were differentially distinguished each from other both in the Office its administration and operation vers 7. and that all these together exceedingly furthered the work of the Ministery and tended wonderfully to the edifying of the body of Christ and the completing of the growth and stature of the Saints But yet we maintain that this dispensation of Office continued not to the end of the world as you would insinuate for it reached no further then the Primitive Apostolical times For proof whereof we shall render these Arguments 1. Because all the Apostles were dead at the end of the first or beginning of the second Century and in little time after Evangelists and Prophets You may from this place as well argue the constant abiding of Apostles Prophets and Evangelists as of Pastors and Teachers seeing the Spirit here speaks of a complete and full dispensation of Official Ministery consisting of all these together to bring this noble work to its perfection 2. The whole primitive key of Office was lost in the Romish defection and returns not again till Babylon is destroyed See the Cessation 3. If Office had lineally descended from the primitive then must Rome's Officers and her officiating be good and true and so she a true visible Church in the deepest of her Apostacie whom the Scripture declares to be Babylon and cast out from true measurement Rev. 11.2 Chap. 17. 4. If your sence be right then apostated Rome must be a continued increasing growing Church higher then it was when Paul wrote this Epistle or the highest degree of the Apostolical Church For the word until notes a continued act and all the tenour of the verses declares an increasing growing state whereas Rome was not a rising but a falling away 2 Thest 23.4 5. Because Christ in the time of this backsliding promiseth a new gift that implies the failing of the former Rev. 11.3 6. The union of faith here specified as the period of this time cannot be applied to the resurrection for then we walk by sense not by faith and enjoy the thing now onely beleft Therefore Sir to give you the true sence of this Text in respect of time we conceive that this word until extends no further then the end of the first or beginning of the second Century For then when the book of the Revelations was given the whole Scriptures were completed and so the work of the Ministery made perfect then was the highest rise fulness and unity of faith then was the scruple of Circumcision in greatest part if not wholly removed the Temple being destroyed
tread the holy City the sealed number under foot are tyrannical and bestial But such National Churches do so tread as is further asserted And the holy city shall they tread under foot The truth of this hath shewed it self not onely in the cruelty of Rome but also by the like tyranny of the Bishops in England and the rigour of the Presbytery in Scotland and that the same aspiring spirit is in many amongst you if the sword of the Magistrate would second and impower you the declarations of some both in their writings and in their open Pulpits which men look upon as the oracles of Truth have sufficiently manifested to the world we hope they will be more wise and tender of the consciences of others for the future These National Churches considered in one universal body are the great city Babylon Chap. 17.15 18. Chap. 11.8 9 10. Now if the visibility of Church-constitution was onely National for many generations as is cleared by all the evidences of former times and these National Churches Babylonish then must there be a fail and cessation of the truth of the same visibility Compare this Scripture with the event and you may finde that as here the whole outward court was given to the Nations and then cast out by the Spirit so the event is parallel to the prophecie which tells us that the total Order of Ecclesiastical regiment became National and was for many hundred yeers Romish in the full possession of the Pope where by the common grant of all Protestants it is held to be Babylon and when the visible Church became a stranger and bottomless the key of outward Government in Confirmation Ordination Excommunication c. must be of the same nature with the Church as is declared in the former Paragraph The truth of this is likewise confirmed by the state of the true Church in the times of this apostacie who was onely a sealed elect number which by an invisible union made up a mystical temple a Sion a women c. whose visible abode was in the wilderness of Babylon as you may read in the Cessation I shall here demonstrate it by another Scripture which was there omitted The text is Micah 4.10 where the prophet speaking of the daughter of Sion saith that she shall go forth out of the city her genuine and celestial Order and shall dwell in the field answerable to the wilderness into which the woman fled Rev. 12.6 and shall go even to Babylon to such a field where is meer confusion from whence the Lord will at last deliver her by separation and redeem her from the hands of her enemies And that this alludes to the condition of the Gospel-Church in spiritual Babylon is evinced by the gathering of the nations against her vers 11 which agrees whith these last combinations against the Saints Zeph. 3.8 Isai 54.15 Revel 16.14 16. by her horns of iron and hoofs of brass to thresh and beat in pieces many people also after her complete victory by her consecrating their gain to the Lord which never was fulfilled in the majesty here delivered but must be proper to the time of the vials wherein the people coming out of Babylon reward her and her assistants with the like degree of punishment Rev. 18.6 Dan. 7.22 The event doth likewise comply with this Scripture as face answers to face in a glass For the primitive Church who was glorious in her visible constitution setled and beautified with Apostolical power did after decline from thence into the vast barren field of the Babylonish nations where she was scattered here and there a godly person outwardly mixed with the rude multitude from whom she was not distinguished either in Membership or Office and where she was held in chains of thraldom by Popes Bishops and the like beastly Hierarchies who in this strange country monopolized the key of Government into their sole tuition and in this desolate estate she must needs be an exile in a forraign land From this bondage also the Lord begins at last to call her out and deliver her from her enemies From hence we may necessarily conclude that if this external station wherein the daughter of Sion visiby stood was a field a wilderness a Babylon or forraign country of strange confusion then must all the beauty of her former outward Order be dissolved and turned into a rude Chaos that if her key of visible Rule was taken solely into the usurpation of Antichrist the Beast those alien lords Then must the Ordinances thereof lie void as did the Temple-vessels in the house of Nebuchadnezzar's idol-gods We will now with God's assistance proceed to answer your Objections made against this Object You alleadge that to say the visible Church did fail is as much as to affirm that the pillars of the earth were broken down the Church standing as firm by Gods ordinance power and faithfulness Answ It is true that the pillars of the earth are born up by the Word of God albeit the earthly governments thereof have the times of their shake and dissolution Psal 75.3 Isai 2.19 21. Hag. 2.21 And withal it is as true that the Church in the being of election inward grace outward profession and the more intrinsecal rule of grace is a kingdom that cannot be shaken Heb. 12.28 it being promised to be perpetual Matth. 16.18 But the visibility of Church-government was not so pillared in the Word for its successive abiding this is rather fore-prophesied that it should be corrupted by Antichrist and become Babylon To lay the ground-work of your after-discourse you here distinguish a visible Church M. Elmest First say you by a visible Church may be meant a company of Christians joyned together in one place set in true order of Worship and exercise of all Gods Ordinances that such a Church hath been in any one place or many successively you think cannot castly be proved Answ By such a Church if we understand you aright you mean a Church set in a right order of Discipline and furnished with true Officers And if such a Church cannot be proved to have been successively through the apostacie then must you yeeld that the primitive chain of Order was broken and so justifie its cessation for such an one it is that you have maintained to abide and we have proved to discontinue This grant of yours duely pondered doth at one breath unmount the whole fabrick of this your Babel and might soon put a period to the major part of this Controversie M. Elmest Secondly by a visible Church may be meant a company of persons professing true religion abstaining from all false worship and worshipping God in a pure way though for the most part in sundry places and meeting in small companies such a Church hath been perpetual Answ 1. Such companies may thus assemble for Ministery Prayer as did the one hundred twenty before they received powerfrom on high and we do now and yet not be a visible Church
invested with a full power to make Members and Officers This stating of your case if we misapprehend you not is a digression from all your former and after writing which tends to manage the continuance of a Church in membership office and the keys thereof 2. Such a Church as you here nominate to wit the Saints assembled in distinct companies who were externally pure from all the corruptions of the times cannot be shewn to the extant through the whole season of the apostacie for both the Scripture and the event hath manifested the contrary that the true was here and there a godly man outwardly mixed with the common Israelites Object You alleadge Such a church there was in Israel among the ten apostated tribes Answ 1. How that of the Israelites was through all the time of that defection is uncertain this we are sure of that there was then a true Church in Judah and Benjamin and the Temple at Jerusalem was the common centre of Worship for all the Israelites and it is more then probable that the godly of Israel have had some relation to the Church of Judea and went at times appointed to Jerusalem But without all doubt none of the Order of Jeroboam's Priests were true Officers nor any succession derived from them the like may be said of the Pope and of your investment coming from him 2. It is untrue that there were always such Assemblies for in the days of Ahab Elijah the chiefest Prophet knew of no such congregatings but testifies that he onely was left 1 King 19.18 So then the seven thousand reserved must be a hidden number known onely to the all-seeing eyes of Eternity and not obvious in open Assemblies Besides this pertains not to the Antichristian deluge and doth not at all prove your point Neither doth that of the Jews captivity for they being amongst Heathens and those wholly without did not involve themselves into their Paganism but were entire within themselves in the service of their God exercised in their own Synagogues were distinct in their Genealogies from the Babylonians their Priestly Office came not in the least from the Idol-priests of Bell but descended without any such interception from the Order of Aaron on the other side the Saints in the mystical were amongst such who though in their Order Babylon yet were not without the Covenant but were Israelites amongst whom they were visibly incorporated and not severed either in Membership or Office which your self confesseth to be the condition of your first and choicest men in the thirtieth page of your book That of the Israelites and this of outward Babylon though in many regards it symbolizeth the Antichristian stand yet not in all there being something more and proper to this later which none of the former could chalenge Object But say you such Assemblies there were through the Antichristian defection Answ This we utterly deny and have manifested the contrary Object But to confirm the constant succession of visible Churches you propound these Scriptures Isai 9.7 Dan. 2.44 Psal 110.2 Answ We have assented to and proved that there was faith and some degree of its profession visible in the lowest ebbe of Antichristianism but it yet remains for you to evince that the true visible constituted Church had its perpetual abiding Your text Isai 9.7 makes it good that Christ ruleth in the kingdom of grace but not a syllable of his constant reigning in visible Church-order is there specified We conclude thus far with you that Christ sits on this throne to order and establish it with judgement yet his ordering is in its dispensations various it was more open and full in the primitive glory more retired and sparing in the Babylonish desertion it will again be more manifest when the glory of the first returns The first word of the verse is divers in the reading in the Hebrew copie it being one thing in the line and another in the margine The line is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our Bibles take the margine The margin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The line if beginning with the primitive times is most concordant with the other prophecies and the event the margine if applied to the Jews last return and the kingdom then rising doth best agree with the other Scriptures speaking of the same time Object But say you what is this throne and kingdom of David but Christ's visible Church in which Christ is to sit and reign visibly as David did in his kingdom Answ You here confound the effect with its cause in making this throne to be the visible Church David's throne in a Gospel-sence is the spiritual throne of grace which is the centre of Divine Majestie the common fountain from whence all the influences of grace do flow and that before which the Saints approach and Christ sits upon this throne of majesty in the heavens where neither he nor his throne are to be seen with bodily eyes as David and his throne were but are onely belieft by the piercing eyes of faith Also the kingdom is but an effect arising from that incomprehensible cause not the cause it self and this may be more open or more hidden according to the various administration of him that sits upon the throne Again the throne of David was not visible in the Babylonish captivity Your next text Dan. 2.44 belongs to the victorious kingdom of Christ in these last days prevailing over Antichrist and the whole Romane Monarchy For 1. This Image comprehends all the beauty and strength of earthly Monarchs from Daniel's days downward the last whereof was the Romanes 2. The last of Iron is distinct from the three foregoing of gold silver and brass Now as the three former metals pictured out three several kingdoms different both in their rise language and regiment from each other to wit the Babylonians Persians and the Grecians so this last of Iron being of a distinct metal from the other must type out another Monarchy even the next set apart from the former three preceding hereupon the Spirit vers 40 calls it a fourth kingdom now the fourth from the Babylonians and the next following the Grecians was the Romanes who were differing from the rest in their original people and government The Romane Monarchy Dan. 7.23 is intitled the fourth kingdom Furthermore the strength of the Iron exceeding breaking in pieces treading down subduing all the rest and devouring the whole earth can agree with no other but the Romanes The Seleucians it cannot be for that was but part of the Grecians and is described to be one wing one head one horn of the third divided unto the four windes and inferiour to the first rise thereof Chap. 7.6 Chap. 8.8 Chap. 11.4 Again the stone interpreted to be the kingdom not the king alone breaks in pieces this of the Iron and it was not the Saints of the most High but the Heathen Romanes that subdued the Seleucians Now this fourth kingdom of the Romanes is dashed into
shivers by the Stone the Saints in the time when this prophecie is fulfilled and that it was not in the age of Christ's Incarnation for then Augustus Caesar reigned under whom that Empire was in the highest degree of its glory and strength Florus reports of that time Hic est Romani Imperii juvenâ—…s quasi robusta maturitas This age was the youthly state and mature manhood of the Empire The destruction of this last kingdom is reserved for these last days to be accomplished by the Angel pourers Rev. 16. Chap. 18. 3. The Stone having broken down and driven away all the former image becomes a great mountain and fills the whole earth and so must reign alone answerable to that magnificent kingdom Rev. 19 6. Zeâ—h 14.9 When the highest Saints take and possess the kimgdom of the former Monarchies Dan. 7.18 22. This they did not in the first Gospel-day when all the power of the Civil Rule was in the jurisdiction of those Romanes to whom the Church at that time was by the Ordinance of God subservient 4. This illustrious kingdom thus filling the earth is said to be everlasting and ever to enjoy the same plenitude of regiment vers 44. Chap 7.27 But even the Ecclesiastical Government of the primitive was seized on by Antichrist and the Nations who had all the outward court given them and who trod the holy city under foot in which time the Church had a great sink and decrease Your next Scripture Psal 1 10.2 speaks of the times of the vials when the Iron rod of Christs strength shall be sent forth out of Sion to bruise his enemies and then Christ in his separated people rules as a conqueror over his adversaries who though never so numerous shall be brought in subjection and such as withstand shall be broken in pieces Hereupon the Spirit by the Kingly Prophet gives sweet and seasonable counsel Psal 2.10 11 12. Be wise now therefore O ye kings be learned ye judges of the earth kiss the Son lest he be angry c. That we may avoid needless tautologies we shall answer to the relation betwixt Christ and his Church as he is a Head a King a Husband and she a Bodie a Kingdom a Wife as also to your supposed inference of our bringing a notable alteration in Christ in the fourth Paragraph Sect. 6. But here you bring three Reasons why this relation must be visible Object 1. They are visible things by which this relation is typed out and so must point out a visible you mean a constituted Church Answ It is usual in Scripture to figure out matters mystical and hidden by things visible and apparently known to us that by objects natural and obvious to our senses our mindes may be raised to the contemplation and comprehension of things divine and supernatural Thus the relative dependence between Christ and a believer is too too subtil and sublimate to be beheld with bodily eyes also Christ ascended as the Head the King and Husband and the throne of grace before which we make address though typed out by visible subjects yet are all to us invisible but the dispensation dâ—maning hence is sometimes more conspicuous sometimes more internal according to the pleasure of Gods own working Object 2. The Church invisible as so is unknown and wholly unseen to men and Christs invisible rule cannot by men be discerned and what honour were this to Christ to reign onely invisibly c. Answ We deny not that there was some degree of the profession of faith always existing but not a Church stated and set in a true visible order Indeed your argument appears very plausible to flesh and blood and makes most for the Church of Rome who onely in all the Western world can chalenge a continued succession of such a visibility of which she most boasteth and layeth as the chiefest pillar to bear up her Babylonish fabrick If then the glory of Christ cannot be uphold unless it be carried on with such an open regiment this deformed Whore is either the onely beautiful Spouse or else could have no honour in the world This Maxime of yours smells strong of a carnal spirit and tends to bring Christ to Lo here or Lo there even in that time when neither the first nor the last open days of the Son of man were to be seen Luke 17.22 If your eyes were further enlightned you might discern that the strength of Christ is made perfect in weakness and magnifies it self as well in the lowest estate of his Church as in its highest exaltation though more eclipsed from his peoples apprehension And thus the Lord is magnified that though he suffered Antichrist to usurp all the external Order of Ecclesiastical Regiment and make it a desolate wilderness yet in this earthly lowe stand of the Saints captivity he reserved to himself a sealed elect number whom he upheld by his own immediate power and gift against whom the gates of hell could not prevail and will at last more abundantly manifest his power justice mercy and love in the destruction of this man of sin and returning to his people more outward magnificence then ever they enjoyed before it being the wisdom of God to make humility the way to honour the darkest night of misery to bring in the brightest day of peace and happiness Again when Antichrist as you confess had seized on all the outward court of Order it would have been no honour to the King of kings to dignifie this visibility in the possession of another with the lively breathings of his Spirit but rather very derogatory for him to give his glory to another and thereupon he cast it out Object 3. Where faith is there it will be visible Answ Your self holds that infants may have the being of faith yet the manifestation thereof appears not unto us Psal 22.9 10. Rom. 9.11 12 13. but true it is that when Christians are of yeers faith will shew it self in the fruits of visible profession in a godly and holy life and exercise of the duties of Piety 2. Visible believers in the first initiation of visible constitution cannot state themselves but must first be stated by Christ by the pouring out of his Spirit as is at large cleared in the second Querie of the Cessation Object But to prove a visible constituted Church through the Antichristian times you instance first the two Witnesses Rev. 11.3 Answ These Witnesses are not visible stated Churches but such men as held forth the light of Ministery for the feeding of the elect in the wilderness of Babylon For 1. They have a true relation onely to the hidden mystical temple without any reference to the outward court 2. Their clothing to wit their outward investment into membership and office was with sackcloth as is before spoken The Primitive clothing was with the Sun even when the Dragon raged against the woman in the height of cruel persecution 3. Their visible stand was in the
wilderness Chap. 12.6 14 and in the streets of the great city where their bodies lay when slain and on which earth they stood for some space after the Spirit of life re-entered vers 8 11 and in this terrene station they prophesied before or in the presence of earthly Hierarchies who sate in the temple or rather the court without as God The most of these Witnesses were in the Romish Church who cried against the known corruptions and administred spiritual food to the elect scattered in that confusion Object It hath been frequently objected by others that these are Candlesticks which never denote visible Churches Answ Candlesticks are not always in Scripture figures of Churches but sometimes do signifie the vessels holding forth the light of Ministery in this sence is it understood Matth. 5.15 Mark 4.21 Luke 8.16 Chap. 11.33 where the light is the Ministery the Candlestick the organ or man containing that gift the house with those truely entering therein the Church And that it is so taken here will plainly appear by an exquisite view of the text For 1. The Church is in this place delineated by another figure viz. the Temple vers 1 and not by the Candlesticks and that house is also an invisible temple shut up from the outward court vers 2. 2. When Candlesticks do resemble Churches they are â—ver set first in figure Zech. 4.2 Rev. 1.12 but here they are placed last 3. They must here belong to Ministery because the Prophets themselves who prophesie are said to be Candlesticks whereas when the Candlesticks denote Churches the Ministers are pictured by another distinct figure to wit by stars Chap. 1.16 20. 4. These are placed after the olive-trees as drawing the oil therefrom and the first relates to their qualifications the last to their dispensation The Prophets are called olive-trees and Candlesticks as they are the instruments that bear hold and dispense the grace and gift of prophecie Object There were say you Saints so manifesting themselves so discovered by the Beast and whore by their opposition which they made to their wayes against whom the beast made war overcame them and were drunken in their bloods Answ The Saints for many hundred yeers in the West even since the Apostacie were not at all visibly distinguished from the Romish Church but lived there without any open persecution Indeed within these later Centuries God raised up more valiant champions who upon some discovery more manfully testified against the great Beast of Rome then before who was then onely extant known to be so and disclosed further the corrupt doctrine of that grand-mother-whore against whom that beast at last raged and prevailed by open persecution But the most of these also were here and there a man living and dying visibly in that Church witness the Martyrs here in England which you may read in M. Fox his book of Martyrs If some were at last distinguished from that great Whore tell us what distinction of Office they had descending from the primitive Order or upon what ground they were stated in Church-discipline Surely they living within the compass of the 1260 yeers must be clothed with sackcloth and stand outwardly in that earthly confusion or wilderness and some of late in the secret chambers The saving and incorrupt truths by them professed were chiefly in point of doctrine They unmasked onely the Beast and Whore of Rome but were blinded in daughter-harlots arising then and after and the Lord in times of ignorance over-looks the weakness of his sincere servants If the Lord had designed a continued chain of true visible stated Churches as you insinuate through every age of this defection severed and apart from Rome then without doubt he would have reserved a succession of office pure amongst the said Churches nay if there had been true official Ministers all along in those Churches then no question but such a lineal descent is extant whence the outward function of the Ministery should be deduced without being beholding to the key of Rome But we know not of any investment coming from Christ and his Apostles with us but what is derived from the Popish Clergy and you in effect confess as much in the 30 Page of your book that Luther and your choicest men had their external calling thence and so much must you grant of your own unless you renounce your genealogy Now if the key pit and smoke in Rome became bottomless as it did Rev. 9. then no off-spring issuing from her can be grounded in the truth of order Therefore were there the like beasts in the Churches you plead for who persecuted the godly by sword banishment imprisonment blood when they were anatomized as the Pope their forefather did before We now come further to expostulate about the temple and the outward court Rev. 11.1 2. Master Elmestone holds the temple to be a true visible stated Church and the Court without to symbolize such a false Church state which never was bottomed in the truth On the other side we maintaine the temple to decipher the mystical union of the one hundred and fourty four thousand sealed or elect ones whereby they are built up a spiritual house and the Court without to be the externality of Ecclesiastical order which was established by Christ in the primitive times and true but after being corrupted by Antichrist was rejected by the Spirit and false Object You alledge That the temple is the visible because measured Answ This measurement was not in the visibility of Church-order but only in the inward work of true grace and worship thence arising as will appear by these reasons 1. Because when the visible Church is measured it hath alwayes degrees of outward demensions and distances specified in the measuring as of the new Jerusalem the city was found by the golden rod to be ten thousand furlongs the wals one hundred fourty four cubits Revel 21.15 16 17. also Ezekiels temple and City from Chap. 40. to the end of the book whereas this hath no such demensions specified in the meting 2. Because the outward court which we have proved in the Cessation to be the externality of Church-order was excluded and forbidden by the spirit to be measured which must infer that nothing was here comprehended but the inward roomes of the hidden man with worship c. flowing from those intimate springs of grace 3. Because only the sealed elect number remained Rev. 7.3 c. Chap. 9.4 Chap. 14.1 Chap. 13.8 Mat. 24.24 Object Those sealed ones were as you truly say elect saved ones but in all ages many more have made profession then the elect and so during the Apostacy many beside the sealed ones did help to make up a visible Church Answ In a true stated Church hypocrites may be circumscribed within the compass of a true external stand and so may have an outward measurement but when the exteriour order is excluded and the measurement only internal to the elect who are visible in false stands
tribulation out of which the godly at last do come nor doth the figure of the wilderness and secret Chambers fitly allude to those who took on them to be Christ in Person but all these properties with the rest above specified most exactly concur with the great Antichrist whether Romish Episcopal or elsewhere and none but in him As for Bencocab he was a Jew and seduced none but Mosaical Jews who soon found him as you confess to be an impostor and therefore called him Bencosban the son of a lye his deceit was to the Jews only of short continuance and did not at all indanger Christians much less the elect amongst them As for Hacket he was an obscure man and did not involve England much less the Christian world in his private error which was not known of most or if it had was too too gross to delude so universally The special warning of Christ to beware infers a greater and more mystical subtilty then were Bencocabs or Hackets Object But say you this false one in the wilderness cannot be applyed much less appropriated to the Roman Antichrist who hath not acted his part in a desart but hath set as God in the Temple of God 2 Thess 2.4 and ruled with pompe over nations Answ 1. We did not appropriate him to the Pope but granted the Bishops and national Presbyters also to have an interest in him who mingled all together compleat this false Christ in the wilderness 2. This wilderness is not a proper as you carnally apprehend but metaphorical speech and alludes to such a way as resembles a desart which is cleared above Now though such worldly pompe may appear very majestical to flesh and blood yet in the Spirits judgement and in a mystical sence it is a desolation being barren and voide of spiritual fruitfulness Thus outward Babylon was the glory of kingdoms the golden city anc very magnificent in the eyes of natural reason yet together with her nations is called a wilderness as before So Rome the head and mother of this mystical Babel is as you assert to a carnal judgement a great and stately City and ruled over multitudes of people yet together with her nations compared with the primitive heavenly glory of Christianity is a meer desart as saith the Prophet Isa 65.10 Sion is become a wilderness That Church which in the first Gospel-day was Sion in the beauty of apostolical order afterwards having such a desolation and confusion of her first Gospel-order so great a famine of the word of God so many thornes and briars in her and usurping a terrene national hierarchy with multitude of ravenous devouring beasts together with a pompous shew of humane Ceremonies Canons c. might most fitly be stiled an earthly wilderness she being worldly in her foundation and whole artifice The place in 2 Thes 2.4 in which Antichrist sits is called the temple by a Synecdoche the whole for the part to wit for the outward Court for no more was given to the Nations over whom he rules as God then the outward Court Rev. 11.2 but the temple vers 1. within to wit the inward roomes of the hidden man that beast never reigned over it being sustained by Christ and this you must assent to unless you make Rome to be a true Church and to have true measurement this text of the Apocalypse interprets that of Paul and the same outward Court was by the Antichristian impietie made a wilderness You grant That the Brownist Dippers c. invite into secret chambers Answ If so then surely it is very improbable that Christ should pass over in utter silence the great beast of Rome the head of all the rest which for many ages did so universally deceive the world and hint only upon the last and least It is not safe to tax Wisdome it self with such an oversight not to close up your eyes against the light of so clear a prophesie You further inquire Whether the calling of men into houses parlors and Chambers do not reflect c. Answ These Chambers are not proper but figurative Chambers as before is shewed and preaching and praying in houses are not as barely considered these false narrow roomes for the Apostles went about from house to house and Christ hath promised his Spirit to those who truly worship him in any place whatsoever You tell me That mutato nomine de me fabula narratur the fable may be told of me Answ If any can tax me with false doctrine or touch us in out call for or walke in separation let him come forth we do not bring Christ to any particular stating so to say Lo nor bottom our union on a narrow corporation but separating from all these restraints we bear up our spiritual relation with all the godly wherever scattered and indeavour to bring them off from these bestial formalities which bondage the Saints and divide Christ to Lo here Lo there that renouncing these they may joyn together with one consent in the way of separation wherein Christ is gone forth that so they may get full victory over the beast and this is not to bring into but pull men off from their inthralings either in the wilderness or secret Chambers I will not say Fabula de te narratur as making the oracle of Truth to be an old wives fable which your inversion against me is but whether for you to take up a new power to state Churches and to make members and officers upon your own call name time spiriting and to shew such signes and wonders in inspiring you stative Ordinances some whereof are meer inventions for you I say to begin such a narrow limited obscure and unwarrantable work upon your own observation as a false Christ and teach it up as a false prophet be not numbered amongst these secret Chambers we leave it for wise and impartial men to determine You indeed plead for national Churches and are officiated from their hierarchies being in your confession in the wilderness but in your walk as those in the narrow roomes Conclusion For conclusion and close of this subject we acquainted you that these latter Ordinances of Ordination Confirmation c. have a being in the Scriptures and the mind and desires of the faithful and that we carry them along with us in our journey of separation as the Israelites of old did the vessels of the temple out of outward Chaldea but dare not officiate in them within the territories of Babylon in which we are till we have passed by the sixth vail over the river Euphrates Object If they have a being in the Scriptures then are they the institution of Christ and ought alwayes to be taken up in practice proved from Mat. 28.20 Answ Those Ordinances which have their constant existence perpetuated in the word by institution and promise are ever accompanied by the same Word and the Spirit thereof for their continued use in all convenient times and places as you affirme
by war and the punishments thereof or at least by a sharpe and searching discovery I shall therefore advise you with all my Christian friends wheresoever to come off from such like defilements lest ye partake with Babylon in her plagues and that your works burn not at the appearance of Jesus Christ and this you will finde to be seasonable Counsel if the Lord open your eyes to embrace it Section 1. Against this our assertion you except first more generally then particularly your general exceptions I shall bind within this Section the particular I shall divide into several Sections apart Object 1. More generally you assert 1. That this course of ours is contrary to all former times whose separations were accompanied with the present setting up of Church-societies Answ 1. This of separation from spiritual Babel is called a new thing then springing forth Isa 43.19 chap. 42.16 and so must in some respect be differing from all the former Againe we grant the separations of former times were presently accompanied with congregating ministery prayer with other services that were lawfully exercised before their departure as we do the like now but withall denie that those servants of God assumed any new thing or an old after its dispensation lay void without a new call and warrant for the work Object To prove yours You instance the departure of Abraham from Chaldaea Israels from Egypt Judahs from Babylon the Primitives from Judaisme and Hâ—athenisme Answ We shall begin with that of Abrahams who as he separated not till God called him from his Country and his Fathers house Gen. 12.1 Act. 7.2 3 4. so in this his journey he made no innovation but onely exercised himself in Ministery Prayer and the like which he emitted not in Chaldaea and after he came into Canaan took not up the signe of Circumcision till he received an express command from Heaven Gen. 17.10 11 12. and this was not till 24 yeers after his first entrance into the Land of promise as appears by comparing ver 1. with chap. 12.3 and near 30 yeers from his going out from Vr of the Chaldees as may be gathered by Scripture-consent To that of Israels stating in the wilderness upon their going forth from Egypt we say 1. That they were separated from Egypt both people and land being passed through the red Sea but we are not yet so from Babylon nor can be till the way be traced over Euphrates 2. They being thus severed remaâ—ned a bare separated people a yeer or more as you confess 3. After that their marriage or Church-state was not contracted by themselves for the Lord himself begun it at mount Smai where they had a call pattern and warrant for all they did all which was smoked by the cloud of Gods glory but you can produce no such call nor glory for any of your new-built constitutions nor prove the continuance of the primitive through the season of the apostacy Touching the Jewes returne from Babylon we answer That they did not rebuild the Temple in their voyage of separation but first came to Sion the proper resting place and then begun it by vertue of an heavenly call directing Cyrus and the Jewes for that designe and by the incouragement of the Prophets Haggai and Zachariah Isa 44.28 chap. 45.4 Ezra 5.12 Object Here you produce against us the saying of the Jewes Hag. 1 2. It is not time to build Answ They being come to Sion and called of God to the work might justly be reproved for slacking their hands Notwithstanding if they should have erected that divine edifice in their journey before arrived there they might have met with a sharper rebuke and punishment The crime is more hainous to usurpe a power and build upon their own bottoms then to neglect it in its time though I justifie neither However God calls not his people to any such work now in these our travels from mysticall Babell neither can man do it in its owne season this spiritual fabrick being not built by hands as the outward was but the Lord himself must first create it by the pouring out of his Spirit Your temerity in constituting your Church by your owne power before God begins it and charging us as being too too slow for waiting his proper time brings to our mind a story in Exodus chap. 32. When Moses there seemed to the Israelites to tarry too long they as impatient of delay must needs go before God and frame a golden Calfe by their own imaginations as you now do a bestiall Idol To that of the primitive we reply that the Disciples used ministery prayer baptisme and at last received the communion but did not state any visible Churches and after Christs resurrection from the dead they tarried at Jerusalem expecting the promise of the Father to impower them for the same work Indeed when they were first married by God by the glorious emission of the Spirit they by vertue thereof as sons of the Church married in others by bringing them into that Gospel-fellowship So that when visible Churches are existing men are received in as married members when not there can be no entrance further then into a Covenant membership waiting the times of God Object 2. Your next charge against us is that ours is against a common rule for interpreting Scriptures which is that wherein it commands the avoiding of evil it doth vertually command the contrary good Answ This rule we infringe not but imbrace and follow For as we flee from the beast his image marke name and number so we walk in that good way of assembling and exercise such ordinances as are now spirited by the Lord. But you are so far from doing good upon the avoiding evil that you run from one evil of the Bishops and rush into another of Presbytery from Babylon and the beast into Babylon and the same beast newly translated Object 3. You further taxe us that this course of ours casteth a foul blot of gross ignorance and rash presumption upon all the Protestant Churches Answ 1. Your selves separating from the Nations and setting up a Church distinguished from the rest of your parish do in your practice condemn all national Churches You also in your principles and words unchurch all the lesser independent bodies the like do they to you and all others not of their way Therefore for you to lay so high a charge against us and do the same things seemes to favour of partiality and come under the reproof of the Apostle Rom. 2.1 2. For clearing our selves we answer Vivimus legibus non exemplis We set not the practices of men but the lawes of God for our examplar That of man hath especially from the first beginning and so downward of the Antichristian darkness been the common misleading mark of Christians both in Papacy Episcopacy and the like And the differing and disagreeing formes of Churches in our age may teach how invalid humane authority is in the things of God But
the word of God we are assured is an unerring rule by which we shall endeavour to steer our course and not by the wandering notion of learned men Our recourse is onely to the Law and Testimony for proof whether you they or we be rightest In the interim we condemn not the grace of Christ where-ever we finde it nor the generation of the righteous as righteous Yet if their outward way be condemnable by the word of God we conceive it true humility and piety to judge accordingly and charity to acquaint them therewith Thus we shall end with your general exceptions against the whole and shall in the next place proceed to the more particular framed against some particular reasons before nominated which we will divide into several Sections Your fourth Objection is opposite to our first Reason deduced from Rev. 18.4 9. and runs as followeth Object 4. All Circumstances considered the time of this separating and rewarding is not untill God shall put it into the hearts of Kings to joyne together to destroy Rome it self and is surely about the pouring out of the last or some of the last vials And then being ready to give the onset on Rome by this voice they are called to plague her throughly At which time this call is directed to such of Gods people who are hidden in the Idolairous City and the adjacent territories to flee from her by a personal flight And how long it will be ere this be effected the Lord knowes Answ This your assertion consisteth of many fallacies which must be drawn out in their parts to clear up the truth 1. As that Babylon is not onely Rome with her adjacent territories but the great City chap. 17.18 reaching where out Lord was slaine chap. 11.8 above two thousand miles distant from Rome and duely pondered must be as large as the whole Roman Christian Empire and so compriseth England Scotland France or what place soever hath a false Church or beastly power to bear it up 2 These last plagues of God are not onely against Rome but every land where Babylonish Churches are residing even all Christian Nations The same whirlwind in these latter daies is said to begin at the ends of the earth and to go from Nation to Nation Jer. 25.31 32 33. chap. 23.19 20. chap. 30.23 24. Psal 110.5 6. and to be universall Isa 24. chap. 34. Luk. 21.35 Mat. 24.37 c. We have seen the beginnings of it in our Dominion the effects whereof were lately like to fall on some men of note in England Caetera taceo 3. This call of separation is not simply from Rome as an outward place but from all Antichristian stands whether Romish Episcopal Presbyterial c. the call is generall and the surest remedy to escape the general judgement 4. The pouring these plagues is not all at once by the last or some of the last vials it is gradual by every vial degree after degree For all the Angels pour out in their order upon the Earth Sea Rivers and fountains Sun and Throne of the beast upon the great river Euphrates and the aire chap. 16. 5. Not the Kings of the earth but the separated people are the principal instruments in rewarding for the text bids first Come out of her my people then reward States that come off may be assistants Object But this was done by the ten hornes ten Kings chap. 17.16 12. Answ The reading of the text must be warily observed for the better understanding thereof The most and authentick Greek copies have it The ten horns and the beast shall hate the Whore but Aretas whom the vulgar Latine followes renders it The ten horns on or upon the beast shall hate both senses are true and in both the hornes and the beast are coupled together the hornes and the beast hate also the horns hating are fastened on the beast And as the horns are these ten for nature Christians not for number for they did not all ten but some of them detest this Whore to the same Christian beast that abhors must be taken by the like Synecdoche the whole for the part to wit the Episcopal and Presbyterial beast shall hate not the Papal and the Whore defied must must be the great Whore or grandmother Rome who in her whordoms was grown over-foul They detested not the lesser and more specious daughters of whom themselves were a part nor yet the the woman Babylon in her extent for they most sadly mourned for her downfall their riches and delicacies being taken away with her chap. 18.9 10. Neither did they abominate the beast but beeing fastned on him did assist him with their Armies against the sitter on the white horse and his Armies and both hornes and beast fell together ch 19.11 to the end The abovesaid hating appeares to us to allude to the Protestant Princes who together with their beast the ecclesiastical hierariches either Episcopall or Presbyteriall did hate make desolate and naked consume and burn up the whore of Rome as having nothing to do with her in their dominions Now the rewarders before specified were not horns on the beast being severed from the very number of his name and being on Christs side follow him upon white horses to subdue the beast and horns together For the time of the call of separation I shal speak in the next place Object You go on and say that the spiritual separation made by Protestant Princes and Churches from Rome in doctrine and worship as they had a warrant from this call the reason whereof belonging to all times and persons not to partake in Romes sins do sufficiently inforce it so had they pregnant grounds from other Scriptures and commands Answ Here are many insinuations also couched up in this sentence which must be examined in their parts As 1. What you here intend by your spiritual separation 2. How you can justifie a spiritual separation to be made by Princes you mean I suppose by their laws If it be spiritual it must be caused by the free motion of the Spirit constraining a people by the linkes of love and not inforced by the cumpulsive lawes of men 3. You affirme your separation to be in doctrine and worship it seemes you are ashamed to say in discipline as being convinced in your conscience that yours is the same radically with Rome If your Church be grounded upon a Baylonish discipline it cannot be a visible Sion Jer. 51.26 4. You tell us they had a warrant for it from this call by which at at one breath you blow downe all you built before Marte cadunt subiti per mutua vulnera fratres For if this call be not untill Kings join together to destroy Rome it self about the last or some of the last vials and that then it is directed to such onely who are hid in that City with the adjacent territories how can these be applyed to Protestant Princes and Churches They renounced Rome long before they were
not hid in that City nor the adjacent territories nor fled they from thence by a personal flight These two extremes will hardly come together 5. This call here specified pertains not to all times and persons For as Israel was to be in outward Babylon for the space of seventy yeers before the call for their departure so the woman was to remain in the mystical for a full season even 1260 yeers Rev. 12.6 as before the wheat and tares were to grow together till harvest which belongs to the vials chap. 14. and then this call for separation had its peculiar time prefixed the war and it being conjoyned together The primitive Saints failing in their first love sunk into the same earthly confused condition and were left asleep in that wilderness for a full season till the times of God came for their deliverance from bondage 6. This of Protestantisme cannot properly be termed a separation in respect of Church-constitution but rather a dividing of the kingdom Dan. 2.41 The true separation consists in a number out of Nations Rev. 7.9 who are off from the beast and his thorne over consciences as standing immediately before the highest throne and were not defiled with women chap. 14.2 3 4. But theirs was whole Nations good and bad together and they set up a beast originally derived from Rome and by consequence must in their Church-state be a strange woman as is proved in Paragraph 1. Sect. 3. Indeed Antichrist reigning long in his Catholique pontificalitie grew so foul at last that he was found out by the Protestants and being discovered was contented with them to sit down in Episcopacy but lording it there with too much tyranny was also disclosed to be the same beast trimmed in other habit and where he could not be admitted that attire in policy that he might the easier deceive masked himself under a more curious dress in Presbytery yet his ground-work arising by descent from the Pope is the same with the former and he also there usurps or chalengeth the like popedom over consciences The same beast remaines in all onely his Kingdome is divided To your fifth Objection we answer that by the word only we exclude stating not assembling for Ministery Prayer c. Section 3. Your next Objections are directed against our seventh Reason where we tell you that we are yet but in the way towards Sion Before we give a reply to yours we shall acquaint you what we conceive of this subject to prepare for that following We hold that there was a Sion 2 Temple a Woman a Kingdome of grace and a reigne of God therein through all Gospel-times yet withall that this did not constantly abide in the external order of Ecclesiastical government but was in its outward stand and dispensation various In the primitive day Sion was not onely inward in the work of grace and the hidden man saith c. but likewise visibly stated by Christ in the glory of her outward order In the dark night of Antichristianisme she was more retired subsisting simply in the grace of Election mystical union with some weak degree of profession and witness had the badge of the covenant but visibly in a false strange and Babylonish constitution as is cleared in the Cessation After the final subversion of Antichrist the like visible government shall againe descend from heaven as is shewed in the Cessation also Quaer 2. This is diversly stiled in the Prophets answerable to the sense it is opposed against or applyed to Sometimes to teach us that before the Saints were outwardly a scattered and bondaged people in a strange land or Babylon the visibilty of true Gospel-order and regiment is by a Synecdoche termed Sion Rev. 18.4 Isa 35. The ransomed of the Lord return from Babylon to Sion The redeemed ones were never absented from the mystical Sion but from the visible they were and to that are said to return Likewise to inform us that a mystical or more invisible Sion remained and to point out in particular what failed and what againe reverts the Prophets tell us that it is the visibility of regiment shall be added to the former as Mich. 4. after the vials wars are ended in a full peace ver 3.4 the Lord shal reigne agreeable to Rev. 19.6 and then thou O Tower of the flock the strong hold of the daughter of Sion unto thee shall it come even the first dominion the Kingdome shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem ver 8. then judgement shall be given to the most high Saints Dan. 7.22 Now to apply this to our case we affirme that in the former of these two acceptations we are in our way to Sion in the latter we are on Sion expecting the glory of her government to come from the Lord Jesus So that Sion in the Scriptures is sometimes taken only for the mystical or mount of true grace and thus it is in the times of the apostacy sometimes for the visible order of the Church-constitution or outward rule The not marking this hath caused many in the daies of this more intrinsecall administration to bring the promises belonging to Sion unto their stated formes and so to Babylon thereby deluding both themselves and the people thus did the Pope thus did the Bishops and the like do all the rest We shall now proceed to remove your obstacles Object 1. It is the state of all imbracing the Gospel to be come to mount Sion and the celestial Jerusalem Heb. 12.22 Answer This was spoken to the Gospel-Church of the primitive day who was Sion as in the being and profession of faith so also in her outward corporation and discipline and cannot in its latitude be extended to all Gospel-times Object 2. To prove the perpetual succession of a Gospel Sion stated in outward order through the Antichristian age you instance Rev. 14.1 Answ Sion here specified figures out the mount of true grace and the unmoveable foundation thereof For all the Elect sealed number and only they stood with the Lamb upon this mountaine See the Cessation If this be meant of a visible constituted Church then must if follow either that all the Elect in the world and only they through the whole season of tribulation must successively in every generation thereof be congregated apart by themselves and set in a true order distinguished from the Papacy Patriarkship c. or else that Rome and the Greek Church as corrupt as she carrying this continuance of visibility must be true and orderly constitutions made up of members elect and pretious and none but such If the former be asserted the Scripture and the event both manifest that the Saints were scattered and mixed amongst the nations if the latter more must attributed to Rome then she dares chalenge to her self Besides this daughter of Sion was visibly in Babylon where all the beauty of her exteriour order was turned into confusion as you may at large read in the same Cessation as also Parag.
after the conquest over Antichristian adversaries is finished after the praises by that song are perfected the temple of the tabernacle of the Testimony in heaven was opened also Chap. 11.19 the same temple was opened after they were destroyed who destroyed the earth and God had taken to him his great power and had reigned at that time likewise the marriage will come chap. 19.7 So that this book of the Revelation most exactly in all these three places agrees in the same point of time wherein the visible Church-marriage returns and that is after the final overthrow of the beast and his adherents The Spirit having thus summarily delineated the whole figure of the seven Angels separation and marriage succeeding in common Types goes back again with a further explication of the said Angels spoken of vers 1 as that which prepares and furnisheth them for their pouring out wrath Chap. 16. In vers 6 they come out of the temple to wit out from the elect number to shew themselves in open manifestation of pouring and vers 7 the Beasts or livings who have the life and light of Gods Spirit in their Ministery gave to the seven Angels seven vials to make them ready for their following work and vers 8. tells us that the visible opening for entrance specified vers 5. cannot be till the seven Angels had fulfilled their plagues and that after that the temple shall be smoaked and opened Thus vers 6 7 go along in order of story with verse 1 and furnisheth for pouring Chap. 16. and vers 8. prepares by smoaking for the opening vers 5. It is usual in this book first in brief to describe generals and after to come to some one or more particulars If it be asked how the seven Angels are said to be in heaven vers 1 and to come out of heaven vers 6. as most Greek Copies have it wherein it best agrees with vers 1. We answer that heaven is often taken for a high and prevailing power over others Thus the Dragon with seven heads and ten horns Chap. 12.3 is said to be in heaven to wit in the high orb of regiment from whence he was cast down vers 8 9 13. thus the Babylonian Monarchy exalted above others is compared to heaven Isa 14.12 Jer. 51.53 So these Angels are seen in heaven that is an overswaying administration of puissance over their enemies both in discovery and war who are beneath them as the low earth and they above as pouring down their wrath upon them their vials are as the bottles of heaven dropping down plagues upon the world Isa 24.18 Or if heaven do also note out brightness and purity as we conceive it doth then the latter Angels are in a higher sphere then the former as acting in a loftier cause and upon more sublime principles Hereupon many that go along assistants with the former may be too low for the latter Angels and proving adversaries have their wrath poured down upon their heads And thus these Angels are declared to come out of the temple as coming from the number of the Elect to shew themselves in such heroick designs to be clothed with white linen as being of the separation who had the like vesture Chap. 7.9 and to be in and come out from heaven as being in power and purity above the Antichristian world and from those noble principles go forth to reap down all opposers So that this temple whence these Angels come was the mystical temple of the elect number from whence the externality of order was excluded expressed Chap. 11.1 2. and was not opened for visible entrance till they had finished their pouring upon Antichrist vers 19. If the tabernacle of the testimony of the temple was opened in the beginning of Protestantisme as you seem to aver we shall desire you to unfold unto us in your next reply what the particulars thereof signifie as the Mercy-seat the Ark the golden Pot the Manna therein How the Manna differs from the Shew-bread What is Aarons rod that budded and the tables of the testimony in their highest excellency What are the Cherubims of glory Why two what are their wings why alwayes stretched out and meeting together shadow the Mercy-seat what are their faces why they look inward what is the golden Censer why of gold all within and without what gold emblems as distinct from silver brass and prerious stones What they also type out what is the second veile what is the candlestick with its seven Lamps all of gold what is table of the Shew-bread the bread it self the Incense thereon why only the superficies was of gold and the inside Shittim wood what iâ— the golden altar the fire and the smoak of incense why that also was gold without and wood within how that is distinguished from the brazen altar what is the brazen altar what is the first veile Lastly what all these are in Christ what in the Saints in general what in every Saint in particular All which will be clearly seen when the veiles are removed and this temple opened If you who are experienced in all the tenents of the Protestants and have the light and learning of the times to second it refuse to interpret these mysteries when requested understanding men must either judge that you neglect your duty in hiding your candle under a bushel or else that you with your party are not able to unfold the mystery Most will rather conclude the later that these are not apparently open to your Church that your visibility is no part of this Temple opened and that you meddle with Scriptures to prove the same of whose sense you are ignorant We assure you the highest degree of knowledge attainable in this life lieth in the comprehending of these profundities which as we conceive will not be apparently known till the Spirit is againe poured out at that time knowledge shall cover the earth as waters cover the sea Habak 2.14 Isa 33.6 Chap. 60.1 Section 5. Your next assertions are opposite to our fourth Reason in which we tell you that we are not as yet fully devested of our Babylonish defilements Object 1. You affirme That some rags of Antichristisme detained though a deformity yet can no more keep any Christian company out of Sion then the sacrificing in high places kept the Jews from thence or the sin of Polygamy put Abraham out of the catalogue of the Patriarks or the remainders of infirmities debar the regenerate from communion with Christ Answ That of the high places belongs to the legal not to the Gospel-Church who though after degenerated yet in her first institution was separated wholly from Egypts defilements was outwardly cleansed before that covenant was given Exod. 19.14 had all her ordinances in the purity of divine institution without any mixture of mens inventions That external sanctifying before the * Exod. 15.14 law was given may type out the spiritual cleansing which ought to be before a Gospel-stating Besides the temple and Church
compel doth testifie still retaining their old mustie store and sowre wilde grapes of Antichrist your Ministery is foully corrupted with guile and false principles about discipline accompanied with bitter and odious invectives against these harpers Lastly let us examine your National Churches above-named by Chap. 15. They stand not simply upon a sea of glass the word only purely sensed but upon the more gross interpretations of the Fathers and other learned men in darker times from whom they esteem it presumption to differ though to the native Truth as your sharp and frequent reproofs of me for differing from them doth demonstrate they have not obtained a conquest over the Beast but have erected a Beast in Episcopacie Presbytery c. his Image in their Canons and other Ordinances changed into his likeness his Mark by a subjection thereto nor are their members in distinct congregatings as being off from the number of his name but are all numbered to him And those who now adhere to these National Hierarchies are so far from harping out this triumphant song of victory by separation and war and singing True and righteous are thy ways herein thou King of Saints as they are secret mourners having a wound in their spirits at these his just proceedings and his judgements now made manifest witness of late the dolour for the overthrow of the Scots who fought in the Presbyterian cause your publike reproaches against the Separation with inward torments for their freedom together with many other passages which shew how this great work of God now beginning is closed and fast locked up from your understandings We desire from our souls that the Lord Jesus who hath the key of David would open the door of your hearts whereby his admired designes changes and works to be done might enter In the mean time you may behold your folly in bringing those texts to convince us and prove your practice every circumstance whereof agrees with the way of separation and riseth up as so many witnesses against yours You ask us Whether the Ordination of Ministers in such National Churches be a mark of the Beast Answ Seeing the Churches themselves are not these harpers but such as stand under a bestial power the Ministers must be of the same nature with the Churches And your Ordination whether by Bishops or preaching Presbyters coming from the corrupt key of Rome though done by fasting and prayer must carry with it the mark or brand of the same Beast or if the man be truely pious his outward livery And thus to judge is neither ignorance nor malice as you charge it but the discovery of Christ in his Revelation who through our sides you are pleased to defame with black terms of obloquie To your next we say that you are not clothed with the white garments of the harpers but with the black habit of sack-cloth You tax us with omitting singing of Psalms Answ For mine own particular I question not the Ordinance of vocal singing of Psalms though some do scruple the manner thereof as conceiving it to be much abused Albeit this harmonizing here is not tyed to metre but is the inward joy wrought in the hearts of Gods separated Saints for their noble redemption from the Beast and the new mercies bestowed on them which breathes forth either in secret ejaculations or acts more openly in Ministery Prayer Thanksgiving c. Object You quaere How we can be in our return from Babylon and yet within Babylons territories Answ A man may be returning from London and yet within the line of Communication so in this gradual separation we cannot go clear off at once but by degrees See Parag. 4. Reas 7. Before we conclude give us leave to propound a few Quaeries very material to be considered of 1. In general for all 2. In particular to you The general shall be a brief contracting of the whole body of this Controversie and are as followeth 1. Whether the being of yours or any other Office with us passing by succession from the Primitive came by a Lineal descent from Rome or not If some say Not then whether any can prove their Genealogie distinct and apart from her If from Rome as you confess then whether the essence and foundation of Office be true there or not If true then whether she must not radically be a true Church and a Sion If she be in her constitution false bottomless and Babylon whether there were not a dissolution of your line and chain 2. Whether a true congregated Church set in a right and compleat order of discipline in our Western Horizon can be proved from the Apostolical times to be distinct from the Romish Synagogue If not as the Scripture and the event doth clearly manifest then must there be a cessation and departure of Gods glory from this visibility proved from these Scriptures Rev. 7.1 Chap. 9.1 2 3 c. Chap. 11.2 3. Whether the primitive order sinking there must not be a new call and spiriting from God for the first restoring and beginning of this work whereby his glory may return to make it a true spiritual and heavenly building 4. Whether such a visible administration that gives being to a true pure genuine and single Gospel-marriage be to be seen in the first initiation of any of our new-built Church-formes or can be evidenced by Scripture to be existing at this present or whether this same be not prophesied not to return till after the downfall of Babylon by these Scriptures Rev. 19.2 3 6 7 8 9. chap. 11. 19. Hos 2.19 20. Isa 62.4 5. chap. 14.15 Mic. 4.3 8. Mat. 25.10 5. Whether if so all our visible constitutions must not be man in their ground-work and so numbered to that beast Rev. 13.18 6. Whether then the way prepared cast up approved of and called unto for his Servants now to walk in be not a separation with distinct Congregations without sitting down as Queens in visible constitutions I shall desire the Godly seriously and impartially to examine these Quaeries by the word of God We were all in a spiritual sense asleep and it is no shame but a honour to yeild to the conquest of truth and suffer it freely to triumph over our former misleadings and wanderings The Quaeries in particular to you are these 1. Whether as above your Office of the Ministery the corner-stone of your outward building being derived from the national hierarchy which successively came from the Pope be not one of Babylons stones and whether it be not against this text Jer. 51.26 They shall not take of thee a stone for foundations but thou shalt be desolate for ever saith the Lord. 2. Whether your gathering of Gospel-Churches out of true Gospel-Churches which you acknowledge the national to be be warranted by the Scriptures if so we desire your proofs for it 3. Whether your making of Elders without laying on of hands be agreeable to the primitive practice 4. Whether the receiving in of members made by your selves be taken from the primitive pattern that is whether such a Covenant and subscription thereto was the Ordinance by which men entred into Church-fellowship in that Gospel-day or whether members were not then received in by laying on of hands if by such a Covenant we desire your Scriptures to warrant it 5. Whether all this be not to omit or transgress the lawes and change the ordinances Isa 24.6 Yet one thing more You have taken a great deal of pains through your whole Book to prove a true visible stated Gospel-Church thorowout the Gospel-times but all this while you have not shewed us which of all the several forms is that true stated Church Rome arrogates it the Lutherans usurp it the English Episcopacie plead it the Presbyters and you chalenge it the Dippers appropriate it those called Brownists claim it as their sole interest the Independents assume it And truely the wisest man in Europe taking a thorow view of every one of these Church-models will be at a stand certainly to determine which of them is the true and right and which had its lineal descent in the rectitude of Order from the Primitive The more accurately he examines the greater occasion he may finde to question all Sir I beseech you not to take in prejudice what I have here presented in benevolence For though many things may appear something strange at first yet I hope upon second thoughts you will finde them no other then the real truths of God delivered by the Prophets Apostles and the Lord himself I presume you will not adjudge him who hath been and is your cordial friend to become your enemy because he tells you the truth and that in the same language the Spirit in Scripture speaks Indeed I may seem to some to be over-sharp but the discoveries by the vials are so imparted by the Spirit as at the one side to increase the torments of the marked souldiers of Antichrist so on the other side thorowly to searse and eat out the mystery of that deceit too deeply riveted in the mindes of many vessels of honour For though the Spouse was not totally deceived so as to be struck at the heart or killed yet was she so much deluded as to receive a wound Cant. 5.7 which cannot recover a perfect cure but by a searching salve And for my self I dare not daub in the things of God nor call evil good nor darkness light nor soothe up with flattering titles left my Maker should destroy me When I see my brother straying I am commanded to rebuke with plainness and not in any wise to suffer sin to rest upon him to omit which duty were a symptome of hatred Lev. 19.17 And I will assure you they are no other then the faithful wounds of a friend which in receiving may carry the vertue of an excellent oil that will not break your head but onely remove such putrefaction as might otherwise procure your loss at the day of Jesus Christ FINIS