many as receive they become the sons of God as being born 2 Cor. 4.16 not of bloud nor of the will of the flesh but of God And this also is that inward man of which Paul professes that though the outward perish is yet in the true Saints of God renewed day by day Wherefore he that is arrived to this Substantiality of life will be fixt in all useful Divine Truths and the Reasons that grow on such a Root will be found solid and permanent by him that has the Root but where they are merely verbal and imaginarie and float onely in the Brain the Heart being animal and brutish they may easily prove very weak fugitive and vanishing Not that they are so in themselves but may appear so to those who have onely the Picture of the Flower in their Brain not the Root in their Heart in which is the Pavilion of Life and inmost Tabernacle of God in the Soul He that lives in this dispensation of life O Hylobares can never be dissettled in his thoughts touching the Existence of God and his Providence or the Immortality of the Soul For he cannot be prone to suspect the Soul's capacity of living separate from the Body whiles he perceives her to live at that distance and defiance with the Body already while she is in it nor at all doubt of the Existence of God whose power spirit impulse and energie he so distinctly perceives in his own Soul For such is the nature of the Divine Life that none that feels it but must confess it not to belong to any creature as such but to be the very Power and Spirit of God actuating the Soul How can he then doubt of Him whose power and presence he so sensibly feels Wherefore this Dispensation of Life Hylobares is all in all to him that desires to philosophize with steddiness and solidity Hyl. These are great and magnificent things which you declare O Philotheus but yet such as seem to me neither incredible nor unimitable And therefore God willing I shall endeavour as well as I can to steer my course according to the Rules you have intimated and make it my main scope to attain to that state which you call the Dispensation of Life For I see all is very vain and shadowy without it But in the mean time I must crave pardon of Philopolis that I have occasioned Philotheus to mis-spend so much of that time that he thought too little for his own design and for the present purpose in hand Philop. Philotheus speaks so favourly and edifyingly of every subject he is put upon that it is ever pitty to interrupt him But sith he has now desisted of himself if he please at length to enter upon the Subject I first of all propounded it will very much gratifie my desires Hyl. It is therefore now Philopolis very seasonable to propound your Quere's to him Philop. My First Quere V Philopolis his Quere's touching the Kingdome of God O Philotheus was What the Kingdome of God is the Second When it began and where it has been or is now to be found the Third What progress it has hitherto made in the world the Fourth and last What success it is likely to have to the end of all things These are the Quere's Philotheus which I at first propounded concerning which if you please to instruct us plainly and intelligibly though not so accurately and scholastically we shall think our selves eternally obliged to you for your pains Philoth. I shall doe my best I can to serve you herein Philopolis and that as briefly and perspicuously as I can with all plainness of speech and without any affectation of Scholastick Scrupulosities being desirous onely to be understood and to convince And the God of Heaven assist us in this our discourse of his heavenly Kingdome that we may so understand the Mysteries of it as that we may faithfully endeavour the promoting the Interest thereof both in our selves and in all men to the Glory of God and Salvation of the World Amen Philop. Amen I pray God Philoth. VI What the Kingdome of God is in the general Nation thereof with a defence of the truth of the Nation Your first Quere O Philopolis though it be very short yet is exceeding comprehensive and by reason of the multisarious signification of the terms involves much matter in it at once which yet I shall endeavour to comprise and take in as well as I can by this brief Definition of the Kingdome of God in general The Kingdome of God is the Power of God enjoyning exciting commissioning or permitting his creatures to act according to certain Laws which considering all circumstances or upon the compute of the whole are for the best Philop. I partly understand you Philotheus and conceive you intend such a Definition of the Kingdome of God as takes in the Kingdome of Nature also and respects those Laws whereby both the brute Animals are guided and the senseless Plants and dead Meteors and Elements according to the extent of your defence hitherto of Divine Providence running from the highest and most Intellectual Order of things even to those Material Beings which are framed and actuated by the Spirit of Nature or Seminal Soul of the World Sophr. Why that is no more then the Scripture it self will warrant him to doe Philopolis The Psalmist is very frequent in such expressions The Lord has prepared his throne in Heaven Psalm 103.19 21 22 and his Kingdome ruleth over all Bless ye the Lord all his Hosts ye Ministers of his that doe his pleasure Bless the Lord all his works in all places of his dominion Bless the Lord O my Soul This in the 103. Psalm And in the 148. Psalm he makes all the several degrees of the Creation from Heaven to Earth from Angels to Brutes Plants and Meteors the Hosts of God and exhorts them all to praise the name of the Lord For he spake the word and they were made he commanded and they were created he hath made them fast for ever and ever he hath given them a Law which shall not be broken And again in the 119. Psalm O Lord thy word endureth for ever in Heaven thy Truth also remaineth from one generation to another Thou hast laid the foundation of the Earth and it abideth they continue this day according to thy ordinance for all things serve thee Whence it is plain that the Dominion of God and his Kingdome reaches as far as the whole comprehension of the Creation Cuph. Why then in some places O Sophron the Kingdome of God will be coincident with the Kingdome of the Devil Bath Why Cuphophron what greater inconvenience is there in that then that the Kingdome of Nature and the Kingdome of God should be coincident which you seem not to gainsay Cuph. Methinks it sounds very odly and besides we may conceive a subordination betwixt the Kingdome of God and the Kingdome of Nature but the
Imprimatur Sam. Parker RR mo in Christo Patri ac Domino Ex Aedibus Lambeth Decemb. 20. 1667. Domino Gilberto Divinâ Providentiâ Archiepiscopo Cantuariensi à Sacris Domesticis THE TWO LAST DIALOGUES Treating of the Kingdome of God Within us and Without us AND OF His special PROVIDENCE through CHRIST over His CHURCH from the Beginning to the End of all Things Whereunto is annexed A brief Discourse of the true Grounds of the Certainty of Faith in Points of Religion together with some few plain Songs or Divine Hymns on the Chief Holy-days of the Year LUKE 9.62 No man having put his hand to the Plough and looking back is fit for the Kingdome of God REVEL 1.17 Fear not I am the first and the last I am he that liveth and was dead and behold I am alive for evermore Amen and have the Keys of Hell and of Death LONDON Printed by I. Flesher 1668. THE PUBLISHER TO THE READER Reader I Believe thou wilt wonder at the preposterous Order of my publishing these Two Dialogues before the Three first have seen the Light and indeed it may be most of all why I publish them at all If it were a matter of ordinary intelligible Political Interest or the Solution of some Algebraicall Probleme or the Discovery of some quaint Experiment towards the perfecting of Natural Philosophy or the Decision of some notable Point in Polemicall Divinity Reason would that we should accept of your Performance and have the patience to peruse it But to draw out a long tiresome Story of the Kingdome of God and Fate of the Church through I know not how many dark Types and obscure Aenigmaticall Prophecies where we can fix no sure footing in any thing Quis leget haec The Gallio's of this Age care for no such things Well admit the case to stand so Reader as thou suggestest yet this could be no just Impediment to either the Writing or Publishing these Dialogues For every genuine Minister of the Kingdome of God has a commission to preach in season and out of season 2 Tim. 4.2 He that observes the Winde shall not sow Eccles. 11.4 and he that regardeth the Clouds shall not reap If S. John's Apocalypse had not been writ nor published before it would have been readily read and understood the date of those Visions had been at least fifteen hundred years later then it was and the Event of things had anticipated their Prediction And for the pretended Aenigmaticall Obscurity of the Types and Prophecies the endeavour of this Authour has been that they should cease to be so any longer which I believe they do to them that look upon them with an impartial eye and are duely prepared to receive the Sense of them For some Pollutions may hinder them from seeing any thing as they say it is in the looking into the Magick Crystall or Shew-stone Two looking into the same Crystall but differently prepar'd or predisposed the one sees clearly a Scene of things to come the other nothing Which though it be strange in that case yet it seems far stranger in this of the Prophecies the main things aimed at being of as clear Solution the Postulata admitted that is to say the truth of History and the Sense of the Prophetick style though no farther then the Scripture it self interprets it as any Probleme in Algebra As will certainly appear to the intelligent from M r Mede's Synchronisms and the eight last Chapters of the first Book of Synopsis Prophetica And admit but that Joint-Exposition of these two Chapters of the Apocalypse the thirteenth and seventeenth there will be little Controversie of the Solution of the rest And still the less upon the Perusall of these Dialogues which give light into the whole Apocalypse and so take away that Excuse from some that pretend they cannot safely promise themselves they understand any part unless they understand all This Reader is in return to thy false Surmize as if the whole Dialogues were stuffed with nothing but the recitall of dark Prophecies Whenas besides plain History there are many usefull moral Passages As that Method of regaining a due Divine temper of Body which consists in a more aethereal Purity of the Spirits that we may possess our Vessell in a right measure of Sanctity and Holiness that it may be more meet to receive and retain Divine Truths As also the means of arriving to that state which is the Kingdome of God within us Which though it be not a matter of Politicall or Secular Interest yet it is so palpable an Interest of every man as methinks there should no man be such a Gallio as to slight it unless he think it an indifferent thing whether he be damned or saved But believe it if any one have really attained to the Kingdome of God within him it is then impossible that he should be unconcerned for the Kingdome of God without him he being so certainly united with that Spirit the Eternall Minde that superintends the Affairs of the Vniverse and of his own peculiar Kingdome and People in a more special manner He that has lost the sense of his own carnal and personal Concerns is naturally as I may so speak seised upon and actuated by the Spirit of God and all his Affections of Love and Care and solicitous Foresight are taken up with the Interest of that Communialty of which he is a living Member under one Head Christ Jesus And therefore as it is supposed by the Poet that it was a great satisfaction to Aeneas to be instructed by Anchises concerning the Fate and Success of his Family and Posterity their glorious Atchievements and the Largeness of their Empire that they should Virgil. Aeneid lib. 6. super Garamantas Indos Proferre Imperium so likewise they that once have got into a real Cognation and Spiritual Consanguinity with the true Apostolick Church as having derived upon them or transfused into them from their Head that Divine Spirit that actuates the whole Body of Christ it cannot but be a transcendent Pleasure to them to understand the overspreading Glory and Success which the Family of God of which they are part I mean the true Apostolick Church will have in the World before the Consummation of all things Which illustrious Scene of Futurities though they neither descend with Aeneas to get a view of them amongst the Shades below nor with S. John have the Heavens open upon them from above to exhibit those Celestiall Visions yet they casting the pure eyes of their Minde upon the Scripture see all those glorious Futurities writ in Heaven plainly reflected to them from the Books of the Prophets as we see the Sky and Clouds the Moon and Stars by looking on some River or Pool to their ineffable pleasure and satisfaction Which may excuse this Authour 's so laborious a Ramble as it may seem to some through so many dark Types and Prophecies to finde out this future Glory of the
and also have declared the steddy efficacy of his yesterday's discourse For though I was highly exalted through the sense and power of his Reason yet I do not now flag again as the day before but having a full and comprehensive view of things I finde in my self a permanent assent to Truth as well now I am cool and calm as then when I was most transported and which is a wonderful accession to all this this firm and full satisfaction I have thus unexpectedly received touching the Existence of God and the unexceptionableness of his Providence draws in along with it a more hearty and settled belief of all the fundamental Points of Christian Religion so far forth as the Scripture has declared them So that that of Christianity which hung more loosely and exteriourly in my mind before methinks I have now imbibed into the very centre of my heart and soul and do without all hesitancy close with the truth thereof Whence I hope I shall be the more idoneous Auditour of this higher Discourse of yours O Philotheus touching the Kingdome of God Philoth. I am exceeding glad O Hylobares that my former Discourses have had this excellent effect upon you though it be no more then I hoped for and have often experimented in others and most feelingly in my self who could never doubt of Christianity when I had once satisfied my self of the truth of those Points you profess your self now at length so fully satisfied in Which I must confess makes me prone to think that those that either slight or misbelieve Christianity so far forth as the Scripture has declared the same do not seriously or settledly believe there is a God or a Divine Providence but are of a light Sceptical confounded and heedless spirit and take more pleasure to seem able to talk then to find themselves of any determinate judgement though in things of the greatest moment Cuph. The greatest Wits of the World have been such persons as you seem so freely to perstringe III The folly of Scepticism perstringed O Philotheus that is to say Sceptical or Aporetical Witness not onely the whole Sect of the Academici but that Miracle for wit and eloquence Plato himself Diog. Laert in vita Platon that sweetly-singing Swan as Socrates had him represented to him in a dream Is there any thing more pleasant then his mellifluous Dialogues and yet ordinarily nothing concluded but is a mere Sceptical or Aporetical chace of wit a game wherein nothing is taken or aimed at but mere ingenious pastime Philoth. Such wilde-goose chaces in matters of less moment O Cuphophron may be more plausible or tolerable but in Points of greater consequence to speak eloquently on both sides and then to be able to conclude nothing nor it may be so much as desirous thereof is not so much like the famed melody of the Swan's voice as like the clapping of her wings one against another and so making a fluttering noise for a time but after casting both behind her back not at all regarding whether the right or left wing were stronger Hyl. A flourish O Cuphophron that every Goose can make as well as a Swan But for my part Philotheus I desire nothing more then a settledness of mind in matters of the highest consequence such as the Existence of God the Immortality of the Soul the benignity of Providence and the like and therefore I think my self infinitely happy in that full satisfaction I have received from your excellent Reasonings I find them so firm and permanent Philoth. And I wish they may long so abide Hylobares Hyl. Why what can dissettle them Philotheus Philoth. Nothing IV That there is a Divine temper of Body requisite for the easilier receiving and more firmly retaining Divine Truth with the method of obtaining it unless dissettledness of Life If you fix in the Divine Life which is fixable no-where but in the Divine Body then the reasons of Divine Truth will take root in this ground and so prove permanent indeed But if they grow not up from this ground they will be but as a Flower in your hand or a Feather in your cap and having no vital Cognation with the Subject they are in they will easily be blown away or wither Hyl. I had thought the Soul had been so Divine a thing of it self that the Cognation betwixt it and the reasons of Divine Truth had been sufficient if once received firmly to retain them Philoth. O no Hylobares The Soul by sympathizing too much with this earthly and brutish Body becomes brutish her self and loses her Divinity else all would be alike capable of Divine Truth But the recuperation of the Divine Body by virtue of her true and real Regeneration is also the recovery of her Divinity Hyl. But what do you mean by this Divine Body O Philotheus Philoth. The same which the Pythagoreans mean by their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is also called Ethereal or Heavenly Euist. That is no wonder that the Heavenly Body and the Divine should be all one De Coelo lib. 2. c. 3. whenas Aristotle himself calls Heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Divine body Hyl. But how shall we be able to attain to this Divine Body O Philotheus in which so far as I see is the Root and Substance of Truth forasmuch as the Life is in it Philoth. Reason without this is but a dead 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or umbratile Imagination a faint and ineffectual thing evanid fugitive and flitting but Reasons flourishing out of this stock are the immarcescible Flowers of the Paradise of God Hyl. Wherefore Philotheus I am the more desirous to know how we may come by this Divine or Paradisiacal Body Philoth. By a firm and lively Faith in the Power and Spirit of the Lord Iesus whereby he is able to mortifie and subdue all sin in us and extinguish all Selfishness so that we become utterly dead to our selves and as little concerned for our selves in any externall gratification of worldly Honour carnal Pleasure mundane Power or any thing that is grateful to the mere Animal Life as if we were not at all in being If we stand firm in this Faith and second it with constant and sincere Devotion and inward breathings toward the prize set before us adding thereto a due and discreet Temperance and circumspection in all our externall deportments that we neither act nor speak any thing from the promptings of the Selfish Principle or any way to gratifie our corrupt Animality this method will in due time bring us to a perfect state of Self-deadness which death being finished there does most certainly succeed a spiritual Resurrection from the dead into the Life which is truly Divine and which is not found but in the Divine Body So that by our sincere Devotions and breathings toward God we imbibe both the Divine Life and the Divine Body at once which is the true spiritual Birth of Christ Joh. 1.12 whom as
but to the Pope and his Clergie Philop. I must confess Philotheus I think it is a clear case that it can belong to none but them as also that Antichrist is again within the time of the dilacerated Empire of Rome Philoth. And what think you Philopolis of the Beast that was and is not and yet is who has seven Heads and ten Horns of a scarlet colour and full of names of Blasphemie does not he do you think belong to the times of Antichrist Philop. Undoubtedly Philotheus Philoth. But this Beast got into Being immediately upon the fall of the Seventh King Apoc. 17.10 who was to abide but a short space and you know S. Iohn lived under the Sixth viz. the Pagan Cesars whose continuance was but about three hundred and odd years wherefore the purely Christian Caesars were to continue much less time who were the Seventh King But after their expiration comes in the Eighth And the Beast that was Ver. 11. and is not he is the eighth How timely then think you began this Beast full of names of Blasphemie that is how timely began the Empire to be Idolatrous again and to Paganize under Christianity to be rid by the Whore that intoxicated the Kings of the Earth with the wine of her Fornication Philop. Many hundred years ago assuredly Philotheus So that Cuphophron's Scruple touching the time of the Man of sin is quite taken away In my minde the Authour of Synopsis Prophetica has demonstrated this even with Mathematicall Perspicuity and Certitude in the Eleventh Chapter of the First Book Sophr. Nothing I think can be more certain or clear in either Philosophy or Divinity then what that Authour concludes in that Chapter viz. That the Whore that rides the Beast full of names of Blasphemie is Rome Christian or rather as he calls it Pagano-christian and that this has been the condition of Christendome many hundred years Cuph. If that could be so Mathematically demonstrated it would even force a man to believe the Pope Antichrist whether he would or no though he may use his own discretion whether he will openly profess it Bath If you would but once vouchsafe to bow down your Metaphysicall Intellectualities to these meaner Theories most assuredly Cuphophron you would find Sophron and Philopolis to speak nothing but what is true Cuph. XXXIV Cuphophron 's ridiculous indifferency in the greatest Points of Religion I find a great averseness in my self Bathynous to be convinced of the truth of such hot and quarrelsome Speculations be they never so true Obsequium amicos Veritas odium parit You know not the peace and quiet of an universalized spirit Wot you not Bathynous of that notable Maxim in Logick Partes consentiunt cum Toto dissentiunt inter se I am for neither Member of any Division because it cannot be without Opposition as the Learned in that Faculty tell us which is contrary to the spirit of Peace and makes a man guilty of the sin of Contradiction Hyl. Cuphophron is a Catholick of the greatest compass or comprehension that ever I met withall yet in all my life What can no Division or Party of men what-ever lay claim to you Cuphophron Cuph. I am pure oil and float above all waters Hyl. What is your meaning Cuphophron That you are neither Papist nor Antipapist and yet a Christian neither Christian nor Turk but yet a Deist neither Deist nor Atheist but yet what Where 's your oil now Cuphophron that floats aloft It is converted into neither flame nor light that I see Cuph. It is vanish'd into the soft free invisible Air. Philop. I prithee Hylobares leave toying with Cuphophron and permit him to enjoy his own humour Our time is precious and I would fain proceed with Philotheus Philoth. Hylobares his Sportfulness O Philopolis is very excusable it seeming to aim at that which is most usefull and serious that is the awakening of us into the sense of our duty that seeing there are these Divisions and there is a necessity of being of some or other of them we should make our choice with care and judgement and stand to the judgement we have made with courage and fortitude Philop. XXXV Some few Prophecies hinted at touching the Reformation A very good Interpretation But in the mean time Philotheus let us take notice whereabout we are in our Discourse You have shewed us that the Kingdome of God after Christ's coming was the same that the Kingdome of Christ which Kingdome of Christ continued so till after Constantine's time by a wicked Apostasie into Pagan-like Superstitions Idolatries and Persecutions it became the Kingdome of Antichrist and that then after this long Papal Tyranny by the special assistence of God and the courage and conduct of the ever-blessed Reformers the Kingdome of Christ again in the most proper sense emerged from under the bondage of Antichrist Now as you have noted some Predictions of the Apostasy of the Church so I desire you would briefly produce some Prophecies touching the Reformation For these things Philotheus marvellously illustrate Divine Providence Philoth. They do so Philopolis and the Spirit of Prophecy could not be silent in this point neither unless he would quite have left us in the dark But I will give you but an Instance or two and shall rather point to them then pursue them The first is that in Daniel the Prediction of the burning of the little Horn with eyes that wore out the Saints of the most High Dan. 7.25 and changed times and Laws which were given into his hands for a time and times and half a time Now whereas it is said Ver. 26. But the Iudgement shall sit and they shall take away his dominion to consume and destroy it unto the end the Beginning of this Judgement is the Reformation which happened in the last Semitime as it is also set out in the reviving of the Witnesses in the last half-day of the three days and half Apoc. 11.11 Philop. These are well put together Philotheus and they suffice Philoth. I need not therefore add in that the ten Horns should hate the Whore Apoc. 17.16 should make her desolate and naked should eat her flesh and burn her with fire that this also was begun in the Reformation in the due sense of the Prophetick style nor that notable Prophetick Hit touching the fiery spirit of Luther and the ungodly Wares of Pope Leo the tenth Ezek. 29.18 See Synops Prophet lib. 2. cap. 16. Because thou hast defiled thy Sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities by the iniquity of thy Traffick therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee it shall devour thee and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee But the most noble representation of the Joy and Triumph of the Reformers and their Party is that of the Harpers with the Harps of God in their hand Apoc. 15.2
rest of the Army of the great King with such splendour and luster as is ineffable their Mouths also being filled with Songs of Victory and their Ears with the Echo of their own Melodie For the Air was miraculously tuned into Musicall Accents to their Divine Ditties as if some invisible hand had play'd upon the Concave of the Heavens as upon some well-strung Harpsicall or Theorbo So that my Soul was so enravished with the sight and with the Musick that my Heart melted mine Eyes flowed over with tears and my Spirits failed within me for very excess of Joy Philop. Certainly Theomanes was in a very great Rapture when he was thus affected Philoth. And he was thus really affected Philopolis as he told me and I dare believe him for he is a man of the greatest Simplicity imaginable Philop. But I have interrupted you again Philotheus before I was aware I pray you go on Philoth. But part of this pleasure was quickly intercepted by a sudden overcasting of the Heavens as it were with an universal thick Cloud of a rusty hue But I heard the Musick still whereby I might discern the motions of that Triumphal Pomp. But a more dreadfull noise presently put an end to that Rapture also For this Cloud of Night broke into a Chasm near the celestial Army which was instantly filled with a most glorious Light and through that lucid passage I heard a mighty voice like the sound of a Trumpet saying I am Alpha and Omega the First and the Last the Beginner and Continuer and Ender of Ages I am he that lived and was dead and behold I am alive for evermore and have the Keys of Hell and Death Whereupon the Chasm closed again and the Souls of the forsaken were filled with horrour For they presently expected the execution of that dreadful Sentence Matt. 25.41 Go ye accursed into everlasting Fire And indeed after some pause and silence wherein I again heard that Heavenly Melodie but a little farther off that Triumphant Company ascending higher and higher through the bright azure fields of peacefull Bliss the arched roof of this hollow Dungeon seemed all on fire with cross Flashings and Lightenings running all over Which had no sooner ceased but the seventh Thunder uttered its voice which was accompanied with a rowling and tearing noise every way over the whole Sky Whereupon the Clouds set a-raining one continuall sad and direful showr of Fire and Brimstone upon this forlorn Crew till the whole Earth became but as one round Lake or Pond of burning Sulphur Apoc. 20.15 And whosoever had not his name found in the Book of Life his portion was in this Lake of fire burning with Brimstone Apoc. 21.8 which is the second Death This is Theomanes his Vision O Philopolis of the seven Thunders Which contains in it the most distinct order and succession of Affairs in the Church from the beginning of the seventh Trumpet to the end of all things that I ever met with I must confess the Distinctions are but general but if I had had any thing more precise and particular that great sincerity and nobleness of spirit and hearty love and zeal for the Interest of the Kingdome of God which I persuade my self I discern in you would have obliged me to have imparted it to you with a very good will Philop. I give you many thanks Philotheus for your good opinion and bountiful intention But what you have imparted is more then I could merit or hope to obtain from any other hand and such as I must acknowledge my self competently well satisfied with as having some guess what every one of those Thunders mean but should be better confirmed in my apprehensions thereof if you would briefly communicate your thoughts of them Philoth. That I shall doe XXXIX A brief Explication of Theomanes his Vision and very briefly O Philopolis These seven Things therefore are orderly contained in the seven Spaces of the seven Thunders In the first the Effusion of the seven Vials In the second The settling or establishing of the Church into the State of the new Ierusalem come down from Heaven In the third That more full and universal Reign of Christ called the blessed Millennium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or in a more proper and eminent sense In the fourth The loosing of Satan or the visible vergency of the World to another Degeneracy or Apostasie from the Kingdome of Christ. In the fifth An Attempt of the apostatized part of the World to get the Dominion again over the Godly and the danger of the Wicked's again captivating the Iust. In the sixth The visible appearance of Christ in the last Judgement wherein he gives Sentence upon both the bad and the good In the seventh and last The Execution of this Sentence the Godly and sincere Believers ascending with the holy Angels towards their Heavenly Inheritance prepared for them while Hypocrites and Unbelievers are tumbling with the Devils in the Lake of Brimstone burning with Fire Philop. I thought there was some such meaning of this Vision and plainly see through the Symbols and Iconisms of it that there is nothing contained in it that is at all dangerous or Heterodox But the manner of his being affected in his receiving these orderly-ranged Truths seems to me something extraordinary Does not Theomanes highly relish such a peculiarity of Dispensation O Philotheus Philoth. XL The important Usefulness of Theomanes his Vision together with the Iustifiableness of his yielding to such an Impression Not at all Philopolis so far as I can discern He onely expresses himself well pleased with the Reasonableness and Usefulness of the Vision For he professes it consonant to both Scripture and Philosophy and has taken notice severall times in my hearing how useful it is both for the digesting all those Visions in the Apocalypse that appertain to the last Trumpet into their right Order according to Synchronism and also to discover the Ignorance of some that have pretended to Inspiration who guessing that the last Trumpet is the Trumpet of the last Judgement in a Politicall sense but not discerning these distinct parts of it I mean the distribution thereof into the seven Thunders have adventured to conclude to the prejudice of the Apostolick Faith that there is no other Judgement but this nor any other Trumpet to raise the Dead and to summon them before the Tribunal of Christ then the Evangelization of a certain Doctrine of their own broaching But assuredly Philopolis that Resurrection which S t. Paul treats of in his first Epistle to the Corinthians is not a Moral nor Politicall Resurrection as cannot but be palpably manifest to any one that impartially peruses his Discourse and therefore the last Trumpet there mentioned cannot bear a mere Moral or Politicall signification As it is manifest that cannot in his first to the Thessalonians For the Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout 1 Thess. 4.16 17. with the voice of
particular or universal as infallibly inspired that is deprehended to be actually deceived in any Points she proposes to be believed as necessary Articles of Faith This is so plain that it wants no farther proof The sixteenth That the Moral and Humane Certainty of Faith is grounded upon the Certainty of Vniversal Tradition Prophecy History and the Nature of the things delivered Reason and Sense assisting the Minde in her Disquisitions touching these matters That Certainty of Faith I call Moral or Humane that is competible even to a carnal man or a man unregenerate as it is said of the Devils that they believe and tremble By Vniversal Tradition I understand such a Tradition as has been from the Apostles that is to say has been always since the completion of their Apostleships as well as in every place of the Church For since there was to be so general and so early a Degeneracy of the Church as is witnessed of in the Holy Scriptures the generality of the Votes of the Church was not alwaies a sufficient warrant of the truth of Tradition But those Truths that have been constantly held and unalterably from the Apostles times til now it is a sign that they were very Sacred unquestionable and assured Truths and so vulgarly and universally known and acknowledged that it was not in man's power to alter them By Prophecy I understand as well those Divine Predictions of the coming of Christ as those touching the Church after he had come By History I mean not onely that of the Bible and particularly the New Testament but other History as well Ecclesiastick as Prophane And what I mean by the Nature of the things delivered is best to be understood out of such Treatises as write of the Reasonableness of Christianity such as Dr. Hammond's and Mr. Baxter's late Book See also Dr. More 's Mystery of Godliness where the Reasonableness of our Christian Faith is more fully represented and plainly demonstrated * Book 7. chap. 9 10 11. that it has not been in the power of the Church to deceive us as touching the main Points of our Belief though they would The seventeenth That no Tradition is more universal and certain then the Tradition of the Authentickness of such Books of the Bible as all Churches are agreed upon to be Canonicall There can be no more certain nor universal Tradition then this in that it has the Testimony of the whole Church and all the parts thereof with one Consent though in other things they do so vehemently disagree Wherefore no Tradition can be of any comparable Autority to this And therefore we may set down for Conclusion The eighteenth That the Bible is the truest Ground of the Certainty of Faith that can be offered to our Understanding to rest in The Reason is because it is the most universal both for time and place the most unexceptionable and universally-acknowledged Tradition that is The nineteenth That the Bible or Holy Writ dictated by the Spirit of God that is written by Holy and Inspired men is sufficiently plain to an unprejudiced Capacity in all Points necessary to Salvation This must of necessity be true by Conclusion the seventh Otherwise the manner of Gods's revealing his Truth in the Holy Scriptures would be repugnant to the Divine Attributes and which were Blasphemy to utter he would seem unskilfully to have inspired the Holy Pen-men that is to say in such a way as were not at all accommodate to the end of the Scriptures which is the Salvation of mens Souls nor to have provided for the Recovering of the Church out of those gross Errours he both foresaw and foretold she would fall into The twentieth That the true and primarie Sense of Holy Scripture is Literal or Historicall unless in such Parts or Passages thereof as are intimated to be Parables or Visions writ in the Prophetick style or the literal Meaning be repugnant to rightly-circumstantiated Sense or natural Science c. For then it is a sign that the Place is to be understood Figuratively or Parabolically not Literally The truth of this appears out of the immediately-foregoing Conclusion For else the Scripture would not be sufficiently plain in all Points necessary to Salvation Indeed in no Points at all but all the Articles of our Faith that respect the History of Christ might be most frivolously and whifflingly allegorized into a mere Romance or Fable But that the History of Christ is literally to be understood is manifest both from the Text it self and from perpetuall and universal Tradition Which if it were not the right Sense it were a sign that it is writ exceedingly obscure even in the chief Points which is contrary to the foregoing Conclusion But that those Places or Passages that are repugnant to rightly-circumstantiated Sense or natural Science are to be interpreted figuratively is plain from the general Consent of all men in that they universally agree when Christ says I am the Door I am the true Vine c. That these things cannot be literally true And there is the same reason of Hoc est Corpus meum This is my Body The twenty first That no Point of Faith professed from the Apostles time to this very day and acknowledged by all Churches in Christendome but is plainly revealed in the Scripture This may be partly argued out of the nineteenth and twentieth Conclusions and also farther proved by comparing these Points of Faith with Texts of Scripture touching the same matter The twenty second That the Comprehension of these Points of Faith always and every-where held by all Christian Churches from the Apostles time till now and so plain by Testimony of Scripture is most rightfully termed the Common or Catholick and Apostolick Faith The twenty third That there is a Divine Certainty of Faith which besides the Grounds that the Moral or Humane Certainty hath is supported and corroborated by the Spirit of Life in the new Birth and by illuminated Reason This is not to be argued but to be felt In the mean time no more is asserted then this That this Divine Certainty has an higher Degree of Firmness and Assurance of the truth of the Holy Scriptures as having partaken of the same Spirit with our Saviour and the Apostles but does not vary in the Truths held in the common Faith The twenty fourth What-ever pretended Inspiration or Interpretation of the Divine Oracles is repugnant to the above-described Common or Catholick and Apostolick Faith is Imposture or Falshood be it from a private hand or publick The Reason is apparent because the Articles of this Common Faith were the Doctrines of men truely inspired from above and the Spirit of God cannot contradict it self The twenty fifth None of the Holy Writ is of it self unintelligible but accordingly as mens spirits shall be prepared and the time sutable as God has already so he may as Seasons shall require still impart farther and farther Light to the Souls of the Faithfull
for the inferring the above-mentioned Opinion And what hurt is it O Cuphophron that God is conceived effectually to predestinate some men to Grace and Glory and so is proclaimed to be more good and gracious then the Arminians themselves would have him who put it to an adventure whether any man shall be saved or no Cuph. There were no great hurt in this I confess Bathynous but Reprobation or Predestination to eternall death that is the great reproch to the Reformed Religion Bath Though some private men are very express in that Point yet the publick Confessions of the Protestants are more modest and tender in that Article and onely are for a Preterition of persons no designment of them to sin and damnation which I promise you Cuphophron he that with an impartial eye looks upon the Phaenomena of Providence can hardly deny to be found verified in the effect Besides what the Scriptures themselves intimate Psal. 58.3 The wicked are estranged from the womb they go astray so soon as they be born These are great and profound Secrets and such as very good men may easily lose themselves in and therefore Mistakes in such Points may well be competible even to the members of the true Kingdome of God And that they took away Free-will so universally Divine Providence might permit them to slip into that Errour making use thereof as of another crooked Engine against the frauds and falsenesses of that crooked Serpent of Rome I mean the Pope and his Hierarchy For they being for Free-will and Good works more out of a design of merchandizing and inriching the Church with large Incomes of money for Pardons and Indulgences for Deliverances out of Purgatory for certain Sales and Contracts for Heaven and ensured shares and portions of the Elysian fields the founding Salvation upon God's eternall Decree and the declaring that we have no power of our selves to doe any thing for the obtaining eternall life this quite spoil'd the market of these crafty Merchants and over-turned the tables of these Money-changers For the way to Salvation was now discovered not to be those manifold formal postures which the Roman Tutours put their Novices into nor hard Penances nor commutation of Penances the main scope of the Discipline of that Church into pecuniary Mulcts for the amassing and heaping together an immense treasure of money but every one was admonished with sad and solemn preparation to frequent the Divine Ordinance the powerful preaching of the Gospel to be instructed in the stupendious Arcana of God's free Election and eternall Decrees and not to reckon upon the Certainty of Salvation from obedience to the devised Institutes of the Church which drove mainly at the dominion of the Priest and the sucking of the purses of the people but to make their Calling and Election sure that is to say to discover the certainty thereof by the inward fruits of the Spirit by Faith especially whereby they firmly believed that they were of the number of God's Elect and from thence by Love also to God and to their neighbour all which they conceived wrought in them not for any thing that they could doe or had done by way of Merit but merely by the free Spirit of Grace effectually operating in their hearts And I pray you Cuphophron how much did this state of things misbecome the Kingdome of God especially considering that whatever the Errour was it was in a Point so intricate as has puzzled the greatest wits of all Ages and was so seasonable that it tended highly to the overthrow of the Kingdome of Antichrist and was so harmless to the believers of it that while they disclaimed all Free-will or ability of doing any thing themselves yet were they seen carried on in all holy Duties of Devotion and Sobriety of life while the other Party that boasted so of their Free-will might be observed wallowing in all Worldliness and Sensuality and with their Free-will freely and merrily descending down together into the pit of Destruction Cuph. I think there is a kinde of Magick or Witchcraft in conversing with melancholick men Bathynous his speech has so fettered and confounded my spirit that I am half asham'd of this Allegation which I thought at first so dismall and formidable Reformed Christendome will be the Kingdome of God I think whether I will or no. Philop. I hope so Cuphophron Cuph. But are no other Christian Churches besides the Reformation the Kingdome of God Philop. Whether there be or there be not other Christian Churches that are part of God's Kingdome it nothing infringes the truth of the Reformation's being so But from the intimations of Philotheus I dare pronounce that no Christian Church that is in bondage under another Sovereignty or does not emerge into power upon the destruction or humbling of the little Horn that is the Papal Hierarchy can be that Kingdome Daniel points at or the Inchoation of the Fifth Monarchy Cuph. XIX The Charge of that horrid sin of Rebellion Of this I am not so solicitous O Philopolis but I anxiously desire an answer to the last Objection I intended touching the Rise of this pretended Kingdome of God For the adverse Party confidently give out that its first Birth was from Rebellion which is worse then the sin of Witchcraft Sophr. It is an ill Omen against your Objection O Cuphophron that your Scripture-quotation is so ridiculously impertinent For in Samuel where it is said that Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft 1 Sam. 15.23 it is spoken of the Rebellion of Saul against the Lord not of the people against Saul Cuph. But I mean the Rebellion of the people against Saul or the Secular Magistrate which is next to Rebellion against God whose Vicegerent he is Sophr. That assertion is very true Cuphophron but the Imputation of our Adversaries extremely false Bath Most assuredly O Sophron And that Character amongst the rest that belong to them which styles them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Liars I conceive is not to be restrain'd to their Legends and such like Forgeries but is to take in also their abominable Calumnies against the true Church of God For they are a generation of Vipers that make up the Resemblance of the old Serpent under Paganism in every stroke thereof And the Dragon was cast out Rev. 12.9 10. that old Serpent called the Devil and Satan which deceiveth the whole world And I heard a loud voice saying in Heaven Now is come Salvation and strength and the Kingdome of our God and the Power of his Christ for the Accuser of our brethren is cast down which accused them before our God day and night Wherein the impudence of religious Liars is set out as spreading Lies and Calumnies even before the face of Heaven and the presence of God And it is a note that our Saviour also of old has set upon Satan John 8.44 that the Devil is a Liar and the father of all Lies and Calumnies Euist. And that
of Prophets Apoc. 18.24 and of Saints and of all that were slain upon the Earth Philop. What think you now Cuphophron how well has your Apology cleared the Pope from proving that Man of sin the Apostle forewarned the Church of Cuph. Why Philopolis will three faults for which something you see may be said though not so fully to the purpose fill up all the numbers and measures of a compleat Man of sin or of Antichrist Philop. XXXII How the Man of sin can be said to sit in the Temple of God while his sitting there makes it the Synagogue of Satan If this will not serve cast in all that you may have read in the Idea of Antichristianism writ by a modern Authour Cuph. I have read that Idea Philopolis and to say the truth it contains a description of things bad enough in all conscience as the Vulgar count bad and big enough and numerous enough to furnish out a full Man of sin But in the mean time it is but an Idea Euist. Believe me Cuphophron though it be writ in way of an Idea yet I am sure it is a plain Transcript of History And I was marvellously well pleased at the reading thereof when I saw so well-a-digested use made of such laxe and large Church-story as I had rambled through and competently retain'd in my mind But suppose this Idea a true History touching the Pope and his Clergie how near bids he for Antichrist then think you Cuph. That was hinted before Euistor But I 'll tell you farther in your ear Euist. He saies as near as four-pence to a groat But I dare say that if all were congested together out of History touching that Church and disposed according to the order of those Heads the Author of the Idea pursues the real History would look more dismall and ugly and would be a more foul and horrid Image of Antichrist or the Man of Sin then the Idea it self So favourable has that Authour been in his draught of him I suppose on purpose he left some work for the pencills of Posterity to be employ'd in Cuph. But if the constitution of things were so really bad Philopolis as that Idea represents them the Church would not be the Church or the Temple of God but rather the Synagogue of the Devil which would be a Repugnancy to the Prophecie that saies that the Man of sin fits in the Temple of God Philop. That is not hard to answer Cuphophron For an adulterous Wife undivorced is still called such an one's Wife though she be an Adulteress And you know the Holy City is said to be troden down and profan'd by the Gentiles for forty two months Apoc. 11.2 It has the denomination of Holy even then when it is said to be profan'd For it is so by Title and designation And in that sense even the Apostatized Church is the Temple of God besides that the Virgin-company is still in it Cuph. I partly conceive what you would have Philopolis and do not much gainsay But there is one weakness still behind in the application of the Prophecy of the Man of sin to the Bishop of Rome which must needs make it very uncertain There is no assignation of time Philoth. Yes but there is Cuphophron the removal of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 had you forgot that Cuph. XXXIII Means to know that the Man of sin prophesied of is already come into the world It is true the Wickedness of the Bishop of Rome may be great and that Change in the Empire considerable but who knows but some other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be meant at the removall whereof a tall Man of sin indeed may appear a Goliah in comparison of him we would have to be the Antichrist and that he 's the Antichrist prophesied of and none else Philoth. Assuredly O Cuphophron he that has his inward senses awakened into a due quickness of perception and discrimination of good and evil from that inward life and spirit in him without the help of any Prophecie if he reade but their Story he will plainly discern the Pope and his Clergy to be so great an Antichrist that it will be hard for him to imagine any greater he will find the spirit of them and their proceedings so exquisitely and palpably contrary to the spirit and life of Christ in himself I tell thee Cuphophron it is not so much from the want of the knowledge of Prophecies as the defect of a sound and substantial sense of Honesty and true Vertue that a man is not well assured of the Pope and his Hierarchy's being the Antichrist An adulterous generation seeketh after a sign Matt. 12.39 and a spurious-hearted Christian after a Prophecie But it is the inward life and sense of sincere Honesty that of it self will give a man abundant assurance in points of this nature Philop. But is there no way Philotheus to prove that this Prophecie of the Man of sin points at such a time as is in the reign of the Popes Philoth. The greatest stress in the Prophecie it self this way lies in the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 back'd with the opinion of the Fathers that it was the intireness of the Roman Empire that hindred and in the easie applicability of the Prophecie to the Events as you have already seen But as this Prophecie is parallel to that of the King of Pride in Daniel Dan. 11.36 and as it were a Copy thereof it is more cogently to be proved that the time will fall within the time of the Popes For that King of Pride whose reign is within the time of the Roman Empire as appears from the order of things there Dan. 12.11 12. and the direction of those two number 1290 days and 1335 days being both a Professour of Coelibate and one that does not worship the God of his Fathers the Pagan Romans but in the mean time magnifies himself above all whom can this denote but the Pope Philop. Truly I think you are in the right See Mr. Mede his Apostasie of the latter Times ch 16. and Synopsis Prophet lib. 2. c. 17. sect 11. Philotheus For I am very well satisfied that the King of Pride described in Daniel are the Popes out of two modern Writers I have lately read Philoth. Wherefore the King of Pride being within the time of the Roman Empire the Man of sin and the Popes are so too Philop. I understand you Philotheus Philoth. Besides the little Horn with the eyes of a man which must either signifie Antiochus Epiphanes or Antichrist as no man can deny that considers these things it being impossible it should be Antiochus this Horn appearing among the Horns of the fourth Beast which most certainly is the Roman Empire discerped into so many Kingdoms it necessarily remains that it be Antichrist But the discerption of this Antichrist or little Horn to whom amongst the Horns does it belong
thus For they have shed the bloud of Saints and Prophets and thou hast given them bloud to drink for they are worthy Cuph. Methinks Philotheus it is but an harsh and strained sense of Scripture that fetches out bloud The Spirit of God surely breaths out more Meekness and mercifulness Bath There is a Meekness and Sweetness of the natural Complexion which would pretend to that Divine Spirit but falls as short of it as Nature does of God and is a Softness over-usually accompanied with a Falsness and Perfidiousness to all Truth and Vertue and betrays all that ought to be dear to a man his Prince his Friend his Country and all What Rigour or unmercifulness was there in slaying the Spaniards at Sea that would have destroy'd our Land with fire and sword if they could as they intended have made an Invasion What Harshness in executing such persons as would traitorously have murthered the King or Queen Such Mercy as this is like that of the wicked Pro. 12.10 which as Solomon saies is Cruelty it self Cuph. Nay Bathynous as you represent the case I am abundantly convinced Philoth. And so you may well be from the very Text it self For the Angel of the Waters his justification of this Revenge is onely touching the Rivers that is Emissary forces that come to assault others and ruine them Surely defensive Opposition in so just a Cause and the paying them thus in their own Coin has with it all the Equity imaginable And therefore this passage is not at all misbecoming the Spirit of God Philop. I am fully of your mind in that Philotheus and those Reformed Churches that can doe that right to themselves by propulsing their Enemies I think they may thank God for the good condition they are in But we are advanced no higher in the Vials as yet Philotheus are we Philoth. No surely not in that more externall and Politicall sense But I know not whether in some other sense we may And assuredly the Apocalypse has its eye upon Religious accounts as well as Politicall I mean the Propheticall Iconisms sometimes have not onely a Politicall sense but a more Spiritual and it may be sometimes onely such Philop. In the mean time I am not a little pleased Philotheus that I know whereabout we are in this Politicall sense which methinks should be as desirable to be known by all that have any thing to doe with the affairs of the Kingdome of God as it would be to the Pilot of a Ship on the main Ocean to know in what Longitude and Latitude he is You have led me through my Three first Quere's Philotheus with much delight and satisfaction Let me now intreat you to give your self the trouble of instructing me touching the last Cuph. XXXVIII Philopolis his last Quere deferr'd till next day's meeting Truly if I have any aime or presage in me Philopolis if Philotheus fall upon your last Quere thus late he will not onely give himself but also you and the rest of the company the trouble of sitting up all night Philoth. Indeed Philopolis I fear my self that that Theme will so spread it self in the entring into it that it will require at least as long a time as we have spent already Philop. This is a sad distraction and unexpected that I am cast into Philotheus To desire you to goe on would be both uncivil and unsupportable to you and the whole company To leave off would be such a torment to my desire of seeing to the end of this great Theorie and a loss so irreparable that I have not the patience to think of it Cuph. Why then Philopolis is it not a plain case that you must stay in town to morrow Philop. I must so Cuphophron whatever becomes of my Country affairs I will lie at a friend's house by the way on Sunday and on Monday I shall be pretty timely at home Cuph. Very well resolved Philopolis But I will not thank you for this Dine but with me here in this Arbour for now you cannot say you are pre-engaged and for that honour you and this company shall doe me I shall heartily thank you You may begin your Discourse with Philotheus immediately after Dinner and gain an hour or two's time Philop. How ready and skilfull Cuphophron is to entrap men into the acceptance of a Civility If you will give your Parol that you will make us a right frugal and Philosophicall entertainment I will dine with you to morrow because I see you so earnest in it Cuph. XXXIX The Conclusion with the Song of Moses and the Lamb sung to the Theorbo by Bathynous I promise you I will not at all exceed In the mean time this Glass of Canarie to you till our next meeting Philop. Not a drop I thank you Cuphophron A Fit of Musick rather according to your Pythagorick mode to compose our minds to bedward For indeed it is late though I was loth to think so when I would have had Philotheus to proceed in his discourse Sophr. Bathynous play us the other Lesson I pray you Philopolis desires it And but a short one it being so late Here take the Theorbo Bath It seems I must the second time shew my unskilfulness You shall sing Sophron and I will play a thorough Base to it Sophr. What shall I sing I have neither Song nor Voice Bath Yes but you have the Song of Moses and of the Lamb. Sophr. The onely piece of Poetry that I was ever guilty of in all my life My zeal and love for the Reformation was the Muse that with much adoe once inspired those humble Rhymes which I can onely repeat not sing at all Bath If you cannot Sophron I can And the Lute I think is pretty well in tune Philoth. I pray you do Bathynous Bath Great and marvellous are Thy works Lord God of Might Thou Sovereign of Saints Thy ways are just and right Who shall not fear thee Lord And glorifie thy Name Thou onely Holy art Thine Acts no tongue can stain All Nations shall adore Thy Iudgements manifest Thy holy Name implore And in thy Truth shall rest Philop. That is all Nations shall be converted to the pure Truth of the Gospel and rest satisfied at the length in so solid and unexceptionable a Religion Sophr. I meant so Philopolis Philop. A very good meaning and a very sutable Song for this day 's Subject I pray God hasten that time to the comfort of the whole Earth I must abruptly bid you all good night for the present and see if I can dispatch a Letter home by this night's Post. But I shall keep promise with Cuphophron and am not a little joy'd that I shall once more enjoy this excellent society before I leave the Town Cuph. It is our happiness that we have detain'd you one night longer Philoth. Good night dear Philopolis I shall meet you here according to your expectation Philop. In the mean time dear Philotheus good night
onely the abolishing of their Power and the despoiling them of their Honours and Dignities and of their Emoluments thereon depending Philoth. What Wars in this great Earthquake there may be whereby the great City is said to be divided into three parts according to the intimation of the externall letter I know not But that is a thing the Spirit of God least intimates in the Apocalyptick Visions Nor does that phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 necessarily imply a diruption of the City into three parts but may onely signifie that the parts of the City were three That mighty Earthquake at the opening of the sixth Seal denoted onely the downfall of the Pagan Religion Apoc. 6.12 Nor may this at the pouring out of the last Vial though it be said to be an Earthquake greater then ever any before it signifie any thing more then the utter demolishing the Babylonish Power and Superstition that it may rule no-where any longer Nay the bloudy Vision of the Wine-press signifies no more then so though it glance at Babylon by reason of the number of the furlongs which are applicable to Stato della Chiesa as Mr. Mede observes Comment Apocalypt ad cap. 14. The extinguishing the Pope's Power there rather then the slaughtering of his Armies is signified thereby Philop. But that number is as well appliable to the Holy Land as the same Writer observes Philoth. Be it so Philopolis then may the Vision bear two faces the one respecting the Roman Church the other the people of the Iews the first affording a sense Politicall as I have already hinted the other a sense more Mysticall Philop. As what I beseech you Philotheus Philoth. It signifies the power of the Passion of Christ on the converted Iews to the mortifying all sin and wickedness in them and to the making of their Conversion and Repentance have its perfect work to the utter subduing of the mysticall Edom in them and the letting out his bloud plentifully according to that Prophecy in Zacharie Zach. 12.10 11. And it shall come to pass in that day that I will pour upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Ierusalem the spirit of grace and supplication and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced and they shall mourn for him as one mourneth for his onely son and shall be in bitterness for him as one is in bitterness for his first-born In that day shall there be a great mourning as the mourning of Hadad-rimmon in the valley of Megiddon Philop. For ought I know Philotheus these Mysticall senses may be also meant for they plainly have their usefulness Euist. And this Application of that passage in Zacharie will gain the more credibility if we could with Capellus and other Criticks allow Armageddon to be the same place that Megiddon there mentioned Philop. Let the Criticks decide that controversie Euistor In the mean time I am hugely solicitous if there be no considerable personal destruction of the Antichristian party what will become of them after the last Vial. Philoth. Their condition will be much-what such as the dispersed Iews was after their denying the Messiah at his first coming So upon this second coming of Christ an obstinate and confirmed Ignorance will fall upon this people of Babylon after their place is taken from them and their Nation dispersed they will live in resolved Errour Superstition and Wickedness they will be so strucken with Blindness that they will not be able to find entrance into the Holy City But that will be fulfilled upon them then as well as on the rest that stand out in the most ample and distinct sense Apoc. 22.15 Without are Dogs and Sorcerers and Whoremongers and Murtherers and Idolaters and whatsoever loveth and maketh a Lie Cuph. I perceive by this upshot of things that the Apocalypse is not so bloudy and boisterous a Book as I have heard some to represent it to be but that there is a Genius in it more kinde and humane not exhorting to spill bloud in way of Revenge merely though I confess the Antichristian Party has been as savagely bloudy as the Red Dragon himself the old Roman persecutive Paganism but simply by way of Defense as I understood in the third Vial. Methinks it is so harmless a Writing and so full of marvellous pretty phancies like Platonism and unexpected reflexions of one thing upon another that it would invite any one to endeavour to understand the meaning of it for the mere pleasure sake Sophr. I hope then Cuphophron that your self will bend your studies that way in due time Cuph. After I have read over Des Cartes his Principia his Dioptricks Method and Meteors once or twice more much may be Sophron. Sophr. Why that will not take you so long a time Cuph. It may be not But I must also run over all his Volumes of Epistles first and likewise the delicious Dialogues of Plato and be fully Master of his Timaeus but of his Parmenides especially that 's a notable Metaphysicall piece O Sophron and then it 's likely at spare hours I may see what S t. Iohn the beloved Disciple of Iesus saies in his Apocalypse This will take up some time Philop. But I have a more eager appetite after these Mysteries O Cuphophron and therefore must rudely interpose and desire Philotheus to proceed that we may lose no time in our present affair I am very well satisfied Philotheus with your Exposition of the seven Vials and though I think it very hard for any mortal eye by virtue of these Visions to see the futurity of things in their perfect Circumstances without all mistake or defect yet methinks what you say hangs so handsomely together that this instruction may at least convey as much truth as Anatomicall Pictures do to him that has not with his own eyes seen an Anatomy Philoth. I hope so Philopolis Philop. VI The future Glory of the Church after the utter Destruction of Babylon Wherefore since we are got so successfully thus far I pray you Philotheus let us go on to the other part The glorious state of the Kingdome of Christ after the utter Destruction of Babylon For first I would have you to describe this glorious state wherein it consists then declare the Grounds of your belief why you think any such thing will be thirdly What Signs or Forerunners there will be of this glorious appearance fourthly Whether there be any Means that the present Kingdome of Christ may make use of for the accelerating this excellent state of the Church and what they are fifthly and lastly How long this happy state will be and what the condition of the Church to the close of the World Philoth. These are very great Questions Philopolis but I shall endeavour to give you what satisfaction I can But being so many as I did aforehand divine time you know will not permit me to be over-copious otherwise it were easie to draw a very large
the spirit of Love does expresly promise his Followers the possession of the whole Earth that all Nations will submit unto them For though they will admit that the Service of Christ in the Belief is the Holy of the true Tabernacle yet they boast that the Holy of Holies is their Service of the Love which therefore ought to take place above all Bath In my judgement Euistor this fear of Sophron's is but a groundless fear For besides the many gross impossible and ridiculous Interpretations of Scripture upon which notwithstanding this Prophet would build himself the obvious Evidence from his Writings that he was a mere Sadducee and held neither Angel nor Spirit nor the Immortality of the Soul is a palpable assurance that in so great a Light as God has and is raising in the World this man's Dictates and Doctrines will never pass into any National Religion but it will appear to all that he was a mistaken Enthusiast Methinks it is infinitely more improbable that the World should take him for a true Prophet then that the plain Apostolicall Faith and Doctrine which has such convincing and miraculous Attestations to it and is so suitable to moral Goodness and Reason should not overrun all Euist. This gross Errour of Sadducism might indeed disenable this Prophet from doing any great injurie to the Personal Offices of Christ which he seems to undermine and beat down But the Reign of the Spirit in opposition to the personal Sceptre of the Lord Iesus has fallen into more refined hands that do expresly acknowledge the Immortality of the Soul and consequently the present Subsistency of Christ and his Personality and yet are altogether for the Spirit and Christ within them as if that part of Christianity that respects Christ without us were quite antiquated You know whose Motto that was Our Salvation in the life of Iesus Christ in us Bath Yes I do Euistor It was the Teutonick Philosopher's And do not you know who said That the Mystery hid from Ages and from Generations but then made manifest to the Saints was Christ in us the hope of glory Euist. You say true Bathynous S. Paul writes so to the Colossians Col. 1.26 Bath And therefore Euistor it was Iesus the Son of Mary with his Apostles that first conducted men into the Holy of Holies not H. Nicolas nor I. Behmen Sophr. A very pertinent Observation Bath But admit that I. Behmen drives all inward in his Writings as if he had forgot that Christ without him who suffered at Ierusalem whom yet I am sure he did not forget on his death-bed when he cried out Thou crucified Lord Iesus have mercy on me and take me into thy Kingdome and withall that he has healed Familism of that unsoundness and rottenness of corrupt Sadducism yet for all that the invincible Obscurity of his Writings will prevent his being over-popular and his mistakes in his pretended Inspirations in matters of Philosophy ruine his Authority amongst the more knowing and sagacious sort of persons In a Philosophicall Age they that pretend to Philosophicall Inspirations and have them not must needs be taken tripping Which if they be in any thing their credit falls flat in all and nothing will be believed merely for their saying it is true and inspired Euist. If this were indeed the Teutonick's case there were very little fear of his doing any great harm in that way Sophron's Jealousies did so sadly presage Sophr. It 's likely Bathynous would not speak thus unless he had some certain grounds for it I pray you what are they Bathynous Bath Do not you think XVI J. Behmen 's marvellous pretense to the knowledge of the Language of Nature O Sophron that it is a superlative strain of Melancholy for a man to conceit that he has the knowledge of the Language of Nature communicated to him Sophr. I suppose the skill of the Signatures of Plants and the Presages of Meteors and other such like Phaenomena of Nature Bath No to tell you syllabatim in the words of any Language what they naturally signifie As suppose he would take the word Tetragrammaton to task he would tell you what all the Syllables signifie from Te to Ton. Sophr. That 's marvellous pretty that even the Terminations of words should have their signification also Bath Nay the very Letters as in Tincture and others Sophr. This decides that ancient Controversie amongst Philosophers whether the Imposition of Names be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A. Gell. Noct. Attic lib. 10. cap. 4. Bath Well Sophron you may jest at it as you please But this Philosophick Illumination has taught the Teutonick that the Names of the seven Planets are plainly derived out of the Language of Nature Sophr. Does he mean the Latin Greek or Hebrew Names or Dutch or French or Spanish Bath I suppose he either means all or high-Dutch onely as being his natural Tongue in which alone he was skilled Sophr. It was a great omission that he did not explain himself in that point But I pray you Bathynous why does he think that the Ancients gave Names to the seven Planets from the Language of Nature Bath Because their Names are according to the Properties of Nature viz. Astriction Compunction Anguish Fire Light Sound Body which answer to Saturn Mercury Mars Sol Venus Iupiter Luna Sophr. These are Mysteries above my capacity Nor do I see how the Names of the Planets signifie those Qualities But what does he drive at Bathynous Bath At a Philosophicall account of every Day 's Creation with a respect to the Name of the Day from the Planet which is said to rule the first Hour thereof and which corresponds with such a property of Nature As for example The Ancients called the first day of the week Sunday because God then moved the Sun-property in the Creation the second day Monday because he moved the Moon-property c. And thus the Explication of the six Days-works in Moses is made upon the Astrologicall Names of the Days of the Week Sophr. Is it possible Bathynous I had alwaies thought that the Planetary Names of the Days of the Week had proceeded from the orderly reckoning of the Planets from Saturn downward and so giving every one of them the dominion of an hour one after another through the four and twenty every first hour of the day will have a new Planet and that necessarily in such an order as the Names of the Days of the Week import As suppose let Saturn have the first hour of the Day From Saturn to Luna thrice inclusively there is twenty one hours Then say Saturn twenty two Iupiter twenty three Mars twenty four the next hour which is the first of the day following is Sol. Then again from Sol to Mars thrice is twenty one Then say Sol twenty two Venus twenty three Mercurie twenty four and the next hour which is the first of the day following is Luna And so quite
through the Week you shall finde this orderly reckoning necessarily give such Names to all the Days of the Week as they bear Bath You might as well have begun with Sol to Mars he being the most eminent Planet and giving Name to the first Day of the Week Sophr. Undoubtedly Bathynous Bath I must confess this Consideration O Sophron made me smile when I observed how nimble the inspired Philosopher was in his Mysterium magnum to communicate some of his own skill in the Language of Nature discovered in the Names of the Planets unto the Ancients as if they had been acquainted with the Mosaicall Mystery of the Creation from affixing the names of the Planets to such days of the week when God wot they dreamed of nothing more then this orderly piece of Astrologicall Superstition which you have so judiciously taken notice of But there are also several other palpable Indications to the impartial and intelligent Reader that what the Teutonick Philosopher writ was not by an infallible spirit Sophr. XVII Farther Indications that J. Behmen did not write from an infallible spirit I pray you produce some few of them For it can be no unbecoming office to unbewilder some over-serious souls that may be too much captivated with such kind of Writers Bath I will give you one Instance for all O Sophron. He did not understand the true Systeme of the World as appears by his Story of Lucifer in whose place he substitutes the Sun and declares that all the Stars take light and power from him Denies that there is any Morning or Evening above the Moon though the four Moons moving about Iupiter plainly witness against it Tells us how the six other Planets are Sol's six Counsellers wherein he does not dream of Tellus's being as good a Planet and consequently as good a Counseller as the rest especially as the Moon which will make seven and those four about Iupiter four more and as good Wives for the Sun and Stars as our Moon is Which considerations break a pieces all his fine Conceits touching the Harmonie and Analogie betwixt the seven Planets and his seven Properties of Nature Whence I profess I am very well assured he is not divinely inspired Euist. How then Bathynous should he come by such unheard-of Mysteries As one especially that does most of all astonish me because I find some profess they know the truth thereof by experience I mean the distribution of all into three Kingdoms or Worlds The dark-Fire-World the holy Light-World and this mixt Out-World Bath Yes Euistor and that Mystery is the more strange to me in that he declares in a Physicall sense That all these lie in one another That Heaven is in Hell and Hell is in Heaven as to place Which he would illustrate from Darkness and Light being in the same place together Darkness presently discovering it self at the removal of the Light Sophr. But certainly it was not actually there while the Light was there Bath One would think so Sophron. Besides his dark and light Kingdoms must be purely spiritual if they lie in the same space with this Out-world as the Inhabitants also of them who yet he admits can see one another I mean those of the same Kingdome though those of different Kingdoms cannot Euist. Luk. 16.23 How then is Dives from out of Hell said to have seen Lazarus in Abraham's bosom as if the framer of that Parable had been ignorant of this Behmenicall Mysterie And how came Michael and the Devil to dispute about the body of Moses Jude 9. Can Devils and Angels hear one another talk and yet not see one another being so hard by Bath That in the Parable is something hard to salve But supposing these three distinct Worlds to have their distinct Spirits of Nature as they may be called in virtue of union wherewith the Inhabitants of each World discern all Beings that are united with its spirit it will be consequentiall enough to conceive that while the Angels are in union onely with the Spirit of the Light-world and the Devils with that of the dark-Fire-world they can have no discernment of one another though as to space they be hard by and if they were corporeall might rush against one another as deaf men in the dark But admitting they have a Capacity for a time of uniting with the Spirit of this mix'd Out-world in this conjuncture they may see one another and discourse with one another But I confess Euistor the Theorie is something remote and strange Euist. And yet that which is stranger Bathynous there are some that profess which were a great Attestation to the truth of the Teutonick Philosophy if it were certain that they have such openings of their brains or eyes that they can see into both those internall Kingdoms and view the marvellous shapes of the Inhabitants of them both Bath That I must confess Euistor is still more wonderfull though upon the Hypothesis I even now hinted not simply impossible But we must take heed how we become over-credulous in such things He that will averr he has discovered those internall Worlds by Sense must first assure himself that he is not imposed upon by his Imagination For Phancy becomes sometimes presentificall as in Mad-men and those in high Fevers whose Phantasms seem real externall Objects to them Nay it is sometimes so in them that are well and in their wits either arbitrariously as in Cardan or surprisingly as in severall others I have conversed with but are so wise as to know it is a phancy and give it the stop But if they did believe there were such an internall World and did vehemently desire to converse there how exceeding credible is it that these people would take their inward Phantasms for externall Objects in that Inward World Euist. But how shall they rid themselves of the errour Bathynous Bath If some number of them that conceive they have recovered the inward eye which was put out by Adam's Fall whereby they can see through the outward eye into the internall Worlds would experiment the seeing of the same Object together For if they do not see it together in the same place and circumstances it is a shrewd presumption all is but internall phancy Sophr. But suppose they do see the same Object together invisible in the mean time to ordinary eyes Bath Yet they are not secure but they may be imposed upon by false Reason For it does not follow for all this they see the Inhabitants of such an Internall World as the Teutonick Philosophy declares for but the more subtil Inhabitants of the Externall For both Air and Aether are the Elements of this Externall world not of the Internall And fallen Spirits purely Immaterial are to me I must confess a great Paradox or that having material Vehicles they should not have their abode in a material Element Which Element being the Dark world it is evident that the Dark world cannot be in one place
with this Out-world but as part of it To say nothing of the Light world which I must confess I take to be material also Sophr. And so do I Bathynous nor can by any means admit that Heaven and Hell are in the same space forasmuch as the Inhabitants of Heaven are Corporeall For the glorified Saints have Bodies and so have the Angels too according to the Opinion of the best Divines and Philosophers Bath But in the same place or Region Heaven and Hell may be manifested in particular Creatures what is common administring to their property as the Seminal Soul of the World is as busie in forming Toads and poisonous Serpents as in the fairest and most harmless Creatures Euist. What do you think then Bathynous that I. Behmen was not at all inspired that there is so little assurance of any considerable truth he has communicated to the World Bath To declare my conjecture of him freely and impartially XVIII Bathynous his judgement touching J. Behmen with some Cautions how to avoid the being ensnared by Enthusiasts Euistor I will in the first place allow him to be a very serious and well-minded man but of a nature extremely melancholick And in the second place I conjecture that he had been a Reader of H. N. and Paracelsus his Writings Both which being Enthusiasticall Authours fired his Melancholy into the like Enthusiastick elevations of spirit and produced a Philosophy in which we all-over discover the foot-steps of Paracelsianism and Familism Love and Wrath Sulphur and Sal-niter Chymistry and Astrology being scattered through all I do not deny Euistor but that both H. N. and I. Behmen were inspired but I averre withall that their Inspiration was not purely Spiritual Intellectual and Divine but mainly Complexionall Natural and Daemoniall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Aristotle speaks which is best understood by that of Plotinus Ennead 2. lib. 2. c. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This therefore was an Inspiration too far removed from the first pure Fountain to come clear Complexionall Love the noblest Motion impressed upon us by the Spirit of Nature first oppress'd in the Constriction Compunction and Anguish of a down-bearing Melancholy and after burning and flaming out into a joyfull liberty and carrying captive with it those severer Particles that would have smothered it into a glorious Triumph of Light and chearfull Splendour of the Spirits which makes the Soul overflow with all kindness and sweetness this I conceive is all the peculiar Inspiration or Illumination these Theosophists had at the bottom Which yet is not so contemptible but that they justly magnify it above the grim ferocities of the superstitious Factions in the imbittered Churches of the world who have not so good an Inspiration as this but their tongues and hearts are set on fire of Hell Jam. 3.6 This Light of Nature I say is abundantly well appointed both for Right and Skill to chastise and reproch the gross and grievous Immoralities of Hypocriticall Religions and to be subservient to that Truth and Life that is really Divine Euist. But they writ professedly as from the Spirit of God And I. Behmen seems to have had the assistence of a good Angel by that story of an Old man who upon pretence of buying a pair of Shoes of him read him his destiny and gave him holy and pious Instructions Bath Who knows but that it was really a man For he carried the Shoes away with him which he bought nor did he vanish in his sight And suppose he was a good Angel not a Devil does it follow straight that he was infallible The Inhabitants of the other World are good Physiognomists and know very well who are most for their turn in this Cuph. As an Horse-courser knows an Horse by his marks Bath And lastly that Iacob declares what he writes is from God that is but that which is necessary for all Enthusiasts to doe For if they did not think themselves inspired they were not Enthusiasts But there is a very powerfull Magick in this their heightened Confidence for the captivating others to them Hyl. How shall a man doe then Bathynous to keep himself from being ensnared by their Writings and from being hurried away with their Enthusiasms Bath For him that reads them there is onely this one short Remedie and safe To observe the moral and pious Precepts they tumble out with such extraordinary Zeal and fervour and to endeavour to be as really good as they declare themselves and all men ought to be and to make that your first and chief care without any design of engrasping great Mysteries This is the onely way of being assuredly able to judge them and of coming to that state which David blesses God for Psalm 119.99 I have more understanding then my Teachers because I keep thy Commandments Philoth. That is very good advice Hylobares and the most certain way of keeping out of the snares of Enthusiasts and one of the greatest good effects that God intends by the permission of them to inveigle certain Complexions in the ways of Holiness and to exercise the gift of discerning of Spirits in others to whom he has given it for the Safety of his Church and the magnifying the Ministry of the Gospel of his Son Iesus in the true and Apostolick Promoters thereof Sophr. If this way were taken my fears and jealousies O Philotheus were all hush'd nor could I doubt but the pure Apostolick Religion would carry all before it Philoth. And verily as touching those two Sects I must farther confirm to you O Sophron that there is not any such great danger in them no not in that more suspected one for as for the Behmenists I am of Bathynous his minde that they are unjustly suspected For at present by a kinde of oblique stroke God does notable execution upon the dead Formality and Carnality of Christendome by these zealous Evangelists of an internall Saviour and if any of them out of mistake and errour should in a manner antiquate that part of Religion that respects the externall which I hope are not many nor will be yet and mark what I say if they continue sincere I do not doubt but they will be fetched in again at least at the long run as being to be found in that third part of the Cities that are to fall by the sword of him that sitteth on the white Horse at the time of the effusion of the last Vial. Apoc. 19.21 and 16.19 Philop. That is very likely Philotheus nor have I now any doubt but those glorious Times of the Church will come and in such a sense as has been predefined But the next point is concerning the Signs of their coming Philoth. Can you desire a better Sign then the orderly succession of the Vials Philop. But I had in my thoughts the Rumour of Elias his coming first XIX That there is an Elias to come and in what sense as at the first coming of Christ for
so a very learned Authour declares for the Appearance of Eliah before his second coming also Philoth. And for ought I know Philopolis that Opinion may be true if rightly understood that is to say neither of Elias the Thisbite nor of Iohn the Baptist personally nor of any one Person exclusively but according to the Prophetick style of the Spirit of Elias in a Company or Succession of persons In this sober sense I know not but this expectation of the coming of Elias first may not be vain Philop. What do you understand then by the Spirit of Elias O Philotheus that we may know where and when he doth appear Philoth. As touching that Philopolis we are not to excogitate what Character we please but casting our eyes upon History and Prophecy we are impartially to gather the true Character of that Spirit out of the Scripture Philop. How I beseech you Philotheus Philoth. XX The Character of this Elias gathered out of Prophecy As first out of Prophecy Admitting the Prophecies to have a double Completion as our Saviour seems plainly to imply a double coming of Elias forasmuch as when the Baptist was beheaded yet he said that Elias will indeed come and restore all things the description of the Messenger of the Covenant in Malachi is an admirable lively description of the Spirit of Elias Mal. 3.1 2 3. Behold I send the Messenger of the Covenant which ye delight in by whom the Hebrew Writers understand Elias behold he shall come saith the Lord of Hosts But who may abide the day of his coming and who shall stand when he appeareth for he is like a Refiner's fire and like Fuller's soap And he shall sit as a Refiner and Purifier of Silver and he shall purifie the sons of Levi and purge them as gold and silver that they may offer unto the Lord an offering of Righteousness Therefore the Doctrine of casting away all Corruption Insincerity and Hypocrisy is one Note of the Spirit of Elias Again in the Prophet Isay Isa. 40.3 4 5. The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness Prepare ye the way of the Lord make straight in the Desert an high-way for our God Every Valley shall be exalted and every Mountain and Hill shall be made low and crooked places shall be made straight and the rough places plain And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together For the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Philop. What Note do you gather out of that Philotheus Philoth. A Doctrine or declaration against the Distortion or perversion of the Simplicity of Christian Truth by proud and politick persons who have made Religion a Labyrinth for men to lose themselves in that they may the more easily take them up as a prize and booty The anfractuous serpentine windings of a false Church-policy that has so monstrously corrupted Religion in Doctrine and Practice is here declared against The Voice in the Wilderness bids take it away that the glory of the Gospel may be manifested to all flesh in the genuine purity and simplicity thereof and so all Nations be brought under the Sceptre of Christ. Philop. That meaning is marvellous easie and natural Philoth. A third Character of this Spirit is remarkable in the last of Malachi Behold Mal. 4.5 I will send you Eliah the Prophet before the great and dreadful Day of the Lord that is to say before the Battel of the great Day of God Almighty under the last Vial Apoc. 16.16 And he shall turn the heart of the Fathers unto the Children and the heart of the Children to their Fathers lest I come and smite the Earth with a curse That is to say This Spirit will be no Sectarian spirit to rend and tear but a reconciling spirit to soder together the affections of Magistrate and Subject in the Kingdome of God to prevent the Miseries of this earthly life that arise out of Dissension Tumult and War Philop. This is an excellent Spirit of Elias indeed I pray God hasten his coming Philoth. There is also another very remarkable Character of the Elias to come intimated by our Saviour himself in his discourse with his Disciples after his Transfiguration on the Mount before which time notwithstanding as I told you before the Baptist was beheaded Matt. 17.10 11. yet he being asked by his Disciples touching the Opinion of the Scribes That Elias must first come he answers Elias truly shall first come and restore all things Which effect however to accommodate to Iohn the Baptist I believe would be very hard Philop. Well but what Character Philotheus do you gather out of this Prediction Philoth. That the Spirit of Elias will neither abrogate what is authentick nor introduce what is new but be a Restorer onely of what useful Truths or Practices may seem to have been lost in the long delapse of Ages For the Decursion of Time is like that of a River which if there be not great care taken will bring down straws leaves and sticks but sink what is most solid to the bottome Philop. This consideration of Knowledge Philotheus puts me in minde of that Proverbial Prediction of the Iews touching their expected Elias Elias cùm venerit solvet omnia It seems then he will be a great Promoter of Wisedome and Learning will he not Philotheus Philoth. Such you do not mean Philopolis as the finding out the Quadrature of the Circle or a perpetual Motion Philop. To tell you the truth Philotheus I do not know what I mean I pray you what do you think of it Philoth. I told you before he will be a Restorer of usefull Truth and it may be of such clear and plain Principles as may solve the most concerning Difficulties that Humane Reason is subject to be entangled withall But I do not believe that he will be an Abettour of any useless Subtilties or of any Knowledge that promotes not Vertue and the common good He is that Voice in the Wilderness Prepare ye the way of the Lord and make his paths straight His wisedome respects onely the Promotion and Interest of the Kingdom of Christ. XXI His Character taken out of History But now for the Characters taken out of the History of Iohn the Baptist and Elias First it is observable in both their Persons how much sequestred they were from the World what haunters of Wildernesses and Deserts And more particularly of Eliah how his abodes were by Brooks and under solitary Trees 1 Kings 19.8 9 c. in Caves and Mountains as on Mount Horeb where God talked with him after there had passed before him the strong Winde the Earthquake and the Fire Philop. Shall then all that partake of the Spirit of Eliah be Eremites Philoth. That 's not the meaning of it Philopolis but that they shall be of a spirit separate from the World and untainted and unsophisticated by the unwholesome Converse of men that their
Judgements shall not be blinded by beholding the frequent and accustomary practice of authentick wickedness Philop. And what I pray you is meant by the Raiment of Camel's hair and leathern girdle about John the Baptist's loyns Matt. 3.4 And the very body of Elias is so described 2 King 1.8 that he was an hairy man Philoth. That 's very obvious O Philopolis to spell out It signifies how rough and unpolish'd how rude and sylvatick the spirit of Elias will appear to the World because it will so freely and impartially reprehend the World To declare truth in all plainness and simplicity of heart though otherwise with all civility imaginable assure your self Philopolis will appear to the World a great piece of roughness rudeness and uncourtliness So tender and so rotten is the heart of the wicked But there are also in the Story other Characters of the Spirit of Elias that are less symbolicall As an holy boldness and undauntedness of courage to witness to the Truth though to the utmost perill of one's person Which was conspicuous both in the Baptist and in Elias The instructing every one in their Duty as Iohn did the People Luk. 3.10 the Publicans and the Souldiers The raising men out of a false Security from external or carnal respects as he did the Sadducees and Pharisees Matt. 3.8 9. Bring forth fruits meet for Repentance And say not within your selves We have Abraham to our Father or that we are the Successours of Peter and the rest of the Apostles For God is able of these Stones you tread upon to raise up Successours unto Peter This also is a notable Character of the Spirit of Elias 1 King 19.10 a vehement Iealousie in the behalf of the purity of God's Worship against all Polytheism and Idolatry Philop. Yes that was very conspicuous indeed in Elias the Thisbite But what is meant by his bringing down fire from Heaven upon the Captains and their Fifties 2 King 1.10 Philoth. That indeed is again symbolicall Philopolis and signifies that the Elias to come will use onely the power of the Spirit from on high to oppose all weapons of any carnal warfare against him Philop. There is but one passage more Philotheus and I think we shall then have Characters enough of the Eliah to come viz. The Thisbite's Contest with the Priests of Baal where he seems to try the Truth of Religion by this Touchstone The God that answers by fire 1 King 18.24 let him be God Philoth. The Elias to come will make the same appeal to the people Ye worship you know not what John 4.22 as our Saviour said of the Samaritans that did not worship God in spirit and in truth The God that answers by fire let him be God Philop. I but what 's the meaning of that Philotheus Philoth. Does God care for the oblation of a Bullock Philopolis The Beast which we are to offer to be consumed in a Burnt-sacrifice are the Beastly Affections in us The God that answers by fire that is to say by his Spirit to the consumption of these let him be God But he that worships not this living God that by the working of his Spirit cleanses us from our Corruptions let him be deemed as the worshipper of an Idol Philop. This is a good useful sense Philotheus Nor have you I think omitted any Character of the Elias to come unless it be that Severeness and Austerity observable in the Baptist and the sharpness and tartness of his Reprehensions Philoth. That was partly glanced at before in the roughness and hairiness of their Persons and Garbs I mean of both the Thisbite and the Baptist. Which Dispensation though it may seem harsh yet it will stand in a seasonable opposition to the Vanity and Levity to the Prophaneness and Frivolousness of the Age it appears in Cuph. I think both Philopolis and Philotheus are so sadly and severely set on it that they have on purpose declined the mentioning of as notorious an Example of Elias his carriage of himself as any occurrs in his whole Story Philop. I pray you Cuphophron what 's that Cuph. The deriding the Priests of Baal so sarcastically Philoth. That was left for Cuphophron to glean up it fits his humour so well Hyl. And I dare say he catched at it with great greediness Philotheus hoping for his other-day's tart jears and satyrical Derisions of the known miscarriages of the civilized World under pretence of playing Advocate-General for the Paynim that he may deserve if computation of time will permit to be deemed no small limb of that great Elias that is spoken of Cuph. Who I Hylobares I would not for all the world be so much as the little finger of so hairy rough and hispid a body Nay I thank my God I am of a more smooth civil and compleasant temper then so Philop. And let him be so XXII The time of Elias his coming if he will Hylobares In the mean time Philotheus since I am pretty well satisfied touching the Characters I beseech you tell me when the time of the coming of Elias is Philoth. Within the first Thunder Philop. That I knew before Philotheus for you told me it would be before the effusion of the last Vial. But under what Vial will it be Philoth. About the fourth or fifth nor may I define more precisely About that time is the appearance of Elias in the Spirit Philop. Is that then the beginning of that Regnum Spiritûs the Cabbalists speak of Philoth. No Philopolis not properly the Beginning of it but rather a Preparation to it according as it is written Mal. 3.1 Behold I send my Messenger and he shall prepare the way before me And then the Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come to his Temple Philop. What Temple 's that Philotheus Philoth. Ezekiel's Temple in the new Ierusalem I above told you of That is the Temple meant in this second Completion of the Prophecy And you know there are several Periods of their Completion as in Ezekiel's Vision there was a wheel in a wheel Ezek. 1.16 Philop. But it is said of that new Ierusalem Apoc. 21.22 that there is no Temple there Philoth. There is and there is not There is no material Temple but yet there is a Mysticall one For God Almighty and the Lamb is the Temple thereof God Almighty is the Object of our Worship and the Lamb that is stylo Prophetico the Body of Christ his Church for * 1 Cor. 12.12 Gal. 3.16 Christ sometimes signifies so in Scripture in which he rules and dwells by his Spirit is the Temple according to that of the Apostle For the Temple of God is holy 1 Cor. 3.17 which Temple ye are This is the Temple which the Lord Christ is in a more peculiar manner to come into after the Ministry of Elias the Messenger of the Covenant who is to be as a Refiner's fire and as Fuller's soap
to purifie the sons of Levi and purge them as gold and silver that they may become an holy Temple and Priesthood the new Ierusalem that City of God whose Wall is of Jasper and the City of pure Gold like to transparent Glass The Spirit of Elias is the spirit of Burning and of Anguish the spirit of sharp Reproof and bitter Repentance the spirit of travail and pain in Sion's new Birth But the Regnum Spiritûs is the actual Renovation of the World into perfect Righteousness Peace and Joy Philop. XXIII Certain Principles tending to the acceleration of the glorious Times of the Church You speak of most excellent Things and Times O Philotheus and with such a confident career that you hurry a man away not onely into a belief that they will be but into an impatience that they are not already Which therefore makes me eagerly desire to hear you discourse of the Means of accelerating these good Times Philoth. And that I shall Philopolis but with all possible brevity for fear I should keep you up again too late of the night But I shall impose upon you in nothing but appeal to your own judgement if what I propound be not right As in the first place That Reformed Christendome is the true visible Kingdome of God The First Principle and that therefore all men are bound in Conscience by all lawfull means to promote the Interest thereof Philop. That Reformed Christendome is the Kingdome of God Philotheus I am fully persuaded and of the duty thereupon depending Cuph. But we of the more Philosophicall Genius O Philopolis are not of so easie a belief but make longer pauses in so weighty Points before we close with them Philop. Why XXIV Of Luther's Conference with the Devil touching the abrogating of the Mass together with his Night-Visions of flying Firebrands what 's the scruple now with you Cuphophron Cuph. Why do you think that that can be the Kingdome of God whose foundation is laid by the Activity of the Devil For my part I am no great Historian but what I reade I reade impartially and those that you call the Kingdome of Antichrist do with great noise and confidence averre that Luther abolish'd the Mass upon Conference with and Instructions from the Devil Bath O Cuphophron light of belief Does your Philosophicall Considerateness permit you to give any credence to such things As if either Luther had any real Conference with the Devil about the Mass or if the Devil did dispute against it that it was in the behalf of the Reformation It is true Luther himself a person of great plainness of heart and no great Naturalist saies that at midnight he awakening was presently in a Dispute with the Devil whom he describes speaking with a strong and deep voice to him But thus has many a man awakened into the perception of a struggling with the Night-mare or Ephialtes as with some real person which when they have been more perfectly awaked they have found to be nothing else but a Colluctation with their own phancy the more knowing especially But the more ignorant and superstitious and you know Luther had been a long time a very devout Monk whose Cells are full of the stories and phancies of Apparitions and Devils do ordinarily take such passages for externall Realities Which I must confess I conceive to be Luther's case For he had a body and complexion obnoxious to such Illusions But suppose it was not an Illusion of phancy It does not presently follow that that invisible Disputant was a bad Angel or a Devil That may be imputed onely to the modesty of Luther that he thought so who professes himself no affecter of Dreams nor Visions of Angels And therefore the good man in an humble ignorance took this Dispute to be an Exagitation of the Devil but was so sincere a lover of the Truth that when he was convinced thereof he would not disown it or refuse it though it had been blown upon by the breath of Beelzebub Acts 16.16 As the Pythonissa's witnessing to the truth of the Gospel in the Acts does not put Paul and the rest of Christ's followers out of conceit with the Christian Faith Nor did the Devil's confessing Iesus to be the Messiah Mark 3.11 the Son of God make the Doctrine of Christ less passable with the Apostles or any other Disciples And therefore lastly admit that it was not a good Angel but a Devil it does not follow that the Truth is less Truth or that it is any Argument against the Reformation or that the Devil began this Dispute with Luther in favour of it but rather of Papism For he foreseeing how obvious and usefull those Arguments were for the abrogating of the Mass and that Luther could not but hit on them in the conclusion he like a cunning Sophister to prevent the ruine of his own Kingdome suggests these Reasonings to Luther betime that they being thus disparaged by the first Inventour of them might doe the less execution against the Mass and therewithall against the whole Lurry of Popish Idolatry and Superstition For this was a device worthy that old Serpent Cuph. And you Bathynous I think have a fetch beyond the Devil himself My Philosophy had not considered the thing so throughly But now I am more awakened to consider of it why may it not be some crafty fellow got into Luther's Bed-chamber that thus abused him there are such Stories of men speaking through Trunks and with the same design the Devil is supposed to have had in it this crafty Knave personating the Devil Bath Any of these waies in my judgement are sufficient to take off that odium that some would cast upon the Reformation from this passage of Luther And I look upon the first as not inferiour to any of them as corresponding with the conceit which I have also of his nocturnall visions of the flying Fire-brands Which appearance I believe was onely in his phancy because alwaies after this appearance he was tormented with a grievous distemper of the Head and had usually the oil of Almonds put into his ears for a cure or mitigation Philoth. I can never think of these nocturnall visions of the Fire-brands Bathynous but with a reflexion on the fieriness of Luther's spirit whose invincible zeal so far emboldened him as publickly and solemnly to cast the Pope's Bull and Canon-Law into the fire and in conclusion by the fiery Activity of his indefatigable spirit to burn down a great part of the Papal Monarchy as a * Dr. Heylia in his Geography late Historian phrases it with allusion to Luther's fire Bath That so it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the mouth of the Prophet Ezekiel against the King of Tyre Ezek. 28.18 Thou hast defiled thy Sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities by the iniquity of thy Traffick therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee it shall devour thee and I
a wonder to me if men acting and living thus Apostolically as you describe can be in the state of Damnation Philop. Wherefore we see plainly that there is no Inconvenience to the Reformed Churches in declaring the Roman Church to be the Kingdome of Antichrist accordingly as our first Reformers generally held but every way an unspeakable Advantage as any one may easily discern that will consider And therefore we being clear in this point I pray you proceed to the next Philotheus Philoth. The next Document as you call it Philopolis is this That seeing we are so well assured that the Papacy is the Kingdome of Antichrist or that City of Babylon wherein the People of God were held captive we should leave no string nor tassel of our ancient Captivity upon us such I mean as whereby they may take hold on us and pull us back again into our former Bondage but look upon our selves as absolutely free from any tie to them more then in endeavouring their Conversion and Salvation Which we knowing so experimentally not to be compassed by needless Symbolizings with them in any thing I conceive our best policy is studiously to imitate them in nothing but for all indifferent things to think rather the worse of them for their using them As no person of honour would willingly goe in the known garb of any leud and infamous persons Whatsoever we court them in they do but turn it to our scorn and contempt and are the more hardened in their own wickedness Wherefore seeing that needless Symbolizing with them does them no good but hurt we should account our selves in all things indifferent perfectly free to please and satisfie in the most universal manner we can those of our own Party not caring what Opinions or Customes or outward Formalities the Romanists and others have or may have had from the first Degeneracy of the Church Which we ought to account the more hideously soiled for the Romanists using of them but supporting our selves upon plain Scripture and solid Reason to use and profess such things as will be most universally agreeable to us all and make most for the safety and welfare of the true Kingdome of Christ. For this undoubtedly O Philopolis is the most firm and solid Interest of any Protestant Church or State whatsoever Philop. I am fully of your minde Philotheus and this freedome is no more I think then the Protestant Churches generally profess and particularly the Church of England in the Book of Articles and in the Homilies Artic. 20 34. In the Homily of Fasting But would you not have them to keep pretty strictly to a Conformity to those Ages of the Church which are called symmetrall and the people in the mean time to yield a peaceable obedience to such Institutes as are not altogether of so antique a character provided they be indifferent during the pleasure of their Superiours Philoth. I am very really and cordially for that peaceable Compliance O Philopolis and must also acknowledge that there is a special Reverence due to those Ages you speak of But you must remember that the holy Oracles have predicted and promised us better Times then those I mean then some of them especially Those were the times of the measure of the Reed these we expect of the golden Reed Things in their own nature immutable are indispensable but things indifferent are mutable And Opinion is ranged amongst those mutable things But Faith is as the Rock of Ages What is commensurable to the golden Reed must not be cast out but what is combustible will perish by the Word and by the Spirit which is Fire Philop. XXVIII Of the Use of the Word and of the Spirit in counterdistinction to dry Reason The first Reformers talked much of the Word and of the Spirit but this present Age are great Challengers into the field of Reason to duell it there And their Adversaries seem to like the way of Combate What is the matter with them Philotheus Philoth. That is not Philopolis because they can think their Cause more rational then ours but because the vulgar are commonly bad judges of such Combates and as ill users of that weapon They cannot so easily defend themselves therewith against the Sophisters of the Kingdome of Darkness nor well tell upon this account when these Sophisters are overcome by others unless they would confess themselves vanquish'd when they really are so which their Policy and Haughtiness will never permit them to doe Insomuch as there is never any end of such Contests And therefore though such Combates may doe well enough among the Learned yet I think it for the Interest of the Kingdome of Christ by no means to let go the use of those weapons our first Reformers found so available in the Recovery of it The Fourth Principle Let no man quit the assurance of the Spirit and of the Word taking refuge in dry Reason for the maintaining the truth of his Religion And this shall be the Fourth Document Philop. The Word both sides are agreed upon But why do you bring the judgement of the Spirit in stead of the exercise of our Reason upon the Scripture Philoth. I do not exclude the exercise of Reason but of dry Reason unassisted by the Spirit Philop. What then do you mean by the Spirit Philotheus For this seems to open a gap to all Wildness and Fanaticism Philoth. As you may understand it Philopolis it may But as I understand it it is the onely way I know to Sobriety For I understand by the Spirit not a blind unaccountable Impression or Impulse a Lift or an Huff of an heated Brain but the Spirit of Life in the new Birth which is a discerning Spirit and makes a man of a quick understanding in the fear of the Lord. Isa. 11.2 3. This is the anointing of our Head and true High-priest the Lord Iesus in the first place in a supereminent manner but flows down to the very meanest and lowest of his Members In the guidance of this Spirit a man shall either immediately feel and smell out by an holy Sagacity what is right and true and what false and perverse or at least he shall use his Reason aright to discover it Philop. XXIX How a man shall know that he has the Spirit Such a Spirit as this indeed Philotheus is no Fanatick spirit but a sure Guide in all things But how shall a man know that he has this Spirit Philoth. John 3.6 By the fruits of it That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit He that is born of God sinneth not 1 John 3.9 because his seed that is the Spirit remaineth in him If we have cast off the deeds of the flesh mortifying them through the Spirit it is a sign the Spirit of Christ dwelleth in us Now the works of the flesh are manifest Gal. 5.19 c. such as are
Philop. Cuphophron will have his conceit on every thing be it never so serious Let him call it what he will I pray you Philotheus reade it leisurely and distinctly Philoth. XXXVIII Theomanes his Vision of the seven Thunders I shall Philopolis The Title is The space of the seventh Trumpet dividing it self into the seven Thunders with their previous Coruscations in order as follows It begins with a straight stroke and broken line abruptly after this manner And the first Coruscation cast forth its Light which shone from one end of the Heaven to the other Whereupon a most dreadfull Thunder uttered its voice insomuch that the Earth shook and trembled and shrunk under it Wherewithall the Clouds were discharged of a most noisome and prodigious Rain of Bloud of Fire of Hail and infectious Dust with other such like Plagues of Egypt insomuch that men were exceedingly tormented and enraged by reason of the intolerableness of the Plagues Philop. This I believe is but a more broken and confused Representation of the Effusion of the seven Vials or of something synchronall thereto As you have already declared that the seven Vials are Synchronall to the first Thunder Philoth. It may be so Philopolis Philop. But I pray you go on I shall not again interrupt you Philoth. After this I looked up and behold in the East a large white Cloud which came sailing as it were with a cool and refreshing gale of wind toward an exceeding high Mountain at a certain distance from which the second Coruscation discharged it self from this Cloud Whereupon I heard a more chearfull Thunderclap re-echoing through the Air and the Cloud breaking a-pieces I saw a most glorious City lightly descending carried in the stream of this cool breeze obliquely downward and so settling at last on the Top of this high Mountain But I had not long fed mine eyes with so beautifull a Sight when unexpectedly from over the City a bright Coruscation broke forth so great and so glorious from the pure Sky that the light of the Heavens was sevenfold more clear then the light of the Sun Upon which immediately I heard from thence the voice of the third Thunder and thereupon as it were the voice of a Man tunable and articulate saying Hallelujah Apoc. 19.6 The Lord reigneth And suddenly after a whole Quire of voices seconded this first Voice saying Hallelujah Psalm 87.3 Glorious things are spoken of thee O thou City of God The Mountain of the Lord's House is established on the top of the Mountains Isa. 2.2 and all Nations flow unto it Apoc. 21.24 The Nations of them that are saved walk in the light of it and the Kings of the Earth do bring their glory and honour unto it Hallelujah Which Heavenly and enravishing Melodie was heard from the Holy City for the space of four hours After this I cast mine eyes toward the West and I saw a large Cloud of two colours black and pitchy on the West part thereof and of a bright shining colour toward the East And lo of a sudden the fourth Thunder uttered its voice from the West-side of the Cloud and discharged it self upon certain hollow Rocks and Mountains tearing them a-pieces and rending open their infernall Caverns While in the mean time there issued out on the East-side a strong Wind but pure and refreshing which dividing into severall parts that turned round became so many innocuous Whirl-winds of sincere Air tinctured onely with a cool refreshing smell as if it had passed over some large field of Lilies and Roses Which Whirl-winds moved from man to man lifting them somewhat from the Earth and so letting them easily down again but left a Mark upon the Bodies of every one they thus lifted and a sweet Savour on themselves and on their Garments And the number of them thus lifted and marked is the number of the Companies of the Lamb and their number was 1728. But in the Western part of Heaven the Air was ill-sented by reason of the Fumes from those dark Caves out of which were seen to come many direfull and dismall Forms with part of their melted Chains which the Thunder-clap had broke a-pieces hanging upon their bodies Which Hellish Shapes ran up and down after men upon the face of the Earth catching them and breathing upon them a poisonous breath that corrupted their bodies and made them look black and deformed like Devils But the lifted Companies were too light-footed for them neither had they any power over them because they bore the Mark of the Lamb upon their bodies These things I saw under the voice of the fourth Thunder After which I beheld and lo the whole Heaven was overcast with Clouds especially toward the bottom And immediately the fifth Thunder uttered its voice And there was a re-echoing noise round about the Heavens like the beating of Drums Whereupon I saw innumerable Armies of men from the four Quarters of the Earth marching up toward the Holy City to lay close Siege unto it Apoc. 20.9 And they encompassed the Camp of the Saints round about And I was in an exceeding great fear and trembling But in the midst of this solicitude there came a large flash of Lightening from the East which shone unto the West and the sixth Thunder uttered its voice And I saw the Clouds rent from the Horizon upwards and they were parted toward the North and toward the South like the Curtains of an opened Tent or Canopie Whereupon a marvellous Light sprung up very fast from that quarter and the voice of the Thunder was immediately drowned with a terrible sound of a Trumpet which filled the whole Concave of the Heavens and made the Ground tremble under mens feet Apoc. 20.11 And lo there suddenly appeared a great white Throne arched like a Rain-bow with the Son of man sitting upon it with glory and great majesty from whose face the Earth and Heavens fled away and there was found no place for them And the dead all appeared before the Tribunal of God and the Books were opened And they whose names were written in the Book of Life their strength was renew'd unto them and they mounted up with wings like Eagles and associated themselves with the Angels of God But the Hypocrites and Prophane were condemned whose hearts grew more heavy then lead and became the dregs and sediment of the World Fear and Despair sinking them down while Joy and Assurance lifted up the Sincere into those more defecate Mansions For the whole Sky was filled with Myriads of myriads of Shapes in this great Compearance where the purer Spirits ascended upwards and the more gross were precipitated downwards by the stupendious operation of the great Refiner of the Universe And I saw the Good perfectly separated from the Wicked and the King of Glory rise from his Throne And this general Assises was turned suddenly into a Triumphal Pomp to the Godly they marching orderly in the open Sky with the
onely Man alas that brake Betimes thy Sacred Law And from that Image Heav'nly pure To Beastly Shape did grow He headstrong left thy Holy Will His own Lusts to pursue Whence the true Manly form did fail And Brutishness ensue But thou O God who by thy Word Didst frame all things of Nought By the same Word made Flesh for Man Hast rich Redemption wrought Thy choice Creation-piece thus marr'd Thou dost again create And by th' incarnate Word restor'st Unto his pristine state The glory of which Work raying forth Whiles Christ from Death doth rise These two Creations one Seventh Day By right doth solemnize The Application 2 Cor. 4.6 God who commanded first the Light Out of the dark to shine Enliven and enlight our Hearts By his pure Word Divine That when this New-Creation work In us is finish'd clear The bright and glorious face of Christ May in our Souls appear That we thus once redeem'd from Sin * Hebr. 4.10 From our own works may cease And rest in God's eternall Love The Spirit 's Ioy and Peace And quit from this Earth's Toil at last May sing among the Blest In that long-lasting Sabbath-Day That Iubilee of Rest. Amen THE CONTENTS OF All the Five DIALOGUES The First Dialogue I. THE Preference of Vertue and assurance of an happy Immortality before the Pleasures and Grandeur of this present World II. The Description of Hylobares his Genius and of Cuphophron's Entertainments in his Philosophicall Bower III. Philopolis his Quere's touching the Kingdome of God together with his sincere purpose of proposing them IV. Hylobares his Interposall of his Quere's first touching the Existence of God and Divine Providence V. The Existence of God argued from the orderly Designs discoverable in the Phaenomena of Nature VI. Severall Instances of that general Argument VII That necessary Causality in the blind Matter can doe as little toward the orderly Effects in Nature as the fortuitous Iumbles thereof VIII That there is no Phaenomenon in Nature purely Mechanicall IX That there is no Levitation or Gravitation of the Aether or of the vulgar Elements in their proper places Whence 't is plain that the Matter 's Motion is moderated by some Diviner Principle X. That the Primordialls of the World are not Mechanicall but Vital XI Instances of some simple Phaenomena quite contrary to the Laws of Mechanicks XII The fond and indiscreet hankering after the impossible Pretensions of salving all Phaenomena Mechanically freely and justly perstringed XIII The Existence of God argued from the Consent of Nations from Miracles and Prophecies from his Works in Nature and from his Idea XIV The Obscurity of the Nature of God and the Intricacy of Providence with preparatory Cautions for the better satisfaction in those Points XV. The Attribute of Eternity XVI An Objection against the All-comprehension of Eternity with the Answer thereunto XVII Another Objection with its Answer XVIII The Attribute of Immutability XIX Of the Deity 's acting ad extra XX. The Attribute of Omnisciency XXI The Attribute of Spirituality and that God cannot be Material XXII The false Notion of a Spirit XXIII That there is a Spiritual Being in the World XXIV That Extension and Matter are not reciprocall XXV That there is an Extension intrinsecall to Motion XXVI That there is an immovable Extension distinct from that of movable Matter XXVII That this Extension distinct from Matter is not imaginary but real XXVIII A fresh Appeal touching the truth of that Point to Reason Sense and Imagination XXIX The essential Properties of Matter XXX The true Notion of a Spirit XXXI The Attribute of Omnipresency XXXII Cuphophron's Paradox of God's being no-where XXXIII The Confutation of that Paradox XXXIV That all Spirits are some-where XXXV The Grounds of Cuphophron's Paradox that Spirits are no-where produced and examined XXXVI That God is essentially present every-where XXXVII The Arborists affected liberty of dissenting in unnecessary Opinions and friendly Abusiveness of one another in their Philosophicall Meetings XXXVIII The Conclusion The Second Dialogue I. THe Introduction containing Philopolis his thanks for the last day's Discourse with a touch by the bye of Inspiration and of the Difficulty of the present Subject II. The two main Heads of Objections against Providence with certain Laws to be observed in disputing thereof III. Evils in general how consistent with the Goodness of God IV. The Arguments of Lucretius against Providence V. Providence argued against from the promiscuous falling of the Rain and undiscriminating discharges of Thunder-claps VI. An Answer to Lucretius his Arguments VII Of Death how consistent with the Goodness of Providence VIII Of Diseases IX Of War Famine Pestilence and Earthquakes X. Of ill Accidents happening to brute Creatures whereby their lives become miserable XI Of the Cruelty and Rapacity of Animals XII Of the Rage of the Elements the Poison of Serpents and the Wrath of wilde Beasts XIII Of Monstrosities in Nature XIV Of Fools Mad-men and men irreclaimably wicked from their-very Birth XV. The best Vse to be made of the saddest Scene of the things of this World XVI How the Entrance of Sin into the World can consist with the Goodness of Providence XVII Cuphophron's Lunatick Apologie whereby he would extenuate the Hainousness of Sin XVIII A solid Answer to the foregoing Apologie though ushered in with something a ludicrous Preamble XIX A more sober Enquiry into that Difficulty How the Permission of Sin in the World can consist with the Goodness of God XX. The first Attempt of satisfying the Difficulty from that Stoicall Position of the invincible Freedome of Man's Will XXI The second Attempt from the consideration of some high Abuses of a vincible Freedome as also from the nature of this Freedome it self XXII The third and last from the Questionableness whether in compute of the whole there does not as much good redound to the Vniverse by God's Permission of Sin as there would by his forcible keeping it out XXIII How consistent it is with the Goodness of Providence that God does not suddenly make men holy so soon as they have an hearty minde to it XXIV The Parable of the Eremite and the Angel XXV That the Adversity of the Good and the Prosperity and Impunity of the Wicked in this life are no Arguments against the Accuracy of Providence XXVI A civil but merry-conceited bout of Drinking in Cuphophron's Arbour XXVII The marvellous Conjuncture in Hylobares of an outward Levity and inward Soberness at once XXVIII His serious Song of Divine Providence XXIX The breaking up of the Meeting The Third Dialogue I. COnjectures touching the Causes of that Mirth that the Meeting of some persons naturally excites in one another II. Hylobares his Relapse into Dissettlement of minde touching Providence with the cause thereof III. Paucity of Philosophers no blemish to Divine Providence IV. Reasons in general of the gross Deformity in the Religions and Customs of the Savage Nations as also of the variety of this Deformity in Manners
and is also the Kingdome of Christ or of the Messiah and is likewise styled the Kingdome of Heaven even in a Politicall sense as where it is compared to a Net Matth. 13. and elsewhere This Kingdome of Christ is the Kingdome of God in a more eminent and illustrious signification not onely for its holiness but also for the vast extent thereof according to the Hebrew Idiom For at long run it is to take in all the Kingdoms of the Earth But there is a more particular occasion of the styling of it the Kingdome of God from that passage in Daniel Dan. 2.44 And in the days of those Kings shall the God of Heaven set up a Kingdome which shall never be destroy'd From hence the Kingdome of Christ is called the Kingdome of Heaven and of God Now this great and notable Kingdome of the Son of man or the Messias was not present in our Saviour's days though it was in a near approch And therefore the Disciples might very well be taught to pray Thy Kingdome come and our Saviour preach that the Kingdome of God was at hand and encourage his little flock his few Followers in that at last the Roman Empire would fall into their hands as it did under Constantine the Great when Christianity became the Religion of the Empire But in that he saith Mar. 1.15 The time is fulfilled and the Kingdome of God is at hand that undoubtedly relates to the Seventy weeks of Daniel Dan. 9. which were upon their expiration about that time that Christ preached the Gospel of the Kingdome that is a little before his Suffering ver 25 26. For after seven weeks and threescore and two weeks that is sixty nine weeks the Messias was to be cut off and the people of the Iews cease to be God's people any longer under the Mosaicall Dispensation and the everlasting Righteousness ver 24. or the Eternal Law or Religion of Christ to be brought in and the Iudaicall Sacrifices to cease the Son of God being once made an Oblation upon the Cross for the sins of the whole world This is the Inchoation of the Kingdome of God so much spoken of in the Gospel which though it was at first but as a grain of mustard-seed Matt. 13.31 yet in a little time spred far and wide in the Roman Empire and was at last made Master thereof For I must confess I understand that Parable of the Mustard-tree in a Politicall sense not in a Moral and compare that which our Saviour adds by way of illustration of its greatness so that the birds of the air lodge in the branches thereof with that propheticall expression in Daniel where Nebuchadnezzar's Kingdome is also resembled to a wide-spreading Tree Dan. 4.12 The Beasts of the field had shadow under it and the Fowls of the Heaven dwelt in the boughs thereof And thus was Christ's promise made good to his little flock to whom he had declared that it was his Father's good pleasure to give them the Kingdome Luk. 12.32 Philop. This is handsome and to me not unsatisfactory O Philotheus so far as it goes But did not the Church of God both in Constantine's time and after pray Thy Kingdome come Philoth. I doubt it not Philopolis and it will never be unseasonable so to pray in the Moral sense either for our selves or others but hitherto it has been also seasonable in the Politicall For though the Church where uncorrupted with Idolatry and other gross Pollutions has been the Kingdome of God ever since it had a being whether in prosperity or persecution yet it has been hitherto but Regnum Lapidis not Regnum Montis and therefore in a Politicall sense they might ever pray that that might be fulfilled which was spoken by the mouth of the Prophet Daniel That the stone cut out without hands might smite the Image upon the feet Dan. 2.34 35 44. and become a great Mountain and fill the whole Earth and be a Kingdome that shall stand for ever a Kingdome of God's setting up that shall never be destroyed that is to say shall never relapse into Idolatrous practices nor be under their lash and subjection that do No power shall be able to persecute them for the purity of their Religion For it is the Kingdome of God triumphant and permanent that Daniel seems chiefly to point at as if that short stay of the Seventh King mentioned in the Apocalypse were scarce worth noting in these more compendious Visions Apoc. 17.10 Which seeming omission in the Vision of the Statue is more palpably repeated again in the Vision of the Four beasts For though the Kingdome of the Son of man was in the Reign of the Seventh King in a triumphant state yet because it was so short and unpermanent the Prophecy seems to take no express notice of it but to begin the Inauguration of the Son of man into his Kingdome upon the destruction of the little Horn which destruction is not yet compleated When Dan. 7.21 22. because of the great words the Horn spake the Beast was slain and his body destroyed and given to the burning flame namely the Beast with this little Horn with eyes in it which little Horn is more fully and distinctly represented in the Apocalypse under the figure of the Two-horned Beast then Daniel saw in the night-Vision and behold one like the Son of man came with the clouds of Heaven and came to the Ancient of days and they brought him near before him And there was given him Dominion and Glory and a Kingdome that all people and Nations and languages should serve him His Dominion is an everlasting Dominion which shall not pass away and his Kingdome that which shall not be destroyed which therefore is not so properly the Kingdome of God under the Seventh King but that Dominion of the Saints which emerges upon the Beast that is not and yet is his going into perdition Do you understand me Philopolis Philop. Very well XIV The Easiness of the Prophetick style and I think your Notion mainly solid Nor do I finde it any difficulty to converse with men touching these Propheticall Mysteries since I have pretty well conn'd the Prophetick style the knowledge whereof in my mind is as well more easie as more usefull and pleasant then Heraldry which yet every ordinary capacity is easily master of Philoth. I am exceeding glad to hear you say so O Philopolis and wish all the Gentlemen in Christendome were of your mind They would find such Conviction in the Prophecies of Daniel and the Apocalypse that I dare say we should in a short time be all of one opinion in matters of Religion Philop. I wish with all my heart they would set themselves to this so easie and pleasant kind of seriousness Bath Sensuality Levity and Profaneness of spirit makes holy things though of themselves very easie and pleasant both unpleasant hard and tedious to such unmoralized minds
That is the great bar to the reception of Sacred Truths with such kind of men as Pride Covetousness and Hypocrisie with others Philop. What you say I believe is too true Bathynous the more the pitty But while we cannot change the minds of others let us at least improve our own as well as we can And from what we have proceeded in hitherto I am the more desirous to hear an answer to the last part of my present Quere Tell me therefore I beseech you O Philotheus Where the Kingdome of God now is That was the last Point in my Second Question and methinks I am more puzzled in it then ever Philoth. You are not so puzzled XV Where the Kingdome of God now is Philopolis but I believe you will easily extricate the difficulty your self and find out where God has by first finding out where he has not his Kingdome For I believe you will not say that the Kingdome of God is amongst the mere Pagans by reason of their Ignorance Atheisticalness and Idolatry Philop. No sure I did not so much as dream it was Philoth. Nor amongst the Iews For they were a City of murtherers and killed their Messias and so ceased to be God's people and as many as are not converted to Christianity justifie the act of their forefathers and become successively guilty of their bloudy and murtherous Crime Besides that they are professed Enemies and Rebells to the manifestly-declared Law of God which is the Christian Religion and therefore the Iewish Nation can be no part of the Kingdome of God according to the Definition of it above mentioned Philop. You say true Philotheus Philoth. Nor the Turk for the same reason I mean for his express enmity to Christianity the plainly-declared Law of God besides the tearing Cruelty and Savageness of that Polity For the Kingdome of God must be devoid as well of bloudy Persecution and Barbarity as of Idolatry and Polytheism And what an ill Character the Turks and Saracens have in the Prophetick Visions is plain in that the latter are figured out by Scorpion-like Locusts out of the bottomless pit Apoc. 9.10 11. the title of whose King is Abaddon or Apollyon the other by Horsemen ver 17 19. whose horses heads are compared to Lions and their tails to Serpents to intimate that league they have with the Kingdome of the Serpent or of the Devil for the Devil was a murtherer from the beginning and these Wasters of the world by war and bloudshed Philop. This is more then enough evident Philoth. And for the Popish Church it is well known how besides their multifarious Idolatries and gross Superstitious practices it is all-over besmeared with innocent bloud as she also is figured out in the Apocalypse by that gorgeous Whore with whom the Kings of the earth commit Fornication Chap. 17.2 6. and who is drunk with the bloud of the Saints and with the bloud of the Martyrs of Iesus Philop. It remains then that the Reformed parts of Christendome be the Kingdome of God for none else occurr to my mind that can lay claim to the title Philoth. And there is good reason to conclude so both because the Definition of the Externall Kingdome of God above given agrees to them namely that they worship the One and onely-true God and have purified his Worship from all Idolatrous practices and corruptions and have so far ceased to be that murtherous City that stoned the Prophets that they use no other sword then that of the Spirit against Idolaters themselves whom they never kill but either in the open field in battel or upon the account of Treason against their lawfull Prince and also because God be thanked they are free from any yoke but that of Christ and their own Reformed Princes And therefore being a self-sufficient Power able to maintain themselves against all extraneous and Idolatrous Powers these of them that are in this condition seem to me to be an hopefull Inchoation of that promised Kingdome of the Son of man which Daniel foretells of and to be the first Rudiments of the Fifth Monarchy forasmuch as they arise out of the ruine of the little Horn with the eyes of a Dan. 7.25 man which is said to wear out the Saints of the most High Philop. I understand you very well Philotheus O the admirable perspicuity and convictiveness of Truth O how necessary is the knowledge of this Theory to all the Protestant Dominions that they may know how to be both good Christians and good Subjects at once For no man can oppose undermine or be false to the Protestant Interest as such or to any Reformed Prince but he must ipso facto commit Treason against the Kingdome of God and be a Traitour or Rebell against the Sovereignty of the Lord Iesus O how infinitely satisfied am I with this Truth O how I could dwell upon this so-concerning a speculation O how am I eased in mind and freed from all distraction while my Soul is stedfastly determined to one that I know what to wish for what to pray for what to act for what to suffer for I mean for the interest of the Kingdome of God and the reviving Monarchy of the Lord Iesus Christ. Cuph. XVI That smaller faults in Things or Persons hinder not but that a Church may still be the Kingdome of God This Truth if it be a truth is like a spark fallen into very combustible matter that it has set Philopolis thus all on a flame It 's pitty but what you say should be true Philotheus that Philopolis his sincere and ingenuous zeal may not have hit on an undue subject But for my part I cannot but be something hesitant at least in the point if not quite incredulous For the Manners the Opinions and the manner of the Rise of Reformed Christendome are such as in my judgment ill sute with so glorious a Title Hyl. What it seems then that Mr. Advocate General of the Paynim will now act the part of an Accuser of the brethren This it is to be of such an universalized spirit as to be ready and fit for all turns Cuph. I shall aecuse them Hylobares whom I desire to be found clear and before such Judges as I hope will not be unfavourable Philoth. For my part Cuphophron I cannot say that either all Things or all persons of the Reformation are without fault But the sinfulness of some yea though it were of many does not exclude the whole from being the Externall Kingdome of God And that is the point that we are upon For the Externall Kingdome of God may be presumed much larger then the Internall And our Saviour Christ himself you know compares the Kingdome of God in this externall sense to a Net cast into the Sea Matt. 13.47 which gathers of every kind as well bad as good The people of Israel was the Kingdome of God but was every particular man of them holy and vertuous The Roman