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
ratified by the New Is this the body of the Sun you mean Philoth. Some such thing I drive at you understand me very well Now I say the pouring out the Vial upon this Sun is the enlightning it with clear and convictive Expositions by Holy men assisted by the Spirit of God or rather the removing the clouds of Obscurity from before it that it may shine in its full strength to discover plainly the unrighteous mysteries of the Kingdome of Antichrist and shew to all the World in what a foul and horrid condition they are how apostatized from God and Christ and how plainly and reprochfully their abominable doings are characterized by the finger of God in the Scripture and how lively their most direfull and diabolicall Image is there described This is the pouring out the Vial upon the Sun whereby power is given him to scorch men with fire and so vex them that they blaspheme the Name of God by reason of these Plagues and rather vilifie and reproch the Scriptures and the Spirit that writ them then repent them of their sins and give glory to God by acknowledging the Truth This I conceive may be one sense of the fourth Vial. Philop. But this is a more Mystical or Spiritual sense Is there not also Philotheus a Politicall one Philoth. Yes there is Philopolis and it is a very obvious one For nothing is more confessed then that in the Prophetick style the Sun signifies the greatest person in the Politicall Universe as he is the most glorious Luminarie in the Natural Now who do you think is the greatest person in the World the Pope rules in Philop. He and the Pope has disputed it a great while and I think it is hard to say whether is at this very day Philoth. Wherefore the next Vial seeming more peculiarly to concern the Pope this is likely to appertain to the Emperour Philop. What therefore do you think the pouring of the fourth Vial upon the Sun to signifie in this Politicall sense Philoth. I hope it signifies the Conversion of some Emperour illuminated with the true knowledge of the Gospel For thus the general Reformation which he will introduce in his Empire through the Light and Zeal he has conceived for the Truth will scorch and burn and vex the Vassals of the two-horned Beast to the very heart This is a sense natural enough I think but whether it or the former be more natural I leave to you to judge Philop. There is abundant Concinnity in them both Nor do I think it is at all necessary that that Subject on which the Vial is said to be poured should always suffer Mischief but that at least Mischief should be thence reflected upon the Beast But is there no other possible sense of the fourth Vial Philotheus Philoth. There may be an * See Synops Prophet lib. 1. cap. 3. sect 3. Henopoeia adjoyn'd to this Iconism of the Sun so that it may signifie as it does Isay 24. at the last verse But then the Signification will be very congenerous to the later of the foregoing senses the meaning being also Politicall Philop. That intimation sufficeth For I understand thereby the taking in of more Kingdoms or Principalities into the Light of the Gospel distinct from those that appeared on the behalf thereof at the rising of the Witnesses I know not but this may be a right meaning as well as any of the other and a farther preparation to the times of that Vision of the Rider of the white Horse Apoc. 19.12 on whose Head it is said there were many Crowns I pray you Philotheus proceed and tell us the meaning of the fifth Vial poured on the throne of the Beast Apoc. 16.10 whereby his Kingdome became dark Philoth. The throne of the two-horned Beast is the same with the Throne of the Whore who is said to sit on the seven Hills IV The Interpretation of the fifth and sixth Vials Wherefore this in a Politicall sense seems to boad ill to the City of Rome which is the Seat of the Beast But whether it be the sacking of Rome and banishing the Pope from thence for ever or whether from the Effects of the former Vial Politically understood the Trading and Revenues of that greatest Merchant of the great men of the earth will grow very low and slender and so a great deadness and obscurity and darkness seise even his principal Seat or what other thing it may be analogous to this time must determine I cannot Philop. But is this the onely sense Philotheus of this Vial Philoth. It is that which I suppose is most to your tooth Philopolis But sometimes another occurrs to my minde What if we should conceive the Pope's Chair here perstringed by this Throne of the Beast I mean that Chair of Infallibility that he and his Pseudoprophetick Body boast they sit in and so dictate infallible Oracles to the world for their own Profit and Interest facing down the people whatsoever they finde gainfull to the Church that it is really true be it a Figment never so foolish or incredible never so blasphemous or impossible but it cannot seem so to the people while they take the Church to be infallible Now I say as the present Vial in the Politicall sense may be in some kinde a consequent of the former politically understood so the Efficacy of the former more spiritually understood may introduce in time the Effect of this present Vial in the more Spiritual meaning also and the pouring thereof on the Throne of the Beast may be the abolishing of that false Opinion of the Pope's and his Churche's Infallibility out of the generality of mens mindes which false Light once removed they must needs finde themselves much in the dark their Religion being such as neither Scripture Reason nor any thing else that has any Autority with it can afford any light to or the least colour for wherefore his Kingdome must needs be overwhelmed with more then Egyptian darkness and the Sticklers for the Papacy seeing so general a dissatisfaction in the people and that they through the penetrancy of the Light of the Gospel have lost this great hold on them it will make them gnaw their tongues for very anguish and pain Philop. Nay I know not but this may be one sense too But I pray you Philotheus proceed to the sixth Vial. Philoth. The sixth Vial Philopolis seems to touch upon the Conversion of the Iews Mr. Mede Comment Apocalypt ad cap. 16. as that late excellent Interpreter has with great judgement and credibility made the discovery And the comparing of the Vision of the treading of the Wine-press without the City Apoc. 14.18 and the Battel and Victory of that illustrious Heros riding on the white Horse Apoc. 19.11 with the last Vial does as he also suggests make much for the probability of this Exposition For that there is an Identity or Coincidency of Events signified by the treading
future state of the Church out of the Apocalypse Philopolis What you can recall to minde I pray you propound Philop. More comes to my minde then is needfull I will omit therefore those passages which import but the same things you observed out of the old Prophets The Righteousness and Purity of that Holy City there described implied in the exclusion of every thing that defileth and figured out by those precious Stones and pure transparent Gold and in that all tears are said to be wiped from their eyes Apoc. 21.4 it is an intimation of Peace and security from Persecution And all the whole description of it is so full of Glory and Light and Joy that no man can miss of that character But I would ask you Philotheus the meaning of other passages as Why this Holy City is called the new Ierusalem Ver. 2. Why said to come from Heaven Why said to have twelve Gates with the names of the twelve Tribes of Israel thereon Ver. 12. and why the Wall of the City to have twelve Foundations Ver. 14. and in them the names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb Why the City is said to be measured with a golden Reed Ver. 15. and why found to be twelve thousand Furlongs Ver. 16 17 and the Wall an hundred forty four Cubits What also is the meaning of that saying Ver. 3. Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men and yet that there was seen no Temple there Ver. 22. because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the Temple of it and again What the genuine sense of that sixth verse And he that sate upon the Throne said It is done I am Alpha and Omega the Beginning and the End I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely And lastly of the last verse And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth neither whatsoever worketh abomination or maketh a Lie but they that are written in the Lamb's Book of Life Philoth. You have congested a number of things together Philopolis but however I shall return answer to them as orderly and as briefly as I can I conceive therefore to begin with the first that the City which Iohn saw is called the new Ierusalem in counterdistinction to that old Ierusalem where our Lord was crucified Apoc. 11.8 whether understood literally or typically as also because its Citizens have put on the new man Eph. 4.24 which is framed according to Righteousness and true Holiness because they are the sons of the new Birth or new Creation of God But it is said to come down from Heaven in such a sense as the Doctrine of Iohn is said to be from Heaven Matt. 21.25 and agreeably to that passage in the Apostle that the Ierusalem that is above is free Gal. 4.26 which is the Mother of us all That actual City of God consisting of Saints and Angels in Heaven this new Ierusalem which S t. Iohn describes being so like to them in Purity and Holiness it is therefore said to descend from Heaven as being a Copy or Transcript of that Heavenly Perfection To all which you may adde that what the Prophets have seen in Heavenly Visions touching this City it being thus at last accomplished upon Earth it is therefore said to be a City descended from Heaven And this is that very City Ezekiel saw Ezek. 48.31 of which he says And the Gates of the City shall be after the names of the Tribes of Israel three gates Northward one gate of Reuben one gate of Iudah one gate of Levi and so of the rest three gates of a side in all twelve gates as it is said in S t. Iohn's Vision that the City had twelve Gates and the names of the twelve Tribes of the Children of Israel written thereon This among other things intimates that Ezekiel's City and this of the Apocalypse is all one City And in that the Apostles Names are said to be writ on the twelve Foundations of the Wall that shews jointly considered with the other that Ezekiel's Prophecy must have its completion in the Iews Conversion to Christianity viz. when Iew and Gentile are gathered together under one Head Christ Iesus and become of one Faith and one Church which is this Holy City But the Apostles Names are said to be in the Foundations of the Wall because their Doctrine is the Foundation of the Church into which the Iews are to be graffed and through that Mercy that is communicated to the Christians may also finde mercy at that day This comparing the Church to a Building is very usual in Scripture S t. Peter tells the Believers 1 Pet. 2.5 that they as living stones are built up a spiritual House And S t. Paul to the Ephesians Now therefore you are no more strangers and foreiners Eph. 2.19 c. but fellow-Citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God and are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth into an holy Temple in the Lord In whom you are also builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit And in this is that expression fulfilled Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men And the name of Ezekiel's City is also Iehovah shammah Ezek. 48.35 The Lord is there And yet there is no material Tabernacle nor Temple where he might be conceived to rest him and toward which the people should worship But the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the Temple thereof that is to say In this new Ierusalem there will be no visible Fabrick toward which men will affect to worship but with bended knees and pure hearts and hands and eyes lift up to Heaven where Christ sits at the right hand of God shall men worship the Father in spirit and in truth Joh. 4.23 Philop. And yet God says to Ezekiel before that accurate description of the Temple and City and all the Iudaicall Ordinances Ezek. 43.10 Thou son of man shew the House to the house of Israel that they may be ashamed of their iniquities and let them measure the Pattern This seems to be quite contrary to this new Ierusalem described by S t. Iohn Philoth. The summarie sense of that accurate description of the Iudaicall Oeconomie in Ezekiel is onely this interpreted plainly by S t. Iohn That when all the glory and exactness of the Iudaicall Dispensation is set off to the utmost the measuring of the Pattern the matching and fulfilling of it is that state of Christianity which will appear after the effusion of the seven Vials when Iew and Gentile become one Church one holy Temple and City of God Which spiritual meaning betrays it self even in Ezekiel's own description of things For what other sense then a Mysticall one can be made of the holy
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
to be led out of a lesser Bondage or Captivity into a greater and so that small distinct Number of the immaculate Lambs of Christ had been a more certain as well as a more delicious Morsell for that devouring Wolf of Rome Bath I understand perfectly whereabout Philotheus would be namely That Divine Providence made choice of such Instruments by an externall Instigation as who left to themselves in many things to cut out their own way would fall into such Opinions and Expressions as would be most effectual for the rending or tearing of huge massie pieces from the Church of Rome that in these great Lumps the Gold might be safe amongst the Dross and that in his mixt Numerosity there might be a more safe Protection of the Godly against the bloudy Persecutions and barbarous Tyrannies of the Papal Power Philoth. XXXIII The true means of unity in the Church again glanced at You understand me aright Bathynous But now I say after the Stone was thus cut off again from the great Mountain and safely disjoyned therefrom it was not still to have ly'n unpolished or Moss-begrown for want of Art or Industry in the Master-builders but all of us ought to have become by this time living stones pure and well-polished and through the Unity of the Spirit to have been joyn'd together into one holy Temple of God Which Unity of Spirit Bathynous can never be without Unity of Life For in the Life is the Spirit as I suggested before Nor can this Unity of Life ever be without a through Purification of the Church from Sin and Corruption nor can this Purification be without Faith in the Power of God and the Assistence of Iesus Christ to refine us from all our Dross For he that believes no possibility of any such thing will neither pray for it nor attempt it nor any way go about it Wherefore this general Indulgence to our Corruptions keeping us from the Unity of Spirit and sameness of Judgement in matters of Religion and making us destitute of that healing Vertue of brotherly Love and Charity we are left like so many wilde Beasts and grizly Monsters to grin and spit fire at one another but can never attain to Peace before we attain to a due measure of Righteousness For Christ in the Church must first be Melchizedek Hebr. 7.2 and introduce his Righteousness amongst us before he can be King of Salem in this sense Isa. 9.6 a Prince of Peace Nor can we have this Spirit of Righteousness communicated to us before we be embued with that Faith in the Power of Christ for the vanquishing of Sin as has been said over and over again Bath Wherefore Philotheus so far as I see this Faith in the Power of Christ for the vanquishing of Sin especially accompanied with Charity may stand in balance against the Romish implicit Faith that they would urge for the suppressing of Schism as if nothing would so well assure the Peace of the Church as for men to have either a perfect upright Conscience or else no Conscience at all But this latter being so hideously detestable we see the greater necessity of exhorting all men with all diligence to make after the former Philoth. Which without this Faith in the Power of Christ for the conquering our Corruptions they will never endeavour after much less successfully attain thereunto Bath So I have said already Philotheus I think or at least intended to say so Philoth. But being full of Faith XXXIV The marvellous Efficacy of Faith in the Power of the Spirit of Christ for the vanquishing of Sin and perfectly persuaded that Christ by his Spirit both can and will assist to the utter vanquishing of all manner of Sin and Corruption in us such I mean as Pride and Covetousness and Uncleanness and all Hypocrisie and Selfishness and the like what is there of all that that disturbs the World and distracts humane affairs that will not flie before so invincible a force If this Faith were once implanted in the hearts of men and they read in the Prophets the lively and lovely descriptions of that excellent state of the Church which is to come what quick approches were they able to make in virtue hereof while they look upon that glorious Pattern and through Faith and holy Imitation be daily changed by the Spirit of the Lord from glory to glory 2 Cor. 3.17 18. Philop. The more I consider it Philotheus the more I am satisfied of what infinite importance this Doctrine of Faith in the omnipotent Spirit of Christ is both for the present welfare of the Church and also for the bringing on that future Happiness predicted by the Prophets what searching Physick it is to cleanse the Soul and what a mighty Cordial to revive her So far as I see this kinde of Faith is the Primum mobile or the first Spring of all Motion that can tend effectually towards the Renovation of the World in Righteousness and the bringing on those glorious Times of the Church which you did so graphically describe out of the Visions of the Prophets Sophr. XXXV An Answer to an Objection touching this Doctrine of Faith And I can scarce forbear to cast in my suffrage too Philopolis were it not for this one Scruple That this so high Doctrine of Faith in the omnipotent Spirit for the utter Extirpation of Sin might as well scare people out of the Reformed Churches as have hindred them at first from coming in to the Reformation The truth of the Doctrine rightly understood I do not much question but onely the discretion of professing it Philoth. This is a material Consideration of yours O Sophron. But you are to understand that this Doctrine rightly interpreted does not at all clash with any of those due Comforts that accrue to us from that other of Justification by Faith and of free Remission of sin in the bloud of Christ. These things I write 1 Joh. 2â— 2. saith S t. Iohn that ye sin not But if any one sin we have an Advocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous And he is a propitiation for our sins All that is aimed at is a chearfull and sincere endeavour of not sinning at all as we pray in our Liturgy every Morning Which constant endeavour if it be used no man ought to be dejected for his Failings till God give more strength but chearfully to rouse himself with a greater indignation and resolution against Sin not at all despairing of forgiveness having so potent an Advocate with him whom he has offended But if any one is content to sin without any endeavour of Resistence or belief of ever being able to overcome and subdue his Corruptions and would forsake the Communion of the Reformed Church for the rubbing up his Conscience with a more wholesome and searching Doctrine and so seek Teachers elsewhere after his own heart's lusts all that I can say is this 2 Thess. 2.11 12. That for
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 a fuller and a more general understanding the obscurest Passages in the Divine Oracles The truth of this Assertion is so clear that it seems little better then Blasphemie to contradict it For to say the Holy Writ is in it self unintelligible is equivalent to the pronouncing it Non-sense or to averre that such and such Books or Passages of it were never to be understood by men is to insinuate as if the Wisedome of God did not onely play with the children of men but even fool with them This is but a Subterfuge of that conscious Church that is afraid of the fulgour of that Light that shines against her out of such places of Scripture as have for a long time seemed obscure The twenty sixth That there are innumerable Passages of Scripture as well Preceptive as Historicall that are as plainly to be understood as the very Articles of the common Faith and which therefore may be very usefull for the clearing those that may seem more obscure This wants no proof but Appeal to Experience and the twentieth Conclusion The twenty seventh That no Miracle though done by such as may seem of an unexceptionable Life and of more singular Sanctity can in reason ratifie any Doctrine or Practice that is repugnant to rightly-circumstantiated Sense or Natural Truths or Science or the common Christian Faith or any plain Doctrine or Assertion in Scripture The Truth of this is manifest from hence That no man can be so certain that such a man is not a crafty and cautious Hypocrite and his Miracle either a Juggle or Delusion of the Devil or if he was not an eye-witness of it a false report of a Miracle as he is certain of the truth of rightly-circumstantiated Sense of Common Notions and Natural Science of the Articles of the Apostolick Faith or of any plain Assertion in the Scripture And therefore that which is most certain in this case ought in all reason to be our Guide The twenty eighth That it is not onely the Right but the Duty of private men to converse with the Scriptures being once but precautioned not to presume to interpret any thing against rightly-circumstantiated Sense Natural Truth common Honesty the Analogie of the Catholick Faith or against other plain Testimonies of Holy Writ The truth of this appears from the Conclusion immediately preceding For why should they be kept from having recourse to so many and so profitable and powerful Instructions from an infallible Spirit when they are so well fore-armed against all Mistake and are so laid-at by so many not onely fallible but fallacious and deceitful persons to seduce them And why is there not more danger of being led into Errour by such as are not onely fallible but false and deceitfull then by those Inspired men that wrote the Scripture who were neither fallible in what they wrote nor had any design to deceive any man Wherefore there being no such safe Guide as the Scripture it self which speaks without any Passion Fraud or Interest it is not onely the Right but the Duty of every one to consult with the Scripture and observe his times of conversing with it as he tenders the Salvation of his own Soul The twenty ninth That even a private man assisted by the Spirit of Life in the new Birth and rightly-circumstantiated Reason being also sufficiently furnish'd with the knowledge of Tongues Historie and Antiquity and sound Philosophy may by the help of these and the Blessing of God upon his industry clear up some of the more obscure Places of Scripture to full satisfaction and certainty both to himself and any unprejudiced Peruser of his Interpretations That this Assertion is true may be proved by manifold Experience there having been sundry persons that have cleared such Places of Scripture as had for a time seemed obscure and intricate with abundant satisfaction and conviction But it is to be evinced also à priori viz. from the seventeenth and eighteenth Conclusions which avouch the Scripture to be the most Authentick Tradition that is as also from the twenty fifth that concludes it not unintelligible in it self nor to mankinde and lastly out of the first that asserts that Certainty of Faith presupposes Certainty of Reason For thus the Object of our Understanding being here certain and we not spending our labour upon a Fiction or Mockery and our Reason rightly-circumstantiated not blinded by Prejudice nor precipitated into Assent before due deliberation and clear comprehension of the matter if after so cautious a Disquisition she be fully satisfied she is certainly satisfied or else there is no certainty in rightly-circumstantiated Reason which yet is presupposed in the Certainty of Faith by the first Conclusion So that the Certainty of Faith it self seems ruinous if no private man have any Certainty of any Interpretation of Scripture that has once been reputed obscure Not to add that all the Scripture that has been once obscure and the Interpretation thereof not yet declared by the Church universal has been hitherto and will be God knows how long utterly useless Which is a very wilde Supposition and such as none would willingly admit unless those that would rather admit any thing then that Light of the Scripture that discovers who they are and what unworthy Impostures they use in their dealings with the children of men The thirtieth That no Tradition can be true that is repugnant to any plain Text of Scripture The Reason is because the Scripture is the most true and the most Authentick Tradition that is and such as the universal Church is agreed in The thirty first That if any one Point grounded upon the Autority of Tradition that has been held by the Church time out of minde prove false there is no Certainty that any Tradition is true unless such as it has not been in the power of the Church to forge corrupt deprave or else their Interest not at all concerned so to doe The Reason is because the Certainty of Tradition as Tradition is placed in this by those that contend so much for it that nothing can be brought into the Church as an Apostolick Practice or Doctrine but what ever was so from the Apostles Wherefore if once a Point be brought into the Church and profest and practised as Apostolicall that may be clearly proved not to be so this Ground for Tradition as Tradition is utterly ruined and considering the Falseness and Imposture that has been so long practised in Christendome can be held no Ground of Certainty at all As not Reason quà Reason nor Sense quà Sense but quatenus rightly-circumstantiated can be any Ground of Certainty of Knowledge so not Tradition quà Tradition can be the Ground of the Certainty of Faith but onely such a Tradition as it was not in the power of the degenerate Church to either forge or adulterate And such were the Records of the Holy Bible onely The thirty second That rightly-circumstantiated Sense and Reason and Holy Writ are
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
I perceive that it cannot proceed from any vain curiosity but from a sincere desire of entring into life and holiness The most effectual means in the general is intimated up and down in the Gospels by our Blessed Saviour As where he compares the Kingdome of Heaven to a Treasure hid in the field Matt. 13.44 45. and to a single Pearl of great price for which one sells all that he has to purchase it and where he tells us that the Kingdome of God suffers violence Matt. 11.12 and that the violent take it by force and again where he declares that he that lays his hand to the plough Luk. 9.62 and looketh back is not fit for the Kingdome of God and in like passages For all these signifie thus much to us That whosoever would acquire so excellent a state of the Soul as this which we call the Kingdome of God he must forthwith quit all things else whatsoever that stand in competition with it That he must with all imaginable earnestness of spirit and with a kind of holy violence reach at it and endeavour the taking of it through all dangers hardships and resistences whatsoever as he that would scale the walls of a City to obtain the Crown and lastly That this pursuit be without any intermissions or lazy relapses into the power of the World or the Flesh again but that it be peremptory constant and continued till we have wone the prize and finde all that fulfilled in us which we desired or expected which is the perfect subduing of all our corruptions and the establishing of the Reign of the true Melchizedek in us the living Righteousness of God and the replenishing of our hearts with purity peace and joy in the Holy Ghost Philop. This is excellently good in the general O Philotheus But have you no farther directions more particularly to recommend to us Philoth. Truth lies in a little room especially that of it that is most usefull O Philopolis And therefore I will trouble you with no farther instructions then what are comprized in these few Principles As first That we have a firm and unshaken Faith in the Power of God and in the assistence of the Spirit of the Lord Iesus for the subduing all Envy Pride Lust all Worldliness and Selfishness and what-ever is contrary to the Kingdome of God in us that we may have a comfortable conquest over these and all like corruptions through him that strengthens us This is the first necessary Principle we ought to be imbued with if we mean seriously to set our selves to the atchieving so great and weighty an enterprise This I say is the first necessary Principle namely A full and firm belief that the Atchievement is possible The second is That we believe it to be our duty to arrive to this blessed state and not to satisfie our selves with any condition on this side of it much less out of any Antinomian Sophistrie or Witchcraft to phansie our selves released from all obligation to any real and living Righteousness in us but to be entirely obedient to the voice of Wisedome and Truth Matt. 5.48 Be ye perfect as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect and to remember that it was the end of Christ's coming into the world Matt. 15.13 to pluck up every plant that was not of his Father's planting and to raise such a seed upon earth as have neither spot nor wrinkle Ephes. 5.27 nor any such thing but are holy and without blemish If either of these two Principles be wanting the defect will be notorious in the success For who can with any courage attempt such difficulties as he thinks either impossible to be overmastered or not his duty to grapple with Wherefore being sound in these Philopolis he must adde Meditation Circumspection and Devotion Meditation in private especially Circumspection in his dealing with externall objects whether men or things that he be not carried away unawares against those rules and resolutions he made to himself in private but ever stand upon his guard and if he be assaulted with any temptation to call to Heaven for succour and to trust in the strength of God against the surprize Which I think is the true meaning of praying continually But in a more particular manner to adde to your private Meditation the fervency of Devotion and earnestly to beg of God that he would every day more and more discover to you the ugliness of Sin and the amiableness of Righteousness and that your hatred may be more keenly edged against the one and your love more highly inflamed towards the other that the work of the Heart may go on and not those umbratile skirmishes of the Brain in Phancie and exteriour Reason but that we may effectually feel the difference of the contrary actings of the Powers of the Kingdome of Light and the Kingdome of Darkness charging one another in the field Life against life and Substance against substance till Hell and Death be absorpt into victory and the evil Nature be quite consumed into a glorious flame of Love and Triumph These all are the Mysteries of the Heart O Philopolis not of the Head which in comparison is but an outward Shop of Phancies and fine Pictures but the transactions of substantial life and Reality are in that other part which is the secret Tabernacle of God and hidden Temple for most effectual Prayer For the Heart is the proper Pavilion of either the spirit of the World or the Spirit of God which kindles there the holy desire and thirst after Righteousness Which vehement sincere and cordial desire the true gift and fruit of the Spirit is the very soul and substance of Prayer and a certain Divine Magick that draws all the heavenly Powers into the centre of our Souls imbibing the comfortable dews of Paradise to the ineffable refreshing of the Garden of God Through this sluce is let in all the nourishment to the new Birth and it is the seat of the first living seed thereof Whence the Centre of our Soul in the Heart requires more diligent observation then that more peculiar one in the Head For though this seems more peculiarly ours yet the other joyns us with that which is more to us then we are to our selves whether it be the spirit of the world or of God and makes us feelingly communicate with Life and Substance whenas the other without this would onely lead us into a field of Shadows and Dreams Wherefore O Philopolis he that is a Candidate for the Kingdome of God let him above all things cultivate the Heart for through this onely is the Inlet into the Kingdome of Light Matt. 5.6 8. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be satisfied I stretch forth my hands unto thee Psalm 143.6 my Soul gaspeth unto thee as a thirsty Land where no water is Psalm 84.5 6
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
thereabout For in that the Church was then measured by a man Apoc. 11.1 but this new state of things by an Angel that simply with a Reed Apoc. 21.25 17. this with a golden Reed it implies that this new state of things will as much surpass that state though the best the Church has yet been in as Angels do Men and a golden Reed an ordinary combustible one Assuredly there was something in thosedays though much better then then when the Church did grossly apostatize that will not abide the fire but consume into smoak and vanish But all in this new Creation is like the Measure it is measured with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Aristotle somewhere speaks such as will abide the fire without wasting Thy word is very pure saith the Psalmist Psalm 119. And again Psal. 12. The words of the Lord are pure words even as the silver that is tried from the earth and purified seven times in the fire It is therefore the precious Word of God or pure Law of God which David esteems above thousands of gold and silver which is this golden Reed to which the new Ierusalem is commensurate Psalm 119.72 Nothing is retain'd as having an authentick stamp upon it in this new Dispensation but what is plainly agreeable to the Word of God 1 Cor. 3.12 All the hay and stubble of humane Traditions and Institutions will be burnt up and the pure and Apostolick Doctrine and Discipline will be the sole Measure of all So that the measuring of the City with a golden Reed and the hundred forty four Cubits and the twelve thousand Furlongs end all in this sense That the Constitution of things then will be purely Apostolicall squared all by that Doctrine by that Spirit which is the eternall Spirit of God the Fountain of all holy Truth and Divine Reason Philop. Indeed Philotheus these Interpretations of yours seem to me very natural But are there no farther Characters of this excellent state of the Church in other Visions or Prophecies Philoth. X Several passages of the Mercavah expounded or the Vision of Cherubims seen by Ezekiel There are Philopolis but it were an endless thing to pursue all And yet I cannot abstain from giving you some Intimations from Ezekiel's Vision of the four Cherubims or Chariot of God with which the Throne of God in Heaven amongst the four Beasts seen by S. Iohn has no small correspondency For this you are to understand Philopolis that the great purpose of that early-begun and long-continued Negotiation of the Son of God with us terrestriall Creatures has been the enlarging the Kingdome of God even to these earthly Regions that the Kingdome of Heaven may be also upon Earth perfectly corresponding to the Heavenly pattern thereof And this is that which we are taught to pray for by our Saviour Thy Kingdome come that is to say Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven namely by his holy Angels And therefore the ultimate end of the Dispensations of Divine Providence is as I noted from the Angel's measuring the new Ierusalem to reduce the Church to an Angelicall state or condition that it may answer that Heavenly Pattern in the Visions of God Philop. I do not yet well understand you Philotheus Philoth. But you will do Philopolis if you do but attend to the orderly process of my discourse I say therefore in the first place that the Vision of the Cherubim or Chariot of God seen by Ezekiel but not first by him Ezek. 1.4 for I doubt not but the same appeared also to Moses and Aaron on the Mount Exod. 24.10 is the Pattern of the Angelicall Polity over which God immediately rules Psalm 68.17 The chariots of God are twenty thousand even thousands of Angels and the Lord is among them as in Sinai in the holy place Now the great design of all is that in the fulness of time the Church upon Earth may be his Chariot as fully and commandingly as the Angelicall Orders in Heaven Philop. Why how fully is that Philotheus Philoth. That methinks the Vision of Ezekiel does lively describe though I will not omit other observables in my brief passage through the Vision and yet think it needless to touch upon all Ezek. 1.4 I looked saies he and behold a Whirlwinde came out of the North a great cloud and a fire enfolding it self and a brightness about it and out of the midst thereof as the colour of Amber out of the midst of the fire This colour of Amber out of the midst of the fire I cannot but parallel to that description of the new Ierusalem Apoc. 21 18. And the City was pure Gold like unto transparent glass Think with your self how near in resemblance Philopolis transparent Gold and Amber are one to another Philop. Very like one another surely But what is the meaning thereof Philotheus Philoth. The fire and the light is the Spirit throughly penetrating and possessing this pure amber-like or transparent Gold as Iron it self looks in a manner transparent when it is ferrum candens which they ordinarily call red-hot Isa. 33.14 Who shall dwell with devouring fire who shall dwell with everlasting burnings Philop. Pure Gold certainly though as transparent as Amber and such as has lost all its Dross They must be of a pure Angelicall nature indeed For God is a consuming fire to whatever is contrary to his own Holiness Deut. 4.24 Philoth. Wherefore there being nothing to resist in this Cherubick Chariot of God they are perfectly obedient to his Will and he has an absolute empire over them they are wholly guided by his Spirit as is also intimated in the Vision more then once Ezek. 1.12 And they went every one straight forward whither the Spirit was to goe they went And in that it is said they went straight forward and that they returned not when they went this signifies the peremptory and irresistible progress of Divine Providence administred by his Angelicall forces Ver. 18. For in that the wheels of his Cherubick Chariot are said to be full of eyes I conceive this is meant thereby That the Circuits and Periods of times and Ages are carried by a special Providence of God who oversees all things And whereas it is said Ver. 19. And when the living Creatures went the Wheels went by them and when the living Creatures were lift up from the earth the Wheels were lift up this signifies the Adnexion of the Dispensations and Periods of times to the Ministry of the Angelicall Hosts and that they spirit actuate and animate all such Circuits and Periods The matter is by the decree of the Watchers Dan. 4.17 and the demand by the word of the holy ones Euist. I had thought Philotheus that these Wheels with eyes might have been the starry Heavens turned about by the Intelligences Philoth. That 's a phancie as far dissonant from the ancient wisedome of the Iews
some time But Carnality and Externalness especially after the Reign of Constantine quickly over-ran all But however the pattern of Perfection was again recorded in the Vision of S t. Iohn Apoc. 4.2 wherein he saw the Throne of God in Heaven the four and twenty Elders and the four Beasts full of eyes For even in this he was shown also things which must be hereafter Ver. 1. For this is the Heavenly Idea of that state of the Church which will be actually on Earth when the new Ierusalem descends from Heaven and the Tabernacle of God is amongst men and that he dwells in them by his Spirit and by his living Presence Which Community of God's people some conceive may be in some sense represented also by the Sea of glass like unto Crystall before the Throne Ver. 6. as well as by the four Beasts Because Sea signifies the Collection of people into one Kingdome and the fixedness and pellucidity of this Sea may denote the steddiness and purity of the hearts and consciences of God's people whom his Spirit penetrateth and possesseth and the Light of his Presence doth comfort and irradiate and expells out of them all mistiness and darkness of sin and errour Their Conflation is as that of Glass by fire by the fire of Zeal and Charity which has rectified and reduced what-ever is foul and opake but their purity solidity and transparency is as that of Crystall Philop. This were congruous enough if Sea were here understood as in the Prophetick style For those Interpreters that so understand it look upon it as a fixt crystalline Sea But surely this Sea here alludes to the Sea in Solomon's Temple 1. King 7.23 Philoth. In all likelihood Philopolis that is likewise alluded to Apoc. 4.5 the seven Lamps being also mentioned But though we understand this Sea of Crystall in such a sense as the Sea of brass is meant in the Temple of Solomon yet it will again respect the Community of God's people it being that Sea wherein they are baptized into one body It will notwithstanding prove that effectuall Laver of Regeneration that Baptism of Christ which is with the Holy Ghost and with Fire 1 Cor. 12.13 For by one spirit are we all baptized into one body and have been all made to drink into one Spirit And our Saviour Christ declares John 4.14 Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up to everlasting life But this he spake of the Spirit as it is said elsewhere Apoc. 22.4 And the River of water of Life clear as crystall is said likewise to proceed out of the Throne of God as this Sea of glass to stand before it Philop. 2 Chron. 4.6 But the brazen Sea of Solomon O Philotheus to which this Sea of glass answers was for the Priest to wash in Philoth. I deny it not Onely remember Philopolis that outward washings profit little but that it is the Spirit that cleanseth This is the Laver of the New Birth whereby we are baptized into one body and into one Spirit and into one holy Community of Saints the light of the glorious Presence of God shining quite through this pure Sea of Crystall So that this Spirit of Regeneration and Purification being the same that this Laver or Sea of crystalline water and residing in the Saints of God the Saints of God again or the pure Church is this Sea according to the Prophetick style And the Sea of Solomon seems to have born the title on purpose to meet with this happy Allusion at last I am sure Aretas upon the place saith expresly That Sea signifies an immense multitude So that so far as I see this Type may bear a double Allusion one to the use of Solomon's Sea the other to the signification of the name in the Prophetick style Philop. Nay I am of your minde Philotheus And you know all true Christians are a Royal Priesthood 1 Pet. 2.9 and no man is wash'd by the Spirit but drinks in the Spirit for the Spirit washes us not without but within Philoth. But mistake me not Philopolis I do not mean that the Sea of glass stands primarily for the Hieroglyphick of God's people for the four Beasts are plainly the Hieroglyphick of that Communialty but it stands for the Laver of the Spirit into which the people of God are baptized Which Laver of the Spirit is set off by the effects thereof in that it makes the people of God as this Sea of glass like unto crystall the light of the Spirit of Life penetrating and possessing their pure and pervious hearts and minds as the beams of the Sun do the clearest and most transparent Crystall Philop. I commend your care and accuracy of judgement O Philotheus for you lose nothing of the usefulness of the Representation and yet decline that harshness as it may here seem of having one and the same thing represented by two several Hieroglyphicks in one and the same Vision Philoth. You understand me aright Philop. But I pray you what is the meaning of those seven Lamps of fire burning before the Throne Apoc. 4.5 which are said to be the seven Spirits of God Philoth. To omit all conjectures touching the seven last Sephiroth I shall onely return this answer for the present That the number Seven need not here signifie Numerically but Symbolically denoting the Purity and Immateriality of those Angels or Spirits that watch over the Church and minister to it when that shall be fulfilled in that glorious degree that is foretold Apoc. 21.3 The Tabernacle of God is with men Here the Lamps are distinguishable from the four Beasts but in Ezekiel's Cherub-Chariot the living Creatures themselves are resembled to Lamps Ezek. 〈…〉 because that Vision represented also the actual Kingdome of Angels But yet the Beasts here are described almost just in the same manner the Cherubims are in Ezekiel's Vision which denotes the Angelicalness of this last and best state of the Church The quadriform Genius of those of the Angelicall Kingdome I need not here repeat the Application is easie I will onely pick out some of the most useful Observables in this present description and then goe on As first Apoc. 4.6 That the Beasts are said all of them to be full of eyes before and behinde Which implies that they look backward and forward into the History of times past and into the Prophecies and Predictions of things to come and compute in counsell all possible futurities the better to manage the present affairs of Christ's Kingdome and be provided against every Emergency For in this consists all useful and practicall wisedome Apoc. 4.8 Secondly They are said to have six wings Undoubtedly for that use the Seraphims are said to make of them in the Prophet Isay Isay 6.2 With twain to cover their
faces with twain to cover their feet and with twain to flie Which implies a reverence of the Divine Majesty an activity and readiness in his Service and a carefulness over our Affections that we walk in clean paths For upon the mention of the six wings all the four Beasts are said to be full of eyes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Grotius well and skilfully draws those two together without and within And therefore they with one eye regarding the outward Objects and with another eye their own Nature and so comparing them together they will ever behave themselves decorously and becomingly with due reverence to what is above them in Dignity and Excellency and at a due distance from those things that are unworthy of them and beneath them They will not commit any thing unworthy of the excellencie of their own nature nor admit of any thing repugnant to the innate Light and immutable Principles of an Intellectual Creature And therefore if any such thing be offered them without their eyes within will easily discern the Proposer to be either a Fool or an Impostour Thirdly As the Sea of glass like unto crystall signifies our being baptized into one holy Community so the Lightnings and Thunders and Voices over this collected Body of the Church the four Beasts and the twenty four Elders signifie their joint-Instruction and Guidance by the fiery Law of the Spirit in which Dispensation they live According to that promise of the second Covenant Jer. 31.33 I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and I will be their God and they shall be my people This is the City which Ezekiel calls Iehovah shammah Ezek. 48.35 not for any visible symbolicall Residence of God there but for the abode of him in the hearts of men by his Spirit by which they have one common mind and one motion as it is in the Angelicall Kingdome in the Cherubims of Ezekiel Ezek. 1.11 12. Their wings touched one another and whither the Spirit was to goe thither they went And the twenty four Elders and the four Beasts be thus of one spirit For when the Beasts worship God Apoc. 4.9 10. the twenty four Elders also cast down their Crowns before the Throne acknowledging from whom and for whom they reign even for the manifesting of the glory and honour and power of God in the Kingdome of his Saints Cuph. But I pray you Philotheus how can the Beasts be said never to rest day nor night Ver. 8. saying Holy Holy Holy Lord God Almighty and yet the twenty four Elders as oft as they doe thus to cast their Crowns before the Throne For one casting would serve for all and their Crowns would ever lie before the Throne of their own heads Philoth. These things O Cuphophron are by no means to be so grossly understood For their never ceasing day nor night from saying Holy Holy Holy signifies nothing else but a perpetuall declaring the Holiness of God in whose presence they walk by the constant purity and holiness of their own Conversations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And as there is this one continued tenour of Holiness in the people so likewise is there one continued correspondency of humble Devoutness in their Rulers who live in a perpetual sense of their Office and Duty casting down their Crowns before the Throne of God acknowledging thereby that the measure of their Rule and Government ought not to be their own Interest but merely the Interest of Christ and his Kingdome that they reign wholly through him and for him and therefore are not to seek themselves This is the inward meaning of that externall Representation of their worship which reaches the inmost life and spirit and is not a shadow of a shadow Philop. This is a sufficient solution of Cuphophron's Quere Philotheus But I pray you why are those crowned Elders being that they wear golden Crowns like Kings said to be clothed in white like Priests Apoc. 4.4 and why placed next to the Throne of God and why four and twenty Philoth. By their golden Crowns and white Raiment joyntly considered it is signified that in their respective Kingdoms all power is in them as well Sacerdotal as Secular that is to say In all causes as well Ecclesiasticall as Civil they next to Christ are supreme Heads in their own Principalities And therefore their Thrones for so they are called in the Original are placed next to the Throne of God That is also a farther Intimation of their Sacerdotality in that they are thus placed about the Throne it seeming to allude to the Levites pitching their Tents about the Tabernacle Num. 1.50 But in that they wear white Raiment it signifies also their Innocency Uprightness and Sanctity their Sacerdotal Piety and Devotion in their solicitous Addresses to the Throne of Grace in the behalf of themselves as Rulers and of the people committed to their charge And lastly they are said to be four and twenty 1 Chron. 24.4 18. it 's likely in some allusion to the distribution of the Courses of the Priests and Levites into that number which again shews the Sovereignty of these Kings in Sacerdotal affairs as if they were the Princes of these Divisions But I must confess I think that which is mainly aimed at is this viz. An intimation that this glorious state of the Church will be then when Iews and Gentiles are become one Sheepfold That this is the state of the new Ierusalem Apoc. 21.12 14. that has the names of the twelve Patriarchs inscribed on her as well as of the twelve Apostles This I conceive may be the account of the four and twenty Elders For I doubt not but the number here signifies Symbolically not Numerically Philop. This Interpretation indeed seems to be of more importance it implying both the Conversion of the Iews and the Apostolicalness of these Times of the Church at once Well Philotheus you have described out of the Prophets an excellent state of things which being so eminent that it transcends the power of speech nor can be set out according to its due worth by all the words and phrases I am master of I will be content to contract it for my memory sake into as few as I can which briefly are these Apostolicalness of Doctrine and Worship Integrity of Life and Security from Persecution for Conscience sake and from intestine Wars and Troubles For thus it will truely become the Kingdome of the * Dan. 7.13 Son of man whenas the four Kingdoms hitherto have been justly compared to four ravening and devouring Beasts 2 Esdr. 13.10 11 12. and such as have been so mad as to tear their own flesh But this Angelicall Kingdome as you call it wherein God's will is done on Earth as it is in Heaven is a Kingdome of Righteousness and Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost O how am I transported with the view of so glorious a
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
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
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
will bring thee to ashes upon the Earth in the sight of all them that behold thee as you hinted to us yesterday Philotheus Philoth. By the iniquity of thy Traffick that is to say more particularly by the wicked sale and trade of Pardons and Indulgences sent out by Pope Leo the tenth in Luther's time from whence Luther first took fire Bath Why it hits marvellously well does it not Philotheus Philoth. It does Bathynous and is the same now you put me in mind of it that I offer'd at yesterday But to proceed Therefore will I bring forth a fire from out the midst of thee that is I will bring Martin Luther out of his Monkish Cell from amidst all his Superstition and false Devotion a man of so hot and fiery a complexion that his phancy was filled with nothing but flying Fire-brands in the night and he shall devour the Papacy by the fire of his zeal Bath Which he has done in a very considerable measure already The Atchievement whereof stands as a pledge of the future Consummation of what has been begun so successfully XXV Of the Obnoxiousness of Luther and other Reformers Euist. I hope so too Bathynous And yet to speak impartially and according to the truth of History the Instruments God made use of in the first Reformation of the Church were not altogether of so unexceptionable demeanour and tenour in Doctrine and Practice as that we should much build our faith upon the worth of their persons But I must confess that Luther was one that made himself the most obnoxious Bath What you say Euistor admit it were true it does not one whit prejudice the cause of the Reformation For the Reformation is not into the Opinion of any weak and fallible man but into the knowledge and belief of the infallible Word of God And therefore it is vainly and to no purpose alledged by the Romanists That Luther was of so big and boisterous a spirit That he was impatient of a single life That he was mistaken in his judgement in severall things in some things inconstant to himself vehement and uncontroulable in all and opposing all gainsayers with rudeness and bitterness of speech For notwithstanding all these Complexionall Infirmities yet I cannot but believe that he had a substantial Sincerity underneath a firm belief in God and Iesus Christ and a lusty Indignation against the bloudy Tyranny the gross Idolatry and base and unworthy Cheats and Impostures of the Church of Rome Whenas on the contrary his Antagonist Pope Leo was not onely an open abettour of these but a close Infidel or Atheist as appears by that wicked saying of his to Cardinall Bembo wherein he did insinuate that the whole History of Christ is but a mere Fable Was not Luther think you holy enough to grapple with such an Holiness as this Leo the tenth I must confess I cannot think so very highly of Luther as some do and yet I think him to have been a very happy Instrument in the hand of God for the good of Christendome against the horrid Enormities of the Papal Hierarchie And though he might not be allowed to be the Elias the Conductour and Chariot of Israel as some have styled him yet I think at least he might be accounted a faithful Postillion in that Chariot who was wel accoutred with his wax Boots oiled Coat and Hood and who turned the Horses noses into a direct way from Babylon toward the City of God and held on in a good round trot through thick and thin not caring to bespatter others in this high jogg as he himself was finely bespattered from others The meaner the Romanists make our first Reformers Euistor the greater disgrace returns upon themselves That the Corruptions of their Church were so gross that even men but of an ordinary life and judgement could both discern them and detest them at once If God by ordinary Instruments wrought extraordinary things the more was his Glory and the less hazard of eclipsing the luster of the Sacred Apostolicall Foundation or of disturbing that Number that is so holy and celebrious in both History and Prophecy throughout the Scripture Vnexceptionable Reformers had been a means rather to captivate us again to the flesh to carnal respects and personal Dotages then to promote the Dispensation of the Spirit which must be the upshot of all The Ministry of Luther and the Reformers was rather to recover to us the use of the Scripture then to dictate a Law to us from their own infallible and unexceptionable worth to break off the Papal Yoke rather then to put us into new Fetters The Word of God then it was hid like a precious Cabinet and sunk in that Augeae stabulum the overflowing Corruptions and down-bearing Tyrannies of the Church of Rome which that noble Heros Luther like another Hercules by removing the filth was to bring into the sight of the world again And would you then have had him and his Fellow-labourers not such as they were but such pure spruce Gentlemen in white Spanish-leather Pumps in clean Linen Stockins and Holland Doublets with all other correspondent Elegancy and unexceptionable Neatness and in this pure and splendid plight to have taken into hand their Shovells Wheel-barrows and Muck-forks to rid away this stinking Dunghill Christ did not owe his wicked Corrivall for the Government of the World so much respect And for such course work there was more need of a resolute robustuous courage such as Luther had then of any such externall Sanctimony or accuracy of Wit and Judgement as not to be taken tripping any-where in either Reason or Conversation Wherefore all Arguments against the Reformation from the quality of the Reformers are very weak both because they were substantial good men in the main notwithstanding what oversights soever they may be pretended to have committed through humour or passion or unavoidable surprize and also because it is not their Authority we stand to in matters of Religion but to the Scripture in the Recovery of the use and enjoyment whereof they were gloriously instrumental and lastly because all their particular judgements are swallowed up not to be seen nor look'd upon any farther then they appear in the common judgement of Reformed Christendome represented in the Harmonie of their publick Confessions But for God's carrying on the Reformation in particular Circumstances in his taking the Kingdome to himself and judging the little Horn if all be not so plain and pervious to our understandings yet let us the rather take up the Psalmist's form of Devotion and say Psalm 97 1 2. The Lord reigneth let the Earth rejoice Clouds and Darkness are round about him Righteousness and Iudgement are the habitation of his seat Philop. Bathynous has suggested many material Considerations in the behalf of the Reformation against all possible Cavills of the Adversarie touching the first Reformers whom I am very well assured that according to the Genius of that Church they
Adultery Fornication Vncleanness Lasciviousness Idolatrie Witchcraft Hatred Variance Emulations Strife Sedition Heresies Envyings Murthers Drunkenness Revellings To which you may adde Pride Insultation Contempt of our brother Cruelty Fraud Imposture Perfidiousness Worldly-mindedness Extortion Covetousness and the like Gal. 5.22 23. But the fruit of the Spirit saith the Apostle is Love Ioy Peace Long-suffering Gentleness Goodness Faith Meekness Temperance against such there is no Law This is that Spiritual man that discerneth every man 1 Cor. 2.15 but is himself discerned by none unless he be spiritual Of this Spirit of life it is said 1 John 5.12 He that has the Son has life but he that has not the Son has not life Rom. 8.9 As also He that has not the Spirit of Christ is none of his But of him that has the Son in this true sense namely by the abode of his Spirit in him John 8.36 it is farther declared That if the Son make you free then are you free indeed It is not therefore into an Huff of Phancy which ignorant giddy men may call the Spirit but it is the Spirit of Life in the new Birth into which we would ultimately resolve our adhesion to the pure Truth of the Gospel in opposition to the false adulterate Religion of the Church of Rome And the Dictates of this Spirit in its opposition to the gross Idolatries Impostures and Barbarities of that carnal Church which true Dictates are the Privilege of that Life that is to Righteousness in the meanest regenerate Christian would I set against the popular conceit of that false Churche's Infallibillity This true ground though popular would I have retain'd to bear against that popular Imposture of pretending that the Church of Rome cannot erre For we being made free by that Spirit of true Sanctification and Holiness all their Frauds and Wickednesses are easily felt by vital Antipathy whereby their Autority falls to the Dust and all their contradictious Figments made for their own worldly Interests are easily judged by the meanest Reason back'd and emboldened by this sincere Spirit of Righteousness and Love and so they are found through the Assistence of this living Principle common to all true Christians to be Murtherers Idolaters and gross Impostours This is palpable to the Spirit of Life in the new Birth which is the Privilege as I said of every true Christian. Nor will all their subtilties of Reason or far-fetched deductions of a tedious or endless intricate Sophistry be able at all to move or entangle such as are thus perfectly freed from Superstition and so firmly establish'd in this Principle of Life and Reality Philop. This is not onely a safe Sanctuary against all the perverse Sophisms and cunningly-devised Intricacies of the Church of Rome whereby they would illaqueate such honest Christians whose Education has not made them nimble enough at the weapon of Reason and Disputation but is also a strong engagement to make us all more closely and seriously Christianize that we may the more palpably feel our selves actuated by this Spirit of Life and thereby the more justly and securely defie all the Sophisters of the Dark Kingdome I mean this will not onely scatter and repell them but establish and edifie our selves to eternall Life Philoth. Your observation Philopolis is very true and good But now as by way of Counterpoize I have set the Spirit of Life in the new Birth against the pretense of the Infallibility of their Church so for my part I think to run counter to them in most things that are notoriously peculiar to them would prove a safe Direction in Policy As for example They are peculiarly infamous for their Doctrine and Practice upon account of Spiritual Jurisdiction of depriving men of their temporal Rights as if Dominion were founded in Grace and upon this pretense of Deposing of Kings and of raising their Subjects in Rebellion against them Wherefore my Fifth Document or Instruction should be to all the members of Christ's Kingdome The Fifth Principle That they do not suffer themselves to be stained with the least blemish or taint of Disloyalty to their lawfull Sovereign upon any account whatsoever but especially upon a Religious one there being no greater Disinterest to the true Religion then to appear to be promoted or maintained by so gross Immorality as Disloyalty nor no greater Advantage then through Faith and Patience to bear all Trialls and hardships as the old primitive Christians did Whose eyes being lift up to Heavenward and their feet directed wholly in that path by a Providence stumbled on the Imperiall Crown the Emperour at last becoming a profess'd Christian. Which was a very accumulate Completion of that Prediction of our Saviour Matt. 6.33 First seek the Kingdome of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you as has been noted before Philop. This is an excellent Principle indeed Philotheus and has annexed to it a comfortable Observation for all those that live under Princes that as yet are not converted to the pure Faith of the Gospell but are still captivated to the Religion of Rome But as for your Politicall Principle of alwaies running counter to that Church in what-ever they seem so notorious I doubt how that will alwaies hold For they do notoriously boast of and affect an universal Unity in Judgement and Practice should we therefore affect or indulge to a Disunity or Difformity in matters of Religion Philoth. Alas Philopolis my meaning was not that we should run counter to them in any good things they boast of but in those bad things they have They are divided into multitudes of Opinions amongst themselves as well as others are And in those things they seem universally united in they are rather forcibly held together by externall awe and fear of being burnt or having their throats cut then out of plain Conviction of Conscience that the Points they universally profess are true This is not Vnion of Life and Spirit but the cramming and crouding disunited dust feathers and straws and tying them up close in one bag This is all the union they have in their universal Profession But why this should be called Christian Vnion thus by a barbarous force and compulsion to make a company of men profess and practise the same things be they never so Idolatrous or wicked I understand not Nor know I what is if this be not an Vnion or Communion Antichristian Wherefore we run opposite enough to them if we set up against their Antichristian Vnion an Vnion which is truely and really Christian. Which shall be the Sixth Instruction viz. That we endeavour above all things after an Vnion of unfeigned Belief and Love The Sixth Principle That it may be said of the Church as of the living Creatures in the Cherubick Chariot of Ezekiel Whither the Spirit was to go Ezek. 1.20 they went Philop. XXX How the Church shall attain to the Unity of
necessarily retain a gradual Imperfection throughout And they will be sure to pitch on that Degree that is most for their own ease and the satisfaction of their own Lusts. Sophr. This is a very searching Doctrine indeed Philotheus But what do you drive at an absolute perfection quoad partes quoad gradus as the Schools phrase it Philoth. I drive at an absolute Sincerity by this Doctrine O Sophron that a man should not allow himself in any known Wickedness whatsoever but keep an upright Conscience before God and before men Forasmuch as his own Conscience tells him by virtue of this Doctrine that if he be not wanting to himself God is both able and willing by the Assistence of his Spirit to free him from all his Corruptions And the Scripture plainly declares that this is the end of Christ's coming namely Tit. 2.12 That denying all ungodliness and worldly Lusts we should live soberly and righteously and godly in this present world Ver. 13. looking for the blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Iesus Christ who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all Iniquity according to that exhortation of S t. Peter Wherefore gird up the loins of your minde 1 Pet. 1.13 c. be sober and of a perfect hope in the grace that is brought to you through the Revelation of Iesus Christ As obedient children not fashioning your selves according to former Lusts in your ignorance But as he that has called you is holy so be ye holy in your whole Conversation in every thing you doe Because it is written Be ye holy for I am holy And our Blessed Saviour in his Sermon on the Mount Matt. 5.48 Be ye perfect as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect And S t. Paul to the Ephesians witnesses for our Saviour that this was the end of his giving himself as a Ransome or of dying for his Church Eph. 5.26 27. namely That he might sanctifie it and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word that he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish like the Lamb's Wife in the Revelation which is the new Ierusalem Sophr. I must confess Philotheus these places sound at an high pitch of Sanctity which Christians are called to and yet fall so infinitely short of Philoth. That is for want of this Faith I plead for a Faith in the Power of God and in the Spirit of the Lord Iesus for the purging away all our Corruptions For the New Birth is the Son of the Promise and is that Isaac the Joy of the whole Earth But he is conceived by Faith in the omnipotent Spirit of God who from the four winds blew upon the slain in the Valley of dead mens bones Ezek. 37.9 and made them stand up a numerous Armie who gave the promised Seed to Abraham Rom 4.18 c. who against hope believed in hope that he might become the father of many Nations For he considered not his own body now dead nor the deadness of Sarah's wombe he staggered not at the Promise of God through unbelief but was strong in Faith giving glory to God being fully persuaded that what he had promised he was able also to perform This Faith therefore in the Promise of the Assistence of the Spirit of Christ in the new Birth is that which must renew the World into the living Image of God and make all the Nations of the Earth blessed which must bring the new Ierusalem from Heaven and will call down God himself to pitch his Tabernacle amongst men Phil. 4.13 I can doe all things through Christ that strengthens me Euist. Even wonders of wonders I think But this Faith Philotheus in the Power of God and in the Assistence of his Spirit to enable us to extirpate and mortifie all our Corruptions to an happy Resurrection to Life and Righteousness was not the Faith that our first Reformers were so zealous in How was it then I pray you that they should miss of so useful a Truth Philoth. They did not wholly miss of it XXXII The Doctrine of Faith in the Power of God's Spirit for the ridding us of Sin why not so much insisted on at the beginning of the Reformation Euistor in that they did zealously call to men to relinquish humane Tradition and to betake themselves to the pure Word and to the Belief and faith of the Gospel according to that more infallible Rule Wherefore that Faith which they preached having for its Object the pure Gospel of Christ the Doctrines according to Scripture this Doctrine of Faith in the omnipotent Spirit for the vanquishing of Sin being also contained in Scripture must be part of the Object of the Faith which they preached Euist. That is I acknowledge O Philotheus in some sense true But their zeal ran mainly out in declaring and crying up that part of Faith which respects onely Iustification in the bloud of Christ and free Remission of our sins Philoth. And it was very seasonably cry'd up as being a very plain Gospel Truth and such as was trode down under foot in the Church of Rome for the more absolutely enslaving the people of God and holding them under an hard Bondage in that Mysticall Babylon or Land of Egypt they laying many heavy burthens of Superstition upon them onely to advance the King of Egypt's Interest and so to extinguish the Light and Comfort of the Gospel Wherefore that Truth of Iustification by Faith being so accommodated to shake off the Roman Yoke it is no wonder it was so zealously insisted upon and so generally inculcated by the first Reformers Sophr. But this was not all Philotheus For severall things passed from some of them who were otherwise very successful Instruments in the Reformation that seem not onely to favour humane Infirmities and to dishearten men from attempting any such Conquests over our Lusts and Corruptions as your Doctrine animates us to but also on the contrary to savour much of rank Antinomianism as ill a disease as can seise on the Church of Christ. Philoth. I acknowledge O Sophron that Divine Providence might permit such misinterpretable Expressions in some of the first Reformers But you know Luther himself who is most suspected yet wrote against the Antinomians and the Harmonie of Confessions of all the Protestant Churches adjoyns the Doctrine of Sanctification or a Good life to that of Justification by Faith But that such a pitch of Holiness as we now treat of should have been exacted so zealously by the first Reformers from their Followers seems not congruous nor seasonable for those Times The over-severe Inculcation of such Doctrine in opposition to the false Righteousness of Romanism would have drawn away but few Auditours from that Church whose Sanctity was onely carnal They would have thought they had been
most delicious and Seraphick Lives that I could ever imagine any to doe upon this Earth The Prelibation of those future Joys and Glories that you in a manner make present to you by so firm a Faith and clear Prospect of things is an Anticipation of the Happiness of Heaven at least of that Heaven that is to be upon Earth when the new Ierusalem shall descend from above I am so infinitely transported with your excellent Converse that I am almost out of conceit with my own condition of Life and could wish I had never been engaged in the care of a Wife and a Family or any other Secular Occasions that I might joyn my self for ever to your blessed Society Of such unspeakable pleasure has this five days entertainment been to my minde Philoth. God forbid Philopolis that the Sweet of Contemplation should ever put your mouth out of tast with the savoury Usefulness of Secular Negotiations To doe good to men to assist the injured to relieve the necessitous to advise the ignorant in his necessary affairs to bring up a Family in the fear of God and a chearful hope of everlasting Happiness after this Life does as much transcend our manner of living if it ended in a mere pleasing our selves in the delicacy of select Notions as solid Goodness does empty Phantastry or sincere Charity the most childish Sophistry that is The exercise of Love and Goodness of Humanity and Brotherly-kindness of Prudence and Discretion of Faithfulness and Neighbourliness of unfeigned Devotion and Religion in the plain and undoubted Duties thereof is to the truly regenerate Soul a far greater pleasure then all the fine Speculations imaginable Philop. You 'll pardon this sudden surprise Philotheus for your wholesome Instruction has reduced me again to the right sense of things I am fully convinced that all Speculation is vain that tends not to the Duty of Practice nor inables a man the better to perform what he owes to God to his Prince and Countrey to his Family Neighbours and Friends Which is the onely consideration that makes my parting with this excellent Society any thing tolerable to me at this time being so fully instructed by you that I am not to live to please my self but to be serviceable to others And therefore I shall endeavour not so to leave you as not to carry away the better part of you along with me Cuph. XLIII His Complement to Cuphophron and his Friends with Cuphophron 's return thereof upon Philopolis You mean Euistor and Hylobares do you not Philopolis Philop. I mean not Persons but Things the endearing memorie of the sincere Zeal and sound Knowledge of Philotheus the free and profound Judgement of Bathynous the Prudence and Sobriety of Sophron and the Gaiety of Temper and singular Urbanity of my noble friend Cuphophron to whom I return many thanks for his repeated favours and civilities since my arrival hither as I do to Philotheus also and the rest of this excellent Companie for their great Obligations and shall impatiently expect an opportunity of making some requitall In the mean time I leave my thanks with you all and bid you farewell Cuph. Not the Memory O Philopolis but the Reality of all those Accomplishments you reckon up of right you carry away with you because you brought them along with you hither Nor will we take leave of so accomplished a person till needs must We will wait upon you to morrow morning to see you take horse and then wish you a good Journey In the mean time we onely bid you Good-night Philop. That will be too great a favour Philoth. That 's a Civility very well mentioned Cuphophron We will at least doe that if not carry them part on their way Hyl. And I will defer my manifold Acknowledgements to Philotheus till then THE END A brief DISCOURSE Of the true Grounds of The Certainty of FAITH IN Points of Religion FAith and Belief though they be usually appropriated to matters of Religion yet those words in themselves signifie nothing else but a Persuasion touching the Truth of a thing arising from some Ground or other Which Persuasion may be undoubted or certain to us that is to say We may be certainly persuaded without any staggering though the Grounds be false and the Thing it self false that we are thus firmly persuaded of So that the being firmly persuaded is no sure sign to others nor ought to be to ourselves that either the Grounds or the Belief it self is true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may very well arise from an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Peculiarity of Complexion or the Besottedness of Education may be so prevalent as very forcibly to urge Falshood upon our belief as well in things Natural as Religious either upon very weak and false Grounds or no other Grounds at all but that of Complexion and Education Passion or Interest or the like But the true Grounds of the Certainty of Faith are such as do not onely beget a certain and firm Faith but a true one and this in virtue of their own Truth and Solidity as being such as will appear true and solid to all impartial and unprejudiced Examiners that is to say to all such as neither Complexion nor Education nor Passion nor Interest does pervert their Judgement but have their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 clear as the Eye to discriminate Colours Whence it is plain that the first and most necessarie Preparation to the Discovery of the true Grounds of the Certainty of Faith is Moral Prudence in such a sense as the nature of it is described in a late Moral Discourse entitled Enchiridion Ethicum lib. 2. cap. 2. This ought to be antecedaneous to our judgement touching either Autority or Reason But for a man of a polluted spirit to take upon him to dissent from the Constitutions of the Church he is born under is a very rash and insolent Attempt As if God were more bound to assist a single Wicked man for the finding out of Truth then a multitude or as if a man could more safely or more creditably err alone then with a company that has the stamp of Autority upon them But if thy endeavour be to perfect Holiness in the fear of God and to walk in all Humility before him and before men thou mayest by such rational Grounds as these examine the Fidelity of thy Teachers and the truth of their Doctrines of Religion First then It is plain that Certainty of Faith presupposeth Certainty of both Reason and Sense rightly circumstantiated For forasmuch as Faith properly so called is nothing but an unwavering Assent to some Doctrine proposed upon the ground of infallible Testimonie there must be some Reason to persuade us that that Testimony is infallible that is to say that they that testifie are neither obnoxious to Errour in the things they witness of nor have a mind to make others to erre or
the truest Grounds of the Certainty of Faith This is the common Protestant Doctrine and a great and undeniable Truth and will amount to the greatest Certainty desirable if the Spirit of Life and of God assist For that will seal all firm and close and shut out all Doubts and Waverings In the mean time even in mere Moral men but yet such as use their Sense and Reason rightly-circumstantiated in their Dijudications touching the truth of Holy Writ and Religion it is plain they are upon the truest Grounds of Faith they can goe or apply themselves to forasmuch as the Holy Writ is the truest and most certain Tradition and no Tradition to be discerned true but upon the Certainty of rightly-circumstantiated Sense and Reason as appears by the first Conclusion These Advertisements though something numerous are yet brief enough but very effectual I hope if strictly followed to make thee so wise as neither to impose upon thy self nor be imposed upon by others in matters of Religion and so Orthodox as to become neither Enthusiast nor Romanist but a true Catholick and Primitive Apostolick Christian THE END DIVINE HYMNS DIVINE HYMNS An HYMN Upon the Nativity of CHRIST THe Holy Son of God most High The Historicall Narration For love of Adam's lapsed Race Quit the sweet Pleasures of the Sky To bring us to that happy Place His Robes of Light he laid aside Which did his Majesty adorn And the frail state of Mortals tri'de In Humane Flesh and Figure born Down from above this Day-Star slid Himself in living Earth t' entomb And all his Heav'nly Glory hid In a pure lowly Virgin 's Womb. Whole Quires of Angels loudly sing The Mystery of his Sacred Birth And the blest News to Shepherds bring Filling their watchfull Souls with Mirth The Application to the Emprovement of Life The Son of God thus Man became That Men the sons of God might be And by their second Birth regain A likeness to His Deity Lord give us humble and pure mindes And fill us with thy Heav'nly Love That Christ thus in our Hearts enshrin'd We all may be born from above And being thus Regenerate Into a Life and Sense Divine We all Ungodliness may hate And to thy living Word encline That nourish'd by that Heav'nly Food To manly Stature we may grow And stedfastly pursue what 's good That all our high Descent may know Grant we thy Seed may never yield Our Souls to soil with any Blot But still stand Conquerours in the field To shew his Power who us begot That after this our Warfare's done And travails of a toilsome Stage We may in Heav'n with Christ thy Son Enjoy our promis'd Heritage Amen An HYMN Upon the Passion of CHRIST THe faithfull Shepherd from on high The Historicall Narration Came down to seek his strayed Sheep Which in this Earthly Dale did lie Of Grief and Death the Region deep Those Glories and those Ioys above 'T was much to quit for Sinners sake But yet behold far greater Love Such pains and toils to undertake An abject Life which all despise The Lord of Glory underwent And with the Wicked's worldly guize His righteous Soul for grief was rent His Innocence Contempt attends His Wisedome and his Wonders great Envy on these her poison spends And Pharisaick Rage their Threats At last their Malice boil'd so high As Witnesses false to suborn The Lord of Life to cause to die His Body first with Scourges torn With royal Robes in scorn th' him dight And with a wreath of Thorns him crown A Scepter-Reed in farther spight They adde unto his Purple Gown Then scoffingly they bend the knee And spit upon his Sacred Face And after hang him on a Tree Betwixt two Thieves for more Disgrace With Nails they pierc'd his Hands and Feet The Bloud thence trickled to the ground The Pangs of Death his Countenance sweet And lovely Eyes with Night confound Thus laden with our weight of Sin This spotless Lamb himself bemoans And while for us he Life doth win Quits his own Breath with deep-fetch'd Groans Affrighted Nature shrinketh back To see so direfull dismall sight The Earth doth quake the Mountains crack Th' abashed Sun withdraws his Light The Application to the Emprovement of Life Then can we Men so senseless be As not to melt in flowing Tears Who cause were of his Agonie Who suffer'd thus to cease our Fears To reconcile us to our God By this his precious Sacrifice And shield us from his wrathfull Rod Wherewith he Sinners doth chastise O wicked Sin to be abhorr'd That God's own Son thus forc'd to die O Love profound to be ador'd That found so potent Remedie O Love more strong then Pain and Death To be repaid by nought but Love Whereby we vow our Life and Breath Entire to serve our God above For who for shame durst now complain Of dolorous dying unto Sin While he recounts the hideous Pain His Saviour felt our Souls to win Or who can harbour Anger fell Envy revengefull Spight or Hate If he but once consider well Our Saviour lov'd at such a rate Wherefore Lord since thy Son most just His natural Life for us did spill Grant we our sinful Lives and Lusts May sacrifice unto his Will That to our selves we being dead Henceforth to him may wholly live Who us to free from Dangers dread Himself a Sacrifice did give Grant that the sense of so great Love Our Souls to him may firmly tie And forcibly us all may move To live in mutuall Amity That no pretence to Hate or Strife May rise from any Injurie Since thy dear Son the Lord of Life For love of us when Foes did die An HYMN Upon the Resurrection of CHRIST The Historicall Narration WHo 's this we see from Edom come With bloudy robes from Bosrah Town He whom false Jews to death did doom And Heav'n's fierce Anger had cast down His righteous Soul alone was fain Isa. 63.3 The Wine-press of God's Wrath to tread And all his Garments to distain And sprinkled Cloaths to die bloud-red 'Gainst Hell and Death he stoutly fought Who Captive held him for three days But straight he his own Freedome wrought And from the dead himself did raise The brazen Gates of Death he brake Triumphing over Sin and Hell And made th' Infernall Kingdomes quake With all that in those Shades do dwell His murthered Body he resum'd Maugre the Grave's close grasp and strife And all these Regions thence perfum'd With the sweet hopes of lasting Life O mighty Son of God most High The Application to the Emprovement of Life That conqueredst thus Hell Death and Sin Give us a glorious Victory Over our deadly Sins to win Go on and * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. Iud. Flesh and bloud in the moral sense Edom still subdue And quite cut off his wicked Race And raise in us thine Image true Which sinfull * The old Adam Rom. 6.6 Edom doth
deface Teach us our Lusts to mortify In virtue of thy precious Death That while to sin all-dead we lie Thou maist infuse thy Heav'nly breath To Righteousness our Spirits raise And quick'n us with thy Life and Love That we may walk here to thy Praise And after live in Heav'n above Grant we in Glory may appear Clad with our Resurrection-Vest When thou shalt lead thy Flock most dear Up to the Mansions of the Blest An HYMN Upon CHRIST's Ascension The Historicall Narration GOd is ascended up on high With merry noise of Trumpet 's sound And Princely seated in the Sky Rules over all the World around The Tabernacle did of old His Presence to the Jews restrain But after in our Flesh enfold A larger Empire he did gain For suffering in Humane Flesh For all he rich Redemption wrought And will with lasting Life refresh His Heritage so dearly bought Sing Praises then sing Praises loud Unto our Universal King * Act. 1.9 He who ascended on a Cloud To him all Laud and Praises sing Captivity he captive led Triumphing o're the Powers of Hell And struck their eyes with glory dread Who in the Airy Regions dwell In Humane Flesh and Shape he went Adorned with his Passion-Scars Which in Heav'n's sight he did present More glorious then the glittering Stars O happy Pledge of Pardon sure The Application to the Emprovement of Life And of an endless blissful State Since Humane Nature once made pure For Heav'n becomes so fit a Mate Lord raise our sinking Minds therefore Up to our proper Country dear And purifie us evermore To fit us for those Regions clear Let our Converse be still above Where Christ at thy right hand doth sit And quench in us all worldly Love That with thy self our Souls may knit Make us all Earthly things despise And freely part with this World 's good That we may win that Heav'nly prize Which Christ has purchas'd with his Bloud That when He shall return again In * Act. 1.11 Clouds of Glory as he went Our Souls no foulness may retain But be found pure and innocent And so may mount to his bright Hosts On Eagle's wings up to the Sky And be conducted to the Coasts Of everlasting Bliss and Ioy. An HYMN Upon the Descent of the Holy Ghost at the day of Pentecost The Narration WHen Christ his Body up had born To Heav'n from his Disciples sight Then they like Orphans all forlorn Spent their sad days in mournfull plight But he ascended up on high More Sacred Gifts for to receive And freely showr them from the Sky On those which he behind did leave He for the Presence of his Flesh To them the Holy Spirit imparts And doth with living Springs refresh Their thirsty Souls and fainting Hearts While with one minde and in one place Devoutly they themselves retire In rushing Wind the promis'd Grace Descends and cloven Tongues of Fire The house th' Amighty's Spirit fills Which doth the feeble Fabrick shake But on their Tongue such power instills Acts 2. That makes th' amazed Hearer quake The Spirit of holy Zeal and Love The Application And of Discerning give us Lord The Spirit of Power from above Of Unity and good Accord The Spirit of convincing Speech Such as will every Conscience smite Act. 2.37 And to the Heart of each man reach And Sin and Errour put to flight The Spirit of refining Fire Searching the inmost of the mind To purge all foul and fell desire And kindle Life more pure and kinde The Spirit of Faith in this thy Day Of Power against the force of Sin That through this Faith we ever may Against our Lusts the Conquests win Pour down thy Spirit of inward Life Which in our Hearts thy Laws may write That without any pain or strife We naturally may doe what 's right On all the Earth thy Spirit pour In Righteousness it to renew That Satan's Kingdome 't may o'repow'r And to Christ's Sceptre all subdue Like mighty Winde or Torrent fierce Let it Withstanders all o'rerun And every wicked Law reverse That Faith and Love may make all one Let Peace and Ioy in each place spring And Righteousness the Spirit 's fruits With Meekness Friendship and each thing That with the Christian spirit suits Grant this O holy God and true Who th' ancient Prophets didst inspire Haste to perform thy Promise due As all thy Servants thee desire An HYMN Upon the Creation of the World WHen God the first Foundations laid The Narration Of the well-framed Universe And through the darksome Chaos ray'd The Angels did his Praise rehearse The Sons of God then sweetly sung Job 38.7 At first appearance of his Light When the Creation-Morning sprung To deck the World with Beauty bright Within six Days he finish'd all What-ere Heav'n Earth or Sea contain And sanctify'd the Seventh withall To celebrate his Holy Name Then with the Sons of God let 's sing Our bountifull Creatour's Praise Who out of nothing all did bring And by his Word the World did raise O Holy God how wonderfull Art thou in all thy Works of might Astonishing our Senses dull With what thou daily bringst in sight The fit returns of Night and Day The gratefull Seasons of the Year Which constantly man's pains repay With wholesome fruit his Heart to chear The shape and number of the Stars The Moon 's set course thou dost define And Matter 's wilde distracting Iars Composest by thy Word Divine The Parts of th' Earth thou holdest close Together by this sweet Constraint Thou round'st the Drops that do disclose The Rain-bow in his glorious Paint Thy Clouds drop fatness on the Earth Thou mak'st the Grass and Flow'rs to spring Thou cloath'st the Woods wherein with mirth The chearfull Birds do sit and sing Thou fill'st the Fields with Beasts and Sheep Thy Rivers run along the Plains With scaly Fish thou stor'st the Deep Thy Bounty all the World maintains The Application All these and all things else th' hast made Subject to Man by thy Decree That thou by Man might'st be obey'd As duely subject unto thee Wherefore O Lord in us create Clean hearts and a right spirit renew That we regaining that just state May ever pay thee what is due That as we wholly from thee are Both Gifts of Minde and Bodie 's frame So by them both we may declare The Glory of thy Holy Name An HYMN Upon the Redemption of the World through CHRIST in his Re-introduction of the New Creature THe Lord both Heav'n Earth hath made The Narration His Word did all things frame And Laws to every Creature gave Who still observe the same The faithfull Sun doth still return The Seasons of the Year And at just times the various Moon Now round now horn'd appears The Plants retain their Virtue still Their Verdure and their Form Nor do the Birds or Beasts their guize Once change or shape transform 'T is
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