of the Elects called and sanctified estate in Christ by regeneration shewes plainly you do not know what it is to be a Christian indeed and truly for if you did you would know this truth undoubtedly that they that trust in the Lord are as mount Sion which cannot be removed but abideth for ever as testifieth the Prophet Psal. 135. 1. and the Apostle gives the reason of it because the chief corner stone thereof is Christ that holy chosen and precious One and whosoever he be that believeth on him shall not be confounded 1 Pet. 2. 6. And this doctrine is that which our Lord himself hath taught us Vpon this rock saith he I will build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it Mat. 16. 18. Marke what greater contrary power can there be then the gates of hell and yet that even the strength of all the powers of the Devill shall not be able to do that which you affirm they shall and the reason thereof our Lord himself gives Joh. 10. 27 28 29. My sheep heare my voyce and I know them and they follow me and I give unto them eternall life and they shall never perish neither shall any pluck them out of my hand my father which gave them me is greater then all and no man is able to pluck them out of my fathers hand I and my Father are one And that great experienced man of the love of God even above the rest of his fellowes speaking of the blessed estate of the regenerated Elect 1 Pet. 1. 2 3 4 5. saith They were elected according to the fore-knowledge of God begotten again to a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to a glorious undefiled inheritance of which it is impossible we should fail of who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation and those sweet words of our Lord are of efficacy to gain the most contrary heart to the belief of this truth Joh. 17. 11. Holy Father keep through thy holy name those that thou hast given mee that they may be one as we are one Now Arminius see the sure and certain estate of a regenerated Christian so sure as God is sure and unchangeable as Christ the same yesterday to day and for ever eternall as the Holy Ghost even so are they that are made one with God who truly have fellowship with the Father and with the Son Jesus Christ 1 Joh. 1. 3. For he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of one as brethren are one Heb. 2. 11. and as the tree and the branches are one Joh. 15. 5. even so is Christ and the regenerated man Oh happy are the people that are in such a case Heres At the first I thought what we should find of you but now I have ready a multitude of Scriptures to shew to you that which I maintain to be truth and by them I shall discover you I hope to be untruth The first place is Ezek. 18. 24. When the righteous man turneth away from his righteousnesse and committeth iniquity and dyeth in them he shall die for the iniquity he hath done again our Lord himself saith Every branch in me that beareth not fruit He that is God taketh away that is cutteth off from the Vine Joh. 15. 2. And many of Christs Disciples were offended at the truth of his doctrine and turned away or went backe that is left him for ever Joh. 6. 66. others received the Word gladly and indured for a while believers but when tribulation and persecution did arise because of the Word they were offended and fell away Mat. 13. 21. Lake 8. 13. yea the Apostle is more particular Hebr. 6. 4 5 6. for he speaks of such as were made partakers of the Holy Ghost and had tasted of the good Word of God and the powers of the world to come and yet notwithstanding all this to fall away as not to be renewed again by repentance yea the same Apostle sheweth farther Heb. 10. 29. that a man may be sanctified by the blood of the Testament and afterwards tread under foot the Son of God and count the same blood as an unholy thing and despite the Spirit of Grace And St. Peter 2 Pet. 18. 19 20. speaks of some that were clean escaped from the corruptions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and yet after this to be intangled and overcome again whose latter end is worse then their beginning these and many more are the ground of my doctrine Truth And secondly I answer these Scriptures rightly understood make nothing at all for the maintenance of your error but in truth it teacheth us that we ought heedfully to observe the distinction in one and the same terme which must be generally and really observed throughout the Scriptures which hereafter I shall more fully discover when any of the Anabaptists shall speak and in the mean while I pray consider of the terms in those Scriptures you have alledged as the term faith to believe the Word the affection of joy and gladnesse in the knowledge of it a relish and taste of the sweetnesse and goodnesse in it for the present with some apprehension of the glorious things of the world to come and through the operations of its working in those that received it as that it is said they were washed and sanctified and yet afterwards never the better for all this nay worse at last then at first for it shall aggravate their condemnation this shewes plainly that the new and living way of life is set open unto all by the generall and particular administration of the Gospel and that men by the common gifts of the Spirit may attain to many excellent graces even beginnings to the peculiar and speciall gifts to which whosoever attaineth shall never fall and perish which differing effect of the Gospel is cleerly set forth unto us in the foure grounds mentioned by our Lord the Seeds-man was one and the same and the seed it self was so also and yet took not the same effect in all although it was sowne and cast into them all The high-way side were hard hearted ignorant men whose hearts had not earth to cover the seed and the wicked one came and stole it away in the thorny and stony ground it sprung up into a blade in the one it fail'd because it could not take root for stones in the other because the thornes choakt it the good ground never failed because the seed took deep root the hard way was broken up and ploughed so that the seed was covered that the fowls of the air could not find it to steel it the stones could not hinder the taking root downwards for they were cast out by repentance nor the thornes choake it in springing upwards for the pleasures of this world and the cares of unrighteous riches are both forsaken so that the happy successe and prosperity of it
Christian Church the washing with water or dipping in water is the doing away the filth of the flesh which saveth not for this a man may have and perish as those Disciples that fell away from Christ and walked no more with him Joh. 6. 66. but the washing or baptisme that saveth 1 Pet. 3. 21. is the answer of a good conscience unto God by the resurrection of Jesus Christ not the washing of the flesh but the purifying of the heart by faith and this spirituall baptisme or washing it is that works that full assurance of faith having our hearts strinkled from an evill conscience by the blood of Christ and our bodies washed with pure water Heb. 10. 22. that water that Christ giveth his Disciples Joh. 4. 14. and washeth his Apostles with John 13. and this is that which maketh the truly faithfull Jew by vertue of the circumcision of the heart and the truly faithfull Christian by vertue of the baptisme of the heart all one as the holy Apostle saith and that God did beare witnesse with him also to the truth of it that there is no difference between us and them that is us Jewes and them Gentiles purifying their hearts by faith Acts 15. 8 9. and the Scriptures shew that the Jewes did well know that when the Messiah should come that then baptisme or washing should be the distinction of Christians from others as circumcision by Gods own ordinance was the distinction the Jewes had from all the people of the whole world and therefore it is written that when the Jewes sent Priests and Levites of the Pharisees from Jerusalem to John the Baptist to Bethabara beyond Jordan where John was baptizing the messengers askt him whether he were the Christ or Elias or the Prophet and upon his answer no that he was not they then asked him why hee did baptize then hereby cleerly shewing that they understood by the Scriptures that when Elias Messiah and the Prophet foretold of should come that then baptisme should be in use in the Church and accordingly it was so practised by John the Baptist Christ and his Apostles and ever since continued and of the very same use to Christians both outwardly and inwardly as circumcision was to the Jewes And the Apostle to the Church of Colosse useth both the terms baptisme and circumcision to set forth and teach unto us one and the same thing in Jesus Christ Col. 2. 10 11 12. You are compleat saith he in Christ which is the head of all principalities and power in whom also you are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ buried with him in baptisme wherein also you are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God c. Mark now friend Anabaptist the truth of this doctrine of the cleer distinction the Holy Ghost makes of baptisme and circumcision and in both double and two-fold as in circumcision the one outward the other inward so in baptisme both in the flesh and both in the heart both made by hands and both without hands a man may partake of both in one distinction and perish but whosoever doth receive one or both in the speciall sense hee shall be saved and as the terms in the meaning do agree so they do both agree in their administration for as Abraham received the sign of circumcision a seal or signe of the righteousnesse of the faith which he had before be was circumcised in the flesh Rom. 4. 11. so the regenerate and faithfull servants of God Nathaniel in whom was no guile the Eunuch Lydia and Cornelius of whom the Holy Ghost bears witnesse that they were true worshipers of God these all as Abraham had the inward baptisme of the blood of Christ through faith in the promise before they received the outward baptisme the washing their bodies with water a lively representation of the washing their hearts by the blood of the Lamb Christ And for the generall use of Baptisme as in the Jewes Church all that believed the Law of God were to be circumcised and so admitted into the Congregation and communion of all the holy ordinances of Gods worship and service so now who ever believes that Christ is come in the flesh and acknowledgeth the glad tidings of the Gospel the Ministery and Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles to be the truth they upon this generall or historicall faith ought to be baptized and to be admitted to communion in the Word and Sacraments as Simon Magus Demas the faulty Christians in the Church of Corinth and a thousand more had as the Scriptures shew so that now you see Gods Word forces you to distinguish of baptisme and so also of the terme Faith and the name Lord and yet but one baptisme one faith and one Lord to salvation Now the Scriptures plainly set forth unto us a three-fold faith which may be truly distinguished by these termes historicall miraculous or justifying faith and all these a full assurance and are to be believed with all the heart of the two first sorts wicked men devils may partake of them as well as the Saints yea sometimes exceed therein for Judas wrought miracles among the twelve but John the Baptist did no miracle saith the Text so many are called to believe the truth to work in the Vineyard but few are chosen unto salvation and rewarded with eternall life that is the speciall peculiar faith Joh. 7. 38. that whosoever believeth shall not perish but have eternall life And there is a great deal of difference between him that by faith eateth Christs flesh and drinketh his blood to eternall life Joh. 6. 54. and their faith by which they are baptized preach and communicate in the other ordinances and boldly pray and call upon the name of Christ and yet notwithstanding are not acknowledged by him but shut out and excluded from eternall life and assign'd and sentenced to everlasting destruction and to be rewarded as the workers of iniquity Mat. 7. 22 23. Now considering how cleare the Scriptures are in distinguishing between faith and faith I did admire when I was in company with you to see you all so earnest as in baptisme so in faith to maintaine but one sort under either term wherefore I would here make the severall definitions of faith thereby to make the distinctions the more clear but that I shall do hereafter when I come to speak of the Antinomians mistakes in these things also and I much marvell at your ignorance in Scripture distinctions for as much as you all professe you read them much in which except you distinguish rightly you can understand no truth cleerly nor fully for the letter of the Scriptures are but the body or corps but it is the intention and meaning of the Holy Ghost by the words of the Text which is the spirit and life of them therefore it doth behove us and stands us
saith he comfort one another with these words 1 Thes. 4. 18. Blessed and holy is he saith St. John that hath part in the first resurrection for hee alone is the man that lookes for his coming and hath comfort in his appearing the very same saith Daniel Blessed is he that waiteth and cometh to the 1335. dayes but go thou thy way till the end be for thou shalt rest and stand in the Lot at the end of the dayes Dan. 12. 12 13. which number exceeds the former which comprehended the whole time of Antichrists raign and persecution 45. yeers thereby discovering a deep mystery of high understanding which none but the wise can possibly apprehend as the Prophet declareth vers. 10. which additionall number notes out unto us that little season that shall be between the totall destruction of Antichrist and the finall consummation of this world which our Lord himself signifieth by the word immediately thereby to set forth all the time between the dayes of tribulation and his own glorious appearing and St. John uses the word quickely to set forth all the time likewise between the wofull raign of Antichrist and the wofull ruine of all ungodly men in these words Rev. 11. The second wo is past and behold the third wo cometh quickely and as it is shewed to John that after the thousand yeers should be finished expired and fulfilled which is the whole time of Poperies cruelty and mysterie of Iniquity and the Dragon the Devils liberty which is exprest for the time to be a little season in which Satan shall move and stir up the nations of the four quarters of the earth even Gog and Magog those great and innumerable multitudes to desolate the Saints the Church even the beloved city of God as before I have touched till the very instant of time of the Sonne of mans coming in his white and glorious throne to judgement before whose face the earth and the heavens fled away and there was found no place for them Rev. 20. 7 8 9 10 11. and likewise the 45. additionall yeers of Daniels Chaldee reckoning to be the whole time in which God will accomplish the scattering of the powers of his holy people and between the ending of the time times and half a time and the generall resurrection to have all these things fulfilled and this is cleerly though briefly intimated wherefore I demand of all you learned Monarchists Judaists and Millenarists where in Gods Word you will find any time for the glory of the Churches prosperity in this world Well let a word be enough to the wise and therefore never preach nor print such doctrines hereafter The last thing is the place where the Scriptures speak that Christ and his kingdome shall be in for evermore and that is the earth saith the truth Blessed are the meek for they shall inherite the earth Mat. 5. 5. The kingdomes of this world are become the kingdomes of our Lord and his Christ and he shall raign for ever and ever Rev. 11. 15. even then when the Lord himself shall descend fâ—rom heaven with a shout with the voyce of the Archangel with the trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first and the Saints living changed before the kingdome be established 2 Thes. 4. 16. which St. John makes to be the voyce of the seventh and last Angel Rev. 10. 7. saying When he shall begin to sound the mystery of God shall be finished and that the earth at that time shall be made the place of Christ and his Churches habitation eternally glorified observe the cleare and unanimous consent of all Scriptures this is the new song of the 24. Elders Rev. 5. 9 10. which sung to the praise of the Lamb of God Thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every tongue and people and nation and hast made us unto our God Kings and Priests and wee shall raign on the earth And David makes it the song of his delight in the often repetition of it Psal. 37. 9. Evill doers saith he shall be cut off but those that wait upon the Lord shall inherit the earth For yet a little while and the wicked shall not be But the meek shall inherite the earth v. 10. 11. And again Such as are blessed of God shall inherite the earth and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off v. 22. yea the earth hath the Lord given to the children of men Psal. 115. 16. And again The spirituall sons of him that feareth the Lord shall inheritthe earth Psal. 25. 13. Wherefore great is the Lord and greatly to be praised in the city of our God in the mountain of his holiness beautifull for situation the joy of the whole earth is mount Sion Psal. 48. 1 2. then shall it be that the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of God as the waters cover the Sea Isa. 11. 9. which cannot be understood here in this world but of the world to come not in this old corruptible heaven and earth but when the whole creation even every creature shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption Rom. 8. 19 20 21 22. in that time when none shall hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain saith the Lord even then when these heavens and earth that now are corruptible shall be dissolved and new heavens and new earth created in which dwelleth righteousnesse then even in the day of the Lords coming 2 Pet. 3. 11 12 13. Isa. 65. 17. and as the glorious Church of Christ shall remain for ever so shall the restitution of all things also Isa. 66. 22. Finally John was shewed the new heavens and the new earth and the renovation of all things Rev. 21. 1. when hee saw new Jerusalem the Church of God even the Lambs wife come down from heaven to the earth so that the Tabernacle of God was with men with whom hee will dwell for ever And this is the heavenly Countrey Church and City with foundations which Abraham Isaac Jacob and all the faithfull people of God have ever expected and looked after that better resurrection which as yet they possesse not for all these died in the faith and received not the promise meaning the hope that was set before them God providing some better things for us that they without us might not be perfect Heb. 11. 13 14. yet seeing the perfection afar off and imbraced it through faith and confessed they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth for they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a Countrey a heavenly Canaan and Paradise of rest And as Gods children have chosen God and his promises for their portion and inheritance so the Lord himselfe hath chosen Sion for his habitation This is my rest for ever saith he here will I dwell for I have desired it Psal. 132. 13 14. Great and marvellous are thy works Lord God Almighty just and true are thy wayes thou King of Saints Rev. 15. 3. The Lord loveth the gates of Sion Glorious things are spoken of thee O thou City of God Psal. 87. 3. The Lord himselfe shall arise and have mercy upon Sion for the time to favour her yea the set time is come Psal. 102. 13. Errata PAge 6. line 17. for same blood read Sons blood p. 9. l. 7. for a yeere r. and a yeere p. 12. l. 25. for N. H. 1. H. N. p. 49. l. 22. for elect r. the elect FINIS
And lastly for the space of this long season neer unto the time of seventeen hundred yeers that great and huge Monarchy of the Romans our universall and mighty oppressors have dealt very cruelly with us even worse then all that were before them for their sword hath had a double edge called Force and Deceit cunning and cruelty and for power worse then all that were before them as Iron is the basest for value and hardest for strength for it breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things as one of my deare sons affirmeth Dan. 2. 40. which I and mine have found by dolefull experience all their tedious wofull and odious raign of the Iron legs and durtie toes how dolefull was it in the dayes of our blessed Saviour that that holy Prophet John the Baptist that takes his name from his office the harbenger the forerunner and preparer of the Lords own way that he should be killed and our innocent Lord grievously abuseded wounded crucified also and how was I and my children havocked and cruelly destroyed and wasted presently after the resurrection and ascension of our Lord in those numerous and unparalleld ten persecutions and all wrought and prosecuted against us by those legs of Iron all which power and authority of the legs are now gone and past as a storme that 's over and a tale that 's told and as a great fire that 's quenched excepting only the feet and toes consisting of Iron and Clay matter of two contrary natures in them the solidness and strength of Iron and the weaknesse or bricklenesse of Clay and yet such a powerfull enemy whose cunning craftinesse is managed by deceit and policy in which time iniquity hath and doth abound under the pretence of verity this fourth Monarchy from the first to the last in all the parts of it is deciphered by a strange beast diverse from all the beasts that were before it dreadfull terrible and exceeding in the greatnesse of power and strength it had Iron teeth saith the Prophet and they were great ones to tear and kill by and it devoured saith the Text and brake in pieces and stamped the residue with the feet of it and it had ten horns Dan. 7. 7. Heres But let us prove if his words be true for what is the Babylonian Assyrian Grecian or Roman Monarch to us for we have been and are the spirituall seed of Abraham by faith wee are Christians who have believed are baptized and communicate in all the Ordinances of God we are warranted in the Scriptures for our Church-discipline and government and wee walke in a Church state and Church way in constituting our Congregations in ordaining our Ministers our Pastors our Deacons and Elders Widowes Eunuches and divers holy orders as that of Jesus and John the Baptist Mary Magdalene and abundance more orders of men women and Angels and all these by authoritie of Scriptures and yet will you rank us amongst the Heathens and compare us to the four Ethnick Monarchs long ago past we doubt not but upon further discovery to prove your self to be untruth Truth What ever you are whether Papists Familists Arrians Arminians Anabaptists Brownists Antinomians Millinarists or Monarchists of all sorts and although all and every one of you of each sort gird and bind your selves with the new found common With of Independency yet my self and my little children are able to prove against you all even against the oldest and strongest of you and therefore observe and take notice of it even of the charge it self that so many of you that are not born of sorrow and comfort and have not your parts in mourning and rejoycing of water and the Holy Ghost as the Scripture speaketh I tell you plainly notwithstanding all your outward names and distinctions your affirmed Christianity your Church-way and state your participation in the Word and Sacraments your ordinations and orders and what discipline you are of or any kinde or manner however except I say you be separated or dissevered from naturall men by the vail of regeneration as the Temple of God the Altar and them that worship therein were separated by a vail from the outward and common court erected for the multitude of the house of Israel to offer and sacrifice yea again because the matter I speak of is of such great concernment I speak it the third time except you are by true repentance and assurance of mercy made capable spiritually to eat Christs flesh and to drink his blood thereby to have eternall life in you except you be thus gracious and made spiritually living by regeneration Gods Word I say and the Spirit of truth denominates you reckons and accounts you all among the Heathens and Gentiles Rev. 11. 1 2. and notwithstanding all your outside and overcast Christianity the whole wicked cursed defiled and unregenerate world and you make but one cast-away part one flock of goats for ever to be excluded from the sheep of Christ their sweet and pleasant pastor that flock and fold also Heres This fellow condemnes us all wee are esteemed of him as counterfeits or false coyne he abstaineth from our wayes as from filthinesse yet we marvell how he can prove that we that are Christians are a part of those Monarchs whose severall times and powers are wholly expired consummated and gone Truth As I have in generall proved it already in shewing that all the wicked party in the world make but one fort one cursed side on the left hand so also I prove it further by our Saviour Christs words to the Pharisees in his dayes Matth. 23. 35 That upon you saith hee may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias whom yee slew between the Temple and the Altar Here our Lord layes the murther of Abel and Zacharias to the Scribes and Pharisees charge although the personall actors were dead many yeers before saying to them present whom ye slew and the reason is because all murtherers from the beginning of the world to the end thereof make but one generation all of them even one generation of Vipers persecutors and destroyers Secondly as yet the whole Monarch of the Romans is not expired and past but still in being the feet that were partly iron and partly clay are not wholly consumed nor the mixt matter is not yet abolished for yet craft policy doth prosper in wicked practices to destroy the mighty the people of the holy One by standing up and opposing the Prince of princes who notwithstanding shortly shall be destroyed without hands Dan. 8. 24 25 even that man of sin that son of perdition even that opposer and exalter of himself above all that is called God and as God sitteth in the Temple of God whom the Lord that he opposeth shall consume with the Spirit of his mouth and destroy with the brightnesse of his coming notwithstanding all his serpentine working his
of God the Father descend from thence and now judge the world and all these things in a mysterie a Metaphor and Allegory You read say they of these things in the letter 1600. yeers ago but now they are in the newnesse of the Spirit and according to these principles expound all the Scriptures both of the old and new Testament Now say they is the wedding of Cana of Galilee fulfill'd in the spirit where righteousnesse is the Jesus the union between God the Father and the Son the Bride and the Bridegroom the mother of Jesus they say is the word of truth that brings to passe this holy marriage and the turning of water into wine is the oldnesse turned to newnesse flesh into spirit so that thereby the new man becomes co-deifi'd with God and God again co-hominifi'd with man and that now Christ whips out the buyers and sellers out of the Temple meaning by Christ righteousnesse and by the buyers and sellers sins and corruptions and by the Temple mens bodies expounding that Text Hebr. 1. 13. Sit on my right hand till I make thine enemies thy footstool to be meant of their holy anointed ones and when Christ which is righteousnes is risen in them by regeneration then that saying is brought to passe that is written Hos. 13. 14. 1 Cor. 15. 54. Death is swallowed up in victory they say they are Moses and the children of Israel and all naturall men are Egyptians which by conversion become Israelites and that now Moses is contending with Pharaoh the Devill to bring the chosen of God through the red Sea and barren hard and desolate wildernesse into Canaan the land of rest the peace of conscience and favour of God and that now God calls Abraham out of Vr of the Chaldees making it the land of devills as the Hebrew word signifies to set forth to us every unregenerate mans dark and sinfull estate naturally and Gods calling of Abraham out of it to go to a land he would give him to signifie unto us the conversion of a sinner to God and Davids killing Vriah to signifie the quenching the Spirit the Apostle dehorts from and Reubens going up to his fathers bed the weaknesses of such as are babes in Christ as St. John speaks of calling them little children and young men 1 Joh. 2. 12 13. And that in this nonage this youth of theirs it is with their anointed ones as it was with Christ which signifies anointed Mat. 3. 4. who as soon as God testified to him from heaven saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased and when he had fasted and separated himself from his naturall wayes and sinfull affections forty dayes and forty nights as Moses was fortie dayes and fortie nights in the holy mount where hee received the covenant of perfection in a figure And the Text saith afterwards he was an hungred that is this new man hungred and thirsted after righteousnesse and as the Text saith The tempter came to him the meaning is say they the sinfull flesh the enemy to the Spirit said to him If thou be the Son of God command that these stones be made bread but the new man answereth it is written the man Christ shall live by the truth the Word of God then the tempter uses other means to have him to be a self-justifier and account of himself as the holy Citie of God makes him to be advanced in his own thoughts as the highest of all as a pinacle is above the rest of the building and then to presume in his infancie as if he had the experience of old age and perfection it self and so the holy childe answers thou oughtst not to tempt but to wait patiently on thy Lord thy God His third and last temptation is the proffer of the whole world unto this young man in Christ but being now grown in strength in righteousnesse makes a speedy answer Get thee behind me Satan God is only to be worshipped and served so the tempter left him and the Angels ministred unto him in all passages of service till they brought the holy One from one degree to another to sit down at the right hand of the Father and to come to judge the world And of this spirituall estate do they understand all the Scriptures that speak of the resurrection of the body understanding it this spirituall body and this spirituall resurrection and that Christ is dead or alive in every man in the world dead in the naturall or sinfull estate and made alive and raised in the illuminated estate and the terms in Scripture of this present world to be the sinfull estate and the world to come the regenerated estate which they call perfection eternall life and the glory of the Father the world without end affirming there shall be no end of the heavens and of the earth the whole creation but that it shall continue for ever successively one generation after another and as man comes from God so he goes to God in matter and time infinitely These and a thousand grosse and blasphemous doctrines are the tenents of the Familists which are the very depths of Satan from which I wish thee to repent if it may be by any means obtained and learn to leave off your scorn and contempt of Scripture-learning and labour to be taught by the Spirit of truth in the true meaning of Gods Word Heres These doctrines which you call Familists are the tenents of N. H. that is Henry Nichols who lived in Germany and writ divers small books as The Gospel of the kingdom The Prophecy of the spirit of love The Glasse of righteousnesse and divers others but although he be a seducer and grosly deceived to the overthrow of the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ in affirming holinesse and righteousnesse to be Christ the Lord now I am so far from his opinion that I think Jesus the Prophet of Nazareth to be only man that is meere man and not God and man and to partake of the Deity no more then any other naturall man doth Truth You expresse your selfe to be an Arrian for Arrius that proud Bishop whose time was above 200. yeeres after the Apostles and did then fall from the truth of the Scriptures as they clearly set forth our blessed Saviour in his divine nature as well as in his humane and invented and broacht divulged and published this heresie that Jesus Christ was only man and not God which heresie backt with his authority proved a great and cruell persecution against the faithfull and true Christians 150. yeers together as Ecclesiasticall Histories according with the plain and holy Word of God do declare as it appeares in the first of John compared with Genesis 1. and Prov. 8. 22 23 24. and John that beloved of the Lord Revelations the 9th chapter makes a full and plain description of the person of Arrius his power authority and the compleat time of his persecution and false doctrine where
he deciphers his person by the appellation and name of a star vers. 1. thereby signifying hee was a high and great light in the Church even in the rank and course of the Apostles for so are they compared and called Rev. 12. and that this star was great in the outward office of the Church is farther intimated in these words in saying hee fell from heaven that was from the purity of the doctrine of the Saints preached and planted by Christs faithfull Apostles and Evangelists and in that it is said hee fell unto the earth it sheweth that as he fell from the light of the truth so he fell into grosse corrupt hereticall darknesse apostatizing and as opposite to the sincerity of the truth he formerly professed as the cursed polluted earth is to the pure undefiled heavens and as it is said To him was given the key of the bottomless pit it shewes the permissive power that should be granted and given to him that as hee loved lies more then truth so he that is the God of truth should give him up to strong delusions to believe lies and having in himself an adulterous evill heart a fit receptacle for an error so abominable doth with as great a longing desire preach and publish it to corrupt others like himself by all wayes and means whatsoever as first his own thirstie deceit was not satisfied proved in these words vers. 2. And hee opened the bottomless pit and there arose a smoak out of the pit as the smoak of a great furnace declaring hereby the nature of their corrupt doctrines even such as smoak soot and filth compared to the pure air and wofull darknesse to the glorious Sun-light The truth of God whose shining purity was obscured and darkned as it followes in the next words by reason of the smoak of the pit and the Text saith vers. 3. And there came out of the smoak Locusts upon the earth which shewes the great successe and large increase of false doctrines which are no sooner conceived and borne but presently it brings forth abundantly a viperous and wicked brood good for nothing but destruction it self and their great power is to hurt as a Scorpion which is the most cruell and venimous of all creeping things vers. 5. And as they are cruel so they are cunning crafty and unavoidable by which being once bit or stung it is incurable of such dangerous nature was this heresie of Arrius see the cruelty vers. 6. their power cunning and deceit vers. 7 8 9 10 11. The Apostle also by divine inspiration sets down the full and compleat time of this Arrian persecution saying It shall be five moneths that is moneths of yeers accounting as before in the audit of Antichrist thirty dayes to a moneth which multiplied by five amounts in the totall to one hundred and fifty yeers prophetically reckoning a day for a yeere as Ezek. 4. 6. which heresie was grown to such a height of esteem and applause that the then Christian Emperour call'd a generall Councel of all the Bishops in Christendome to confirm and establish this abominable false doctrine by a canon or Ecclesiasticall decree to be an unquestionable verity from which conclusion not any one of the learned Doctors did dissent but only godly Athanasius who by his alone wisdome and great knowledge in the Scriptures did protest and declare against this dark and smoakie error and he managed and maintained the truth so clearly by the authoritie of holy Writ that as Christ was perfect man so hee was truly God God and man our alone Saviour through which his grave and solid arguments raised from the beginning of the Evangelists of St. John and other holy Scriptures he gained the most of the generall Councel to be of his side and judgement whereupon they prevailed with him to make and write that famous and excellent Creed call'd after his own name even the Creed of Athanasius which then and ever since hath been imbraced approved honoured confessed of all Christian Churches although it is now neglected as gold in the dust and pearles by the ignorant Cock in the dunghill and fables in comparison even husks preferred before the verity thereof through the blindnesse of this present generation Heres Although the Popes universall supremacie in and over all persons and causes Ecclesiasticall and civill be an error and also heresie to deny the humane nature of Christ as doth the Familists and as bad in Arrius to deny the divine nature of our Lord and Saviour for I am of Athanasius his mind That hee was God of the substance of the Father begotten before the world were made and man of the substance of the mother born in the world perfect God and perfect man for as the reasonable soul and flesh is one man so God and man is one Christ And also I believe and maintain that every man naturally hath free will to do good as well as free will to do evill and that a Christian mans standing in the grace and favour with God depends upon his obedience in keeping the commandments and that there is no more or other certainty of salvation then that man by his own free good will continues obedient to Gods Word so that a man may be the childe of God to day and the childe of the Devill to morrow Truth You that did last speak shew your self to be an Arminian for although you confesse many truths yet indeed you differ no more from a Papist then Arminius that wicked heretike did and in your false doctrines of free will and falling from grace you agree with the ancient Anabaptists also for you all three are but one in these two errors And first for your tenent of Freewill that all men naturally have as great freedome and power of will to do good as to do evill this is a grosse error and directly opposite to the clear and plain Scriptures for the Apostle saith It is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure Phil. 2. 13. And the truth speaks thus 2 Cor. 3. 5. Not that we are sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves but our sufficiencie is of God and this is the faith and confession of the whole Church of God Isa. 26. 12. Lord thou wilt ordain peace for us for thou also hast wrought all our works in us and for us The error of Free will is a carnall opinion and naturally men are inclined to it and the holy Apostle St. James reproves it in his dayes who writing to the scattered Tribes saith you ought to say if the Lord will and not to say as you have affirmed your faith to be Wee will go c. James 2. 13. 15. So that it is plain no man of himself hath freedome of will to do good but there is no question but every man hath freedome of will to do evill as saith the Prophet Jerem. 4. 22. Secondly your doctrine of the uncertainty
was not hindred nor prevented but the broken penitent heart understands retains and keeps the Word and bringeth forth fruit with patience Luke 8. 15. when as the other three sorts of grounds brought nothing to perfection vers. 14. Now these severall grounds briefly shew us how all your mentioned Scriptures are to be understood even as the Parable sets forth unto us the differing estate of men under the means of the Gospel and so also doth the branch in Christ that is fruitfull which God purgeth that it may bring forth more fruit and the fruitlesse branch in the Vine Christ which God cutteth off to be burned in this distinction doth the Prophet Ezekiel speak calling that man righteous in the Scripture you first mentioned who was so made righteous by the common gifts of the Spirit as the three bad grounds and in this distinction we are to understand that a man may become sanctified by the blood of Christ and yet afterwards tread it under foot as Judas when he was a preacher and yet afterwards fell to be a Traitor to kill the Lord that formerly in some respect he served and differenc'd from other men by his holy imploiment of his Apostolicall office as hee was that took the Plough by the hand and afterwards looked back thereby making himself uncapable of that estate in which before hee stood in Luke 9. 62. and the Apostle makes this clear to the Corinthians speaking that the Gospel to some is the savour of life unto life and to others the savour of death unto death 2 Cor. 2. 15 16. not that it is so of it self but occasionally as the Sun in the Firmament that is one and the same in it self yet through accidents in the subject it softens ice and hardens clay so likewise is the administration of the Gospel salvation to them that receive and obey it and damnation to those that neglect and contemn it as in prophane Esaus case and the blessednesse of Jacob both sons of Isaac the one selling his birth-right for a mess of pottage the other seeking and striving for it with prayers and tears so that it appeares plainly that the Scriptures rightly understood are against your erroneous opinion and all of them affirm that truth of God which before I have proved to you that whosoever believeth and is baptized shall be saved as hereafter I shall open more at large for hee is the wise Christian that heareth and doth build on a rock of a deep foundation so that it stood still notwithstanding the great billowes of the flouds the huge storms of the winds and showers when the foolish Christian the fine built house was overthrown thereby having no foundation and great was the fall of it Mat. 7. 25 27. Heres Of late through the knowledge of the Scriptures men have come to see and understand the superstition of Popery the blasphemy of Familists the grosse errors and absurdities of Arrius and Arminius and that they are all seduced and deceived But we have found a rule of truth in Gods Word plainly directing us to the making matter of the Church of Christ and none but such as are quallified by faith are fit subjects for baptisme which faith is wrought by teaching and then baptisme or dipping admits and gives entrance unto such believers to have communion in Church-fellowship with us in all the other holy ordinances of God which Church and ordinances are not understood but neglected and contemned of all the Heretikes you have named and conferred with before therefore we are the true Church for we professe but one Lord one Faith and one baptisme Ephes. 4. 5. Truth Sir I perceive you are an Anabaptist and therefore I shall speedily make good my late promise and indeed some thirty yeers since Mr. Morton a Teacher of a Church of the Anabaptists in Newgate then his confession comprehended all the errors of the Arminians which now of late many that go under your name in and about London dissent from as it seems you do And therefore in Answer to you I say that the terme baptisme in Scriptures as well as faith and Lord hath divers significations sometimes to signifie sufferings as Matth. 22. at other times outward baptisme as John baptizing our Saviour a holy subject Mat. 3. 16. and Simon also believed and was baptized Acts 8. 13. which was an evill unregenerate man and yet admitted and continued in the common fellowship of the Church with Philip so also by baptisme we are to understand inward baptisme sometimes repentance and sometimes remission of sins for so faith the Baptist himself Matth. 3. 11. I baptize you with water unto repentance by which indeed he wrought repentance in them but he that comes after me c. he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire that is hee should pardon the penitent which two speciall administrations are the two parts of regeneration according to that in Luke 24. 47. That repentance and remission of sins should be preached in the name of Christ so likewise by baptisme we are to understand both the parts of regeneration together where the Apostle saith as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ Gal. 3. 27. and in this sense it is called the laver of regeneration or the washing of regeneration Tit. 2. 5. These differing significations being plain I marvelled to find some of your company to maintain the contrary of purpose I suppose to avoid the distinction that so clearly discovers your error You affirm you have found a rule in the Scriptures plainly directing how the matter of the Church is made and that is say you by teaching and baptizing and yet you not distinguishing of either say nothing truly in neither or both for a man may be taught and baptized and thereby be made a Disciple in the outward profession of the truth as the high-way stony and thorny ground as Simon Magus Demas Hymineus Philetus Ananias and Saphira the incestuous person in the Church of Corinth and such whose belly was their God in the Church of Philippi who notwithstanding they were all taught and baptized yet not any one of them any part or portion of the Church of Christ against which the gates of Hell shall not prevail therefore the ground and foundation of your Church is sand and that will fail you and it is very false and contrary to the matter of the true Church for the Scripture saith Though Israel be as numerous as the sand of the sea yet but a remnant shall repent and be saved Rom. 9. 27. and yet they are called the people of God Isa. 10. 22 23. and so all taught and all circumcised and the same distinction the Scriptures make of baptisme the very same is said of circumcision for the self-same operation that circumcision had in the Church of the Jewes outward carnally in the flesh and inward spiritually in the heart of the same distinction and operation is baptisme in the
in hand to take heed we do not mistake the meaning of Gods Word nor to give any other sense or exposition then that which is its own lest we be found such as fight against the Scriptures and by false and lying interpretations violate Gods Law and wage war to kill and slay the two witnesses the old and new Testaments the lamps and light of truth Rev. 11. 7 8. let us take heed of this brethren for the judgement against this sin is written and revealed already to adde or diminish from the Word of God to be a heavie inevitable dismall cursed sentence Deut. 4. 2. Prov. 30. 6. Rev. 22. 18. And if you had considered the Scriptures concerning the name of God and Lord you should have found even the Apostle himselfe to expound to the Church of Corinth what he meant by his speaking or writing to the Church of Ephesus One Lord c. for hee saith there be many Lords and many gods so call'd both in heaven and earth but to us saith he there is but one God the Father of whom are all things and wee in him and one Lord Jesus Christ by whom are all things and wee by him 1 Cor. 8. 5 6. there is but one such a Father and Lord and holy Spirit who is the giver the purchaser and worker of the grace by which we are called in the same one hope of our holy calling Eph. 4. 4. but in other respects the Heathens Idols and the Gentiles gracious Lords are called God and Lord for so did the Gentiles speak of Herod deifying him with a shout saying The voyce of God and not of man and Christian Emperors Kings States and Potentates in regard of authority and jurisdiction are called Lords and Gods in which they do represent God I have said you are gods saith the Scripture but you shall die like men Heres But wee have a plain word for our teaching and baptizing Matth. 28. 19. but you baptize infants for which you haue no word for and therefore it will be said at last Who hath required these things at your hands for indeed you do but continue the mark of the beast in all your babies baptizings Truth Whereas you say Christs words in the last of Matthew proves your preaching and baptizing you say more then you can make good or that I can believe from that Scripture and although there be no expresse words in the Scripture for the baptizing of Infants yet there is as sufficient warrant for it as for most things you practise your selves for what plain word have you for the time of publike assembling or generall meetings what word have you for your people to ordain their Minister what command doth authorize you your self to baptize what word have you when to receive the Lords Supper when to administer it and where who to provide the bread and wine and what bread and of what grain and the wine of what grape you have not a word for women to receive the Sacrament and abundance other particulars practised by you Will you therefore say you do that which you sin in doing so as you say we do I think not The truth is we need not a word for there are generall rules in the Scriptures that include particular practices and divers things under the Gospel being of the same nature under the Law the rules given under the Law serve under the Gospel so the Apostle proves to the Church of Corinth from the Law of Moses Deut. 25. 4. That Ministers of the Gospel should have maintenance that as they which minister about holy things live of the things of the Temple and they which wait at the Altar are partakers of the Altar even so hath the Lord ordained that they that preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel 1 Cor. 9. 13 14. compared with Deut. 18. 1. So we may truly say it is ordained that as the children of believers before Christ both Jewes and Proselytes were to be circumcised Gen. 17. 11 12. Exod. 12. 48 49. so believers and their children since Christ are to be Baptized as St. Peter speaketh the promise is to you and to your children and to all that are a far of even as many as the Lord our God shall call I beseech you observe this place St. Peter here spake to the Jews the men of Judah and Jerusalem vers. 14. Yee men of Israel hear these words saith he vers. 22. so preacheth to them that Jesus was the Saviour of the world whom yee have taken by wicked hands and have killed and being dead was buried who was raised again and now sits at the right hand of the Father and is made the Lord and Christ the alone Saviour of the world and they that gladly receive this doctrine of salvation by Christ were baptized vers. 41. who before had been circumcised Now as the promise did onely belong to Abraham and his Spirituall Seed and yet all his naturall children and the children of believing strangers were to communicate of circumcision which was the outward signe of the Covenant of the righteousnesse by faith as before is proved So likewise under the Gospel the same covenant of life and salvation is made only to Gods chosen faithfull regenerated servants and their spirituall seed yet the naturall children of these faithfull Christians may partake of the outward baptisme which is the outward signification of the baptisme of the heart as circumcision in the flesh was a signe of the circumcision of the heart and according to this rule the place before mentioned and divers other Scriptures speak as Acts 16. 15. that Lydia and her houshold was baptized so the Jailor was baptized and all his that is his houshold and the Apostle Paul baptized the houshold of Stephanus 1 Cor. 1. 16. And our Lord Jesus laid his hands on little children and blessed them and rebuked his Disciples for forbidding them to come Luke 18. 16. and the Apostle is cleer in the resolution of this question to the Church of Corinth 1 Cor. 7. 14. saith he the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the believing wife and the unbelieving wife by the believing husband else were your children unclean but now are they holy that is in respect they have right unto the outward covenant being born of one that believeth But some of you Anabaptists would have these words holy and unclean to mean bastards or unlawfully born which is such an exposition as was never heard nor read of before and this exposition admits of much absurdity for it nullifies the law of marriage amongst the Heathens who have as certain rules for marriage according to their manner and custome as Christians have for the Scripture prescribes no form Secondly this exposition makes Abraham himself and most of the Patriarchs wives to be bastards for they were the children of Heathens by father and mother as holy Sarah Rebecca Rachel and Josephs wife the mother of Ephraim and Manasses a bastard and that holy
with him in his throne yea in his owne throne In the second place this Masculine title notes out unto us the birth-right and inheritance that by right belongs unto the Church of God that as the first-born man-child is the heir apparent both by Scripture and nature so the Lords first-born is the apparent heir of the purchased inheritance and to this truth doth the Apostle witnesse in these words Rom. 8. 17. If children then heirs heirs with God and joynt heirs with Christ heirs of salvation Heb. 1. 14. Heirs according to the promise Gal. 3. 29. Heirs according to the hope of eternall life Tit. 3. 7. Heirs of the kingdome which hee hath promised to them that love him James 2. 5. Oh how sweet and comfortable are the words I could alwayes be mindfull of them yea of this word heirs of the kingdome which hee hath promised c. which now calls me to mind of my promise at first to describe in its due place the stone that was cut out without hands which smote the Image upon his feet which became a great mountain and filled the whole earth c. This term Mountain in the Scriptures sets forth unto us often literally the hils or highest parts of the earth but figuratively the greatest powers that are in this world or that to come and sometimes by mountain we are to understand such carnall and naturall men as have high thoughts and great esteem of themselves and therefore as it is prophesied of John the Baptist Isa. 40. 3 4. so it was fulfilled by him Luke 3. 4. who by the great gifts given him of God to work repentance whereby he prepared the Lords way and turned the disobedient to the wisdome of the just and of the operation of his Ministerie it is said Every mountain and hill was brought low c. meaning that the hearts of disobedient naturall men were made penitent and their high thoughts humbled Also by the term mountain wee are to understand all those great powers dignities and authorities that have risen up and born sway in this world ever since the creation thereof and amongst the rest those Monarchies especially at the beginning of our Discourse particularly named and with them all nations and Religions Papists and others as well Christians as Pagans that have at all times hated persecuted and destroyed the Saints the Church of Christ and with this truth the Prophet Jeremiah was well acquainted in saying in the name of the Lord that hee would render unto Babylon and all the inhabitants of Chaldea all their evill that they had done to Sion Behold I am against thee O destroying mountain saith the Lord which destroyedst all the earth c. Jer. 51. 24 25. and again Who art thou O great mountain thou shalt be made a plain Zac. 4 7. And for this cause even for the great oppression of his servants and people will the Lord shortly go forth as a mighty man he shall stir up jealousie like a man of war hee shall cry yea roare hee shall prevail against his enemies mightily and although he have been long silent and held his peace and restrained himself all this world long and hath suffered his own wife and little children to be afflicted with judgement from all the powers and authorities that have ruled in the earth yet now it is neer at hand that he that shall come will come and will not tarry but will destroy and devour at once all the mountains and hils that have desolated his own little holy hill of Sion Isa. 42. 13 14 15. Psal. 2. 6. And this holy hill of Sion which David speaks of is the small stone cut out of the mountain without hands that Daniel so long before saw in a Vision which became so great a mountain that it brake to pieces the gold the silver the brasse the iron the clay that no place was found for them for ever hereafter Now the holy Scribe Ezra is shewed what the mountain cut out without hands is 2 Ezr. 13. 35. that it is Sion the Church of God and her King the Son of God standing on the top of this mount Sion a posture of Majesty belonging only to a King and that this King should without sword or lifting up his hand or any instrument of war destroy the multitudes that came out to fight against him with a blast of fire sent out of his mouth and out of his lips a flaming breath and sparkles and tempest cast out with his tongue vers. 10. and the torments are like to a flame and their destruction shall be with the law that is like unto fire v. 38. And the peaceable multitude are the ten Tribes carried away by Salmaneser king of Assyria now both their carrying into captivity past long ago and their return which is not yet brought to passe are a lively type of the Saints captivity both of Jewes and Gentiles in the Churches pressures and sufferings and of their deliverance and salvation also as likewise the set-time to be in the day of the Lord Jesus his coming and revealing v. 28. to the 50. compared with 2 King 17. And farther it filled the whole earth saith the Text Dan. 2. 34. Observe the Prophets expression that the holy mountain of the Lord at the first was seen to be a stone cut out without hands which cleerly deciphereth unto us the true nature of the Church of Christ in her first and suffering condition the ten Tribes captivity in their estate of regeneration by which shee is made a holy living spirituall stone-house and so made or fashioned not by mans hands or any humane power as all the fleshly Synagogues of this world are but cut out and made without hands as that Tabernacle which God doth build and not man which is the true Church or Tabernacle Heb. 8. 2. And as I have often touched before continually all this life long suffers under those that are evill and malignant truly so called wherefore the Lord by the Prophet comforts this holy Church and mother of truth for a moment have I forsaken thee but with great mercies will I gather thee in a little wrath have I hid my face from thee for a moment but with everlasting kindnesse will I have mercy on thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer And again Oh thou afflicted and tossed with tempest I will speak it again â—ossed with tempest here 's a word that sets out the suffering of truth with her children to the full even so tossed with the storme and tempest of affliction as a ship is tossed with the roaring and raging waves of the seas or as a ball is tossed and beaten up and down both by hand and foot Isa. 54. Now as the Prophet Daniel by the dreame of the King did understand the day of small things concerning the Churches condition in her estate of regeneration so also he saw the great and glorious power and soveraignty its dominion and magnitude in its deliverance
power his signs and lying wonders with all deceivablenesse and unrighteousness of them that perish not yet ended 2 Tehs 2. And although this part of the Image have already continued from the 406 yeers of salvation 1238 yeers and shall remain and live yet 22. yeers more to fill up and accomplish his determined compleat number of 1666 Rev. 13. 18. then even then a stone saith the truth that was cut out without hands smote the Image upon his feet that were of Iron and Clay and brake them to pieces together saith the Text and they became like chaffe of the summer threshing floors and the wind carryed them away that no place was found for them and the stone that smote the Image became a greet mountain and filled the whole earth of which great mountain we shall speak further in its due place according to the Prophets understanding it Dan. 2. 34 35. 41 42 43 44 45. And all the false Christs and false Prophets false Apostles and false teachers who shall privily bring in damnable heresies deceitfull workers Matth. 24. 29. Mark 13. 22. 2 Pet. 2. 1. 2 Cor. 11. 13. 1 Joh. 4. 1 are all denominated by the name of Antichrists as the Apostle saith 1 Joh. 2. 18. Little children it is the last time and as you have heard that Antichrist shall come even so now are there many Antichrists whereby wee know it is the last time and this Apostle was well acquainted with these Antichrists these teachers of errors and calls the Antichrist himself the false Prophet Rev. 16. 13. and with him all his wicked Clergie and lying Priests Rev. 19. 20. and as the false teachers of the Synagogue of Rome and by their cunning corrupt doctrine have deceived multitudes and if it were possible would deceive even the very elect so all false teachers before Popery was and such as are now and shall be after it are of the same company the same Church the same Synagogue with them of what sect order or name soever they be as before is touched for as Rome is spiritually called Babylon which by interpretation is confusion so are all the Congregations and Churches amongst us that are gathered built and covenanted by men and according to their own invention and the vision of their own hearts and so are not purchased by the same blood gathered by the Spirits power and built by Gods own hand they are all even all of them spiritually as Rome is even Sodom and Egypt Rev. 11. 8. where also our Lord was crucified Rev. 18. 24. Heres You are very plain and exceeding round with us take heed you be not too wise nor over bold Truth Plainnesse and roundnesse is Truths badge or note of distinction from others so Jacob my son my chosen one is said to be a a plain man Gen. 25. 27. and all my works are perfect round that is without any error as David saith hee hath made the round world Psal. 89. 11. which shewes the globe of the earth to be round and so saith the Prophet Isa. Chap. 40. 22. it is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth that is the round of the earth Prov. 8. 27. Heres But why do you rank us of the Church of Rome amongst the Heresies and new doctrines of late devised and nominated for wee can reckon our antiquity from the Apostles and that wee are descended from them we have and continue still the very forme of the Church of Christ and his Apostles for we have the Pope Peters successor Christs Vice-gerent here on earth and answerable to the twelve Apostles wee have twelve Cardinalls wee continue the imposition of hands the washing the Saints feet the holy Unction auricular confession and spirituall absolution we have the Word and Sacraments discipline and execration and therefore we are the Church of Christ and not an Antichristian Church Truth You speak like a Papist and for the maintenance of the Romish Church for the Church of God or Kingdome of heaven stands not in outward observation Luke 17. 20. there's as much difference between the Church of Christ and the church of Rome as there is between outward shew and inward truth and as St. Paul in Rom. 14. 17. sheweth us what the Church is not so hee sheweth us what it is namely Righteousnesse and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost and as it followes For hee that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God and approved of men that is spirituall men A man may be in the outward place and office of the Church an Apostle as Judas an Evangelist as Demas a Disciple as Simon Magus and yet not of the true Church such men may be amongst them and yet not of them as St. John speakes and the outward forme and manner of true Christian Churches are not alwayes the same for the Primitive Church was as true a Church before they had Deacons and ordained Elders in every city or Church as it was afterwards and for your great ones chief of Cardinalls except they be least in humility the most vile in their own eyes for this is a Paradox a mysterie a riddle to the world that the lowest is the highest the least the greatest the humblest the most honourable and this is quite contrary to the fashion of your Cardinalls which our Lord laies down for an eternall truth Luke 22. 25 26 Chap. 9. 49. hee that is least among you all the same shall be great chief or a Cardinall as the word signifieth Your Pope you say is Peters successor in what respect I pray in lordship and supreme authority when you prove that Peter ever had such jurisdiction then you say something but till then you say nothing The truth is Peter succeeded our Lord Christ in the love of the truth and faithfull obedience of his gracious Word and in denying himself and taking up his crosse and suffering for the Gospel the joyfull voyce and so all faithfull and true Christians do succeed Peter and the rest of the faithfull Apostles and this law is unrepealable it cannot be altered but shall stand firm to all the Saints for ever for unto you it is given saith the Apostle in the behalf of Christ not only to believe on him but also to suffer for his sake Phil. 1. 29. and he makes it a full resolution to Timothy yea saith he and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution 2 Tim. 3. 12. so then those that truly succeed Peter are those and such as succeed him in spirituall things as in his repentance and faith his love to Christ and his truth and his faithfull suffering for it even till death 2 Pet. 1. 14. And this was it when our Lord saith thus unto him Mat. 16 17 18. and thou art Peter that is thou are a living stone of my spirituall Temple blessed of my Father from above to this purpose and upon this rock will I build my Church c. that is the
of the Ministery for the building or edifying the body of Christ Ephes. 4. 11 12. 1 Cor. 3. 10. for as the Spirit of God by the ministery of his servants prepares and sanctifies them so he unites and cements them to have communion one with another in spirituall fellowship and this workmanship in the Lord is called in Gods Word the Church of Christ his House his Tabernacle his Body his Spouse his Temple the pillar and ground of truth the place of his dwelling purchased cleansed purified and sanctified by his own precious blood called and gathered by the power of his Word made to live by the spirit of his mouth having communion and fellowship by the Holy Ghost growing up together in holinesse as branches in one stock or root being members of one and the same body of which Christ is head as truly and really in a spirituall sense as the head of a man is naturally the head of the whole body confisting of many members Now notwithstanding all this that hath been said of the true Church and ten times more that might be spoke yet these false-ignorant carnall and fleshly builders those dirt-daubers have at all times taken upon them with all boldnesse without any blushing to affirm their wooden dirty filthy building to be Gods House and their rotten straw and stubble to be the work and building of Christ boasting and crying out of themselves by way of self-justifying The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord Jer. 7. 4. where to their eternall reproof the Prophet to their very faces saith plainly notwithstanding all their vain confidence The Temple of the Lord Are these such as truly amend their wayes and their doings such as truly and throughly execute judgement between man and his neighbour such as oppresse not strangers nor the fatherlesse nor widow nor shed innocent blood nor walk after other gods vers. 5. 6. And as these false Christians robbers and oppressors take upon them my Names and Titles so also they assume my authority and peculiar priviledges to excommunicate mee and cast me out with these holy words in their mouths Let the Lord be glorified Isa. 56. 5. but he shall appeare to my joy and then they shall be ashamed this hath been alwayes the bitter cup they have made mee and mine to drink in anger and great cruelty but patience hath ever assisted us and enabled us to indure a thousand such injuries They say I am a widow desolate and forsaken and lay the contempt of barrennesse upon mee but that word of life supports us In patience possesse your souls and again Rejoyce thou barren that bearest not break forth into singing thou that travellest not for the desolate hath many more children then shee that hath an husband Gal. 4. 27. Isa. 54. 1. Now what have you said more for your Church and members thereof then the Papists can say for themselves or any other Antichristian Congregation you call your members to an account of their conversion as you call it so much the Scribes and Pharisees can say which compassed Sea and land to make a Proselyte and in so doing made him more the childe of the Devill then he was before Mat. 23. 15. even worse by two degrees a wofull act to return and not to return to mee saith the Lord Hos. 7. 16. Jer. 4. 1. Again you say of your selves you have joyn'd your selves in Church-covenant and you have set up Christs ordinances and you have cast away all superstition and abomination whereas the Saints and Church of God ascribe all to him thou hast washed us thou hast called us thou hast sanctified us thou hast made us unto our God Kings and Priests c. And for your covenant it is a meere humane invention and your people ordaining their Ministers both of the same nature of Popish unwritten verities which as they are not to be found in the Scriptures so labour to forget to practise preach or think of them any more for ever Heres You esteem too meanly of us and our doctrine what will you dare to speak against the Church of Christ take heed what you do for wee walk in a Church-way and communicate in the purity of all Gods ordinances as preaching praying fasting baptisme breaking bread and the like and we have separated our selves from all mens inventions and unlawfull Antichristian Assemblies Truth You know there are such as say and do not the Whore of Rome doth make greater brags then the virgin Spouse and so did their predecessors before them the Pharisees yet all of both their bostings are but false and counterfeit compared with the prayers tears fastings communicatings sacrifices oblations and worships of the Saints And for your separation from other Christians look to it for except it be with such caution which I perceive you know not of it may prove as Achans forbidden wedge of gold and Babylonish garment destruction to your selves for the Pharisees who justified themselves and condemned others were your fore-teachers in this manner of separation for they separated from Christ and John the Baptist calling our Lord a sinner and his servant a devill accounting them nor any one of those penitent humble little ones whom they had converted to the truth worthy their company witnesse the Pharises exception against that holy woman whose tears and love testifies to the truth where and in what nation the Gospell is preached to the worlds end for a memoriall of her Mark 14. 9. compared with Luke 7. 39. and this way of separation the Prophet from Gods own mouth calls an evill and wicked way to walk in Isa. 65. 25. which people say Stand by thy self come not neer to me for I am holier then thou these saith the Lord are a smoak in my nose a fire that burneth all the day for the truth is in no case are trut believers to separate from other Christians in communion but in such cases that they cannot communicate with them but they must sin with them as it was with that Apostate and Idolatrous Church of Rome who made such wicked and opposite lawes to the truth that a true Christian could not partake with them in any of the ordinances of God but hee must be defiled with their abominations one way or other for they caused the earth and them that dwell therein to worship the beast Rev. 13. 12. whom whosoever doth worship shall never have rest but shall be tormented with the wrath of God day and night for evermore Rev. 14. 10. 11. in such cases as these the Scripture is cleare Come out of her my people lest you partake of her sins and be made partakers of her plagues 2 Cor. 6. 17. Rev. 18. 4. And in this case did the Church of England separate from the Church of Rome in which Church of England you now are in whose lawes decrees and ordinances are all against the abominations errors and superstitions of Babylon and all ordered and directed according to
the rule of Gods Word by expresse words or necessary consequence and therefore your separation from us is groundlesse and not warranted in the Scriptures for consider how the rule of truth would direct you and observe how it was with those that were effectually called by the ministery of John Baptist and our Lord himself and truly converted unto God from amongst the Jews in such times when those in the outward state of the Church were most corrupt for they preached for doctrine the commandments of men nor would not receive the truth themselves nor suffer such as would receive it against which doctrine our Lord exhorts his hearers to take heed and beware of the leven of the Pharisees but never taught the Disciples to separate from the Church of the Jewes nor to enter into a formed covenant among themselves as you do but on the contrarary hee commanded them to continue hearers and doers The Scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses chair or seat whatsoever they bid you observe that observe and do c. Mat. 23. 2 3. And himself as his Disciples continued still repairing to the Temple and Synagogue and participated in the service and publike worship of God making no separation for when our Lord gave his account to the high Priest of his Disciples and doctrine Joh. 18. 19 20. he saith I ever taught in the Synagogue and in the Temple whither the Jewes alwayes resort and in secret have I said nothing And for the Apostles practice in many Churches mentioned in the Acts both in Judea and among the Gentiles therein is no separation in your sense spoken of although many things were reprovable and admonished against both in doctrine and practice the truth is the good seed in the field are the Saints the Church of Christ the tares the wicked but both must grow together in the same field till the harvest Matth. 13. 30. As the lilly growes amongst the thornes so the chaffe lies in the same floor with the wheat the Goats feed in the same pasture with the sheep and the crafty Wolves among the harmlesse lambs and cannot be separated till our Lord comes to judge and part them never again to participate afterwards together Heres I pray heare mee all those that have already spoke are old like their doctrine and it is high time their errors should be thus discovered but I pray take notice of mee for I have received a new cleare light of heavenly doctrine a light of free grace and justification in and by Christ from all eternity so that the elect cannot properly be said at any time to be unrighteous ungodly or unholy for they are justified before they beleeve even before the foundations of the world even then when God elected them Truth Free grace rightly understood as the Scriptures declare it is a heavenly and comfortable Doctrine but me thinkes by your confession you should be an Antinomian who speake very much of free grace but doe not at all understand it for they say the free grace of God towards his elect that are justified before the world was is like unto the Sun-beames in the morning when she rises that enlightens the dark earth in which there is no preparation to the enlightning so the Lord shines into the hearts of his elected justified ones in the very time of their wickedest workes of darknesse And then in the midst of their sinnes as in the very acts of adultery and murther even then God lifts up the light of his countenance upon them and gives them peace the effect of their justification with God from all eternity These slight and contemne repentance and call it a worke of the Law and the preparation to justifying faith they call a munkish Popish doctrine and their own fancie or presumptuous conceit they call that justifying faith or free grace by which say they the justified before God come to understand and know their justification from all eternity Oh what a grosse seducement and delusion is this even a generall mistake of the whole Gospel in every part of it Therefore now I will first shew you what free grace is which the Scripture sets forth to us And then shew you how clearly and fully Gods word declares the justifying the elect by faith in Jesus Christ Now this is a written and a certain truth that God loves his Israel his chosen freely Hosea 14. 4 5 6. I will heale their back-slidings saith the Lord I will love them freely for mine anger is turned away from him I will be as the dew unto Israel he shall grow as the Lilly and cast forth his root as Lebanon Also it is written Ezek. 16. 6. When I saw thee polluted in thy own blood I said unto thee Live when thou wast in thy blood Live yea I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood Live and have caused thee to multiply as the bud of the field Observe how abundantly the free grace of God is manifested to his elect that of themselves are quite contrary to deserving for they are polluted with the most abominable pollution and that is with blood and not a little but extreamly in the third degree blood three times repeated by the holy Ghost And that this threefold uncleannesse should bee washed and made pure and that this exceeding deadnesse should be made to live and so to live as the bud of the field to multiply and increase and bring forth fruit unto God and man even holy grapes to refresh the hearts of both this shewes the wonderfull freenesse of Gods grace so to love as there is none like it nor to be compared to it Now because you have spoken of this free grace in a fancy I shall endevour to shew it you in reality And that we may know the things that are freely given us of God 1 Cor. 2. 12. that is of his own will free grace and goodnesse and eternall love Let us consider it in these foure particulars which onely and alone are peculiar to the Saints and Church of God that is their election and predestination before all times their effectuall calling and justification in time and their eternal glorification for ever in the world to come which world shall be endlesse deathlesse and sinlesse for evermore And all these in all the causes the free grace of God And therefore it is said by S. Peter that the Saints and Church of God are elect according to the foreknowledg of God the Father 1 Pet. 1. 2. And S. Paul saith According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world Ephes. 1. 4. And the Apostle to the Church of Thessalonica testifies that God had from the beginning chosen them to salvation 2 Thess. 2. 13. so then it is cleare that the electare chosen in Christ to salvation Which secret purpose and foreknowledge of God towards his elect before all time is made good and effected in and upon his elect in all times being called
any preparation to justifying faith for by Christs stripes we are healed from the beginning of the world And to prove this truth I argue thus First all the elect of God are justified before God but some of the elect of God doe not yet beleeve therefore some that doe not beleeve are justified before God Secondly he that is in Christ is justified But we must be in Christ before we can beleeve therefore we must be justified before we can beleeve Truth I answer the due observation of terms is the true preservation of proprieties and except you justly distinguish of the terms before God himselfe and Gods grace by which he doth justifie his elect you cannot understand truly but you must confound heaven and earth together and make God Man and Man God concluding such blasphemies as the Familists doe to whom hundreds of you are fallen within this two yeares who affirme of the Trinity that God the Father is the Minde the Sonne is the Word and the Spirit is the Word made knowne And under these termes mistaking the verity of the mystery of the Trinity conclude such gross blasphemies as these conclusions hereafter specified making God the Father the Mind God the Son the Word of that Minde God the holy Spirit the effect or revelation of the Word And as these are three so they are one as you say so it is and was at first in the creation God the Father was the Mind of God God the Son was the Word of that Mind and God the Spirit was the working meaning or manifestation of that Word so that in that which God said Let us make man and he spake and the Heavens and the Earth was made the Firmament the Sun Moon and Starres the Sea and the Fish therein the Aire and the Fowls therein the Earth and the Beasts Herbs and Trees therein as God spake the word and all these were created so that as they were made by the Word so they are the Word and as the Word and the Father are one and as the Father the Word and the revelation of it are one so whatsoever the Word made is one with the Father the Sonne and the Spirit And then the conclusion must be this The whole creation is God himselfe Now to avoid such blasphemous consequences we will distinguish of the terms and therein shew the fallacy of your Arguments and then I will discover and establish the truth against your doctrine which by this means will easily appeare to be false First for the terme that concernes God justified before God you say which if you meane as it concernes God in his infinitenesse it is so farre above our line or the capacity of the elect in point of reconciliation with God as the highest heavens are above the center of the earth for with God himselfe there is nothing before nor after For the Scripture speaks thus of God in this respect that he calleth those things that be not as though they were Rom. 4. 17. And again one day is with the Lord as a thousand yeares and a thousand yeares as one day 2 Pet. 3. 8. Thus you see Gods thoughts are not our thoughts nor his wayes as our wayes saith the Lord but as the heavens are higher then the earth so are his wayes and his thoughts higher then ours Isai. 55. 8 9. But when the Prophet comes to speak of Gods work in the creature to salvation then he speakes in the creatures language and capacitie so that except man obey the voyce of God he is left without excuse in these words Seek the Lord while he may be found call yee upon him while he is neere let the wicked forsake his was and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return to the Lord God and he will have mercy upon him and abundantly pardon verse 6 7. Thus as the Prophet we must distinguish between Gods eternall purpose and decree which is a secret known to himself only towards his elect before all times and his calling and justifying of them in time which is the effect of his foreknowledge and predestination and that which makes known to the elect Gods secret purpose And although it be said Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect the Apostle there doth not understand the justification of the elect before time as you doe but the justification of his elect in time called and justified And although there can be nothing laid to such an elect justified to his condemnation yet many things may be laid to his charge in regard of his weaknesse and frailty If any brother be fallen through weaknesse you that are spirituall restore such a one by the spirit of meeknesse Thus Nathan charged David and David chargeth himselfe Against thee onely have I sinned So our Lord chargeth his faithfull servant Peter and Paul withstood him to his face and saith He was to be blamed And so that holy Apostle blameth himselfe also Oh wretched man that I am saith he And the Scripture saith There is not a righteous man that liveth and doth good and sinneth not And again If any man say he hath no sinne he deceiveth himselfe and the truth is not in him And the elect of God are renued again after sinning by repentance as the Church of Ephesus is admonished by Christ to repent and do her first works Rev. 2. 5. And however the Saints do daily sin after justification yet through Gods grace they are recovered again daily by repentance and maugre the malice and temptation of Satan the snares of the world and the concupiscence of their own natures yet the Lord that loved them once doth still love them for ever and doth wash off their filthinesse and ownes them so for his own that neither their sins nor any power or any creature whatsoever shall or can condemn them Secondly you say some of the elect of God do not believe and therefore they are justified before they believe I pray where did you finde or learn this Logick which is so contrary to the wisdome of God which teacheth thus by Christ all that believe are justified from all things Act. 13. 39. And again those that he calleth hee justifieth but your doctrine saith they are justified before they are called see in a word how directly your preaching is against truths doctrine And of the same nature with your former is your second Argument which runs thus he that is in Christ is justified but wee must be in Christ before we can believe therefore we must be justified before we believe which in the very terms is another doctrine then St. Paul teacheth us who saith plainly wee are justified by faith Rom. 3. 28. And he justifieth the ungodly but I question your knowledge of justifying faith which if you did truly know you durst not teach that men are justified before they believe it is true hee that is ingraffed into Christ is justified but it doth not follow therefore a man
subordinate is the salvation of the Saints the chosen ones of God from the beginning of the world And this is the faith that justifieth that comforteth that overcommeth that excelleth whose dignity and excellencie every where shineth throughout the Scriptures the ignorance of which this very age yea I say it again this very age of ours deserves all these present judgements and more also then lie upon us at this time we having had from God afforded us so great meanes to come to the knowledge of it which sort of faith whosoever hath shall never perish but men may partake of both the other sorts to their condemnation Other acceptations the terme Faith hath in the Scriptures also having reference sometimes to God himselfe and therein importing the stedfastnesse and unchangeable truth of his decree and promise And in other places it is to be understood of the doctrine of the Gospel and so also of their faithfull discharge of their office that are gifted to declare and preach the glad tidings of peace and salvation Of which office it is hard for an Antinomian holding such principles as he doth to come to understand wherefore repent in time lest at last you turn all Familists which you cannot avoid if you continue in your principles Her We have had the experience of this new found conceited light that such as have been dazled with it have been staggred in the truth and some have been so blinded therewithall that they have fallen from the faith But what say you to us We have the doctrine of the Gospel pure and cleare we hold faith and repentance to be the first works to life and salvation and that the Church of God are a company of holy beleevers and that now the time is come that the Church shall bee delivered from all her sufferings according to the testimony of the Prophets and Apostles the purity of Christs Ordinances shall be established Christ shall bee set up upon his Throne and his Church shall have the rule and preheminence in the world in greater power dignity and externall authority then all the Monarchs that ever have been in the world before And in this outward glory shall shee continue till her Lord come to translate her Truth You speak like those that maintaine that the Church of Christ shall now so flourish and prosper as that it shall extend its bounds and borders all Christendome over and most part of the world besides into a Monarchy and as formerly the temporall power in Christianity hath had the rule and greatnesse so now the Ecclesiasticall power shall take place and the Scepter of Christ in the censure of the Church shall be advanced and bear rule above all other government And that now already it is begun that God makes the kingdomes of this world our Lords and his Christs and that now it is come to passe that the godly shall rule over the wicked for now they are given to be captives to Gods people whose captives Gods people were before this time Wherefore I answer Great are the privileges and prerogatives that the Scriptures speak of Gods Church and people in the world to come after the resurrection is plain and evident in holy Writ but to apply those prophesies and promises to the Church in this present evill world it is not well considered of you for the Lord by his servants speaks of his Church in a double consideration as oppressed afflected and suffering here in this life and as delivered perfected and saved in the life to come then to rule but here to suffer then to bee advanced into Christs Throne but now and here to submit to the Crosse now his house is a house of mourning but then it shall be a palace of glory Jerusalem the Citie of the great King shall be set up the praise of the whole earth And in regard of his Churches present suffering her Lord himselfe thus speaketh to her Feare not little flocke and comforts her with the grace and favour of God for the time to come in these words For it is your Fathers pleasure to give you a Kingdom And it is a truth concluded of by all if we follow Christ in the estate of regeneration we shall be made partakers of his glorification if wee suffer with him we shall reigne with him the one condition is here the other hereafter the one in this world the other in the world to come This is the testimony of our Lord and all his servants Matth. 19. 28. 2 Tim. 2. 12. And that short time or while of suffering Saint Peter speaks of is this present life and the time of making such sufferers perfect is the life to come 1 Pet. 5. 10. agreeing with his brother Paul who according to the wisdome of God given to him had cast up his accounts in these words I reckon saith he that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us Even then saith S. John when Christ which is our life shall appear then shall we appear with him then shall we be like him in his dignity as in this life we are like him in his ignominy 1 John 3. 2. And friend looke into the Scriptures and you shall find the Church the blessed assembly described now to suffer to mourn to bee hated to weep to be persecuted for righteousnesse sake and the contrary estate to be none of Gods Church or inheritance Woe be to yee that laugh and rejoyce that are full and enjoy greatnesse and prosperity those that are rich here have received their consolation those that are full in this life shall hunger in the life to come those that are merry laugh and want not here shall weep and waile when the day of redemption comes then shall be fulfilled to him that suffers not here these words Thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things and to him that suffered here these words He his evill things therefore thou that sufferedst not art tormented but thou that didst suffer thou art comforted Matth. 5. Luke 6. and Luke 16. When Gods suffering people shall bee rewarded then such as have enjoyed their prosperity here shall be condemned I beseech you as you love the truth decline this doctrine of yours for by it you doe revive againe that old tenent of Popery For what ever you affirme in your confession they have maintained it with fire and sword execration and excommunication for they would prove that their Church by Christs appointment was to have supreme authority power and jurisdiction over all they place themselves above the starres of God And as in power so in title he must be called and stiled the Lord God the Pope And so he challenged worship also that Kings and Emperours must kisse his stinking feet and toes in token of their slavish subjection in honouring him with the power of heaven and earth to kill make alive to pardon and retain sins falsly
proving this his abomination and whorish power from Gods divine Oracles in these words To execute vengeance upon the heathen and punishment upon the people to bind their Kings with chains and their Nobles with fetters of iron This honour have all the Saints Psa. 149 8 9. avouching this Scripture to be fulfilled in the holy Church of Rome and that they were the Saints which by this prophesie were foretold of to depose and disthrone Kings and to cloak colour their covetousnesse which set all their trickes awork as Bulls and Pardons at all rates and prices whereby their coffers were filled with gold and silver from all countries and people And this hee affirmed was prophesied for his filthy holinesse maintenance and ungodly revenue in these words The Kings of Tarshish and of the Isles shall bring presents the Kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts yea all Kings shall fall down before him all nations shall serve him Psal. 72. 10. And notwithstanding their grosse abusing the Scriptures and false claims to Titles as Holy Father and holy Mother the Church time hath now proved him to be Antichrist the Man of sinne and capitall enemy to the truth of God And indeed this conceit that the Church of God should enjoy temporall peace and outward glory and authority hath been alwayes the opinion of carnall Christians and the Jewes to this day cannot see otherwise then when their still lookt-for Messiah should come that then they shall bee gathered to be a great people againe and made a worldly Monarchy to rule over all Nations as now all Nations rule over them But their groundlesse hope will prove but as the Spiders web and so it will be with all others of their mind for see how the Scripture resolves the question that the Saints the Church of God shall still suffer to the worlds end the question is made with a loud voyce saying How long O Lord holy and true dost thou not avenge our blood on them that dwell upon the earth And the answer from heaven saith that they should rest yet a little season untill their fellow servants also and their brethren that should be killed as they were should be fulfilled Rev. 6. 10. And the clad and washed with the righteousnesse of Christ and the blood of the Lamb are those that goe through great tribulations Rev. 7. 13 14. Finally of this doctrine we have a double witnesse two brethren and Apostles whose praise is in all the Churches Acts 14. 22. who both as one man conclude this truth as a Decree for ever That such as continue in the faith must through many tribulations enter into the Kingdome of God which Kingdome is that which all the Prophets and Apostles in all times have spoken of which in its due place I shall briefly unfold Heresie I pray you give us leave to speak Have we not clear Scripture for the glorious reigne of Christ upon the earth and that all the Martyrs and holy Prophets shall rise from the dead and reigne with Christ a thousand yeares in all prosperity peace riches plenty wealth and glory with such supreme power and Majesty as never any Monarch in this world had before nor ever shall have after for when the thousand yeares are expired then comes the generall resurrection Rev. 20. Truth Your confession shewes you to be a Millenarian which error as it hath been ancient so of late as of many other errors there is a reviving of this amongst the rest And as you say the summe of it is that now or they know not when Christ shall descend personally from heaven and then cause all the bodies of the Saints that have suffered martyrdome from the beginning of the world to be raised and Christ and his Saints to live in this cursed earth and corruptible world in the enioyment of riches wealth power and authority majesty and Emporality as no heathen nor Christian Monarchy ever had in this world before and you ground your mistake on Rev. 20. 1 2 3 4 5 6. Now I answer that the whole position is directly against the Scripture you alledge rightly understood for the Apostle Peter affirmeth it plainly that the heavens must containe and receive Christ personally untill the time of the restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy Prophets since the world began Acts 2. 21. Here are such witnesses as cannot be excepted against even all his holy Prophets and then and not sooner shall the Lord Jesus come which before was preached unto you verse 20. And the place you instance Rev. 20. proves no more the Millenary fancie as you describe it then it proves a new world in the Moon or that men may plow the floods of the Sea to sow and plant on them And because the true understanding of that Scripture will overthrow this error at once wee will shew you that the resurrection there spoken of is the spirituall and first resurrection which our Saviour Christ clearly layes down both in nature and order John 5. 25. And because it is a mystery therefore his expression is more then ordinary Verily verily twice affirming it I say unto you the houre is comming and now is when the dead shall heare the voyce of the Sonne of God and they that heare it shall live This is the spirituall resurrection from sin through the grace of regeneration and these are they only that live and reigne with Christ having sought and gained the Kingdome of heaven and the righteousnesse thereof Matth. 6. 33. And those only that are risen with Christ through regeneration are born of God and those that are born of God through faith are victors and overcome all opposition even the whole world and the Prince and King thereof 1 John 5. 4. and in this sense they reigne with Christ in their estate of temptation and regeneration who in their teares and sorrow are happy in the enjoyment of their Comforter who anointeth them with the unction of truth and teacheth and instructeth them so sufficiently that all the powers and thrones of Antichrist the subtilties crafts and deceits of him and all his learned Clerks who have endevoured and used all means possible to couzen and cheat the people of God for almost the space of this thousand two hundred and fourty yeares here expressed by the Millenary number onely because it shall not exceed more thousands then one in which cloudy and dark day the holy Ghost hath so led and guided the sonnes of truth that all the Jugglers at Rome and Babylon could not make them to mistake the mark of the Beast for the mark of the Lamb nor to worship the Beast and his image in stead of the Lord and his Christ yea rather then they would defile themselves with the adultery of the Whore they would die a thousand deaths for so saith the Text they lost their lives and their heads for the witnesse of Jesus for the pure worship
of God contained in his word Rev. 20. 4. and in this spirituall sense they lived and reigned with Christ the whole time meant by the thousand yeares And lest the inconsiderate Reader should mistake this spiritual resurrection for a corporall as the Millenarians doe the holy Ghost gives marks and bounds to his Disciples as evident distinctions between the one and the other in these words Marvell not at this John 5. 28. for the houre is coming hee doth not say as before and now is in which all that are in the graves shall heare his voyce which all contains every one good and bad at the general resurrection and therefore your doctrine is contrary to the truth the Scriptures hold out to us for the Thrones and they that sate upon them which you expound to be Christ and his Saints the holy Ghost discovers the quite contrary even to bee the power and authority of Antichrist himselfe who had a Charter granted him of God and under his own hand for the whole time limited to desolate and consume the Saints who for their sinnes sake the Lord doth often give them up to the pleasure and rage of such heathenish murtherers and persecuters for a season to enter into the Sanctuary and spoyle the heritage of the Lord Jerem. 9. 16. Lam. 1. 10. And if you had but lookt upon the Text with cleane eyes washed â—ith the water of repentance and had learnd the song of sorrow of the mourner you would not have been so blear-eyed as to have taken the abomination forespoken of by Daniel the Prophet to be the Kingdome of Christ that all Gods servants witnesse to and give testimony of And that if it may be possible for you to apprehend the meaning of this Scripture wash your eyes with teares and wipe them with the love of the truth and look upon the Text once again and compare the 20 chapter verse 2. with the 12. chapter verse 3. and you shall see the same Dragon in the one place in the Ethnick Heathenish power of the Roman Emperour with all fiercenesse and unbridled cruelty to havock destroy and kill the Saints and children of God exercised in a tenfold persecution to obliterate wipe out of the earth the name of Christ the woman his Spouse and her first and primitive fruit which was born to reign with Christ for ever which power and authority the Devill instigated and stirred up with all their malice and hatred as with a flood caused as it were by the breach of the Sea so that the wife of the Lord had no way to escape drowning and devouring but to flie into the wildernesse there to preserve her selfe and so many of her children as she had preserved from death where she was assigned to stay an houre a month a day and a yeare Rev. 9. 15. The same Dragon in the 20. Chapter you find to be bound and yet in all and every day of his religation to kill and destroy the Saints just as he did before onely differing in the manner for now it is with a restraint secretly and cunningly by guile and craft pretending Christianity and taking on him the name of a Christian and never the lesse Devill then hee was before onely a pretence makes the difference for ever since the great battell that he fought and lost the field for Michael and his Angels prevailed then against the Drágon and his Angels so that ever since all along Popery the Devill hath turned Christian and herein by a bounded and restrained way effected his enmity to the full as he did before in the Heathens in an open professed opposition to Christ and Christianity And it is to bee observed that when the Devill turned to be a Christian then hee put on Jupiters coat upon Christs back and made the modell and platforme of Christian Religion just after the fashion of the Idoll Gods of the Heathen and like a Juggler and deceiver playes the same game divers and several wayes sometimes amongst men sometimes amongst the Angels of light sometimes on horseback sometimes on foot he rides on a red horse with a great sword among the Heathens in the Imperiall persecution and took outward peace from the primitive Christians as well as from the earth it selfe In the time of Papacie among carnall Christians he rides on a pale horse where the Devillish Dragon his rider is called death it selfe and hell followed with him Rev. 6. 4. 8. So then let him have liberty freèdome or bind and restraine him in all conditions he effecteth his work of envie hatred and malice against the Church of God Now there is one thing more in the Text and when I have spoke a word or two of the meaning thereof I hope then you will see this Scripture proves not your error And thus it followes After that he must be loosed a little season And in the seventh verse And when the thousand years are expired Satan shall be loosed out of his prison which words sound as if the Devill should become the great red Dragon again after the reigne of Antichrist and fall to act his first part the second time to deny the Lord Jesus whom all this while he hath confessed and to set himselfe to doe the utmost he can to oppose the very name of Christ and Christians and in this sense doth the holy Ghost clearly expound these words in other Scriptures as our Lord himselfe Matth. 24. doth clearly describe and discover the whole time of Antichrists abomination and persecution as Daniel did prophesie of it which is the whole and every part and season of the bound and restrained condition of the Dragon before mentioned And immediatly saith our Lord after the tribulation of those dayes shall the Sunne be darkned the Moon shall not give her light and the Starres shall fall from heaven and the powers of heaven shall be shaken vers. 29 In all which termes our Lord speakes figuratively and that another power after the end of Antichrists tyranny shall arise and fulfill these sayings of his which things were prophesied of before by the Prophet Ezekiel chap. 38. 2. 39. 1. and afterwards so understood by the Apostle John Rev. 20. 8 9 10. which Gog and Magog Saint John understands to bee the Kings of the East and the whole world Rev. 16. 12 13 14. where in a vision he saw the Devill come out of the mouth of the Dragon that is he left the Ethnick Imperiall power and also the power of the Beast and beastly Clergy he will deceive by that false Prophet no longer but as he left all his old instruments so he goes on to make use of a new one these spirits of Devils goe forth unto the Kings of the earth that is they goe unto them that are of the greatest power at this time even the Kings of the whole world to gather them to the battell of the great day of God Almighty which Kings of the East and of the
Earth and of the whole World cannot be understood of any but of him that writes himselfe God of Gods and King of Kings and Emperour of the Universe the whole world who giveth for his Ensigne the Moon the very Embleme of the world Observe how the Holy Ghost hath deciphered him for his reigne and residence the East for his religion the earth earthly and sensuall even the idle fancy and corrupt deceit of Mahomet himself mingled and composed of the parings out-side and offall of the profession of Christians Jewes and Heathens and lastly his unparalleld power and jurisdiction to be no lesse then the force and strength of the whole world Now me thinks the meaning of our Lords words doth agree with his servant Johns for by the term Sun our Lord doth mean himselfe the Sun of righteousnesse the truth of the Gospel and it must be a great power that must so oppose the doctrine of the Gospel in Christendome as to turn our light that is the light of men into the darknesse of Mahometisme and that that Egyptian darknesse that hath overspread the greatest part of the world where the Turk hath dominion should darken Christendome also that is the Land of Goshen if the true light should thus be made dark then the Moon that hath no light but from the Sun shall not give her light in our Saviours words and in his meaning also men that are inlightened by him as the Moon is by the Sun shall not give their light for how can they possibly when Christ which is their light is darkened and when the Sun and Moon thus fail then must needs the Stars whether Ministers or Professors all such as are not the faithfull indeed shall fall from heaven to the earth that is from the truth to Mahometisme and in this great storm the powers of Heaven elect and faithfull from which condition it is impossible they should fall yet saith the Text these shall be shaken with the terrible storm which compared with Rev. 6. 12. makes it more cleare for the Sun became as sackcloth of haire saith the Apostle and the Moon became as blood and the Stars of heaven fell unto the earth even as a Fig-tree casteth her untimely figs when shee is shaken with a mighty wind here the Apostle is cleare in understanding the Stars to be not true born Christians but untimely and as St. Jude speaks and calls them wandering stars to whom is reserved the blacknesse of darknesse for ever vers. 13. But blessed be God for ever that hath bounded and limited this last and great storm that shall fall upon his Church so as the very powers thereof shall be shaken with these comfortable words immediately quickely it shall be over it shall continue but a little season Heres For the opinion of the Millenaries the truth is there is no shew of ground for it in the Scriptures but wee have of late gathered our selves into a Church communion and fellowship and walk together in that order that Christs Word holds out to us finding in our practice the Scriptures true that as Moses was faithfull in all his house as a servant so Christ as a son is faithfull in his house so that we order all things according to the Word and advance Christs Kingdom his Scepter and Law in the purity as the Scriptures do declare believing also that every congregation is independent and that none but Christ hath power to command each congregation and that none ought to be constrained or in the least measure opposed or punished as touching their consciences but every man ought and should live as the light of his conscience leads him Truth By what you express you should be an Independent as some call you and as some of your judgement call or term themselves wherefore I demand of you all that would have generall liberty for every mans opinion whom I mean by Independent where you find it written in Gods Word that you should gather or congregate your selves in that manner as you do you that have been Ministers to leave your pastorall charges and others to forsake their fellow-member-ship in each Congregation for as much as the Law of this Christian Church as touching matters for publike worship and meeting doth incorporate every Congregation or Parish and of many members makes them but one body and yet you from this body schisme and rent your selves and so of divers torn pieces remnants and broken members to patch up a body or congregation of your own invention contrary to the publike order the Statute lawes and ordinances of this Christian Church and against the meaning of the holy Scriptures also and when you your selves have made a body of your own making then to have peculiar priviledges to do what you please with the consent of your members and whatsoever you shall do to be beyond all power or magistracy whatsoever to either question you or punish you although by the rule of Gods Word there be cause and all that all of you have done yet is but outward and externall Now I demand if there be precept or president for any or all these things you do if there be then shew it if you can shew none for so I am sure you cannot then how can you clear your selves but that your practice is of your own inventions For this is your doctrine that those rules and orders which are prescribed by men for the publique worship and service of God being not plainly expressed in Gods Word such lawes and directions are Idolatry and yet will you devise rules and order 〈◊〉 practise them your selves of your own ordaining for which you can bring no expresse word nor true consequence I pray see the conclusion therefore your way of Religion is a wil-worship and therefore Idolatrous and aggravated because it is against the lawfull demands of Christian authority Here I would not be mistaken by what I have said to oppose the private spirituall communion of the Saints according to the Apostles practice and the Holy Ghosts direction Hebr. 10. 25. But you say this Text proves your Church-way Hebrews Chap. 3. Vers 1 2 3 4 5 6. the substance of which Scripture is this that as Moses was faithfull in all his house as a servant so Christ as a son is faithfull over his house you making Moses his faithfulnesse to consist in those prescripts and rules he gave for the Temple or Tabernacle in the form and structure for Priests and their habits for the time of incense sacrifices divine services in the Oracles and Ordinances of God even all the externall form and manner of Gods publike worship and you say that Christs faithfulnesse in his house under the Gospel is not inferiour to Moses under the Law in all externall lawes rules and directions in every particular for as much as Christ is the Son of his own house and as Moses had a word for every thing so Christ hath left a word for every thing It
my holy mountaine saith the Lord the glory is exprest beyond the light of Sun and Moon in the firmament or gold or precious jewels in the earth there shall in no wise be any thing there that defileth Rev. 21. 27. Thirdly its universality sets forth the largeness of the dominion and unbounded limits of it the Prophet David saith Its dominion is from sea to sea from the river to the ends of the earth I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession there 's the dominion and in the next words see the greatnesse of the power and authority Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron and dash them to pieces like a Potters vessell Psal. 2. 8 9. They that dwell in the wildernesse shall how before him and his enemies shall lick the dust yea all kings shall fall down before him all nations shall serve him Psal. 72. 8 9 10. And therefore hee is called the King of nations for his universall jurisdiction Who would not feare thee O King of nations for greatnesse and power pertain to thee Jer. 10. 6 7. And Daniels witnesse is that all people nations and languages shall feare him his dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not passe away and his Kingdome that which shall not be destroyed Dan. 7. 14. which in the last place shewes the eternity or perpetuity of the Kingdome and therefore the Apostle calls it The everlasting Kingdome of our Lord Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 1. 11. He shall raign saith the Angell over the house of Jacob for ever and of his Kingdome there shall be no end Luke 1. 33. And this glorious kingdome of Christ is often in Scripture term'd a world without end under these terms everlasting life everlasting kingdome c. The people of God that formerly were and now are refused contemned and cast off from the thoughts and estimations of others shall then in that day be made a strong nation and the Lord himself shall raign over them in mount Sion from henceforth even for ever saith the Prophet Mic. 4. 7. The next and third particular to be considered is the throne of the Kingdome of Christ And for that wee have the Angels testimony also And the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David Luk. 1. 32. And againe Thy throne O God is a throne of righteousnesse established for ever and ever Psal. 45. 6. And againe Thy seed will I establish for ever and build up thy throne to all generations And againe His seede will I make to endure for ever and his throne as the dayes of heaven Psal. 89. 4. ver. 29. And againe the third time His seed shall endure for ever and his throne as the Sun before me ver. 36. What moves the holy Prophet thus three times to make mention of the King the throne and thy seed that is Gods children by regeneration thus to sing and rejoyce in the remembrance of them together but for to shew us this holy truth that the Saints shall reigne with their King that the Saints shall judge the world for this blessed comfort the Lord preaches to his children himself by his own mouth Rev. 2. 26 27. He that evercometh and keepeth my words unto the end to him will I give power over the Nations and he shall rule them with a rod of iron c. And I will grant to him to sit with me in my throne even as I also overcame and am set down with my father in his Throne Chap. 3. 21. And thus taught he his blessed Apostles that followed him in the regeneration as St. Matthew saith and had participated and continued with him in his sufferings and temptations as Luke hath it I appoint unto you a kingdome saith our Lord as my Father hath appointed unto me that yee may eat and drink at my table in my Kingdome and sit on thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel Mat. 19. 28. Luke 22. 29 30. yea this honour have all the Saints with the King in the Kings Throne Oh yee Saints praise yee the Lord Psal. 149. 9. The fourth particular is the Scepter of this kingdome and that the Holy Ghost calls a Scepter of righteousnesse Heb. 1. 8. a Scepter of righteousness or righteousnesses that is righteous in the purity and excellency of it is the Scepter of thy Kingdome this is properly Shilohs the Saviours Scepter Gen. 49. 10. Yet such is the Kings grace to his servants his seed Church and people that of this which in particular belongs to himself alone even of this also doth hee communicate to his little ones his first-born the heirs of salvation not only to sit with him in his Throne but also to rule with his Scepter The womans childe which are the Saints saith the Text are to rule even as their Lord himself doth all nations with a rod of iron that is with the Scepter of righteousnesse Rev. 12. 5. And the Lord hath decreed for ever that it shall be so whosoever he be that overcometh hee will give him power and authority to sit with him in his Throne to rule over all nations with a rod of iron and to break them as an earthen vessell is dasht to pieces with a bar of iron Rev. 2. 26 27. And as the King of glory doth place the Saints in his own throne and gives them in particular the sway and rule of his own Scepter so he honours them with his own crown also called a Crown of life a Crown of glory a Crown of righteousness and the like they are all crowned Rev. 4. 10. The crown is laid up for all that love the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ the King of Saints 2 Tim. 4. 8. The fifth particular in discovering the greatness of Christs glorious kingdome are the laws and rules of this kingdom for as the kingdom it self is new and all things new in it so are the laws also A new commandment give I unto you saith the King himself that you love one another as I have loved you that you love one another Joh. 13. 34. Here 's both the Precept and the President this holy commandment was given unto them in their estate of regeneration 2 Pet. 2. 21. and continues in them world without end in glory and perfection it is the law of the endless life this law of love it abideth for ever charity never faileth 1 Cor. 13. 8. most or all things else shall fail Prophecy shall fail tongues shall cease knowledge it shall vanish away all imperfect things shall terminate and come to an end but this new commandement Love endures for ever Death is strong for it hath and will kill all men made and created and the grave the issue of death is mightie but love surmounts them all in the better sense Cant. 8. 6. The sea of waters cannot quench it nor all the flouds or overflowings of the Ocean cannot drowne it for the
coals thereof are coals of fire which hath a most vehement flame and it contemns all manner of substance to purchase it it is no way to be attained but by the gift of God I will put my lawes in their inward parts and write them in their hearts saith the Lord Jer. 31. 33. This glorious kingdome are all such as are made of God Kings and Priests these are the Levits to whom God hath given the Law and Covenant of life to this commandement of peace and salvation Mal. 2. 4 5 6. which hath comforted his people here and for ever doth guide and regulate them in the perfection the glorious and everlasting kingdome of Christ hereafter Which Law of Gods kingdome is called in Scriptures a holy law a royall law a law of life a law of libertie a perfect law and such like James 1. 25. Chap. 2. 8. 12. The sixt thing considerable is the priviledges of this kingdome of glory which are so great and many that I shall rather obscure then discover them their priviledge of power and Authoritie is exceeding much and abundantly set forth in the Scriptures for when the Lord shall exalt Jerusalem this his own kingdome then shall the Lord breake the staffe of the wicked and the scepter of the rulers Isa. 14. 5. Behold saith the Lord I will make them of the Synagogue of Satan which say they are Jewes and are not but doe lye Behold saith he the second time againe to his Church I will make them come to worship before thy feete and to know that I have loved thee Rev. 3. 9. This is such a dignitie and priviledge as the Lord himselfe with a twofold word of audience affirmeth to take them captives whose captives they were and to rule over their oppressors Isa. 14. 2. with the praises of God in their mouths and a two-edged sword in their hands to execute vengeance punishment upon heathenish people to binde their Kings with chaines their Nobles with fetters of iron this honour or priviledge have all the Saints Psal. 149. And so saith the Prophet The sonnes of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee and all that despised thee shall how themselves downe at the soles of thy feete and they shall call thee the Citie of the Lord the Sion of the holy One of Israel whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated so that no man went through thee or delighted in thy company I will make thee an eternall excellency a joy of many generations Isa. 60. 14 15. So also their priviledge of freedome and libertie doth set forth their glory Jerusalem which is above is free which is the mother of us all Gal. 4. 26. They are all free-borne so begotten and born by the Word it selfe for all the whole Kingdome are children of the truth and the truth it was that which made them free Joh. 8. 32. Now the Word and the truth are the Sonne and those that the Sonne makes free are free indeed ver. 36. and from all manner of bondage free from sinne free from death free from sorrow free from the grave free from corruption free from oppression free from suffering inlarged and set at libertie for ever to injoy immortalitie these are the people that possesse and injoy the glorious libertie or freedome of the sonnes or children of God Rom. 8. 21. Also the company and associates that are in this heavenly kingdome doe exceedingly declare the glory of it to have and injoy the presence of God of Christ and the holy Ghost the company of all the holy Angels the company and societie of all the holy Patriarks Prophets and Saints with the comfortable delight and excellency of the restitution and perfection of all creatures both in the heavens the earth and the sea and all that is within them as shall be shewed hereafter in the point of universall subjection In Gods presence saith the Prophet is fulnesse of joy and at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore Psal. 16. 11. You saith the Lord speaking to his Saints I appoint unto you a kingdome and yee shall eate and drinke with mee at my table in my kingdome Luk. 22. 30. And as the Angels are ministring spirits here in the Saints sufferings Heb. 1. 7. so in the world to come with the presence of God wee shall have the company presence of the Angels about the throne saith the text Rev. 7. 11. And there shall wee see Abraham Isaac and Jacob and all the holy Prophets in the kingdome of God and have heavenly sweet societie and company with them Luk. 13. 28. Now as the priviledges of the kingdome excell so also its Officers exceed all others I will saith the Lord make thy Officers peace and thine exactors righteousnesse violence shall no more be heard in thy land wasting and destruction within thy borders but thou shalt call thy walls salvation and thy gates praise Isa. 60. 18 19. Then shall mercy and truth meet together righteousnesse and peace shall kisse each other Psal. 85. 10. And this is the seventh consideration the eight followeth which are the subjects of this great King and Kingdome And the Apostle is so generall and universall in these that he excepts none neither in heaven nor in earth not sea nor under the earth even none that can be named but God the Father onely that subdued all under his Sons feet which is the King of this Kingdom for so saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 15. 27. For he hath put all things under his feete for when he saith all things are put under him it is manifest that he is excepted who did put all things under him so then it is cleare that Angels and men and all other creatures are the subjects of this great Kingdome He hath put all things in subjection under his feete saith the Apostle Heb. 2. 8. And this is the Prophets witnesse I have sworne by my selfe saith the Lord the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousnesse and shall not returne that unto me every knee shall how every tongue shall sweare Isa. 45. 23. And againe The nations and kingdomes that will not serve thee shall perish yea those nations shall be utterly wasted Chap. 60. 12. And of the Angels saith the Apostle Let all the Angels of God worship him Heb. 1. 6. And the Apostle expounds the Oath of the Lord for this universall subjection and saith It is written as I live saith the Lord every knee shall how to mee and every tongue shall confesse to God Rom. 14. 11. And againe he saith At the name of Jesus every knee shall how of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth and every tongue shall confesse that Jesus is Lord and King to the glory of God the Father Phil. 2. 10 11. And yet the holy Ghost is more particular to prove that all things in all places are subject to Christ Rev. 5. 13. And every creature saith he which is