The KEY OF Scripture-Prophecies: OR, A Glass of some New Discoveries. Being An ANSWER to a Book Published by Mr JOHN ELMESTONE.  
Wherein is resolved, 1. Whether a true constituted Church, with true Office and visible Membership, together with the Ordinances proper to such a Gospel-stating, continued true by a line of Succession from the Primitive time downward to our times: or whether it were not interrupted by the Apostasy.  
2. If they did there intermit, when they return again to their first glory, whether now, or hereafter; and what is the dispensation now approved by the Spirit.  
BY SIMON HENDEN.  
LONDON, Printed by Ja. Cottrel, for Giles Calvert, at the Black Spread-Eagle at the West-end of Paul's, 1652.   

The EPISTLE To the Reader.  
CHristian friends and Brethren in the Lord Jesus, who are purchased from the rest of mankind by the precious blood of the Lamb of God, and begotten by the incorruptbile seed of the Word to a life above nature; it is you I own by the nearest relation, under what title soever styled; and to your wisdoms principally I direct this Epistle, with the ensuing treatise. The true occasion of this contending controversy, you shall find in the front of the book, to be a combat with a Presbyterian Minister, by whom I was provoked to enter into the list. The man (though clouded by ancient principles) I have esteemed to be one of the sealed number redeemed from the earth. The Manuscript sent by him in opposition to me, I received as the common mouth speaking the mind of many, who are as much, nay more interessed in the cause pleaded for then himself: and thus much I may (as I suppose) say of it, that if it were his alone, it contains in effect the chiefest strength a whole party can produce in their defence. We had rather receive the next return in the name of all, then to meet with the forces of all under the title of one.  
The subsequent Answer was a first by me written to be more private, and not in the least intended to come forth into public view; it being a retired contest in itself, and not clothed with the ordinary dress of elegancy suitable to the gust of this curious age, nor so exactly polished, as might be required for the Press.  
But since, my Antagonist appearing in Print, in open ostentation, with the common applause of the Presbyters, who vote his book to be unanswerable, and many of my godly friends urging my be the most engaging ties of entire affection, backed with this covincing argument, that the Lord gave me not a talon to hid in a napkin, I am willing to satisfy them and mine own conscience, and rejoice to meet him in the height of his and his party's confidence; as not fearing but the integrity of my cause, will bear me out against all opposition. For truth seeks not to be concealed in obscure corners, but delights to come forth into open light, and present her naked beauty to the public view of Nations. I am not ignorant that the subject with some searching reproofs (though drawn from Scripture-record) will be unpleasing unto many at the first appearance; chief to such who are tied up, or much endeared to their respective constitutions. Many are veiled by antiquity, the judgements and interpretations of learned men in former or latter times, whom they almost look upon as Oracles sounding out nothing but undoubted truths, and adjudge its high presumption in themselves or other to swim against so full a stream. These do not duly ponder in what a dark night our progenitors lived, nor how the truths of God broke forth by several steps and degrees out of that deep apostasy. My advice to such is, to beware, that under the derisive scorn of new lights, they blaspheme not the discoveries of the Spirit streaming out to a perfective alteration. Let them first examine before they censure. Others seem to look with more eagle-eyes over many generations into the purest primitive times; and erect new models of Churches, parallel (as they suppose) to their first, and most accomplished pattern; and this I am persuaded the most do out of the sincerity of their hearts. But they, not observing the Cessation and departure of the glory of God from the ptimitive Government, nor how Antichrist had full power in that outward Court not rightly discerning the next immediate fountain whence a Gospel-marriage flows, nor marking the variety of God's dispensations in several seasons, embrace shadows for real substances, and set up bestial Idols instead of true Gospel-Churches. I shall desire them to consider, that this manifest kingdom of God grounds not itself on visible faith, nor comes with observations and buildings up visible forms, and then bringing Christ unto them, so as to say Lohere or there is Christ, but comes with power from above, being like lightning descending down from heaven, as shall be proved in the following treatise. The greatest number being principled and guided by others of more eminency, are so strongly affected to what they have embraced and walked in, that they account it no less than fight against the ways of Christ, to disclose their practice, or acquaint them with their misleadings. For affection is blind, and can hardly be persuaded to espy real deformities, in that object on which it reposeth its delights. The Lord only can, and in short time will alter this eccentrick motion of his people, and turn the wheel of the heart to move concentric to himself.  
But this is common to them all, that to what way soever they are addicted, the whole face of Scripture seems to cast a direct and favourable aspect only towards them; and to look upon others either more obliquely, or not at all. That as to one who hath the yellow Jaundice, the air itself, with every object he beholds, seems yellowish, suitable to the distempered species in the eye; or to him who looks through red or green glass, or any coloured medium, the same things show red, or green, or answerable to the colour of the medium which presents them to his sight: so those Scriptures that are in themselves uniform, beating their genuine signification, being veiwed through false glosses, or the deceivable light of delusive principles, seem to men of differing judgements to carry several repugnant senses corresponding their misguided apprehensions. The intuitive action is then lurest, when the medium is diaphanous, receiving that light of truth in its own purity, which irradiates and manifesteth every colour in its proper kind; and when the understanding the eye of the soul, is like the crystalline humour, and the visible species will complexioned in the bodily eye; to wit, clear, perspicuous, and capable of all colours, but infected with the tincture of none. Therefore the sea, (Rev. 4.) by which the spiritual glory was discerned in the primitive times, was of glass like to Crystal, pure, uncoloured and shining, through which the several or contrariant colours were seen in their own peculiar dyes. Also in the new jerusalem, her light (the glory of God then sparkling forth in the bright lustre of that high dispensation) is like most precious jasper, clear as Crystal, Rev. 21. which seems to be one of those stones called by Pliny, Aerizula, resemling the clear air, darkened with no colour which might cause an aberration in the sight: likewise Isa. 42.12. her windows (the mirror to let the same light into the heart) are of agates; the original word signifies as well Jasper, or Crystal, which is most consonant to that of the Revelation; by which the Spirit would teach us, that there is the same light within in the eye, that without is in the air; in both which there is such an unmixed and lightsome purity, as discovereth several objects in their naked hue; and all issues forth more immanently from God, according to that of the Psalmist, In thy light we shall see light, Psal. 36.9. but this in the splendour of it, is beyond our times. The separated people, who have gotten victory over the beast, stand upon a sea of glass, in a more bright expanding Scriptures then in the Antichristian stations, mingled with fire to burn up rubbish. With all the wrong stated corporations, there are humane bestial thrones interposed between them and the highest throne, which like opacous bodies, cause an eclipse of the countenance of him that sits thereon; of which there be some grosser, and occasion the greater darkness, as in Rome; others more thin and rarified, but yet being mixed, and of divers natures, present untrue and discording aspects to such who look through these delusive mediums. When the 144000 sealed ones who are now scattered in the wilderness, and secret chambers, shall like noble victors come off from the beast, and return with their faces toward Zion, the veil will be removed, whereby the semblance of Christ will shine more purely upon them; and they standing on the abovesaid sea, behold his beauty through that glass with more open face: and I am sure the senses of Scripture seen by that transparency, cannot bear so many opposite faces, as now they do, but will appear in their more native and uniform visage. For though the same text may have various significations and prospects, yet the variety is such as meets in a unity, and is not destructive to itself, as are the dissenting axioms of this our evil generation.  
My desire is that the goldy Readers, who may now be severed one from another in judgement and practice, would with a single eye sequestered from the former glosses of their own and others, look into the inbrest of those prophecies produced in the following treatise; and they may perhaps, by the conduct of the Spirit of prophecy, find that truth, which may be as a spiritual clue to lead them out of their labyrinths, and reduce them into one fold, to travel together toward their desirable resting places.  
Now suffer me a little to reflect, and give you a compendious survey of some occurrences happening unto me. I confess myself to be one of the least of the servants of Jesus Christ; and in this particular subject was heretofore as blindfold as any. What I have since received, I acknowledge to the praise of his free grace only, who hath committed such treasure to a poor weak earthen vessel; given indeed to further the destruction of Antichrist, but for your true edification. If I glory in any thing, it shall be in mine infirmities, that God may have all the honour. It was some nine years ago that the Lord in part shown me the vanity of the national Presbytery (for against Episcopacy I was ever since I came to years of understanding) with the unwarrantableness of that compulsive power they at that time laboured to obtain: and then did I much affect and adhere to those bodies called Independents (whom I yet look on as the more moderate, solid, and less rigid of all the stated companies:) and though I never was incorporated amongst them, yet was I a stickler in their behalf as I met with opportunity. I found that Gospel-Churches were not made up with people of all sorts, but of such men only who were Saints at least in visible appearance jad. judged th' office of the Presbytery derived from the Bishops and so from the Pope, not to be legitimate: that Classical, Provincial and National Synods assuming a power over particular congregations, are the same Prelacy in the root with Episcopacy, and herein might be more dangerous and destructive, that whereas there were before but few, now there would be a multiplicity of Bishops: that this is to bring a medium and husband-like authoriry betwixt Christ the husband and the Church the Spouse; and to conform the Kingdom of Jesus Christ to the kingdoms of this world: that office by our Saviour's rule was subservient, It shall not be so amongst you, Mat. 20.25, 26, 27. Luk. 22.25, 26. That it is the property of the Locusts, false officers, to have crowns on their heads. Revel. 9.7. that Gospel-members must be a free willing people enlightened and constrained by the attractive virtue of the Spirit, and not compelled by humane Laws and Canons: that such a forcing is against the nature of a marriage, which relative compaction ought to be combined by the mutual consent of both parties, and not against the will enjoined by another: that seeing no power of man can create a principle of belief to this or that way, it were unreasonable to command the action: that the spiritual life comes only from Christ, and no man can come to him except the Father draw him: that the soul is the proper seat of God, and the Apostles weapons were not carnal, but spiritual: that none are now infallible, nor can substitute such unerring decrees which they dare affirm to be Jure divino, which Law alone takes place upon the conscience: that this compulsion hath been the greatest offence to render consciences, the right hand of persecution both in Rome under Episcopacy, and may be the like in Presbytery, many of whom are overrigid: that it may for the future, as well as in times past, stop the free passage of new discoveries. These and such like arguments upon occasion I produced, and proved at large against the national Presbytery; and thus far I went candidly.  
Now for the particular practice of Church-constitution, I began more narrowly to pry into the primitive platform; and in this dissented from the rest, that the Ordinance to receive into Church-fellowship, was not a Covenant and subscription thereto, nor by giving the right hand of fellowship, but by laying on of hands. I drew out my model as exactly as I could to its first exemplar, and saw that many things could not be practised in their genuine order; but this I pieced up with the extreme law of necessity. I concluded visible faith to be the next immediate groundwork of the whole building; and in this last was my mistake such as overthrew all my former labour: and yet remained I for some years in this misapprehension, though with secret struggle and reluctances in the radix of my spirit. Till at last summoning up the strength of my meditations upon that subject, I espied that all my model was but an outward form, void of that Spirit of life, which breathed in the primitive order: that the glory of God was departed from those ordinances I then plead for, and did not anywhere accompany their execution. I viewed a wider dissimilitude from the primitive then before, and began to inquire the reason, why the same could not in many things be followed: why that was uniform, ours various; why that contracted and gathered the Saints into a unity, ours distracted and set the most precious men at a vast distance, who before were one in brotherly love: that whatever scatters, gathers not with Christ, Math. 12.3. I considered withal, that when Gospel-Churches were in a right order Christ by his administration was so powerfully there, as to gather the Saints to him the dead carcase, Matth. 24.28. by which like Aaron's rod, it swallowed up all those of the Magicians and impostors; that to join to it, was to come to the general assembly, and Church of the firstborn, Heb. 12.23. to separate from it, was a manifest symptom of Apostasy, nay Reprobation, 1 Joh. 2.19. Judas 19 to be excluded and shut out of this society, was to be delivered over to Satan, 1 Cor. 5.5. and 1 Tim. 1.20. that were as an effectual name and power in these external keys to bind and lose, to open and shut, which had clear effects on the parties, either to ingratiate, comfort, and appease, or to terrify or harden: that there was no administration of Christ in what was altogether independent from it: And by comparing our new-built constitutions by this Norma, I found them altogether deviated, nay contradictory to their first copy to which they all pretend. I need not particularise in so evident a case; let any man enlightened view, and judge.  
On the other side, in the behalf of the Independent Order, I argued, that the  necessity, arising by the interception of Antichristisme (the cause why the Primitive could not in its native way be practised) may dispense with, nay in some cases be above the Law, according to the Proverb: that the deadness of those stative Ordinances, and the other defects in the right, might arise from the weakness of the dispensation now in the dawnings of light: which perhaps would obtain greater virtue in future ages: that the sad differences thereby ocasioned might be ex excidenti, from the carnality of men, and not from any evil in stating of Churches: that the Church must be upheld by Government; and for me to question all visible Constitutions, would be to oppose my judgement against most of God's people, nay the ablest men, and condemn their practice; both which will be accounted presumptuous and uncharitable.  
Against this, my thoughts replied partly by way of Queries, that if the interception of that great Defection took away all possibility of practising the Primitive in its native method, Whether it did not demonstrate a sink and interruption of that Order, especially there being a mystical Babylon and a spiritual Egypt coming between us and the same first day, in which all the Saints seemed to be captivated, as Israel was in the outward of old, and all our new-begun constitutions must necessarily imply such a cessation, as also the call for separation alluding to that of ancient times: Whether that fail might not occasion an alterable dispensation, seeing different times have produced different changes in the outward body of Divinity, and the prophecies seemed to look with divers faces on the primitive times and ours: Neither found I such eminent good in any of our new-built Church-models, which might necessitate the changing of the Rule, nor any warrant for it in the Scripture, either by Precept or Type; they seemed rather to be obstructive to the free passage of the Gospel, and the causes of Rents among Brethren: Whether a Gospel-marriage begun at all in weakness, or not rather with power to distinguish it from the Legal, which was more formal, as also from the false and Antichristian, and so fill it with spirit, whereby it might hold forth the lively presence of the husband; that it did initiate with such majesty in the Primitive, Acts 2, and the Prophets predict the like magnificent kingdom to come in succeeding ages: Whether as there was a preparing by John, and after by Christ's Ministry while on earth, and some space of waiting after his ascension, to dispose the disciples for the receiving that powerful dispensation, there might not now be the like preparatory work gradually to purge away Antichristian filth, and fit the Saints for that glorious administration to be revealed: Whether those lively breathe, operating in the constitutive Ordinances of Confirmation, Ordination, Excommunication, etc. in that first Gospel-day, came not from the effectual emission and blast of the Spirit sent down by Christ; and whether the same wind was not the soul to essenciate and animate the key before promised, but not till then given. Here I began to question my former mistake, and inquire whether, if the Primitive Order failed, the placing the same upon visible believers not possessed with such power from on high to inspire the said keys with new breathe, was not privative (as the want of light is the cause of darkness, and of life deadness) the ground of that formality and emptiness which is experimentally known to be in the abovesaid stative Ordinances: whether this be not to lay another foundation, as bottoming that upon man, or any grace in man, that aught to lie only upon Jesus Christ, and descends by a virtual influence from heaven: Whether the contrary effects in ours from the primitive, do not symbol a difference in the cause, as arising from another principle, and having a different spirit, even that of Antichrist, which though in pretence is most strongly for Christ, yet in reality is most opposite to him: And whether our deplored divisions and dissensions amongst the godly, raised by our disunited Church-forms, do not originally flow from that other root Man, and that spirit of carnality, which rents and scatters: Whether the bright coming of Christ will establish, or not rather abolish all these as Antichristian, and offences to his Kingdom. That a true Gospel-stated-Church cannot have the keys of the Kingdom wanting, which have a name and power to accomplish all the abovesaid ends: That the Church of the Elect was preserved by Christ, when all Ecclesiastical Rule was her enemy; and this outward Government hath, ever since the Apostasy, been experienced to be lifeless, and not to contribute one mite to the power of godliness, but hath rather increased formality, debate, strife, quenched the noble grace of Love to all the Saints, and hath been averse to the workings of the Spirit; and being thus prejudicial, aught to be detected, it being the great design of God to anatomize the man of sin in all his specious deceits, and thereby free his people from defilement and bondage: That the tallest cedars for parts and piety have been much blinded by the mystery of iniquity; the following of whom in a higher light, hath procured the fall of many: That Antichrist is not fully unmasked at once, but gradually by a consumption; and hence there must be new and further discoveries of him, the first breaking forth whereof will be dissonant to the maxims of the age preceding.  
Amidst these and suchlike distracting and dissenting motions, I was as a ship betwixt two seas, sometimes tossed one way, sometimes another; my affections inclined more to the Independent Church-order, the strength of argument seemed rather to prevail against it; and could find no way out of this Meander, till entering into a nearer communion with my God, I received answer by a light of Spirit beyond mine own, that the way to be resolved in the case I desired, was to abstract my thoughts from all former conjectures of myself and others and look nakedly into the Prophecies speaking of the Antichristian times, the age we live in, and that to come, compared with the primitive. In the managing of which task, the same Spirit (who only knows the mind of God) directed and seconded my labours with such success, as made facile and easy what seemed before impossible; and revealed the sense of those Scriptures, which were till then sealed up from my apprehension. If my opposers deride, the Lord lay it not to their charge. However, to the ingenious, pious, and impartial reader I speak. You may view the most and clearest of those Scriptures in the ensuing manuscript. I shall advise you to take the counsel given to me, and you may perhaps reap the fruits of your endeavours. I found upon diligent search, that there was a sink and dissolution of the primitive Order; That Rome alone was not the whole woman Babylon (as hath been commonly conceived) but that she contained besides the grand one, many harlots distinct in their form as daughters from the mother; and were after in time, and so younger, which must be new modelled Churches one differing from the other, Rev. 17.5. that of all these were many defiled women, chap. 14.4. that every one of these had for their foundation a false Christ or Antichrist; and false Prophets, and so the woman being many, the false Christ's and false Prophet are many accordingly, Mat. 24.24. That this whole Babylon (both mother and daughters) boasting herself that she sits a Queen in a visible married constituted order, is a plain property, note, and mark of a false Church from the end of the primitive day, till the true marriage descends from God out of heaven, Rev. 19.7.  
Again, I considered, that the Scripture holds forth not a reformation of, but a direct separation from those defiled women and false form Churches: and that the next path and way of God's people after the 1260 years of tribulation, specified in the following book, is to reduce themselves in their walk to the imitation of these types and parables, Rev. 7.9. chap. 14.2.3, 4, 5. etc. chap. 15.2.3, 4. Math. 25.1, 7. Luk. 15.20. which we have endeavoured to the utmost of our power. Moreover, I observed in minding the Scriptures, that there is in the entrance of the time of separation a new returning Ministry, as a little book opened, and a pure Gospel segregated from those Antichristian mixtures published in the foregoing times of the Apostasy, proved, (besides many other place) by these texts, Rev. 10.4. Isa. 29.9, 10 11 12, 18.19. Rev. 14.6, 7, 8, 9, 10. chap. 18.4. Math. 25.6. Isa. 28.23. chap. 30.29. etc. chap. 41.18, 19, 20. chap. 48. 20, 21. chap. 45.19, 20. jer. 31.10. Hos. 14 5 7 9 and 2 Es. d 11. 38 39, etc. chap. 12.32.33.34. This is called, Zeph. 3.9. A returning to the people a pure language, thereby implying an impure before: and is styled a judging work. Psal. 96.13. Rev. 15.4. Deut. 32.36. Isa. 26.8. chap. 4.4. because of its discovery of righteousness, and declaring the judging wrath of the vials: it is also termed a new song, Rev. 14.3. Psal. 98.1, 2. Isa. 42.9, 10 11.12.13.14. and a song chap. 24.14, 16. chap. 30.29.30, 31. new, as it answers to the new work then arising Isa. 43.19. and for that it is a pure Gospel-song, which beats the glory of newness, in respect of the old waning apostated ministry: and a song, because of its gladsome tidings, and the melodious joy that it bringeth and worketh in the hearts of the hearers. I gathered, that the sum and substance of this Ministry was, to reduce all to God and Christ only, both in Doctrine, and Government, to cry down Babylon in her utmost extent, to denounce the judgement written against the Beast, his Image and Mark in its whole latitude, also to unmask the spiritual drunkenness, fornication, blindness, slumbering and sleeping of the Babylonish Nations; likewise to teach the coming and near approach of the bridegroom, and the going forth to meet him by separation. And withal, to teach up the finishing of the Mystery of God, as is evangelized (for so is the original) by his servants the Prophets, Rev. 10.7. that is, to explicate the prophecies pertaining to our times, and the fullness of the dispensation to come; and to expound the old Testament by way of allegories and allusions, bringing all the outward and historical narrations to a Gospel-unfolding, as looking into the mystery contained within the veil of the letter: and so to know the distinct times of the Prophets, both those of their proper literal fulfilling, and that of their allusive sense and accomplishment, extracting the quintessence of all, and applying it to our own age and that succeeding. For this Ministry in its upshot, beholds the eyes of the old Scripture in its furthest extent, as if the aspect of its Evangelizing did centre in this last age; and therefore called the finishing of the Mystery. That as the primitive Christians backed their Ministry by the Prophets, and explained the old Testament by way of Allegories; so these returners confirm their everlasting Gospel by the Prophecies, and unfold the things of God in a figurative interpretation: and as they then did thereby convince that of Judaisme, so these discover more largely both it, and that of Antichristianisme too, wherein the deepest mystery of deceit resideth. The dispensers of this last Ministry, must have the testimony of Jesus which is the Spirit of Prophecy Rev. 19.10. whereby to understand the mind of the Prophets, both for matter, and time; being herein like to the men of Issachar, who by a secret dictate were taught to be skilful in the ●imes, to know what Israel ought to do: which kind of people (though now despised by the Formalists of our days) will, I believe, in few years be counted very precious and of high esteem. This finishing of the mystery is now but in its entrance, and will not have its compleature of dispensation, till the marriage come, Rev. 19 which was my next consideration.  
I gathered what the meaning and mystery of this last marriage is, by the stating of old Israel at mount Sinai, (Gal. 4.) and by that of the Christians in the primitive (Matth. 22.) and found the same in the visibility to belong to external Church-constitution and disciplinal Order.  
It is be demanded whether the Elect were before during the apostasy in the estate of widowhood and non-marriage;  
I answer, They are not simply▪ but respectively in regard of visibility, as compared with the primitive marriage. For in this season Christ was as one gone and long absent, and these elect ones were in their outward stand strangers in a strange country, even in spiritual Babylon, and there were under the rule of other lords: and therefore the Scripture seems to figure them out in the condition of a forsaken widow, Luk. 18.3. Isa. 54.4.  
Also we are to mind, that the same thing is set forth in various Types and Metaphors, as it hath a bent to divers respects: so the kingdom of heaven in the rule of grace is expressed by many parables, Matth. 13. that thereby God may show himself complete in his word, and what is wanting in the one, is supplied in the other, and so by this means there may be a fullness of Ministry, knowledge and practice. Hereupon the godly in another regard, in the time of tribulation (when they were but few, little, small and weak) are denoted in another type and Metaphor, to wit, in the form minority and youthhood, Isa. 54.4. & in the period of separation (they proceeding to a higher growth and stature) are deciphered in the conditions of virgins, Matth. 25.7. Revel. 14.4. and in the season of the wedding-day (when they are come to more maturity and ready) are represented in the state of a married wife, Matth. 25.10. Rev. 19.8.9.  
Finally, I took a survey of other interpreters on the Apocalypse and saw by many reasons, that they very were defective and much mistaken in their senses of the later Prophecies speaking of our times and that ensuing; and that the later part of the said Book, when the little book is opened, Chap. 10. must have a new interpretation both for time and matter: of which you may observe something in the after-work, and concerning which, I may meet with occasion to treat more amply in our next reply, if the Lord so dispose it.  
But that I dwell not too long upon the Epistle, I shall only speak a few words of the following Book, and so conclude. I confess the stile is plain, and something rude: plainness I endeavoured, that it might be suitable to the meanest capacity: the more unpolished it is, because the most are my first and sudden conceptions. For constant exercise in spiritual employments, and multitude of necessary worldly encumbrances, would not permit me times of absolute repast and solitude, to recollect and reduce my thoughts into an exquisite composure. Also some Scriptures are often repeated, occasioned partly by necessity, it being but one case in the root; in prosecution whereof I endeavoured to use the clearest and most pertinent texts, partly by reason of Master Elmestones multiplicity of Arguments meeting in the same base, together with some repetitions of his in a manner the same in sundry places of his book: and for the better resolving such knots where I met with them, I made use of those Scriptures which were elsewhere proved more at large that the weak might be thereby the better satisfied in particulars. Such who are more intelligent, may dispense with what may be for the benefit of lower apprehensions. And I doubt not but they that are spiritually prudent, will prise the naked and solid Truths of God, delivered in the plain language of the Word, before the adulterate shadows of carnal Reason, though glittering in the specious habit of humane Eloquence.  
Christian and sincerely pious Reader, though this subject may seem new and strange, and the Scriptures dark and doubtful at a sudden glance; yet he that will bring to pass his act, even his strange act, hath promised to make dark things lightsome, and crooked things straight: and upon a serious reflection, you may find the accomplishment of the same promise blessing your endeavours, and removing the veil to show you the inward beauty of those Prophecies aspecting your own generation; which will direct you to embrace and walk in the right path cast up by the Spirit, and to avoid those accursed things that will bring a general deluge upon the secure world: that while darkness covers the earth, and gross darkness the people, his light may arise upon you, till at last his glory be seen upon you.  
Now, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, and Father of glory, may give unto you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of himself, is the desire and uncessant prayer of him who is.  
Your cordial friend and Brother in the Lord, Simon Henden.   

Certain ANIMADVERSIONS upon Master Elmestone's Epistle to the Reader.  
YOur Epistle comes galloping in upon the wooden story of the Trojan-horse, built by the counsel of Pallas, and by subtle Sinon's persuasion received into Troy, to the ruin of that ancient and famous City; For from thence issued out a warlike Troop of most valiant Greek Captains, who laid that City wast with fire and sword. To this horse you compare the liberty granted for (tender) consciences in Religion, procured (say you) by Satan's craft, and the insinuation of some cunning Sinon's, and may redcund to the great prejudice, if not the ruin of your Troy, your Church and Gospel. For out of it have come forth etc.  
Answ. The native language of Canaan, is more suitable to the majesty of Divinity, than the fabulous: fictions of heathen Poets: and did you conceive your Church to be genuine, of a Celestial birth, you might be better advised, then to Christian it by the name of an outcast stranger. Indeed (to follow you in your own similitude) Rome being built partly by some roving Trojans, was called a second Troy rising out of the ruins of the former: and what should move you to style your Hierarchical Church a third, we cannot guests, unless because you are an offspring arising from her ashes in England.  
However, you may be pleased to consider, that the main cause bringing desolation to the first, was not the Trojan-horse, but the wilful retaining of Helena, a defiled whorish woman amongst them: and if there be the like accursed thing with you, it is that will procure your great prejudice, if not your ruin. We use the more boldness, that these your works may burn, and your persons be saved in the day of the Lord. Notwithstanding that liberty, which you most unfitly yoke with the said wooden horse, is a precious jewel bought by the invaluable ransom of Jesus Christ; who by the price of his dearest blood, did at first redeem his Saints from vain traditions and humane thraldoms, to be a free willing people to him their sole Sovereign in Religion: but in the externality, was after surprised by Antichrist, that destroying king, the better to establish his worldly kingdom, and captivate the godly in fetters of Iron. And surely this was not again restored by Satan's craft, nor the insinuation of some subtle Sinon's (as you most abusively turn it) but by the hand of Divine providence directing our noble partriots, to regain the privilege of their birthright, whom Christ made kings and priests to God and his Father: The Lord hath crowned the undertake of those, who were the choicest instruments in procuring this freedom, with such prosperous success in his and our public interest, as might teach you more modesty than so reproachfully to defame them: and hath with a mighty arm laid low the pride of such, who sought to bring us back into bondage, both in England. Scotland and Ireland: he reproved kings and nations for his people's sake: all which might force you write upon our liberty, This is the finger of God, if your eyes were open to behold his wonders now appearing. It seems, it much grieves you to see the tenth part of the great City falling in our dominions, and that our States refuse to assume a Popedom over the conscience, the peculiar seat of divine majesty. However you judge, it will be the honour of our Worthies in future ages; and all neighbor-Commonwealths are amazed at the glory resting upon our English nation.  
But Sir Why should this toleration be more destructive to you, then to others? You have as great a portion therein as any: you thereby enjoy a freedom for your walk which was denied in the Bishop's reign: and when so large a door is opened in rising times, if your Church cannot stand, unless under-propped by worldly power, it evidently demonstrates your kingdom to be of this world.  
Be pleased to remember, that the primitive was not built by might nor power, but by the Spirit, Zech. 4.6. and by the same Spirit Christ went forth conquering and to conquer mulittudes. Rev. 6.2. Also the stone dashing all opposers in these latter days, is cut out of the mountain without hands, Dan. 2.34. the kingly Prophet tells us, God's people will be willing, or voluntaries (as the Hebrew text carries it) in the day of his power, Psal. 110.3 and 47.9. The Gos●el-Saints are genuinely of a royal princely spirit, and never act nobly but from a pure principle of love within constraining. 2 Cor. 5.14.  
You argue, That out of this womb hath issued, forth numerous heresies, errors, sects and schisms.  
Answ. Some of these named indeed are dangerous, some are nearer to the truth then yourselves: but to reply to yours, we assert,  
1. That all those nominated in your Epistle (the Ranters excepted, who in their blasphemies and beastly lusts are excluded) were brought forth many years before this toleration was granted: and it is a strange Paradox, never heard of in public till divulged by you that that can be the womb to conceive and bring forth, which with as was not in retum natura, extant in the series of nature, till so long time after their existence. Formerly it was an approved Aphorism, Causa est prior effecto, The cause precedes the effect in order of nature, or time, or both. But you produce a contrary example, which (if true) will put all Logicians to an absolute nonplus. We conceive the rationalist, rather than be silenced, will tell you, Contra principia negantem non est disputandum, no disputation ought to be held with him that denies the principles. Surely, it is heat of passion against the Sectaries (as you term them) hath disturbed your otherwise more solid intellectuals.  
To proceed, suppose errors may arise, yet is it not carnal, but spiritual weapons must beat down such spiritual wickedness, 2 Cor. 10.3, 4. The Lord permits, and the Scripture presageth, that errors and offences must come, partly that those who are approved may be made manifest, partly that the conquest of truth may appear the more glorious, which will at last dispel those gloomy clouds, and shine forth with more perspicuous brightness. The mystery of godliness rays out with most perfect beauty, by the clear discovery of the deepest mystery of iniquity.  
Besides, why may not truth in a free passage come in, as well as heresy? Without doubt Christ, who hath all power committed to his charge, is as potent to prevail in light, as the Prince of darkness in delusions. Nay, why may not truth be shut out by the contrary restraint? The compulsion you plead for, hath hither to proved a direct enemy to the pure Gospel of the Lord Jesus.  
It may further be demanded, to what way you so eagerly labour to engage the sword of the Magistrate, whether to your own, or to some other. Not to any other; for when the Bishops held it in their custody, you did with the foremost exclaim against it as Antichristian bestial, tyrannical etc. and here you censure all others to be errors, Sects, Schisms, and what not?  
If you challenge it to yourselves we shall ask whether you, among all the several bodies extant, sit in the chair of infallibility? For none but an unerring law can warrantably claim a power over the conscience. 2. Suppose you were infallible, and could not err (which you dare not affirm) then whether you can create a belief the heart of those who are contrary minded.  
The Apostles in Church-affaires, were directed by an undeceivable spirit: an yet neither used nor laid claim to such a power, but invited and won men to the faith simply by the cords of love. All that humane weapons can do, is only to force the outward man, which is a violent and preternatural motion; and when the constraint is over soon turns again to its own centre. Whereas the Gospel naturally gins within, and grounds its principles in the intimate chests of reason. It first breaks as a light into the Understanding, the noblest faculty, and there imprints the image of its integrity; thence it goes to the Will, the great wheel of the soul, and turns it to a willing obedience to all its precepts and commands; thence it passeth to the inferior affections, and compels them to embrace the beauties of holiness; and from these inward springs proceed all the outward duties and services performed by the body. The sum of the new Convenant is to write the laws in the heart, and in the mind. Heb. 8.10. This was exactly the method which the Apostles followed. 2 Cor. 3.2.3. But you endeavour a preposterous course, and contrary to the order of the Gospel, to wit, to constrain the body to what the heart opposeth. If so, and whatever be not of faith be sin then assuredly this your course is confusion; and destructive to the souls of people. We read of none in all the New Testament but only the beast, who commanded all, both small and great, to worship, Revel. 13.  
3. It is conceived that you in this are a part of the greatest and most deceivable Schism that ever came into the world: and if Episcopacy be to be plucked up root and branch (which you pleaded) than no relics of your Classical government will be left remaining: much less will it be granted, that you sit in the seat of judicature to adjudge all besides yourselves to be Heresies, Sects etc. or that you have any authority given from heaven by humane force to captivate them to your wills and canons. The Independents are in many respects in their way nearer to the Kingdom of Heaven, than the Classical men: and if you would not willingly subjectly your consciences to the separation (which power they defy to own) why should there be such high endeavours to embodage them? In this you are declared to be far beneath a legal spirit, which teacheth to do to others as you would be dealt withal by them. Are not their consciences as tender as yours? Are they not as pious and dear to GOD, as upright to their neighbour, as serviceable and faithful to the State, as cordial and real to our public Cause? And why should they not with others partake in that common privilege purchased by the expense of many of their dear lives?  
It was not long since yourselves were under the Bishop's rod, and then such a liberty would have been sweet and gratefully accepted: but now nothing will satisfy, unless you may in their steads lord it over your fellow-brethrens. The precept is ordinary, yet profitable, Foelix quem faciunt aliena pericula cautum. Let the ruins of other tyrants, teach you more wisdom and moderation.  
In the next place you come unto me and our walk in particular, in which (to pass by other phopperies opprobrious deal and false suppositions, as not worth spending ink, paper, and time upon) we shall only take notice of two passages. The first is your calling it a Sect, and in the title of your Book a Schism.  
Answ. A Sect is a renting, a Schism a cutting off or dividing from the truth: now whether we or you be renters, we leave to the trial of the Word. It hath been the usual policy of Satan to brand the new springings forth of truths by such opprobrious titles. Thus dealt the Jews of old with the Gospel, Acts 28.22. Chap. 24.5, 14. and separation being now that which God calls his people to walk in, we believe, this charge of yours will be found to be as untrue and calumnious, as was theirs, and to come from the same spirit. We should have expected no other language from the mouth of a Pope or Bishop: but wonder to hear it from one who would rank himself amongst the godly. However, we regard not the censure of your papal chair, as being neither discovered to be what you style us, nor discouraged by such disgraceful Characters: for we are not ashamed to bear the rebukes of Christ. Your endeavours this way, will prove but bare Essays, whose births may be vanity and shame at conclusion.  
Secondly, You come to our company, whom you call unstable souls, and defame their assemblings by base scurrilous verses out of Ovid, the very language of hell, and unfit to be written by a chaste pen, much more unmeet to be applied to a godly or hopeful people. For my own particular, as I have freely received, so I freely dispense the word, and deny none to hear who are freely drawn; as being sensible of the power of God, who may choose the mean and base things in the world's esteem, to confound the noble. Notwithstanding were the same people with you, many would be counted precious Saints, others very fair comers on, though now from a root of bitterness they are so greatly vilified. Such virulent invectives tend but to the fulfilling of the Prophecies, which foretell, that the meetings of these returners shall bear a reproach and burden, Ezek. 34.16. Mica. 4.76, 7. Zeph. 3.18. albeit in short time, they shall have a praise and a fame in every land, where they have been put to shame, their gathering or congregating being by the Lord Jesus ver. 19 I cannot in charity think that these came simply from yourself, but from the instigation of some others whose spirits are compounded of gall and vinegar, and have dipped your pen with the cruel venom of Asps. We are sure, such ribaudry becomes not the gravity of grey hairs, much less of one esteemed an ancient professor.  
It seems their throne being touched their kingdom waxing dark, and people leaving them they begin to accomplish what is spoken Revel. 16.10, 11. The Lord open the eyes of their understandings, that they many no longer be found fighters against God. Before we pass from hence, we shall mind you of a seasonable observation. In the Primitive time there was an outward Jerusalem, figured by Hagar the bondwoman, whose zealous children, under high pretences of holiness, were the most desperate enemies to such who by their free Gospel-walk, declared themselves to be the offspring of Jerusalem from above: So now there is an outward rejected court, Rev. 11.2, and thereupon another enslaving motherhood; and those who are overrigid in those externalities, and stand most upon them, are like to prove the greatest enemies to such, who by their practice of separation manifest themselves to be children of liberty, and aim most at spirituality.  
But leaving this, we shall speak something of our first Letter, after the receipt whereof (as you affirm) it was noised, that I had thereby blown up etc.  
Answ. If there were any such report, the sound of it was not loud enough to come to my ears, till I read it in your Epistle. This I am sure of, it was a private Letter, never intended by the writer to come publicly abroad in the world, and comprised but a light and hasty draught of my apprehensions touching the subject you requested; whose principal scope was to proffer you a fuller discourse by word of mouth, upon the particulars therein barely hinted. But since you being pleased to divulge it in your book without my knowledge or approbation, I shall only remark two passages.  
The first is a mistake in printing, in the second page and seventeenth line. It is printed, We are in our journey to Zion visibly separated; whereas it ought io be, To Zion visibly stated; and so it was written in my Letter; also Revel. 8.34. for Revel. 8.5. in the third page.  
The second is (as you assert) that I quoted Isa. 66.5. for Isa. 56.5, which error you not finding out, said nothing on that place.  
Answ. There were some such errors in yours ensuing, which when the words were written, I rectified, and replied accordingly: and it is possible that amongst many Scriptures, I might fail in the quotation of one: yet the words of the text being named, your Concordance might soon have directed you to find out the place; are else within the compass of eight or nine months (for so long space it was ere your returned me answer) you might have inquired of me, we living so near one to another. You neither have, nor (I suppose) ever can in your sense give a solid interpretation of that Scripture. There be some other places rightly pointed out, which you pass over with utter silence, though very material to this case: namely those produced to prove a new pouring out of the Spirit when the marriage again comes, as Isa. 32.15. Ezek. 37.9. Mat. 24.27, 28. Psal. 97.4. answerable to that in the primitive, Acts 2. Ezek. 1.4. 1 Timoth. 4.14.  
We cannot omit another passage: Your book is not dated in the beginning, according to the usual manner, but at the end of your Epistle, and there bears date August 18. whereas it came not out till December, near four months after. Whether this be double dealing, to make the Reader believe that we are tardè in our reply, is best known to your own conscience. Thus far in answer to your Epistle.   

A Glass of some new DISCOVERIES.  
SIR,  
THe discoveries and new break forth of light, after great and epidemical Apostasies, have always met with strong oppositions and sharp encounters: and though Truth at first be still blamed with the names of Novelty, Error, and what not? yet, as unashamed, it hath been bold as a lion, to face against all discouragements, and at conclusion carried with it the triumphant palm of Victory. This is that Jewel we are now contending for: the original of which contest was a Letter sent me by you, to request me to impart those points I had newly taken up, and what my opinion was about your Presbyterian way. To satisfy your desire, I returned you a brief account of what you required in writing: and to avoid the long tediousness of the Pen, invited you to a more full and ample discourse on the subject now in debate, by word of mouth. Your Manuscript coming since, declares, that your leisure would not permit a Verbal dispute, (which I conceive had been far easier, then to answer so largely in writing.) You tell me withal, that you received my Letter, as a testimony of my good opinion of, and good will towards you; but upon deliberate perusal profess, that my Principles appear not so solid, as you can close with them. Had it not been for the cause above expressed, I should have been more full, methodical, and clear, in committing my Pen to Paper: but what I sent, (I assure you) came from the right hand of true affection: and it may be, that ancient and long fixed Principles, may reject as unsound the Orthodoxal Truth of Jesus Christ. He that hath drunk old wine, doth not straightway desire new, but thinks the old is better. However, the solidness of those tenants will appear, when they come for trial to the Touchstone of the Word of God. I desire that in combating for the Truth, we may keep the Royal law of love: and shall endeavour, as to be free from bitterness and passion, so to avoid the other extreme of Partiality and soothing; and in a medium betwixt these two Rocks, faithfully dispense that talon the Master hath given me.  
The main Queries controverted betwixt us, are these two:  
First, 
1 Querie.  Whether a true constituted Church, with true Office and visible Membership, together with the Ordinances proper to such a Gospel-stating, as Confirmation or laying of hands on Members, Ordination or laying hands on Officers, Suspension, Excommunication, Admission, Absolution, retaining of sins, etc. continued true by a line of succession from the Primitive time downward to our times: or whether it were not interrupted by the Romish Apostasy.  
Secondly, 
2 Quaerie.  If they did there intermit, when they return again to their first glory, whether now, or hereafter; and what is the dispensation now approved by the Spirit.  
It will be requisite to clear up these two together, as a preparative and ground work to our ensuing Discourse.  
We will begin with the First, 
Cessation.  and evidence the Cessation of visible Church-constitution in mystical Babylon. We shall lay down this for a sure Maxim, That every thing hath its being and continuance from the Word of God. Now whatever in Gospel-times if fore-declared and promised in the Scripture for abiding, that did not fail, but was upheld by the power of the Word through all the times of this Apostasy: as the Ordinances of Ministry, Prayer and Praises, Baptism, the Communion, 1 Thess. 5.16, 17, 18. Rev. 9.13. Chap. 11.1. Heb. 13.15. Isa. 55.13. Chap. 56.5. Matth. 28.19, 20. 1 Cor. 11.26. as also a sealed elect number with their spiritual union, Rev. 7.4 5, 6, 7, 8. Chap. 9.4. Chap 11.1. Chap. 14.1. likewise the being and profession of faith, duties of charity, with all moral precepts, 1 Cor. 13.13. Matth. 16.18. Rev. 11.3. Matth. 5.17, 18. Heb. 13.1. with whatever else is promised to continue. But what is not so perpetuated in the Word, (as Confirmation, Ordination, Church-Censures, with the primitive order or Church-stating) was corrupted, and turned into confusion by the great Antichrist, it wanting the same Word and Promise to uphold its abiding.  
For proof whereof, we will begin with Isai. 56.5. which was a prophecy beginning with the primitive Gospel-Church, and the engrafting of the Gentiles thereinto; as appears, vers. 1. by the salvation coming, and the righteousness (the Gospel-Ministery) then revealed: also the stranger than joining himself to God, and the Eunuch, the dry tree before, then taking hold of the Covenant, vers. 3, 4. must allude to the Gentiles, who in times past were dead, without Christ and hope, aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel, strangers from the Covenants of promise, Eph. 2.1, 12. and were then engrafted into the true Olive-tree, Rom. 11.17, 19 the sons and daughters must be the jewish Church, who before was a married wife, and her members children, Gal. 4.27. Isa. 54.1. Matth. 15.22, 24, 26. again, vers. 8. the gathering of others besides those who were before gathered, shows them to be the primitive Gentile-Christians, compared with Joh. 10.16. To this Eunuch, these Gentiles are fore-prophesied, that they shall have [a place and a name better than the sons and daughters] the Jews: the event declares that they had both in the primitive, according to this prediction: but afterwards, when the Spirit annexeth a perpetual succession, it singles out the name by itself, leaving the place behind: [I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off] The word interpreted place, is in the Hebrew]? sad, which signifies a hand, as alluding to Church-power. Now why should not the place be said to be everlasting, as well as the name, especially being before both joined together, if the Spirit had not seen the fail and interruption of the chain thereof? This also fell out answerably: for the name Christian or Israel remained, but the visible Church-order became Babylon; both which shall be proved in their place.  
From thence, turn to Matth. 16.18. where you may observe, that to the profession of Peter's saith, and Christ the Rock believed, is forespoken that the gates of hell shall not prevail against it: but vers. 19 the keys of binding and losing, opening and shutting, are set after, as having no such promise annexed to them: and why should this be, but to show that these keys in the Church's hand, should receive a sink and loss of their efficacy for a time? For certainly the Lord knowing the apostated times, if they had continued through the Babylonish defection, would have added some word of remaining to them, as well as to the profession.  
To these we shall annex that, Zech. 4.2, 12. in which we may behold that related as evidently, as the face is seen in the glass. The Angel, vers. 2. sets before the eyes of Zechariah the image of the primitive Apostolical Church; the like was also seen of John, Rev. 1.12, 20. only here was the difference; the Prophet sees the type of one Candlestick, as representing the Church in her unity; John beholds seven, he writing to the seven Churches: and here in vers. 12. is pictured out a platform of the dispensation of the sealed elect number, during the times of Antichristianism. That the Candlestick, vers. 2. did emblem the primitive Churches, we render these reasons. 1. From the Angel's answer, vers. 6. that this was not built by might or by power, as outward Zerubbabel's temple was, but by the Spirit, as without hands, by Christ the true Zerubbabel. 2. From the headstone of this spiritual building, vers. 7. which was the Lord Jesus, 1 Pet. 2.6. Psal. 118.22. Isai. 28.16. Matth. 2●. 42. Act. 4.11. 3. From the shout and cry, which was not, Works, works; but, Grace, grace; the manifest difference betwixt the Law and the Gospel. 4. From the despising of small things, the Jewish Ceremonies, and the sight of the Plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel, Christ, vers. 10. which teacheth the coming off from Mosaical rudiments, to that of Christianity. 5. From the seven eyes, opened to be the Lamb's eyes; and for time in the primitive, Rev. 5.6. and the seven Lamps, vers. 2. agreeable to Rev. 4.5. That the two Olive-branches and the two golden pipes, vers. 12. pertain to the next following Antichristian times, is apparent by the decrease of the former fullness, and the answer of the Angel, vers. 14. which can aptly be applied to no other time, then that of the elect in Babylon. From hence we shall evince this argument, That there was a fullness of Ordinances in the primitive Age; there were seven pipes to the seven Lamps, vers. 2. the number seven notes out a perfection; the Pipes signify Ordinances, Luke 7.32. these being the organ by which the light and oil of Ministry is displayed: whereas in the Antichristian season, there are seen but two pipes that had golden oil, the least of numbers, and yet sufficient to testify the truth of inward grace. Now why should there be seven at the first, and but two at the last, but to set forth the cessation of the former five in their efficacy and power, as being dead, empty, and without golden oil, viz. Ordination, Confirmation, with the other stative Ordinances? and that Ministry, Prayer, etc. being predicted of God for abiding, must as the two golden pipes remain, and the two anointed ones by these empty themselves, as the two Olive-branches.  
In Rev. 7.1. the four open winds (which are causa procreans & conservans, the begetting and preserving cause of these visible keys, Ezek. 1.4, 5. Act. 2.) were by reason of the falling away wholly withheld from their apparent blast: and the cause failing, the effect must also cease: this Spirit of life being restrained, they must needs be merely formal. That as in the Scriptures before cited, they were not promised to abide; so the Spirit doth here desert and leave them empty of its lively influences.  
In Chap. 9.1, 2, 3. the Angel (who had usurped all Church-power into his custody) totally apostated from heaven to earth, becomes a mere earthly Angel, by which that church-policy that before was a kingdom of heaven, is become a bottomless pit, or a false Church, without any bottom of Truth in her order; and in stead of the keys of the celestial kingdom, was another contrary key of the same bottomless pit, the key being the same with the Church: in the room of that sweet recreating wind, or lightsome smoke, descending from God's glory, to beget the truth of Office, was the dark and delusive smoke or dispensation ascending from this bottomless furnace, which engenders none but locusts, a degenerate brood of false Officers. Here we may take notice of the effects that ensue upon the former withholding of the winds: God having forsaken and left it void, Satan hath full power, gives another key, with other smoke, whereby of Christ, all is become Antichrist, and bottomless of Truth.  
In Chap. 11.2. where, though the Temple was measured, of which we shall speak anon, yet the onward court was excluded, and forbidden to be measured; for so saith the Spirit, The court without, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which signifies, cast out. That this outward court must belong to the visibility of Church-government, may be cleared by these Arguments. 1. Because this, as opposed to the Temple within, must be the exterior outward part: and who knows not, that the Order of Ecclesiastical Government, is the outside or visibility of the Church? 2. Because this here excluded, was given to the Nations: the inward rooms of true grace with Worship flowing from those internal springs, was never in the power of man to intermeddle with: but the outward court of Church-Regiment was in the hands of Nations for many generations, and nowhere else. 3. Because the Nations by enjoying this outward court, did tread the holy City under foot. Now woeful experience hath taught the Saints, that that by which Antichrist hath trampled upon the godly, was by sitting in the externality of Ecclesiastical Discipline, in Spiritual Courts and Classes. The four winds above restrained, must be from this rejected Court; the bottomless key, pity and smoke in this unmeasured to Truth.  
In Chap. 12.6, 14. the same externality given to the Nations, and mixed with worldly things, becomes a worldly wilderness into which the woman fled. That this wilderness is the National Babylonish Church, is proved at large by Scripture and the analogy, in Sect. 5. of the first Paragraph.  
In Chap. 13. the Principality or chief of the power ruling here, is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a wilderness-beast, compared with Mark 1.13. answerable to those false christs and false prophets which our Saviour foretold should be in the wilderness, Matth. 24.24. The second Beast is here called a false prophet, inferring the first to be a false christ or Antichrist, as is showed in our answer to him on Matth. 24.  
In Chap. 17. the Church born up by this Beast, is called Mystery Babylon, as being another, and distinct from Zion in her very foundation, who also was seen of John in this wilderness.  
To sum up all, if we consider the Gospel-times aright, as they are portrayed in the Prophecies, we shall find, that in the primitive, there was the smoke of God's glory preceding, Isai. 6.4, 9 compared with John 12.40. Acts 2.2. by which, the visible keys of Church-power were given and sanctified: but after, when the Angel fell, Rev. 9.1, 2, 3. another earthen hellish key with other smoke arising from the pit, darkening and banishing the lightsome glory of the former, as above; and at last a new smoking of the Temple from God's glory, Rev. 15.8. a new opening and entering, implying key and doors; all showing that there was no opening nor entering, but a cessation and shutting of the true visible betwixt these two days. Besides, there is a new open breathing of the four winds of the Spirit, Ezek. 37.9. after the long restraint of the primitive blast, Rev. 7.1. Act. 2.2. Ezek. 1.4. a new pouring of his Spirit, Isai. 32.15. after the former hiding of his power: a new Marriage and Marriage-call, Rev. 19.7, 9 besides the Marriage at the first, Matth. 22. a new lightning, Matth. 24.27. besides the lightning at the primitive, Ezck. 1.4, 13, 14. all teaching a noncontinuance of this glory. Again, there was an invisible day between the bright shining day at the first, Luk. 17.22. and the like glorious day again at the last, vers. 24. an invisible kingdom, as that within, vers. 21. passing between the open kingdom of the primitive, and the manifest kingdom of God at the last, Chap. 21.31. Rev. 19.6. Chap. 11.17. all clearing up this cessation. The visibilities, Lo here and there, were false and delusive.  
The event hath made all this as perspicuous as the sun shines in the open firmament, to those who will not obstinately and of set purpose shut their eyes against it; to wit, That there was an apparent and general Apostasy darkening and swallowing up all the bright Order of the primitive. For that Church (after Constantine had sully subdued the heathen Emperors, and settled all in outward tranquillity, about the year of our Lord 327, as the margin on Socrates hath it, lib. 1. cap. 3.) beginning to conform to and mix herself with National and worldly things, degenerated and daily declined by the four first trumpets, Rev. 8. till at last by the fifth the star totally apostated from heaven to earth, about 390; and then the key of external Rule became purely National, and was only in the jurisdiction of Popes, Patriarches, Bishops, and earthly Hierarchies, who alone usurped all Church-power into their hands. In all our Western Globe, there was no Church-Government visible, but what was Romish, for many ages: and our Antagonist M. Elmestone confesseth, that their Office of the Ministry (the principal pillar of the Church) came directly from Rome no longer ago then Luther's time. Hereupon, that of Protestantism is not termed a Separation, but a Reformation; their Office and Membership coming radically from the Romish Synagogue: which seems to be hinted by the Prophet Jeremiah, Chap. 51.9. We would have healed Babylon, and she was not healed.  
Object. It hath been objected by others, What shall we think of the Greek Church, who never had to do with Rome, nor owned her power?  
Answ. To whom we reply, 1. That the Church of Grecia may be no plea to such who live in the Levant under the Turk; but concerns not in the least our Protestant Churches, who derived not their power from the Greek, but from the Romish Pontificality.  
2. It is not true, that the Greek Church never had to do with Rome. For about the year 390 after Christ, all the Eastern Bishops yielded the Primacy of seat (the proper place of Christ) to the Roman Pope. And afterward, if the Bishop of Rome obtained by Phocas the Emperor the title of Universal, then assuredly the Bishop and Patriarch of Grecia must be subject unto him, and together with the Church be within the limits of his territories.  
Again, the Greek Empire was possessed by the Latins for sixty years together, even from the year 1200 to the year 1260; and than Michael Paleologus recovered their Empire, who about the year 1273 agreed with Pope Gregory the tenth at jyons in France, and promised that both himself and all his people hereafter should yield all Sovereignty to the Latin Pope and Church.  
3. The Greek Church was as well National, and had a terrene Hierarchy, even the very same with Rome; and is so apostated, that she denies the holy Ghost to proceed from the Father and the Son; prays for the dead; believes that the Saints departed enjoy not the presence of God till the Resurrection; admits children of seven years old to the Sacrament, because then (as they conceit) they begin to sin; receives none into Orders, but such as are married; and forbids marriage to those who are actually in Orders; rejects carved Images, but admits the painted; with many the like Fopperies; and in many fandamentals is as gross or grosser than Rome.  
To conclude, Chap. 7, all the four winds of all quarters were restrained; Chap. 11.2, the whole outward court of Discipline, as well East as West, was cast out, as above; and the great City Babylon was not only at Rome, but at Judea, where our Lord was slain, Chap. 11.8; and then certainly Grecia (lying in the midst between) must needs be comprehended within the circumference thereof.  
It hath by some (as the Dippers) been questioned, whether these National Churches be within the Covenant.  
To whom I answer, that though in their Church-order they were Babylon, or confusion, yet are they not wholly excluded from the Covenant, as Heathens, but are termed by the Spirit Israelites, who had a sealed number amongst their tribes, Rev. 7. Here we may see how (though the place or hand failed) the name was everlasting. And it is not safe to detract from the words of this Prophecy, especially seeing the sequel hath cleared, that there was some profession of Christianity, and a godly people amongst them through every age of this hiding of God's power. You may find this further cleared in the following Paragraph.  
The next thing considerable under this first Querie, is touching the true Church in this confusion. 

1. What she was.  
2. What was her condition.  
3. How she was fed.  
4. The just time of this her captivity.    
1. What she was. In Chap. 7, I find that there were one hundred and forty four thousand sealed ones preserved, secured, and provided for: In Chap. 9, that this number only was undestroyed by the Locusts: In Chap. 11, that the Temple measured must be this sealed company, built up a spiritual house by the mystical bond of the Spirit; it having no dimensions specified, and all the externality being excluded, as shall be proved in Paragraph 1. Sect. 4. In Chap. 14.1, that the mount Zion there expressed must be only the mount of true grace footed on the counsel of God, which is called a sure and sealed foundation, 2 Tim. 2.19. For,  
1. All the sealed elect people, even the whole one hundred and forty four thousand stand on this mountain, and that through all the apostated season: which they did not do in any true visible, being mixed amongst the Nations.  
2. Only they, and none else, had their stand thereon: all the rest of the common Israelites were hurt by the withholding of the winds, Chap. 7. by the Locust, Chap. 9.3. and were utterly supplanted by the Beast; Chap 13.8. Matth. 24.24. Hence I deduced this consequence, that the Elect alone must make up this Temple, Zion; and that all other Christians that had but the externality (bring in a false visibility) had not so much as outward measurement, but were wholly the patrimony of the Beast and Whore.  
2. What was her condition here. In Chap. 7, that she was some of every tribe distinguished from the rest only by the seal of true election, 2 Cor. 1.20, 21, 22. In Chap. 11.2, that all her outward court was taken from her, and it being excommunicated, became another, even the possession of the Nations. In Chap. 12.6, 14, that she (who, vers. 1. in the primitive day was in heaven, there clothed with the sun, had the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars, all seen in open type, as being enriched, beautified and completed with full power in her outward visibility;) afterward by this apostasy fled into the wilderness, beneath her former visible orbs, where all about her was dry, barren, and confused earth: the Kingdom of God was during this time within, Luke 17.21. Her place, vers. 6, 14. must be the abovesaid Temple, void of the externality of Order. Also the call for separation inters as much; as Cant. 6.13. Return, return, O Shulamite: also, Isai. 35.10, The ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion: the word ransomed imports their being captive before; and their return, their absence from that Zion they come unto: also, Chap. 51.14, The captive exile hasteth to be delivered from the pit; which implies their former being in: again, Rev. 18.4, come out of her, my people, intimates that they were a company in Babylon before the time of this departure, even in that city which is called Sodom, and Egypt, Chap. 11.8. by which the Spirit would teach us, that as Lot was in outward Sodom, Israel in Egypt, Judah in Babylon; so the Lords people should be in such a visible constitution, as spiritually was Sodom for beastly idolatry, Egypt for bondage, Babylon, as being in a strange land from the native Canaan of a Gospel-Order, where they were strangers under other lords.  
And in which Country there was another earth, sea, rivers and fountains, sun, throne, rive, viz. Euplwates, and air, Chap. 16. They cannot properly be called out to reward her in these, but they must be before within. In Chap. 11.3, 4, The Witnesses (even those who were the chiefest administers of light to the Temple) had their outward clothing, not with the sun as before, but with sackcloth (their external investment into Membership and Office being Antichristian) and their stand before the earthly god of humane Hierarchies (even in the abovesaid wilderness or great city, vers. 8.) where the Beast, those strange earthly lords, have power to do, and trample them under foot with tyranny, vers. 2. Chap. 13.5, making their estate mournful. And in this dark night of their desertion, they were as those asleep, as not altogether sensible of their outward state, till God by his call awaken them out of this drowsy Coma, Cant. 5.2. Matth. 25.5, 6.  
By these Scriptures me may gather, that this mystical Church, or sealed number, was stripped of all the glory of his visible inheritance in Church-order; and outwardly in a false Babylonish station, as in a foreign country, under strange Lords; where she was in a mixed estate; partly hurt, defiled, and through blindness deluded; partly; untouched, undefiled, undeceived: they were endamaged, dimmed and seduced in the externality; but in the radix of the internal grace, could not be subverted, it being sustatined by the immediate hand of heaven.  
3. The next remarkable thing is, How the Church was fed in this desolation.  
In Chap. 7.1, 2. we may deduce, that there was some secret virtue of the Covenant to secure and perpetuate the sealed company: In Chap. 11.1. that, as there were worshippers in the temple, and an altar, so their worship must flow immediately from those internal closerts that were measured, and not at all from the outward court of order which was excluded: in vers. 3. that Christ himself gave power to the witnesses by an immediate gift, when there was none outward of office from man, and by that they fed the woman in her place, Chap. 12.14. In Zech. 4.12. that though there were not seven pipes, a fullness of ordinances, as was in the primitive day, vers. 2. yet there were two remaining to empty out their golden oil, as before: that these must be such ordinances as are promised in the word to continue, which is declared in this cessation above. Hence we may draw two observations.  
First, For the resolving of a grand paradox propounded by the Episcopalists and Presbyterians against the separation, viz. How there can be conversion in a false Church? Here we may take notice, that there was a temple within a woman, Zion, and a feeding by the witnesses, where all the order was Babylonish.  
Secondly, that this more intrinsecal dispensation is weak and sparing; and the Saints under it in a low and almost famished condition, Amos 8.11, 12. Their strength and perfection is then, when this more internal work dilates and spreads its virtue to the superficies: therefore the way and journey of separation is not a retiring in, but an outgoing both of Christ and his people, Isa. 52.12. Revel. 14.4. Mat. 25.6. and is compared by the Lord Jesus to a spring, Mal. 24.32, 33. as diffusing its vital sap more outwardly, and blossoming: that magnificent kingdom of the marriage is likened to a summer, Luk. 21.29, 30, 31.  
The not observing this, nor marking what ordinances were left of God to be merely formal, and what remained with some degree of power, hath occasioned many to run into another extreme; and draw the work of the Spirit so within its self, as might stop all the expirations or out-breaking thereof: and under the notion of highness, bring men into a lower condition then that of the Antichristian stand: that was a narrow and sparing breathing; theirs a stifling and suffocating of the Spirit, as obstructing all its passages by which it should reflow in its workings out.  
4. The last consideration is the time of this great desertion and loss, when it began, how long it abides, and the computation thereof.  
This time cannot begin with the first trumpet, as Master Brightman and others carry it, but must receive its initiation with the fifth deciphered in Chap. 9 For,  
1. It cannot be with any clearness of sense begin, till the woman had taken her full flight into the wilderness, chap. 12.6. In the former trumpets two parts in three of the visibility remained true; and the star in fifth was in heaven till he fell to the earth; and by that apostasy all the externality of church-policy became an earthy bottomless and Babylonish wilderness. Now the woman could not be in the wilderness, while her officers were in heaven; but they must both fall together.  
2. This mournful season emphatically styled by our Saviour the time of tribulation, Mark 13.24. must initiate with the first of those three grand woes, sounded by the Angel flying in the midst of heaven; and that began with the fifth trumpt, Chap. 8.13. The former four were gradual preparations, the fifth the full accomplishment of that great defection.  

The beginning of this time.  The same (as I conceive) took its exordium about the year 390 after Christ: at the time the Bishop of Rome, by the general consent of the Asian, African and Europian Bishops, obtained the priority and Bishopric of the first seat, which is the sole interest and proper centre of Jesus Christ: And where this universal primacy was granted to a bare creature, Christ would not give his glory to another, but wholly departed, and left it empty, whereby it became merely humane and bestial.  

The Duration thereof  The duration of this time, is declared in the Revelations to be 1260 days or forty two months, which taken according to the Egyptian and Jewish account thirty days to a month, make up exactly the former number of days; the like doth time, times, and an half, Chap. 15.3. the beast had power given him to make war or prevail (for so is the original) forty two months; also Chap. 11.2. the nations so long trod the holy City under foot: likewise vers. 3. the witnesses prophesied clothed in sackcloth the same space of time: Chap. 12.6, all this time the woman was in the wilderness, which in vers. 14. is described to be time, times, and half a time, answerable to the former account; which raken prophetically a day for a year (as this book is delivered in the highest majesty of a prophecy) constitute 1260 years. 
The computation. 0390 1260 nbsp; 1650.  Now to reckon up the period of this season, if we add to 1260, the foregoing time of 390, we may find the expiration thereof to be about 1650. Many arguments may be produced to prove these days to be prophetically a day for a year; but it hath been done by others; and most that are judicious, by pondering the height and order of this prophecy, with the event successively answering, will, proprio nisu, of their own voluntary consent agree with me and them in this particular. What remarkable turn and alterations of affairs there were about 1650 in all our dominions, even in these ends of the earth, with the subsequent success, is showed in Parag. 4.  
2. The second material passage to be expostulated is, what is the dispensation now approved of God in this next revolution after the former season of adversity, 
Quaere 2.  whether by new erecting of visible Churches, or by separation without stating, waiting till the Lord begin it; or thus, whether the time for the return of visible marriage be now or hereafter.  
For the resolving of this Gorgian knot, 
See Parag. 4.  we may propose to ourselves a twofold rule. First, Whether there be a call to foot any Church-constitution in our time, or in a time to come. Secondly, what is the next immediate cause to give vital being to the same.  
1. For the first, we observed, by searching the Scriptures, that every thing belonging to Church-order, either at its first rise, or after a general, long and total loss, was grounded on the written word of God, and manifested by the spirit of Prophecy: Surely the Lord will do nothing in this, but he reveals his secrets to his servants the Prophets, Amos 3.7. that the book of the Revelations, compiling in a certain method the several changes and administrations time after time, must as well inform us when this manifest kingdom reverts, as it doth teach us when and how the primitive was dissolved and became Babylon: and upon strict inquiry, we could not espy the least hint, either by type or vocal expression, for any approved visible Church-marriage in the age we live in; but that the Revelations together with the old Prophets, agree with one accord, that the time for this noble work is to be fulfilled in an after-age.  
The signs to know this magnificent fabric to be to come, are these.  
1. The destruction of the Antichristian enemies and removing obstacles out of the way, as Hos. 2.18. The Lord will make a covenant for them with the creatures, and will break the low, sword and battle ou● of the earth, and make them to lie down in safety; and then verse 19, 20, I will marry thee to me for ever: also Mat. 13.30, 43, the tares are first cut down, before the wheat is gathered into the barn: so Revel. 11.18, 19 Chap. 15.8, there is no visible temple in heaven opened, till the were destroyed who destroyed the earth, even till the destruction of the great City mentioned Chap. 16.19. and Chap. 18. likewise Chap. 19.7, 8, 9 there is no marriage specified, till the Hallelujahs be sung for the final ruin of Babylon, and the glorious reign of God Almighty: and then, (Zech. 14.9.) when the Lord only is king in all the earth, the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife prepared for her husband: then she hath a new grant of his beautiful wedding-garments, whereby she shall be outwardly 
Isa, 611, 10  covered with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with his ornaments, and a bride adorns herself with her jewels: then is there a new call to the Marriage-supper of the Lamb.  
Thus we may note, that this illustrious prophecy given by Christ to show to his servants future events, leads us as by a hand-dyal to the time when the primitive was cast out, and to the very season when it returns in its own supernatural lustre.  
2. The next sign is the call of the Jews and those Eastern parts; as Psal. 50.1, The Lord hath called the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof; and than God will shine out of Zion the perfection of beauty, vers. 2. So Matth. 24.27, 28, when there is a true manifest gathering to the dead carcase Christ, noting a stating work, than he will manifest his shining dispensation from east to west like lightning: and thus Rom. 11.12, 15, speaking of the Jews, concludes, What shall their receiving be but life from the dead?  
3. The last sign is the visible effusion of the Spirit; which being more properly a cause then a sign, I shall refer the proof thereof to the Rule next ensuing. The final subversion of-Antichrist, the call of the Jews and the eastern parts, and the open pouring of the Spirit, are all as yet unaccomplished.  
2. The next rule of Trial is, what gives life and present existence to a visible Gospel-constitution and the keys thereof. Under this notion we examined the common received Maxim of all the lesser independent bodies, which is this, That in times of Apostasy (as this of Antichristianism is) the keys of visible Church-constitution, or Marriage-Ordinances, resolve themselves radically into believers, or into the power of the people, who may at any time take them up, erect and model visible Churches, open and shut the doors thereof to others. This we reduced to the touchstone of the primitive, and found that they prayed, preached, baptised, and at last broke bread while they were bare disciples, and only Covenant-members: but in respect of Church constitution, they were commanded to tarry and wait at Jerusalem, till the promise of the Father (to wit, the keys of the Kingdom) was given, whereby the Kingdom of God came with power, Acts 1.4, 8. Luke 24.49. This was a manifest transfusion of the Spirit, that did not only increase the glory of the former, but also stated and invested them with new Membership and Office, and inspired the stative Ordinances of Ordination, Confirmation, Church-censures, with a new created efficacy, whereby they received in, and shut out of that new-married Church. The image of this is set forth in Acts 2. It is called a pouring out of the Spirit, in regard of the abundant measure thereof visibly manifested, vers. 17; also a mighty rushing wind filling the house, with cloven tongues of fire, vers. 2, 3, as causing that breath of life and spiritual heat which operated in that apparent Kingdom: Isaiah compares it to smoke filling the house, as presenting the glory of Christ in his powerful administration, Chap. 6.3, 4. In Ezek. 1.4, 5, the four Beasts or live with each of them four faces (which must typify the Apostles, Prophets, and Evangelists, who had all gists and tongues, by which they were distinguished from the four Beasts Rev. 4.6, 7, who had each of them but one face) came out of the midst of that wind, cloud, and fire: also in Ephes. 4.8, 11, the Spirit tells us, that all the several degrees of the Ministerial Office, to wit, together with the former three Pastors and Teachers, were engendered originally by that virtual efflux of the Spirit sent down from heaven. Indeed the twelve were set apart for their Office by Christ while he was on earth, and in that sense named Apostles (as Joseph is called the husband of Mary, and she his wife while they were no more then espoused, Matth. 1.18, 19, 20. and a man may be termed an heir, when he is only designed for the inheritance) but their real investment was not till after. For Ezekiel in the place before quoted shows, that the four-faced beasts proceeded out of the wind, cloud and fire expressed, Acts 2; and in Eph. 4, Christ first ascended, then gave gifts; the gift sent down was the Office, Some Apostles, etc. They had not till then that differential eminency of gift which gave being to, and distinguished their Office from the rest, nor of extraordinary Prophets or Evangelists, nor of ordinary Pastors and Teachers; no, nor yet of the same which private members had after the Spirit was emitted. They were before unfurnished with the gift of Tongues, Act. 2.2, looked on Christ as an earthly king over a temporal kingdom, Luke 19.11. Matth. 20.21; were ignorant of the death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ, the common and main principles of Christianity, Matth. 16.22. Mark 16.11, 13. Luke 24.11, 21, 25. were not able to bear many things, which after were easy to every believer, Job. 16.12. Chap. 14.26. 1 Cor. 15.1.2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. And this M. Robinson and others, the solidest men of the Separation, have maintained against the Presbyters and Bishops.  
Again, their first designation came not from man, but only from their Master; which makes least for those who here will plead against us. Besides, the disciples were not called a Church, nor did any lay on hands for Membership or Office, nor use any Church-censures, till they received power from on high. Hence we may safely conclude, that Gospel-stating at the first beginning, came not from believers as believers, but from the powerful dispensation of christ Jesus; and that when if sunk and the same open winds before animating were withheld, it must return to him the fountain whence at first it flowed: for every thing resolus into its principle.  
But leaving the primitive, we may search the Scriptures treating of this last marriage to come, and we shall find the same pouring of the Spirit, that was in that first Gospel-day, 
* Rev. 11.2 Chap. 19.7.  Isa. 32.13, 14, 15. the joyous City shall lie desolate, until the Spirit be poured out from on High, whereby the Wilderness shall be a fruitful field, and the fruitful field counted for a Forest: also Zech. 17.10, I will pour upon the house of David, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace, etc. Which must be on Jews and Gentiles; for the mourners here poured on, are interpreted by our Saviour to be all the tribes of the earth, who by their sins and jedol-worship have pierced Christ, Matth. 24.30. likewise, Ezek. 37.9, th-same open winds (before bound up, Rev. 7.1.) shall be then loosed in their manifest blast. So, Luk. 17.24. and Psal. 97.4, there will be the like fiery flashing lightning to illuminate the world, which the earth shall see, to wit, visibly, and tremble: also Psal. 102.16, When the Lord shall build up Zion, he will appear in glory; and Isai. 60.2, His glory shall be seen upon thee; both which places show, that his most excellent dispensation shall be visible. Hence we may gather, that as this by the apostasy resolved into Christ; so it must again issue forth from him, before it can have its true existence. For this glorious effusion of the Spirit in the first beginning of Church-constitution, is the foundation of the keys thereto pertaining; it gives them their vital being, their proper difference, and by its manifold work, causeth those various operations which proceed from and by them. Thus in the primitive marriage, they received power from on high, whereby the Lord was to them for a crown of glory, and a diadem of beauty, Isa. 28.5. by virtue whereof, they had the high keys of the Kingdom: So in this last, the Lord will first marry them to himself, to wit, pour out his Spirit upon them, whereby they shall be as a crown of glory, and a royal diadem in his hand, Hos. 2.19. Isa. 63.2; and then vers. 5, they as sons of the Church shall marry in others: the first is done by God immediately, wherein man is merely passive; the second by man, as instrumental, working by the power of his preceding. Into the first work of marriage acted simply by Gods own finger, none save the Elect enter: and not all the Elect; but only such elect ones who believe and wait for the same promise of pouring the Spirit: for such choice singled one's were the hundred and twenty in the primitive; though by the second done by the hand of the Church, hypocrites did then intrude: So in this last matrimony, 
Isa. 60.21. Rev. 21.27  none but the virgins who expect and prepare for this later coming of the Bridegroom by the pouring glory of his Spirit, shall go in with him to the Marriage; and not all they, but properly the wise virgins shall be thus immediately invested from heaven, 
* See Parag. 4.  Matth. 25.10: what may be afterwards by the sons of the Church, we leave to the times to manifest.  
If you will bring all our new-stated Churches to this touchstone, you may find them to be of a different metal from the true; and however so near the primitive they seem to be in the outward shell, yet in reality to be grounded upon another foundation, to wit, upon believers not possessed with such a power visibly sent down from heaven. Now that faith, or the profession thereof, without such a divine call and spiriting, cannot be a groundwork for stating Churches, I shall further prove by these following Arguments.  
1. Faith must foot on a call, as done in obedience to the heavenly voice: but now there is no call for visible Church-marriage, as is declared in our first Rule: and no call, no faith; nay it wanting that, must bottom upon our own call, name and time; which is presumptuous disobedience.  
2. God having promised to spirit this again, faith must rely upon the same promise till fulfilled, and not upon its own power: the hundred and twenty were believers, and yet begun not any constitution by virtue of that, but waited till the keys were given.  
3. Profession alone can no more give life unto Ordinances from which the glory of God is departed, than it can infuse a living soul into a dead carcase. It is God's sole prerogative to create their breath of life, which he will do in his own season, according to what he hath promised. Faith and profession are but effects: and to attribute such a causal virtue to them, is to confound and turn the causes upside down, and to set the creature in the place of his Creator.  
4. This pretended saith, void of the call and promise of God, and the vital influence of its prime original cause, is but a mere work, a bare creature-foundation, by far too weak to lay a Gospel-fabrick upon; and being but humane, must in divine things be bottomless: and whether the smoke or dispensation arising thence, be not then that of the bottomless pit, we leave it to wise men seriously to consider. We are sure that this is the proper distinguishing character, to difference the true from the false. The true gins with the smoke or wind, God's glory inspiring, the follow the keys, opening and entering; and by that it becomes a spiritual building: the false gins with the key, the smoke ensueth, and thence is it a building made with hands grounded on tradition, Rev. 9.1, 2. The true is as smoak descending from heaven; the false as smoke ascending from an humane bottom.  
I shall now speak a little to you of the Separation, who are modelled into the form of stated Churches. I know there are many precious Saints amongst you, in whom the character of Jesus Christ is printed: and confess that some of you have been instruments to bring to light some solid Truths, and prepared way for greater. You hold a Separation from all National Hierarchies, according to the Scriptures; have in part cleared that the Beast reacheth further than the Papal Chair of Rome; have renounced prelacies and precedencies; have vindicated the consciences of the godly from the Laws and Canons of Courts and Classes; maintain the Gospel to come in the liberty and power of the Spirit; have rightly pleaded that members of true Gospel-Churches must at least have a visible Saintship; have to this day been real and cordial in that noble Cause beginning in our ends of the earth. For these good things found amongst you, I protest in the presence of the great Tribunal, I am obliged by the bond of entire affection, and desire your spiritual welfare, as my own salvation. Yet I must not, dare not flatter or dissemble in matters divine; but because I love, I am compelled to deal plainly and faithfully; resting confident, that those who are truly pious, will desire to see their combustible works burn by the fiery trial of the Vials. What I shall expostulate with you, I have already convinced in myself.  
Consider seriously, whether consultations be not weak grounds to bottom Gospel-Churches; or whether the primitive (the pattern you labour to model by) was ever laid upon such sandy foundations, or whether these your actings do not contradict many of your own tenants before named. Did the Kingdom of God in that first day come by observations, or by the descending majesty of the Spirit? Or will Christ (think you) be less glorious in this later Reformation, then in the former? View (I beseech you) the Scriptures treating of the dignity of this later marriage. Or if you cannot search primarily into the cause, look into the effects that follow these your undertake. For knowledge in the ordinary way comes to us secundum posterius; so that by those signs or symptoms which break out in manifestation, we are directed to look into the fountains whence they issue forth. Why was there so great efficacy in the outward order of the primitive Government, but because it proceeded originally from the manifest blast of the Spirit? Why is there so little in your externalities, if not because arising from weak humane principles? You that are most discerning, do you not see too much of formality, too little of power? Nay, why was that one and the same in every particular, drawing the flock of Christ into a general unity, unless because it footed in the Spirit, which by its illuminating glory, virtual operation, and persuasive attraction, congregated the whole body of Zions sons unto it? Why are yours manifold, disagreeing, and occasions of dividing the Saints, but because basin on obscure carnal apprehensions? Experience informs us, that your various constitutions have rend the Lords people in pieces, and are as so many walls to keep them asunder: and that which divides is carnal. Tell us, To which of you shall we join, to come to the general Assembly? Yea, to what form shall we come, and not in the very act of sitting down sequester ourselves from the major part of the godly? By a narrow search, you may find your union to ground in division, your gathering in scattering. View Ezek. 34.5, 6, and compare them to your divisions. Peter, James, and John, chosen vessels, were like in their minority to fall into the same relapse, Matth. 17.4, Master, if thou wilt, let us build tabernacles: but alas, they knew not what they said, understood not that Gospel-tabernacles were not to be made with hands, but by the powerful dispensation of the Spirit. Much like to this do you: Let us build temples, let us erect Gospel-Churches. Well, if you must needs be doing the proper work of your Master, observe what censure he gives of such designs; Matth. 24.23, 24, 26. juke 17.20, 21, 22, 23. Mark rightly the secret chambers, their grounds, their signs, their forms, their artificial structure, narrowness, secrecy, multiplicity, their walls by which they are parted from the wilderness, and one from another, and yet their conjunction in the whole, and tell me whom you can apply them. But alas, you are herein asleep, and know not what you do, or speak, or write; are ignorant how the Marriage must again descend from heaven. The Lord awaken you, that you may go forth from these narrow rooms in the unity of the Spirit, and the bond of peace, to meet the Bridegroom. Let not an overweening affection to your own models, be any impediments: for Christ will cashier all buildings of man, and break down the partition-walls by the light of his discoveries. It will therefore be your wisdoms to deny yourselves in your several respective interesles, and count them as loss and dung in comparison of the rising dispensation of the Lord Jesus: especially considering that humility in self-denial is the highway to honour in the School of Christ.  
And thus leaving you to the power and guidance of him that calls effectually, I shall now come to M. Elmestone's book, and to remove those Objections framed by him against what hath been and hereafter will be delivered.  
In the prosecution of this task, I shall not directly follow him, but rather (for their Readers benefit, reducing what is immethodical into its proper place of order) think fit to divide the whole Controversy into several members of heads, which I call Paragraphs, and to distinguish the subdivisions of those generals by Sections.  
The first Paragraph answers to this Cessation.  
The second Paragraph toucheth the book of the Revelation.  
The third Paragraph shows wherein the foundation of the Beast described in Rev. 13. consisteth.  
The fourth Paragraph dictates the true way and walk now, to be Separation without stating.  
The Postscript is in the last place, as well as his.  

Paragraph I.  
IN this place we laid down a distinction of Ordinances; that the first sort (as Ministry, Prayer, Baptism, the Lords Supper, Profession, etc. specified above in the Cessation) footed more immediately on our spiritual union and the Covenant of Grace: that the second sort (as Confirmation, Ordination, Excommunication, Admission, Absolution, etc.) are based on Church-constitution, and are essential to Officials (or a Church stated with Officers:) The first sort of these remained successively, the second not.  
This note of ours was but a hasty and overly work, as desiring in some sort to answer your request for the present; but intended and offered a fuller explanation of ourselves by word of mouth; or else, I should have given you a more exact and better digested account: however, we shall resolve those many things you retort against it. The first whereof, touching a gifted Ministry, we shall reply to in Sect. 2.  
Object. Against this you first oppose, That to believe in Christ, profess him, and private prayer, are Duties, not Ordinances: and that Ordinances are solemn and public means, which Christ hath appointed to communicate his grace unto us, and to perform solemn service unto him, as public preaching, administering the Sacraments, public prayer, etc.  
Answ. I. The word Ordinance may be taken, either 1. more largely, for whatever God hath ordained; as the ordinances of the heavens, meat drink, etc. and as limited to divine things, for what he hath therein appointed and decreed; and thus ordain and ordinance may be conjugates: or else 2. it is used more strictly, for Ministry, Prayer, etc. In the later fence Faith and Profession are not Ordinances; in the former, they are: for, Act. 13.48, As many as were ordained to eternal life, believed: where faith being grounded on God's Ordination, must be his Ordinance.  
2. We conceive private prayer to be an Ordinance in the strict acceptation of the word, as well as public; it being that whereby we perform solemn service unto God, and a means by which he communicates himself unto us.  
Object. 2. But, say you, It is a Duty, not an Ordinance.  
Answ. To which we reply, that as it is a service God requires us to perform unto him, so is it our duty, we being bound to yield him homage and obedience: and thus public prayer, and the rest acknowledged by you, are duties, as well as private prayer: but as it is an organical instrument inspired from above, and a means for our good, so is it an Ordinance.  
Object. 3. You except against the word essential, and aver that Ordinances cannot be essential to Officials: for nothing can be essential but the matter and form: the matter of an Officer is gifts, the form an orderly placing him into Office by such as have sour to do it.  
Answ. 1. It is not true that nothing may be termed essential, but the matter and form: for there are some properties flowing from the nature of these internal causes, that are inseparably annexed to their fountains, without which the causes themselves cannot subsist: and the same, though they are not the essence, yet may be, and are in terms of Art called essential.  
2. By Officials we mean a visible constituted Church completed with Officers: and such a Church hath in it essentially the visible Keys of Church-power and discipline; which your own words assert, in affirming, that the form of an Officer is his orderly placing him into Office by such who have power to do it.  
3. Not only the matter, but the whole being of the Office lieth in gifts: the matter is a generical and more common, the form a differential propriety of gift, to give being to, and distinguish the Office: and this proper gift may be administered either from Christ immediately in the first stating of Churches, as Eph. 4.8, where the gift sent down was the Office; or else mediately in a Church stated by the hand as an instrument, 2 Tim. 1.6. & 1 Tim. 4.14.  
Object. Nothing can subsist wanting its essentials: but a Pastor or Teacher may be l●tted by sickness or otherwise, that he cannot preach, etc. for many weeks together.  
Answ. 1. Preaching and administering the Sacraments are not of the later, but the former sort of Ordinance, the exercise whereof is not proper to an Officer.  
2. You here confound the faculty with the action: the action may cease, and yet the faculty be essential and inseparable. A man cannot subsist without the faculty of Laughter; yet when the action faileth, he ceaseth not to be a man. So in Sleep the Senses are bound up from their exercise, yet their habit remains entire. A Constable in the Commonwealth is a true Officer, when employed in his private affairs, and not doing the work of his Office: but without the power proper thereunto, he cannot be a Constable. So Official Pastors or Teachers lay not down their Office when they are off from their Ecclesiastical ministration; but without the potential faculty thereof, they cannot be Officers.  
Object. 4. You except further, that Ordinances are not grounded on our spiritual union.  
Answ. All true Ordinances are based on the union of the Spirit, which is their breath of life, and represents them unto us, as the lively appearance of Jesus Christ. And this may be called ours, it being part of our inheritance: when the same Spirit is severed and departed from them, they remain as empty rudiments.  
Object. But many partake of the Ordinances, that have not, nor ever shall have union with Christ.  
Answ. Those who do truly partake of the Ordinances, must in the participation thereof have union with the Spirit of grace; because the same Spirit that is in the Ordinances, is in the Saints: But to such as have in no kind the workings of that Spirit, the Ordinances are both dead and empty, or rather a savour of death; not that they are so in themselves, but by accident, because of their spiritual blindness and unbelief. There may be a clear and bright light in the air, yet for want of light in the eye, a blind man cannot see, nor enjoy the comfort thereof. Thus the ministry of Christ's Gospel was a light shining in darkness, but the darkness comprehended it not, Joh. 1.5. the Gospel was not void of light, nor the Ordinances, being as pipes to the Lamps in the dispensation of their lustre; but the men wanted spiritual eyes to behold and embrace its beauty.  
Object. But the foundation of Ordinances is the institution of Christ.  
Answ. We deny not the institution of Christ to be the foundation of Ordinances; but withal affirm, that the next immediate principle, is the Spirit of grace proceeding from Jesus Christ, which by its union gives them their life and soul. There may be an institution before the Ordinance hath its proper existence: sometimes the command (as made known to us by Scripture-record) may be a ratification of that which was in being and practise before, as we can instance in both. However, if the institution be perpetuated in the Word, than it continues, and the Spirit joins constantly with it when existing: if not, then may the Spirit leave it, sometimes always, sometimes for a certain time determined.  
Object. The later are grounded on the Covenant of grace, and so are the former; if by founded, you mean they are effects, etc.  
Answ. 1. If they be effects, they must depend upon their cause as their base and principle: 
Every cause is a principle.  for, Omnis causa est principium.  
2. We deny not that the later are branches of this Covenant: but the former have a more near relation and connexion therewith then the later: for the former were used while Christ was on the earth, before the keys of the later were given: also the elect in mystical Babylon were Israelites, as those within the Covenant, Rev. 7.3, 4. and (having their election sealed up) had some breathing and nourishment by the former of these Ordinances: but the visible Order in which they stood, is by the Spirit termed a wilderness and Babylon; and the later Ordinances, coming from the false key of that Church, were bottomless and bestial. In the like manner Israel in Egypt had ministry, the Passeover, etc. before the Legal Marriage was contracted: likewise the ten apostated Tribes had Circumcision, where the visible stated Church was idolatrous. Thus the former being before and without the later, have a more immediate compliance with the Covenant; and the later with visible orderly Church-constitution joined thereto: the one declares a Covenant member; the other, together with it, a visible Church-constituted member.  
To your sixth Objection, from Rev. 7.1, I shall hereafter answer in its proper place, in Sect. 2.  
Now we come to examine and remove your Objections brought against the Cessation; which we will divide into five Sections.  

Section 1.  
Our first was, that Ministry, Prayer, the Sacraments, Faith, with Profession, had the promise of the Word to uphold their successive abiding. But the later, as Ordination, Confirmation, Church-censures, etc. wanted the said promise, and so lie void and desolate for a time, as is proved in the Cessation.  
I shall return to your two first Objections in the third Section next following.  
Object. 3. In the third, to prove the later sort to endure successively as well as the former, you bring Eph. 4.11, 12, 13. and 1 Tim. 6.13, 14.  
Answ. 1. To that of Eph. 4, we assent that all the Officers there exhibited, were gifts sent down from Christ, after his ascension to his Father, vers. 8.11; as also, that they were differentially distinguished each from other, both in the Office, its administration, and operation, vers. 7. and that all these together exceedingly furthered the work of the Ministry, and tended wonderfully to the edifying of the body of Christ, and the completing of the growth and stature of the Saints: But yet we maintain, that this dispensation of Office continued not to the end of the world (as you would insinuate:) for it reached no further than the Primitive Apostolical times. For proof whereof, we shall render these Arguments  
1. Because all the Apostles were dead at the end of the first, or beginning of the second Century; and in little time after, Evangelists and Prophets. You may from this place as well argue the constant abiding of Apostles, Prophets, and Evangelists, as of Pastors and Teachers; seeing the Spirit here speaks of a complete and full dispensation of Official Ministry, consisting of all these together, to bring this noble work to its perfection.  
2. The whole primitive key of Office was lost in the Romish defection, and returns not again till Babylon is destroyed. See the Cessation.  
3. If Office had lineally descended from the primitive, then must Rome's Officers and her officiating be good and true; and so she a true visible Church in the deepest of her Apostasy, whom the Scripture, declares to be Babylon, and cast out from true measurement, Rev. 11.2. Chap. 17.  
4. If your sense be right, then apostated Rome must be a continued increasing growing Church, higher than it was when Paul wrote this Epistle, or the highest degree of the Apostolical Church. For the word until notes a continued act, and all the tenor of the verses declares an increasing growing state; whereas Rome was not a rising, but a falling away, 2 Thest. 23.4.  
5. Because Christ in the time of this backsliding, promiseth a new gift, that implies the failing of the former, Rev. 11.3.  
6. The union of faith here specified as the period of this time, cannot be applied to the resurrection: for than we walk by sense, not by faith, and enjoy the thing now only beleft.  
Therefore, Sir, (to give you the true sense of this Text in respect of time) we conceive that this word until extends no further, than the end of the first, or beginning of the second Century. For then when the book of the Revelations was given, the whole Scriptures were completed, and so the work of the Ministry made perfect: then was the highest rise, fullness, and unity of faith: then was the scruple of Circumcision in greatest part, if not wholly removed, the Temple being destroyed, which in Paul's time was the greatest cause of rents: then was the primitive Church in her highest stature, being as the sun in its full Meridian: then were all things here spoken of, fulfilled: then, and but till then, was a growing rising time; and after that, was a gradual declining: from that time, Heresies and Errors, the renters of union, crowded in apace, Euseb. lib. 3. chap. 29. In little time after, the three highest spheres of the Ministerial Office were wholly resolved and expired; and that remaining of Pastors and Teachers, grew in every succession more corrupt; and so increased in pride and usurpation, till at length the Angel totally apostated from heaven to earth, lost the true key of Office, and, instead thereof, had the key of the bottomless pit, which brought a gloomy night on all.  
Object. 2. Your second Scripture is 1 Tim. 6.13, 14, where (say you) is a straight charge laid upon Timothy to keep that course of discipline prescribed to him in that Epistle.  
Answ. This solemn command of the Apostle doth not comprehend the whole Epistle, but only that immediately going before; which is, to fight the good fight of faith, in following after righteousness, godliness, love, patience, meekness, and avoiding covetousness, thereby to obtain eternal life: and this is doctrinal, and to be observed till the last coming of Christ. Now that it is thus, is clear from the text; for the Spirit faith not, Th●s., but [this] as pointing at that immediately preceding; nor commandments in the plural (as respecting all the several precepts of the whole book) but commandment in the singular number, as respecting one. The Apostle in this Epistle gives other charges by the particle [these] in the plural number, as Chap. 4.11, [These] things charge and command; and Chap. 5.21, having before given rules about discipline, enjoins him to do [these] things without partiality, and lay on hands suddenly on no man. The phrase of abiding is not at all annexed to these former charges (they containing many things that failed) but only to this later singled out by itself; which (it well reviewed) will further clear up our assertion, and by a direct diameter contradict the sense which you would force it to.  
To your fourth Objection, from Matth. 28.19, 20, we shall reply to in the conclusion of this Paragraph.   

Section 2.  
Our second is, that Ministry, Prayer, etc. being perpetuated in the Word, have always the life and power of the same Word in some measure accompanying them, whereby to preserve their vital being, Rev. 11.1.3. But the later (wanting the same Word to uphold their abiding) had the wind of the Spirit withheld from them, whereby they became as a carcase without a soul, Rev. 7.1.  
We are to observe, that the outward matter of Ordinances are in themselves, either barren empty elements, or at most, external formalities; a mere carcase, or void cask: 'tis the Name and power of Jesus Christ, and the Spirit sent from him, that is their internal and essential form: when the same Spirit of life deserts them, they then remain as a dead body is, when the soul is severed from it; or as an empty cabinet out of which the Jewel is taken. Now the former of these (answerable to the Prophecies) are experimentally found to have some degree of their vital faculty subsisting. There is the same light, power, and virtue, in Ministry, Prayer, and Praising, that was in the primitive age, though not in the same degree: likewise for Baptism (the badge of the Covenant) there was some secret virtue in the Covenant, to beget and preserve a sealed company amongst the Israelites, which there was not amongst Turks and Heathens, quat●nus sic: also the Communion received upon the ground of our spiritual union with all the godly, may confer some influence of comfort and refreshing flowing from the death of Christ. For as there was a mystical relation of the scattered Saints, which knit them to Christ the head and one to another by a spiritual bond; so was there a mystical communion and feeding together, with respect to the same inseparable union.  
But for the later, that are proper to a Church stated and invested with full power (though in the first Gospel-day they held forth the glory and face of Jesus Christ) yet afterwards, when the external Government was taken from Christ's shoulders, and placed upon Antichrist (as it was generally in the hands of Popes, Patriarches, and Archbishops throughout the world, according to what was prophesied that it should be given to the nations, Rev. 11.2.) then was the wind of the Spirit withheld from breathing in them; then was the glory of God departed from them; since which time, they have been but as an empty shell, out of which the kernel of their ancient truth was taken: since then, the lively efficacy and power of Christ is not found to accompany them, wherever used.  
Consider them as they are in the Romish Church, who alone in all our Horizon can claim a succession from the primitive, and where (because your Office is derived from thence) you are inevitably driven to hold their true being to remain. What tender hearted Protestant (who holds the Pope to be Antichrist) can cordially embrace, that his Holiness or his Clergy, by laying on of hands, can confer a true spiritual gift? or that Christ accompanies their hand with so much glory, as to make it the prime key on earth to beget the truth of Membership and Office? Who would not blush to imagine, that the Pope's Excommunications or Bulls deliver over to Satan; and, by consequence, that the Church of Rome (●nto which by these keys and doors they are entered, and out of which they are shut) is such a Church as may be named a kingdom of heaven? or that what she binds on earth, is bound in heaven; or that what she loses on earth, is loosed in heaven? or that she can forgive and retain sins? All which powers she must have, if the really possess the keys of the Kingdom. For these can no more be severed from the keys, while abiding true, than the soul from the body while a living organ. But if Rome be fundamentally a false Church (as she is held to be by the Protestant party) and stripped naked of that primitive excellency in her external government; then what may be thought of you who deduce your interest from her by descent? Experience hath taught the Saints, that there was as little efficacy of the true Spirit, if not as much of that Antichristian spirit of Cruelty, Partiality, Covetousness, Enmity against the power of godliness, in the Bishop's Courts, as was before in Rome. And what the Presbytery hath been in Scotland, where they had the full and  command, we leave to such to determine, who have felt the rod. If it be true, that Effectus sequitur virtutem causae, The effect follows the virtue of its cause; then surely no good fruit is like to spring from an Antichristian root. The lifelesness, formality, contentions, divisions, etc. that are in and caused by our new-built models, are too well known in England: and how they ground upon an humane bottom, is to be seen in the second Querie of the Cessation.  
Object. Against this you query, What means then hath been left, for which the Lord would make due provision for his people? from whence then came the conversion of the one hundred and forty four thousand living under the Apostasy, and of multitudes in these later times? were they aborigines, a people springing out of the earth, or let down from heaven?  
Answ. 1. You cannot (I hope) think that the conversion or edification of any soul under the Romish defection, came from the Ordination, Confirmation, Admission, Absolution, etc. of the Pope, or any of his Hierarchy: nor hath the least good, but rather hurt, come from these as exercised by the Bishops or you; for they have been utterly empty of any true spiritual breathe, as before is cleared.  
2. God's ways of conversion are various; his Spirit worketh when, where, and how it pleaseth: sometimes he calleth from the womb, Isai. 49.1. Jer. 1.5. Luke 1.15. Rom. 9.11. sometimes by the godly conversation of the Saints, by their holy walk and seasonable admonition, Josh. 2.1. Ruth 1.16, 17. and 1 Pet. 3.1. Thus godly men in our times, going into places where the Ministry hath been blind and formal, were instruments to work on and enlighten others; and by this means many have been spiritualised in the Antichristian times. Sometimes the Lord may sanctify great outward afflictions, and the sense of heinous sins, as he did to Manasseh, 2 Chron. 33.12, 13. Sometimes by the sight of a strange and fearful accident striking a terror on the man; as Waldus, the first founder of the Waldenses, was, by seeing a man fall down dead before him; also a kinsman of mine was first wrought upon by seeing a Fire-drake fall down beside him. Sometimes by a divine light or vision; as Paul, Act. 9.3. also, another precious Saint in our age, by his own acknowledgement to me and others. Sometimes by reading of the Scriptures, 2 Tim. 3.15. which many very godly men in our days have affirmed to be the means God hath used to turn them to himself. Sometimes by a powerful officiated Ministry, as in the Primitive times. Sometimes by a gifted Ministry, as shall be in the next place manifested; and this gifted Ministry, together with the rest of the first sort of Ordinances, as Prayer, etc. were the ordinary means to feed the woman in the wilderness.  
The variety of God's ways in this noble work of Conversion, is beyond the apprehension of any creature: and you much forget yourself, in tying it up only to an Antichristian Office. By what means the one hundred and forty four thousand, and the standers at the glassy sea, were spiritually begotten and brought forth, we leave it to the Lord: sure we are, they were not oborigines; their birth came not from the earth, nor from the earthly key of your Officials, but from a grace descending from heaven.  
Object. 1. Against th●s gifted Ministry is affirmed, That it is only said, not proved; and may be as castly denied as affirmed.  
Answ. There was such a Ministry in the Primitive times, as is evident, Act. 8.4. Chap. 11.19, 20.1 Cor. 14.31. and 1 Pet. 4.10, 11; though then the chiefest glory thereof was administered by way of Office: but in the Antichristian season, the true Ministry was managed by a gift subordinate to, and beneath that of a true Office: for,  
1. There was no Office in all the West, but what was Romish, for many hundred years after the first fall: and that it is there false and Antichristian, shall be declared in the next Section.  
2. When all Office came from Antichrist and his false key, than Christ himself (to provide food for his Elect) gave power to his two Witnesses, not from the hand of a Popish Ordination, but from his own immediate gift, Rev. 11.3, I will give to my two Witnesses, and they shall prophesy: their prophecy came from the immediate gift of Christ. This gift beginning at that time when the four open winds were held from their blast, and the false key was given must be a gift inferior to the former Office, and come not from any mediate power on earth, but simply from heaven.  
3. Experience hath taught us in our generation, that there is not the least degree of virtue in Ordination, that adds one scruple to the gift of the Ministry, or tends to the furtherance of salvation; but rather that the Spirit hath breathed forth with with greatest efficacy, in such men, who either had no Office at all, witness Dudley Venner of Cranebrook, M. George Frogmorton when he preached at Benn●nden, with multitudes now in England, the truth of whose Ministry is sealed by the conversion of thousands; or else by such Non-conformists Ministers, who in the closerts of their breast renounced, or at least disliked their Office and subscription: and by these last when Office in your sense was not refined, you may guess how it was when more corrupt.  
Object. 2. They always acted as Officers, and were so acknowledged.  
Answ. This is not true; many neither were nor acted as Officers; many disliked their Office, some renounced it, as is before declared: and if any did so act, and were acknowledged, it was the blindness of the times so to account, which the Lord in times of ignorance might connive at. Certain we are, that no good came from their Office, (that being false) but only from their gifts: and the blessings thereof were weak and low, in comparison of what they were in the primitive times, (they being darkened and bemudded by their Office.) And this is so far from being ungrateful, as that it is agreeable to the prophecies and the event.  
Object. 3. Paul produceth the conversion of the Corinthians, not so much to prove his gifts, as for a seal of his Apostleship.  
Answ. We will first declare the occasion of this argument of Paul, and then return to yours. The occasion was this: There were certain false Apostles, who subtly persuaded the Churches (not that he was no Officer, but) that he was only an ordinary Minister, or one at least inferior to an Apostle, and so not to be looked on as infallible. In consutation of whom, Paul proves himself to be an Apostle in the strictest sense; as is clear by this text, compared with Chap. 10.16. Chap. 12.12. Gal. 1.1, 17, 18, 19 Chap. 2.7, 8.9. This premised, we shall now reply to your chiefest Helena.  
1. When Office was true, it had not only an ordinary grace common with private Christians, but also an addition of a grace and life proper to the Office. Thus Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers, having several degrees of order, were endowed with a propriety of gift peculiar to each degree; and the success was answerable in the heaters. Thus Paul, being a true Apostle, shown forth all the signs thereof with Apostolical power and authority; and the same proper symbols accompanying his Ministry, and the peculiar effects thereof wrought in the manner of the Corinthians conversion, sealed his Apostleship, and not their bare conversion; as is apparent by comparing this text with 2 Cor. 12.12, The signs of an Apostle were seen amongst you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.  
2. Bare conversion, without such singular gifts and fruits, argues not any particular, no nor any Office at all. For men in every one of those five degrees, nay such as had no Office, were instruments in this honourable design; and a common effect proves not a particular cause. Paul's argument had been weak and groundless, to demonstrate himself to be an Apostle by such a sign as was common to all other Officers, nay to private Christians.  
3. The Witnesses in mystical Babylon, whether in Rome or elsewhere, received a gift from Christ tending to convert and edify. Now the conversion wrought by those godly men, did not confirm the warrantableness of membership and orders in the false Churches they lived in, (for their outward clothing was black deformed sackcloth:) it only evidenced the truth of that inward grace and power given by Jesus Christ. I hope you will not affirm, that those good fruits issuing from the Ministry of Sylvester, Savanarola, Wickliff, Huss, Luther, with others of the Romish Clergy, as also Latimer, Ridley, Hooper, with sundry other Bishops, ratified the Office of Friars, Monks, Priests, and Diocesan Bishops, as that of Paul did his Apostleship: we say, It sealed only their gifts.  
We shall here sift another argument of yours against this gifted Ministry, instanced in page 23 of your Book.  
Object. If such a gifted Ministry be currant, and sufficiently authorized for administering Word and Sacraments, than there was no need of an Official Ministry; and Christ, it seems, ordained therein a superfluous Ordinance: for, Frustra fit per plura quod fieri potest per pauciora; It is a vain thing, and not beseeming a wise man, to use many ways to do that, which may be done by sewer.  
Answ. This your Philosophical Maxim is not generally true in Divinity, but must admit of many limitations. For God is a free agent, and may work by more, or fewer, nay without mediums; and, in some seasons, administers a greater variety and fullness for satiety and delight, Prov. 9 1, 2, 3. Cant. 5.1. Matth. 22. Revel. 19.9. in other times he useth a more sparing dispensation, only to maintain some being and life of grace.  
When the Temple was destroyed, and the vessels thereof lay void, and were of no use for God's service, in the palace of Nabuchadnezzar; yet the Lord then was to them a little Sanctuary, in the truth of Grace, Ministry, Prayer, etc. You cannot from hence conclude, that the same Temple and vessels as were made, consecrated, and used in Jerusalem, were superfluous Ordinances; neither is it safe to charge Wisdom itself with vanity and indiscretion, for effecting that by more, which he might have and did accomplish by fewer means. So when the outward court of Church-government was given to the Nations, and in the possession of Antichrist, Christ did and might in point of honour and justice leave it, and distribute his grace by a more retired and inward way, as is at large declared in the Cessation. Therefore this your assertion is both untrue and dangerous, it entrenching upon the absolute and unlimited Royalty of the great King.  
Object. Lastly, if the holding of the four winds be understood of the holding of the Spirit from breathing in Ordinances (for others carry it fairly in another sense) then, 1. there is nothing said how long the restraint should last, much less that it lasteth during the apostasy.  
Answ. 1. That the wind metaphorically signifies the breathing of the Spirit, is apparent by these Scriptures, Joh. 3.8. Ezek. 1.4. Acts 2.2. Ezek. 37.9, 14. and it cannot here be fairly applied to any other sense, it belonging to Israelites, and the restraint being hurtful to their earth, sea, and trees: that wind must needs be favourable and reviving, whose detaining is hurtful.  
2. The text implicitly concludes the restraint to last during the time of the hurt, which is the whole Antichristian age: and after that, the four winds shall again be loosed, to animate what lay before spiritless, as is showed on the second Querie in the Cessation.  
Object. 2. Then it must be meant of a more sparing breathing in comparison of the primitive times, not of an utter restraint. 3. If it be an utter restraint, then take notice that the restraint is general, and cannot by any circumstance of the text be confined only to Official preachers and preaching, but as fully reacheth to the gifted men as to them; and so doth conclude an utter ceasing of the Spirit now or then from breathing in or by any Ordinances.  
Answ. To begin with the last of yours, 1. This withholding, and the hurt thereby, may be gathered by a circumstance of the text not to be so general, as utterly to debar the Elect from some more secret and inward inspirations: for, vers. 2, 3, the four Angels are forbidden to hurt by this restriction, till the Angel of the East had sealed the servants of God in their foreheads: which infers a care, and some provision for the spiritual subsistence and breathe in, upon, and by the elect: hereupon it reacheth not to the gifted men: for they had a power given immediately from Christ, which breathed forth in Ministry, Rev. 11.3; and as there was an inward Temple and Altar, so there was approved Worship therein, flowing from the truth of grace, vers. 1.  
2. The restraint was total, in respect of outward Order and Church-constitution. For, first, Therein succeeded another key, also, that was cast out, and became Babylon, as shall be showed in the two next Sections: and the Spirit cannot breathe in that which is wholly corrupted, and becomes another, especially in what it excommunicates. Secondly, The wind here expressed, was utterly detained from blowing on the earth, sea, or any tree; which must imply it to be in some sense general. Thirdly, All save the Elect were hurt thereby, and subverted, vers. 2. which disinteresses other common Israelites from those outward privileges they enjoyed while the visibility was true.  
From hence we gather, that the open winds deciphered Acts 2.2, which gave being to the external keys of Church-government, were altogether bound up from their manifest blast: but yet a still and secret influence, coming more immediately from Jesus Christ, which never was wanting from Adam's time, remained: and this was more sparing and narrow in comparison of the primitive, both in its measure and degree, and the number of the Ordinances which it occupied.  
The winds here kept back are said to be four, in regard of the generality thereof, reaching to the four quarters: also the winds of the earth, it being an administration more visible here on earth: thus the power of binding and losing by these more external keys, is said to be on earth, Matth. 16.19. And as the natural winds bring a sweet influence of fertility to the earth, and of purification both to sea and air, by their breathing in this lower Region, the restraint whereof causeth things to putrify: so this spiritual wind, blowing here below on the Israelites earth, sea, and trees, caused the spices thereof to flow out, and purified all, Cant. 4.16: but after it was withheld, then ensued a common infection, Chap. 8. Chap. 9 Chap. 13. Chap. 11. Chap. 17. which poisoned all except the sealed ones, who properly had some secret inhalations from the Angel of the East.  
These Angels we conceive to be evil spirits working by their principal ministers, the four capital Patriarches of the Christian world; to wit, the Bishop of Alexandria for the South, of Antioch for the East, of Constantinople for the North, and Rome for the West; who (usurping, and in a manner engrossing all Ecclesiastical Government into their hands, and tugging amongst themselves for Primacy) did by contention, pride, avarice, and heresy, gradually detain the four winds from breathing in the external Regiment, till at the last the Headship fell into Rome, where it became another. And this restraint was not properly in them, as if any creature had power over the holy Ghost; but by accident, in the same sense that the infection of Nature is said to resist and quench the Spirit, Acts 7, 51. and 1 Thess. 5.19.  
Now because the Israelites here spoken of are thought by some to be the natural seed of Abraham, I shall (for their satisfaction) evidence by some arguments that they must be the Christian nations, or Gentile Israelites; proved by these following Reasons.  
1. This Book of the Revelations was not sent to the Jews, but to the Gentiles, as principally belonging unto them; and, in various types, pourtrays the several changes that should befall them, from the days of John, to the final consummation.  
2. The main body of this Vision, was after the days of John, as you may gather by Chap. 4.1; and for time gins when the open breathing of the Spirit was withheld, when the trumpets that brought in the apostasy were sounded, when the outward court was cast out, even when the Jews were almost utterly fallen away from any profession of Christ, from whom only comes salvation, and could not then have one hundred and forty four thousand sealed one's amongst their tribes.  
3. The four Angels stand upon all quarters of the earth; and the withholding is universal, The four winds; and the hurt thereby to all the unsealed Israelites: which cannot agree with any one Nation.  
4. This hurt was chief introduced by the locust, Chap. 9.4. and by the Beast, which can in no sense be applied to the Jews, but to the Christian nations, who were thus undermined by Antichrist.  
5. By comparing this text with Chap. 11.2, we may clearly perceive that the nations possessed the court without the temple, which was the stand of the common Israelites. The common Israelites stand in the court without; the nations stand in the court without: the nations than must be these common Israelites; especially considering, that all the visions of this book are not proper, but allegorical.  
6. The number sealed from amongst them, was the same not hurt by the Locusts, Chap. 9.4, nor utterly deceived by the Beast, Chap. 13.8. Matth. 24.24. the same standing on mount Zion, Chap. 14.1; which duly pondered with all the circumstances, can be reduced to no time or condition, but that of the Elect in Babylon. If the Romish and Antichristian defection be not deciphered by these figures, and but the Jews only, then is it altogether omitted in this Book; then must all from thence to the end of the Revelation be peculiar to the Jews; neither of which can any man of wisdom assent to embrace.  
The Spirit hath so interlaced this Chapter, from vers. 1. to vers. 9, with all the after-types expressing the state of the time of the tribulation; and from vers. 9 to the end, with the next revolution and condition of the harpers, as may sufficiently remove such trifling conjectures from the minds of all who will observe the order of this Prophecy. Thus we shall leave the second Section, and proceed to the third.   

Section 3.  
Our third ground why the visibility of Church-constitution and the keys thereof, comprising the later sort of Ordinances, did sail, was, Because the Lord deserting them when made void of their primitive truth, and purity, the dragon had full power therein, and gave to the fallen star another key, even the key of the bottomless pit, Rev. 9.1, 2, 3, 4, etc. Chap. 13.  
Object. Against this you allege, that the Pope got into his hands all the other Ordinances as well as these; as Prayer, Ministry, Baptism; and yet for substance they remained true: why then may not the later, as Ordination? etc.  
Answ. Because you here require us, we will give our Reasons together (though most have been elsewhere written) why the former continued, and not the later. Our Grounds why the former abode, shall be first in general, then in particular.  
The Reasons in general are these two.  
1. The former being promised in the Word to remain, the Lord so sustained them by his Word, as no creature could abolish them.  
2. Because, as Christ fore-declared that there should be a sealed number to make up a mystical Church in Babylon; so he upheld the former, as being more necessary to maintain the being of grace, some means of salvation, and the badge of the Covenant.  
Now a few words for the former Ordinances with faith and profession in particular.  
Those of Ministry, Prayer, and Praising, arise from a grace in the soul, faith in the heart, and a gift dispensed from Christ alone, even then when the outward government was rejected: now his Spirit could never be radically touched, as it works in the soul. Thus the desires of grace in the mind, aspiring and fuming up to the Father of spirits in the Ordinances of Prayer and Praising, could not be restrained, much less razed by the great Antichrist. Likewise the gift of the Witnesses prophesy, wrought in the inward man, with the administration thereof breathing out teaching, is so given, inspired and sustained by Jesus Christ, as the Beast could never take it into his full possession: it this had been possible, he would not have suffered them to turn his waters into blood ministerially, and smite his earth with plagues, and that, not so oft as the Beast, but as they listed, vers. 6. The Bishops with us in England, when they had full command and jurisdiction in Ecclesiastical regiment, could by no means wholly withhold or corrupt the desires and prayers of the Saints, nor so take this inward gift into their custody, but that in despite of their malice it broke forth in one corner or other of the Land, to testify the truth in some measure, and disclose, nay cry down the corruptions of the times. Also faith in the heart, and the effects thereof shining forth in profession, were beyond the sphere of Satan. For the inward created principle in the soul, breaking forth in and by these means and Ordinances, the Spirit in and by the Word sustaining its perpetuity, and Christ supporting the same, are all far above the reach of Antichrist: had these been in the power of that destroyer, he would have utterly marred all the springs, yea the very fountain of grace. In the same manner the communion taken on the ground work of the spiritual union of all the godly wherever scattered, (when the corporated was false) and Christ therein fed upon by faith, was not altogether subverted: for the mystical relation betwixt Christ and the heart, and the godly with the godly, was beyond the compass of Popes, Bishops, or any humane authority whatsoever.  
Also for Baptism, though the Antichristian Church was in her constitution and order unmeasured to truth, and therein Babylon, yet she was not utterly shut out from the Covenant, but had the call of Israelites, had the Name of the Father, Son, and holy Ghost, put on them, with a common grace to believe the Covenant, and an elect sealed number in and amongst their tribes; none of which properties can be attributed to those wholly without. Though Antichrist in some things infected the externality of this Ordinance, yet could he not fundamentally raze the Covenant, nor utterly abolish the name of Christ from amongst Christians, nor make invalid the power of the Word perpetuating that name, Isai. 56.5. In like sort the ten apostated tribes were in their Church-order set up by Jeroboam radically false; and yet were Israelites, within the Covenant, and had the sign of Circumcision. Thus also men excommunicated are excluded from Church-fellowship, but not from their Baptism, and the Covenant. Likewise Heretics, who fell from the Church, were received again not by new Baptism, but by laying on of hands: Euseb l. 7 cap. 2 & 3.  
2. Our Reasons why the later sort, as Ordination, Confirmation, etc. abode not, are these following.  
1. They are not promised in the Word to continue, Isai. 56.5.  
2. They wanting that promise, were forsaken by God when corrupted.  
3. All the external Order became Antichristian, and so the Ordinances proper thereto must be bestial: or else how could there have been a Babylon, wherein the sealed number were captives?  
4. Our last, taken from this text, Rev. 9, is, that these were wholly resolved into the Pope, to whom was given another key, with other smoke and Officers. These being altogether external, and Christ leaving them, Antichrist might have and had absolute power therein to make them bottomless.  
Object. Against this you assert, that though the Pope have another false key, yet withal he hath the keys of Christ's discipline, in Ordination, Excommunication, Suspension, etc.  
Answ. Though the Pope usurp the carcase of those Ordinances that were Christ's before, yet their true essential form, which makes them to be Christ's, and true Office and Membership, on which they depend, he and his whorish Church have not. For confirmation whereof, these grounds do naturally arise from the text.  
1. The first Reason is drawn from the nature of the Pope and Antichristian Hierarchies, vers. 1. the Star or Angel fell from heaven (the orb in which he was fixed before) unto the earth, or wilderness, Chap. 12.6. a total apostasy from his former office and sphere: and was not in the least degree heavenly, but terrene, earthly, and merely humane, or a wild beast, Rev. 13.1. and is numbered not to God, but to man, vers. 18. It is a true Rule, Corruptio optimi est pessima, The corruption of the best things is always worst, and most contrary to its former goodness: Satan who was the noblest, is by his fall the basest of creatures, and most unlike to an angel of light, which he was before he fell. So here that Angelical Office which shined as a fixed Star in the bright firmament of the primitive purity, holding forth the liveliest glory of Christ for the perfecting of the Saints, being once apostated from his former sphere, became not only an humane Hierarchy, but a mere Antichrist, as most opposite to Christ of any other; 
2 Thess. 2.3.  and the man of sin, as that wherein the quintessence of evil and deceit is epitomised and grown to its perfect maturity; and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, one in office altogether without and besides the Law, and likest to sin itself, which is termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 1 Joh. 3.4. nay, he is the principal vicegerent of Satan on earth, to whom he commits his chiefest power, 
Rev. 13.2.  throne, and authority, in the exercise whereof he is Abaddon or Apollyon, 
Chap. 9.11  destruction itself in the abstract, recorded in the two most famous Languages; and is most emphatically styled by Paul, The son of perdition, being one who hath caused the greatest ruin and desolation; and is termed by John, the King of the bottomless pit. Thus we may see, that the Office of the Pope and his Hierarchy, is most corrupted of any thing else, being that wherein the being of Antichrist doth subsist, who is not a particular person, but a corporation. And this Official Hierarchy being stripped naked of its primitive truth, and becoming merely Antichristian, cannot in the least degree beget a lawful Office: for, N●l dat quod non habet: If the fountain be polluted, how can the streams be pure? None can bring a clean thing out of an unclean, not one, Job 14.3.  
2. This Angel had another key different in nature from the former. And it is impossible the keys of the kingdom of heaven can subsist with the key of the bottomless pit, or the power of Jesus Christ be united with the power of Satan. Contraries in their extremes cannot stand together, but the one must destroy the other.  
3. The Church opened by this key is a bottomless pit; bottomless, she being void of the groundwork of Truth in her order; a pit or prison, being as a hell on earth, in which men are captivated, Prov. 7.27. Chap. 9.18 Isai. 51.14. Chap. 49.9. Zech. 9.11, 12. also a Church excommunicated of God, and Babylon, Rev. 11.2. Chap. 17.5. and so cannot in her constitution have the keys of the kingdom of heaven: for the key must be of the same nature with the Church. Besides, if Confirmation, Ordination, Excommunication, etc. be true in Rome, then must that Romish Church into which by these keys she enters, and out of which she shuts, be a kingdom of heaven, and a Zion, and not a bottomless pit, and Babylon, which (we conceive) you will be ashamed to affirm.  
4. The smoke or dispensation of this pit or false Church, is hellish and diabolical, eclipsing and darkening the whole Horizon, vers. 2. and how can the smoke or wind of God's glory spiriting these Ordinances, and making them lightsome, dwell together with the darksome, false, and delusive smoke of the bottomless pit? surely the Lord will not so much honour Antichrist his greatest adversary. If the Pope have the true smoke or wind of the primitive Church, than what he binds or loses on earth, is bound or loosed in heaven, Matth. 16.19. as is further cleared in the second Section.  
5. The Officers coming from hence are locusts, of a divers kind from the true, they proceeding from another key, king, pity, and smoke. If Office had been true in Rome, than Membership must be the like, for he can be no true Officer, that is not withal a Member: and if Office and Membership be both right in that Catholic Synagogue, then must she be a true Church, being radically right both in Ministers and people.  
Sir, have you exclaimed against Rome as Babylon for so many years, and do you now by this argument prove her to be Zion? However, we may from this text observe, that as the pit is bottomless, so is the key, the smoke and the locusts arising from it, and that fundamentally: so that your Ordination, Excommunication, Suspension, coming from hence, cannot have any parcel of the keys of the kingdom of heaven, but must pertain to this bottomless key.  
Object. But (say you) these Ordinances may remain the Ordinances of Christ, though in wrong hands, and abused: as the Great seal of the kingdom is still in the right and true seal, though in the hand of an usurping Lord Keeper, etc.  
Answ. If you should prove these constitutive Ordinances to be Seals, yet in the Broad Seal there be two things requirable. 

1. The Power and Authority from whence the Seal proceeds.  
2. The confirming of an act coming from that power by the Seal.    
When the writing sealed is derived from a lawful authority, than the Seal carries the name and majesty of that true and rightful power, which makes it a legal ratification: but if it issue forth from an usurped Primacy, though the matter and print may be the same with the other, yet the act sealed bears the substance of that usurpation, which puts another form upon it, and makes it illegitimate, nay treasonable. So these Ordinances pertaining to Church-order, in the primitive times arising from Christ and his Spirit working in the Apostles, etc. were accompanied with the name and power of Christ, which made them true, as representing the lively image of himself: but these coming from other usurping lords, as Popes, Bishops, or the like, receive the character of the same usurpation, which changeth their essence, makes them unlawful, and to carry the image of the Beast. And your Office flowing from this bestial and exorbitant key, must be false in its foundation. The Key, the Church, the Smoke is another, and thereof not Christ, but Antichrist, the king of the bottomless pit.  
We informed you how the truth of this was verified by the event; that there was no other Office, but that of the Locusts kind, even in Luther's time, who himself was a Monk.  
In opposition to this, you reckon up some Bishops, Monks, Friars, Priests, or of some such Popish Order, that for 1260 years stood up to witness the Truth, who were not locusts.  
Answ. These men whom you reckon up, with any other of the like sort of godly men officiated by Antichrist, had no other Office, but that of the locust-kinde. You yourself acknowledge the Officers called Monks, Friars, Priests, Abbots, Cardinals, and the Popish Clergy, to be of the series of the locust, a little before in the same page of your book. And whatsoever excellency and honour these men gained beyond others, arose simply from the gift of Jesus Christ, not at all from their Popish function, that being but the defiled rags with which the same Witnesses were clothed. No man not Popishly minded, can imagine that their Frierhood, Monkery, Priesthood, or the like, could confer any dignity to their piety; or that these men thus gifted by the Lord Jesus, did attribute any esteem to their Popish Orders. It is observable, that God should rear up such men who had no Office but what was merely invented, to be such noble instruments to testify in some degree the Truth: which may teach you, us, and all others, not to give any worth to such difiled Offices, but only to their qualifications, which unless sanctified from heaven, they had been locusts as well as the rest of their Orders; and to conclude that this their grace, and the right to dispense the same, came not from their officiating, but only from the gift and grant of the Lord of life. So that herein we must distinguish their inward gift with its administration, from their outward investment: the one, distilling from Christ, was radically true and holy; the other, coming from Antichrist, was utterly false, and polluted.  
Object. You assert further, that Ockam, John of Gaunt, Dantes, John Wickliff, Jerome of Prague, Luther, were men that amongst others made up the series of the three Angels, Rev. 14. and yet lived in the Church of Rome, had their external calling from that Church, were of some of the Popish Orders, etc.  
Answ. Bare saying is no proving, and ipse dixit, he said so, will hardly pass for currant amongst men of judgement. We shall deny that the men you name, were of the rank of the three Angels specified Rev. 14.6, 8, 9 much less that they were called Angels by virtue of their Popish Office, which you would insinuate. For they lived within the circuit of the one thousand two hundred and sixty years of tribulation, wherein they were mourners; and being (as you confess) men that lived in the Church of Rome, that had their external calling from that Church, and of some of the Popish Orders, must be those Witnesses clothed in sackcloth, Rev. 11.3. Whereas these three Angels were of the rejoicing Harpers, who arose not till after the expiration of that sorrowful time, were clothed in white Robes of joy and greater purity, and had gotten the victory over the Beast, his image, mark, name, and the number of his name, Chap. 7.9. Chap. 15.2. Again, neither the Ministry nor Writings of those you mention, were so pure and full, as might be termed an everlasting Gospel, which the first Angel's ministry was, vers. 6: neither did they, with the second, vers. 8, unmask the root of Mystery Babylon, great part whereof was sealed up from their understandings: neither did they discover the Beast, his image and mark, in its whole latitude, with the third, who with a thundering voice crieth against all such defiled Offices with which they were outwardly arrayed, vers. 9  
2. These ministers or instruments of this threefold discovery, are not entitled Angels by virtue of any outward call to an Office by the Pope, Bishops, or any other authority on earth; but only by the privilege of a gift dispensed immediately by the Angel of the Covenant, Rev. 10.8, 9, 10, 11. Here their commission or sending forth [God] comes simply from God; their furnishing for this ministration, or their [taking and eating the book] from the Angel: and being thus divinely impowered, [they must prophesy] though all the earth oppose it: their engagement to prophecy ariseth from their taking and eating the book. Besides, the word Angel signifieth a Messenger, or one sent with a prevailing administration; which may be either by the medium of a visible power here below; or else simply from above, without any such mediums from man. All this we shall be ready to evidence in our next Return.  
Before we pass from hence, give us leave a little to go back, and reflect upon the groundwork of your stand and deal in this particular.  
Truly, Sir, we conceive you are hardly driven, when (being sounded to the bottom) you cannot justify your own Office, but withal you are enforced to plead for that of Friars, Monks, Priests, Bishops, and the whole rabble of the Popish Orders; nay, to maintain them to be the Angels of truth, by reason of their outward investments from Rome: neither can you vindicate your interest in your key of Church-government in Ordaining, Excommunicating, etc. but you must therewith manage the Popes. Surely it is inevitable necessity drives you to this extreme shift, that either you must hold the foundation of Church-order to remain in Rome, and so make that mother of harlots to be radically the true spouse; or else you must yield and renounce your own. We cannot but 
* Isai. 29.9.  stay ourselves, and wonder, that you who have been counted men of knowledge and godliness, should so straight tie up all the Ordinances of Jesus Christ to such a corrupt and Antichristian function, as if you only were thereby called and inrighted with a power to dispense the same, when as your Office in the root thereof comes from the Pope (the angel of the bottomless pit) and his false way. If your eyes were opened to see the nature and extent of that key, you would quickly find, that your glorying herein were your greatest shame; and so it will appear ere long. For though you should outwardly cloth this your Office, and the Church built thereon, with the fairest Robes of the primitive pattern, and could extract the quintessence of wit, policy, learning, art, argument, to present it as impregnable, and had the tongues of men and angels, to paint it out with more than humane eloquence, to make it seem, like 
* Ezek. 27.3.  Tyrus, to be of perfect beauty; yet (being in its principle earthly and bottomless) your Office, with the power of its government, will unavoidably be disclosed to be a false Christ, a false prophet, or Beast; the Church sustained thereby to be a daughter of that great mother, Rev. 17. and her attire and seeming beauty to be no other than the glittering ornaments and paintings of the woman Babylon, the mystery of whose deceit will be anatomised and made naked by the light of the Spirit. This lay concealed in times of ignorance, and God did more connive: but now his call enlightens and discovers these principles of delusion, and invites to a separation. Let us therefore advise you, in the bowels of charity, to obey this voice of the Spirit in coming off yourselves, and to hasten your members the captive exiles, that they die not in the pit, that you may be of the number of the rejoicing harpers, Rev. 15. and not of those mourners, Chap. 18.   

Section 4.  
Our next ground was, that the visible Church itself (the foundation of these later Ordinances) failed; and so the Ordinances proper to a constituted Church must needs receive a loss of their efficacy.  
Object: You except, That the visible Church is not the foundation, but the institution of Christ.  
Answ. The institution of Christ is a foundation; but yet that which affords present being or existence, both to the constitution of visible Government itself, and the Ordinances arising thence, is the Spirit of life sent from Jesus Christ, as is elsewhere showed. And whether such a Church first married by God, whereby to have the keys of this visible kingdom given them from above, and the Spirit of Christ united to and operating in them, enjoy not, by virtue of that union, a principle of power to use the same, and contribute a right Membership and Office unto others, we leave it to you to consider. The iron conjoined to the fire, hath the same essence of heat and operation with the fire: and (I suppose) you will grant, that a true Presbytery coferring an Office unto another by Ordination, hath the being and foundation of that Office. This word foundation, taken simpliciter, simply and originally, is proper only to Christ; but secundum quid, after some sort, may be attributed to the Church, whether visibly corporated, or mystical.  
You assent, that if it be made good, that the visibility of Church-order failed, and became Babylon, it is enough to carry the cause.  
Answ. This is proved in the Cessation, from Rev. 11.2, that when this outward court was given to the Nations, it was then cast out by the Spirit. The words properly translated, run thus: But the court which is without the temple, cast out, and measure it not: for it is given to the Nations, and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months. When the Nations engrossed the externality and outside of Ecclesiastical Government into their hands, and joined in with National worldly Regiment, they made up national Churches. Here we may behold, as in a spiritual Map, of what nature they are, and how they are false and Antichristian in the original of their constitution, whether considered as Papal, Episcopal, or Presbyterial; which these Reasons syllogistically drawn from the native sense of the text, do demonstrate.  
1. Those Churches which are altogether outward, and have nothing of the temple and altar, and the virtue and life thereof in their constitutions, are merely humane and spiritless.  
But National Churches, whether Papal, Episcopal, or Presbyterial, are so:  
Therefore, etc.  
The Major you cannot deny: the Minor is cleared by the words of the text: for no more was given them, but the outward court. See Sect. 2.  
2. Those Church-Constitutions that are cast out of God, are disapproved and forsaken of him.  
But such National Church-constitutions are cast out of God: Ergo, etc.  
The Major is undeniable: the Minor is confirmed by this Scripture: The court without, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which properly signifies cast out, and not leave out, as it is translated; hereupon ensued another key, Sect. 3.  
3. Those Churches that have no measurement by the line of Truth, are false and Antichristian.  
But such National Churches have no measurement by the line of Truth: Ergo, etc.  
The minor is evinced by the text, Measure it not; and so are bottomless.  
4. Those Churches who are distinct and another from the holy City, are in their groundwork of their Order strange and Babylonish. But such National Churches are distinct and another from the holy city: Ergo, etc.  
The Major is indubitable: The Minor is also evinced from the text, where [they] the Christian nations, and the [holy city] are set in distinct and opposite terms.  
5. Those Churches who tread the holy City, the sealed number, under foot, are tyrannical and bestial.  
But such National Churches do so tread; as is further asserted, And the holy city shall they tread under foot.  
The truth of this hath showed itself, not only in the cruelty of Rome, but also by the like tyranny of the Bishops in England, and the rigour of the Presbytery in Scotland: and that the same aspiring spirit is in many amongst you (if the sword of the Magistrate would second and empower you) the declarations of some, both in their writings, and in their open Pulpits (which men look upon as the oracles of Truth) have sufficiently manifested to the world: we hope they will be more wise and tender of the consciences of others for the future.  
These National Churches considered in one universal body, are the great city Babylon, Chap. 17.15, 18. Chap. 11.8, 9, 10.  
Now if the visibility of Church-constitution was only National for many generations (as is cleared by all the evidences of former times) and these National Churches Babylonish, then must there be a fail and cessation of the truth of the same visibility. Compare this Scripture with the event, and you may find, that as here the whole outward court was given to the Nations, and then cast out by the Spirit; so the event is parallel to the prophecy, which tells us, that the total Order of Ecclesiastical regiment became National, and was for many hundred years Romish, in the full possession of the Pope, where by the common grant of all Protestants it is held to be Babylon: and when the visible Church became a stranger, and bottomless, the key of outward Government, in Confirmation, Ordination, Excommunication, etc. must be of the same nature with the Church, as is declared in the former Paragraph.  
The truth of this is likewise confirmed by the state of the true Church in the times of this apostasy, who was only a sealed elect number, which by an invisible union made up a mystical temple, a Zion, a women, etc. whose visible abode was in the wilderness of Babylon, as you may read in the Cessation. I shall here demonstrate it by another Scripture, which was there omitted: The text is Micah. 4.10, where the prophet speaking of the daughter of Zion, saith, that she shall go forth out of the city (her genuine and celestial Order) and shall dwell in the field (answerable to the wilderness into which the woman fled, Rev. 12.6.) and shall go even to Babylon (to such a field where is mere confusion;) from whence the Lord will at last deliver her by separation, and redeem her from the hands of her enemies. And that this alludes to the condition of the Gospel-Church in spiritual Babylon, is evinced by the gathering of the nations against her, vers. 11; which agrees  these last combinations against the Saints, Zeph. 3.8. Isai. 54.15. Revel. 16.14, 16. by her horns of iron, and hoofs of brass, to thresh and beat in pieces many people; also after her complete victory, by her consecrating their gain to the Lord; which never was fulfilled in the majesty here delivered, but must be proper to the time of the vials, wherein the people coming out of Babylon, reward her and her assistants with the like degree of punishment, Rev. 18.6. Dan. 7.22.  
The event doth likewise comply with this Scripture, as face answers to face in a glass. For the primitive Church, who was glorious in her visible constitution, settled and beautified with Apostolical power, did after decline from thence into the vast barren field of the Babylonish nations, where she was scattered here and there a godly person, outwardly mixed with the rude multitude, from whom she was not distinguished either in Membership or Office, and where she was held in chains of thraldom by Popes, Bishops, and the like beastly Hierarchies, who in this strange country monopolised the key of Government into their sole tuition; and in this desolate estate, she must needs be an exile in a foreign land. From this bondage also the Lord gins at last to call her out, and deliver her from her enemies. From hence we may necessarily conclude, that if this external station wherein the daughter of Zion visiby stood, was a field, a wilderness, a Babylon, or foreign country of strange confusion, then must all the beauty of her former outward Order be dissolved, and turned into a rude Chaos: & that if her key of visible Rule was taken solely into the usurpation of Antichrist the Beast, those alien lords, Then must the Ordinances thereof lie void, as did the Temple-vessels in the house of Nebuchadnezzar's idol-gods.  
We will now, with God's assistance, proceed to answer your Objections made against this.  
Object. You allege, that to say the visible Church did fail, is as much as to affirm that the pillars of the earth were broken down, the Church standing as firm, by God's ordinance, power, and faithfulness.  
Answ. It is true, that the pillars of the earth are born up by the Word of God, albeit the earthly governments thereof have the times of their shake and dissolution, Psal. 75.3. Isai. 2.19, 21. Hag. 2.21. And withal, it is as true, that the Church in the being of election, inward grace, outward profession, and the more intrinsecal rule of grace, is a kingdom that cannot be shaken, Heb. 12.28, it being promised to be perpetual, Matth. 16.18.  
But the visibility of Church-government was not so pillared in the Word for its successive abiding; this is rather fore-prophesied that it should be corrupted by Antichrist, and become Babylon.  
To lay the groundwork of your after-discourse, you here distinguish a visible Church.  
M. Elmest. First, say you, by a visible Church may be meant a company of Christians joined together in one place, set in true order of Worship, and exercise of all God's Ordinances: that such a Church hath been in any one place, or many successively, (you think) cannot castly be proved.  
Answ. By such a Church (if we understand you aright) you mean a Church set in a right order of Discipline, and furnished with true Officers. And if such a Church cannot be proved to have been successively through the apostasy, then must you yield that the primitive chain of Order was broken, and so justify its cessation: for such an one it is that you have maintained to abide, and we have proved to discontinue. This grant of yours duly pondered, doth at one breath unmount the whole fabric of this your Babel; and might soon put a period to the major part of this Controversy.  
M. Elmest. Secondly, by a visible Church may be meant a company of persons professing true religion, abstaining from all false worship, and worshipping God in a pure way, though for the most part in sundry places, and meeting in small companies: such a Church hath been perpetual.  
Answ. 1. Such companies may thus assemble for Ministry, Prayer, (as did the one hundred & twenty before they received powerfrom on high, and we do now) and yet not be a visible Church invested with a full power to make Members and Officers. This stating of your case (if we misapprehend you not) is a digression from all your former and after writing, which tends to manage the continuance of a Church in membership, office, and the keys thereof.  
2. Such a Church as you here nominate, to wit, the Saints assembled in distinct companies, who were externally pure from all the corruptions of the times, cannot be shown to the extant through the whole season of the apostasy: for both the Scripture and the event hath manifested the contrary, that the true was here and there a godly man outwardly mixed with the common Israelites.  
Object. You allege, Such a church there was in Israel among the ten apostated tribes.  
Answ. 1. How that of the Israelites was through all the time of that defection, is uncertain: this we are sure of, that there was then a true Church in Judah and Benjamin, and the Temple at Jerusalem was the common centre of Worship for all the Israelites: and it is more than probable, that the godly of Israel have had some relation to the Church of Judea, and went at times appointed to Jerusalem. But without all doubt, none of the Order of Jeroboam's Priests were true Officers, nor any succession derived from them: the like may be said of the Pope, and of your investment coming from him.  
2. It is untrue, that there were always such Assemblies: for in the days of Ahab, Elijah the chiefest Prophet knew of no such congregating, but testifies that he only was left, 1 King. 19.18. So then the seven thousand reserved must be a hidden number, known only to the allseeing eyes of Eternity, and not obvious in open Assemblies. Besides, this pertains not to the Antichristian deluge, and doth not at all prove your point. Neither doth that of the Jews captivity: for they being amongst Heathens and those wholly without, did not involve themselves into their Paganism, but were entire within themselves in the service of their God exercised in their own Synagogues, were distinct in their Genealogies from the Babylonians; their Priestly Office came not in the least from the Idol-priests of Bell, but descended without any such interception from the Order of Aaron: on the other side, the Saints in the mystical were amongst such, who though in their Order Babylon, yet were not without the Covenant, but were Israelites, amongst whom they were visibly incorporated, and not severed either in Membership or Office, which yourself confesseth to be the condition of your first and choicest men, in the thirtieth page of your book. That of the Israelites, and this of outward Babylon, though in many regards it symbolizeth the Antichristian stand, yet not in all; there being something more and proper to this later, which none of the former could challenge.  
Object. But (say you) such Assemblies there were through the Antichristian defection.  
Answ. This we utterly deny, and have manifested the contrary.  
Object. But to confirm the constant succession of visible Churches, you propound these Scriptures: Isai. 9.7. Dan. 2.44. Psal. 110.2.  
Answ. We have assented to and proved, that there was faith, and some degree of its profession visible in the lowest ebb of Antichristianism: but it yet remains for you to evince, that the true visible constituted Church had its perpetual abiding. Your text Isai. 9.7, makes it good, that Christ ruleth in the kingdom of grace; but not a syllable of his constant reigning in visible Church-order is there specified. We conclude thus far with you, that Christ sits on this throne to order and establish it with judgement: yet his ordering is in its dispensations various: it was more open and full in the primitive glory, more retired and sparing in the Babylonish desertion, it will again be more manifest when the glory of the first returns. The first word of the verse is divers in the reading in the Hebrew copy, it being one thing in the line, and another in the margin; 
The line is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  our Bible's take the margin: 
The margin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  The line (if beginning with the primitive times) is most concordant with the other prophecies and the event: the margin (if applied to the Jews last return, and the kingdom then rising) doth best agree with the other Scriptures speaking of the same time.  
Object. But (say you) what is this throne and kingdom of David, but Christ's visible Church, in which Christ is to sit and reign visibly, as David did in his kingdom?  
Answ. You here confound the effect with its cause, in making this throne to be the visible Church. David's throne in a Gospel-sence, is the spiritual throne of grace, which is the centre of Divine Majesty, the common fountain from whence all the influences of grace do flow, and that before which the Saints approach; and Christ sits upon this throne of majesty in the heavens, where neither he, nor his throne, are to be seen with bodily eyes, as David and his throne were, but are only belieft by the piercing eyes of faith. Also the kingdom is but an effect arising from that incomprehensible cause, not the cause itself: and this may be more open or more hidden, according to the various administration of him that sits upon the throne. Again, the throne of David was not visible in the Babylonish captivity.  
Your next text, Dan. 2.44, belongs to the victorious kingdom of Christ in these last days, prevailing over Antichrist, and the whole Roman Monarchy. For, 1. This Image comprehends all the beauty and strength of earthly Monarches from Daniel's days downward, the last whereof was the Romans. 2. The last of Iron is distinct from the three foregoing of gold, silver, and brass. Now, as the three former metals pictured out three several kingdoms, different both in their rise, language and regiment from each other, to wit, the Babylonians, Persians, and the Grecians: so this last of Iron, being of a distinct metal from the other, must type out another Monarchy; even the next set apart from the former three preceding: hereupon the Spirit, vers. 40, calls it a fourth kingdom: now the fourth from the Babylonians, and the next following the Grecians, was the Romans, who were differing from the rest, in their original, people, and government: The Roman Monarchy, Dan. 7.23, is entitled the fourth kingdom. Furthermore, the strength of the Iron exceeding, breaking in pieces, treading down, subduing all the rest, and devouring the whole earth, can agree with no other but the Romans. The Seleucians' it cannot be: for that was but part of the Grecians, and is described to be one wing, one head, one horn of the third divided unto the four winds, and inferior to the first rise thereof, Chap. 7.6. Chap. 8.8. Chap. 11.4. Again, the stone interpreted to be the kingdom, not the king alone, breaks in pieces this of the Iron; and it was not the Saints of the most High, but the Heathen Romans, that subdued the Seleucians'. Now this fourth kingdom of the Romans is dashed into shivers by the Stone, the Saints, in the time when this prophecy is fulfilled: and that it was not in the age of Christ's Incarnation: for then Augustus Caesar reigned, under whom that Empire was in the highest degree of its glory and strength. Florus reports of that time, Hic est Romani Imperii juven●…s, & quasi robusta maturitas: This age was the youthly state, and mature manhood of the Empire. The destruction of this last kingdom is reserved for these last days, to be accomplished by the Angel pourers, Rev. 16. Chap. 18. 3. The Stone, having broken down and driven away all the former image, becomes a great mountain, and fills the whole earth; and so must reign alone, answerable to that magnificent kingdom, Rev. 19 6. Ze●h. 14.9. When the highest Saints take and possess the kimgdom of the former Monarchies, Dan. 7.18, 22. This they did not in the first Gospel-day, when all the power of the Civil Rule was in the jurisdiction of those Romans, to whom the Church at that time was by the Ordinance of God subservient. 4. This illustrious kingdom thus filling the earth, is said to be everlasting, and ever to enjoy the same plenitude of regiment, vers. 44. Chap 7.27. But even the Ecclesiastical Government of the primitive, was seized on by Antichrist and the Nations, who had all the outward court given them, and who trod the holy city under foot, in which time the Church had a great sink and decrease.  
Your next Scripture, Psal. 1 10.2, speaks of the times of the vials, when the Iron rod of Christ's strength shall be sent forth out of Zion to bruise his enemies: and then Christ in his separated people rules as a conqueror over his adversaries, who (though never so numerous) shall be brought in subjection, and such as withstand shall be broken in pieces. Hereupon the Spirit by the Kingly Prophet gives sweet and seasonable counsel, Psal. 2.10, 11, 12. Be wise now therefore, O ye kings, be learned, ye judges of the earth: kiss the Son, lest he be angry, etc.  
That we may avoid needless tautologies, we shall answer to the relation betwixt Christ and his Church, as he is a Head, a King, a Husband; and she a Body, a Kingdom, a Wife: as also to your supposed inference of our bringing a notable alteration in Christ, in the fourth Paragraph, Sect. 6.  
But here you bring three Reasons why this relation must be visible.  
Object. 1. They are visible things by which this relation is typed out, and so must point out a visible (you mean a constituted) Church.  
Answ. It is usual in Scripture to figure out matters mystical and hidden, by things visible and apparently known to us: that by objects natural and obvious to our senses, our minds may be raised to the contemplation and comprehension of things divine and supernatural. Thus the relative dependence between Christ and a believer, is too too subtle and sublimate to be beheld with bodily eyes: also Christ ascended as the Head, the King, and Husband, and the throne of grace before which we make address, though typed out by visible subjects, yet are all to us invisible: but the dispensation d●maning hence, is sometimes more conspicuous, sometimes more internal, according to the pleasure of Gods own working.  
Object. 2. The Church invisible, as so, is unknown, and wholly unseen to men: and Christ's invisible rule cannot by men be discerned: and what honour were this to Christ, to reign only invisibly? etc.  
Answ. We deny not that there was some degree of the profession of faith always existing, but not a Church stated, and set in a true visible order. Indeed your argument appears very plausible to flesh and blood, and makes most for the Church of Rome, who only in all the Western world can challenge a continued succession of such a visibility: of which she most boasteth, and layeth as the chiefest pillar to bear up her Babylonish fabric. If then the glory of Christ cannot be uphold, unless it be carried on with such an open regiment, this deformed Whore is either the only beautiful Spouse, or else could have no honour in the world. This Maxim of yours smells strong of a carnal spirit, and tends to bring Christ to Lo here, or Lo there; even in that time, when neither the first nor the last open days of the Son of man were to be seen, Luke, 17.22. If your eyes were further enlightened, you might discern, that the strength of Christ is made perfect in weakness; and magnifies itself as well in the lowest estate of his Church, as in its highest exaltation, though more eclipsed from his people's apprehension. And thus the Lord is magnified, that though he suffered Antichrist to usurp all the external Order of Ecclesiastical Regiment, and make it a desolate wilderness; yet in this earthly low stand of the Saints captivity, he reserved to himself a sealed elect number, whom he upheld by his own immediate power and gift, against whom the gates of hell could not prevail; and will at last more abundantly manifest his power, justice, mercy, and love, in the destruction of this man of sin, and returning to his people more outward magnificence then ever they enjoyed before: it being the wisdom of God, to make humility the way to honour, the darkest night of misery, to bring in the brightest day of peace and happiness. Again, when Antichrist (as you confess) had seized on all the outward court of Order, it would have been no honour to the King of kings to dignify this visibility in the possession of another, with the lively breathe of his Spirit, but rather very derogatory for him to give his glory to another; and thereupon he cast it out.  
Object. 3. Where faith is, there it will be visible.  
Answ. Yourself holds that infants may have the being of faith, yet the manifestation thereof appears not unto us, Psal. 22.9, 10. Rom. 9.11, 12, 13. but true it is, that when Christians are of years, faith will show itself in the fruits of visible profession, in a godly and holy life, and exercise of the duties of Piety. 2. Visible believers in the first initiation of visible constitution, cannot state themselves, but must first be stated by Christ, by the pouring out of his Spirit, as is at large cleared in the second Querie of the Cessation.  
Object. But to prove a visible constituted Church through the Antichristian times, you instance first the two Witnesses, Rev. 11.3.  
Answ. These Witnesses are not visible stated Churches, but such men as held forth the light of Ministry for the feeding of the elect in the wilderness of Babylon. For, 1. They have a true relation only to the hidden mystical temple, without any reference to the outward court. 2. Their clothing, to wit, their outward investment into membership and office, was with sackcloth, as is before spoken. The Primitive clothing was with the Sun, even when the Dragon raged against the woman in the height of cruel persecution. 3. Their visible stand was in the wilderness, Chap. 12.6, 14, and in the streets of the great city where their bodies lay when slain, and on which earth they stood for some space after the Spirit of life re-entered, vers. 8, 11: and in this terrene station they prophesied before or in the presence of earthly Hierarchies, who sat in the temple, or rather the court without, as God. The most of these Witnesses were in the Romish Church, who cried against the known corruptions, and administered spiritual food to the elect scattered in that confusion.  
Object. It hath been frequently objected by others, that these are Candlesticks, which never denote visible Churches.  
Answ. Candlesticks are not always in Scripture figures of Churches, but sometimes do signify the vessels holding forth the light of Ministry: in this sense is it understood, Matth. 5.15. Mark 4.21. Luke 8.16. Chap. 11.33. where the light is the Ministry, the Candlestick the organ or man containing that gift, the house with those truly entering therein, the Church. And that it is so taken here, will plainly appear by an exquisite view of the text. For, 1. The Church is in this place delineated by another figure, viz. the Temple, vers. 1, and not by the Candlesticks; and that house is also an invisible temple shut up from the outward court, vers. 2. 2. When Candlesticks do resemble Churches, they are ●ver set first in figure, Zech. 4.2. Rev. 1.12: but here they are placed last. 3. They must here belong to Ministry, because the Prophet's themselves who prophesy, are said to be Candlesticks: whereas when the Candlesticks denote Churches, the Ministers are pictured by another distinct figure, to wit, by stars, Chap. 1.16, 20. 4. These are placed after the olive-trees, as drawing the oil therefrom: and the first relates to their qualifications, the last to their dispensation. The Prophets are called olive-trees and Candlesticks, as they are the instruments that bear, hold, and dispense the grace and gift of prophecy.  
Object. There were (say you) Saints so manifesting themselves, so discovered by the Beast and whore, by their opposition which they made to their ways, against whom the beast made war, overcame them, and were drunken in their bloods.  
Answ. The Saints for many hundred years in the West, even since the Apostasy, were not at all visibly distinguished from the Romish Church, but lived there without any open persecution. Indeed within these later Centuries, God raised up more valiant champions, who upon some discovery, more manfully testified against the great Beast of Rome, then before, who was then only extant known to be so; and disclosed further the corrupt doctrine of that grand-mother-whore; against whom that beast at last raged and prevailed by open persecution. But the most of these also were here and there a man living and dying visibly in that Church: witness the Martyrs here in England, which you may read in. M. Fox his book of Martyrs. If some were at last distinguished from that great Whore, tell us what distinction of Office they had descending from the primitive Order, or upon what ground they were stated in Church-discipline. Surely they living within the compass of the 1260 years, must be clothed with sackcloth, and stand outwardly in that earthly confusion, or wilderness, and some of late in the secret chambers. The saving and incorrupt truths by them professed were chief in point of doctrine. They unmasked only the Beast and Whore of Rome, but were blinded in daughter-harlots arising then and after; and the Lord in times of ignorance overlooks the weakness of his sincere servants. If the Lord had designed a continued chain of true visible stated Churches (as you insinuate) through every age of this defection severed and apart from Rome, then, without doubt, he would have reserved a succession of office pure amongst the said Churches: nay, if there had been true official Ministers all along in those Churches, than no question but such a lineal descent is extant, whence the outward function of the Ministry should be deduced without being beholding to the key of Rome. But we know not of any investment coming from Christ and his Apostles with us, but what is derived from the Popish Clergy; and you in effect confess as much in the 30 Page of your book, that Luther and your choicest men had their external calling thence: and so much must you grant of your own, unless you renounce your genealogy. Now if the key, pity and smoke in Rome became bottomless, as it did, Rev. 9 than no offspring issuing from her can be grounded in the truth of order. Therefore were there the like beasts in the Churches you plead for, who persecuted the godly by sword, banishment, imprisonment, blood, when they were anatomised, as the Pope their forefather did before.  
We now come further to expostulate about the temple and the outward court. 
Rev. 11.1, 2.  Master Elmestone holds the temple to be a true visible stated Church; and the Court without to symbolise such a false Church state, which never was bottomed in the truth.  
On the other side, we maintain the temple to decipher the mystical union of the one hundred and forty four thousand sealed or elect ones, whereby they are built up a spiritual house: and the Court without to be the externality of Ecclesiastical order, which was established by Christ in the primitive times, and true; but after being corrupted by Antichrist, was rejected by the Spirit, and false.  
Object. You allege, That the temple is the visible, because measured.  
Answ. This measurement was not in the visibility of Church-order, but only in the inward work of true grace, and worship thence arising; as will appear by these reasons.  
1. Because when the visible Church is measured, it hath always degrees of outward dimensions and distances specified in the measuring; as of the new Jerusalem the city was found by the golden rod to be ten thousand furlongs, the walls one hundred forty four cubits, Revel. 21.15, 16, 17. also ezekiel's temple and City, from Chap. 40. to the end of the book: whereas this hath no such dimensions specified in the meeting.  
2. Because the outward court (which we have proved in the Cessation to be the externality of Church-order) was excluded, and forbidden by the spirit to be measured; which must infer that nothing was here comprehended, but the inward rooms of the hidden man, with worship, etc. flowing from those intimate springs of grace.  
3. Because only the sealed elect number remained, Rev. 7.3, etc. Chap. 9.4. Chap. 14.1. Chap. 13.8. Mat. 24.24.  
Object. Those sealed ones were (as you truly say) elect saved one's; but in all ages many more have made profession then the elect: and so during the Apostasy many beside the sealed ones did help to make up a visible Church.  
Answ. In a true stated Church, hypocrites may be circumscribed within the compass of a true external stand, and so may have an outward measurement: but when the exterior order is excluded, and the measurement only internal to the elect, who are visible in false stands (as here they are in Babylon) than such who have only an outward station, must be wholly shut out, they standing solely in the outward court of false constitutions. And therefore here all the world of Israelites worshipped the beast, except those whose names were written in the book of life of the Lamb, slain from the foundation of the world, Chap. 13.8. and Chap. 17.8. none are excepted, but those who were written in this book from the foundation of the world. So that here, all save the elect are excluded, and that for one thousand two hundred and sixty years, Chap. 14.1, which razeth your next argument from its sandy foundation. Their sealing notes their confirmation of the truth of grace: and that being in their foreheads, argues some measure of visible profession.  
We shall in the last place deliver Master Elmestons' assertion touching the outward court, which he affirmed in a verbal dispute, which was after this manner; That it typed out the state of a false Church, and that it never had any measurement at all.  
To which was then answered, That it did prefigure the outward order, or visibility of Church-constitution; and three reasons were produced to prove it, drawn from the text, which you may find written in the Cessation; also, that this was true till here rejected by the Lord Jesus, and could not denote that which never had any approved measurement, as was then likewise cleared by these following arguments.  
1. By way of allusion to the temple of old: That as there was not only a Temple within, whereinto the Priests and none but they might enter, but also a Court without erected by Divine institution, and sanctified by the Spirit, into which the Priests and people had access in common; both which made a full and complete temple: so in the primitive times there was the internality of true grace, wherein properly the elect (who only were a royal Priesthood) had interest; and likewise an outward order built up, and breathed into by divine inspiration, into which Christians visibly professing (some true, and some seeming) came: and both these together concurred to make a full visible Church.  
2. From the words of the text, the court without cast out, which the original phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies: Nothing in propriety of speech can be said to be cast out, that was not before within: Ishmael was a member in the family of Abraham, before he was excluded; none can be excommunicated, unless he be first a brother; so this being now cast out, argues it to be till then approved.  
3. From the reason rendered by the Spirit why it was excluded [for it is given to the nations] which implies that it had measurement till it was thus given, and corrupted by Antichrist.  
Some trifling objections were made by Master Elmestone against these, which (partly for brevity sake, & partly because I conceive them not to be material) I shall now omit. If he think them to be otherwise, and be pleased to publish them, I shall be ready (with God's assistance) to give a reply. Thus much of the fourth Section: we shall now pass on to the fifth.   

Section 5.  
The fifth and last Section is taken from Mat. 24. where the visible models, Lo here, and Lo there, or as Luke hath it, Chap. 17.23, See here, or see there (being thus rejected by Christ) are false, and deceivable; the powers that bear, and teach them up, are false Christ's or Antichrists, and false Prophets; the spheres wherein they rule, are the wilderness, and secret Chambers.  
For the clearer apprehending of this Scripture, it may be requisite, first to explain something on the Chapter, and after to declare your mistakes thereon.  
To begin with the unfolding of the Chapter, we are to consider, there were three questions demanded by Christ's Disciples, vers. 3.  
The first, When these things shall be, to wit, the destruction of Jerusalem, and dissolution of the temple spoken of in vers. 2.  
The second, What shall be the signs of his coming; that is, of his bright ministerial coming, and dispensing his spirit-like lightning.  
The third, The signs of the end of the world, to wit, of the great and last day of judgement, and the general resurrection. To which the Lord methodically, and in order one after another answereth, with the signs thereof, from vers. the 15. to vers. the 32. To the first, from vers. 15. to vers. 23. To the second, from vers. 23. to vers. 30. To the third, vers. 30, 31. To omit the first as that impertinent to this subject, we shall begin with the second, of his coming like lightning.  
The signs of the second are double.  
1. The long foregoing delusion of Antichristianisme, abiding till his bright coming, from vers. 23, to vers. 27.  
2. The short noted immediate signals, as the darkening of the Sun, Moon, and Stars, and the shaking of the powers of heaven, vers. 29.  
If you desire to understand what these figurative speeches mean, you may know by these places, Isa. 34.4. Joel 3.15. Hag. 2.21, 22. and by the subversion of outward Babylon set forth by the like metaphors, Isa. 13. 10. Also by the overthrow of the Jewish Church, Joel 2.30, 31. And that of the Roman Heathen Emperors, Rev. 6.12, 13, 14.  
The signs preceding the third, to wit, the end of the world, are also twofold.  
1. The appearing of the Son of man in heaven, that is, his bright coming like lightning.  
2. The mourning of all the tribes of the earth upon the sight of the same glorious dispensation, Psal. 97.4. Zech. 12.10, 11, 12, 13, 14. of the Jews for their long blindness in Judaisme, of the false stated Churches amongst Christians for their defilements in Antichristiansme, of Turks and Heathens for their Mahometism and gross Idolatry.  
Again, we are to mind, that the long Babylonish delusion, of the sign of the second, contains two distinct seasons.  
1 The time of the tribulation of the godly, by the overswaying power of the false Antichristian Churches; which by comparing this with the Revelations, continued 1260 years, chap. 11.2, 3. chap. 12.6, 14. chap. 13.5; a remarkable time, it being engraven in five places of that prophecy, for our more espiciall remembrance.  
2 The time of the Sun and Moons darkening, the Stars falling, etc. to wit, the season of the vials wrath, wherein the Saints are passing from their former bondage, and retaliate the reward upon their Enemies, vers. 29; where it is said, Immediately after the tribulation, to wit, that wrought by the Beasts prevailing for 1260 years: the word after, notes our another distinct time of the Sun and Moons darkening, etc. and the Saints lifting up their heads; who at this time are said to come out of great tribulation, Rev. 7.14; and to get victory over the Beast, cha. 15.2.: and that this delusion continues the same season also, is clear from Mark 13.24, where it is said, In those days (to wit, of the Antichristian deceit) after the tribulation.  
This orderly method of the text concurring with the Disciples three questions, the agreement of the Apocalypse therewith, and the succession of the times so directly answering, may lead us to conclude, that this notable deceit belongs to that of the great Babylonish apostasy: yet for the further clearing up this truth, we shall evidence it by these ensuing reasons.  
1 Because Christ marks this out to be the next after Jerusalem's destruction: and the next grand deceivable evil alteration succeeding to the Church, was that of Antichristianism.  
2 This ominous falsity is evidenced by the Spirit in Luke 17.22, 23, to be after the primitive, when he saith The days will come; and withal, that the time when they shall say, See here, and see there, is the time of an invisible day, as is further asserted, They shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man (to wit, either that of the primitive, or the latter of his bright coming) and shall not see it: which most aptly agrees with that dark gloomy night of Antichristianism, when the Sun and Air were darkened, the day of Christ's power disappeared, and the Beast had power to prevail, Rev. 9.1 chap. 7.1. chap. 13.5.  
3 From the continuance of the same delusion, which was from the end of the primitive day, till this latter day of his bright coming, which none ever did but that of the great Antichrist.  
4 From the bewitching subtlety of their signs and wonders; which fitly complies with the first and second beast, who did the like deceitful miracles, Rev. 13.13, 14: the second beast is there called a false Prophet, implying the first to be a false Christ, or Antichrist: only there it is typed out by one false Christ and false Prophet, there being but one in the root, which is man, ver. 18: here by many, in respect of their particular statings, their divers forms, and the different time of their several rises,  
5 From the effectual working of this deceit; [They shall seduce (if it were possible) the very Elect:] nothing that is possible to deceive, but is subverted; only the Election based on Christ is excepted: which complies with none but that of the beast, who deceived all universally except the sealed ones, & them too so far as was possible; only the work of the election, with that flowed purely from it, was untouched, as is proved in the Cessation.  
6 Christ gives a principal and general forewarning, the danger being so great, which must relate to a notable and epidemical deceit, as was that of the beast,: this admonition took its effect by the ministry of the third Angel, Rev. 14.9, etc. who roused the godly out of their former sleep. Furthermore, it cannot be imagined, that our Saviour briefly deciphering all the principal occurrences from the primitive Gospel-day to the end of all things, should let slip a matter of such weighty, consequence, and so long continuance, without giving any notice thereof.  
We shall in the next come more nearly to the exposition of the text, in which our Messiah lively emblems the state of false Churches, wherein the substance of this deceit doth lie: and there we may at once take a survey, 

1 Of their marks.  
2 Of their grounds.  
3 Of their forms, or rather their Spheres in which they inhabit.    
1 The marks of these falls Churches are four.  
1 Their visibility in their stative order, Lo, or sea, in that time when the true Kingdom was within, not to be seen in such an open dispensation, Luk. 17.21, 22.  
2 The phrase Here and there notes out a manifest place of rest, or sitting down, fitly representing Church-constitutions: it is the character of the woman Babylon in this season to sit as a Queen.  
3 Their variety, here, and there, which must scatter, whereas the true is uniform, and universally gathers the Eagles unto it.  
4 The visible Loe or model is first, and then Christ is brought to it, Lor here is Christ, as if the Spirit of life, and divine primitive power were in it, when it is but their own spirit, even that of Antichrist ascending from an humane bottom: hereupon, Luk. 17.20, implicitly tells us that it ariseth from humane observation of such and such a form drawn from their imaginary platforms, and forcing Christ unto it: whereas in the true Christ the dead carcase is there first, who inspires it by the flashing lightning glory of his Spirit.  
2 The grounds are twofold.  
1 A false Christ, Antichrist, or a Beast, are persons usurping that power which is proper and essential to Christ only; and this they assume and use in constituting visible Churches: hereupon they are said to come in Christ's name, viz. with his power and authority in pretence, vers. 5, (when in reality it is but their own name, Joh. 5.43.) saying, I am Christ, that is, taking up such a power as peculiarly belongs to him, whose sole prerogative it is to begin visible constitutions, Psal. 102.16. Zech. 4.6, 10. Hos. 2.19, 20.  
2 A false Prophet is the teaching and managing of the same false power, as exercising in Ministry all the power of the first Beast or false Christ, before him, Rev. 13.21.  
Both these concur to the making and completing of false Churches: the most sublime mystery, and quintessence of whose deceit lieth in their signs and wonders, ver. 24. which in Revel. 13.13, is to make fire to come down from Heaven in the sight of men; to wit, their pretending of the fiery operation of the Spirit to be in their stative ordinances, with such a show of working like unto God his working, as if it were Christ's true fire coming down from Heaven, when indeed it is but ignis culinaris, or rather ignis fatuus, a strange feigned fire of their own kindling; and vers. 15. he had power to give life to the Image of the Beast by his spiriting these stative ordinances, which when true, are the image of Christ; when false, the image of a Beast: all which they so set in the face of men, as if it were celestial, and the lively breathe of the Spirit: and this kind of spiritual magic, may be fitly termed signs and wonders, that do the more universally seduce, because they seem to be heavenly, and to be derived from Apostolical power.  
3 The forms or spheres of these false Churches are pictured out by a double figure; the Wilderness, and the secret chambers.  
1 The Wilderness. This is not a proper, but a metaphorical Wilderness (as the Sun, Moon, Stars, and the powers of heaven are, and so are the lightning, the dead carcase, and Eagles) and pictures out a visible station resembling a desert; which most congruously complies with that of National Churches, whether Romish, Episcopal, or Presbyterial. Hence the woman, when once she declined into a National stand, is said to fly from Heaven into the Wilderness, Revel. 12: 6. Hence is she said to go out of the City to dwell in the field of this Babylon, Mica. 4.10. Likewise the great strumpet was seen of John in the Wilderness, Rev. 17.3, thereby showing that her place and residence should be in the like earthly confusion: for John beheld her sitting in that desert upon her scarlet-coloured Beast, who by his name and similitude is a Beast of the desert, or wild beast, chap. 13.1, 2. Also outward Babylon alluding to the mystical, is said to be built for them that dwell in the Wilderness, Isa. 23.13. The Sword of the Nations is called the Sword of the Wilderness, Lament. 5.9. and Israel scattered amongst these Babylonish people, is said to be planted in the Wilderness, in a dry thirsty and land, Ezek. 19.13. in which confusion, at last after seventy years she found favour, Jer. 31.2. So that in a spiritual sense, that which is barren, earthly, and confused, is figuratively named a Wilderness.  
But to return to our subject, we will show you how fitly this type of the wilderness symbolizeth the abovesaid national Churches. That as the wilderness is a low terrene place, in comparison of the heavenly orbs; so are these, if balanced with the high celestial glory of the primitive: as that is open and vast; so are these wide, spacious and open for all of the nation, good and bad, to enter: as that is a dry thirsty ground, and barren of true natural fertility; so are these of spiritual: as that is full of thorns, brambles, heath, fruitless trees; so are these of such men whose end is to be burned, and of many superstitious inventions: as that is a confused rough place, where men may lose themselves; so are these a Chaos, or Babylon, wherein millions of souls have been lost eternally: as that is termed a howling wilderness, full of wolves and such like wild beasts, who tear, devour and kill; so are these of such beasts that have the mouths of Lions, the paws of Bears, the enticing cruelty of the Leopard, with swarms of Locusts; who though they come in sheep's clothing, yet inwardly, are ravening wolves. The true Church in this confusion is as a Lily, not in the garden, but amongst thorns; and Christ to his as an aple-tree, not in the orchard, but amongst the trees of the wood. And though these be something differing in their forms, yet, as national, all make up one great City; and have all such hierarchies as concur in the same root: and they have all the marks and grounds before declared.  
2. The second Character is that of the secret Chambers, which are not outward, but mystical, or more secret retired Church-models resembling these Chambers. The Spirit could not take up a more exact symbol to figure out our lesser stated bodies, than this of the secret Chambers.  
For besides, that they foot upon man, and have all the marks and grounds above expressed, they concur in all points with this type. That as the Chambers are set in figure after the wilderness; so did these arise for time after national Churches, even in the latter and declining age of the Antichristian kingdom: as they are severed from the open face of the desert; so are these sequestered from the national opacity: as they are small compared with the vast wilderness; so these are but little corporations if considered with the former: as they are a more curious structure than the rude Chaos of the other; so these seem to be more orderly buildings than the national: as they notwithstanding are only framed by the skill and wisdom of man; so these pertaining to the outward rejected court, and being not grounded on the pouring out of the Spirit, must be a building made with hands, a mere humane architect: as they are Chambers in the plural number, many; so are these manifold, being erected answerable to the several and discording Idaea's of the artificers: as Chambers are severed from the open air, and parted one from another by walls; so these divide themselves by their dissenting constitutions, not only from the nations, but one from one another, as by so many bars of partition: as they are built up and closed in by their respective walls, that a man within cannot get fairly out, unless the door be opened; so these are kept retired by their statings, and by types and covenants so walled in, that one entered, can hardly get out without some pretence of perjury, if not excommunication, unless the door of their consent be granted: as they are secret; so these are outwardly more reserved, and mystically concealed under a more specious show of holiness, and similitude to the primitive pattern; and are thereby more difficult to be disclosed; howbeit, being but dark imaginary Chambers of their own invention, Ezek. 8.12. they cannot in these secret rooms be hid from the discovery of truth, Jerem. 23.24. Isa. 42.22. as the Chambers are first built, and then Christ is forced into them; so every one of these divisim first bring, and then enclose Christ within the narrow limits of their own private corporations, to which they in a peculiar manner tie up all the promises. The Chambers are not situate in a heavenly sphere, but in the foresaid earthly wilderness, though their parvitude, secrecy, retired closures, their exquisite artifice seem to allude to such constitutions as consist of more choice and culled-out men, and are more methodically framed, and nearer to their first pattern than the former. Thus we may take notice that these two metaphors of the wilderness, and secret chambers so lively type out false stated Churches, as he that runs may read it, and admire the wisdom of the Lord Jesus, who contracted the perfect image of so large a subject, into such a compendious platform.  
Having thus explained our sense upon the text, we shall now give reply to your exceptions against it. Ours to you was thus. Satan's subtlety was deep and deceivable in all ages; but the chiefest strength of his art and policy was combined in making up the man of sin: all deceivableness of unrighteousness, the whole mystery of iniquity is in him contracted, who being now by the glorious beam of truth, clearly discovered in the Romanist, Episcopacy, etc. to be a false Christ in the wilderness, hath since entered into his secret Chambers, where he seemingly puts on a more curious dress of holiness and purity, nearly resembling the wedding-garment of the primitive Church; that thereby he might the more effectually deceive (if it were possible) the very elect.  
Object. Against this you oppose, That this place in Matthew belongs not to the Roman Antichrist, but is meant of such who take on them to be Christ in person, as did Benchocab amongst the Jews, and Hacket with his company in England.  
Answ. These were false Christ's or Antichrists, who in pretence were for Christ (they coming in his name) and yet in reality were against him, as is before declared: neither was any that took on them to be Christ in person, so subtle and prevalent in false signs and wonders, as to endanger the elect, and subvert all Christians besides; nor did any such continue through all the times of the Apostasy till the day of Christ's appearing like lightning, nor did they bring such a general and long tribulation, out of which the godly at last do come, nor doth the figure of the wilderness and secret Chambers fitly allude to those who took on them to be Christ in Person; but all these properties with the rest above specified most exactly concur with the great Antichrist, whether Romish, Episcopal, or elsewhere, and none but in him. As for Bencocab, he was a Jew, and seduced none but Mosaical Jews, who soon found him (as you confess) to be an impostor, and therefore called him Bencosban, the son of a lie: his deceit was to the Jews only, of short continuance, and did not at all endanger Christians, much less the elect amongst them. As for Hacket, he was an obscure man, and did not involve England, much less the Christian world in his private error, which was not known of most; or if it had, was too too gross to delude so universally. The special warning of Christ to beware, infers a greater and more mystical subtlety, than were Bencocabs, or Hackets.  
Object. But (say you) this false one in the wilderness, cannot be applied, much less appropriated to the Roman Antichrist, who hath not acted his part in a desert, but hath set as God in the Temple of God, 2 Thess. 2.4. and ruled with pomp over nations.  
Answ. 1. We did not appropriate him to the Pope, but granted the Bishops and national Presbyters also to have an interest in him, who mingled all together, complete this false Christ in the wilderness.  
2. This wilderness is not a proper (as you carnally apprehend) but metaphorical speech, and alludes to such a way as resembles a desert, which is cleared above.  
Now though such worldly pomp may appear very majestical to flesh and blood, yet in the Spirits judgement, and in a mystical sense, it is a desolation, being barren and void of spiritual fruitfulness. Thus outward Babylon was the glory of kingdoms, the golden city, anc very magnificent in the eyes of natural reason; yet together with her nations is called a wilderness, as before. So Rome the head and mother of this mystical Babel is (as you assert) to a carnal judgement a great and stately City, and ruled over multitudes of people; yet together with her nations, compared with the primitive heavenly glory of Christianity, is a mere desert: as saith the Prophet, Isa. 65.10. Zion is become a wilderness. That Church which in the first Gospel-day was Zion in the beauty of apostolical order, afterwards having such a desolation and confusion of her first Gospel-order, so great a famine of the word of God, so many thorns and briers in her, and usurping a terrene national hierarchy, with multitude of ravenous devouring beasts, together with a pompous show of humane Ceremonies, Canons, etc. might most fitly be styled an earthly wilderness, she being worldly in her foundation and whole artifice. The place in 2 Thes. 2.4. in which Antichrist sits, is called the temple by a Synecdoche, the whole for the part, to wit, for the outward Court: for no more was given to the Nations over whom he rules as God, than the outward Court, Rev. 11.2. but the temple, vers. 1. within, to wit, the inward rooms of the hidden man, that beast never reigned over, it being sustained by Christ: and this you must assent to, unless you make Rome to be a true Church, and to have true measurement: this text of the Apocalypse, interprets that of Paul: and the same outward Court was by the Antichristian impiety made a wilderness.  
You grant, That the Brownist, Dippers, etc. invite into secret chambers.  
Answ. If so, then surely it is very improbable, that Christ should pass over in utter silence the great beast of Rome, the head of all the rest, which for many ages did so universally deceive the world; and hint only upon the last, and least. It is not safe to tax Wisdom itself with such an oversight, not to close up your eyes against the light of so clear a prophecy.  
You further inquire, Whether the calling of men into houses, parlours, and Chambers, do not reflect, etc.  
Answ. These Chambers are not proper, but figurative Chambers, as before is showed: and preaching and praying in houses, are not, as barely considered, these false narrow rooms: for the Apostles went about from house to house; and Christ hath promised his Spirit to those who truly worship him in any place whatsoever.  
You tell me, That mutato nomine, de me fabula narratur: the fable may be told of me.  
Answ. If any can tax me with false doctrine, or touch us in out call for or walk in separation, let him come forth: we do not bring Christ to any particular stating, so to say, Lo, nor bottom our union on a narrow corporation; but separating from all these restraints, we bear up our spiritual relation with all the godly wherever scattered, and endeavour to bring them off from these bestial formalities which bondage the Saints, and divide Christ to Lo here, & Lo there; that renouncing these, they may join together with one consent in the way of separation, wherein Christ is gone forth, that so they may get full victory over the beast; and this is not to bring into, but pull men off from their inthraling either in the wilderness, or secret Chambers. I will not say, Fabula de te narratur, as making the oracle of Truth to be an old wife's fable, which your inversion against me is: but whether for you to take up a new power to state Churches, and to make members and officers, upon your own call, name, time, spiriting, and to show such signs and wonders in inspiring you stative Ordinances, some whereof are mere inventions; for you, I say, to begin such a narrow, limited, obscure and unwarrantable work upon your own observation as a false Christ, and teach it up as a false prophet, be not numbered amongst these secret Chambers, we leave it for wise and impartial men to determine.  
You indeed plead for national Churches, and are officiated from their hierarchies, being in your confession in the wilderness; but in your walk as those in the narrow rooms.   

Conclusion.  
For conclusion and close of this subject, we acquainted you, that these latter Ordinances of Ordination, Confirmation, etc. have a being in the Scriptures, and the mind and desires of the faithful; and that we carry them along with us in our journey of separation (as the Israelites of old did the vessels of the temple out of outward Chaldea) but dare not officiate in them within the territories of Babylon, in which we are, till we have passed by the sixth vail over the river Euphrates.  
Object. If they have a being in the Scriptures, then are they the institution of Christ, and aught always to be taken up in practice, proved from Mat. 28.20.  
Answ. Those Ordinances which have their constant existence perpetuated in the word by institution and promise, are ever accompanied by the same Word and the Spirit thereof for their continued use in all convenient times and places (as you affirm) during the time of their administration; and thus were the former fort of Ordinances; as Ministry, Prayer, etc.  
But for others that are so upheld, though their being may remain in the Scriptures, yet their vital existence by some occasions, and in some seasons may fail, lie deserted, and their dispensation resolve into its prime original cause; from whence till it flow forth again into these channels, they cannot be made use of without presumption, as bottoming on the name and power of man. Thus the vessels and ordinances proper to the legal temple, even when that was destroyed, and the vessels carried into Babylon, had an institution and being in the Scriptures and minds of the godly, yet lay void of their ministration, and could not be officiated with either there, or after in their journey of separation, till they were come to Zion, and there sanctified. Thus also, under the Gospel, Ministry and Baptism were foretold to be successive, as we have showed from this text of Matthew; and from Isa. 55.11. and Chap. 56.5. and in that last Scripture, Chap. 56.5. which foretells the continual succession of Baptism, the place or hand is secluded from the same promise. Nay, when the externality of government was ruined by antichrist, and made a desolation, than the administration of Christ was withheld from it, than did the key become another, than was it cast out by God, Rev. 7.1. Chap. 9.1, 2. Chap. 11.2, and cannot be assumed but upon an humane bottomless key, till the Lord return into them by the visible blast of the Spirit, Isa. 32.15. Hence the Lord Jesus himself, Mat. 24.26. Mark. 13. 23. warns us to beware of these visible Lo's, as delusive; and shows that such as build them be antichrists during the antichristian time. And this command of Christ is to be taught: for as his dispensions are various, so are his precepts and commands thereunto parallel: when Christ and his Spirit were in them, he chargeth his people to observe them: when he had left, and antichrist had surprised them, he commands his servants to beware.  
Object. You tell us, That herein the example of the Israelites will not help us, because the use of those vessels was confined to a certain place, the Temple at Jerusalem: but now God may be worshipped in any place.  
Answ. Many of those things which were literal and local to the Israelites under the Law, are by way of an allegory and in a mystical sense, fulfilled on the Israel of God under the Gospel. For as then the temple, vessels, and the use of them were confined to a certain place, mount Zion; so Gospel-constitutions with the ordinances proper thereto, are limited to a more manifest dispensation, which makes them a stated visible Zion; and this is confined to the two days of Christ, the primitive, and his last coming like lightning; it cannot, but upon an antichristian root, be taken up when the kingdom is more retired, and neither of these two days are to be seen, Luk. 17.22. As Babylon then was an outward place without the precincts of the land of promise; so is it now a confused Church-state, without the limits of a Gospel-order: then the king of Babel ruinated Jerusalem, and the outward temple, carried the vessels thereof into the house of his idol-gods, where they were abused as quaffing bowls to the praise of graven and molten images; now antichrist, the destroying king, hath made desolate the outward cou●t, trodden the holy city under foot, introduced a false and bottomless key into Church-government, whereby the ordinances of Ordination, Confirmation, etc. are changed into the image of the beast: then the Jewish Church was carried from their native country Canaan, into the wilderness of Babylon, where she was a captive in a foreign Country, in which she was to abide for the space of seventy years: now the woman declined from her own heavenly order into the wilderness of Babylonish constitutions, where she was an exile in a strange land, and there trampled upon by other lords; in which condition she was to remain for 1260 years: then the Lord provided a little sanctuary for them in the place of their captivity, Ezek. 11.16. now he had a spiritual place, or mystical abode for his scattered sealed one's: then the date of those seventy years being expired, they were called to come out from Chalaea: now the 1260 years of the Saints thraldom being finished, Christ calls, Come out of her my people: then they had a long and local journey to return to their own resting place, in the way to which they passed over proper Euphrates; and so at last to Zion: now the Saints have a spiritual journey of separation by the vials, or a way cast up for them, in the which they shall go over the figurative Euphrates, and thence forward till they come to the visible Zion of their own native order, Revel. 16.12. and that this passage answers to theirs towards outward Zion, is further evidenced, Isa. 48.20, 21. Chap. 43.14, 19 Chap. 35.8, 10, where the Saints go out of captivity to a Zion they were absent from before: then they in their voyage did bear the Lords vessels up to Zion, which were of no use in their travel, till that was accomplished, and they sanctified in their peculiar place: now we carry the Ordinances of external Church-government, as the Lords vessels, in our minds, but dare not officiate in them till God smoke them from his glory and power; according to that precept given to the separation of our time, Isa. 52. 11, 12. Be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord, by way of allusion to that of old. Thus we may take notice, how the wise distributer of the times, doth so order his dispensations in suiting season to season, that what was more outward of old, doth under shadows and veils figure out what is now under the Gospel: he so declares the end from the beginning, that there is nothing altogether new under the Sun, Isa. 46.10. Eccles. 1.9. Chap. 3.15. though there be something peculiar to this latter (as every thing hath its appropriated difference:) and I do foresee wherein Master Elmestone doth think to evade: but when he publisheth his oppositions, I shall be willing (if the Lord please) to meet him; and declare from Scripture the grounds of some dissimiltudes. I shall now proceed to resolve some doubts made by you in the 9 and 10 Pages of your book about my study of the Revelations, which I will here divide into a distinct Paragraph.    

Paragraph II.  
I Acquainted you, that the reason of my diligent search in the Revelation was, because it being a prophecy of all Gospel-times, contains the full testimony of Jesus, wherein, as in a cabinet, God's several dispensations proper to every period, with Satan's opposite works, are included, etc.  
You wish me, in searching the visions of the Apocalypse, together with the prophets, to do it with humility and self-denial, as not having any conceit that I have a more excellent spirit of revelation than other men: but rather mistrust my own conceptions, in which I go alone, unless I can prove that I have daniel's spirit, or justify it by irrefragable arguments.  
Answ. My desire is to dive into these types and Prophecies with an humble and selfdenying mind; and to be free from puffedup fancies of mine own wisdom above others, or beyond the measure God hath given me: neither do I acknowledge immediate revelations and inspirations (as Daniel and the Prophets had) to belong to any in our time, but mediate by the word; and for mine own particular, am very cautious what I receive for truth upon these Prophecies, either from myself or others, until by comparing Scripture with Scripture, together with the event, it be cleared up to me by manifest arguments. As for other interpreters, some of them I adjudge to be godly, learned and wise, and highly prise their interpretations wherein I find them to agree with the natural sense of the text. Yet they sticking in national Churches, and living in the obscurer times of the tribulation, were so veiled, that they could not behold the next dispensation of Christ, after the 1260 years should be expired. But now the date of that time being finished, God hath and will raise up a separated people, who stand at the Glassy sea, Revel. 15.2. in the more bright unfolding of the mind of the Apostles and Prophets, both for matter, and time, answerable to the promise made to such a returning people, Isa. 42.16, I will make darkness light before them. And for my sense upon them, as I have with diligent circumspection examined it myself; so I wish others truly to weigh it by the balance of the Sanctuary; and they may find, that it comes not from me, but from Christ, his Apostles and Prophets; nor to me only, but to all those freed redeemed one's, whose eyes the Lord hath and will enlighten.  
Your ensuing discourse on this subject contains two particulars.  
Object. 1. The doctrine of Christ's persons, offices, the means to apply him, faith, the most dangerous errors in faith and worship, are better learned out of doctrinal texts of Scripture, than out of the Revelations: that holding forth a story of the enemies of the Church, who they should be, how they should oppress the Church, and at last be destroyed by her: and of the Church's estate before the enemies rising, under their power, its deliverance, and glorious estate in the end; and not of faith, worship and good works.  
Answ. 1. The book of the Apocalypse is doctrinal, as well as other Scriptures: for all Scripture is profitable for doctrine, 2 Tim. 2.61. if all be doctrinal, than this book is not excluded.  
2. The offices of Christ, faith, worship and good works are here figured out by allegories, which being compared with other plainer texts, make their sense much more full and bright to such whose eyes are open to discern the mystery.  
3. This historical narration doth not only show who the Church's enemies are, but what they are, and in what they chief stand, to wit, in the court without, Chap. 11.2. nor barely describes her persecution by, and deliverance from, but also presents before us the several dispensations of God, the divers outward stands of his people in their distinct periods, both that of the primitive, that under antichrist, this of the separation, that of the visible marriage and call returning, and the glory of new Jerusalem; all which are of great and high concernment for a Christians knowledge and walk, Chap. 1.3. and the ignorance whereof may occasion deep misery, Revel. 18.4. Chap, 14.9, etc. Besides, the subject we are treating upon (to wit, who the beast is, what he is in his latitude, what was the dispensation and stand of the Saints in mystical Babylon, what it is and aught to be in the season of their separation from her) is not expressed by plain text of Scriptures, but by dark prophecies and visions: by way of prophesy it must be, as being to come in the ages when Scripture was penned: and the Lord in divine wisdom hath delivered it more obscurely, that the common multitude in hearing might not hear, and in seeing might not see, but (as was fore-prophesied) might be deceived by the beast, and partake with Babylon in her plagues: as also that the curious art of the Spirit might the more be magnified, in its wrapping up so much choice matter into such brief compendious platforms; and at last in its bright explicating those intricate types and say to his despised servants, which are veiled from the great Rabbis of the time: for such with other causes, these ways and judgements of God are parabolically delivered: Now we must search them where they are written, if we intent to find.  
Object. 2. The Revelations is veiled with such mystical visions, as very learned Christians cannot uncover the veil, nor clearly see to the end of them.  
An. That this is concealed from such as adhere to national Churches, is true, it being prophesied that the veil should lie upon nations, Isa. 25.7. Chap. 30.8, 9, 10, 11. Chap. 42. 19, 20. also Chap. 29.10. The Lord hath poured out upon you Prophets the spirit of a deep sleep; and vers. 11, 12. And the vision of all is become unto you like to a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned; saying, Read this, I pray thee; and he saith, I cannot, for it is sealed. And the book is delivered to him that is not learned to read, and he saith, I am not learned.  
Here the Spirit meets you in your argumentations of this nature; for those who are most eminent amongst you allege, that the visions of the Revelations and Prophets are sealed, or (as you here say) veiled, and we must not presume to dive into secrets; such as are of a lower capacity, complain that they are unable to comprehend those mysteries; and tell us that it belongs to scholars and learned men. The reason of this darkness is, because the Lord hath covered you: But behold, in vers. 18, what the Spirit promiseth to such whom you adjudge to be blind and deaf, The deaf shall hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness. And to these people who are enlightened to follow the Lamb, this book, together with the parables of Christ, and the Prophets, are as a cloudy pillar to lead them in their journey.  
This worthy prophecy is the last book given by the Father unto the great Prophet after his ascension into glory, and sent by his angel unto his servant John; and is called a Revelation (being delivered to show to his servants things that were to come) and that of Jesus Christ; an emphatical title, and proper to this book, wherein it carries a dignity beyond the other Scriptures; in the front whereof is promised an especial Gospel-blessing to such as read, hear, and keep the words of this prophecy; (keeping implies both an understanding of, and a way or walk for his people to keep in) and the conclusion is sealed with a dreadful curse against adders to, or detractors from it. This being the last, so nobly given, and peculiarly styled by the name of Jesus Christ his Revelation, so argues it to be full of majesty, to be the compleature and perfection of the whole Scripture, and shows the matter to be very precious, and the comprehension thereof to be of weighty consequence for the welfare of the Saints. And therefore it will prove our wisdom, being here invited, as at the one side to count the number of the beast, and distinguish God's things from man's, Chap. 13.18; so on the other side to keep close to the administration therein deciphered for the times in which we live: neither can any wander therefrom, but he must needs run into multitude of errors and absurdities.  
Sir, we stand amazed, that you should inveavor to deter us from searching into this prophecy, and eclipse the light thereof from shining into our hearts, that thereby (if it were possible) you might disrobe us of our blessing: take heed lest you bring upon yourself the curse. However, we shall rather obey the counsel of the Spirit, in counting the number of the beast by those rules whereby he is described, and to seek Christ in the path of separation in this book, where the call and way are lively set before us. I shall have occasion to speak more upon this subject in the fourth Paragraph.   

Paragraph III.  
WE informed you, that the foundation of the beast consisteth in an usurped power of Church-discipline footed on man's will without the call of God.  
Object. Against this is alleged, That the foundation of the beast lieth not in false discipline, but doctrine.  
Answ. Doctrine may be considered either in a more general sense, for whatever may be taught; and thus discipline may be comprehended under that notion, it being teachable; or else it is used in a narrower and more limited acceptation, as it is opposed to, and set apart from discipline and worship: and so doctrine respects the free grace of God, and justification by Jesus Christ: and discipline is that part of divinity whether conceived, spoken, written or exercised, which concerns external Church government. Now that the beast described Revel. 13. grounded himself primarily, originally, and radically in this latter part of discipline or government, and not in Doctrine, we render these ensuing reasons.  
1. Because the Scripture declares that his residence should be in the court without, which must pertain to the outside in discipline, and not to the inside in doctrine.  
2. Where Antichrist first grounded himself, there he brought a whole corruption: for the foundation of the beast, and that of truth, are extreme contraries, and cannot in the same thing subsist together. Now Doctrine, Christ believed and professed, were not originally razed in Rome, being all born up by the power of Christ: but Discipline, as confined to that government peculiar to a stated-Church, was wholly defaced by that destroyer: hereupon in office, he was a mere beast; the Angel of the bottomless pit, and the Church became bottomless of truth, and Babylon.  
3. This total defection lasted 1260 years, and some space after till the seventh vial: during all the former season he was a beast, utterly false in his office, and that prevailing; all that while the court was excluded, and the nations had power to trample, Revel. 13.5. Chap. 11.2. And you cannot for shame affirm, that the Church of Rome hath for so long a time been radically false in doctrine.  
4. If the beast had primarily eradicated the principle of doctrine, there could not have been any breathing for an elect number in such an outward station, where neither the grace of God, nor Christ, nor justificaby him was to be found. But the Scripture doth tell us that there was a sealed company, a temple, a woman, and feeding for her in Mystical Babylon; and the event hath cleared, that there were a godly people, a ministry of Christ to nourish them in the Romish Church, during the abovesaid season, or else it was nowhere for many ages.  
5 It is assented to by all the Protestant party, that the Pope and his hierarchy make up this beast. Now the foundation of the Pope is his Popedom, whose rise was (as Mr. Brightman well observes) from the Authority of Peter's Chair; the ground of his hierarchy is their respective orders and prelacies; all which chief belong to discipline.  
6. The Beast carries the woman Babylon, chap. 17.37. and who knows not that the Pope with his creatures bear up the Romish Church by their ecclesiastical government?  
7 Upon a serious view you may find, that most, if not all the corrupt Tenants of Rome, meet radically in some false maxims of discipline, which argues that to be the corrupt root from whence they sprouted forth.  
8. The Dragon gave him power, Rev. 13.2, which is the soul and spirit of Antichrist: The original of doctrine never was in the Devil's hands to give, it being upheld by Christ; but the externallitie of rule, being forsaken and cast out by God, was left in Satan's power, who inspired the beast therewith; hereupon ensued a Throne and great Authority; all which appertain to discipline.  
Your Arguments on the other side to prove the beast to ground in doctrine.  
Object. 1. The foundation of Christian religion lieth in Doctrine, therefore also doth doth the Antichristian.  
Answ. This your consequence carries no convincing force, but rather cusus contrarium verum est, The contrary sequel may challenge the truer sense: for, as the naturalists say, Ars incipit ubi natura desinit, Art gins where nature ends; because natural existences being the workmanship of God, begin first with the intr●nsecal, and more essential parts, and thence pass outward to the external; whereas Artificers begin with the exterior or outward part. So Christian religion being created of God, found'st first in the inside of grace and faith, and from thence operateth to the outside of discipline; whereas the Antichristion, being an artificial structure, or man in its base, Rev. 13.18., initiates in the superficies of discipline, and thence goeth gradually into corruptions of Doctrine.  
Object. 2 Your next is taken from John 4.2, 3, He that denies Christ to be come in the flesh, is not of God, this is the spirit of Antichrist: false doctrine then about Christ's nature, Persons; and Officers, is the foundation of Antichristian religion.  
Answ. This great Antichrist doth not directly deny Christ his natures, persons and offices, as some petty ones in the primitive time might, but secondarily and by consequence: The first Popes and Bishops at the entrance of the 1260 years, were so far from denying these, that they published and zealously preached them up before the world, as you also do: only they laid another foundation of discipline, by taking the government from Christ his shoulders, and laying it on their own; and so in their outward order, or rather disorder, they denied Christ in his natures, persons, and offices; and set up a false Christ in regiment. This was not so palpable in outward show, but came in Christ his name under very specious pretences of Order, Unity, repressing heresies, holiness, advancing Christ and his Kingdom, and therefore did the more universally deceive. If the natures, persons, and offices our Lord Jesus had been directly, originally and fundamentally razed in the Romish Church, than God's people could never have remained for so many ages in such a visible stand.  
Object. 3. The Pope's extravagant exercise of discipline in excommunicating, suspending, not only simple persons, but whole Nations, and disposing of all Ecclesiastical dignities, was founded on this false doctrine, that the Pope is universal Bishop, Christ's Vicar, etc.  
Answ. 1 The same barely considered as a Notion, or thing taught, was not the groundwork of the beast; but as usurped and laid in discipline: a stone in the quarry is not the foundation of a house, till it be hewn out thence, and disposed in the bottom of the building.  
2 This false Tenent of universality and visible headship is not a doctrinal (if doctrine be minded as opposed to discipline) but a disciplinall principle, as any rational man may apprehend.  
Object. 4 None can comply with the Beast in the foundation of his estate, without the loss of his salvation; as who doth rely on another besides Christ, and acknowledgeth him to be supreme head, under him vicar of Christ, and submit to his new Articles of faith: but many godly Christian have complied with him in discipline, as Ridly, Latimer, etc.  
Answer. 1 The beast (it is true) laid another foundation which primarily and radically was in discipline, and secondarily struck against doctrine, as is showed before: his visible headship and vicarship are principles of discipline, and thence flow his articles of faith. Besides, he was fundamentally both in matter and form a Beast for 1260 years, and some time after, and so long the Church is Babylon, as before is cleared; and all that time the world worshipped him: but his Articles of faith are not of so long standing, most whereof were framed in the Council of Trent. And then that cannot be his groundwork, which in order of nature and time followed his being: the Cause must be before the Effect.  
2 This was damnable, as to all, so only to those Christians not truly grounded upon the Rock Jusus Christ, Rev. 13.8: who having a mere outside, shallow and sandy bottom, might be radically supplanted by such a total and delusive externality: but the Elect having a deeper root than that of the Beast, could not in the inward work of grace be by him subverted, though they were outwardly clothed with his Livery. Thus Gregory, and other Popes of Rome before him might be in the Election, yet their Office was essentially a Beast, they living within the aforenamed time of the tribulation: the like may be said of Ridly, Hooper, with the rest by you nominated. If this beast had been originally false in the essentials of doctrine, it had been damnable to them, as well as to the rest of the world: for if the foundations be utterly destroyed, how can the righteous stand? Psal. 11.3.  
We desire the Reader rightly to observe the difference betwixt Mr. Elmestone and us in this particular subject. He pleads, that the Church of Rome is fundamentally false in doctrine, which you may find by his Arguments above; and yet that in her order or Church-constitution she is in her groundwork true: for he avers that the Pope hath the true key of Christ's discipline in Ordination, Excommunication, etc. and that Friars, Monks Priests, Bishops, etc. were radically right in their membership and orders which they had in and from that Church, as you may read in the 29 and 30 pages of his book. The former he is driven to maintain, or else he must contradict in writing, what he and his party have published for many years in open Pulpits, before the Nation, that Rome is a false Church, and that woman Babylon described in Revel. 17. that the Pope is Antichrist, and the beast delineated chap. 13. the latter he is enforced to manage, or else he must yield their office to be false, which lineally descended from the Romish Church. But how the body of discipline can retain life in its binding and losing, where the soul of doctrine is departed; or how she can be a bottomless pit, and a stranger to Zion, who is bottomly true in her order, and hath the keys of the Kingdom of heaven to let into and shut out of such a visible Kingdom, (we conceive) cannot be proved by Scripture, nor agree with any reason.  
On the contrary, we affirm, that Church to be in visible Order false, in her membership Babylonish, in her office bestial: but yet as the Prophecies foretold, and the event hath manifested, that there should be a godly people in that false visibility: so for their sakes the Lord reserved the root of the Covenant, of doctrine, faith, profession issuing thence in prayer, praises, etc. as also a gifted ministry, coming not from the bottomless key of that Church, but from the immediate gift of Jesus Christ, which you may see evinced in the Cessation: the former must be fundamentally false, or else Rome could not be Babylon; the latter must be radically true, or else there had been no subsistence for the Saints. And thus we shall end with this third Paragraph.   

Paragraph IU.  
OUrs in brief was this, that the call of God in our times is only for separation without stating, or without constituting and modelling visible Churches, and sitting down therein, Rev. 18.4.  
You may find it declared in the Cessation, that there are two bright and manifest days of Jesus Christ in the clear administration of his glory.  
1. That of the primitive apostolical day; which continued till the key of the bottomless pit was given, and thereby the Sun and air darkened, which shut up that brightness with darkness of a succeeding night.  
2. The day of his coming like lightning, when the marriage of the Lamb doth again return, after the final subversion of Antichrist.  
Betwixt these two periods is the time of the Babylonish age, wherein neither of those two days are to be seen in such an open dispensation of his power; the kingdom then being inward.  
This latter season contains two distinct, special, and very observable revolutions.  
1. The time of the Saints tribulation lasting 1260 years, in which term the true Church is only a sealed number, disrobed of the beauty of her exterior order, and visibly seated in the desert of nations, where her choicest witnesses were outwardly invested with defiled and mournful garments, and prophesied in that earth before the God of the earth, where the beast had power to prevail, and tread them under foot, making their estate mournful. This begun about the year three hundred and ninty, when the Bishop of Rome obtained the primacy of seat, and is expired in the year 1650, as is showed in the Cessation: and as that priority was working some space before, yet came not to its perfaction till after; so the consummation and end of this adverse condition was preparing a little before, but not completed till some time after 1650. By the end, we may the better understand the beginning: for who knows not that the Bishops and national Presbytery did trample upon the godly with their tyrannical exorbitances within the territories of Britanny, till this last Parliament was convened, and since in Scotland?  
2. The next revolution, or time of the second, gins at the end of the first; when the time of the tribulation procured by the Antichristian apostasy is blowing over, the Saints begin to lift up their heads, the powers of the Sun Moon, and Stars to darken, the enemies being rewarded by the law of retaliation, and that doubled, Rev. 18.6. Mark. 13.24. and this abides till the end of the vials wrath, the destruction of Babylon, and the marriage of the Lamb be come. If we be not obstinately blinded, we may observe the admired judgements of God, prepared a little before, but brought to a head about the year 1650. For how hath the Lord made bare his holy arm in subduing the proudest of Edom's sons (who cried, Raze it from the foundations) both in England and Ireland! the very same year the beast in Scotland received a wound never to be cured: the penal Statutes to force the conscience lay unrepealed till the year 1650; and within the circuit thereof, our honoured worthies (for ever to remove the sense of our former bonds) have utterly broken the snare, restored unto our consciences our birthright purchased by our Saviour: near and at this time the discovery of the beast in his full latitude man, began to break forth in these ends of the earth, the prophecies before veiled to be unmasked: many of the Lords people seeing the emptiness and formality of their constitutions, with the said divisions by them caused, begin more zealously to affect a general, unity of all the Saints, and to prise the power of godliness before their outward forms, which may shortly bring them into one way of separation. These unparallelled mercies of God, bring to our mind a prophetical carmen of that sweet singer of Israel, Unto thee O Lord we do give thanks, unto thee we do give thanks; for that thy name is near, thy wondrous works declare, Psa. 75.1. It is also prophesied that these admired works should begin in the ends of the earth, Isa. 52.10, 11. Chap. 24.14, 15, 16. Chap. 42.10. Jer. 31.10. Isa. 30.27, 28, 29; as if it should point out to us who live in the furthest point then known West and by North. Virgil sings of our Island, 
Et penitus toto divisus ab orbe Britannus.  
Thou Britain which amidst the seas dost stand,  
Divided is from all the world thy land.   
The next thing considerable is, what is the approved way and walk for the Saints to trace, with their qualifications, during this season. The way and walk is a coming out from nations and all false statings, Rev. 7. 9 Chap. 18.4. and standing immediately before the throne, without any interposition of earthly powers, in a congregating assembling way; as also upon a sea of glass, in the abundant and perspicuous unfolding of the Scriptures compared to glass, 2 Cor. 3.18; which is mingled with the fiery operation of the Spirit to burn up what is bestial and combustible, and to administer light and heat to the truth, Chap. 14.3. Chap. 15.2.  
The qualities of these separated people are, First, their clothing with white robes of joy, praises and purity.  
Secondly, Palms in their hands, as symbols of their victory over the beast, his image, mark, name, and the number thereof, Chap. 7.9.  
Thirdly, They are styled harpers, Chap. 14.2, as singing the song of Moses and the Lamb, for their outward and inward redemption from bondage.  
Fourthly, These are not defiled with women, or false Churches: for they are virgins.  
Fifthly, They follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth, in all his outgoings by separation; and being the first beginners in this noble walk, are called the first fruits unto God, vers. 4.  
Sixthly, In their mouths or Ministry is found no guile, being therein without fault before the throne of God.  
Here you may behold an alterable stand and condition differing from the former of the tribulation; and a figure of separation, with distinct assemblings, and a joyful harping in Ministry, prayer, praisings, etc. but not the least symbol of sitting down in a visible married way, but rather the contrary.  
For first, they are typed out in the form of virgins: when the marriage comes, they are deciphered in the emblem of a married wife, Chap. 19.7, 8.  
Secondly, These virgins sit not down with, but follow the Lamb, and that whithersoever he goeth: the phrase whithersoever intimates a variety of Christ's outgoing, and the Saints following him in several steps and gradations to a higher perfection. Their multitude, purity of array, and clearness of knowledge, are not so exact at the beginning (it being a gradual work) but are set forth (according to the usual manner of this prophecy) in the first common type, as they are in the highest degree of their virginlike perfection, as is declared in the fifth Section following.  
Our Saviour presents a most pathetical platform of the separated Saints in Matth. 25. by the similitude of ten virgins that went forth to meet the bridegroom. The time of this going forth is somewhat darkly hinted in vers. 1. Then shall the kingdom, etc. but because that is obscure, therefore doth the divine Wisdom more brightly declare, in vers. 5, 6. that the time is after the long absence of Christ in the Antichristian desertion, and the slumbering, nay, deep sleeping of all in that night: and then vers. 6, at the midnight of security (to wit, at the harvest, or entrance of the vials wrath, when all errors in their latitude were grown to their height, and works of darkness in pride, covetousness, oppression, selfseeking, contention, riot, lasciviousness, with all wickedness, were committed with a high hand, and ripe for cutting down) then was the voice heard of the bridegrooms coming, with a constraining force, Go ye forth to meet him (the sum of the Ministry of the separation.) The call must be before the going out, Rev. 18.4. for it is that which awakens, raiseth and accompanieth them in their passage towards the marriage. The spiritual commerce in buying and selling, the shutting of the door against the foolish while they were thus trading, their knocking at the door after shut in hope of admittance, can no way agree with the last general resurrection, but duly pondered, together with other circumstances, must belong to the next marriage to come.  
In this parable we may see, that there was a space of time wherein the Saints were Virgins, and a gradual preparing and trimming before entrance into the wedding-Chamber: and after, vers. 10, Those that were ready, went in with him to the marriage, answerable to Rev. 19.7, 8, 9; His wife hath made herself ready, hath the grant of the wedding-garment, and the call to marriage-supper. Blessed is he that shall be called to this nuptial feast: for none that are unfurnished, uncircumcised, or unclean, shall enter thereinto, Isa. 52.1. Zech. 14.21; therefore will the door be shut against the foolish virgins. Let us take the counsel of our Lord, vers. 13, Luke 21.36, Watch and pray, that ye may be counted worthy to escape all these things (viz. the vials wrath) and to stand before the Son of man, when he comes in the glory of his Spirit. The arising, taking, and trimming of the Lamps both of the wise and foolish virgins, is now: the discerning of the one from the other, about the sixth vial, Revel. 16.15. the wedding, is after the vials pouring on Antichrist. As these virgins go from Babylon, and the Lord by his call, guidance and protection leads before, Isa. 52.12, so do they follow the Lamb: as they have an aspect toward the marriage, & to Christ coming then in the visible manifestation of the Spirit, so do they go forth to meet the bridegroom.  
There be some other difficulties to be unfolded in this text, which for brevity I shall here omit, till I see my opponents exceptions.  
In the going forth or travelling of these virgins, or returners towards the marriage, we find two noted and observable passages. The firstis from the beast, his earth, sea, rivers and fountains, and throne, etc. The second is over the river Euphrates at the sixth vial, Chap. 16. The Saints going over this great river, are styled the kings of the East, which is not a proper, but figurative and borrowed speech, as well as the earth, sea, etc. and are so termed, partly in allusion to the kings of Judah, who went to the temple by the way of the East gate, Ezek 36.12. partly for that they will be increasing flourishing kings, resembling the Sunrising, by which they are distinguished from the kings of nations, who are then declining and upon their fall, like to the Sun in the West: partly as they will resemble their King Christ, who is called the Angel of the East, Rev. 7. And these are not only Jews, but Gentiles also, unless you intent to disrobe them of their kingly dignity, and do suppose that the Dragon, Beast, false Prophets, kings of the whole world, with their adherents, do make war only against the Jews, and are not gathered against the godly Gentiles; an idle fancy to imagine. Besides, these are the men that pour out their vial into the air.  
Thus far in general. But because you seem to require it, and that it may more fitly answer yours, we shall now divide it into particular Reasons, why this walk of these harpers is separation without stating.  
Reason 1. Our first ground is, because in this season, there is no divine call for visible Church-constitution or marriage: if there be, we should desire to be informed where: the highest we can find in the Scripture, is for separation and rewarding. There was never any new work begun in Church-matters either not in being before, or after a general and long privation, without a new call to authorise and empower men for the work: Noah built not his ark till God commanded him, Gen. 6.14. Abraham departed not from his country till the Lord said unto him, Get thee out, Chap. 12.1. Aaron assumed not the honour of the Priesthood, till called of God, Heb. 5.4. nay, Christ our Lord honoured not himself, but he that said unto him, etc. vers. 5. David durst not build a resting place for his God, without ask counsel of the Prophet, the Lords oracle; and being forbidden, prepared abundantly for the work, but durst not attempt to build, 1 Chron. 17.1, 3. Chap. 29. his son Solomon, a king of Peace, being called, begun and finished that magnificent building, 1 Chron. 17.12. Chap. 28.6. the same temple being after ruinated by the king of Babylon, was not re-edified, but by a heavenly voice directing Cyrus and the Jews to do it, Isa. 44.28. Chap. 45.1, 4.2 Chron. 36.23. Ezra. 1.2, 3. the Apostles waited at Jerusalem, and went not forth to state visible Churches, till they received power from heaven calling and privileging them for that design: Acts 1.4. Chap. 2.2. And questionless Jesus Christ in his Revelation, exactly marking out and showing to his servants all the remarkable changes and dispensations of his Saints, would after so long a cessation and confusion of their first order (the greatest for matter and time that ever was) have in this book confirmed the work of stating, and made it indubitable by his call in its first return, as well as that of separation, if there had been any such fabric now to be erected. If you object the primitive call, The Cessation of that ensuing, and the other new call to come, makes that to be to us insufficient.  
Again, there is not any visible administration of the Spirit to begin any Church-constitution since the winds were with held, Rev. 7.1. nor will be till the same winds are loosed, and the Spirit again poured out in a visible symbol, as is proved in the Cessation, Quaer. 2.  
Reason 2. Our next ground why we cannot at this time state, and but only separate, is, because the book of the Revelation prescribes two distinct and severed periods for separation, and visible Church-marriage: the first to be during the rewarding by war, Chap. 18.4, 6. the last to be after a full separation, and the downfall of Babylon, Chap. 19.7, 9 Now time is God's peculiar prerogative and proper interest: who can appoint him the times, without entrenching upon his incommunicable royalty? Jer. 51.44. Again, as there is a time fixed for every purpose, so every thing is beautiful in its time, Eccles. 3.1, 11. but out of his season, there is and must be a deformity and disproportion: the reason is, because many concurrences fall into the point of opportunity, that contributes a comeliness, goodness, and sometimes truth of existence to the thing or action: which being done out of its season, loseth its grace and beauty, and in Church matters is vain, false and unlawful. Thus in this honourable work of stating, there will at that day be the rain of God, the bright and powerful administration of the Spirit, the grant and gift of the beautiful wedding garment, the lively call of Christ to make it incomparably glorious, and of surpassing lustre: but now in this your day there is not only the want, but the contrary to all these, which causeth it be both obscure, formal, narrow, as also disuniting, dangerous, and sinful.  
Now the harpers above specified, are virgins, not the defiled married women; they are obedient followers of the Lamb in the call of separation, are not intruders and goers before him in the act of stating.  
Reason 3. The third is, because there is not now a sufficient dispensation of light, suitable for the majesty of a Gospel-constitution. How various are ●iens observations about the primitive pattern, and by consequence their ways of corporating, which they all pretend to be thereby composed! and yet amongst these mulutudes is there not one, but disagrees in the outward matter with that apostolical order, whether it be in Rome, Episcopacy, with you, the Brownists, Independents, Dippers, etc. and in the internal form, they are all contrary to that rule by a direct diameter. Moreover, there is not a competent light to judge the fitness of men for members, of whom there will be a notable trial by the sixth vial, Rev. 16.15; nor a clearness of discovery to know the high Gospel-rules by which they should walk, Antichrist hath so defaced these, that they are scarcely known amongst men, which we shall speak of in the following reason: neither is there a requisite knowledge judically to determine in all, nay many cases, what is error, or heresy: it may be, and for the most part happens, that long and deep-rooted error fixed in men's minds, provokes them to censure and reject that as erroneous, that is a new unmasking of their old mistakes; and so the Spirit of truth revealing the mystery of iniquity, is in his servants and messengers condemned for an heretic: our Saviour's counsel to these men, is, Let them grow together till harvest, lest ye pluck up the wheat also, Matth. 13.29. and at the harvest they are not distinguished by Church-censures, but by separation. The reason of this obscurity is, because these are but the dawnings, or new break forth of light, in which it is neither day nor night, Zech. 14.6, 7. Whereas the day of Jesus Christ shall shine from East to West like lightning, with an universal flashing brightness, most perspicuously to manifest all these to his chosen: and then the building will appear by evident demonstration to be the Lords own doing.  
Reason 4. Another ground is, because during this time the best of Saints are but divesting themselves from their former outward filth, and but shaking off the dust which for such a length of time remained on them: they are not as yet come to that height of righteousness requirable in a Gospel-order in point of love and mutual fellowship.  
I shall here lay down in a triple sort of righteousness, by which the ordinary strain of our times may be tried.  
The first is the civil worldly righteousness, which standeth in defect and fall of Reason beneath its native sphere; and yet is in some degree reserved to imband an uphold civil societies and Commonwealths: the rule of this, is, first himself, than his neighbours; a fairness and respect to the well-being of others, but the chiefest of his aims are bounded within the circumference of his own private advantages: whatever is beneath this, is merely brutish; nay, devilish, and destructive to all reasonable consociations.  
2. The second is the legal, consisting in the genuine purity of reason: and its axiom is, His neighbour as himself, as equally balancing the welfare of others with his own benefit.  
3. The third is that of the Gospel, a righteousness in its actings exceeding that of the Scribes and Pharisees, having in it a superlative supernatural excellency: and its rule is, His neighbour on brother above and beyond himself. A new commandment I writ unto you, that you love one another, 1 John 2.8. the scope of which command is, that ye love one another as Christ hath loved you, John 15.12, 13; who loved his Saints above himself, in that he laid down his life for them: so ought we for the brethren, 1 John 3.6; if our lives in the extent, much more all other inferior interesses ought to be denied in their behalf. Also in Matth. 5, and in many other Scriptures, we find the Gospel-righteousness and commands to transcend that of the law.  
Now, if the general ways, deal and intercourse of Christians be examined by these rules, how far short do they come of the high glory of a Gospel-walk? yea, where is the man to be seen that observes the legal, in considering his neighbour's case as his own? nay, the civil worldly rule is so defaced, that the most of men are altogether self; and let their neighbour sink or swim, all is one to them: insomuch as it is grown to a common Proverb, Every man for himself; a maxim framed in hell, and usually put in Action on Earth, throughout the whole Christian world, and that by many who in words seemingly defy to own it. Doth not that covetousness (which by the Spirits verdict is 
* 1 Tim. 6.10.  the root of all evil, 
* Eph. 5.5.  idolatry itself, and hath in it 
* Pro. 1.19.  the cry of blood) so overspread the face of all interchanges, that the common current thereof tends to deceit, overreaching, cruelty, oppression, devouring one another, making up themselves by the ruins of multitudes, and they deemed the happiest men that gain most by such indirect deal? Indeed many of the stated members boast much of a Gpspel walk; but who amongst them practiseth the abovesaid Evangelical precepts? and how little differing they are from the common stream of selfishness, and how unfit to state and sit down in so much defection and pollution, we leave to the consideration of the wife. And so great is the misery, that the Ministry itself, which should be as the mouth of God to set forth the light of a Gospel-conversation, doth so eclipse and darken the natural lustre of those noble commands of Christ and his Apostles, so mangle and pervert their native sense by conforming them to the corruptions of the times, that they present to the face of the people a kind of worldly Gospel, and imprint in their mind such degenerate principles, as soothes up and hardens them in the like wretched tyranny. Hereupon the Spirit foreseeing the deviation of these times, complaines, that judgement is turned backward, truth is fallen in the streets, and equity cannot enter: yea truth faileth, and there was no judgement, Isa. 59.14, 15, 16. as also, that the good man is perished from the earth, there is none upright amongst men, they all lie in wait for blood, they hunt every man his brother with a net; that the best in his walk is as a brier, the most upright like a thorn hedge, Mica. 7.2, 4. Yea, the defection is so universal, that the Lord Jesus saith 
* Revel. 16.15.  Luk. 18.8, that when he comes (to wit, in the brightness of Ministry to reprove the world's righteousness) shall be find faith on earth? that is, in the walk on faith which consisteth in love, wherein the excellency of a Gospel-way resideth, John 13.35. Chap. 15.9. Gal. 5.6. 1 Corinth. 12.31. Chap. 14. Nay, the  worldly rudiments are so twisted into the whole frame of this Euphratean fabric, that the separated people themselves, though in their aims and desires they are off, yet actually, by reason of extreme exigencies for private necessaries, they cannot attain to those high Evangelical rules of charity, till Christ prepare away for these Eastern rising kings over the river Euphrates, by drying up these waters. They are distinguished from the beast in ecclesiastics, but not from the great river, nor from that air in which as yet they breathe, Revel. 16.12, 17. and cannot sit down in a Gospel order till these obstacles and pollutions be removed, and they receive the grant of their beautiful wedding-garments, the righteousness of the Saints, Cap. 19.8.  
Reason 5. The day of the vials pouring is a time of war and bloodshedding: and it is the wise Decree of God, first to wash away the filth of the daughter of Zion, and to purge the blood of Jerusalem from the midst of her by the Spirit of judgement and burning, Isa. 4.4, and after that to create upon all her assemblies a cloud and smoke by day, and a pillar of fire by night, vers. 5. Where observe, that this open dispensation that gives being to Church-stating (as you may find proved in the Cessation, Quaere 2.) comes not from heaven till after these combustions are put to a period, and the Saints purged from filth and blood: and then it is done by a new creation. Also Revel. 15.8. at that marriage-season, the temple was filled with smoke from God's glory and power, to wit, a manifest pouring out of the Spirit to restore the keys, and by them a power given to open the temple for visible entrance, Chap. 11.19. but before that day, no man could enter into the temple till the seven plagues of the seven Angels were fulfilled.  
Reason 6. A further reason of the weakness and unwarrantableness of all Church-constitutions in our times, may be the divisions and rents amongst the godly caused by these forms, also other effects and defects wherein they are directly opposite to the primitive, which are more fully recited in the Epistle to the Reader.  
Reason 7. The last reason why it is now by separation without stating, is, because this return from mystical Babylon is not fully accomplished at once, but is traced by distinct steps and degrees, Cam. 6.13. Isa. 52.11, 12. it hath a journey in it, and a gradual going onward towards the visible marriage of Zion, as Israel of old traveled out of Chaldea, and the nations with their faces towards outward Zion. Hence the prodigal (who types out the Gentiles) his return from the strange country Babylon to his native home, is intimated to be a long journey, his father meeting him afar off; in which spiritual passage he was embraced, kissed, jewelled, etc. before he entered into the house.  
Also from the first call for the going out of, and rewarding Babylon, Rev. 8.4, 6. to the marriage and call thereto, chap. 19, 7, 8, 9 there is a tract of time interceding, as before: For as Rome was not built at once, but gradatim, by several trumpets, chap. 8 and 9 so she goes not down together, but by degrees, and certain intervals by the vials. Hereupon chap. 11.18, 19 Enemy's must first be destroyed, by several distances, before the Temple in Heaven was opened. To this agrees that of Matthew 13. where during the harvest (which notes out this last holy war, and the time of separation, as we can clear●, if desired) the Antichristian Enemies, the tares must first be cust down and burned, before the wheat is gathered into the barn, the visible Church; which must imply some space of time, Revel. 16. This journey of separation is described in the Prophets; and in Isa. 35.8, 9, 10. is called a way in the wilderness: that as the Saints had their place and abode in the wilderness during the foregoing season for 1260 years, Rev. 12.6, 14. so now the Lord prepares a way for her to go out by returning: and the same is styled a highway, being paved and cast up by the Spirit above the Babylonish earthly station, as that on high or above to the, wise: it is also by a redoubled speech termed an highway, and a way, as being a way in itself, which must have a space to be traced in: and is for form a way of holiness, as that more pure than the times before. And that this belongs to a distinguished people, is evident, ver. 10. where they are entitled ransomed separated one's, and returners to Zion, not staters in Zion; and travellers and walkers in the way, not sitters down in Church-constitutions. Also for time, it must pertain to this last departing, because the text attributes everlasting joy to be on their heads, which can be applied to not former separation, either to that out of Egypt, Chaldea, or the primitive, all these being after darkened by a succeeding sorrowful night: only this last shall have everlasting joy, it being the passage to that glorious Kingdom, which shall never be eclipsed as were the former, Dan. 2.44. chap. 7.18, 27. Besides, waters and streams are said to break out in this desert, ver. 6 7, which was not literally fulfilled in the Jews departure from outward Chaldea. Likewise the leaping of the lame or him that halteth, and the singing of the dumb, ver. 6. fitly alludes to the Harpers: the encouraging of the fearful to be strong, and Gods coming with vengeance and a recompense to save, ver. 4, fitly answers to the recompensing and rewarding by the Vials.  
If you except against this, we desire to know what the way is, when it is, and who are the walkers in it. This Prophet further calls this way in the wilderness a new thing, then springing forth, in which the Lord, the light of the world, will lead his blind people, chap. 43.19. chap. 42.16. Likewise the Spirit by Hosea confirms the same, chap. 2.14, 15, 16, 17, 18. Behold, saith the Lord, I will allure her (in drawing her out) I will cause her to walk in the wilderness (for so is the true original, and not I will bring her, as is translated: before she sat in, now she walks out of the wilderness) I will give her her vines from thence (where vines are metonymically taken for the fruits of the vines, which metaphorically symbols the comfort of the Spirit, or that love which is better than wine.) Here are also many other precious promises to the walkers in this way, the last whereof is a quiet sitting down, and a cessation from war: all which shows a space of time to walk in this way: and then (agreeable to Rev. 1.97.) I will marry thee to me for ever. Also the River Euphrates mentioned in the fourth Reason, whose waters will be dried up to prepare for a passage over by the sixth Vial, chap. 16. relates to this journey. We being as yet on this side that river, and not off from the Euphratean world, and its affairs, nor come into the spiritual land of promised, must be till then within the wilderness of Babylon, and can erect no visible temple, but it must be built with Babylon's stones, stand in her territories, and so be Babylon's temple. This will be dangerous, because the Vials wherein the seven last plagues of God are wrapped up, will irresistably pour out their wrath upon it, either by war and the punishments thereof, or at least by a sharp and searching discovery. I shall therefore advise you, with all my Christian friends wheresoever, to come off from such like defilements, lest ye partake with Babylon in her plagues, and that your works burn not at the appearance of Jesus Christ: and this you will find to be seasonable Counsel, if the Lord open your eyes to embrace it.  

Section 1.  
Against this our assertion, you except first more generally, then particularly: your general exceptions I shall bind within this Section: the particular, I shall divide into several Sections apart.  
Object. 1. More generally you assert, 1. That this course of ours is contrary to all former times, whose separations were accompanied with the present setting up of Church-societies.  
Answ. 1. This of separation from spiritual Babel is called a new thing then springing forth, Isa. 43.19. chap. 42.16. and so must in some respect be differing from all the former.  
Again, we grant the separations of former times were presently accompanied with congregating, ministry, prayer, with other services that were lawfully exercised before their departure, as we do the like now: but withal deny that those servants of God assumed any new thing, or an old after its dispensation lay void, without a new call and warrant for the work.  
Object. To prove yours, You instance the departure of Abraham from Chaldaea, Israel's from Egypt, Judah's from Babylon, the Primitives from Judaisme and Heathenism.  
Answ. We shall begin with that of Abraham's; who as he separated not till God called him from his Country, and his Father's house, Gen. 12.1. Act. 7.2, 3, 4. so in this his journey he made no innovation, but only exercised himself in Ministry, Prayer, and the like, which he emitted not in Chaldaea: and after he came into Canaan, took not up the sign of Circumcision, till he received an express command from Heaven, Gen. 17.10, 11, 12. and this was not till 24 years after his first entrance into the Land of promise, as appears by comparing ver. 1. with chap. 12.3; and near 30 years from his going out from Vr of the Chaldees, as may be gathered by Scripture-consent.  
To that of Israel's stating in the wilderness upon their going forth from Egypt, we say, 1. That they were separated from Egypt, both people and land, being passed through the red Sea; but we are not yet so from Babylon, nor can be, till the way be traced over Euphrates. 2. They, being thus severed, remained a bare separated people a year or more, as you confess. 3. After that, their marriage or Church-state was not contracted by themselves, for the Lord himself begun it at mount Smai, where they had a call, pattern and warrant for all they did, all which was smoked by the cloud of God's glory: but you can produce no such call nor glory for any of your new-built constitutions; nor prove the continuance of the primitive through the season of the apostasy.  
Touching the Jews return from Babylon, we answer, That they did not rebuild the Temple in their voyage of separation, but first came to Zion, the proper resting place: and then begun it by virtue of an heavenly call directing Cyrus and the Jews for that design; and by the encouragement of the Prophets Haggai, and Zachariah, Isa. 44.28. chap. 45.4. Ezra. 5.12.  
Object. Here you produce against us the saying of the Jews, Hag. 1, 2. It is not time to build.  
Answ. They being come to Zion and called of God to the work, might justly be reproved for slacking their hands. Notwithstanding if they should have erected that divine edifice in their journey before arrived there, they might have met with a sharper rebuke and punishment. The crime is more heinous to usurp a power, and build upon their own bottoms, then to neglect it in its time, though I justify neither. However, God calls not his people to any such work now, in these our travels from mystical Babel: neither can man do it in its own season (this spiritual fabric being not built by hands, as the outward was) but the Lord himself must first create it by the pouring out of his Spirit.  
Your temerity in constituting your Church by your own power, before God gins it, and charging us, as being too too slow, for waiting his proper time, brings to our mind a story in Exodus, chap. 32. When Moses there seemed to the Israelites to tarry too long; they as impatient of delay, must needs go before God, and frame a golden Calf by their own imaginations, as you now do a bestial Idol.  
To that of the primitive, we reply, that the Disciples used ministry, prayer, baptism, and at last received the communion, but did not state any visible Churches: and after Christ's resurrection from the dead, they tarried at Jerusalem, expecting the promise of the Father to empower them for the same work. Indeed when they were first married by God, by the glorious emission of the Spirit, they by virtue thereof as sons of the Church married in others by bringing them into that Gospel-fellowship. So that when visible Churches are existing, men are received in as married members; when not, there can be no entrance further, then into a Covenant, membership, waiting the times of God.  
Object. 2. Your next charge against us is, that ours is against a common rule for interpreting Scriptures; which is, that wherein it commands the avoiding of evil, it doth virtually command the contrary good.  
Answ. This rule we infringe not, but embrace and follow. For as we flee from the beast, his image, mark, name and number; so we walk in that good way of assembling, and exercise such ordinances as are now spirited by the Lord. But you are so far from doing good upon the avoiding evil, that you run from one evil of the Bishops, and rush into another of Presbytery; from Babylon and the beast, into Babylon and the same beast newly translated.  
Object. 3. You further tax us, that this course of ours casteth a foul blot of gross ignorance and rash presumption upon all the Protestant Churches.  
Answ. 1. Yourselves separating from the Nations, and setting up a Church distinguished from the rest of your parish, do in your practice condemn all national Churches. You also in your principles and words unchurch all the lesser independent bodies: the like do they to you, and all others not of their way. Therefore, for you to lay so high a charge against us, and do the same things, seems to favour of partiality, and come under the reproof of the Apostle, Rom. 2.1.  
2. For clearing ourselves, we answer, Vivimus legibus, non exemplis: We set not the practices of men, but the laws of God for our examplar. That of man hath especially from the first beginning, and so downward of the Antichristian darkness, been the common misleading mark of Christians, both in Papacy, Episcopacy, and the like. And the differing and disagreeing forms of Churches in our age, may teach how invalid humane authority is in the things of God. But the word of God (we are assured) is an unerring rule, by which we shall endeavour to steer our course, and not by the wandering notion of learned men. Our recourse is only to the Law and Testimony for proof, whether you, they, or we be rightest. In the interim, we condemn not the grace of Christ wherever we find it, nor the generation of the righteous as righteous: Yet if their outward way be condemnable by the word of God, we conceive it true humility and piety to judge accordingly, and charity to acquaint them therewith. Thus we shall end with your general exceptions against the whole; and shall in the next place proceed to the more particular, framed against some particular reasons before nominated, which we will divide into several Sections.   

Your fourth Objection is opposite to our first Reason deduced from Rev. 18.4, 9 and runs as followeth.  
Object. 4. All Circumstances considered, the time of this separating and rewarding, is not until God shall put it into the hearts of Kings to join together to destroy Rome itself: and is surely about the pouring out of the last, or some of the last vials. And then, being ready to give the onset on Rome, by this voice they are called to plague her throughly. At which time this call is directed to such of God's people who are hidden in the Idolairous City and the adjacent territories, to flee from her by a personal flight. And how long it will be ere this be effected, the Lord knows.  
Answ. This your assertion consisteth of many fallacies, which must be drawn out in their parts to clear up the truth.  
1. As that Babylon is not only Rome with her adjacent territories, but the great City, chap. 17.18. reaching where out Lord was slain; chap. 11.8. above two thousand miles distant from Rome; and duly pondered, must be as large as the whole Roman Christian Empire: and so compriseth England, Scotland, France, or what place soever hath a false Church, or beastly power to bear it up.  
2 These last plagues of God, are not only against Rome, but every land where Babylonish Churches are residing, even all Christian Nations. The same whirlwind in these latter days, is said to begin at the ends of the earth, and to go from Nation to Nation, Jer. 25.31, 32, 33. chap. 23.19, 20. chap. 30.23, 24. Psal. 110.5, 6. and to be universal, Isa. 24. chap. 34. Luk. 21.35. Mat. 24.37. etc. We have seen the beginnings of it in our Dominion; the effects whereof were lately like to fall on some men of note in England. Caetera taceo.  
3. This call of separation, is not simply from Rome as an outward place, but from all Antichristian stands, whether Romish, Episcopal, Presbyterial, etc. the call is general, and the surest remedy to escape the general judgement.  
4. The pouring these plagues is not all at once by the last or some of the last vials; it is gradual by every vial, degree after degree. For all the Angels pour out in their order upon the Earth, Sea, Rivers, and fountains, Sun, and Throne of the beast, upon the great river Euphrates, and the air, chap. 16.  
5. Not the Kings of the earth, but the separated people are the principal instruments in rewarding: for the text bids first Come out of her my people, than reward. States that come off, may be assistants.  
Object. But this was done by the ten horns, ten Kings, chap. 17.16, 12.  
Answ. The reading of the text must be warily observed, for the better understanding thereof. The most and authentic Greek copies have it, The ten horns and the beast shall hate the Whore; but Aretas, whom the vulgar Latin follows, renders it, The ten horns on or upon the beast shall hate: both senses are true; and in both the horns and the beast are coupled together; the horns and the beast hate, also the horns hating are fastened on the beast. And as the horns are these ten, for nature Christians, not for number (for they did not all ten, but some of them detest this Whore:) to the same Christian beast that abhors, must be taken by the like Synecdoche, the whole for the part; to wit, the Episcopal and Presbyterial beast shall hate, not the Papal; and the Whore defied must must be the great Whore, or grandmother Rome, who in her whordoms was grown over-foul: They detested not the lesser and more specious daughters, of whom themselves were a part, nor yet the the woman Babylon in her extent: for they most sadly mourned for her downfall, their riches and delicacies being taken away with her, chap. 18.9, 10. Neither did they abominate the beast; but being fastened on him, did assist him with their Armies against the sitter on the white horse and his Armies; and both horns and beast fell together; ch. 19.11. to the end. The abovesaid hating appears to us to allude to the Protestant Princes, who together with their beast (the ecclesiastical hierariches either Episcopal or Presbyterial) did hate, make desolate and naked, consume and burn up the whore of Rome, as having nothing to do with her in their dominions. Now the rewarders before specified, were not horns on the beast, being severed from the very number of his name: and being on Christ's side, follow him upon white horses to subdue the beast and horns together. For the time of the call of separation, I shall speak in the next place.  
Object. You go on, and say, that the spiritual separation made by Protestant Princes and Churches from Rome in doctrine and worship, as they had a warrant from this call; the reason whereof belonging to all times and persons not to partake in Rome's sins, do sufficiently enforce it, so had they pregnant grounds from other Scriptures and commands.  
Answ. Here are many insinuations also couched up in this sentence, which must be examined in their parts. As,  
1. What you here intent by your spiritual separation.  
2. How you can justify a spiritual separation to be made by Princes; you mean, I suppose, by their laws. If it be spiritual, it must be caused by the free motion of the Spirit, constraining a people by the links of love, and not enforced by the cumpulsive laws of men.  
3. You affirm your separation to be in doctrine and worship: it seems, you are ashamed to say in discipline, as being convinced in your conscience, that yours is the same radically with Rome. If your Church be grounded upon a Baylonish discipline, it cannot be a visible Zion, Jer. 51.26.  
4. You tell us, they had a warrant for it from this call; by which at at one breathe you blow down all you built before. 
Marte cadunt subiti per mutua vulnera fratres.  For if this call be not, until Kings join together to destroy Rome itself, about the last or some of the last vials; and that then it is directed to such only who are hid in that City with the adjacent territories, how can these be applied to Protestant Princes and Churches? They renounced Rome long before; they were not hid in that City, nor the adjacent territories, nor fled they from thence by a personal flight. These two extremes will hardly come together.  
5. This call here specified pertains not to all times and persons. For as Israel was to be in outward Babylon for the space of seventy years, before the call for their departure; so the woman was to remain in the mystical for a full season, even 1260 years, Rev. 12.6, as before: the wheat and tares were to grow together till harvest, which belongs to the vials, chap. 14. and then this call for separation had its peculiar time prefixed, the war and it being conjoined together. The primitive Saints failing in their first love, sunk into the same earthly confused condition, and were left asleep in that wilderness for a full season, till the times of God came for their deliverance from bondage.  
6. This of Protestantisme cannot properly be termed a separation in respect of Church-constitution, but rather a dividing of the kingdom, Dan. 2.41. The true separation consists in a number out of Nations, Rev. 7.9. who are off from the beast and his thorn over consciences, as standing immediately before the highest throne, and were not defiled with women, chap. 14.2, 3, 4. But theirs was whole Nations, good and bad together: and they set up a beast originally derived from Rome, and by consequence must in their Church-state be a strange woman, as is proved in Paragraph 1. Sect. 3. Indeed Antichrist reigning long in his Catholic pontificality, grew so foul at last, that he was found out by the Protestants; and being discovered, was contented with them to sit down in Episcopacy: but lording it there with too much tyranny, was also disclosed to be the same beast trimmed in other habit: and where he could not be admitted that attire (in policy, that he might the easier deceive) masked himself under a more curious dress in Presbytery: yet his groundwork arising by descent from the Pope, is the same with the former, and he also there usurps or challengeth the like popedom over consciences. The same beast remains in all, only his Kingdom is divided.  
To your fifth Objection we answer, that by the word only, we exclude stating, not assembling for Ministry, Prayer, etc.   

Section 3.  
Your next Objections are directed against our seventh Reason, where we tell you, that we are yet but in the way towards Zion. Before we give a reply to yours, we shall acquaint you what we conceive of this subject, to prepare for that following. We hold, that there was a Zion, 2 Temple, a Woman, a Kingdom of grace, and a reign of God therein through all Gospel-times: yet withal, that this did not constantly abide in the external order of Ecclesiastical government, but was in its outward stand and dispensation various. In the primitive day, Zion was not only inward in the work of grace and the hidden man, saith, etc. but likewise visibly stated by Christ in the glory of her outward order. In the dark night of Antichristianisme, she was more retired; subsisting simply in the grace of Election, mystical union, with some weak degree of profession, and witness; had the badge of the covenant, but visibly in a false, strange and Babylonish constitution, as is cleared in the Cessation. After the final subversion of Antichrist, the like visible government shall again descend from heaven: as is showed in the Cessation also, Quaer. 2. This is diversely styled in the Prophets, answerable to the sense it is opposed against, or applied to. Sometimes (to teach us that before the Saints were outwardly a scattered and bondaged people in a strange land or Babylon) the visibilty of true Gospel-order and regiment is by a Synecdoche termed Zion, Rev. 18.4. Isa. 35.  
The ransomed of the Lord return from Babylon to Zion. The redeemed one's were never absented from the mystical Zion; but from the visible they were, and to that are said to return. Likewise (to inform us that a mystical or more invisible Zion remained, and to point out in particular what failed, and what again reverts) the Prophets tell us, that it is the visibility of regiment shall be added to the former: as Mich. 4. after the vials wars are ended in a full peace, ver. 3.4. the Lord shall reign (agreeable to Rev. 19.6.) and then thou, O Tower of the flock, the strong hold of the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall it come, even the first dominion, the Kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem, ver. 8. then judgement shall be given to the most high Saints, Dan. 7.22. Now to apply this to our case, we affirm, that in the former of these two acceptations, we are in our way to Zion: in the latter, we are on Zion, expecting the glory of her government to come from the Lord Jesus.  
So that Zion in the Scriptures is sometimes taken only for the mystical, or mount of true grace, and thus it is in the times of the apostasy; sometimes for the visible order of the Church-constitution, or outward rule. The not marking this, hath caused many, in the days of this more intrinsical administration, to bring the promises belonging to Zion, unto their stated forms, and so to Babylon, thereby deluding both themselves and the people; thus did the Pope, thus did the Bishops, and the like do all the rest. We shall now proceed to remove your obstacles.  
Object. 1. It is the state of all embracing the Gospel to be come to mount Zion, and the celestial Jerusalem, Heb. 12.22.  
Answer. This was spoken to the Gospel-Church of the primitive day, who was Zion, as in the being and profession of faith, so also in her outward corporation and discipline; and cannot in its latitude be extended to all Gospel-times.  
Object. 2. To prove the perpetual succession of a Gospel Zion stated in outward order through the Antichristian age, you instance Rev. 14.1.  
Answ. Zion here specified, figures out the mount of true grace, and the unmoveable foundation thereof. For all the Elect sealed number, and only they, stood with the Lamb upon this mountain: See the Cessation. If this be meant of a visible constituted, Church then must if follow, either that all the Elect in the world, and only they, through the whole season of tribulation, must successively in every generation thereof, be congregated apart by themselves, and set in a true order distinguished from the Papacy, Patriarkship, etc. or else that Rome and the Greek Church as corrupt as she, carrying this continuance of visibility, must be true and orderly constitutions, made up of members elect and precious, and none but such. If the former be asserted, the Scripture and the event both manifest, that the Saints were scattered and mixed amongst the nations: if the latter, more must attributed to Rome, than she dares challenge to herself.  
Besides, this daughter of Zion was visibly in Babylon, where all the beauty of her exterior order was turned into confusion, as you may at large read in the same Cessation; as also Parag. 1. Sect. 4.  
Object. But, say you, This Zion must be visible, because seen of John.  
Answ. This we also assent unto: for her inward grace was not so concealed, but that it did in some measure manifest itself in visible profession, and an holy godly life. And thus was one godly man to be seen of another, though mixed amongst the common multitude: thus also the world espied them, and with us of late, branded them by the name of Puritans.  
Your ensuing words tend to the confounding of two types parted by the Spirit; to wit, that of the one hundred forty four thousand, vers. 1. and that of the harpers, vers. 2, etc.  
1. That of the one hundred forty four thousand is a symbol of the elect remaining amongst the common national Israelites, during the one thousand two hundred and sixty years of Antichrist his prevailing, and some space after, Chap. 7, to verse the 9  
2. That of the harpers is a new addition of a number, who are in their stand distinguished and redeemed from amongst men; which figures out the separated people (as is declared in the beginning of this Paragraph) whose song was so intricate, that none amongst the false Churches were capable of the mystery, but the one hundred forty four thousand redeemed from the earth, who by degrees will learn it, and come out of their entanglements.  
Answ. We grant, that those truly pious amongst you may be and are of that catalogue, and stand upon the same Zion: but that all your national members, most of whom are profane, are of this number, or that your reformers that were sanctified, may be saved, though their works burn. Why you are not of these harpers, we shall inform you in the Postscript.  
Object. 3. Admit we be but in our way to Zion, yet what lets, but that we may set up all God's ordinances, as well as some, in this our journey? The Israelites in their way to Canaan had all God's ordinances set up amongst them.  
Answ. Such ordinances as are spirited for abiding, may be and are exercised: such whose administration lies void (as Ordination, etc. proper to Church-constitution) cannot, till the Lord inspires them, as is cleared in the first Paragraph. The example of the Israelites serves not for your purpose: For they were wholly separated from Egypt; we are not so as yet from the great City: they first took their full journey to the place appointed, which was not mount Zion, but mount Sinai, the answered to the legal Jerusalem, Gal. 4.24, 25. we are yet but in our journey of separation, are not passed from Euphrates into the mystical Canaan of a pure Gospel-walk, nor to the Zion of visible order, the peculiar centre of a Gospel-marriage: they did not erect their legal constitution by themselves; it was the Lord that framed it by his servant Moses, and clouded it with his glory: much less can any now build up Gospel-Churches, till our Lord Christ creates them by the descending influences of his Spirit.   

Section 4.  
The fourth is touching the temple, which was not opened for visible entrance, till after the vials pouring, evidenced from Rev. 15.8. chap. 11.19. Isa. 4.5, 6. Because you complain that we have not explicated our sense, we shall here briefly declare what we apprehend of the temple. To pass by the temple of Christ manhood, wherein the essence of the Deity dwells bodily, john 2.19, 20. Cor. 2.9. we shall speak of it, as it relates to the Saints and Gospel-Church. And thus we understand the temple to be the house wherein the Lord inhabits by the presence of his grace, Jesus Christ being the chief cornerstone. And this may be either a single person, 1 Cor. 6.19. or the compection and conjunction of the Saints, which is the intendment of the Spirit in the  places. The same temple may be more hidden, 
Rev. 11.1.  The first is spiritual and mystical union of the Elect, and all the work of the graces, wherein the Lord dwells, as in a more secret habitation. The second is, when together with the former, the Saints are knit together by the powerful administration of the Spirit into an external corporation, stated with Officers, and having in their jurisdiction all the Ordinances belonging to visible Church-power and Government: this is usually called a stated or constituted Church. The inward rooms of true grace, with the invisible relation, are the temple within; the outward Order is represented by the court without, vers. 2. and is by a Synecdoche, the whole taken for the part, styled the temple, 2 Thess. 2.4. You may see by its ruins, what and how it was before its casting out.  
We shall lay down a few distinctions betwixt the mystical, and the visible constituted temple: The former being combined by the invisible bond of the Spirit, comprehends only the elect sealed number; the later, being an outward corporation, hypocrites may creep into: the one was always true during the time of the apostasy; the other was false and rejected in that season; and when true, doth presuppose the former: the first, when alone, hath a more sparing breathing of the Spirit, with a hiding of his power, Revel. 7.1. Chap. 11.1, 3. the later hath a manifest apparent-blast, as is said, The temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and his power, Chap. 15.8. Isai. 4.4, 5, 6. the like was in the Primitive, Acts 2.2. Isai. 6.4. into the former, there is no visible entry mentioned; it being internal, undiscerned, and shut up from the outward court: the other hath an evident opening and entering. This word open argues a shutting before; and withal, presupposeth smoking, or keys given by the visible dispensation of the Spirit to open with, and also doors to be opened and entered by; which maketh it to be a stated Church: and will not be till after the 
* Vers. 1●.  subversion of Antichristian enemies.  
But to prove a stated Church to be before and during the vials, you produce Rev. 11.1. Chap. 14.15, etc. Chap. 15.  
Answ. The temple in Chap. 11.1, is a mystical temple made up only of the one hundred and forty four thousand sealed ones, as is showed in Parag. 1. Sect. 4. Also the Angel or Minister, Chap. 14.15, came out of the same mystical temple, from his former retiredness into a more open view, to invoke the fit on the cloud to thrust in his sickle, etc.  
I shall be a little larger in delivering my judgement on Chap. 15. The Spirit in the five first verses, briefly sets down general figures: first, Of the Angel-pourers, vers. 1. Secondly, Of the harpers, or separated people, vers. 2, 3, 4, by their stand at the glassy sea, which was in all the season of separation; by their victory over the Beast, that was gradual by each vial, but completed by the last; and by their song, and praising of God for their several trophies, which goes hand in hand with every vial, and expires in the noble exulting Hallelujahs specified Chap. 19 Thirdly, then, after these things, (to wit, after the conquest over Antichristian adversaries is finished, after the praises by that song are perfected) the temple of the tabernacle of the Testimony in heaven was opened; also Chap. 11.19, the same temple was opened after they were destroyed who destroyed the earth, and God had taken to him his great power, and had reigned; at that time likewise the marriage will come, chap. 19.7. So that this book of the Revelation most exactly, in all these three places, agrees in the same point of time wherein the visible Church-marriage returns, and that is after the final overthrow of the beast and his adherents.  
The Spirit having thus summarily delineated the whole figure of the seven Angels, separation and marriage succeeding in common Types, goes back again with a further explication of the said Angels spoken of vers. 1, as that which prepares and furnisheth them for their pouring out wrath, Chap. 16. In vers. 6, they come out of the temple, to wit, out from the elect number, to show themselves in open manifestation of pouring: and vers. 7, the Beasts or live, who have the life and light of God's Spirit in their Ministry, gave to the seven Angels seven vials to make them ready for their following work: and vers. 8. tells us that the visible opening for entrance specified vers. 5. cannot be till the seven Angels had fulfilled their plagues, and that after that the temple shall be smoked and opened. Thus vers. 6, 7, go along in order of story with verse 1, and furnisheth for pouring, Chap. 16. and vers. 8. prepares by smoking for the opening, vers. 5. It is usual in this book, first in brief to describe generals, and after to come to some one or more particulars.  
If it be asked, how the seven Angels are said to be in heaven, vers. 1, and to come out of heaven, vers. 6. as most Greek Copies have it, wherein it best agrees with vers. 1. We answer, that heaven is often taken for a high and prevailing power over others. Thus the Dragon with seven heads and ten horns, Chap. 12.3, is said to be in heaven; to wit, in the high orb of regiment, from whence he was cast down, vers. 8, 9, 13. thus the Babylonian Monarchy exalted above others, is compared to heaven, Isa. 14.12. Jer. 51.53. So these Angels are seen in heaven; that is, an overswaying administration of puissance over their enemies, both in discovery, and war, who are beneath them as the low earth; and they above, as pouring down their wrath upon them: their vials are as the bottles of heaven dropping down plagues upon the world, Isa. 24.18. Or if heaven do also note out brightness and purity, (as we conceive it doth) than the latter Angels are in a higher sphere than the former, as acting in a loftier cause, and upon more sublime principles. Hereupon many that go along assistants with the former, may be too low for the latter Angels, and proving adversaries, have their wrath poured down upon their heads. And thus these Angels are declared to come out of the temple, as coming from the number of the Elect, to show themselves in such heroic designs, to be clothed with white linen, as being of the separation, who had the like vesture, Chap. 7.9, and to be in and come out from heaven, as being in power and purity above the Antichristian world, and from those noble principles, go forth to reap down all opposers.  
So that this temple whence these Angels come was the mystical temple of the elect number, from whence the externality of order was excluded, expressed Chap. 11.1, 2. and was not opened for visible entrance till they had finished their pouring upon Antichrist, vers. 19 If the tabernacle of the testimony of the temple was opened in the beginning of Protestantisme, as you seem to aver, we shall desire you to unfold unto us in your next reply, what the particulars thereof signify; as the Mercy-seat, the Ark, the golden Pot, the Manna therein; How the Manna differs from the Shewbread; What is Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the testimony in their highest excellency; What are the Cherubims of glory; Why too; what are their wings; why always stretched out, and meeting together, shadow the Mercy-seat; what are their faces; why they look inward; what is the golden Censer; why of gold all within and without; what gold emblems, as distinct from silver, brass and prerious stones; What they also type out; what is the second veil; what is the candlestick with its seven Lamps all of gold; what is table of the Shewbread; the bread itself, the Incense thereon; why only the superficies was of gold, and the inside Shittim wood; what i● the golden altar, the fire, and the smoke of incense; why that also, was gold without, and wood within; how that is distinguished from the brazen altar; what is the brazen altar; what is the first veil. Lastly, what all these are in Christ; what in the Saints in general; what in every Saint in particular. All which will be clearly seen, when the veils are removed, and this temple opened. If you who are experienced in all the tenants of the Protestants, and have the light and learning of the times to second it, refuse to interpret these mysteries, when requested, understanding men must either judge, that you neglect your duty in hiding your candle under a bushel, or else that you with your party are not able to unfold the mystery. Most will rather conclude the later, that these are not apparently open to your Church; that your visibility is no part of this Temple opened, and that you meddle with Scriptures to prove the same, of whose sense you are ignorant. We assure you, the highest degree of knowledge attainable in this life, lieth in the comprehending of these profundities, which (as we conceive) will not be apparently known, till the Spirit is again poured out: at that time knowledge shall cover the earth, as waters cover the sea, Habak. 2.14, Isa. 33.6. Chap. 60.1.   

Section 5.  
Your next assertions are opposite to our fourth Reason, in which we tell you that we are not as yet fully devested of our Babylonish defilements.  
Object. 1. You affirm, That some rags of Antichristisme detained, though a deformity, yet can no more keep any Christian company out of Zion, than the sacrificing in high places kept the Jews from thence, or the sin of Polygamy put Abraham out of the catalogue of the Patriarches, or the remainders of infirmities debar the regenerate from communion with Christ.  
Answ. That of the high places belongs to the legal, not to the Gospel-Church; who though after degenerated, yet in her first institution was separated wholly from Egypt's defilements, was outwardly cleansed before that covenant was given, Exod. 19.14. had all her ordinances in the purity of divine institution without any mixture of men's inventions. That external sanctifying before the 
* Exod. 15.14.  law was given, may type out the spiritual cleansing, which ought to be before a Gospel-stating. Besides, the temple and Church at Jerusalem was a true stated Church of God, and kept up in purity by some; but yours was never rightly constituted; and so the high places abroad in the country, could not fundamentally corrupt the same.  
The sin of Polygamy, was then accounted no sin, because, no law, no sin imputed, and though partly connived at of old, yet, being more inconsistent with a Gospel walk, was together with divorcement prohibited by our Saviour, Luk. 19.3, 4, 5, 6. Matth. 5.31, 32. The sinful infirmities of the regenerate, if visible, were admonishable; and, if obstinately stood in, excommunicable. The primitive Church was very pure in her constitution, and was not to suffer leaven, lest it should leaven the whole lump, 1 Cor. 5.6, 7. And, it being the Lords wisdom in this last return, to bring his people first off by a full separation, before he grant their visible wedding-garments, who can control, or argue against him?  
Object. 1 The Angels are clothed with white pure linen, Rev. 16.6.  
Answ. The Angels are of the separated people, who are clothed with the like white robes, Chap. 7.9. These are said to be white,  
1. As they are garments of rejoicing and praise for their victory, Chap. 15.2, 3. which in Scripture-language are called white, Eccles. 9.8. Isa. 61.3. also the Spirit by Zechariah, presenting the state of the four Monarches, sets forth the Persian, who brought joy and deliverance to the Jews, in the form of a white horse; Chap. 6.3, 6.  
2. In purity, as by way of comparison, they are brighter than before, being off from the beast in ecclesiastics; likewise in their Ministry, aims and desires, they are clear from Euphratean filth, and in that way of separation which leads them over the river Euphrates. Albeit for the present, being on this side that river, they cannot in their practice be altogether free from some worldly uncleanness; the Spirit as yet evincing the highest righteousness therein attainable, as is declared in our said reason.  
And for that the Ministry and mind is thus off from self, and their way ascending to a higher purity, the Spirit figures out the separation and the Angels in the first general emblem, with the same whiteness and cleanness of array which will be attained to in the upshot of the journey. Christ in this Revelation doth frequently portray things that go on gradually to such a height, first in a brief common type in the beginning, as they are in their extent, and after sets down in particular the several steps by which they work up to the same utmost degree, as we shall evidence in our next Answer, by undeniable instances, if excepted against. Howbeit, these garments in their perfection are but the garments of Virginity, Chap. 14.4. the visible wedding-aray is not granted till the marriage comes, Chap. 19.7, 8. In the mean time, virgins have a space for preparing and trimming their Lamps, before they be ready, Matth. 25.7.   

Section 6.  
In the last place, which is answerable to our second Reason, we informed you that the visible marriage of the Lamb in point of Church-order will not come till all enemies as Antichristian be subdued, and God only reigns, Revel. 19.2, 3, 6, 7, 9  
Your first Objection against this, is that of Hag. 1.2. The third is the example of the Protestant Churches; to both which we have given Reply in this Paragraph, Sect. 1.  
We shall here add, that to do any thing in Church-matters without a call or divine warrant, is in Scripture-language a sin of the highest nature: it being rebellion and presumption, is idolatry, and like the sin of Witchcraft, 1 Sam. 15.23. it was the sin of Corah, Dathan, and Abiram, as also of Nadab and Abthu, together with Vzza: Much more is it heinous to erect. Gospel-tabernacles and Churches without a call and spiriting from heaven. This we conceive to be the fundamental cause and reason, why the Spirit gives to that of Antichristianism terms of such detestation and terror. It bears the image of Luciferian pride and boasting, 2 Thes. 2.4. Jam. 4.16. Rev. 18.7. John 5.43, 44. Hence it is chief, that the Beast is full of the names of blasphemy, as if in all his ways he acted in that sea, Rev. 17.3. principally for this, the woman is said to be the abomination of the earth, vers. 5. and to be the habitation of devils, Chap. 18.2. hence are so great 
* Isa. 24. Rev. 18. Chap. 14.9, 10.  wrath and judgements against those that partake thereof; I say, the radical ground of all this is, because they do it in their own names, without a call and impowering from above.  
And thus it will in short time be discovered, as light increaseth. And would you have us to rush into such manner of sins against our own light, to the hazarding of our own souls and others, through your corrupting that place of Haggai? Cease, Master Elmstone, from such preposterous courses, and destructive ways. As for that of Protestant Churches, we desire you in your next book to show us out of the prophecies their call for their several stated Churches, and their several forms both for matter and time, or otherwise to leave off such impertinent arguments, and remember what you asserted against Rome and the Bishops.  
Object. 2. This is to make Christ to be a Bridegroom without a known Bride, a King without a Kingdom, a Head without a Body, for more than a thousand years; and so (as you elsewhere say) must bring a notable alteration in Christ.  
Answ. Christ is the same in himself, yesterday, to day, and for ever; yet in his administration to his Church is various: sometimes he is more secret and hidden, and in some respect absent and gone: sometimes seen with an open prospect of his glorious dispensation: all which, though it cause an alterable condition in the Church, yet makes it no absolute change in the Lord Jesus. It is your own carnal apprehension, that fancies such a Solecism in Divinity.  
2. To reply to the relation; the union betwixt Christ and his Church may be termed a marriage. This union is more mystical and concealed, or more visible and manifest.  
1. The mystical or more secret, is that where by the elect, however different in respect of time, place, or condition, are related to Christ the head, and one to another. This always continued; and thus Christ was ever a head, king and husband.  
2. The more visible Gospel-marriage is, when the Saints outwardly congregated are by an open emission of the Spirit first invested from above with new membership and office, whereby to become a married wife; and they receiving this power from on high, do by virtue thereof marry others into the same married body, which is further declared in the Cessation, Quaere 2.  
And in this last regard she was not always married. For we are to mind, that herein there are several seasons: times of love and maturity for marriage, Ezek. 16.8. and thus it was in the primitive, and will be again at the last, when the Church in her external order appears a married wife, and Christ to her an husband in the open face of his glorious administration: and withal, in this consideration there be times of minority, widowhood & forsaking; as through the antichristian age, when the beloved in this second sense had withdrawn himself and was gone, Cant. 5.6. the Church of the elect then in some respect in the state of widowhood, Luk. 18.4, 7. and one forsaken, Isa. 62.4. the being no more forsaken, intimates a forsaking before; the marriage then coming, infers a non-marriage the season preceding.  
If it be demanded, how the marriage can be said to return, when the covenant successively remained; We answer, that the bare Gospel-covenant, when not stated in the free and full glory of Evangelical regiment, especially when the visible order is another, doth not in Scripture-language bear the dignity of a visible Gospel-marriage. For the same covenant of grace runs tacitly along through the Jewish legal stand, and had a secret saving influence on the godly; yet is not styled a Gospel-marriage till set in the majesty of a Gospel-order, and then the nuptials were solemnised, Mat. 22.  
So in the antichristian defection, the said Covenant had some close hidden being and breathing on the sealed number; yet being deprived of the outward court of its regiment, and the Church-constitution becoming a stranger, it could not carry the prerogative of a true, single, genuine, visible Gospel-marriage, till re-estated from Heaven in the power and beauty of its first dominion: and when this returns, the marriage of the Lamb is again said to come, and not till then, Rev. 19  
Object. 4. It may as well be said that there is no visible marriage between Christ and particular Christians before that time, as that there is none between Churches and Christ.  
Answ. As the marriage betwixt Christ and the Church was in this season only more mystical and hidden, so is it betwixt Christ and particular Christians.  
Object. You go on and assert, That no particular Christian can be a meet bride for Christ, who is not clothed with the pure, fine, and shining linen, viz. The righteousness of the Saints.  
Answ. We assent, that without the righteousness of Christ applied by faith to the heart, there can be no union or marriage to Christ, and so no salvation. But this more internal work, when the outward stand is not answerable, is not anywhere in type figured out by the metaphor of garments; because they being an outward covering, do usually signify the visible station and walk of the Saints. Hereupon this visible station of the godly since the Apostasy, is in the Revelation allegorically set forth by a threefold clothing, parallel to a triple condition.  
1. That of the witnesses and Elect while abiding in spiritual Babylon: 
Rev. 11.3.  who though they had the inward grace, yet being externally in false Churches, are emblem'd in the habit of black and filthy sackcloth; their clothing being agreeable to their outward stand, Rev. 11.3.  
2. The raiment of the Virgins or separated Saints in the season of separation, 
Chap. 14.4.  which for that they are off from the beast and defiled women, 
Chap. 9.7.  and in a more approved way then before, together with joy and triumph, 
Chap. 15.6  is pictured in the form of pure white linen: and this is the first to whom the type of white garments is attributed since the great defection.  
3. The wedding garments given as a new grant by the pouring out of the Spirit, 
Chap. 19.7, 9  after the period of the former; which for their high, pure and emphatical excellency of walk, are styled the righteousness of the Saints. Without this latter robe, neither many Saints in general, nor any one in particular, can be a meet bride for a visible marriage with Christ; none can give it, till they first receive it.  
Object. But you appropriate this marriage, chap. 19 to the Jews, and those wholly without.  
Answ. That this belongs to all, as well to Gentile Christians, as to the Jews, and Pagans, we render these reasons.  
1. The reign of God is general, the marriage general, the Spouse married the whole Bride, the Lamb's wife; the call is universal [they] which must comeprehend all the Saints. If the Christian Gentiles be not concluded in this marriage, then are they no part of the bride, nor have any share in the reign, marriage, or the blessing thereof. View the text well, and your sense cannot avoid this absurdity.  
2. The people enjoying and rejoicing in all this royal magnificence, are the singers for the utter destruction of Babylon. And not only the Jews, but the Gentiles also, who were the chief actors in her ruin, must questionless rejoice in her downfall. Besides, this book was sent to the Christian Gentiles, as principally pertaining unto them.  
3. The externality of Church-government amongst the Gentile Israelites (which carries the name and dignity of a Gospel visible marriage, as is showed before) was cast out when given to the Nations, chap. 11.2. and since that exclusion, we find no return, grant and call for the restauration thereof (if not here) in this book; no, nor yet in any other Prophecy till this time: and at this very point of time, the whole current of Scripture foretells the same work to revert. Now, it is extreme folly to think, that this Revelation should not inform us when the glory of outward order and rule should be restored, as well as it teacheth us when it was ruined and rejected; or that all the prophecies besides should pass it over in deep silence. We rather believe it then again to come, when the Spirit foredeclares it to be, and not before.  
4. Our Saviour in Matth. 24.23, 24, 25, 26, 27. and Luk. 17.21, 22, 23, 24. acquaints us, that since the time of that great falling away, till the day of his bright appearance, all the visible Lo's or models of Churches, being grounded on men's observations, are false & delusive: and that in this his day, his shining dispensation shall flash from east tow est like lightning, and not be tied up to one or a few Nations. Again, the open pouring of the Spirit (the begetting cause of a Gospel-marriage) doth not return in its open blast, till this season: and the effect cannot be existing before its cause: neither can any without that manifest administration, build up true spiritual Churches.  
Object. You insinuate, that Isa. 62.5. partains to Zion, and its restauration, which must be the Jewish Nation.  
Answ. If it belong to Zion, then must it be common to all believers, as well Gentiles as Jews, which you have proved from Heb. 12.22. and Revel. 14.1. And though you build so much upon other interpreters, and therein seem not to be an hairs breadth from him whom you cite to have said, Malo cum Platone errare, quam cum aliis vera sentire, I had rather err with eminent Plo●o, then to think the truth with others; yet we shall rather prise the truth before any humane authority, and think it far safer to follow the concurrences of the Prophets, then to wander with others, though never so learned. Indeed Mr. Brightman, with many that tread in his steps, was necessitated (to uphold Protestant Churches) to tie up in a manner all this last noble work to the Jewish Nation; and so to disinterest the Christian Gentiles from this glorious marriage, and the City Jerusalem. But how then can the stone fill the whole earth, Dan. 2.35. or the kingdom under the whole heaven be given to the most high Saints? chap. 7.27. or the kingdom of the world become the kingdoms of Christ? Rev. 11.15. or the Lord only reign therein in all the earth? Zech. 14.9. Surely, this must be universal to all the Saints wherever inhabiting.  
Object. You in the close of this subject, wish us to consider this saying of Iraeneus; That Prophecies are dark and enigmatical till fulfilled.  
Answ. We agree to the rule of Iraeneus considered with this limitation, That prophecies cannot be completely known till cleared by the Event; and the further off the same time is, the greater veil lieth over them. But withal we do maintain, that some degree of light may be gathered, by viewing the prophecies with their times; also by comparing Scripture with Scripture; and by minding types and things that are past, we may the better conclude what the like allegories represent in matters to come, when the Spirit (who searcheth all things, even the deep things of God) directs us in these mysteries. Besides, some events being gradual, and coming one in the neck of another (as these of the vials are) hang together as it were in one chain: in which the beginning, presents some aspect of what will be in the end. Hence Jeremiah (fore-speaking of the day of vials) saith, chap. 30.23, 24. chap. 23.19, 20, When the fury of the Lord falls on the head of the wicked, figured out by a whirlwind, that in the latter days ye shall consider it, and at last perfectly, to wit, the thoughts and itents of his heart, and his great works to come. Consideration implies a comprehension to the same time, of that which could not (by reason of the covering) be considerably known before: the Revelation likewise informs us, chap. 15.4, That then his judgements are made manifest. Moreover, this last separation consisteth in the understanding of things past, present, and to come; past, as to number the beast, (from whom they distinguish) in his rise, foundation, and whole latitude; present, whereby to know the way and walk now approved; and to come, so as to have an eye to the Saints and Zion and marriage, which is terminus ad quem, the end, scope or resting place which this their passage aims at. A traveller hath some apprehension of the place he travels to. Therefore have they their station on a glassy sea, Rev. 15.2. and are promised to see eye to eye, when the Lord returns again Zion, Isa. 52.8. This will be fully at the upshot, and yet so far for the present, as to guide them in their walk and alms.  
Object. You further charge against us, that these prophecies are subject to various interpretations; and that the mistakes and differences of other learned men, may teach us not to build such lofty opinions upon, etc.  
Answ. The plainest texts of Scripture are subject to various, nay dissenting interpretations, as well as these: hence arise so many differences about Episcopacy, Presbytery, Independency, Poedo baptism, Predestination, with innumerable others: yet these divided principles ought not to weaken the force of any truths drawn from those texts. The same Spirit that reveals the mind of other Scriptures, may unclock the mystery of these.  
2. The cause of such variety and mistakes of the godly in former ages, is the veil foretold to be cast over men during the time of tribulation. But now the Lord hath promised to remove this covering from his returning people. And this will have more force to heighten us in searching into these profundities, than all the discouragements of men to beat us back.  
If it be true, that nihil datur frustra, nothing in the ordinary course of providence be vain, is it then safe to imagine that the solemn Gospel-promise, chap. 1.3. can be a mere empty sound, and such as drives men to bare conjectures and trifling probabilities, unmeet to lay the weight of any real determinations upon? Or is the book opened, chap. 10. without any certain discovery of the mystery therein comprehended? Or did the same Spirit which invites to count the beast, chap. 13.18. lay insufficient grounds and rules to find out his number? Or is that mighty voice and call from heaven, chap. 18. Mat. 25.6. void of light and efficacy to dictate what they ought to separate from, the way they should walk in, and those nuptials they are preparing for? We rather believe the say of this book to be the true say of God, chap. 19.9. and to be true and faithful, chap. 22.6. and to contain matters of transcendent worth, and solid foundations for knowledge, practice and argumentation. And though the spirituality thereof lie deep (as things of rarest excellency usually do) yet such of wisdom's children who are divinely inspired with an understanding Spirit, will by virtue of that power assisting them, thence draw out those precious truths, which will confound and put to silence the wisdom of the world. It is very remarkable, that the testimony of Jesus in these latter ages, is called the Spirit of prophecy, chap. 19.10. The reason is, because the prophecies hold forth that very dispensation, and those Judgements of God proper to our own generation; which rightly teach us how to distinguish the times, and to know the things that belong to our peace in this our day: the ignorance whereof may occasion the misery of man to be great, because he misseth his time.  
This, and all your other arguments of the same nature, are no other for substance, than what were formerly made use of by the Papists and Episcopalists against yourselves; which have not the least might to dishearten, or strip us of our birthright in this prophecy, though coming from Mr. Elmestone. I shall wish you for the future, either to disprove our interpretation, and give a better and clearer sense, or forbear to speak evil of what you know not.  
Now come we to your concluding argument specified in the 36 page of your book; wherein you lay a high charge against our way and Tenants, as if they were against the second and fourth Commandments, the three first Petitions, and a hindrance to men's salvation.  
Answ. We have already removed the violence of all this after-charge in several passages of this treatise. This general return will here suffice; in which we utterly deny your accusation; and affirm, that to follow Christ in the path of separation, to exercise in this our journey those ordinances now inspired by his Spirit, both in private, as also in our public assemblies, especially on the Lord's day, with a forbearance of the rest for the present, which lie void of his administration, till his glory return from heaven to sanctify them again for use, thereby avoiding the idols that must necessarily ensue upon taking them up, can be no breach, but a fulfilling of the second and fourth Commandments both in the affirmative and negative part: and this, being grounded on the call and warrant of our Lord Jesus, must be done in his name, advance his kingdom, fall into the compass of his divine will and pleasure, agreeable to the three first petitions. The Virgins going forth to meet the bridegroom, was a preparatory to that illustrious marriage, wherein Christ in the open prospect of his dispensation will appear a husband, and they that are wise a married wife when entered into the wedding-chamber of the Lamb. I say, this high way in the wilderness, being the medium and passage to that spiritual magnificence, tends to exalt the glory, throne, sceptre, and kingdom of Jesus Christ. And this walk can no way hinder the salvation of ourselves or others, but bends to the furtherance thereof; as the consciences of many can testify, who have found the ministry to be as waters springing out of the desert, Isa. 48.21. chap. 41.17, 18. even when they could obtain no such new rising springs of refreshments with you.  
But Sir, Seeing you have so furiously charged against us, we shall entreat you to reflect upon your own way (for, nosce teipsum, know yourselves, is the first point of wisdom) and you may with eyes anointed with spiritual eyesalve, discern, that you usurp a power only proper to the King of Saints, to set up visible Churches, to make members and officers upon your own call, power and spiriting; and that by omission of some of the primitive ordinances, and placing other inventions in their stead. Thus to erect a bestial Idol with subjection thereto, must be directly opposite to the second Commandment: and having built up such a golden Calf, can do no less than blemish and defile all your services in your assemblings on the Lord's day, contrary to the fourth command: and withal you bottoming the same upon your own consultations, without a celestial investment first as power from above, must honour your own names, derogating from the name of Christ; set up and magnify your own kingdoms, eclipsing and darkening his, do your own wills in opposition to the will of God; and by this, undermin'e the three first petitions. Which machination of yours, striking so against the radix of Divinity, can no way forward the salvation of souls, but is prejudicial, and a drawing people to disobedience; not a bearing up of the stative ordinances, wherein his sovereign power and goodness will be set forth, but a laying them upon a humane Antichristian base, and thereby so changing them, that they carry the majestical name, spirit and wisdom of man, the very Image of a beast; not an establishing of doctrine therein, and a right officiated ministry, but a broaching of errors, a constituting and bearing up of a delusive Ministry, as a false Christ and false Prophet, the foundation of such untimely and misleading visibilities (for though sometimes you preach up God and Christ only, as coming in his Name in pretence, yet you establish & teach up another in discipline, therein coming in your own name;) not a preventing of scandals, and restraining licentious living by true discipline, but a causing scandals and offences by a false, not only in particular persons, but in your whole unseasonable stated Churches; and therefore it brings a general woe, Matth. 18.7. Rev. 18 6. and this miserable Scotland hath experienced, in whom your greatest boast, glory, and hope of and for your Presbyterian Government resided. You may plainly see how God worketh against such designs.  
It is true, that in the Primitive day, when Church-Government came from Christ, and manifest smoke, wind, fire and lightning of his Spirit, which breathed in and operated by the stative Ordinances of Ordination, Confirmation, Church-censures, etc. there was the life, light, and glory of the same Spirit, which presented the sovereign power, beauty and wisdom of Jesus Christ the husband, and made them effectual means for the perfecting and completing of the Church his spouse. But since this externality was forsaken and rejected by the Spirit, and the key thereof being grounded barely upon an humane Antichristian base, became bottomless, the same Ordinances have been found to be lifeless, and empty of their primitive excellency; not to have the least virtue to convey any spiritual nutriment to the Saints, but rather to increase formality, and decrease the power of godliness. Nay, they springing from a bestial root, have brought forth such bitter fruit, as hath been most opposite to the workings of the Spirit of grace. This key of Regiment through the West remained solely in the hands of Rome for many ages, where it clouded and by degrees darkened the whole Hemisphere with the poisonous sums and exhalations arising from that bottomless furnace: and though at first it came in more mildly in a lamblike visage, yet at last when discovered, it broke out into such open rage against the godly, as hath filled the Chronicles with most sad and tragical stories. Of later years in England, it was taken thence and transplanted into the Bishops, who by the enjoyment thereof so trampled upon the Saints, that we are all sensible of that Antichristian spirit therein reigning and triumphing. And those places where the Presbyterian Discipline hath had the full swinge, and was backed by the sword of the Magistrate, are known to abound with more formality, worldly mindedness, nay open profaneness, then is usually to be found with us in England; where also some precious men, who could not lay their consciences passive to their yoke of tyranny, have felt the stripes of their cruelty so deep in their persons and estates, as hath forced some to flee from their native Country; witness Scotland. The same spirit in our lesser Corporations, acts its chiefest strength in disuniting of the Lord's people, where also the  Ordinances are lifeless and ineffectual: and this many (the choicest amongst them) begin to be sensible of. It is only the mystical Church or foundation of true grace, that is the pillar and ground of truth, while the outward court is cast out, and becomes the base of falsehood.  
In the close your Book, you excuse your being long before you sent us your Answer.  
Answ. We suppose you took the larger time to recollect and muster up your chiefest forces into one entire body. It appears to us, that many lines meet in that your centre; and as the Poet saith in another case, 
Virtus coit omnis in unum.  
Many results in one seem to combine,  
to establish what will fall by strength divine.     

POSTSCRIPT.  
WE shall in the last place pass to your Postscript, where you demand from Rev. 15, who the harpers are that stand at the glassy sea, etc.  
Answ. Those harpers are a separated, not a stated people, which we have evidenced in the fourth and foregoing Paragraph, and proved by several Reasons. We shall here more amply decipher their nature, property, and stand, out of the three several texts of the Revelations, in which the Spirit paints them forth.  
The first is Chap. 7. v. 9 There you may see them not to be whole nations, but a great number of, or out of nations, being chosen from the rest, who stand immediately before the throne of grace, clothed with white robes of rejoicing, praise, and virginlike purity, all palms in their hands, an ensign of victory and peace, and alluding to the multitude who followed and cried Hosanna, when Christ road up to Jerusalem, Mat. 21.8, 9 Mark 11.8, 9, 10. Luke 19.37, 38. all which attributes a difference of them from the sealed number and Witnesses before. Vers. 14, they come out of great tribulation, which manifesteth the time to be after the 1260 years. Vers. 15, these for their diligence in holy exercises, are said to serve God day and night in his temple: their hungering and thirsting no more, nor the sun and heat lighting on them, v. 16. infers the spiritual famine and affliction they underwent the preceding season, from which now they are perpetually freed. Their seeding by the lamb, their being led to living fountains of water, answers to the fertility and springs of water (for spiritual strengthening and recreating) breaking forth in the wilderness, or highway there to Zion, Isa. 35.6, 7. chap. 41.18. chap. 48.21. chap. 49.9, 10. Psal. 107.35. and to the precious promises made to the same people, Hos. 2. from vers. 14. to 19 Isa. 42.16.  
The second Scripture is Chap. 14. Vers. 1, is a type of the sealed number under Antichristisme, expressed chap. 7. from vers. 1. to 9 who stand upon the mystical mount of election, or grace. The separated Saints are presented from vers. 2. where they are not only rejoicers as before, but harpers, they singing for joy of heart, and tuning their sounding instruments of praises, Isa. 51.11. Psal. 98. Isa. 42.10. Chap. 30.29. Their song for matter, v. 3. is a new song, suitable to the new work then created for them, Isa. 43.19. Chap 42.16.9, 10. which was so abstruse and mysterious, that none amongst the nations and false stands could truly learn it, but the 144000 redeemed from the earth, who by degrees will be capable thereof, come out, and join with the harpers. Vers. 4, these are not defiled with women, which notes their separation from all false Churches either of the wilderness or secret chambers; for they are virgins, preparing for the marriage to come in chap. 19 and as the Lord goes before them, so do they follow the Lamb whithersoever he goes, from vial to vial, both in separating from, and rewarding of: they are not only redeemed from the earth with the 144000, but also purchased from amongst men, which hints at their separation from the rest of the world: and being the first thus bought, have the honour of being the first fruits unto God and the Lamb. In vers. 5, for the pureness and sincerity in their Ministry, which brings Divinity up into a Gospel-glory, they are said to have no guile in their mouths, for they are without fault before the throne.  
The third text is Chap. 15. v. 2, 3, 4. in which their victory, station, and song, are more distinctly and accurately described. Vers. 2, their victory is over the Beast, (to wit, all usurped Hierarchies over consciences, whether Romish, Episcopal, Presbyterial, of any other) his Image, (their stated Frames and Ordinances form according to their carnal imaginations) his Mark, (a subjection thereto:) from all which the harpers are redeemed; and from the number of his name, as a people separated in their distinguished assemblies. Their stand was on a glassy sea, the clear, pure, bright sensings of Scripture; which for the copiousness is called a sea; for its perspicuity, of glass, 2 Cor. 3.18. which is mingled with fire, to consume the timber, hay, and stubble of Antichristian materials, 2 Thess. 2.18, and to purge the filth of the Saints by the spirit of judgement, and by the spirit of burning, Isa. 4.4. In vers. 3, their song is the song of Moses and the Lamb, for their outward and spiritual deliverance; the substance of which is compendiously drawn out in vers. 3 & 4. the like is declared in Chap. 14.7, etc. And these, for time, arose presently with the Angel-pourers, as appears by their being conjoined together, vers. 1, 2. by their victory and triumphant song, which gins with and continues all the series of the vials. These judgements and wonders of God have been of late so clearly manifested with us, that no man spiritually enlightened can gainsay it.  
Having thus delivered the state of these harpers, we shall now acquaint you why your National Churches, whether Episcopal or Presbyterial, are none of their number. They for time arose long before the 1260 years of tribulation were ended, and were not a selected company out of nations, nor redeemed from amongst men, but were whole nations good and bad incorporated into one leprous body: they were not clothed with white robes of joy, praise, and purity, nor stand immediately before the throne; but even the godly amongst them were clothed in sackcloth, stood visibly in the streets of the great city, and before earthly Hierarchies, who as terrene gods lorded it over them, whereby the sun and heat smote them, as was too well known in the Bishop's times, and by the proceed of others elsewhere both before and since: neither are you a growing people, with an increase of spiritual nourishment, and new rising springs of heavenly refresh; but are declining to more formality and deadness, and will daily decrease, as the light of Truth increaseth; your kingdom grows full of darkness: neither do you return from Babylon, but sit down in that desert. Thus you may take notice how contrary you are to the separated people expressed Chap. 7. Give us leave to show you how unlike your National Churches ruled by Bishops or Presbyters, are to the harpers painted out in Chap. 14. They sing not the new song of triumph over the Beast, but the old one of crying him u●… and applauding him: they stand not immediately before the highest throne, but before Classical, Provincial, and National Synods, coming as a medium between, and ruling over the conscience: they are not virgins in their purity from the Beast, nor wait they for the marriage to come, nor are undefiled with strange women; but are strange women, boasting with her, Chap. 18.7, that they sit as Queens, are already married in their visible constitutions, and their members defiled with the same false married Churches: they follow not the Lamb in his call of separation, but go before him in their own of stating: they are not redeemed from amongst men, as herein obtaining the honour of the first-fruits, in whose mouth is sound no guile; but remain bondaged themselves, and labour to enthral others (as their frequent importuning the Magistrate for power to compel, doth testify) still retaining their old musty store, and sour wild grapes of Antichrist; your Ministry is foully corrupted with guile, and false principles about discipline, accompanied with bitter and odious invectives against these harpers. Lastly, let us examine your National Churches  by Chap. 15. They stand not simply upon a sea of glass, the word only purely sensed, but upon the more gross interpretations of the Fathers and other learned men in darker times, from whom they esteem it presumption to differ, though to the native Truth, as your sharp and frequent reproofs of me for differing from them, doth demonstrate: they have not obtained a conquest over the Beast, but have erected a Beast in Episcopacy, Presbytery, etc. his Image in their Canons and other Ordinances changed into his likeness; his Mark, by a subjection thereto: nor are their members in distinct congregating, as being off from the number of his name, but are all numbered to him. And those who now adhere to these National Hierarchies, are so far from harping out this triumphant song of victory by separation and war, and singing, True and righteous are thy ways herein, thou King of Saints; as they are secret mourners, having a wound in their spirits at these his just proceed, and his judgements now made manifest: witness of late the dolour for the overthrow of the Scots, who fought in the Presbyterian cause; your public reproaches against the Separation, with inward torments for their freedom, together with many other passages; which show, how this great work of God now beginning, is closed and fast locked up from your understandings. We desire from our souls, that the Lord Jesus, who hath the key of David, would open the door of your hearts, whereby his admired designs, changes, and works to be done, might enter. In the mean time, you may behold your folly in bringing those texts to convince us, and prove your practice, every circumstance whereof agrees with the way of separation, and riseth up as so many witnesses against yours.  
You ask us, Whether the Ordination of Ministers in such National Churches, be a mark of the Beast.  
Answ. Seeing the Churches themselves are not these harpers, but such as stand under a bestial power, the Ministers must be of the same nature with the Churches. And your Ordination, whether by Bishops or preaching Presbyters coming from the corrupt key of Rome (though done by fasting and prayer) must carry with it the mark or brand of the same Beast; or if the man be truly pious, his outward livery. And thus to judge, is neither ignorance nor malice, as you charge it, but the discovery of Christ in his Revelation, who through our sides you are pleased to defame with black terms of obloquy.  
To your next, we say that you are not clothed with the white garments of the harpers, but with the black habit of sackcloth.  
You tax us with omitting singing of Psalms.  
Answ. For mine own particular, I question not the Ordinance of vocal singing of Psalms, though some do scruple the manner thereof, as conceiving it to be much abused. Albeit this harmonizing here, is not tied to metre, but is the inward joy wrought in the hearts of Gods separated Saints for their noble redemption from the Beast, and the new mercies bestowed on them, which breathes forth either in secret ejaculations, or acts more openly in Ministry, Prayer, Thanksgiving, etc.  
Object. You quaere. How we can be in our return from Babylon, and yet within Babylon's territories.  
Answ. A man may be returning from London, and yet within the line of Communication: so in this gradual separation, we cannot go clear off at once, but by degrees. See Parag. 4. Reas. 7.  
Before we conclude, give us leave to propound a few Queries very material to be considered of: 

1. In general for all.  
2. In particular to you.    
The general shall be a brief contracting of the whole body of this Controversy; and are as followeth.  
1. Whether the being of yours or any other Office with us passing by succession from the Primitive, came by a Lineal descent from Rome, or not. If some say Not, then whether any can prove their Genealogy distinct and apart from her. If from Rome, (as you confess) then whether the essence and foundation of Office be true there, or not. If true, then whether she must not radically be a true Church and a Zion. If she be in her constitution false, bottomless, and Babylon, whether there were not a dissolution of your line and chain.  
2. Whether a true congregated Church, set in a right and complete order of discipline in our Western Horizon, can be proved from the Apostolical times to be distinct from the Romish Synagogue. If not (as the Scripture and the event doth clearly manifest) then must there be a cessation and departure of God's glory from this visibility, proved from these Scriptures: Rev. 7.1. Chap. 9.1, 2, 3, etc. Chap. 11.2.  
3. Whether (the primitive order sinking) there must not be a new call and spiriting from God for the first restoring and beginning of this work, whereby his glory may return to make it a true spiritual and heavenly building.  
4. Whether such a visible administration that gives being to a true, pure, genuine and single Gospel-marriage be to be seen in the first initiation of any of our new-built Church-formes, or can be evidenced by Scripture to be existing at this present, or whether this same be not prophesied not to return till after the downfall of Babylon, by these Scriptures, Rev. 19.2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9 chap. 11. 19 Hos. 2.19, 20. Isa. 62.4, 5. chap. 14.15. Mic. 4.3, 8. Mat. 25.10.  
5. Whether (if so) all our visible constitutions must not be man in their groundwork, and so numbered to that beast, Rev. 13.18.  
6. Whether then the way prepared, cast up, approved of and called unto for his Servants now to walk in, be not a separation with distinct Congregations, without sitting down as Queens in visible constitutions. I shall desire the Godly seriously and impartially to examine these Queries by the word of God. We were all in a spiritual sense asleep: and it is no shame, but a honour to yield to the conquest of truth, and suffer it freely to triumph over our former misleadings and wander  
The Queries in particular to you, are these.  
1. Whether (as above) your Office of the Ministry (the cornerstone of your outward building) being derived from the national hierarchy, which successively came from the Pope, be not one of Babylon's stones: and whether it be not against this text, Jer. 51.26. They shall not take of thee a stone for foundations, but thou shalt be desolate for ever, saith the Lord.  
2. Whether your gathering of Gospel-Churches out of true Gospel-Churches (which you acknowledge the national to be) be warranted by the Scriptures: if so, we desire your proofs for it.  
3. Whether your making of Elders without laying on of hands, be agreeable to the primitive practice.  
4. Whether the receiving in of members made by yourselves, be taken from the primitive pattern: that is, whether such a Covenant, and subscription thereto, was the Ordinance by which men entered into Church-fellowship in that Gospel-day; or whether members were not then received in by laying on of hands: if by such a Covenant, we desire your Scriptures to warrant it.  
5. Whether all this be not to omit, or transgress the laws, and change the ordinances, Isa. 24.6.  
Yet one thing more. You have taken a great deal of pains through your whole Book, to prove a true visible stated Gospel-Church throughout the Gospel-times: but all this while you have not showed us which of all the several forms is that true stated Church. Rome arrogates it, the Lutherans usurp it, the English Episcopacy plead it, the Presbyters and you challenge it, the Dippers appropriate it, those called Brownists claim it as their sole interest, the Independents assume it. And truly, the wisest man in Europe taking a thorough view of every one of these Church-models, will be at a stand certainly to determine which of them is the true and right; and which had its lineal descent in the rectitude of Order from the Primitive. The more accurately he examines, the greater occasion he may find to question all.  
Sir, I beseech you not to take in prejudice, what I have here presented in benevolence. For though many things may appear something strange at first, yet, I hope, upon second thoughts you will find them no other than the real truths of God, delivered by the Prophets, Apostles, and the Lord himself. I presume you will not adjudge him, who hath been and is your cordial friend, to become your enemy, because he tells you the truth, and that in the same language the Spirit in Scripture speaks. Indeed, I may seem to some to be oversharp: but the discoveries by the vials are so imparted by the Spirit, as at the one side to increase the torments of the marked soldiers of Antichrist, so on the other side thoroughly to searse and eat out the mystery of that deceit too deeply riveted in the minds of many vessels of honour. For though the Spouse was not totally deceived, so as to be struck at the heart or killed, yet was she so much deluded, as to receive a wound, Cant. 5.7. which cannot recover a perfect cure, but by a searching salve. And for myself, I dare not daub in the things of God, nor call evil good, nor darkness light, nor sooth up with flattering titles, left my Maker should destroy me. When I see my brother straying, I am commanded to rebuke with plainness, and not in any wise to suffer sin to rest upon him, to omit which duty were a symptom of hatred, Leu. 19.17. And I will assure you, they are no other than the faithful wounds of a friend, which in receiving, may carry the virtue of an excellent oil, that will not break your head, but only remove such putrefaction, as might otherwise procure your loss at the day of Jesus Christ.  
FINIS.