A BRIEF DISCOVERY OF The Blasphemous Doctrine of Familisme, First conceived and brought forth into the world by one HENRY NICOLAS of the Low Countries of Germany about an hundred years ago; And now very boldly taught by one Mr. Randall, and sundry others in and about the City of London. Whom multitudes of people follow, and which Doctrine many embrace. The sum or brief whereof is on the other side of the leaf set down. MATTH. 24.4.5. Take heed that no man deceive you: for many shall come in my name saying, I am Christ, and shall deceive many. Imprimatur. john Downam. LONDON, Printed by Matthew Simmons in Aldersgate-street. 1645. The sum or main points of the Doctrine of H. N. 1. THat Christ is already come in his glory from the right hand of God to judge the quick and the dead. 2. That the great and last Trumpet now soundeth, and they that sleep in Christ are raised from the dead; the sting of death, which is sin, taken away, and death swallowed up in victory. 3. That holiness, or the anointing of the holy Ghost, and the Sabbath, is Christ; and the sin which they call the contrary anointing, and child of the Devil, is the Antichrist. 4. That all the promises of God, and whatsoever is written and foretold in the Scriptures, concerning the everlasting Kingdom of Christ, and his Saints, becometh now in this present day of H. N. and his Family, fulfilled. 5. That the Seat or Throne of judgement whereon Christ sitteth, is the communialty of the Family of Love, whereof H. N. is the oldest Father. And that he and they are Godded with God; and God manned with them. 6. That the way and manner of judging is by the new evangely of H.N. The parabolical say and mystical sentences which he hath written and published, and the Elders or perfect holy ones of the Family, hold forth to the world. You shall have the own say of H. N. word for word with his own quotations of Scriptures (to read and consider) in the following Discovery; whereupon you may the better discern and judge of things. A brief discovery of the blasphemous Doctrine of Familisme. THat which occasioned me to write and publish this Discovery, was some Doctrines delivered in a house within the Spittle-yard without Bishopsgate, near London, by one Mr. Randoll, whom I was requested (by some friends) to hear. And observing the multitude of people that followed him, and how they were affected with his doctrine, which I did plainly perceive was the very grounds of Familisme contained in the writings of H. N. I hereupon thought good a little to inform the people thereof; whereat some were much offended, and one mocked and said, See what an old man here is, and what a child here is And I asked one of them, if he did believe that the bodies of men which were dead and buried in the earth, should be raised to life again: and he answered me saying, I cannot tell. And I mentioning Christ's resurrection from the dead, one answered, Christ was not then a true man but only God: and another affirmed, that he had known Christ after the flesh. And I asked him when and where; but he would give me no answer. Whereupon I said, See how this people are taught. And a woman answered and said unto me, I think if you did speak with the Minister, you should not find him of their mind. And I told her she was deceived, he thought the same things. So I left them for that time. And after this, I having a desire to hear him yet more, and that the people should be better informed, I came again, and brought with me five or six papers, wherein I had written these words following: This Gentleman, Mr. Randall, doth delude the people with the deceitful doctrine of Familisme, which I will undertake to prove by the things he hath delivered; and that he therein doth pervert the strait way of the Lord, and destroy the hope of the Saints, as much as in him lieth. And when his Sermon was ended, and that upon consideration of a point of doctrine he delivered, that a man baptised with the holy Ghost, knew all things, even as God knew all things, which himself greatly admired as a deep mystery, and likened it to the great Ocean, where there is no casting Anchor, nor sounding the bottom, I said unto the people, This man hath many great words, and a great deal of deceit. And some of them being much displeased, and moved with anger at my saying, I went down out of the house into the yard, and gave one of the forementioned papers unto a man that was of Mr. Randall acquaintance, and requested him to give it him: and a friend of mine whom the man knew, told him, that we desired to speak with Mr. Randal. And about three or four days after, my friend spoke with the man, whose name, (as I now understand) was Mr Cullumbeame, and asked him concerning the motion of speaking with him, and he told him that Mr. Randall was very willing: and so they appointed the day and hour, and place of meeting to that purpose, which was on Tuesday the week following, being the 25. of February, at two of the clock in the afternoon, and at the house of the said Mr. Cullumbeame, a Grocer in Thames street, London. So at the day and hour appointed, I (with five or six of my acquaintance) came to the house, and stayed about the space of two hours, waiting for Mr. Randall, but he came not. Then I having a paper, wherein I had written a few Arguments for proof of the forementioned charge, I gave it to Mr. Cullumbeame, and wished him to give it Mr. Randall, and request him to give us his answer to the same in writing: and so we departed. The Arguments were these following: 1. Whosoever shall teach and persuade the people, that the perfection and resurrection spoken of by Paul, 1 Corinth. 15.51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57 Philip. 3.11, 12, 13, 14. Ephes. 4.12.13. Heb. 6.1. (which in verse 18. the Apostle calleth, The hope set before us, and describeth through the rest of the Epistle following, by the names of the true Tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man, Heb. 8.2. Good things to come, etc. chap. 9.11. An eternal inheritance, vers. 15. An enduring substance, chap. 10.34. Great recompense of reward, vers. 35. A City having foundations, whose builder and maker is God, chap. 11.10. An heavenly country, and a City prepared of God, vers. vers. 16. A better resurrection, v. 35. A kingdom which cannot be moved, chap. 12.28. A City to come, chap. 13.14.) are to be attained in the fullness and perfection of them, according to these testimonies. Now in this present time, before the common death of the body, doth herein teach and persuade to the deceitful Doctrine of Familisme, taught by Henry Nicholas, the principal Author thereof, and so deludeth the people therewith. But Mr. Randall doth so teach and persuade, as sundry persons that heard him can witness. Therefore he doth so delude with that deceit. 2. Whosoever shall teach and persuade, that such as are baptised with the baptism of the holy Ghost, have from thenceforth nothing to do with the Law, nor with the baptism of repentance which John preached, but away with the Law, and away with John Baptist from such a one, doth herein pervert the strait way of the Lord, not only in denying the baptised with the baptism of the holy Ghost, the use of the Law of God to delight therein, and serve the same in his mind, as Paul saith, Rom. 7. but also in rejecting the estate of a repentant broken contrite heart, whereof the Prophet Esay speaketh, saying, Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the stumbling-block out of the way of my people: For thus saith the high and lofty, One, that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy, I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble Spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the hearts of the contrite ones, Esay 57.14.15. The repentant contrite heart being it which the holy Ghost purgeth and cleanseth, comforteth and reviveth daily; and the baptism of repentance, and the baptism of the holy Ghost being the parts of the new birth from above, wherein he that is born anew walketh, and goeth on daily, weeping and yet rejoicing, dying and yet living, sowing in tears his precious seed in an assured hope one day to reap in joy, and come to a City and Kingdom promised. But Mr. Randall doth so teach and persuade (as is aforesaid:) Therefore he therein perverteth the strait way of the Lord, as doth H. N. the Arch-Familist. 3. Whosoever shall teach and persuade, that the things spoken of by Paul, 1 Cor. 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57 are to be attained and fulfilled now, in this present time in those that are baptised with the ho-Ghost, do thereby make Christ to be already come the second time to such, without sin unto salvation, according to Heb. 9.28. Death to be swallowed up in victory, as 1 Cor. 15.54. according to Hosea 13.14. The sting of death, which is sin, to be quite taken away. And all the great and eternal promises to be already fulfilled in them; and so destroy the hope of the Saints as touching the personal coming of Christ in his glory to judge the quick and the dead, and of the resurrection of the bodies of the Saints, and of the kingdom, glory, and life everlasting of body and loule hereafter to come, which the Scriptures so much speak of, and all the Saints assuredly look for. But Mr. Randall, as well as H. N. the oldest Familist, doth so teach and persuade: Therefore he as well as H. N. doth hereby destroy (as much as in him lieth) the hope of the Saints: And so the whole charge is fully proved. 4. Whosoever shall teach and affirm, that every creature in the first estate of creation, was God, because they were made by the word of God, doth therein teach and affirm a very erroneous and blasphemous thing. But Mr. Randall doth so teach and affirm: Therefore, etc. And although (as I confess) he said, mistake me not, I do not say the creature is the Creator, neither do I say, Man is God; that were blasphemy: for man is vanity, yea a lie, yet did not Mr. Randall hereby contradict his first doctrine: for if I should ask him and say, Did God by his word make vanity, or a lie? No doubt he would answer and say, No. What is that man then which he calls a lie, and vanity? Doubtless he means man in his fall, and so the creature, though he denieth it to be the Creator, yet he denieth it not to be God, no more than he denieth the Word or Son of God to be God, because he is not, nor can be the Father. This Mr. Randall counts not blasphemy, but I affirm it is. Neither because the Father, the Word, and the holy Ghost is one God, are the Saints which are baptised with the holy Ghost, therefore God also. Neither because they have the holy Ghost dwelling in them, do they therefore know all things as God knoweth all things, as Mr. Randall taught and affirmed, according as H. N. hath done. 5. Whosoever shall presume to turn the holy Writings and saying of Moses and the Prophets, of Christ and his Apostles, and the proper names, persons and things mentioned and contained therein, into allegories, and give them out to be the mystery and spiritual meaning of the same, The holy Ghost in the writings or say of Moses and the Prophets, of Christ and his Apostles) having not so done, nor left any rule or direction for it, doth therein presume above that which is written; and so addeth to, and taketh from the say, writings, and prophecies of the holy Scriptures, and deceiveth the people, themselves also being deceived. But Mr. Randall as well as H. N. hath so done, as by the Sermons of the one, and the printed books of the other compared together, may appear. Therefore. And so Sir, not to mention every thing delivered by you, against which just exception may be taken, we desire you to consider of these things, and to give us your answer in writing. And believe us, we have not the least thought of raising persecution against you, as you perhaps or some other may think, nor of wronging you any kind of way: only our desire and end is, that the truth may be known unto us all, and that we should not delude, nor be deluded. And so I rest your Christian friend, John Etherington. These were given to Mr. Randoll by the said Mr. Cullumbeam, but he returneth no answer, nor will, as some that are of his hearers, and inward with him, say, as from himself. And now to the end all men may see that Mr. Randall is not wronged in the forementioned charge, I will here set down the own words of H.N. with his quotations, as they stand printed in his book entitled, The joyful Message of the Kingdom. As first in his Preface, where he hath these words: COnsider on the time, O all ye people which love the truth of Jesus Christ. Presently in this day of the love and of the appearing of the coming of our Lord jesus Christ in the resurrection of the dead, wherein the Law, Esay 65. 1 Cor. 15. the Prophets, and all what is written of Christ, becometh fulfilled. And in Chap. 1. he hath these words: H.N. Through the grace and mercy of God, and through the holy Spirit of the love of jesus Christ, raised up by the highest God from the death, john 6. Act. 17. Eph. 2. Rom. 8. Ephes. 4. joh. 14. Apoc. 21. john 1. 1 john 1. jer. 33. 1 Cor. 13. Apoc. 14. Esay. according to the providence of God, and his promises, anointed with the holy Ghost in the old age of the holy understanding of jesus Christ, Godded with God in the Spirit of his love, made heir with Christ in the heavenly goods of the riches of God, illuminated in the Spirit with the heavenly truth, the true light of the perfect being, elected to a Minister of the gracious word, which is now in the last time raised up by God according to his promises, in the most holy services of God under the obedience of his love, for to publish now in the last time, out of the same grace and hearty mercifulness of God, and through the same holy Spirit of the love of jesus Christ, good tidings, or a joyful message of the Kingdom of God unto all people, etc. And in Sentence 9 of the same chapter he hath these words: Esay 3. Matth. 24.25. jude 1. Esay 16. Acts 17. Zach. 8. FOr behold in this present day the glorious coming of the Lord jesus Christ, with the many thousands of his Saints, be cometh manifested, which hath set himself now upon the Seat of his majesty, for to judge in this same day which the Lord hath ordained or appointed, the whole world with equity and with faithfulness, and truth, according to his righteousness. For that cause, O all ye which dwell upon the earth, fear now the Lord the most highest, and give him alone all honour, laud, and praise: for the day of his judgement is now come: Apoc. 14. that it might now in the same day of the true judgement of God and Christ, Luke 22. become all fulfilled in Christ, whatsoever is written of him. Sentence 10. And in chap. 34. (he having before from chap. 31. to this 34. spoken of the Catholic Church of Rome, of the Pope, Cardinals, Bishops, Priests, Deacons, Sextons, Services, Ceremonies, etc. and in great commendations of them for their time, until contentions arose about them) saith here: But the while now that the figurative Services and Ceremonies of the Christians flourished in their vigour, and that the discordable minds, out of the knowledge of the Scripture, did daily increase to a more intangling, with much contending and disputation of Christ, and of his Services and Ceremonies. And that many good willing hearts which had great hunger and thirst after the righteousness, Matth. 5. searched the Scriptures for to understand the truth and will of God, Exod. 3. Psal. 9 and to live therein, with great diligence and zeal, and sighed, and prayed unto God. So bath God at last remembered the desolate hearts, the sigh and prayers of the poor, and for his chosen sake, (to the end that his truth and what his will is, might before all lovers of the truth, Matth. 24. Abac. 3. Acts 13. joh. 6. Acts 17. Rom. 8. 1 Cor. 6. 2 Cor. 4. Ephes. 2. Ezek. 37. john 17. 2 Pet. 1. john 14. 2 Cor. 6. Apoc 21. Psal. 45. & 89. Esay 16. Esay 2. joel 2. Acts 2. Gen. 2●. Matth. 24. Apoc. 14. Psal 4. & 68 Rom. 14. 2 Cor. 5. 2 Reg. 7. Psal. 98. Esai. 16. & 32. & 42. jer. 23. & 35. Acts 17. be made manifest or declared, and the Scripture fulfilled) shortened the days according to his promises, and through the hearty mercifulness of his love, wrought a great and wonderful work upon earth out of his holy heaven, and raised up me H. N. the least among the holy ones of God, which lay altogether dead and without breath and life among the dead, from the death, and made me alive through Christ, as also anointed me with his godly being, manned himself with me, and Godded me with him, to a living Tabernacle or House for his dwelling, and a seat of his Christ the seed of David, to the end that his wonderful works might now in the last time be known, the light of his glory with full clearness and instruction revealed, and the coming of his Kingdom to an evangely of the same Kingdom, and to the blessing of all generations of the earth, published in all the world, according to the Scriptures. Behold and consider my beloved, how wonderfully God worketh in his holy ones, and how that in this day or light of the love, the judgement seat of Christ is revealed and declared unto us out of heaven, to a righteous judgement upon earth, from the right hand of God. And how that on the same judgement seat of Christ, that the Scriptures might be fulfilled, there sitteth one now in truth in the habitation of David, which judgeth uprightly, thinketh upon equity, and requireth righteousness. Through him God will now in this day which he himself hath appointed, or ordained thereunto, judge the compass of the earth with righteousness. In which this same day, or last time, namely in the perfection of the works of God, and in his righteous judgement the God of heaven hath now declared himself and his Christ together with all his Saints, unto us his elect, and also made a dwelling with as, and brought even so unto us out of his holy Being, the most holy of his true Taberncle, with the fullness of his garnishing and spiritual heavenly riches, to an everlasting fast standing jerusalem, and house for God's dwelling, according to the Scriptures. The which is the very true undisturbable Kingdom, full of all godly power, joy, and of all heavenly beautifulness; wherein the laud of the Lord with fullness of the eternal life and lovely sweetness is sung from everlasting to everlasting. And wherein all minds of pure hearts do dwell, live and walk with freedom and Christian triumph in all love. This great day light of the most high God hath presently in his righteous judgement shined about us, etc. Sent. 1, 2, 3, 4, etc. And in chap. 35, Sentence 8. these words: Esay 26. Dan. 12. 4 Esdr. 7. 1 Thess 4. Matth. 24 & 25. Luke 17. Acts 1. Matth. 24. Apoc. 14. BEhold, in this present day is this Scripture fulfilled, and accrrding to the testimony of the Scripture, the raising up and the resurrection of the Lord, dead c mmeth also to pass presently in this same day through the appearing of the coming of Christ in his majesty; which resurrection of the dead, seeing that the same is come unto us from God's grace, we do likewise in this present day to an evangely or joyful message of the kingdom of God, and Christ, publish in all the world under the obedience of the love. 9 In which resurrection of the dead God showeth unto us that the time is now fulfilled, Esay 26. 1 Cor. 15. 1 Thess. 4. that his dead, or the dead which are fallen asleep in the Lord, rise up in this day of his judgement, and appear unto us in godly glory, which shall also from henceforth live in us everlastingly with Christ, and reign upon the earth, wherein the Scripture becometh fulfilled in this present day like as there standeth written thereof, Deut. 32. The Lord shall judge his people etc. And in chapter 38. Sentence 2. Wherefore awake now all, lift up your heads, hear and see the wonderful acts of God, Matth. 24. Luk. 21. Cor. 15. Thess. 4. and have regard unto the sound of the last Trumpet, and consider, the forefront of the true Tabernacle of God, wherein the beginning of the true God service, and of the upright Christian life, becometh erected, etc. So fare are H. N. his own words, with his quotations in the Margin. And that he makes the anointing or sanctification of the holy Ghost, which he calleth the perfection, holiness and the Sabbath, to be the Christ; and the contrary anointing the nature of sin, and child of the Devil, as he calls it, to be the Antichrist which the Scripture speaketh of, it is manifest by his own words, Chap. 18. and sundry other places of the book of his Evangely, wherein also many other matters of the like nature, all grounded on the forementioned principles, are spoken by him, too many for me here to relate. Compare now the Sermons of Mr. Randall and those Doctrines of H. N. together, and you shall see how Mr. Randall (like a right disciple of H. N.) followeth him therein. And here you may see by the writings of H. N. before rehearsed, in what an allegorical and mystical sense he expoundeth all those Scriptures, which he coats in the margin, making the coming of Christ in his glory, and his sitting in the Throne of his glory spoken of, Matth. 24.30. and 25.31. the day of judgement, and sounding of the last trumpet, spoken of also by Paul, 1 Cor. 15. 1 Thes. 4. the resurrection from the dead, and every thing else in the same places mentioned, the perfection, the incorruption, the salvation, and all whatsoever the Scriptures have spoken concerning the everlasting kingdom and glory of Christ and his Saints, now, in this present day of H.N. and his family of love, and in them, and by them, to become all fulfilled. And now, This being their very doctrine (as their own words do plainly and often in their doubling kind of speaking) declare, it necessarily followeth, that they who are fully possessed with the belief thereof, neither have nor can have the least hope or expectation of any other coming of Christ hereafter, of a perfection, of a resurrection of the body, of an eternal life, salvation, glory, rest, peace, paradise, city, kingdom to come. And the case being so, that their hope and happiness is only here in this their new & last day, as they speak than it is best for them to rejoice and be glad while their day lasteth, and deck themselves here with Rose buds before they be withered, to take their fill of pleasure: as in youth to eat and drink, for to morrow they shall die, and all will be past. And then what are all their pretended spiritual joys, but mere fancies? A man that embraceth all the pleasures that this world can afford, and his carnal appetite shall desire, is in as happy a case as they; for if the body being dead, shall rise and live no more, nor the spirit after that have any sense of his being or felicity, more than it had before the body was, or can now remember or think of that it ever had (which is also a point or consequence of their doctrine) than Augustus Cesar, that Pagan Emperor, who lived and reigned so long in wealth and glory in pomp and pleasure, was a happier man far then any of them. And so all the great and glorious boastings of H.N. the high stile and manifold rare tiles, he ascribeth to himself, will prove to be no better than blasphemies against God and against Christ, and against the Holy Ghost; and all his sweet enticing words of his Evangely, and his pleasing Allegories, though carrying never so fair a show of godliness, to be nothing else but mere enchantments, to delude the minds, and feed the fancies of people. And what are all his threaten and sentences of judgement and condemnation he pronounceth against those that reject his doctrine, but a devilish device to fear the people, himself being filled with the spirit of pride and high presumption. Besides, if there be no other resurrection nor salvation then what is now presently, as H. N. saith, than what condemnation is there other, than what is also now presently; and so when the body dieth, condemnation endeth. Therefore, let all true faithful Christians, whose hope is not here in this life only, but hereafter chief, conclude against this H. N. otherwise Henry Nicolas, that he was, and is a liar, an Antichrist, a blasphemer, and so let him go. And let Mr. Randall and all his hearers and followers take heed, and before-warned in time, (and not begin to frame arguments in their minds, and say, It is not M. Randall and we only that teach and entertain this doctrine of H. N. there have been and are, great Doctors of Divinity, so called, yea, and some great Peers, and Persons of quality, and estate in this land, as elsewhere, that have taught and entertained the same with great affection, and high applause, I say, let them not reason thus: for although this be true, as I myself do partly know, having had speech with some of them forty years ago, and sundry times since, and with one great person several times, who plainly professed the doctrine of H. N. and stood to maintain by argument, that every creature is God, and that there was not a resurrection of the body after the common death thereof to be expected, whereupon I hearing him, and speaking with him, said, My Lord, out of all doubt, the whole doctrine of H.N. is a very blasphemous deceit, and requested him to beware of it, and did what I could to inform him in the truth which I knew, and said H. N. doth admit and will have it, that men may, and shall have wives and children in his resurrection in a successive manner continually, but Christ saith, that they which shall be counted worthy of that world to come, and of the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage, to which he suddenly replied, saying, no, they shall not marry, nor be given in marriage, they shall take them wives; and I presently answered, but Christ saith, they shall be as the Angels in heaven, whereunto he replied not. Now, what of all this? and that there have been Doctors, aed others that have taught the doctrine of H. N. as one D. Everet, one Shaw, and at this present one D. Gill, publicly in the midst of this city of London, and one that went from hence to Redding, D. Pordage, who was in expectation of (if he he hath not obtained) the chief public place there; all whom I have both heard and spoken with, and know that they have usually taught the same doctrine; although this be so, I say, and that some of my own special acquaintance, near forty years ago fell unto the same, yet is not all this a sufficient argument to persuade me or any Christian else to entertain or believe the doctrine. Nay, there is as great reason in that kind for the Turks, and for Christians also to believe their Mahomet and his doctrine, as there is for me or any Christian else to believe this Dutchman Henry Nicolas and his doctrine. Although I confess, as touching myself, I being in my youth zealously affected, was very inquisitive into those several sorts of Religions which I heard of, then professed, & was as apt naturally, as another to be seduced, some way or other from the truth, and had been, but that the Lord of his goodness (he having of his free grace shown mercy unto me in giving me repentance and forgiveness of my sins) by the same grace kept me. And as touching this of H. N. especially (praised be the Lord) I never had any the least inclination in my mind toward it, but have always since the time that I first saw into it, opposed the same as a very blasphemous deceit, though I have been by some very falsely charged with it. And now, because some may object and say, the Scriptures speak plainly in some places of a perfection, and resurrection, and of an entrance into the rest of God and everlasting kingdom of Jesus Christ, here in this present time, as Mat. 19.21. Phil. 3.15. Joh. 5.25. Heb. 4 3. Rev. 20.5.6. Col. 2.12. & 3.1. 2 Pet. 1.11. To this I answer and confess it is true, that in the Spirit the faithful have through faith an entrance into the eternal rest of God & kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ, and so are risen from the dead, and live, and shall not come into condemnation, soul nor body, and this is called perfection, the first resurrection & renovation spiritual, the first fruits of the Spirit, etc. but this is not the perfection nor the resurrection spoken of, Joh. 5.28. Joh. 6.39.40, 44. so Luk. 20.35. 1 Cor. 15.32. 1 Thes. 4.16 Phil. 3.11. Heb. 6.1. Neither is this entrance into the rest of God and kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ, the full possession promised the Saints, and which they look for: But they press hard toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus, looking unto that which is before them, and not casting off any of the principles or beginnings of Christ, as to say as Mr. Randall did, away with this, or away with that, nay, but only not to look upon them as if that were all, but to leave and forget them in that respect, as things behind, and yet nevertheless, as Paul also saith, whereunto we have already attained, let us walk by one rule, etc. Phil. 3.16. The prize of the high calling, being the full perfection and possession of all things promised, even the Crown of righteousness, concerning which Paul saith, I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, henceforth is laid up for me a crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me in that day, and not to me only, but unto them also that love his appearing, 2 Tim. 4.7. And although the very perfection of the Law of God be now required of the Snints, and that they are to set the same before them as a perfect mark, as well in respect of the Spiritual intent thereof, as the literal to love and delight therein with their whole soul, and to keep it in the very perfection, not in part, or for an hour or day, but fully and continually, yet do they not attain thereunto here, nor can, though D. G. one of the Doctors of Familisme before mentioned hath very much laboured to prove, they may and can) but they sigh and mourn, and weep, because of their sins, and daily failings, and would fain keep it perfectly, (this is the law of their mind through the spirit) but they have another law in their members, which leadeth them captive to the law of sin and of death, and yet nevertheless (they crying out against themselves, bewailing the same, do assuredly believe that they shall be delivered from their body of sin and death, as Paul saith, Rom. 7. the sting of death which is sin, shall be taken away, and death swallowed up in victory, when the Lord cometh, as he also saith 1 Cor. 15. And as touching the coming of the Lord at the last day, it is not to be understood in a mystical manner, in the Spirit only, as H. N. would have it, as if Christ had left or quite put off his humane person; neither because Christ hath been, is, and will be with his Church and chosen people to the end of the world, in respect of his Spirit according to his promise, to instruct, to guide, and comfort them, is the presence of his Spirit, to be taken for this coming, nor the instruction, guidance, comfort of the Spirit (which the Apostle himself at that present time enjoyed) the resurrection he speaks of, 1 Cor. 15. as H.N. and the teachers of Familisme would have it; Nay, but the Lords coming shall be in a most open, manifest and glorious manner; so as that every eye shall see him, and all shall know him to be the very same man, Jesus the Chiist that was crucified and pierced at Jerusalem, he shall in person really and truly come, as the clear Words of the Scripture speak, Matth. 24.30 Rev. 1.7. and sundry other places: and this resurrection shall be also in a most plain and evident manner; all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth, and that truly and really, as the Word saith, Joh. 5.28, 29. Then Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob, and all the holy Fathers before them, and the holy children after them, which sleep in the dust of the earth, shall come forth out of their caves, tombs, graves, and places where they have slept, each bone of every one shall come to his bone and sins shall knit them together, skin shall cover them, breath shall enter into them, and they shall live and stand upon their feet according as Ezekiel prophesied 37. and as Paul testifieth 1 Cor. 15. 1 Thes. 4. and also Christ himself, Rev. 20.12.13, 14. And when the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of Man (for so he styleth himself) shall indeed so come in his glory, and all his holy Angels with him, as he hath said, Matth. 25. Then shall he sit in the Throne of his glory, even in that Throne whereof he spoke unto David, concerning him, saying, I will raise up thy seed after thee, which shall be of thy sons, and I will establish his Kingdom, and he shall build me an house, and I will estabbish his throne for ever, I will be his father, and he shall be my son. And I will not take my mercy away from him as I took it away from him that was before thee. But I will settle him in my house, and in my kingdom for ever, and his throne shall be established for evermore, 1 Chron. 17.11, 12, 13, 14. And again, Once have I have I sworn by my Holiness, that I will not lie unto David, his seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the Sun before me, it shall endure for ever as the Moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven, Psa. 89. According to which the holy Angel Gabriel spoke unto his mother Mary, saying, He shall be great, and shall be called the son of the highest, and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David, and he shall reign over the house of jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there shall be no end, Luke 1.32, 33. And as God the Father will settle his Son Jesus Christ in his House and in his kingdom for ever, and in the throne of his father David, even upon his holy hill of Zion, as he also said, Psal. 2. and establish the same throne for evermore. So will he give unto him the he●●hen for his inheritance, and the utmost ends of the earth for his possession: he shall break them with a rod of iron, and dash them in pieces like a Potter's vessel. He shall also have dominion from Sea to Sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth. They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him, and the enemy shall lick the dust: yea, all Kings shall fall down before him, all Nations shall serve him, Psa. 772. What can be more plainly spoken then these things are? These are no mystical fantasies, nor allegories of humane invention, as those of H. N. are, but they are the most true Oracles of God. Now at this present time Christ sitteth in the throne of God the Father at his right hand in the heavens, reigning in the supreme kingdom with him, and there he is to sit and reign yet a little while, till God hath put down all enemies under his feet. And then at the last day when he cometh, he is to resign and deliver up the same unto God even the Father, as it is written, 1 Cor. 15. Psa. 89. And then is he to take possession of his own kingdom and throne, which God the Father had promised and appointed unto him long ago, even the throne & kingdom of his Father David (it being God's kingdom also) to reign over the house of jacob for ever, as it was foretold, 1 Chron. 17. Luke 1.31, 32. Not in this corrupt world, where and while his enemy's rule and reign, but in that which is to come, when God shall have created new heavens, and a new earth, and wherein righteousness shall dwell for ever, according to his promise, Esay 65.17. 2 Pet. 3.13. Rev. 21. For all enemies, even the last, which is mortality, and death of the body, and the sting thereof which is sin, shall then be destroyed, swallowed up in victory, & taken away, All iniquity shall now stop it mouth, as the Scriptures testify, 1 Cor. 15. Psa. 117.42. And then also shall the Bride, the Lamb's wife, even the holy City, the new Jerusalem, appear complete with all her children) in her perfect beauty, brightness and glory, according as the Scriptures declare, Esay 60. & 62. Rev. 21. & 22. God will create Irusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy; he will rejoice in jerusalem, and joy in her children his people, the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying, Esay 65.19. There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days, Esay 65.20. There shall be no more marrying, nor giving in marriage, nor taking of wives, nor getting of children, neither shall they die any more, as H.N. would have it to be in his resurrection. Nay, all these things will be passed away, as it is written, Luke 20.35.36. Rev. 21.4. God will now dwell in the midst of his people, as in his own Tabernacle: and his Sanctuary also shall be in the midst of them for evermore, as he hath spoken, Ezek. 37. Rev. 21. And they shall be a treasure in the hand of the Lord, a peculiar people, an holy nation, and a kingdom of Priests before him for ever, as it is also written, Exo. 19.5.6. And as it is given to the King, Psa. 2. So hath he promised, and will give unto them power likewise, and they shall rule the nations with a rod of iron, and break them in pieces like a potter's vessel. Rev. 2.26.27. And as he overcame, and is sitten down with his Father in his throne, so will he give them all that overcome, to sit with him in his throne, Rev. 3.21. This for the present, and if farther occasion shall require, and opportunity serve, there may be yet a more full discovery. FINIS.