not in unbelief v. 23. 9. Yet here is a Prophecy that the Jews shall be eminently replanted v. 24. and not for ever left in general unbelief 10. It was but blindness in part that happened to those some till the fulness of the Gentiles came in Which must either mean till the Empire of the Roman World fell into the Christians hands Or else till all the Gentiles were converted that ever shall be This last cannot be the meaning for then it would not be till the end of the World therefore it must be the former which is long fulfilled v. 25. 11. So all Israel were saved that is 1. All the Israel of God the believing Children of Abraham for all are not Israel that are of Israel gathered into one Catholick Body 2. And so many of Natural Israel as to make not only one of the two Witnesses and Olive Trees but also a formed National honoured Church-Society 12. When to drive away the Gospel to the Gentiles some were left in unbelief The Elect part were they that were beloved for their Father Abrahams sake much more for Christs sake v. 28. 13. As it was from them that the Gentiles had the Gospel so it was from the Gentiles mercy that the restored Body of the Jews obtained mercy being by the Christian Emperors and Princes restored and honoured v. 29 30. 14. God left the Rulers and many others in unbelief that he might recover not each single person but a Political Body and Power to the Nation as he did v. 32. As Alexander Severus gave the Infidel Jews power to chuse them a Governour of their own under him the Christian Emperors did for the Christian Jews much more 15. Thus is Gods Goodness and Severity glorified And what word in that Chapter proper to the Jews is not fulfilled § 4. As to the Texts that mention the Restitution of all things the Creatures groaning to be delivered from the bondage of corruption drinking the fruit of the Vine new and such like what word is in all this that respecteth the Jews more than the Gentiles or that may not be performed in the New World unlimited to Jews or to a Thousand years § 5. The same I say of the Lords Prayer Let thy Kingdom come c. which long made me hope for better days on this same Earth But this saith nothing more of the Jews than of the Heathens And who can here find any limitation of this Kingdom to a Thousand years All the Word that tells us what to pray for doth not tell us what in this World we shall obtain I doubt not but we may pray for Jews and all men but that proveth not all shall be converted and saved We may have hope of many Individual Jews when we have no promise of a National further Restitution of the many more than of any others Chap. VIII Reasons for the Negative humbly offered to Tryal § 1. I. THat which is done already according to Promise we must not take for undone or expect to be done again But the Calling of the Jews is done already according to Promise Ergo c. I hinted this oft before I will not shun repetition where the cause requireth it 1. It is granted that the Catholick Church is called The New Jerusalem so far as it is short of the other World But the Catholick Church and therein the Jewish Nation was more gloriously set up by the Christian Empire than the Millenaries can reasonably expect or plead for 1. What are a few Rabble Jews such as are among us to the great rich victorious Roman Empire the greatest that ever was on Earth which turned Christian in the Regent part and shortly in the commonest Profession What an Empire would the Jews of England Spain Portugal Turky c. make 2. Constantinople was then called not only New-Rome but New-Sion And how greatly did it excel Jerusalem in spaciousness riches power and glory 3. How small and barren a spot was Judea like our Wales in comparison of the Roman Christian Empire in Europe Asia and Africa Like the Isle of Man to England 4. How great a Protection had the Jews under Constantine and following Emperours above what they had even after their Restoration from Captivity from Zorobabel and the Maccabees to the end of their Policy 5. What could they now desire for their return more than they then had What greater liberty or encouragement or help An excess of Honour was put on their Countrey and on all that would come into the Christian Church 6. What better Plantation of Religion can be expected in Judea than was when the Emperours built them Temples and devout people travelled thither and dwelt there and bought them Bibles and built them Religious Houses and set over them Pastors and Bishops and A. Bishops and a Patriarch one of the five in the Empire And their National Church honourably united to the Catholick What outward honour can they expect more All Protestants note it as the wicked Superstition of the Popes that they were so set on the honouring of Jerusalem and Judea called The Holy Land that they forced Emperours and Kings of France and England c. at vast charges to go fight for it to the loss of 100000 men § 2. Obj. But Judea was not all planted with Jews but with a mixt people Ans 1. And must all that now possess it be robbed of their Habitations and Estates to make room for our Jews 2. There were no Jews restrained from going thither that desired it And would you have them forced or sent thither with a Pass 3. Those that would not go thither had better encouragement where they dwelt § 3. Obj. But it was not the main Body of the Nation that was converted and restored Ans 1. I have given great probability that it was the far greatest part so many of the Rebels had been before destroyed 2. There was no Heathen Nation where the greater number presently turned Christians till Power and Interest prevailed with them Even till the days of Alaricus and Theodorick thousands were Heathens in Christian Rome And holy Chrysostom in his days in the glory of Constantinople reckoned but of a hundred thousand Christians besides Separatists and Hereticks the rest being Heathens and Jews shall we therefore say that such were no National Churches that is Christian Kingdoms § 4. Obj. But while their Governours were set over them by others and not chosen by themselves they could not be called Jewish National Churches Ans 1. Their Pastors were chosen by themselves whatever the Souldiers and Magistrates were The Inhabitant Christians Jews and Gentiles chose them 2. Their submission and consent might make them Churches of Jews 3. But I confess they were not nor ever must be Churches of Jews separate from the Gentiles or otherwise than as parts of the Catholick United Church It seems you take not the Jews for converted till they become separated from the Catholick Church and claim their
about the place of Worship by Customs kept up some Animosity against Jerusalem yet the Woman John 4. could say When the Messiah cometh he will tell us all things And is not this the Christ And what place so generally received the Gospel when Philip preached to them It was not for nothing that the Christians were so long called Galileans But this and more shall next be proved Chap. VI. What Conversion the Twelve Tribes have already had § 2. 1. AS is aforesaid The Saviour himself and his Apostles chose his abode on Earth among them and calleth them the lost Sheep of the house of Israel and the Children whose Bread must not be given to Dogs They were the Circumcision to whom he was a Minister He ordinarily Preached in their Synagogues and there wrought most of his Miracles It was they that cryed him as King with Hosanna's It was they that followed him to the Cross and it was in Galilee where on a Mountain he appointed them to meet him after his Resurrection § 2. 2. He appointed not two but Twelve Apostles and 70 Disciples as suited to the Twelve Tribes and their Sanedrim to shew what Form of Government he assigned them and for whom and he sent his Apostles to the Twelve Tribes of Israel § 3. 3. The chief success of their Preaching was on the Samaritans and others of the Ten Tribes and such of them as came up to the Feasts § 4. 4. There were three thousand at once converted of the Jews after made five thousand and soon after many Myriads of Jews believed at least many thousands § 5. 5. These became the Mother-Church and the Law went out of Zion and so all Nations were blest in Abrahams Seed and Christ became a Light to the Gentiles and the Glory of his People Israel The scattered Jews of the Twelve Tribes through much of the Empire were the Stamina or Rudiments of the Gentile Churches The Apostles first Preached in their Synagogues and the converted Gentiles were added to their Converts § 6. 6. The Epistle to the Hebrâ—â—â— was written to all the Hebrew Christians and not to Two Tribes only and implieth the great success of the Gospel on them § 7. 7. Peter directeth his Epistle to all the Strangers scattered through Pontus Asia Galatia Phrygia c. and magnifieth their Grace § 8. 8. James directeth his Epistle to the Twelve Tribes that are scatter'd abroad And it is evident that he writeth to them as Christians § 9. 9. The seventh Chapter of the Revelations expresly nameth the Twelve Tribes of which One Hundred and Forty four Thousand were Sealed Twelve Thousand of each Tribe meaning a great number that were to be preserved from the Destruction that was to be executed on their Enemies The boldness of those Expositors who give us their own Revelation instead of Christs is palpable who tell us that by these One Hundred and Forty four Thousand is meant all the Reformed that are saved from the destruction to be executed on the Papists What words can we desire God to use more plain that Men may not pervert 1. God speaketh of Jews and they say he meaneth Gentiles 2. God nameth the Tribes and they exclude them 3. They are called The First Fruits of the Church And they say It meaneth the last 4. The numberless Gentile Christians that with them partaked of the preservation are by way of distinction mentioned in the next words Yet these Commentators say That the Gentiles are meant by the Twelve Tribes 5. The Prophesie is put in the beginning before the Trumpets or Vials even before all the Judgments that were to come on Infidel Jews and Romans yet do they bring it down towards the end of the World or after the Fall of Pagan Rome § 10. 10. It was some considerable time before the Jewish Christians could be satisfied to let go their Priviledge of Peculiarity and Mosaick Policy and to Embody on equal Terms with the Gentiles in the Catholick Church and to Marry with Gentile Christians And all that time Dr. Hammond and Grotius and others say They had in the great Cities one Church of Jews and one of Gentiles which also difference of Language would require and so had two Bishops in a City And Peter for the Circumcision and Paul for the Uncircumcision were the Roots of the Jewish and Gentile Miracle-working Ministry which I suppose were the Two Witnesses mentioned in the Revelation For whoever they were they may be known by the Promise Mark 16. 17 18. In my Name shall they cast out Devils they shall speak with new Tongues they shall take up Serpents and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them they shall lay Hands on the sick and they shall recover Our Reformers pretended not to Miracles § 11. 11. At the Wars of Vespasian and Titus against the Jews One Million and One Hundred Thousand were kill'd and Seven Hundred Thousand carried into Captivity and the Christians fore-warned by Christ got out of the City and escaped And in Trajan's days a Madness seized on the Infidel Jews and they rose up and Murdered many score Thousands of the Roman Subjects And after Barchocheba proclaimed himself the Messiah Murdered so many more as amounted to an Hundred Thousands VVhereupon Trajan and Adrian in Revenge kill'd between One and Two Millions of these Rebel Jews still sparing the Christians After all this the Infidel Jews could have but a small number left All London hath not near a Million By which it appeareth that the main Body of the Jews preserved were the Christians to whom the Cursed part were few § 12. 12. The Converted Jews fell into the Catholick Church and Married with Gentile Christians and so ere long lost the name of Jews and became unknown So that the scattered Relicks now called Jews are but the Off-spring of the Self-cursed Rabble that were scattered after the aforesaid slaughter of them § 13. 13. In Constantine's Reign the Jews had as much Liberty and Invitation to be Christians as any others And Judea was not only made a National-Provincial Church but was more honoured for Christs sake than any Nation no greater save the Imperial Seat There were more Churches Built and more Monasteries and more Bishops than elsewhere in so small a compass No Jew was forbidden there to live No Countrey so honoured The Devout People from Rome and many Countreys went thither some on Pilgrimage and some to dwell Thence they fetcht what Relicks they could get in remembrance of Christ There at Bethlehem Jerom lived while he wrote and studied much of his Works § 14. 14. Since then in all Ages some of the Infidel Relicks have been converted Whether the History of the dispute between Gregentius and Herbanus and the miraculous Conversion of them by Christs Appearance be true or no which few judicious Men believe in all Ages many Jews have been Baptized and some proved excellent Divines § 15. 15. When all the Ten Kingdoms
We are not certain whether there was any former World Though to conjecturing Reason it seems improbable that God who delighteth in his Works and will continue a VVorld to Eternity should from all Eternity have nothing but Himself till Six days ago Six Thousand years But this will infer Aristotle's Eternity of the Universe except mutations of alterable compositions that the VVorld is an Eternal Effect of an Eternal Cause and Gassendus his Indefiniteness he meaneth Infiniteness of the VVorld and the old Opinion that God and the VVorld are but One as Soul and Body By which they resolve the Grand difficulties that God is not Pars Entitatis which were to be Imperfect and so no God the Entity of the World and God being more than of either alone if the VVorld have any real Entity 2. It is uncertain how God will people this New Earth Some think as he did this Earth by Adam and Eve Some think by a Creation of many at once Some think by a Transplantation from some other Orb Some think as Dr. H. More that except a few rare Saints or Martyrs all go hence but into an Aerial Vehicle and may thence without loss be made Inhabitants of the New Earth And some think that those that are found alive shall live in the Fire and after and some that they shall be caught up from the Fire and Judg'd and sent hither again 3. It is uncertain whether there shall be any Generation on the New Earth Mr. Beverley saith They shall multiply so as to compensate with a much more for the Jewness of the saved under the first Adam and each shall live the Thousand years But Christ saith that the Children of the Resurrection neither Marry nor are given in Marriage but are like the Angels and die no more The doubt is then whether he call only those in Heaven and not those on the New Earth the Children of the Resurrection 4. It is uncertain whether there shall be any stated visible presence of Christ here or that only he shall appear as in Heaven as the Sun doth by its Light or only sometimes be seen as he was after his Resurrection And so of the Angels 5. Itâ—s uncertain whether the New Earth shall have any End or Change or shall be Everlasting It 's certain that the Thousand years Rev. 20. are before it in this Life but of its Duration God hath said nothing to us 6. It 's uncertain how much of the Old Heaven shall be Burnt Though it's likely it will be only so much as was Cursed for Sin 7. It 's uncertain whether there will be any removal to a higher VVorld and each Person live his Thousand years and then as Henoch and Elias be translated and so on to following Generations or each Person continue here for ever 8. It 's uncertain whether Devils shall be permitted here to be Tempters or all Temptations be cast out § 26. It will be no disparagement to Christ to Rule the Restored Earth as well as Heaven Nor to Saints or Angels to be Governours under him VVere the Sun Intellectual it would be no grief to it to be a Benefactor by its Influence to Earth For it is no dishonour to God Himself to Communicate all to the Creature that it hath There may be here such Subjects as God promised Apostles and Saints that they shall Judge If by Faith in Christ God dwell in us by Love and we in Him and we have in us that Kingdom of Grace we shall have our Part in the future Kingdom though we understand not many difficulties about it For Christ is the Author of Eternal Salvation to all them that obey him Decemb. 10. 1690. A Catalogue of Books Printed for and Sold by Tho. Parkburst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside near Mercers Chapel CAtholick Theology Folio The Saints Everlasting Rest or a Treatise of the Blessed State of the Saints in their Enjoyment of God in Glory 4to The English Nonconformity as under King Charles II. and King James II. Truly Stated and Argued 4to The Life of Faith in every State 4to Alderman 〈◊〉 Funeral Sermon 4to A Key for Catholicks to open the Juglings of the Jesuits The first part of answering all their common Sophisms The second against the Soveraignty and necessity of General Councils 4to Naked Popery Answering Mr. Hutchinson 4to Which is the True Church A full Answer to his Reply proving that the General Councils and the Popes Primacy were but in one Empire 4to The History of Bishops and their Councils abridged and of the Popes 4to A full Treatise of Episcopacy shewing what Episcopacy we own and what is in the English Diocesan frame for which we dare not swear never to endeavour any alteration of it in our places 4to A Search for the English Schismatick comparing the Canoneers and Nonconformists 4to An Answer to Mr. Dodwell and Dr. Sherlock consisting an Vniversal-Humane Church Soveraignty Aristocratical and Monarchical as Church-Tyranny and Popery and defending Dr. Iz. Barrows excellent Treatise 4to Catholick Communion defended against both Extremes Moral Prognostications what shall befal the Church till their Concord c. Full and easie satisfaction which is the True Religion Transubstantiation shamed 8vo All 〈◊〉 by Mr. R. Baxter A Hundred Select Sermons on several Texts of Fifty on the Old Testament and Fifty on the New Folio The True Prophecies and Prognostications of Michael Nostrodamus Physician to Henry the Second Francis the Second and Charles the Ninth Kings of France and one of the Best Astronomers that ever were Folio Sixty one Sermons Preached mostly on publick occasions whereof five formerly Printed by Adam Littleton D. D. Rector of Chelsea in Middlesex Folio A Discourse of the Saving Grace of God by the late Reverend and Learned David Clarkson Minister of the Gospel 8vo The Vision of the Wheels seen by the Prophet Ezekiel Opened and Applied Partly at the Merchants Lecture in Broadstreet and partly at Stepney on January 31. 1689 being the Day of Solemn Thanksgiving to God for the great Deliverance of this Kingdom from Popery and Slavery by his then Highness the most Illustrious Prince of Orange Whom God raised up to be the glorious Instrument thereof By Matth. Mead Pastor of a Church of Christ at Stepney 8vo FINIS Gen. 1. 26 27. 9. 6. 1 Cor. 11. 7. Col. 3. 10. Gen. 3. 13 14 15 16. Eccles 7. 29. Hos 13. 9. Exod. 34. 7. Psal 86. 5. Mat. 28. 19. Deut. 29. 29. Joh. 3. 5 6 7. This is written with relation to the Writings of Mr. Sterry Dr. More Mr. â— Turner Mr. Beverley c. which I would not be too peremptory in my opposing Rom. 11. 33. Joâ— 5. 9. 40 41. 42. 〈…〉 of the World Exod. 34. 6 7 8. Gen. 3. 15. Prov. 1. 3. 8. Rom. 2. 4 7. Heb. 11. 26. Gen. 9. Gen. 22. 15. 26. 5 24. Rom. 4. 3 9. Gal. 3. 8 24. Heb. 11. 8 17. Jam. 2. 23. Moses the Prophets and Christ Mat. 5. attest all this Mat. 3. 15. 5. 17. Gal. 4. 4 5. Heb. 4. 15. 9. 14. 1 Pet. 1. 19. Phil. 2. 7 8 9 10. Mat. 28. 19. John 17. 3 4. John 5. 22 23 26 27. Luke 19. 34. Jo. 18. 37. Rev. 17. 14. Jo. 1. 49. Col. 1. 13. Mat. 12. 28. 21. 43. Mar. 1. 15. Luke 7. 28. 9. 27. 10. 9. 11. 20. 13. 18 19 c. 17. 20 21. 21. 31. 22. 16 18. Rom. 14. 17 18. Rev. 12. 10. Mat. 10. 7. Mat. 28. 19. Mark 16. 16 17. Mat. 23. 37. Rom. 11. 20 23 24 25 26. Rev. 11. 15. Rev. 11. 17. 19. 6. Acts 1. 25. Mar. 28. 20. John 14. 16 26. 15. 26. 16. 17. Acts 2. 37 38. 21. 20. Rev. 7. Luke 14. Rom. 8. 29. Rom. 8. 17. 1 Thes 2. 5. 2 Thes 1. 6. 11. 2 Tim. 2. 12. 3. 12. Rev. 2. 10. The Roman History is the full proof of this The Revelation and the Roman History compared prove this and expound each other Read Eusibius Eccl. Hist L. 8. Rev. 14 15 16 17 18 19. And the Prophets that proclaim it a great deliverance to the Israelites to have their Mountains again Inhabited and their Cities Built Mr. Potter and many Protestant expositors 〈◊〉 Rev. 20. 21 22. to speak of the Church on Earth Rev. 20. 5 6 7 9. 2 Pet. 3. 7 8 9 10 11. Rom. 8. 19 20 21. Fully proved after Mat. 25. Rev. 14. â—
quickly sowed the Tares of Covetousness Pride and Contention among the Clergy and Laity tempt us to undervalue Gods great mercy to his Church which Angels and Saints gave him so much praise for Emperours also had their odious Crimes even Constantine killed his Eldest Son Crispus and after his Step-mother for accusing him and banished Athanasius Shall we therefore be unthankful for a Christian Empire which was Christs own Visible Kingdom Theodosius killed the Thessalonians Arcadius banished holy Chrysostom-Theodosius the second a Saint was called an Eutychian and so of others David committed Murder and Adultery Solomon was a Monster of Lust and Voluptuousness and at last of Revolt to favour Idols yet were they the peculiar Kings of Gods peculiar People and few better followed them All this sheweth that Christ all this while Reigned and left it not wholly to the Resurrection to make his Enemies his footstool XVII It is not unlikely that this delivered exalted state of the Church though after corrupted by Temptation to Pride was the New Jerusalem in the Embrio of which Constantinople was the Capital Seat as the Porch or Infancy of the heavenly City of God and that one as the Infant Heir and the other as the Possessor of the Inheritance is described in Rev. 20. 21. 22. But of this more fully elsewhere XVIII The Dragon being bound up a Thousand years from the Churches deliverance from Constantines Edict to the Ottoman Empire the Church after grew corrupted And Papal Rome imitated Pagan Rome though under more plausible names and pretences and exceeded them in Cruelty And Mahomet the Eastern Antichrist compassed and conquered Constantinople the holy City and Christs revenge on Gog and Magog the Turk and Tartarian with the rest of the Infidel World are yet to come and therefore dark XIX At the end of this World which shall be burnt with fire God will make a New Heaven and Earth in which shall dwell righteousness without sin And all things shall be restored and the Creature delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God How God will people this New Earth he hath not told us whether by Creation as by Adam or by Transmigration Nor yet how long it shall continue unless for ever as part of the endless Kingdom Scripture giveth us no confinement of it to a Thousand years but the contrary XX. Christs Glorious Appearance and Judgment will be both the triumphant concluding parts of the Kingdom of Redemption and Grace which he will deliver up when his Recovering work is done And the beginning of the Kingdom of Glory In which as his Reward he will for ever in Humane Nature be glorified as the Mediator of Fruition as he was of Acquisition and that in the Heavens His coming in the Air is not there to Reign a Thousand years but presently to Judge the World as in Matth. 25. he describeth it And to confine his Kingdom in Humane Nature and ours with him to a Thousand years and confine it to the Air and the survivers on Earth is a fiction full of contradictions dishonourable to Christ and his Kingdom uncomfortable to his Church XXI There is but one Thousand years mentioned in Scripture from whence they can fetch the least shew for their limitation and that is only in Rev. 20. But it is most evident that the Thousand years there mentioned was to be before the Conflagration and New Earth and the Resurrection For it was to be before Satan was loosed and before Gog and Magog and their numberless Armies assaulted the Holy City and before the fire from God came on them And the Paradise restored State of the New Earth in which dwelleth Righteousness is not consistent with so much wickedness of the Inhabitants and Satans Power over the Nations Nor with a Laodicean Lukewarmness and danger of being spued out They therefore that well expect a Thousand years Reign before the Resurrection have no pretence to expect another Millennium after XXII To expect a Thousand years and that after the Fall of Papal Rome before the Resurrection is a supposition that this World will endure a far longer time than Christians have hitherto believed And that the great Sabbatism is to be before the New Earth And what a Sabbatism that will be the description of Gog and Magog and of their Laodicea may tell you Far unlike a Paradise state when all things shall be restored and the groaning Creation be delivered from the bondage of Corruption into the glorious Liberty of the Sons of God XXIII They that assign this Thousand years on this side the Conflagration and Resurrection for the setting up a Fifth Monarchy of the Converted Jews at Jerusalem are the grossest feigners of all the rest Well did Jerom say That the Millenaries fetch their Errour from the Jews and would set up Judaism by it He that dwelt so long at Bethlehem knew the Jews Opinions For to pass by what else is after to be said Their very Fiction is a contradiction Were our Jews converted they would in less than a Hundred years be no longer a Jewish Nation For their state of peculiarity with the Mosaical Policy is abolished by Christ and must never be restored And they must and would marry with Gentile Christians and fall into the Catholick Church as Rivers into the Sea and lose the name of Jews So did their converted Predecessors XXIV And seeing it is not like that our now Infidel Jews are one to a hundred of the Posterity of the first believing Jews that have been propagated these sixteen hundred years why should a glorious Monarchy be set up of this self-cursed Remnant excluding all the first-fruits both the sealed Rev. 7. and all since But if the Posterity of all those old holy Jews were now sought for to be sent to Jerusalem not one man of them would be found and known of which more after XXV It is a marvel that the great disagreement of the Millenaries among themselves yet hindereth not their seeming Concord while they can but cry up the Thousand years Reign though most of them know not what the words mean Some of them say The Thousand years are on Earth and some say They are only of the Souls of the Martyrs and Confessors in Heaven Some say They are both in Heaven or in the Air and on Earth at once Some say That they shall be a Jewish Monarchy at Jerusalem and some That it shall be of the Godly all over the World Some say Christ will Reign there visibly in his Humane Nature Others That he will only sometime appear as he did after his Resurrection And some That he will Rule there only by Reforming Christian Princes Some hold but one Thousand years and some two one being after the other Some hold two New Jerusalems and some but one Some say That the Day of Judgment is the Thousand years and yet that Scripture hath not told us how
that had been Tributary or Subject to the Pagan Empire so quickly followed the success of Constantine and the Christian Arms and turned against the Pagan Idolatry it is utterly incredible that multitudes of the Infidel Jews did not the same No one Nation turned all at once And no one National Church under Heaven were all that I say not the most sincerely holy Christians The visible Church still consisted mostly of temporizing Men that came in to Christianity for worldly Interest over-awed by Christian Power Till it came to this the Christians were a persecuted party and no National Church And the unbelieving Jews were not like to be so free from the Love of the Flesh and VVorld as not to do as others did Christ Riding victoriously on the VVhite Horse and Conquering his Enemies brought the Nations to Submission after he had by the Word and Martyrdom purified to himself a holy Generation As all the Revelation fully telleth us Therefore if Judea was not made a National Church no other Nation was made such Zonaras saith that many hired by Money turned Christians Two Hundred Thousand turned Christians for fear in their Troubles at Toledo in Spain whither they were long before sent And Forty Fryars were sent to instruct them After that Ferrerius converted many Read but the Chronological Tables of my worthy Friend Mr. Fr. Tallents and you shall find how they were hated hunted and destroyed in Spain France and almost all Christians Nations except Rome and how many turned seeming Christians for fear Chap VII Whether there be any Jerusalem Monarchy of Jews or any further Conversion of them more than of other Men promised by God § 1. I know of no such Promise in Gods Word but I find it in many Books of Men and I hear of it in the Prayers and Sermons of many Men so good and of so good repute that divers of my Friends disswade me from so much as giving my Reasons against it lest I lose my Reputation with such Men and lest I occasion a Division by contradicting them And is it come to that Must our Concord be held on such humane loose and unsound terms Is this savouring the things of God or of Men If it be proved an Errour taking Gods Name in vain polluting Sacred Worship and adding to the Word of God must we by silence promote a Concord in it I only humbly propose the Reasons of my dissent to the tryal of wiser Men. § 2. 1. It belongeth to the Affirmers to produce their proofs But I can find no Text cited by them that to a sober search hath any such proof 1. As to the many Texts of the Prophets of the uniting of Judah and Israel under David their King and the Jews repossessing their own Land and the Subjection of their Enemies and the Neighbour Nations to them and the great Slaughters of Gog and Magog in their Land c. 1. Let the Grandeur of Prophetical stile he allowed for and this compared with the Prophecies against Babylon Tyre Sion Moab Edom c. 2. Read the whole Text and you will find most express passages that cannot be applyed to any such time and use as this in question but plainly speak of their return from Captivity and their following state It would too much swell my Book to try and vindicate all the particular Texts Mr. James Calvert having already done it in his Naphthali yet unanswered 3. Confound not the Immediate Sense of the Prophesie with the remote and set not one against the other the several parts and degrees that make up the whole Many Prophesies in the Psalms are spoken immediately of David but as he was a Type of Christ in whom they were though remotely yet chiefly fulfilled The Prophesies of the honour of the Jews and their Restoration had divers degrees of fulfilling 1. They were primarily fulfilled in the return from Captivity and the Power that followed under Zorubbabel and the Maccabees 2. They were further fulfilled by the Coming of the Messiah of the Seed of Abraham and David in whom all the Nations of the Earth are blessed 3. They were further fulfilled at Christs Resurrection Ascension and Effusion of the Holy Ghost and the many Thousands of them Converted And their spreading the Gospel over the Gentile World 4. It was yet more fulfilled when Dominion was given to Christians and the fulness of the Gentiles brought in all Israel and settled a National Church in Judea and put all their Enemies in subjection to the Catholick Church of Jewish and Gentile Christians reconciled in one Body the partition Wall being broken down 5. It will be yet more fulfilled in the New Heaven and Earth under the Gospel there is neither Circumcision not Uncircumcision but Christ is All and in All How much more in the New World He that would promise to redeem Christians from Turkish Captivity and restore them to their own Land and prosper and honour them there if they will obey him must not be thought to confound the several benefits and degrees of this Promise He that will lead you into an upper Chamber includeth every step of the Stairs that you ascend and the promise of helping you up the first step includeth not the last but tendeth to it and if you obey will lead you further 4. Read the Book of the Maccabees and other History that you may not be ignorant of what is already done For instance How the great Ruine of Gog and Magog so Hyperbolically set out was fulfilled on the Syrian and Graecian Armies of which see the Assembly Mens Annotations § 3. II. Their next seeming proof is from Rom. 11. of which I have proved how much is fulfilled already besides which I find no more there promised than to all the Church in the New World 1. God cast not away the fore-known Elect v. 1 2 to 11. 2. Through their Fall and Infidelity persecuting the Christians from among them the Gospel came to the Gentiles v. 12. 3. It was but some of the Branches that were broken off v. 17. 4. As the casting away of them was the converting and reconciling of the Pagan World so their receiving was as a Resurrection of life from the dead v. 15. 5. The Converted Gentiles were but grafted in among them and partakers with them and not without them of the fatness of the Olive v. 17. 6. Not the Root but the some Branches that were broken off was that we might be grafted in v. 19. It was chiefly the Priests and Rulers and the self-cursed Rabble that followed them and yet some Priests and Pharisees were converted 7. If they continue not in Gods Goodness the Gentiles also shall be broken off v. 22. So much of conditionality is in the Promise And yet there is more Scripture to expect that the Gentiles shall not be broken off than that there shall be any more National Conversion of the Jews 8. The promise of restoring the broken Branches is If they continue
old peculiarity Of which more anon § 5. II. The Doctrine of the Jews Conversion as inferring a Policy or Monarchy of Jews as such is a contradiction and therefore impossible Is there any room then for any further dispute of it When there are no Jews there cannot possibly be any Kingdom or Common-wealth of Jews But were the self-cursed Progeny converted they would be no Jews immediately in a Religious sense nor within sixty or eighty years in a natural sense 1. A Converted Jew joyneth himself to the Catholick Church and knoweth that this is his advancement above the old separate state of Peculiarity and knoweth that Moses Law and Policy is ended and that if he turn to that Law he falls from Grace and if he be Jewishly Circumcised Christ shall profit him nothing Therefore he is no more a Jew in Religion 2. And being a Catholick Christian he will marry with Gentile Catholicks and not confine Marriage to those of his own Nation to keep up the separation And so within a short time there would be no Natural Jews For instance If A marry B a Gentile Christian their Children will be but half Jews If their Children marry Gentile Christians their Children will be but a quarter Jews And if those marry Gentile Christians their Children will be but an eighth part of Jewish Race that is no Jews at all Thus it is faln out with the Progeny of all their converted Ancestors I have since I was twenty four years Old lived in the house with the Mother of the Grandmother of the Grandfather of some now living And if I have seen between 24 and 76 so many Generations in how short a time would Converted Jews be no Jews § 6. III. And the desire of such a Jewish Conversion State and Kingdom or Church as should continue them in a Jewish Line and Peculiarity distinct from the Catholick mixed Church is a wickedness and contrary to the very nature of Christianity and the Kingdom and Design of Christ For Christ came to take down the Partition Wall Middle Wall and make of two one new man even both one no longer two Here is neither Greek nor Jew Circumcision nor Uncircumcision Barbarian Scythian Bond or Free but Christ is All and in All of whom the whole Family in Heaven and Earth is named and will have all to grow up to one perfect man Eph. 2. 3. 4. Col. 3. Will Christ now turn against his own uniting Design and Kingdom and set up Moses again and his Policy § 7. Obj. But we do not hold that he shall set up Moses Ceremonial Law or Worship Answ Nor if you are Christians should you say that he will turn again the one United Body into two and by restoring the carnal Peculiarity to set up again the Wall of Separation § 8. Obj. But if English French Spaniards c. may be still distinct why may not Jews and Gentiles Ans Because One is but accidentally and mutably from the difference of Countreys and Habitation and of Language and Trading and Government which Christ came not to unite But the other is on pretence of a Religious Trust on a Divine Gift of Peculiarity setting them up above the rest of the Church which Christ came to take down and tendeth to Church Divisions § 9. IV. So hardly were the first Converted Jews taken off their conceit of Peculiarity and acknowledging Catholick Equality of the Gentiles and such doleful Heresies and Breaches were made by this Pride that it is not safe tempting them to it again § 10. V. It seemeth a Carnal Imputation of the most Holy God as if he made under the Gospel so great an account of one sort of People by their peculiar Birth-priviledge above all the rest of the World When Paul tells us that All Believers are Abrahams Children and that he is not a Jew that is one outwardly nor that Circumcision which is of the flesh And the Jews are so far from being of any better nature or desert than other men that the Infidel part have ever since their self-cursing and obdurateness in unbelief been found in all Nations to be the most covetous treacherous and sottish sort of People Much unprepared for so great a change § 11. VI. Either All the Off-spring of the Jews shall be partakers of this pretended Priviledge and Monarchy or only the Off-spring of those that continued Infidels till the change But neither of these can be true 1. The Off-spring of all that have been converted for fourteen hundred years after Christ cannot possibly now be made any parts of a Jewish Monarchy or State Because they are all unknown and are now no Jews And so that it is impossible 2. And to advance only the present profligate Generation to a separate Monarchy excluding all the Off-spring of the Converts of all former Ages looks so strangely that the affirmers had need to bring good proof of it considering the difference of quality and number that the least and worst part shall be chiefly advanced § 12. VII Either in this Jewish advancement all the rest of the Godly through the World shall be as much advanced or the Jews alone If all the Godly they being I hope a Thousand to one Jew why should it be called a Jewish Jerusalem or Monarchy Then sure this New Jerusalem must be setled in all Kingdoms where the Godly dwell And shall they every where be Lords If it be only for the Jews can any but a Jew believe it That the Off-spring of the scattered cursed sottish Enemies of Christ shall be so much preferred before all the Godly through the World § 13. VIII Either all the Nations of Heathens Mahometans Papists and Ungodly-Ones shall be Converted with the Jews or not If yea it will be a New and Happy World indeed A Blessed Change will be made on Kings and Parliaments and Lords and Rich Men and Poor And there will be as many Miracles as Men when all those shall be made wise and holy that we cannot now with twenty years preaching prevail with to be Men and to cease malignity and bestial Lusts Sure God will not Burn such a Blessed World and bury so many Millions of Miracles in the Flames But if it be only the Jews that are miraculously Converted it must be a Miracle that must cause the malignant Princes and People Heathens Mahometans Greeks Papists and Carnal Protestants either to become Subjects to these poor Jews where they dwell or to help or permit their Transportation to Jerusalem and then to be subject to them there If this must be their Fate why do we not acquaint our selves with those few cursed Enemies of Christ that live in London in Wapping or elsewhere near us and honour them and beg their favour against the time of their Reign Oliver Cromwell appointed a Solemn dispute before him whether the Jews for Money should have a Toleration and when that good Man Dr. Tho. Goodwin and some other godly