Kingdom to his Father then he is inferior to his Father and his Kingdom is not everlasting and by consequence the Deity of Christ is over thrown Answ. This doth not follow for though Christ do resigne his Mediatory and Dispensatory Kingdom so that he rules not by external Organs and Instruments yet he Raigns still as God in his Essential Kingdom with his Father for his Kingdom is eternal Isay 9. 7. 2. Obj. They cavil thus He that is subject to his Father is inferiour to him but Christ is so ergo Answ. Christ must be considered according to his twofold nature viz. his Humanity and his Deity As he is God so he is Gods equal Phil. 2 6. as man so he tells us the Father is greater then he John 14. 28. As he is God so all Creatures are subject to him but as he is our Mediator so he is subject to his Father together with his Mystical body the Church Not as if he were not subject to his Father before but because then he shall in the sight of men and Angels publickly deliver up the Kingdom and so declare his subjection more openly for then things in Scripture are said to be when they are publickly manifested to be Psal. 2. 7. Now let us see what Dr. Homes his Aquiline eyes can spy in this Text for this 1000. yeers Raigne on earth 1. His first profound Observation from hence is this That after the Ultimate day of Judgement Christ shall have no Kingdom nor Power but how doth he prove this Why from 1 Cor. 15. 28. and how else Why the same again and again usque ad ravim till he dote again like a Cuckow Eandem cantilenum canit he tells you the same story over and over that he might boast and say He is now become a Fool in Folio Onely he desires you to observe according to his wonted Elegancy That 't is a Hath put all things in subjection Mark saith he 't is the time past 2. Shall be subdued mark again 'T is the Future time With such Learned Observations as if he were reading a Lecture to some School-boyes is the Drs. Folio stuft 2. The Drs. Observation hath two parts 1. That there shall be two dayes of Judgement and therefore he tells you here of an ultimate day of judgment But how doth he prove it Why {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Dr. Homes says it ergo 't is true 2. Christ hath no Kingdom and Power How whence that I pray you Why the Dr. tells you 't is after the ultimate day of Judgement New Light indeed if the Dr. vent this ignorantly he 's to be pittied if willfully to be punisht that goes about to deceive people in the Fundamentals of Religion But how doth he proves this Why by a witless worthless reason p. 89. viz. Christ must have his Kingdom before the ultimate day of Judgement or else he 'l have no Kingdom Why so For then 't is the Fathers Kingdom As if the Father and the Son though they be two persons yet were not one God and the Father had a Kingdom without the Son Quest But what saith the Text Answ. Why Then comes the end c. Every word a Dagger Quot verba tot verber a and stabs the Drs. cause at the heart 1. The Apostle tells us Then comes the end viz. of the world i. e immediately after the Resurrection He doth not say then comes the Reign of Christ for a thousand yeers on earth But then comes the end of the World 2. When he shall deliver up the Kingdom viz. his Mediatory not his absolute Kingdom And therefore the Drs. Logick is very faulty in arguing from a particular to a general ergo because Christ hath no Oeconomical Kingdom ergo he hath no Kingdom Non sequitur ergo because one Dr. is Episcopal ergo all are Episcopal Or because one Dr. observes the times ergo all do so Is but sorry Logick 3. The Apostle tells us Christ must Raigne in his Mediatory Kâ—ngdom till the last enemy which is death be destroyed but this will not be till the day of Judgement where then is the Drs. thousand yeers 4. Then Christ hath no power What more folly yet Cannot Christ lay down his Mediary Kingdom but he must loose his power with it Cannot he change the manner of Administration but he must cease to be a King Is he not God and Man still Is he not King and Head of his Church still Is he not as High and Mighty as ever And is it not he that even in the Text puts down all power by his divine Almighty power How then comes it to pass that Christ hath no power as the Dr. blasphemously at least very ignorantly affirms 5. He tells us of the Saints living on earth for a thousand yeers without Ordinances Answ. This is as true as the rest But the Dr. doth very ill to harden Atheistical Sectaries in such conceits For 't is not to be expected whilst the Saints live on earth that they should live without or above Ordinances In Heaven indeed when the Saints shall enjoy God immediately they shall not need them for God will be all in all as 't is in the Text but that is not in this world but at the end of the world Then comes the end viz. immediately after the Resurrection as the context shews when the Saints shall be received to bliss then God will be all in all immediately and not till then Obj. Revel. 21. 22. 'T is said of the New Jerusalem i. e of the glorious estate of the Church neer the end of the world that there shall be no Temple there Answ. These words yea and the whole chapter may be considered two wayes 1. Literally and properly for the Churches glory in Heaven for there 't is that all tears shall be wiped from our eyes there shall be no Sun or Moon no Temple there we shall not need Preaching Sacraments Ordinances for God will be all in all To expect an immediate enjoyment of God in this world without Ordinances is a Satanical delusion True in the Church Triumphant Prophesies shall cease 1 Cor. 13. 8. But in the Church militant we must not despise Prophesying and Preaching of the word To expound this chapter Literally of any Church either in Heaven or Earth will not hold for there is no Gold Silver Precious Stones Rivers c. in Heaven 2. If we consider the words Allusively and Allegorically for the a glorious estate of the Church upon earth after the calling of the Iews then there shall be no Temple there q. d. the Worship of God shall be more Pure Spiritual and Heavenly then ever before So that the words must not be taken simply for then they would contradict other places of Scripture which tell us that the Church on earth will always have need of the Ministery both to convert such as are not yet converted
that 't is conceived the computation from the Creation to this day ordinarily received is not right but far longer then it ought to be How true this is I leave it to the Chronologers and the Dr. to dispute whilst I proceed to more profitable matter Quest But before I proceed any further will you have the Cream and Quintessence the Sinews and Mary bones of all Dr. Homes his Arguments from the forecited places in one Demonstrative Syllogisme Answ. Yes by any means the briefer the better for we have been tired out hitherto with his empty nothings In brief the Drs. Argument is this p. 115. Those things which are prophesied in the Word of God and are not yet come to passe must be fulfilled very true But the great a sensible and visible happiness of the Church on earth before the b Ultimate Day of Iudgement is prophesied in the Word of God which is the Old and New Testament Very true ergo it shall come to passe who ever denied it But what is this to the point in hand Or what Logick is this Because in the last dayes the Jews shall be called and because the Glorious Spiritual Priviledges of the Church shall then be advanced Ergo Christ and the Saints alone shall Raign on earth a thousand yeers This is the Drs Logick you see from first to last I come now to answer more punctually to Revel. 20. 4. 5 c. 1. The Text is Allegorical and so is no fit ground to build Arguments upon The book of the Revelation is the most mystical book in all the Bible full of deep Allegories and this Text is one of the darkest and deepest in all the book 'T is Prophetical and Prophesies are best understood when fulfilled Yet such is the folly of the Papists and Anabaptists that they take the Letter and neglect the meaning of the Scripture whereas the Scripture lyeth not in the Words and Letters but in the sense and meaning 2. The Raigning here meant is purely spiritual and so is the first Resurrection St John says he saw the Souls and not the Bodies of the Martyrs Raigning with Christ 2. He saw the Souls not of all the Saints but only of those that were beheaded for the Testimony of Christ By beheading by a Synecdoche saith Dr. H. all manner of persecution is meant Now if you stick to the Letter of the Text none but Martyrs shall raigne this thousand yeer as Piscator Alsteed and Grotius affirm and if this be so then the Martyrs will be in a worse condition then ordinary Saints for whilst they are enjoying the beatifical Vision of God in Heaven the Martyrs must be upon earth feeding on the Quintessence of the Creatures drinking wine for which Dr. H. cites Matth. 26. 29. yea the Dr. tells us he doth not see any grand inconveniency that would follow if he should affirm but that he dares not elss he hath a good mind to it as the dog hath to the Mutton but that he fears the cudgel that men should beget children at that time His Reason is for he is not mad without Reason Adam might once have done it without sin or carnality of mind and the Apostle saith he implies that our State then Heb. 2. shall be as innocent as Adams was and then that promise shall be fullfilled Matth. 19. 29. he that hath forsaken Father Mother Wife c. shall have a hundredsold To the like purpose speaks Mr. Burroughs a Hos. 1. 11. Lect. 7. he tells us that in that glorious time there will be building of houses and inhabiting them planting of Vineyards and eating the fruits of them But the Scripture is clear against this it tels us that the Kingdom of God is within us that it consists not in meat or drink Rom. 14. 17. that in the Resurrection there shall be no carnal but spiritual delights only Matth. 22. 30. In the Resurrection they marry not but are as the Angels of God Christs Kingdom comes not to us with exnernal pompe or worldly observation Luke 17. 20. but 't is spiritual and is maintained by spiritual delights 3. The Text doth not say that Christ shall come down to them on earth for the Saints may and do R aign with Christ already on earth though he be now in Heaven As we are said to suffer with Christ though he be in Heaven and we on Earth Rom. 8. 17. So we are said to Raign with him Hence beleevers are called Kings because even now they raign with him in in a spiritual manner Revel. 1. 6. and 5. 10. and the Church is now called the Kingdom of Heaven Matth 13. 47. and 5. 19. 25. So that the Text doth not speak of earth or any earthly raigne but they shall be with Christ i. e. they shall be free from their former persecutions as living now under Christ not under Antichrist rising from sin to newness of life 4. This first Resurrection is not a bodily but a spiritual Resurrection of the soul from the death of sin to the Life of Grace The Text clears it for of such the second death hath no power As the second death is not corporal but spiritual so is the Resurrection Else this absurdity would follow that we should have two bodily resurrections viz. one of the Saints to raigne a thousand yeers before the Day of Judgement and another of the wicked at the Day of the General Judgement Bnt the Scripture makes but one Resurrection of good and bad of Martyrs as well as others Matth. 25. 31. and 24. 15. John 5. 28. 29 Holy Job knew nothing of such a raign or rising Job 19. 25. he tells us of his Resurrection onely at the last day and Paul tels us of the rising of all in the twinckling of an eye to Jugdment 1 Cor. 15. 22. 41. 52. and that the Saints shall be caught up suddenly in the ayr to meet Christ and be for ever with him 1 Thes. 4. 16. and Daniel joynes the Resurrection of all and the day of judgement together Dan. 12 2. So doth John Revel. 20. 12. 5. If none but perfect Saints shal reign with Christ this thousand yeers as Dr. Homes saith and no wicked men shal be mixt with them as the Millenaries affirm the Dr. may do well in his next book in Folio printed at his own charge to tell us from whence that persecuting Gog and Magog i. e. those open and secret enemies of Gods Church shall arise which shall make such havock of the Church of God Revel 20. 7 8 9. when the thousand yeers are exquired Satan shall then be loosed saith the Text out of prison and shall go out and deceive the Nations which are in the 4. Quarters of the Earth a Gog and Magog to gather them against the beloved City q. d. Satan shall then be suffered to raise great troubles and tumults in the world and shall stir up all
the enemies of Gods Church which are in all the Regions of the Earth both Scythians Turks and unbelieving Christians and shall gather them to battle against the Church of Christ Here we see the people of God are in a worse condition then they were before now it cannot be imagined that Christ should come down for a thousand yeers amongst us and then leave us in a worse condition then he found us and after the Church had been sinless and sorrowless as Dr. Homes affirms then that it should be again deceived by Satan and besieged by his Instruments who can believe this So that this Text makes much against the Millenarian opinion I shall therefore shut up all with this Argument That Exposition of a Text which contradicts the whole current of Scripture is contrary to all Analogy of Faith to the Scope of the Text to Piety of Life to the comfort of the Saints and to the concurrent Judgment of Gods Church that Exposition is not right But such is the Millenarian Exposition of this Text as will appear in the following Arguments ergo Let us now sum up all and then we shall easily see the folly of these mens arguing from this Mystical Text 1. St. John speaks of the Saints living with Christ ergo 't is a corporal living 2. He speaks of their raigning with Christ ergo 't is a corporal and visible raigning 3. He mentions a Resurrection ergo t is a corporal Resurrection 4. He speaks of the first Resurrection ergo there shall be two bodily Resurrections 5. The Saints shall Reign a thousand yeers on earth ergo it shall be the same numerical Saints and not a succession of Holy men in their several ages Est fallacia consequentis The very repetition of those things is confutation sufficient Against the Doctors Thesis I shall set down this Antithesis THat Christ shall not Reign personally with the Saints or Martyrs here on earth for a thousand yeers neither before the Day of Judgement in the Day of Judgement nor after it If ever there be such a Raigne it must be in one of those times But 't is in neither 1. It cannot be before the Day of Iudgement for these reasons 1. Because the last dayes will be perilous not pleasant dayes a 2 Tim. 3. 1 2 3. they will be full of security sensuality and iniquity insomuch that when Christ comes he shall scarce find any faith on earth Luke 18. 8. Matth. 24. 37 38. wickedness will most abound towards the end of the world 2. If the Church of Christ on earth be a mixt Society consisting of good and bad to the end of the world then it cannot subsist for a thousand yeers only of good men But the Churh of Christ on earth to the end of the world is a mixt society consisting of tares and wheat good and bad a Gog and Magog to molest the Saints to the end of the world Matth. 13. 40. Rev. 20. 7 8. 2. If Christ remain in heaven till the day of judgement then he cannot reign corporally a thousand years on earth before that day But the antecedent is true and therefore the consequent Acts 3. 21. John 14. 3. Whom the heaven must contain till the time that all things be restored i. e. until the time of his coming to judgment when he shall appear again for the full consummation of the glory of his elect and perfect accomplishment of his Kingdom then all shall be repaired which sin hath disordered and the creature be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the sons of God Rom. 8. 21. 't is from heaven and not from earth saith our Creed that Christ shall come to judge the quick and the dead 3. If Gods Church whilst in this world must look for afflictions tentations persecutions then this imaginary reign without sin or sorrow cannot be expected here But Gods Church whilst on earth must look for afflictions tentations and persecutions here 2 Tim. 3. 12. All Christs disciples must take up their cross daylie though they be righteous yet must they look for many troubles Psal. 34. 19. Acts 14. 22. 4. Christs kingdom is not of this world John 18. 36. And therefore when the Iews would have made him a King he conveighed himself from amongst them John 6. 15. His Kingdom in this world is spiritual not carnal 't is without any worldly pomp neither doth it consist in meat drink or marriage Matth. 22. 30. 1 Cor. 6. 13. Rom. 14. 17. A wo is denounced against those that have their carnal delights and their portion of pleasures here Luke 6. 25. Iames 5. 5. 5. That tenet which is contrary to the judgement of all the Churches of Christ ought to be suspected by us for the judgement and practise of the Churches of God ought to have great weight with us as you may see 1 Cor. 11. 16. 22. and we should fear to offend them 1 Cor. 10. 22. especially by broaching such tenets as are contrary to the analogie of faith as this is true Churches may err but not so soon as a particular person two are better then one and in the multitude of counsellors there is safety Solitary birds are birds of prey Affectation of singularity is the high way to heresie it savours of pride for a particular person to broach new tenets which are directly contrary to the old received Truths of the Churches of Christ 6. Ab absurdo many absurdities follow this fancy I shall produce twelve 1. It derogates much from the honour of Christ for him who is head of his Church and hath all power given to him to come down from heaven the place of happiness where all is in subjection to him to come live in a corner of the earth in the new Ierusalem of the Millenaries inventing 't is a debafing of Christ The wiser sort of Millenaries fore-seeing this folly labour to avoid it by deâ—ying in a sort any personal reigne of Christ on earth yea Dr Homes boggles at it and therefore he comes in with his peradventure Christ will appear to the Saints at the beginning and ending of this thousand years But how doth the Doctor prove this Why Ipse dixit Dr Homes says so Ergo 't is so Christ must come go ascend and descend as Doctor Homes would have him 2. As there is no necessity of such a reigne on Christs part so neither on the Saints part they are Denizens of heaven their birth is from above and thither they aspire the Church ascends out of this wilderness like pillars of smoke Paul though a martyr yet desires to be dissolved and to be with Christ in heaven he knew nothing of this 1000. years reigne on earth Phil. 1 23. and 3. 20. and tells us that he looks for a dwelling in heaven and not on earth 2 Cor. 5. 1. 6. and that when Christ appears they shall appear with him in eternal glory Colos. 3. 4.
'T is the Fathers Kingdom and Secondly 'T is purely Spiritual when theirs is the Sons Kingdom as themselves confess and is mixt being partly spiritual and partly consisting of corporal delights 'T is my judgement that if these Opinionists be a little longer tolerated they wil Practically convince those of the danger of this Tenets who wil not Nationally beleeve it That the Peace and Prosperity of this Church and State may be preserved that the Lord at last would bring us not to a Millenarian Utopian Imaginary Terrestrial Kingdom but to a Real Caelestial and Everlasting Kingdom is and shall be the Prayer of Thy Servant in Christ for Christ and His Kingdom THO: HALL A TREATISE against the MILLENARIES WHen I considered how strangely this opinion of the Millenaries spread and got ground every where to the great disturbance of Magistracy and Ministery of Church and State I conceived that I might do very good service to undeceive people in this particular Thereupon having but lightly touched the point before I fell more closely to study it and finding that Dr Homes his Book in Folio was universally cried up by such as were tickled with this fancy as the Chiliastorum Achilles the one and onely Book in this kind I took some pains to read his Book more exactly I must confess I have read Dr. Homes his book in Folio usque ad nauseam till I was a weary of it yea I do seriously profess that I am more fully convinced of the vanity of that fancy since I read the Drs. Book then ever I was before I may say of it as 't was said of Dr. Heylins Book in defence of St. George some doubted whether ever there were such a St. but since they read this book they believe there never was such a Saint in being so some have doubted whether there might not be a Personal Reign of Christ on earth but since they have read Dr. Homes his Book they are fully satisfied that there is no such thing 'T is true the Dr. hath said more for it then any man I know for whereas others lye in Quarto his in Folio but how little to the purpose I come now briefly to examine True there is none that ever yet I saw which hath answered the Dr. as judging his Book I suppose unworthy of an answer yet since 't is so highly cried up as an invincible piece by the Favourers of that Tenet for when they can say nothing they send us to Dr. Homes I shall therefore 1. shew them how he states the Question 2. How he proves it 3. I shall answer his most material proofs And fourthly for brevity sake I shall refer them to such as clear any Text more fully The Doctors Tenet upon search for he hath not stated the Question Methodically and Scholastickly as he should have done I find to be this viz. That all the Saints departed shal Rise and Reign with Christ a thousand yeers on earth but the wicked shall not a Rise till the end of the thousand yeers in a wonderful both b visible yet spiritual glorious manner drinking Wine eating Dainties and enjoying all the lawful c pleasures which all the Creatures then redeemed from their ancient slavery can afford All this shall be before the time of the d ultimate and general Resurrection and day of Judgement Then shall the Jews be raised and all Antichristian and e secular powers that do not love the members of Christ submit unto his Laws and advance his interest in this design be ruined Then shall the Saints on f earth be Sin-less Sorrowless Temptation-less Deathless having a confluence of all comforts a perfection of all qualities and g union amongst themselves on earth Then shall there be no Magistrats no coercive Superiorities no Church Censures no Fears Wants Weaknesses Desertions or Labours c. All this happiness saith Dr. Homes you must expect on earth but take heed you be not so unhappy as to believe it least you be deluded by it for Dr. Alsteed can tell Dr. Homes that Godly men for the whole space of those thousand yeers excepting Martyrs shall be subject both to sin and death and shall have the wicked intermixt with them Habemus confitentum reum One of these Doctors must needs be in an error I leave them to reconcile themselves whilst I go on Here you see is much said but how is it proved Why the Dr. proves is very Learnedly 1. By Heathens l. 4. c. 2. 2. By Mahumetans l. 4. c. 3. 3. By the Jewish Rabbins l. 4. c. 4. he hath pickt it out of their Taxgum's and their Talmuds the Turks a Alcoran yet William Burton the Translator of Alsteed takes upon him to prove it out of Tieho Brahe who tells you of a fiery Trigon which prognosticats great peace to the world to come yea the Sibils prophesies are brought for proof of this point and the Apochrypha 2 Esd. 13. 39. 40. yea and Alsteed tells us of Phaenomena or Apparitions in the Heavens which portend I know not what strange and extraordinary things Qui amant ipsi sibi somnia fingunt When men be enamoured with an opinion then they dream that every thing makes for them though it be never so much against them How Heathens Mahumetans and Rabbins which abound with lyes and fables should come to the knowledge of such a Spiritual Sinless Sanctified and Glorious Kingdom is a Paradox to me Hae manus Trojam erigent Nullas habet spes Troja si tales habet Sen. Trag. If Millenaries have no better Prophesies then these no wonder if their Fabrick totter The Dr. therefore suspecting these goes farther to the Greek and Latin Fathers to Modern writers The Drs. Quotations I shall answer as the Dr. doth Dr. Prideaux his Argument Testimonio Humano His Argument saith he from meer Authorities of men is inconsiderable and not worth answering Most true of Dr. Homes his Argument in this kind and whereas the Dr. pleads Antiquity Dr. Homes shall answer Dr. H. out of Tertullian Antiquitas sine Veritate vetustas est erroris Antiquity without Verity is of no Validity See how smartly Mr. a John Paget Schismaticorum ille malleus reproves Mr. Ainsworth for his so frequent alledging of Talmudick and Rabbinical testimonies 'T is an offensive thing saith he so abundantly to alledge such Authors for our guids unto the Mysteries of Religion as do abound with innumerable dotages Presumptions and vain Traditions lying Visions fained Miracles prodigious and monstrous Fables such are the Thalmudists and Cabalists there is almost no work nor Word of God which they do not defile with their Elesies And then goeth on in giving many instances to the end of the book yet these are one of Dr. Homes his Pillars Q. But doth the Dr. bring no Scripture for what he holds A. O yes he cites Scripture in abundance what Heretick is there that
hath not his Verbum Domini for what he holds Even the Devil himself when he disputed with our Saviour had his Scriptum est he cited Scripture though corruptly The Dr. cites 51. proofs out of the Old Testament almost all borrowed from Doctor a Alsteed or Dr. Gouge his Treatise of the calling of the Jews p. 9. to 83. I shall set them down in order as the Dr. recites them the bare rehearsall will be confutation to the most of them for either they prophesie of Christs first coming in the flesh 2. Or of the Jews deliverance from Babylonish captivity 3. Or of the calling of the Jews when there shall be a spiritual restauration of the Church or the like To prove that Christ shall reign with the Saints on earth a thousand yeers the Dr. Quotes 1. Gen. 1. 26 27 28. collated with Psal. 8. 2. Gen. 12. 1 2 3 6. and 17. 1. to 9. 3. Gen. 18. 78. and 22. 15 16. 4. Gen. 26. 4. 5. Gen. 48. 19. and 49. 26. 6. Balaams Prophesie Numb. 24. 7. Deut. 30. 1. to 10. 8. Deut. 32. 15. to 19. 9. Neh. 1 8. 10. Psal. 8. and 110. yea the whole Book of Psalms in Three Heads 11. Isay 2. 1. c. 12. Isay 9. 6. 13. Isay 11. per totum 14. Isay 14. 1. c. 15. Isay 24. 23. 16. Isay 25 per totum 17. Isay 33. 20. 21 18. Isay 34. 1. c. 19. Isay 45. 14. c. 20. Isay 49. per totum 21. Isay 54. 11. c. 22. Isay 59. 23. Isay 60. per totum 24. Isay 63. 1. c. 25. Isay 65. 17. c. 26. Isay 66. 5. c. 27. Jer. 16. 14 15. collat. with 23. 3. 28. Jer. 30. 31. 29. Jer. 32. 37. 30. Jer. 50. 17. 31. Ezek. 28. 24 25 26. 32. Ezek. 34. 11. c. 33. Ezek. 37. total 34. Ezek. 37. total 35. Dan. 2. 31. c. 36. Dan. 7. total 37. Dan. 11. 12. 38. Hos. 1. 10. 11. 39. Hos. 3. 4. 5. 40. Joel 2. 28. c. 41. Joel 3. 1. c. 42. Amos 9. 11. collated with Obad 17. 43. Micah 4. total 44. Zoph 3. 9. c. 45. Zach. 2. 6. c. 46. Zach. 6. 12. 47. Zach. 8. 20. c. 48. Zach. 10. 3. c. 49. Zach. 12. total 50. Zach. 14. 3. c. 51. Mal. 4. total If you count these proofs they are many but if you seriously weigh them you will not find one to the purpose Obj. Though none of these Scriptures apart prove the point yet sayes the Dr. lay them all together and then they 'l do it Answ. Lay them and 51. more such proofs together for 't is easie gathering proofs to prove Christs Incarnation the a calling of the Jews Israels deliverance from Babylonish captivity and the Spiritual Glory of Gospel-times and they will never satisfie any sober Reader as to the proof of this point I must confess I seldom smile at my Study yet when I observed the Drs Learned-nonsense and his gross non-sequitors I could not forbear and let any Ingenious Reader take any one of these 51. proofs apart or altogether as the Dr. directs him and put but ergo Christ shall Reign with the Saints on earth a 1000. years and he cannot forbear smiling at least to see how the Drs. proofs hang together like ropes of sand and come as neer together as St. Germans lips which were nine miles asunder The Drs. Arguments for the Millenary fancy are like the Papists for the Popes Supremacy E. g. Peter healed the sick with his shadow ergo he was head of the Church Pauls calls him Cephas ergo he was chief of the Apostles Christ bid him put up his sword ergo the Pope hath right to both swords Or like the Quakers consequences flesh and blood shall not inherit the Kingdom of Heaven ergo there shall be no Resurrection The Saints shall judge the world here ergo there shall be no other Judgment this is Naylers Logick Obj. The Scripture holds forth that the last dayes shall be glorious dayes ergo Christ shall then Reigne personally on earth a thousand yeers Sol. It follows not for allthough the last dayes shall be glorious in respect of the great light of the Gospel and the glorious Priviledges and Liberty which the Church shall then enjoy yet in respect of the abuse of that Liberty and those Priviledges so the last dayes will be Perilous times a 2 Tim. 3. 1. True in Gospel times the bounds of the Church shall be enlarged Antichrists Kingdom shall decrease and Christs Kingdom will increase the mountain of the Lord shall be exalted in the top of the mountains and the Churches Priviledges will be advanced but that ever the Church should come to that height of happiness on earth as to be free from troubles internal and external and to Raign with Christ here for a thousand yeers in a sin-less sorrow-less temptation-less condition as D. H. phraseth it is a meer dream and hath no ground in Scripture Obj. Though many of these 51 proofs may be impertinent yet some may be pertinent Answ. I shall therefore call out the most pertinent for the bare reading of most of those Texts is confutation sufficient The first great place is Psal. 8. compared with Genesis 2. 26 27 28. which speaks of Adams dominion over the Creature in the state of innocency but the 8. Psal. speaks directly litterally and properly of Christ the second Adam if we will believe the Apostle a Heb 2. 6 7 8. So that the Drs. collating of these places is invalid 'T is true what is here spoken of Christ is proper to the Saints by vertue of their union with Christ the dignities belonging to Christ the head appertain to his mystical body the Church which â—s called Christ 1 Cor. 12. 12. All is theirs because they are Christs Now what do Millenaries gather hence Why 't is this that since Christ is thus exalted and the Saints in him to have dominion over the creatures c. Ergo they shall reign with Christ a thousand years on earth Who sees not the vanity of such Logick Obj. Heb. 2. 5. The Apostle speaks of a world to come ergo he speaks of this thousand yeers raign to come Answ. What a sad thing is to father our vain fancies on the Prophets and Aposties and to make them speak what never so much as came into their thoughts By the world to come is meant the Church of Christ under the Gospel which is called the world to come 1. In relation to the Church that lived before and under the Law who longed to see this world John 8. 56. 1 Pet. 1. 10 11. 2. Because of the restauration of all things by Christ begun already 2 Cor. 5. 17. and shall be finisht hereafter at the Resurrection which is called the time of the restitution of all things â—phes 1. 10. Q. D. O ye Hebrews
and to confirm such as are converte Ephes. 4. 11 12. 2 Pet. 1. 12. Matt. 28. 20. 1 Thes. 3. 2. Rom. 10. 14 15. Jer. 3. 15. the best know but in part and have need of teaching here But 2. The words must be taken comparatively as those places are a Jer. 31. 34. and 1 John 2. 17. they shall no more teach every man his neigbour i. e God will so abundantly power out the gifts and graces of his Spirit in those dayes that there shall be almost as much difference between those that lived under the Law and those that live under the Gospel as there is between those that need a Teacher and those that have no Teacher Now the most Commentators do expound this chapter of the Kingdom of Glory yet if any shall take them in this second sense there is no danger Quest But hath the Dr. no other Texts to uphold his opinion Answ. Yes he builds much on 2 Tim. 4. 1. I charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearance and his Kingdom I must confess this deep-sighted Dr. hath better eyes then must men I know if he can spy his Millenarian Kingdom here But the Dr. is wise in his own conceit and thus he begins The Kingdom of Christ here mentioned cannot be referred to his past government of the Church Answ. Very true who ever questioned it that was well in his wits Yet least this Dr. should be mad without reason he gives you a School-boyes reason to confirm it viz. because 't is in the Future Tense shall come to judgement and so he doth frequently in his Book bid you observe 't is do did have had shall or will as if he were teaching School-boyes and then tells you out of the Rabbins of a time when the universe shall be red with the blood of the slain and the hills white with the fat of their mighty men But these things the Dr. Learnedly observes are not yet fulfilled nor ever will be without a grand Hyperbole with such Learned Nothings is the Drs. Book stuft 2. He tells us how Christ shall have no Kingdom and of two dayes of judgement of a particular day at the beginning of the thousand yeers when Christ shall appear to reward the living and dead Saints and to destroy the then living incorrigible wicked man this is but the Praeludium after saith the Dr. comes the ultimate judgement Christ all that while saith he being busied in executing the first Sentence of Iudicature Here is much said but how is it proved Why from 2 Tim. 4. 1. he would make all this appear from the word Appear Christ shall judge the quick and the dead at his Appearing Ergo he shall have two dayes of judgement wherein to appear 2. He tells us that from the particular to the general day of Judgement shall be a thousand yeers But how doth he prove this Why from Matth. 25. Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom i. e. on earth where you shall Reigne with Christ a thousand yeers How else doth he prove it why Rev. 11. 15. 17 18. where the Church rejoyceth in the destruction of bloody persecutors for the destruction of Rome it self follows chapt. 18. and of Antichrist chapt. 19. Now see the Drs. Illogical Logick Because the Church rejoyceth in the enlargement of Christs Kingdom and the downfall of his enemies ergo Christ shall Raigne with the Saints on earth a thousand yeers Obj. The Apostle sets Christs appearing first and his Kingdom after therefore this his Kingdom is not to begin till his appearing Answ. 'T is ignorant and weake arguing from the placing of words in Scripture for that is oft times placed first which in order of Nature is last ergo Mark 1. 4. Repentance is put before faith Mark 1. 4. and glory before grace 2 Pet. 1. 3. Lastly he tells us how Christ is gone into a far country and that he must be a fifth Monarch and for this he quotes Dan. 2. 38 39 40. 45. and 7. 13 14. we read of 4. Monarchies in Daniel viz. the Assyrian Persian Graecian and Roman Monarchies but our fifth Monarch men expect King Jesus to be a fifth Monarch who shall destroy all Magistrates and Ministers that he and the Saints may Reigne on earth alone I see now whence our fifth Monarch men have their New-light viz. from this Tenet of the Millenaries which opens a gap to Anarchy and confusion for under this pretence Libertines may arise and kill Magistrates Ministers and all the ungodly i. e all save themselves and their own party that they may Reigne alone in the earth of this God hath given us a remarkable instance of late in those fifth Monarch men who are now in prison To make way for this their imaginary Kingdom they give out in their Pamphlet called the Standard That the Beast and the false Prophet i. e. Magistrates and Ministers and all earthly Governments must be destroyed by the hands of the Saints and that all yoaks upon the inward and outward man must be destroyed because of the anoynting since the Saints are the Lords Freeman yea they tell us that the Wicked Bloody Antichristian Magistracy Ministery Lawyers c. must be destroyed They be their own words where we see 't is not Magistrates and Ministers but Magistracy and Ministery the very Office it self which these men strike at and that with a profound c. which how far it may extend to what Persons Places Callings and Officers let others judge Quest But when shall this destruction be Answ. They tell you it must be at the time of the restitution of all things i. e when Christ shall reigne a thousand yeers and to make way for that day Magistrates and Ministers must be destroyed Now the better to effect this they animate men to seditions and proclaim a Jubilee and yeer of Liberty from Tythes and Taxes and Imprisonment after have at Rents and Debts and a community of all things Yea the better to incourage men to come in to them like their master the Devil they make large promises but sorry performances of Health Wealth Peace Protection yea they invite you to a Royal Feast where you shall have no worse fare then the flesh of Kings Captains and mighty men Yea they tell you this Kingdom of theirs shall break in pieces all other Kingdoms and eat out all the Monarchies and Glory of the world Yea Rogers one of the Speakers in London to this fifth Monarch crue Preacht it openly that the cause of these fifth Monarch men was good but they did not time it well however they would not desist till they had the Tyrants head from his shoulders and more words to the like purpose This I had from an honest and understanding ear-witness in London 'T is time the Magistrate should awake and restrain these Babel-builders least they bring not only confusion on
themselves but also on them that tolerate them As for that Text in 2 Tim. 4. 1. 't is so plain that any man except such as are wilfully blind and are wedded to their fancies like the Donatists Quod volumus Sanctum est all is holy that they hold be it never so unholy may see that it speaks not of any coming of Christ to raigne on earth but of his coming to judge the quick and the dead in great power and glory And we shall oft find in Scripture that the appearing of Christ in glory and his coming to judgment are joyned together as being one and the self same thing at the same time Matth. 24. 30. 2 Tim. 4. 8. Colos. 3. 4. So that this appearance of Christ in his Kingdom is nothing elss but a more full and clear manifestation of his glory when he shall come to judge the world We read but of two signal comings of Christ viz. one in the flesh 1 Tim. 2. 16. and his second appearing to judgement Heb. 9. 28. He shall appear the second time for the salvation of his Elect. But if Christ should come to Raigne a thousand yeers then it should have been said he will come the third time for your salvation But the Scripture never mentions but two comings of Christ corporally viz. once to merit salvation and at the last day to perfect it for ever Thus we have seen the Drs. vanity We have a saying as the Fool thinks so the Bell clinks As Dr. Homes thinks so the Scripture clinks Doth he read of an appearance of Christ Oh 't is his appearance to reigne a thousand yeers Doth he read of a Kingdom Oh 't is an earthly visible Kingdom c. The last and chiefest place which this Millenarian Dr. cites is Revel. 20. 1. to 7. And I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus and they lived and raigned with Christ a thousand yeers but the rest of the dead lived not again till the thousand yeers were finished this is the first Resurrection This Text is the master prop in this building overthrow this and you overthrow all Vindicate this Text from their vain glosses and you vindicate all There is no Text that seemingly speaks more for them yet upon due search we shall find that the Text hath much against them 'T is true the Dr. the better to insinuate himself and make way for this his beloved Tenet highly extols the 20. chapter of the Revelations calling it a Golden Key to unlock the Bible we had need of a better hand then the Drs. to turn it especially the Old Testament 'T is true one place of Scripture helps to illustrate another but how this 20. of the Revelation should be such a Key as to make us understand the whole Bible the better especially the Old Testament shews plainly that the Dr. is led as his whole book shews him to be by Fancy and not by judgment Yet the Dr. having some skill as it seems in the Mathematicks tells us that he will pitch the foot of his Compass on Revel. 20. and so draw a right circle about it as if he meant to conjure us into his opinion I have but little skill in the Mathematicks yet I shall endeavour to get the Dr. out of his circle and doubt not but to make it appear to any unprejudiced Reader that his Clavis aurea as to his intent and purpose est planè plumbea The Dr. is hard put to it when his best refuge is an allegorical mistical Text one of the darkest difficultest Texts in all the Bible containing in it almost as many Mysteries as Words and hath almost as many interpretations as there be Interpreters 1. Therefore I shall forgive you the plain and genuin sense of the place 2. I shall shew you the vanity of the Drs. glosses and how inconsistent they be with the very letter and meaning of the Text V. 1 And I saw an Angel come down from Heaven c. q. d. Whereas I John in my former Vision had seen the Dragon persecuting the Church under the Tyrannical rule of the Heathen Emperors now I saw an a Angel come down from Heaven having power and commission from God to chain up and imprison the Dragon that old Serpent the Devil and to restrain his power for the space of a thousand yeers after Constantines restoring Peace to the Church which Angel did restrain him from his open rage and slaughtering of the Saints as he had done before by the Heathen Emperours and from his prevalent seducing and deceiving of the Nations by his Sorceries and Oracles until the thousand yeers be finisht for then he must be let loose for a a short time for some further exercise of Gods children and the harding of the wicked Vers 4. And now I saw such Glory and Majesty put upon the Faithful in the time that Satan was shut up as that they sate upon Thrones and the power of Judgement was committed to them to manage the affaires of Gods Church and to execute due censures upon offenders And I saw those Faithful and Holy Martyrs which were ready to lay down their lives for the Testimony of Jesus and his Gospel and abhorred the Idolatry of the times these lived and reigned a successively with Christ in a spiritual sanctified and comfortable estate here upon earth all this time of the thousand yeers of Satans restraint In which time some truth remained in the Churches as touching the main points of Christian Doctrine Vers 5. But the rest which lay dead in their sins did not at all recover this spiritual life nor attain to the saving knowledge of the truth nor did they witness against Antichrist This which we now speak off viz. the abandoning of the corruptions of the times and attaining to the saving knowledge of the Truth is the first Resurrection Vers 6. Blessed and Holy is he that hath part in it for on such the second death which is eternal destruction shall have no power But they shall be wholly consecrated to the service of God and his Christ and shall a reign with him here on earth b successively in their several ages for the space of a thousand yeers when they shall rejoyce in God and in the peace of a good conscience whilest the rest of the world lyes in spiritual slavery and misery V. 7. 8. But when these thousand yeers are expired Satan shall be let loose again and suffered to raise great troubles in the Church raising up secret and open enemies to molest it as he did about the yeer 1000. after Christ as the Histories of those times do testifie when Pope Sylvester the 2. arose who gave his soul to the Devil for the Popedom and not long after him succeeded Pope Hildebrand that brand of Hell about the yeer 1070. a alias Pope Gregory the 7. he was notoriously vile a Monster of men a
One hour in heaven will be better then all the pleasures of earth and if the sight of Christs transfiguration in the mount made Peter and Iohn to forget wives children meat drink houses and all desiring to rest there how much more will the sight of Christ in perfect glory ravish our hearts with far greater joy then any we can have on earth unless God should leave heaven to come dwell on earth which we have not the least ground to believe 2. What good or comfort can acrew to the Saints by coming from Heaven to reign a thousand years on earth Is not the glory of Heaven better then all the delights on Earth 3. Or what should glorified Saints do in this new world after they are come from Heaven How should spiritualized bodies delight in earthly pleasures The Apostle tells us that our bodies at the Resurrection shall be incorruptible immortall spiritual powerfull and glorious like to Christs body Philip 3. ult. 1 Cor. 15. 42. Now such bodies cannot live a natural low sensual life in eating drinking marrying Matth. 22. 30. These things may please a Turk and adorn his Paradise but the thoughts of such things are loathsome to a glorified Saint who hath enjoyed immediate communion with Christ in glory And those that confine this their supposed Priviledge to the Martyrs do here by put them into a worse condition then the ordinary Saints for whilst these are beholding the face of God in glory those must be brought down to earth to eat and drink build houses and plant Vineyards c. Thus you see there is no necessity nor comfort in fancying such a raign 2. Then the day of judgement might be known if Christ should come and raign on earth just a thousand yeers in a visible manner before the day of judgment then that day thousand yeers after this raign begins would be the day of judgment But the Scripture expresly tells us that of that day knoweth no man Mark 13. 32. and Christ will come as a thief in the night when men least expect him 2 Pet. 3. 10. A late writer tells us that Rome shall fall 1666. and the world shall have and end 45. yeers after If this be true where then is the thousand yeers raign 3. It opens a gap to Anarchy Sedition and Murder for under this pretence Libertines may arise and kill Magistrates and Ministers and all the ungodly i. e. all but themselve and their party that they may raign alone in the Earth D. Homes tells us that all secular powers which love not the members of Christ shall then be destroyed And with him the late fifth Monarch men concur 4. This fancy makes 3. comings of Christ but we read but of two in all the Scripture 1 His coming in the flesh in a state of Humiliation 2. His coming to judgment in a state of Glorification Matth. 25. 31. 2 Cor. 15. 22. 1 Thessal 4. 16. 2 Tim. 4 1. Revel. 1. 7. We read of his appearing a second but never of a third time Heb. 9. 28. 5. It makes two bodily Resurrections one of the godly to raign with Christ a thousand yeers and another of the ungodly at the end of those thousand yeers But the Scripture expresly joynes the Resurrection of the good and bad together Dan. 12. 2. John 5. 28. Acts 24. 15. Rev. 20. 12. John 6. 39. 6. It makes Christ to have 3. Ascentions when the Scripture never mentions but two viz. 40 dayes after his Resurrection and the other after the General Judgement of the World 7. It makes a double day of judgement the one inchoate a thousand yeers before the other and the other the Ultimate and General Day of Iudgment 8. Whereas the Scripture makes mans age upon earth to be threescore yeers and ten these have enlarged the date they tell us of some that shall live a thousand yeers on earth 9. It makes the ruine of Antichrist to be a thousand yeers or more before the Day of judgement when the Scripture joins them together 2 Thes. 2. 8. Revel. 20. 8 9 10. 10. It makes the Church triumphant when Christ comes contrary to the tenour of the Scripture Matth. 37 38. 2 Tim. 3. 1. 11. 'T is a means to breed security in men when they shall hear that 't is yet above a thousand yeers to the Day of Iudgment whereas the Learned conceive the end of the world to be much nearer And the Apostles thought 'twas not far off in their time 12. Then the Saints and Martyrs should have their reward on earth but the Scripture tells us expresly that their reward is great in Heaven not on Earth Matth. 5. 10. 2 Cor 5. 1. 2 Pet. 4. 8. 1 Pet. 1 4. and Paul a Martyr looked for his reward there 2 Tim. 4. 8. 18. Thus you see if you grant the Devil but one absurdity how many he 'l infer upon you the Devil desires but a little at first he desires you would but tast of his broath for then he 'l quickly bring you to eat of his beef Count no error small many thought this Millinarian opinion to be a very harmless one yet we see what Carnality Heresie Sedition and Schisme it hath brought forth in Church and State Obj If the Raign of Christ on earth be not before the day of judgment yet it may be in and during the day of judgment So saith Mr. Mede this 1000. years raign shall be In durante die Judicii to this opinion D. Tho. Goodwin inclines in his New World to come p. 37. Answ. That the day of judgement shall last a 1000. yeers is grat is dictum 't is said but it can never be proved 't is a very bold and groundless assertion The Text which the Millenaries bring to prove this is 2 Pet. 3. 8. one day with the Lord is AS a thousand yeers and a thousand yeers is AS one day Answ. What is here to prove their Assertion I see very weak grounds will satisfie some men to uphold what pleaseth their fancy The meaning of the Apostle is no more but this whereas some scoft at Christs delay and thought that he would never come to judgement the Apostle tells them they had no reason so to do for one day with the Lord is As a thousand yeers and a thousand yeers As one day God measures not time as we do what seems long to us is short to him Job 10. 5. Psal. 90. 4. He doth not simply say one day is a thousand yeers but is As a thousand yeers 't is onely a comparison q. d. although a thousand yeers seem a long time to you and so the world seems to have continued long yet 't is not so with the Lord to whom all time is short and with whom ten thousand yeers are but as yesterday when compared with his eternity 3. Dr. Alsteed with his New-light goes further then all the rest and tells in that this thousand