first Author therefore my Answer to that in my 5th Page might suffice to which I refer you But I 'll add a few words because we have a little more in this The first Author both in his third Argument and again in his large Sheet tells us that it is expresly said in the Scripture That Christ shall continue and sit at the Right-hand of God till all his Enemies be made his Footstool or destroyed But he had that Policy in both these places not to tell us where 't was thus expressed fave as aforesaid But this hath told us where i.e. Psal 110.1 Acts 3.21 I suppose he means Acts 2.34 35. Which places I have well considered and find no such thing neither in Words nor Sense nor in any other place of Sacred Scripture True it is thus written The Lord said unto my Lord Sit thou at my Right-hand until I make thine Enemies thy Footstool But not until I have made them so Now who is so weak that cannot see a Difference between these two words It 's well known the one viz. until I make speaks of a Work to be done and so respects the beginning of that Time when this must be set about The other viz. until I have made speaks of a Work done and so respects the end of Time Therefore consider how you have abused these Texts and led many an unwary Reader aside making this the Foundation to build this your Principle upon For you cannot but know that to Change Add or Take away from a Word but so much as one Letter quite alters and destroys the Sense as hath been told the Quakers in Print who are much guilty herein or at least their Advocate W. L. For that Instance in 1 Cor. 15.51 it 's said We shall not all sleep but we shall all be changed Leave out but the Letter C and then it must be read We shall all be hanged And the like in changing a Letter as might be shewed as you have now done in taking away K and putting in D instead of it and more than this in adding the word Be which you are forced to do or some such word of the same Sense or else you can make no Sense of it in the Reading And more yet in adding the word All as the first Author hath done and the Latter in effect If that Printer in King James's time was fined a thousand Pounds because the Particle Not was lest out of the Seventh Commandment What shall they be thought worthy of that both change in respect of Letter and add Words to what is written to the total Destruction of the true Sense thereof Read and fear what 's said Rev. 22.18 19. Object But possibly some may object and say Although the word Made be not in the Text cited yet 't is in Heb. 10.12 13. Answer True it is so but then pray mark 't is not here said He shall sit at the Right-hand of the Father till his Enemies be made his Footstool but thus This Man after he had offered one Sacrifice for Sins for ever sat down on the Right-hand of God From henceforth expecting till his Enemies be made his Footstool Which alters the case For who is there but will grant this viz. his Expectation from that Day forward that such a Work shall be done and yet deny that he shall sit there till it be done for as he in Heaven so we on Earth expect this viz. that his and our Enemies shall be made his Footstool But what 's this to the Case in hand Ergo Your Conclusion That Christ's Coming is after the thousand Years or that he will not come a thousand Years before the subduing of Gog and Magog Rev. 20.8 9. is altogether false Demonst 6 Neither is Gog his last Enemy but Death is so called 1 Cor. 15.26 Therefore Christ's Coming is not till he comes to swallow up Death in Victory ver 54. in the Resurrection of the Saints See above Answer This Demonstration I grant in all the Parts or Branches of it except your Therefore First Your Antecedent That Gog is not the last Enemy but that Death is so called 1 Cor. 15. 2dly Your Consequence or Conclusion though not from these Premises Christ's Coming is not till he comes to swallow up Death in Victory in the ver 54. Resurrection of the Saints But now what 's this to the Question viz. That Christ's Coming is after the thousand Years You bid us see above and I refer you to the abovesaid Answers But I suppose here lies your Mistake as this Demonstration implies i. e. that you account Destruction and Victory both one thing and therefore you argue from the one viz. Destruction to the other viz. Victory A strange Mistake and as strange Arguing of a wise Man Do not all Men know that although sometimes they may go together yet they are two distinct things and very frequently go asunder viz. the Victory before the time of Destruction Instances hereof enough among Men might be produced if need were And 't is as true in this case 'T is well known our Lord himself got the Victory over Death when he rose from the dead yet did not then destroy Death so the Saints through Christ get the Victory over Death at their Resurrection yet Death shall not then to wit at that very instant be destroyed And our Apostle very wisely makes the Distinction in that 1 Cor. 15.23 24 25 26. and this very Verse viz. 54. He doth not say That at the Saints or first Resurrection shall be brought to pass the Saying O Death or O Grave I will be thy Destruction But that Saying Death is swallowed up in Victory And herein you greatly contradict your self in making these two one viz. Destruction and Victory or contemporary namely at the Resurrection of the Just or first Resurrection For in your 9th and 10th Pages you tell us The Wicked shall not be raised till after the Saints nay that many things shall pass or be done between the Resurrection of the Just and Unjust Now if this be true as I grant it is then by your own Grant Death will not be destroyed at the first Resurrection since it shall hold the rest down after that is past And this is evident from both Isaiah from whence the Apostle hath these words and from 1 Cor. 15. also Ergo I conclude from this your Demonstration or the Consequence thereof that since Christ shall come Personally at the first Resurrection and that will be as I have shewed at the beginning of the thousand Years that then the thousand Years are not before nor without but with his Personal Presence on Earth Thus much in answer to your Six Demonstrations A POSTSCRIPT READER this Treatise was wholly composed and designed for the Press some Years past as may be conceived by some Passages in the Epistle But for some Reasons of no necessity herein to be inserted came not forth till now and I hope may be as
City where our Lord was Crucified which is as well known at this time to the Churches to be Jerusalem by that Description as Mystery Babylon is known to be Rome by the Description given in that behalf But again we have more in this Case it 's told us That it 's the City which was spiritually called Sodom and Egypt Now we find Jerusalem so called Isa 1.10 Jer. 23.14 Perhaps you will say Rome's mystical Name was written in her Fore head Ergo She might be known by it also But pray hold John it 's true saw it so in the Vision but 't was not so plain but he still wondred and that with great admiration who this Harlot should be as you may see ver 6 7. And yet notwithstanding this at least equal nay more Plainness the Author makes this an Allegory as you may see p. 48 49 50. A mystical City mystical Prophets mystical Heaven And why not as well a mystical Christ and a mystical Crucifying in a mystical City viz. the Hearts of Men as William Pen the Quaker against Muggleton p. 58. and in his Vindication of George Fox p. 12. Sect. 6. But again Why must this City New-Jerusalem chap. 21. be an Allegory with this Author Is it because St. John had not so clear a sight of this City p. 17. 3. 21. 10. Certainly this cannot be supposed unless the Author imagines that the Wilderness will give a better Prospect of Mystery Babylon than a great and high Mountain will do of the New-Jerusalem which cannot lightly be supposed and 't is evident here 's as plain a Description of this as the other But he tells you p. 164. That it 's called an Allegory Gal. 4.24 Now whether New-Jerusalem be there so called I need give no other Answer but desire the Reader to see if he can find any such thing in that Text. 'T is evident to all that will not shut their Eyes 〈◊〉 11.10 That our God hath builded a City for his Saints and will one day bestow it upon Abraham and his Sons for a Reward of their Losses 〈◊〉 3.12 â—â—ap 21.2 and this City shall come down from God out of Heaven it 's for the Saints and therefore not the Saints as this Author affirms p. 156. The Saved Ones shall walk in it ver 24. Ergo Not the City it self There shall in NO WISE enter into it any thing that defileth c. ver 27. Which cannot be meant of the Church here in this mortal State before the Personal Coming of Christ in the primest and purest Age that ever was or shall be Further This Author will have the Dragon Rev. 12.9 and 20.2 to be allegorical or figurative viz. the Pagan Empire not any particular Person or Creature p. 14 15. although there 's none of those he calls plain things so plainly described He tells you of some places where some other are called the Devil Admit this to be true 't will not prove the other for not only in this Book of the Revelation but in the whole Bible there is not a plainer Speech And we may as well with the Quakers conclude that all the Scriptures that speak of the Devil are meant only of a mystical and figurative Devil And I dare say you may as soon find a Dolphin in the Wood as a Devil in Hell if this be not he for pray mark how our Lord describes him That old Serpent called the Devil and Satan which deceiveth the whole World If this can be applied to any other I must confess my self very ignorant therein But I rather conclude this Notion to be like W. Deusbery's Interpretation of Matth. 21. touching the Ass that Christ rode upon which he hath taken the Boldness to affirm That it was the wild Nature in all the Children of the Lord. Another saith That it was the Lord's People And G. W. a Quaker likewise upon Rev. 11.8 saith That City is the Rock of Ages And indeed if Men may take this Liberty in their interpreting Scripture then I may boldly say The plainest Scripture will not scape their Allegorizing Frames But now if this Book of the Revelation be the Key to unlock the whole Bible as this Author confesseth then 't is strange the Key should be made more difficult than the Lock for so indeed it is if the most part be an Allegory as this Man affirms it is It 's called not only A Revelation but The Revelation a wrong Name if this Man's Doctrine be true True it is that what is therein delivered as many other places of Scripture are is set forth by Metaphors but it follows not That therefore the Doctrine there delivered is in it self Allegorical or but Metaphorical For instance Chap. 1. The seven Churches are set forth by seven Golden Candlesticks and the seven Ministers or Messengers by seven Stars Now will any wise Man conclude these seven Churches and seven Messengers are but figurative Churches and Messengers and not really such And so Rome is set forth by a great and brave decked Harlot what then Chap. 17. must this be only a Figure viz. Rome and not a real City as some gether figurative and several others also but this Author acknowledges the contrary So of the Waters Again Chap. 12 chap. 20. the Devil is set forth by a great red Dragon a fit Similitude indeed But what then Must this Devil be nothing but a Figure still Sure in all such Figures there is something figured out that is really so â—â—p 11. So by the two Candlesticks and two Olive-Trees are set forth the two Prophets But what then Must these Figures be but a Figure of a Figure still although our Lord tells us plainly They are two Prophets set forth by these two famous Similitudes and describes their Work and the time of it with their Death how it shall be and by whom how long they shall lie dead and where and what shall be done to them in that time by their Enemies and also their perspicuous and dreadful Resurrection and Ascension All which cannot be applied to any thing else save two Persons 〈◊〉 his 48 49 Pages Yet this Author will have these two Prophets to be but figurative Prophets still viz. The Church of God and others of the same stamp with this Author Magistracy and Ministry by some the two Testaments c. O what strange stuff have we here Brave Interpreters of Scripture But let God be true though every Man a Liar True it is many things in this Book are delivered by Metaphors but not all and those that are so signify something that 's real Therefore according to this Author p. 3. the Consideration whereof calls for the greater Circumspection Wariness and Sobriety as indeed other Writings do wherein are some things hard to be understood which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest to their own Destruction Pet. 3.16 I commit all that I have said to the Blessing of God
were so ignorant as to intend by such a Conversing that those Saints that shall remain alive till Christ comes should continue in a mortal State during the thousand Years But you further tell us That when Christ comes he must have all the Saints come with him who are raised c. You did very well to put in these words who are raised c. for who think you will oppose you here I say again certainly none will be so weak as to affirm that any of these shall be left behind But shall there be no other Men left behind is now the Question for satisfaction read Matth. 24.40 41. Luke 17.34 35 36. Zech. 14.16 Again Though all those that died and shall be found in the Faith when Christ comes shall be raised and changed yet this follows not that there shall be none converted at and after his Coming who will not then viz. at that instant be changed with whom those glorified Ones many converse But you come after with this Reason which you think cuts off all viz. Because Christ shall come in flaming Fire against them that know him not nor obey his Gospel the Day of Grace being then over and none to be converted after that Answer First take notice that although he shall come in flaming Fire c. yet the Holy Scripture no where tells you That all Men that are upon the Earth the glorified Saints here excepted shall be burnt up Neither doth it any where tell you that the Day of Grace shall be so over as that there shall be no Day of Grace to any after that time nor that none shall be converted at or after the coming of Christ neither is any thing like it in all the Book of God but the contrary And whereas you hint at the Parable of the Virgins Matth. 25. as a Ground for this your Conception pray consider these were not only Persons that had the Day of Grace before allowed them to whom the Gospel was preached but were Members of the Church of Christ and therefore no marvel that it will be too late for such to get Oil in the Vessel when Christ comes But what 's this to the purpose respecting others not in that Capacity but under other Circumstances But now to your 3d Absurdity Abs That whereas Christ saith The last Enemy is Death Here the raised Saints after Death are to meet with another Enemy viz. the Gog-Magog Army Answer What though the Apostle Paul which I suppose you mean tells us The last Enemy is Death 1 Cor. 15. yet he doth not there tell you this Enemy of Christ shall be destroyed at the very instant when the Saints that died before Christ's Coming shall be raised Neither is it any where else so written but the contrary Read the 24th and 25th Verses from whence it is evident that this Enemy Death shall not be destroyed till the end of Christ's Reign And 't is as plain Rev. 20. that the Gog-Magog Army shall make that Attempt and be destroyed immediately before the last Resurrection or Destruction of Death True it is the Saints before-mentioned shall through Christ get the Victory over Death before so did our Lord at his Resurrection But I presume you will not say he did then destroy Death for Victory and Destruction are two things Thus I have shewed that this Opinion you contend against infers no such Absurdities I come now to your 10th Argument This cannot be the Corporal Resurrection because it is said expresly That during this thousand Years c. the Saints shall build plant marry and give in Marriage enjoy the Works of their Hands be liable to Death c. Which is utterly inconsistent with the Resurrection-State Luke 20.34 35. Answer Here you reason fallaciously for you cannot but know the word Saints is an ambiguous word and ought not to be disputed from unless explained for though our Lord tells us the Children of the Resurrection shall not marry viz. when raised yet he no where tells us that Saints shall not marry in the thousand Years viz. fuch as are in a mortal State Thus this Argument falls to the ground like its Fellows Therefore lastly It will follow that if it be neither the Corporal Spiritual nor Eternal Life that is here meant to the which the Saints are raised then must it be the Mystical or Civil Life c. Answer This last is built upon all the rest especially as it respects the Corporal Resurrection To which there needs no other Answer but this viz. If there be no weight in them then this must needs be too light also and that they are so let the Arguments and Answers be compared and I leave it to every unbiassed and impartial Reader to judg As for those five Arguments in your large Sheet or any elsewhere in the Book they are either the very same with some of these sixteen that I have answered or else comprehended in them and therefore I suppose need no particular Answer I shall therefore proceed to the second Author to answer his Arguments or Demonstrations as he calls them which are in number six A Brief ANSWER to Six Demonstrations as the Author calls them laid down by T. M. in his Treatise of The New Heavens and New Earth pag. 8. to evince this for a Truth That the thousand Years Reign of the Saints with Christ will be before and so without his Personal Presence on Earth Or before the Second Coming of Christ as Title-page Demonst THE thousand Years is set forth in Scripture and so generally understood to be a time of Peace Plenty Liberty and Rejoicing of the whole Earth But when Christ comes in Person it produces an universal Destruction and Astonishment to the World Rev. 6.15 Every Bondman and every Free-man crying to the Rocks c. so Rev. 1.7 Matth. 24.30 Answer This Demonstration is fallacious in that it unites where it should divide and is true in one sense and false in another As to your first Proposition of this Demonstration If by time of Peace c. you mean only and altogether without any War or Destruction as that 's your Meaning or else you give away the Cause And by the whole Earth you intend every Man upon the face of the Earth all the time of the thousand Years then I deny this Proposition and tell you That the Scripture no where sets out the thousand Years to be such a Time neither is it generally so understood as you affirm nay so far from being generally so understood that I know of none at all that understand it so Doth not your self hold that there shall be War in the thousand Years and therefore you frequently call the first part of that time The smiting part as may be seen in the first Author's large Sheet and frequently in his Book But now to your second Proposition of this Demonstration If by universal Destruction and Astonishment to the whole World you mean every Person in the World