bot his subjectes ar not all yet called which forme is alyk with this Ferdinand shall not be Emperour till all his subjectes be borne and be victorious wher as some of his subjectes ar coming dayly into the world and it may be moe of them ar dayly departing This is a ridiculous reasoun and so is the other 2. Nether does that prayer of the saintes mak mention of his earthly kingdome bot of subduing or revenging their enemies which shal be without an earthly Monarchie towit by punishing them in hell 3. That text Rev. 11.15 speakes not of a proper kingdom of Christ and farlesse of an earthly kingdome bot of the kingdome of our Lord and his Christ if it had been sayd Of our Lord and Christ or of our Lord Christ if micht be thought to be the proper kingdome of Christ which he as man governes or shall governe bot when it is sayd Of our Lord and of his Christ we see a distinction of persones and unitie of power And therfor it is clear that the text Revel 2.26 is impertinently cited for proof of that thing which is not and is imagined to be on earth wheras that power is in heaven Inst 2. The lyke encouragement he gave also to his disciples before his passion Yee ar they sayd he who have continowed with mee in my tentationes therfor I appointe unto yow a kingdome c. Luk 22.28 Ans It micht been more for his purpose to have conceiled this text which makes the 12 tribes of Israel the persones judged and all the textes quoted on the margine speak of the kingdom of God excep that of Luk 24.42,43 wher is mention of no kingdome but of eating and drinking after Christs resurrection and if that be the kingdome wherof our Saviour speakes c. 22.29 that kingdom is come alreadie Inst 3. I know those wordes ar taken by interpreters for a metaphoricall expression of those joyes which he shall receive in heaven bot it is a current axiome in our schooles Non esse à litera seu propria Scriptura siguificatione recedendum nisi aliqua necessitas cogat Scripturae veritas in ipsa litera periclitari videtur Ans It may be douted whither this Authour hes been bred in schooles or what he calleth our schooles seing he so abuseth rhetorical termes as literal sense for proper sense metaphorical sense contradistinguished to figurative sense and keepes no logical canones in his arguing and I think he did never learne such interpretation of Scripture in any approved schoole As for this rule he may see pattly by that is sayd and shall see more heerafter that these wordes can not be understood of an earthly kingdome nether doe these forecited Scriptures compell us as he boldly sayth to stick unto the earthly senfe of this text in hand Inst 4. For besides that ther is litle analogie and resemblance betwixt a perpetual praysing and worshipping God and the businesse of a politike governement here spoken of besides this I say we ar alreadie informed that though out Saviour be now in heaven yet he sites not there on his own throne and consequently is not yet in the kingdome which the Father hes appointed him Ans What impudence is here doeth not David say Psal 16.11 In thy presence is the fulnesse of joy at thy richt hand ar pleasures for evermore and Psal 17.15 I shal be satisfyed when I awake with thy lyknesse and Psal 36.8 they shal be aboundantly satisfyed with the fulnesse of thy house and thow shall make them drink of the river of thy pleasures These and many moe ar spoken of the joyes in heaven by resemblance with earthly kingdomes And we have alreadie shewed that he hes been misinformed or misinformeth of another throne and another kingdome Inst. 5. It is plaine from S. Paul 1 Cor. 15.22 that it shall not bee there after the judgement of the dead his wordes ar these as in Adam all die even so in Christ shall all be made alive bot everie man in his order Christ the first frutes afterwards they that ar Christs at his coming And on the margine he addeth They that ar Christs If ther wer not to be some distance of time betwixt the resurrection of these and other men it had been as casie for the Apostle to have sayd They that ar dead or all that ar in the grave Ans 1. Whither the Apostle micht have sayd so or so can any man gather necessarily out of these wordes so great a distance of time betwixt the resurrection of the godly and of the ungodly Here the Apostle nameth the godly not the ungodly not importing any notable distance of time but because he had sayd v. 22. In Christ all shal be made alive which wordes can not be properly and univocally meaned of the ungodly whose rising shal be for the accōplishment of their second death therfor here v. 23 he justly omittes the mention of the ungodly and speakes of the godly as also he does 1 Thess 4.16.17 wher we find expressely an order among the godly saying The dead in Christ shal ryse first then we who ar alive and remaine shal be caught up together with them in the cloudes to meet the Lord in the aire The Apostle in both textes speakes of the same coming of Christ as this Authour acknowledges applieth the wordes to the same purpose p. 50 as none will say that ther shal be any notable prioritie in tyme twixt the one and the other sorte meeting Christ so and far lesse doe these wordes speaking only of them that ar in Christ importe two resurrectiones different the one from the other the space of 1000 yeers Yea and the Apostle saying that we shal be caught up and meet the Lord in the aire and so shal be ever with him how can any imagine that we shal come doun again from the aire to abide so long a space on the earth and therfor he speakes there of the general resurrection when they who ar in Christ shal be ever with him not in a temporal but everlasting glorie And seing the Apostie speakes both there and heer of the same resurrection certanly he speakes not here of a resurtection before that time of the general judgement 2. page 49 after the wordes of Paul at his coming Mr Matoun inserteth and not the Martyres only Why inserteth he these wordes doeth any who denyeth this earthly monarchie say that the Martyres and no moe shall come with Christ no but some Millenaries say so here he wold marke a word aganst them Be it so 3 he wresteth the wordes thus Then comes the end what presently after his coming no bot when he hath delivered up the kingdome to God even the Father when shal that bee when he shall have put doun all rule and authoritie and power c. Here in stead of explication is a verie contradiction of the texte by inserting a negative and conueying it closely with a
querie the particle Then hes a relation to the wordes preceding and the word Comes is not in the original as yee may see by the diverse characters in the translation and it may alsweel be rendered Then or at that tyme is the end when he shall have delivered up c. so that the verie tyme when he shall deliver the kingdome is when they who ar Christs shall rise at his coming and therfor ther shal be no notable distance of time twixt the resurrection and the general judgement and consequently these wordes of Paul doe clearly prove that the reigne of Christ as God-man doeth not beginne after his nixt coming nor can without contradiction unto the Apostle any notable space of time be betwixt his nixt coming and the last subduing of all thinges The 25 verse proveth the same for when it is sayd For he must reigne till he hes put all his enemies under his feet therby is teached more clearly in the original language that now he reigueth and continewes reigning and consequently he is not to beginne his reigne even as it is sayd Heb. 2.8 Thou hast put all thing under his feet and when they who ar in Christ shal be made alive death the last enemie shal be destroyed and then is the end of administration Inst 6. Betwixt the time that now is and his kingdome our Saviour hes put an irreconciliable distinction calling this the tyme not of a kingdome bot of tentation that is of persecution for richteousnesse Ans What God by his word and experience hes conjoined let no man call irreconciliable for he sayth Psa 110.2 reigne thow in the midst of thy enemies and Rom. 8.37 in all these thinges that is in the midst of our sufferinges we ar more than conqueroures So that when the enemies doe rage and persecute even then doeth Christ reigne and the godly ar kinges or if there be any title more transcendent Inst 7. And shall not their bodies asweell reigne with Christ as their soules bot these we knowe ar and shal be yet captives to the grave Ans When Christ shall come the last enemie shal be destroyed and the bodies and not the soules which die not shal be made alive and both shal be with him for ever Inst 8. Ar the saintes that shal be found alive at Christs coming exemted from his coming for if he should reigne then and then give up his kingdome to his Father they ar exempted Ans He is king till then and governeth all who ar and shal be and when he shall come they who shal be found alive shal be caught up to meet him And because the clearing of this point may serve for clearing the whol mater I adde by way of explication As the sin of Adam wes committed aganst God the Father and his revolting or apostasie wes a diminution of the Fathers kingdome so the bringing of the faithfull into his obedience is the rendring of that kingdome It is true the offence wes aganst the Sone and H. Spirit bot the work of creation being the work of the Father in a special manner as it is intimate in the Creede the sin wes directly aganst the first persone When obedience wes not given the Father micht have execute his justice on the offendres as he did on the Angeles Now as when a part of an earthly kingdome rebelleth aganst the king directly and indirectly aganst his sone as a friend and heir of his fathers croon the sone may undertake to regaine the rebelles unto his father and the father may be wee l pleased to committe unto his sone that parte of the kingdome for that effect with full power which the sone acceptes and reigneth and prevailes powerfully so that albeit the archtraitour ganestand in malice to the honour of the king and his sone yet many of the rebelles ar reconciled with the king who by this meanes regaineth his king dome So the Sone of God hes undertaken for so many as it pleased him and beseeches men to be reconciled with the king of heaven and earth shewing that he hes appeased the Fathers wrath and hes power to receive into and exclude from the kingdome of heaven which power he hes received of the Father and he shewes that ther is a tyme determined fot receiving men into grace again so that if that time shall expire ther is no more grace to be she wed unto any Satan envyeth the glorie of God and mans reconciliation and therfor opposeth by deceiving some and vexing others who hearken unto the word of reconciliation neverthelesse Christ prevaileth by his preaching so that a great many repente and crave mercie and others not when the determined time comes these who have been received into mercie ar presented unto God the Father and as if they had not rebelled he acceptes them into his kingdome when the Sone sayth Here I am and these whom I have brought into acknowledge ment of their offenses I have satisfyed Justice for them Thou O Father hast thy own subjectes and let them have the kingdome prepared for them The Father will not say Thy reward is not in heaven bot on earth therfor let them goe again unto the earth and inherite glorie there for 1000 yeers Bot receives them into the inheritance reserved for them in the heavens Pag. 50. Of this kingdome also speakes Sa. Peter Act. 3.19.20.21 Wher if by the time of refreshing and restitution of all thing nought els be meaned bot the Iewes inhabiting again of their own land and the bringing of all other nationes into subjection to them then it is evident that Christs coming at this time shal be to accomplish this thing to Israel and consequently to receive his appointed kingdome bot that these wordes can have no other meaning a small acquaintance with the Prophetes will informe yow who as they speak of nothing more so they have nothing which can be applied to our Saviours second coming as a confortable effect so generally foreshewne but this Ans I am sure No man can imagine that these wordes in themselves importe that our Saviour shall reigne among the Iewes as an earthly monarch which is the pointe pag. 45 and therfor this if by the time c. is as if one wold say If I be a king I am a king 2. that the Prophetes have another meaning may be seen by all the Interpreters and partly by that is sayd here 3. it is a wonder if any Iew will say that the Prophetes speak of nothing more for if his meaning be They speak not more of any other thing it is question able seing ther is much spoken of Gods preceptes Bot if he doe meane as it seemes that they speak not of any other thing that can be applied unto our Saviours coming I will cite one Prophet for all Daniel 12.1.2 wher is mention of the great Prince of great trouble even to the time of deliverance and then awaking of some not for a space of
kingdome from the time and conditione of the kingdomes of this world at the setting up of whose kingdome ther shal be such an alteration c. Ans Our Saviour distinguishes not betwixt the time of his and other kingdomes for he sayth in the same verse My kingdome is not from hence that is my kingdome is at hand as he sayd unto his disciples Mat. 15.28 Verily I say unto you ther be some standing here who shal not taste of death till they have seene the Sone of man come in his kingdome that is reigning powerfully by the preaching of the gospell and Mat. 24.14 this Gospell of the kingdome shal be preached in all the world for a witnes unto all nationes and then shall the end come There is his kingdome before the end of this world and now is the time of his reigne albeit no humane policie be the paterne therof 2. if he had sayd to that purpose as the Millenaries say that in tyme of his kingdome being so nigh the kingdome of the Romanes should be no kingdome they micht hade more pretext of lawe for condemning him wherfor he distinguishes the condition of the kingdomes and not the time of them so that Caesar micht been Emperour and Christ a michtly king both at once Non eripit mortalia qui regna dat coelestia Pag. 65. And to all such places that mention only the dissolution of the elementes and the last judgement I answer that these ar but a parte of these thinges which shal be done by Christ at his nixt appearing and that as other Scriptures shew that he must reigne on earth and what shal be done at the beginning of his reigne so these shew only what shal be left undone till the close of his kingdome when he shall deliver it up Ans This shift will not serve their turne for the Scriptures teach us that at Christs coming shal be the end and he shall deliver up his kingdome 1 Cor. 15.23.24 2. that he shall come in a time when men look not for him and all shall rise again both godly and ungodly and then is the shutting of heaven as the parable of the ten Virgines teaches Mat. 25. 3. that wher he is the faithfull then shall be with him Ioh. 14.3 4. that the heavens must conteen him till the time of the restitution of all thinges which God hes spoken by the mouth of all his Prophets since the world began But the Prophetes have foretold the last judgement and that he shall convince all the ungodly Jude v. 14.19 therfor he shall not returne till that tyme. And that is most plaine Psalm 110.1 Site at my richt hand till I make thy enemies thy footstoole That sitting at Gods richt hand is his reigning and it is not sayd His enemies shal be subdued and then he shall reigne but he shall reigne till then so that he reigneth conquering and he conquereth reigning 5. that his kingdom is an heavenly kingdome 2 Timot 4.12 and the reward of the godly is in heaven Mat. 5.10.11 as our Saviour spoke of it and never of an earthly kingdom unlesse by way of aversation Who made me a Judge sayth he Luk 12.14 and the godly have prayed and wished to be with him in the heavens and never prayed to reigne in his earthly kingdome 2 Corint 5.1.6 Phil. 1.3 6. that God hes raised up Christ from the dead and set him at his richt hand in the heavens far above all principalitie and power and everie name that is named not only in this world but also in that which is to come and hes put all thing under his feet and gave him to be the head over all thinges Whence it is manifest that seing our Saviour governeth his Church and all spirites ar subject to him which autoritie is given unto him and so as God-man his kingdome is not to begin as yet 7. that when Christ shall deseend from heaven with a shoute and voice of the Archangel with the trumpet of God the dead in Christ shall rise first and they who ar alive and remaine shal be caught up together with them in the cloudes to meet the Lord in the aire and so shal be ever with the Lord 1 Thess 4. Here he is speaking of the same resurrection wherof he speakes 1 Corint 15 as appeares by the 52 verse and here he shewes the rising of the dead and change of the living to be together and that they both together shall meet the Lord and be ever with him And that the saintes being raised shall not abide on earth to reigne with the Iewes in earthly pleasures it is manifest because the Apostles teaches us 1 Corint 15.42 they shall rise in incorruption v. 43. in glorie and in power v. 44 in spiritual bodies and when Christ shall appear we shall appeare with him in glorie Col. 3.4 but it is certaine that incorruptible glorious powerfull spiritual bodies can not live a natural lyf Nether can the faith of Christianes that Christ is come alreadie stand with that imagination of Iewes Chiliastes seing Iacob sayd The Scepter shal not depart from Iudah till Shiloh come and unto him shall the gathering of the people bec This place can not be understood of the departing of the scepter for a time as it wes in the captivitie of Babylon which because it wes but for a short tyme and the Scepter wes restored agine it wes not thought to be the accōplishment of the prophecie but nou seing the scepter is departed and the nations have been gathered unto Christ who should dout of the accomplishment therof and so that scepter can not be restored unto the Jewes 2 The Apostle sayth 1 Thess 2.6 wrath is come upon the Iewes to the uttermost This is not understood of spiritual wrath seing as yet the Lord hes mercie upon them as the Apostle witnesseth Rom. 11.5.28 and therfor it must be understood of temporal wrath and consequently a temporal kingdome shall not be restored unto them Lykwyse the estate of the Church is descrived such that the godly shal be mixed which the ungodly even till Christ come and gather the tares from the wheat to be burned Mat 13.39 All these and lyk passages the Millenaries willingly passe over Pag. 66 In my conceit Saint Peter in the verie nixt verse does intimate as much for having before used the word day he warneth them not to be ignorant of this one thing that one day is with the Lord as a thousand yeers and 1000 yeers as one day as if he had told them that the day he speakes of wes indeed a 1000 yeers And indeed to what purpose had this sudden and serious advertisement been inferred if the Apostle had not heerby discovered unto them besids the largest definite and limited acception of the word such a spiritual relation of 1000 yeers to one day as could not belong to any other number Ans Whatsoever be your conceit you may see that
of the same kingdome howbeit in extent and largenesse it did most floorish and appear since the incarnation in which respect it is sayd to begin at or after his incarnation 5 The promise made to Abraham Gen 13.16 I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth and c. 15.5 look towards heaven and tell the starres if thou be able to number them and so shall thy seed be These promises I say ar not to be understood of the children of Abraham according to the flesh bot as they ar exponed Rom. 4.15 not of that only which is of the lawe bot of them who ar of the faith of Abraham which is the father of us all as it is written I have made thee a father of many nationes and Gal. 3.28 ther is nether Iewe nor Griek nether bonde nor free nether male nor female for yee ar all one in Christ lesus and if ye be Christs then ar yee Abraham's seed and heires according to the promise And therfor the promises made unto the children of Abraham Isaak and Iacob ar not to be restricted unto the Iewes according to the flesh as the Iewes and Millenaries expone all these promises bot of the faithfull And hither belongeth that distinction of the Iewes Rom. 2.28 he is not a Iewe who is one outwardly neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh bot he is a Iewe who is one in wardly and circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit And of such inwardly Iews must the promises be understood at least in part that mak mention of Iudah And therfor it is a great mistaking of the prophecies if we shall still make an opposition twixt Iewes and gentiles believing gentiles ar true Iewes as we see they ar called in the New Testament and unbelieving Iewes ar gentiles and so ar called Isa 1.4 and elswher 6 All the prophecies cannot be understood of the church on earth only For of both togeder or partly of the one and partly of the other and partly of both and so prudence must be hade in the application of the promises Yea and ther is a gradual performance of them and the accomplishment of them is in serveral pointes of time so much as shall give content to Gods children yet alwayes leading to a further and further performance As for exemple God shewed mercie to these Israelites when they wer in captivitie he brought them home again they wer a poor and afflicted people and wer much bettered by their bondage ther wes a degrie of performance Ther was another degrie in Christs tyme when he joyned the gentiles to them and both made one church Bot when it is sayd The remnant shall doe none iniquitie and a deceitfull toung shall not be found in their mouth Zeph. 3.13 These promises shall have their tyme when the people shal be more thorowly purged and certainly the full accomplishment shal be at the day of judgement and so long as we ar in this lyf we ar under an imperfecte and unperformed estate 7 Here that general rule is also to be remembred When the wordes of Scripture being properly taken teach any thing contrarie to the analogie of faith or honestie of maners or any thing frivolous that belongeth nothing to godlynesse or dissonant from the scope of the text or contrarie unto other clear textes of the same purpose these wordes must be exponed figuratively and a figurative sense is the literal or primarily intended sense of these wordes And contrarily unto this rule the Iewes and others expone the descriptiones prophecies of the glorie and power of Christ and his church after an earthly maner and so straying from the true meaning they transforme his spiritual kingdome into an earthly and temporarie which as it is ungodly so it is repugnant unto Scripture testifying plainly that his church is all glorious within and not of this world and therfor these comparisones that ar taken from earthly kingdomes must be understood figuratively and in a spiritual sense at least it must be diligently observed what portion of everie passage is to be understood properly and what figuratively seing many tymes that which is spoken figuratively is exponed by the wordes preceding or following and all figurative speaches have some tokens of the use unto which they ar directed or another text may be found wher the same mater is more clearly handled These general rules being premitted it shal be the easier to expone all the promises of Christs king some and especially that text Amo. 9.15 They shall no more be pulled out of their land which I have given them sayth the Lord thy God For these wordes may be cleared by the wordes of Iere. 4.1 If thow will put away thy abominationes out of my sicht then thow shall not remove Wher we have the same promise bot expressed with a condition and it is usual in the Scriptures that earthly promises ar expressed somtyme with a condition and somtymes without it bot alwayes ar understood conditionally 2 by the acceptiones of the word land which as it is not alwayes exponed of the earth so somtymes it is put for the grave as Iob 10.21 the land of darknesse and shadow of death and for the heaven Ps 27.13 I had fainted unles I had believed to see the Lord in the land of the living And especially that land wes a type of the kingdome of Christ as is sayd in the first rule and of the true inheritance of the saintes and true gift of God Deut. 4.1.38 And so whither the word land be taken properly or typically the promise is manifestly true both before and after the coming of Christ to suffer for they wer brought againe into their land and they who wer brought wer not pulled out of their land and they ar planted in their true land whence they shall no more be pulled out and heerby the large note on the margine of page 9 is frustrated Pag. 9. The nixt propheeie shal be that of Ioel 2.28.31 and 2.14.15 Ans The Apostle Peter not only makes use of these wordes bot expones them and shewes the accomplishment of them in some degrie as it is sayd in the sixte rule before for Act. 2.16 he sayth This is that which wes spoken by the prophet Ioel And it shall come to passe in the last dayes c. And v. 22. Yee men of Israel hear these wordes Iesus of Nazareth a man approved of God among yow by miracles wonders and signes which God did by him in the midst of yow as yee yourselves knowe Inst 1. I am not ignorant that the darkning of the Sun and Moone is sometimes taken allegoricalley and by way of allusion bot that therfor it should be so understood heer it does not follow for what it is figuratively applied it signifieth the judgement it self bot wher it is literally used it is put only for a signe of an eminent destruction which shall suddenly follow it as the great
that shall rise to reigne over the gentiles in him shall the gentiles trust Now wheras the Apostle expones his people to be the gentiles may they not be ashamed who will understand only the Iewes So that there is meaned the recoverie of Gods people or the gentiles from Assyria Egypt or whersoever they be Obi. It is sayd he shall assemble the outcastes of Israel and the dispersed of Iudah Ans The Gospell which is Christs standerd hes been preached unto them Iam. 1.1 and so their assembling is into the bosome of the Church Obi. 2. It is sayd The envy of Ephraim shall depart and the adversaries of Iudah shal be cutt off c. Ans The meaning is Wheras ther had been contentiones twixt the tribes one against another and both against the gentiles and gentiles against them both under Christ shal be an end of that malice 2 In the citation of this prophecie the fourteenth verse is omitted because they can not see how it can be verifyed of the peaceable kingdome which they imagine bot seing the wordes preceding and the wordes following conteene one and the same prophecie and these wordes in the midle part can not be exponed of that monarchie it is evident that no part of this prophecie can be understood of that monarchie bot the meaning is plaine if they be exponed of the Christian Church thus The Apostles did flee that is quickly preach unto other nationes and brought them in a short space unto the obedience of Christ not going in troupes from Province to Province bot at the same tyme they went one by one into several nationes 3. This verse being omitted the fifteenth verse is quoted and out of it they doe imagine that a way shal be made for the Iewes thorow the Sea and all floodes shal be dried up before them Bot if these wordes shal be exponed properly what kynd of miracle shall that bee shall the Jewes who ar scattered into all the corners of the earth have a drie passage thorow everie river and the Egyptian or Read Sea be destroyed Or is it not rather in a spiritual sense that the Lord will remove all impedimentes which may hinder the course of the gospell and he hes opened a way into that kingdome of heaven from which we wer exiled in Adam and spiritual Pharao is drowned or destroyed in the Read Sea or bloodie death of Christ and by a michtie wind of preaching the Lord hes made his power knowen everie wher even al 's sensibly as when he brought Israel out of Egypt Pag. 16 Such another prophecie is that of Ezek. 37.19.21 and 27 and Hos 1 10.11 In both which prophecies he Lord hes promised that the Iewes shall again live under one king only as they had done before the division of the tribes and that in their own land too which hes not been yet performed and therfor the tyme of these prophecies is yet to come Ans The lyke prophecie is lykwise exponed bot for further clearing of these ladde That of Ezek. 37 is exponed by Christ Ioh. 10.14.16 I am the good sheepherd and know my sheep and other sheep I have which ar not of this fold them also I must bring and they shall hear my voice and ther shal be one fold and one sheepherd Wher we see that Christ is the sheepherd and by consequence the king too unlesse they will understand the 24 v. of Ezek. 37 of two different persones and the people over whom he reigneth ar his sheep not only of the Iewes bot of another fold whom Christ bringeth into the same fold that is into the same Church 2 the same wordes speaking of Christ and calling him David and king and sheepherd shew that they must be spiritually understood 3 the 25 verse may be more easily understood in the spiritual then earthly sense to wit the land that I have given unto Iacob and they shall dwell therin for ever and my servant shal be their Prince for ever for that land wes not given unto Iacob nether doe the Millenaries say that the Iewes shall dwell for ever in Ierusalem bot for a 1000 yeers and then Christs kingdome shall cease Bot expone that one word land typically for the thing typifyed therby and all the other wordes goe currently even to the end of the chapter as we see the Apostle expones the 27 verse of the Corinthianes as a parte of these people 2 Cor. 6.16 Now seing certainly Christ is the king and sheepherd and the people ar the Iewes and gentiles who wer strangely divided bot now ar one Church by faith in Christ therfor the people of Israel and Ephraim who after the division wer alwyse idolatrous may wee l be exponed typically for the gentiles and so the union is easily understood which otherwyse verie hardly or scarcely can be conceived seing now throgh many ages Ephraimites ar not knowen in any part of the earth As for that text of Hosee it is exponed of the gentiles Rom. 9.25.26 and therfor the Prophet changeth the word Israel into Iezreel that is the seed of God signifying that the tyme wherin the Lord shall gather his seed or the faithfull in all nationes from the bondage of the devill shal be verie great and wonderfull unto all the world Pag. 17 Thogh this of Hosea be understood by some expositoures of the vocation of the gentiles yet doutles they ar much mistaken in this exposition Ans This is a quarel against the Apostle and now let all the world judge whither he or the Millenaries being contrarie shal be followed especially seing now we have found that our Saviour exponing the former prophecie of Ezekiel and the Apostle exponing this lyk prophecie of Hosee doe accorde harmoniously Inst How can that belong unto the gentiles which wes prophecied only of the Iewes as is declared by the prophets wife of whoredomes which he took of purpose to upbrayd the idole worship and spirituall whoredomes of the Israelites v. 2 and therfor when she conceived and bare him the second Sone God sayd Call his name Loammi for yee ar not my people and I will not be your God Ans It wes not prophecied of the Jewes only for it is plaine that Hosee speakes of the Israelites alsweell as of the Jewes and generally the Apostle speakes Rom. 10.12 ther is no difference between the Iew and the Greek for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him So that albeit the prophet wes sent personally unto the Israelites yet his wordes wer no lesse true and meaned of the gentiles who then wer not the people of God bot now throgh Christ ar the people of God for whosoever shall call upon the name of God shal be saved Inst 2 the place wher they wer told so wes their own land and therfor in that place it shal be sayd again unto them Yee ar the sones of the living God v. 10. Ans 1. wher it is sayd v.
never be taken away seing the church on earth is alwayes a mixte companie yet certanly it is taken away from the Iewes and all the nationes towit so many of them as turne unto the Lord which ar so many as the starres of heaven that is innumerable to men for the grace of God that bringes salvation hes appeared unto all men Tit. 2,11 and God who hes commanded the licht to shine out of darknesse â—ath shined in our hearts to give the licht of the knowledge of the glorie of God in the face of Iesus Christ So writes a Iew unto the gentiles 2. Cor 4.6 Inst. 4. I know no reason why we should give more credite to the metaphorical interpretation of these prophecies than to the figurative exposition which some presume to put upon these wordes Zach. 12.10 although S. Iohn c. 19.37 hes alleged them as the only cause that our Saviours side wes peirced of which fact doutlesse ther had been no necessitie if the prophecie wer not to be understood in a literal sense c. Ans 1. He useth here Rhetorical termes but certanly it can not be conceived by his wordes whither he takes them properly or improperly bot we give no other interpretation of the prophecies than be literal that is chiefly intended as he confesseth pag. 37.2 The Euangelist shewes that prophecie of Zacharie to be properly fulfilled in that parte that the sides of our Saviour wer peirced and no interpreter sayth that the rest of that prophecie wes fulfilled at that instant but we may justly think that many of them who consented unto his death did mourne for that their fault seing our Saviour prayed unto his Father to forgive them Luk. 23.34 and the same Euangelist beareth witnes that they who had crucified him wer at the preaching of Peter pricked in their heartes Act. 2.23.37 Wherby we conceive that that prophecie wes not fulfilled in the disciples nether in respect of the peircing his sides nor of looking to him at that time for they all fled away excep Iohn but in the Iewes who indeed by wicked handes did crucifie him and looked upon him and afterwards did mourne for him as one who mourneth for his only sone and the mourning wes great when 3000 wer together pricked in their hearts Now consider whither this exposition be more consonante unto these wordes of the Prophet or that other werby it is alledged that all the Iewes who did not see him peirced shall after so many hunder yeers mourne for their fathers cruel and malicious contriuance the former is fulfilled in the same persones within the space of seven or eicht weekes and the other is not of the same persones nether within the space of 1600 yeers if at any tyme it shal be verified Inst 5. It is sayd there They shall mourne everie familie a part and their wyfes apart Ans It is sayd v. 11. ther shal be a great mourning in Ierusalem and v. 12 and the land shall mourne everie familie apart c. wherby is intimated a distinction of the mourning in respect of place and as thy did mourne at Ierusalem publikly so we may easily conceive that these who had resorted at these publik feastes unto Ierusalem did lykwyse mourne apart after their returning and wer not contented with one dayes mourning all factes that ar verie credible ar not written And therfor as this prophecie doeth concerne the Iewes bot not only seing even the gentiles may be sayd to have peirced his sides by their sines meritoriously and to look on him by faith and mourne for their guiltynesse c. and chiefly the persones that crucified their Saviour So doutlesse it is great impudence to affirme that the same Prophet c. 14.5 9 verses sayth Christ shall descend unto the Iewes to restore their kingdome for ther is not one word of restoring nor of the Iewes kingdome in these two verses Pag. 40. And this much of the felicitie of that remnant of the nationes who shall out live the rest at the Iewes returne now a word or two of the alteration of the sensitive and senselesse creatures at that time Esa 11.6 the Wolve shall dwell with the Lambe c. â— 65 the Wolve and the Lambe shall feed together c. Wher we may observe aganst such as understand by these expressiones the effectes of preaching on the heartes of cruel mynded men that they ar a part of these prophecies which concerne the Iewish deliverance and therfor can have no relation to the calling of the gentiles Ans As we have nothing as yet of the felicitie of the nationes at that imagined time so these ensuing prophecies make nothing to that purpose for in Esa 11.10 immediatly after the forecited wordes it is sayd In that day ther shal be a root of Iesse which shall stand up for an ensigne of the people to it shall the gentiles seek c. Marke 1 he sayth In that day so he conioyneth the preceding and following thinges in to the same time 2. he speakes expressely of the calling of the gentiles as it is also cited Rom. 15.12 3. in the wordes preceding v. 1. he speakes of the first coming of Christ a rod shall come furth out of the stemme of Jesse and a branche shall grow out of his rooles 4. in the wordes following that testimonie he speakes of the calling of the Iewes and gentiles together as wes exponed before And therfor this Prophecie concerneth not the Jewish Monarchie and these wordes may be better exponed allegorically than properly Inst. Is ther no destruction in all the Christian world that we should flatter our selves with such vaine fancies or rather when wes their none c. Ans Albeit this Author will not give glorie unto God in fulfilling his promises yet we see that others at not so ingrate as Act. 9.31 then hade the Churches rest throghout all Iudea and Galile and Samaâ—…a and in other tymes we find that the Christianes hade their halcyonian dayes twixt these ten great persecutiones and afterwards in the dayes of Christian Emperoures and godly Kinges 2. Nether doe the Prophetes or Revelation speaking of these tymes say Ther shall never be hurt nor shall ever man destroy ane another bot rather the propertie of the Church in this world is to be militante and nevertheles Wolves and Lyones forsake their cruelty in the persone of many convertes And therfor these hyperbolical complaintes micht wee l been spared 3. It does puzle the Authour that Esaie sayth c. 11.9 For the earth shal be full of the knowledge of the Lord and therfor he fancieth a private conceit for exponing these wordes of which he gives no reasoun bot we have given sufficient reasounes for the allegoricall interpretation which is confirmed by these wordes towit that the aboundance of the knowledge of the Lord is the cause why wicked men leave their wickednesse and adjoyne themselves unto the meek of the earth as our Saviour sayth Mat. 10.16 I send
time bot to everlasting lyfe and of others at the same time unto shame and everlasting contempt And is not this a more confortable effect forshewn generally unto everie one that shal be found written in the book Now the cause why the Prophetes write so much of Ierusalem and that kingdome to be restored wes that the godly hearing of the destruction of that kingdome did greatly fear that that communwealth should never be restored wherin Christ our Saviour wes to be borne and performe the work of redemption we may justly think that their fear wes not so much the wante of bodily libertie as the not coming of our Saviour and therfor the Prophetes insist much upon that pointe for the confort of the godly that howsoever that kingdome shal be ruined yet it shal be restored and all nationes shall by the preaching of Jewes come into the obedience of Christ and so receive lawes from the Jewes as being captives unto them whose captives they micht be for a time Bot to imagine that the faithfull did expect and the Prophetes did speak of no other thing bot this earthly Monarchie is too grosse and directly contradicting the Apostles bearing another testimonie of them Hebr. 11.16 they desire a better countrey that is heaven and 1 Pet. 1.9.10 receiving the end of your faith even the salvation of your soules of which salvation the Prophetes have enquired and searched diligently who prophecied of the grace that should come unto yow c. Pag. eadem And here vve may call to minde our Saviours vvordes to Iames and Iohn vvhon they requeste that one micht site on his richt hand c. Ans We may call to minde too his wordes Yee knowe not what yee ask Math. 20.22 and the wordes of the Euangelist vers 24. when the ten heard it they were moved with indignation against the Brethren VVhich wordes shevv that howbeit Christ had spoken of his Kingdome yet at that tyme James and Iohn wer both ignoraut and ambitious Inst Bot his wordes following doe intimate that his kingdome is to be held on earth wher only this may be fulfilled for in heaven it can not be done unlesse we will grant that other men shal be as highly e xalted as our Saviour is Ans 1. Albeit never one shall site on his richt hand nor his left yet nothing in these wordes is for this purpose seing he sayth not there that any shall site bot only To site on my richt hand is not myne to give 2. Mat. 19.28 he speakes of sitting on the throne of his glorie which must be in heaven seing he speakes absolutely his glorie and his glorie is greater in heaven than can be on an earthly throne and he sayth unto his disciples When he shall site on that throne yee who have followed mee in the regeneration shall site upon 12 thrones And may not some of these thrones be on his richt hand and some on his left hand I enquire not now what these thrones may bee bot there yee see multitude of thrones in glorie as kinges in their State may have thrones for their greatell Peeres Inst 2. To site on a throne is to site at the richt of God which is a prerogative peculiar to the Sone alone which the chiefest of the angeles never enjoyed for to which of the angels sayd he at any tyme Site on my richt hand Ans Christ sitting on a throne sites on the richt hand of God bot to speak absolutely To site on a throne in heaven is not to sire on the richt hand of God no more than any Prince is advanced to the richt hand of a king albeit he site on a throne and inferiour to the king and his eldest sone Pag. 51. The Apostles wordes 2 Tim. 4.1 may not be forgotten I charge thee before God and the Lord Iesus Christ who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdome Why should Christs appearing and kingdome be joyned together yea why should his kingdome be added as the end of his appearing unlesse both wer to contemporale unlesse his kingdome wer to beginne at his appearing and not before it Ans The mentioning of these two together and in that order doeth no more importe such a beginning than the end of glorie is the beginning of vertue because the Apostle sayth in the same order he hes called us unto glorie and vertue 2 Pet. 1.3 howbeit glorie be named before vertue glorie is after vertue Pag. ead And in my seeming that prophetical image Dan. 2.31 which representeth both the orderly succession and diverse condition of all the then following kingdomes of this world unto the kingdome of Christ shadowed there unto us by the stone that wes cut out without handes doeth give good licht unto this of Saint Paul for in what maner these kingdomes have succeeded each other in lyk maner is the kingdome of Christ to succeed them as appeares by the same phrase of speach which is attributed as well to the setting up of this kingdome as to any of them towit that it shall break in peeces and consume all these kingdomes Ans In the seeming of many milliones that image doeth not signifie a temporal monarchie of the Iewes which is the point in hand and the seeming of so many contrarie to the seeming of one micht satisfy for all that lohg discourse following nevertheles I adde albeit these four kingdomes did succed one another yet the kingdome of Christ did not succeed or wes the last of them or after them in time for it is written v. 41 In the dayes of these kinges not after them shall the God of heaven set up a kingdome which shall never be destroyed and it shall break in pieces the iron the brasse the clay silver and the gold It shall break the silver and the gold then it shal be before the brasse and the irone And of what king can that be understood but of Christ who sayth Esa 10.12 I will punish the stoute heart of the king of Assyria and c. 37.29 because thy rage against mee I will put my hook in thy nose c. 2. Wheras it is alledged that the 35 verse does fully declare that succession in time and place certanly the 35 verse is not contrarie to the 44 verse which shewes plainly that this kingdome shal be in the dayes of these kinges and breake them in peeces and therfor these wordes Shall break them in peeces signify a conquest by power but nether by succession in tyme nor by force of armes Inst The falling of the stone upon the feet of the image upon the last and divided kingdomes of the irone empire does probably implie no lesse Ans The dream implyeth nothing contrarie to the exposition and therfor leave probabilities that ar contrarie to certanties Inst 2. If the kingdome of God there spoken of wer to be understood of a kingdome which should be so set up in the dayes of these kinges then doutlesse it
should be represented by some part of the image it self and not by a thing so different from it and adverse unto it Ans 1. Then teach God how he should revele his will 2. it is reveled in expresse wordes v. 44. 3. ther wes reasoun to expresse it by a different thing because the four wer of one qualitie and this wes of another qualitie My kingdome sayth he is not of this world Joh. 18 36 it is more wonderfull more powerfull and more general than any of them and all the kinges who will not serve this king shall perish he shall break them with a rode of irone Ps 149.8 he shall strike them thorow in his wrath Psal 110.5 and bind them with chaines and their nobles with fetters of iron Ps 149.8 Inst 3. And that noucht els is meaned by the world to come Heb. 2.5 bot the kingdome of our Saviour it is evident by the authoritie there alledged out of Ps 8. Ans None denieth it Inst 4. If ther be yet a world which is yet to be put in subjection unto Christ as man then it must be a distinct world from that in which as man he shall give up the kingdome to his Father Ans The kingdome or the world wherof the Apostle speakes there wes then to come not in respect of Christ but of the Apostle for he meaneth the kingdome of heaven as appeares by these wordes wherof we speak which have relation of the wordes preceding v. 3 If wee neglect so great saluation Where he opponeth the euangelical promises unto the typical promises these wes an earthly Canaan and this is heaven Christ at the time of writing this epistle wes in possession of it and the Apostle did then hope for the house not made with handes eternal in heaven 2 Cor. 5.1 and therfor that world is not a distinct world but even the same in which as Mediatour he shal give up the kingdome to the Father Inst 5. That which is given up is alreadie past Ans That which shal be given is not past as yet nether shall it be given up altogether but in some maner as the Millenaries acknowledge it shal be at the end of their 1000 yeers Inst 6. It is no wher sayd that the new Ierusalem the citie of eternall glorie shal be subject to Christ as a creature but that he as a creature shall after the judgement of the dead be there subject to the Father Ans He as God-man sayth Mat. 28. To mee is given all power in heaven and on earth And thus all the consequences for proving the earthly monarchie of the Iewes ar naught Pag. 45. Yow shall hear it directly and expressely affirmed Luk. 1.31.32.33 Ier. 23,5.6 Zach. 6.12.13 Ezek. 34.22.23.24 and c. 37.24.25 Esa 9.6.7 and c. 52.13.14.15 Mic. 4.6.7 Ps 72.6.7.8.9.10.11 and 102.13.14.15.16 Now that these prophecies concerne the reigne of Christ alone I think no man douteth and that they ar alreadie fulfilled it can not be proved Ans These textes may prove some thing against your fellow Mr. Archer who thinkes that Christ after he hes put the Iewes in possession of their Monarchie shal ascend again into the heavens Iewes in the mean tyme shall reigne till his thrid coming But they prove nothing aganst us who hold that Christ reigneth on the true throne of David Inst. Nether did Christ at his first coming site on Davids throne nor any other of Davids Image for the scepter wes departed Ans He fittes on the richt hand of the throne of Majestie in heaven Heb. 8.1 which wes typified by the throne of David Inst 2. Nether wer Iudah and Israel then in the land together Ans Ther is neither Iew nor Griek nether bond nor fre nether male nor female but we ar all one in Christ Iesus and if ye be Christs then aryee Abrahamis seed heires according to the promise Gal. 3.28 Inst 3. Nether wes the temple then destroyed bot afterwards Ans Christ sayd destroy this temple and in thrie dayes I will raise it up again Then sayd the Iews Fourty six yeers wes this temple in building and will thou reare it up again in thrie dayes but he spak of the temple of his bodie sayth the Euang. Ioh. 2.19 So the true temple is Christs bodie which the Iewes destroyed and he raised it up again and in this sense the disciples did believe the Scriptures after the resurrection of Christ v. 22. And therfor the things spoken in these Scriptures ar accomplished at his first coming not only in heaven bot on earth according to the different portiones therof In heaven and on earth I say and in true Ierusalem and on the true throne of David for his feet stood in that day towit when he went to receive the fuller accomplishment of his kingdome on the mount of Olives which is by Ierusalem on the east from which also he ascended and the mount of Olives hes been cloven in the midst therof toward the east and toward the west when not only the members of the church but all the world wes shaken at the powerfull preaching of the gospell even more gloriously than at the giving of the lawe Heb. 12.26 so that nothing could hinder the course therof and the Iews have fled to that valey of the mountaines when they did embrace the gospell which is lowe in worldly mens estimation and of high esteeme before God and the valey of the mountaines hes reached unto Azal for the preaching of the gospell hes been an excellent stone-mark shewing the richt way as it is exponed 1 Sam. 20.19 on the margine of the late translatione to the kingdom of heaven yea they have fled lyk as they did flee from before the earthquake in the dayes of Vzzia king of Iudah towit they have been astonished at the wonderfulnesse of Gods workes and the Lord hes come and so furth as it followes in Zach. 14. wher he shewes the perpetual licht of the glorious gospell v. 6.7 and the continowall flowing of wholsome waters in the kingdom of Christ v. 9.8 and the removing of all impedimentes for the securitie of the electes conversion and salvation v. 10.11 Yow see here that our Saviour came not only to conquer death which is the last enemie that he shall destroy and therfor not to be destroyed till the last resurrection bot also to tak the kingdomes of the world unto himself and hes made them all acknowledge his authoritie and hes put down all contrarie power and authoritie for all nationes have praysed Christ and given laude unto him Rom. 14.9.10.11 that ther is one sheepherd and one sheepfold that the dominiones kingdomes and greatnesse of the kingdomes under the whol heaven have been possessed by the people and saintes of the most high that is as the gospell hes exponed it by the faithfull Israel Rom. 14.12 howbeit all hes not been possessed at the same periode of tyme. Pag. 58. This as I think is the tyme of
which he spak these Wordes Verily I say unto yow Heerafter shall yow see the heavens open and the angels ascending and descending upon the Sone of man Ans That these wordes shal be fulfilled or have been fulfilled it is most certane and it is al 's certane that they shall never be fulfilled in the proper acceptation of the words seing the bodie of Christ is not so tale as that it shal reach from heaven to earth for this cause some as Cyrill on this place have exponed unto for upon in this sense as if the heavens wer open the angels shall come doun and ascend unto my service so doeth Chrysostome apply these wordes to the angels ministring unto Christ in tyme of his passion and resurrection Others think it to be an exposition of that vision of Iacob Gen. 28 wherby wes signifyed that Christ is the Mediatour making way twixt heaven and earth Col. 1.20 and these expositiones for the mater doe aggrie with other Scriptures Inst That this may be fulfilled it is requisite that he be on earth whither these messingers may descend unto him and from whence again they may ascend Which argues too his continowance heer for a greater space of tyme than the judgement of the dead requires Ans A poor proof for as it is requisite that he be on earth whither that these messingers may descend unto him so I may say it is requisite that he be in heaven whence they may descend on him and whither they may ascend to him and so taking the wordes in that sense they may be fulfilled albeit he never wer on earth even as they may be fulfilled when he is on earth and not in heaven but according to the first exposition he wes on earth when they wer fulfilled farlesse is his continowance on earth necessarie for these wordes Pag. ead Although it be sayd that Christ shall reigne over the house of Iacob for ever and that of his kingdome shal be no end yet it is not meaned that he shall alwayes reigne as man or that the earthly Ierusalem the place of his throne as man shall alwayes stand Ans They will change the signification of the wordes when they please and so far as it makes for their purpose and no more but when they shall prove by Scripture that the earthly Ierusalem shal be the place of Christs throne we may aggrie on the exposition of the words for ever and shal be no end and till that be shewen I omitte further enquirie of them but as yet we have seen nether necessarie consequence nor evident expression for it Followes another point that the restauration of Ierusalem and resurrection shall concurre Pag. 6. Yow see that when our Saviour comes to reigne over all the earth he comes not alone bot bringes all the saintes with him Ans Wee see nether that he shall come to reigne after that maner over all the earth nether that he shall bring all his saintes with him and for this last point he alledges no text of Scripture but will have it to be taken on his bare word which we refuse to doe Wee read that when he shall come to judge he shall bring all the holy angels with him Mat. 25.31 and all nationes shal be gathered before him and that he shall send his angels to gather the elect from the four windes but that they shal come with him into an earthly monarchie we find no wher And nevertheles as if it wer unquestionable he addeth Which wordes as they doe establiso the lideral sense of the first resurrection mentionet Rev. 20 so they make the kingdome of Israel and the 1000 yeers reigne of the saintes to Synchronize and meet together for why shall the samtes come with him but because they have a share in this kingdome and ar to be his assistentes in it as he told his Disciples Ans The first resurrection of bodies importeth a second resurrection and so eiher these who ryse shall die again and rise again at the second resurrection or they who shall rise at the first shall not die at all and others shall rise again at the second resurrection This Authour makes it no wher manifest which of these two he holdeth and Mr. Archer holdeth the first opinion but neither of them hes any warrant from Scripture and the testimonies that ar cited here on the margine shew that ther shall not be such a resurrection of the richteous for it is sayd Luk. 20.35 they who shal be accounted worthy to obtain that world and the resurrection from the dead nether marrie nor ar given in marriage nether can they die any more for they ar equal unto the Angels being the children of the resurrection If they can die no more and be equal unto the Angels then they shall not rise at a second resurrection nether shall bey live an earthly lyf which in the best degrie is inferiour unto the lyf of the Angels Ioh. 6,39 This is the Fathers will that of all that he hes given mee I should lose nothing but should raise it up at the last day and v. 44. No man can come unto mee excep the Father who hes sent mee draw him and I will raise him at the last day If the last day be the day of the generall judgement as certainly it is even supponing the temporal Monarchie for 1000 yeers and the elect shal not be raised til the last day as these wordes imply then ther shall not be a first second resurrection unles the second resurrection be after the last day and consequently ther not being a resurrection of the children of God till the last day the first resurrection mentioned Rev. 20 can not be understood of the bodies but rather a rising from sin wherof mention is made Eph. 5.14 and Col. 3.1 He cites also Phil. 3.11 If by any meanes I micht attain unto the resurrection of the dead These wordes name the dead generally and make nothing for a first and second resurrection bot v. 20 it is sayd Our conversation or freedome is in heaven whence also we look for the Saviour who shall change our vile bodie that it may be lyke unto his glorious bodie If the freedome POLITTVMA of the godly be in heaven then they expect not a Monarchie on earth and if the bodies shal be lyke unto his glorious bodie they shall not live an earthly lyf nor die again He quoteth 1 Thess 3.13 and c. 4.14 c. but the first hes nothing of a second resurrection and c. 4.14 sayth Wee shal be ever with the Lord towit in another maner than nou nou by grace and then in glorie If we shal be ever with the Lord then we shall not die again and rise again unlesse the Lord die too which I think they will not say Lastly he cites Ezek. 37,12,13 which wordes certanly ar allegoricall and shew the returne of the Jewes from their captivitie not withstanding the extremitie of their miserie and
after these wordes he takes occasion to speak of the spiritual kingdom of the Church as is sayd before but nether first nor last speakes the Prophet of a first and second resurrection at or about the last day And so in all these testimonies nothing is to this purpose of the concurring of the Jewish Monarchie with the first resurrection Inst The elders Rev. 5.10 sayd in the hearing of Saint Iohn Thou cast made us unto God kinges and priestes and we shall reigne ou earth And on the margine he cites Rom. 4.13 Luk. 19.17,19 Ans That these wordes Rev. 5.10 signifie the honour and priviledges of the godly on earth it is out of dout bot the question is whither Iohn sawe these elders in heaven and whither they shall come from the heaven to the earth again or whither Iohn signifyeth by them the godly on earth If these wordes make any thing for this purpose these elders wer in heaven but all the Interpreters even the Authour of Commentat Apocalypt pag. 8. expone them to be the godly on earth The wordes Rom. 4.13 ar The promise that he should be the heir of the world wes not to Abraham and to his seed throgh the lawe but throgh the richteousnesse of faith Certanly albeit the land of Canaan wes promised to Abraham and his seed yet he never having possession of that land and his seed or the faithfull ar more properly called the heires of eternal lyf Tit. 3.7 and heires of that kingdome which he hes promised unto them that love him Jam. 2.5 and heires of God and joint-heires with Christ Rom. 8.17 which kingdome wes typified by Canaan and of this promise without dout speakes Paul there The wordes of Luk 19.17.19 ar a part of a parable and we knowe that everie part of parables is not argumentative These textes then serve nothing for this Monarchie On the margine is cited also a testimonie of Windelin bot we regard not the testimonie of parties in their own cause and far lesse doe we regard the consequences of that testimonie wherwith the nixt page is filled and with that question of the essential or accidental change of the elementes seing for one we may bring 5000 testimonies in this purpose Pag. 62. This will appear to a diligent ey out of the controversed place Rev. 20. for besides that the opposition betwixt the first and the second resurrection doeth impose the same sense on both besides this I say the vision represented not unto Saint Iohn perfect men at the first that is men that should be beheaded for the witnesse of Iesus bot soules only and that as of men alreadie beheaded which manifestly shewes that the resurrection after mentioned did follow their death and not goe before it Ans This forme of discoursing shewes manifestly that the Authour is a strange wrangler for 1. ther is no more opposition nor aggriement twixt the first and the second resurrection than is twixt the first and the second death but none will say that the first and second deathes ar in alyke sort bodily and therfor ther is no necessitie to expone the first and second resurrectiones in the same sense 2. what perfection of witt is it to imagine that men who shal be beheaded for the witnesse of Iesus ar more perfyte than the soules of them that ar beheaded 3. if by these soules he understandes the spiritual part of men ere they wer made perfyte then he must understand the soules ether before they entred into the bodies or after they entred the bodies before their regeneration but both these conditiones ar before the first resurrection 4. if the first resurrection be their forsaking of Antichristian erroures or as it is sayd there their not worshipping the beast and their not receiving the beasts marke as all Interpretors excep Millenaries expone it then the first resurrection followes not their death bot goes before it Inst It is sayd that they lived and reigned with Christ 1000 yeers bot how can it be that they should reigne after their resurrection or begin their resurrection all at once or continow it but 1000 yeers which thinges these wordes imply if by their resurrection should be understood their regeneration and by their reigne their being in heaven or if by the word they lived should be meaned only They wer converted how can they reigne so long as 1000 yeers seing the place of their reigne must be on earth Ans If by their living and resurrection be meaned their constant profession as is sayd and by their reigne their prevailing over these heresies all these mistes ar soon scattered towit they reigne before their death and not after their resurrection they began their reigne not all at once but in their severall ages even as the Millenaries doe imagine that the saintes in that conceited monarchie shall not live all at once but in their several ages die again and succeed one age to another for the space of 1000 yeers and so they reigne not everie one throghout the 1000 yeers and so long space have ever some opposed the erroures of the beast and they reigning on earth have been encompast with warre again as it wes foretold and Ecclesiastical Histories declare Inst 2. The reigne of Christ doeth not beginne till Antichrist is destroyed so that a metaphoricall interpretation of the first resurrection wold make good this conclusion that most of the saintes shall rise many 100 yeers before their reigne ther being no lesse distance of time betwixt the houre of their calling and Antichrists confusion Ans I have before made it clear that Christs kingdome is alreadie begun for he reigneth in the midst of his enemies not only by his power overruling disappointing and turning all their plotes upon their own pates but also in conforting the heartes of the godly so that they ar a terrour to the whol earth even to their enemies who ar many tymes more afrayed at the prayers of the godly than at the cannones of other enemies and subdue the spirites of the world and bind kinges in chaines stronger than iron And therfor that assertion falleth The reigne of Christ beginneth not till Antichrist be destroyed and that absurditie following that assertion is falsely imputed unto that interpretation Inst 3. The assumption he wold say assertion but it is marked before the Authour is not a Logician is grounded on Rev. 11.15 which shewes that till the time of the sevent trumpet with the beginning wherof the last vial does concurre the kingdomes of this world doe not become the kingdomes of our Lord and of his Christ Ans The wordes ar The kingdomes of the world ar become the kingdomes of our Lord and of his Christ Here it is not sayd Our Lord and his Christ shall not reigne till this time bot this is all that the wordes importe Now is no kingdome but our Lord's and his Christ's And if it be objected It is no wher sayd so of Christ's reigne till this tyme
Maton proveth in his treatise of Gog and Magog pag. 49 95. and I have schewed before that the sixt vial mentioned Revelat 16.12.13.14 is the same with the sixt trumpet yea and Clavis Apocalyp in par 1. synchro 7. makes it to concurre with the destruction of the beast and Babylon which shal be before the Monarchie of the Jewes as all the Millenaries hold and therfor in this point M. Maton is contrarie to hiâ—self and to Clavis Apocalyp alsweel as unto Christiâ—…es who denie that Monarchie of the Jewes Wherby it iâ—â—anifest that what he speakes here without reasoun must 〈◊〉 wrong and amended by these reasounes which he hath lo. cit and consequently that great batle shal be foughten not after but before the Jewes shall reigne if ever they shall reigne in that maner Pag. 68. This conjecture Esaie c. 27.12.13 does confirme sufficiently for the great sound of the trumpet before spoken of in Saint Math. as a warning for the gathering together of the elect is there sayd to be a warning also of the Iewes returne The wordes ar these It shall come to passe in that day that the Lord shall beat off from the chanel of the river unto the streame of Egypt c. Ans If this be a conjecture how is it sufficiently confirmed by the Prophet or if it be sufficiently confirmed why is it called a conjecture A conjecture it is and hes no warrant from the Prophet for the Prophet and the Euangelist ar not speaking of the same purpose the Prophet is speaking particularly of the Iewes deliverance out of Assyria and Egypt and of the trumpet that did sound at the proclamation of Cyrus for their returne which wes past before the dayes of the Euangelist And neverthelesse our Authour concludeth triumphantly saying and thus being thorowly satisfied by this cloude of witnesses the double jurie of Prophetes and Apostles c. Ans If yow be thorowly satisfied why have yow so oft used the wordes of probabilitie conjectures my conceit it may be thus or thus these wordes smell not of satisfaction nor of that certane knowledge and steadfastnesse which is required 2 Pet. 4.17 As for that double jurie it may evidently appeare that both Prophetes and Apostles ar contrarie to such fansies It may be the Vses of this doctrine ac commendable yes if wrong premisses be powerfull to persuade Neverthelesse heare all Pag. 69. First to praise God for his abundant mercie who throgh the fall of the Iewes hath brought salvation unto us gentiles that together with them we may partake of the roote and fatnesse of their olive tree Ans Whither is it more to the prayse of Gods mercie and bountifulnesse that the godly shall come againe from the heavens to abide so long on earth or to abide in that glorie of heaven for ever and ever certanly the gift of the greater and interrupted glorie deserveth the greater praise and whil they wer on earth they professed themselves to be strangers from home and Pilgrimes on their journie towards their home Heb. 11.13 and shall they come as Pilgrimes again Vse 2. to bewarre of unbelieff which wes the cause that the Iewes wer broken off from their olive and if God spared not the naturall branches much lesse will he spare us if c. Ans It is greater unbelieff to despise the reveled trueth of God than to despise the fancies of men as this monarchie is proved to be Vse 3. not to contemne or revile the Iewes a fault too commune in the Christian world c. Ans Whither serveth more for to move us to love the Iewes to knowe that the Iewes and gentiles ar one in Christ whensoever they shalt e converted or to think that the Jewes shall not be converted till Christ come again and then they shal be Lordes over the gentiles 1000 yeers The former doctrine presently throweth doun the partition-wall and this opinion still holdeth it up at least for 1000 yeers Vse 4. and lastly earnestly to beseech God that he would speedily putte into execution the meanes which he hes appointed for their conversion c. Ans Whither can these more confidently beseech God for the conversion of the Iewes who think that the Iewes may dayly be converted or these who think that they shall not be converted till the coming of Christ the former sort may be confident to be heard dayly which these others can not And moreover the former sorte seeth as the Fathers did see Heb. 11.13 everlasting glorie presently at hand and therupon they doe minde and seek heavenly thinges as they ar commanded Col. 3.1.2 and the other sort ar out of hope of glorie in heaven at least yet for the space of 1000 yeers and they set their affectiones on the thinges on earth Yea and it gives encouragement unto the wicked that they shall not be judged nor their bodies tormented these 1000 yeers to come yet and on the other side the fear of imminent judgement and punishment is a more powerfull motive to departe from iniquitie For which cause the Lord wold not give unto men the knowledge of that tyme but will have us to be alwayes preparing and waiting for that coming to judgement Wherfor we pray unto our Lord Iesus who even now is king of kinges and reigneth in the midst of his enemies and is offended at the foolish conceites of unstable heartes That he wold make his power manifest by confirming them whom he hes called and gifted with the knowledge of his eternal gospell and by reducing all his elect both Iewes and gentiles who goe astray and that he wold now even now give us heavenly heartes and tie us all together in the acknowledgement and obedience of his truth To the praise of his name and our spiritual conforte both now and evermore Come Lord Iesu and charge our vile bodies that they may be tyke unto thy glorious bodie according to thy working wherby thow art able even to subdue all thinges unto Thy self Textes of Scripture cleared Act. 1,6 p. 2. Luk 21,28 p. 4. Mich. 5.1.23 pag. 5. Amo. 9,8,9,10,11 p. 7 and 28. Ps 46,45 48,1,2 87,1.23 p. 8 Gen. 13.16 15,5 pa. 9. Zeph. 3,13 pa. 10. Ioel 2,28,31 3,14 pa. 11 c. 2,3 pa. 13. Esa 11,11,12-p 17 v. 6 9. p. 34 c. 66,8 p. 29 c. 35,10 p. 36 c. 14.2 p. 39 c. 27,13 p. 68 Ezek. 37,19,21 pa. 19. Hos 1,10,11 p. 20 and c. 3.4 pag. 22. Jer. 33,12,13 p. 26. Act. 15,14 pag. 26. Rom. 11,32 pag. 30. Zech. 12,10 p. 32 c. 14,4 p. 51. Rev. 3,21 p. 39 40. Heb. 2,8 p. 39 v. 5 p. 50. 1 Cor. 15,22 pag. 42. Dan. 2,31,35 p. 49. Ioh. 1,51 p. 52 c. 18,36 p. 61. Gen. 49,10 pag. 63. 2 Pet. 3,8 pag. 64. Good Reader Excuse the escapes in printing the Printer understandes not this language and if thou willest correcte these Pag. 2. lin 17 after quere adde Act. 1.6 lin 23. read sertiones pa. 4. l. 8. r. paraphrase pa. 5. li. 3. r. al 's l. 6. r. miraculous pa. 5 li. 24. for 13 read 1,3 pa. 10 unto li. 2. adde nether of the church in heaven only p. 11 li. 30 after and for 2 read 3. p. 14 l. 6 read mentioned p. 17. l. 3 after saintes adde shal be pa. 21 li. 12 read elswher pa. 34 li 29 read rootes p. 35 li. ult read foreward p. 38 li. 4 for 13 read 2 p. 39 l. 22. read differred p. 40 l. 1 after is adde not p. 4 l. 10 read reasoun l. 22 for if read it p. 51 l. 3 for 45 read 54. p. 54 l. 1 for 6 read 60. pag. 61 li. 19 for me hopelsy read I hope pag. 62 li. 11 read michty