the children of Israel here comprehending all such Israelites as were then departed or should afterwards depart in the true faith of Christ before the casting off of that Nation before the giving of it up to a generall captivity and infidelity and the receiving of the Gentiles in their stead and the remnant of his brethren comprehending all the faithfull Israelites whose conversion is presently to follow the accomplisht conversion of the substituted Gentiles And besides seeing the Babylonish captivity whither the Jews were carried away captives for their idolatry is foretold in the 4. Ch at the 9. and 10. ver why should we think that here again the same captivity is threatned and not rather as some Expositors say their captivity by the Romans for crucifying their Sâ— ioâ—r with the story of whose vile usage amongst the nâ—tâ— words of the Prophet do so punctually agree For the â—hall smite the Juâ—â—e of Israel with a â—od upon the cheek saith Mâ—â—h v. 1 And whâ—â— tâ—ey had blindfolded him they stroke him on the face and asked him saying prophesie who is it that smâ—te thee saith Luke 22. v. 64. which words you have craftily conceal'd and the words of St. Paul also Rom. 11. v. 25. alledged to shew that by She which travaileth is meant the calling of the substituted Gentiles And yet for all this as if all were plain on your side and nothing so on ours you can boldly conclude therefore this Exposition not agreeing with the text all that follows upon it hath no ground in the text Of which now the matter hath been pleaded on by both let the indifferent judge Israel's Redemption And this the next verse doth confirm which tels us that at the time of this return He that is the Judge of Israel before spoken of that he I say shall stand and feed or rule in the strength of the Lord in the Majestie of the Name of the Lord his God and they that is the Jews shall abide for now that is at this coming of our Saviour be shall be not as when he took our nature upon him of no form a Isa 53.2 3. nor comlinesse a man despised and rejected of men a man of sorrows and acquainted with griefs but he shal be b Zech. 9.10 Psal 72.8 great unto the ends of the earth that is over all the world untill he and his shall at the last judgement exchange the earthly Jerusalem the Throne c Jer. 3.17 Ch. 14.21 of his Kingdom which is to be d Jer. 31.38 built again by men for that e Rev. 21. empireall Jerusalem not made with hands eternall in the heavens Mr. Petrie's Answer 1. He is the ruler of Israel mentioned ver 2. and not the Judge mentioned v. 1.2 They are not the Jews but rather the brethren of whose return he spake in the words immediately preceding 3. Now signifieth not the time of Christ's second coming but the time of the abiding or of the Christians constant persevering in the faith And in this sense is our Saviour great over all the world seeing all the Centiles praise him and all people do land him as it is written Rom. 13.10 11. But at his second coming men shall not build a throne to him but he shall judge the quick and the dead 2 Tim. 4.1 Reply 1. He is both the Ruler mention'd in the 2. vers and the Judge mention'd in the 1. ver and therefore call'd the Judge of Israel and not of Judah or Jerusalem because Israel comprehends all the Tribes which in the time of our Saviour's reign are again to be reunited As Isaiah Jeremiah and Ezekiel do shew 2. They are the Jews and so are the remnant of his brethren whose return is mention'd in the words immediately foregoing For the beleeving Gentiles can neither be said to return to the faith which the Nations of whom they came never had Nor in respect of their faith to the Israelites to whom they had before no relation And their abiding is meant of the place where they should dwell from whence they should be no more remov'd as in former times and not of the perseverance of faith in any from which no true beleever hath ever been remov'd 3. Now is apply'd here to the time in which Christ shall be great unto the ends of the earth that is both known fear'd and obey'd over all the earth and so signifieth the time after his second coming and not the time that now is in which he is acknowledged but of a few Nations and amongst them too fear'd and obey'd by a very small company And yet you can tell us without blushing that he is already great over all the world seeing all the Gentiles praise him and all people do land him What Turks Arabians Chinois and heathens of America I pray apply the Scriptures more pertinently For St. Paul did not alledge those prophecies touching the Gentiles Ch. 15. v. 10 11. to shew that all Gentiles did praise God when he wrote that Epistle or that they should do so at any time before Christ should come to reign over both Jews and Gentiles too but to shew that God had as well appointed Christ to be a Saviour to the Gentiles as to the Jews that so he might move them both to agree the better together and to bear with the infirmities of each other and to receive one another as Christ had received them to the glory of God in suffering for both and in sending the Gospel to be preacht indifferently to both And whereas you say that at Christs second coming men shall not build a Throne to him but he shall judge the quick and the dead I say that as well the first as the last must be done And for the building of Jerusalem see Jer. 31. v. 38. c. and Ezek. 48. v. 15.30 c. and Zech. 14. v. 10 11. and then hear also what Jer. hath said Ch. 3. v. 17. At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the Lord and all the Nations shall be gathered unto it to the Name of the Lord to Jerusalem neither shall they walke any more after the imagination of their evil heart c. and therefore surely more must be done by Christ at his second comming then you meane by the judging of the quicke and the dead Israel's Redemption Another prophecy much like unto this is that of Amos in his 9. chap. at the 8. verse Behold the eyes of the Lord God are upon the sinfull Kingdom and I will destroy it from off the face of the earth saving that I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob saith the Lord. For loe I will command and I will fift the house of Israel among all Nations like as corne is sifted with a seive yet shall not the least graine fall upon the earth And at the 11. verse In that day will I raise up the Tabernacle of David that is fallen and close up the breaches thereof and
I will raise up his ruines as in the dayes of old that they may possesse the remnant of Edom and of all the heathen that are called by my Name saith the Lord that doth this I will bring againe the captivity of my people Israel and they shall build the waste cities and inhabit them and they shall plant vineyards and drinke the wine thereof they shall also make gardens and eate the fruit of them and I will plant them upon their land and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them saith the Lord God Now although this prophecy tooke no effect on the ten Tribes at their transplantation began by p 1 Chro. 5.6 2 King 15.29 ch 16.9 Tiglah Pileser King of Assyria and ended by q 2. King 17.5.6.24 ch 18.58 Shalmaneser his successour who also brought up strange Nations and placed them in their stead which people were from Samaria the ancient metropolis of that Province called r Ioh. 4.9 Samaritans yet who is able to maintaine that it was fulfilled on the other two for not the house of Joseph nor the house of Judah onely but the house of Jacob wholly is here spoken of And why else is the Tabernacle of David afterwards exprest as a prime agent in the restauration if it were not before included as a succeeding patient in the dispersion of Israel who then I say is able to maintaine that this prophecy was fulfill'd on Judah and Benjamin untill their overthrow by the Roman Emperour Vespasian ever since which time they also remaine forsaken scattered and despised captives yea who dares affirme it when God hath said that at their returne from this universal captivity he will so plant them in their land that they shall no * The usual answer of a conditionall promise will take no hâ—ld on this or the like places of Scripture For as God hath he past his word that he will no more pull them up out of their land so in the 32. chap. of Ier. at the 39 ver and 50. chap. at the 20. ver in the 36. of Ezek. at the 27. ver in the 37. chap. at the 23. ver in the 39. chap. at the 7. ver and in the 3. chap. of Zeph. at the 13. ver all which prophecies doe in the times of their fulfilling concurre with this he hath likewise promised To give them one way and one heart that they may feare him for ever Never to turne away from them to doe them good but to put his feare into their hearts that they shall not depart from him That the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for and there shall be none and the sinnes of Iudah and they shall not be found That he will put his spirit within them and cause them to wâ—lke in his statutes and to keepe his judgements and doe them That they shall defile themselves no more with their idoles nor with their detestable things nor with any of their transgâ—essions That he will make his holy Name known in the midst of his people Israel and will not let them pollute his holy Name any more And that the remnant of Israel shall not doe iniquity nor speake lie neither shall a deceitfull tongue be found in their mouth And therefore God having thus equally ingaged himselfe as well to keepe the Iewes from sin as to free them from bondage it is as impossible that the accomplishment of this prophecy should be frustrated and the fruition of these blessings forfeited for want of obedience as that God should either forger or not regard or be unable to fulfill his word and consequently the appointed time for the finishing of such prophecies is yet to be expected more be pulled up out of it which yet should not be true if it had been spoken of any deliverance before our Saviours comming to suffer Mr. Petrie's Answer It is a like ground for such a Kingdom 1. How can it be denied that the house of Judah was destroyd when their Kings and people were caried out of the land 2. How can the Tabernacle of David be called a prime agent in the restauration it is said I will raise up the Tabernacle of David and not the Tabernacle of David shall raise up it is a patient and not an agent And none denieth that it is included in the dispersion of Israel and therefore that part of the prophecy was fulfilled even before the overthrow by the Roman Emperour and so before that overthrow was restored againe and afterwards also were they scattered But that promise of restauration is not of the house of Judah but of the people of Israel verse 14. and who these be wee have a sufficient interpreter Act. 15.16 where the Apostle Iames expones these words of the enlarging Chrisi's Kingdom by the calling of the Gentiles which was begun at that time by the preaching of the Apostle and Ro. Stephanus in his notes on this text of Amos saith Almost all the Hebrews doe consent That this is meant of the time of Messias and especially of the calling of the Gentiles and by bodily houses and benefits the Prophet understands spirituall and these who are begotten unto this lively hope are kept most safely through faith unto salvation 1 Pet. 1.5 so that the gates of Hell shall not Prevaile against them Mat. 16.18 Whereas it is asked who dares affirme it Zacharias hath not spared to affirme it Luke 1.68 saying Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for he hath visited and redeemed his people and hath raised up an horne of salvation in the house of David his servant as he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets c. Dare any Millenarian contradict this testimony Reply 1 This prophecy of Amos speakes of a deliverance of the Jews out of a captivity after which they should no more be pulled up out of their land And therefore cannot be meant of the returne of Judah and Benjamin from Babylon since which they have fallen into a greater captivity then that was but of their returne from the captivity they are now in This you saw to be the necessary consequence of the proper sense of the prophecy and therefore you wrest that part of it which concernes the deliverance of the Jewes to another meaning But first you cavill and aske how it can be denied that the house of Judah was destroied when their Kings and people were carried out of their land Surely that they were in a sad condition it cannot be denied but that they were destroyed it may for how else could they have return'd yet this thing too Haman sought to bring to passe on the Jewes in his time and you know how well he and his adherents sped in the device But what of all this who denies that they were carried captives into Babylon I say onely that this prophecy was not fulfill d in Judah's captivity there but in their captivity under the Romans and that because the
Redemption The next prophecy shall be that of Joel who mentions the very signes which our Saviour said should be the immediate fore-runners of the Jewes Redemption And it shall come to passe afterwards saith he in his 2. chap. at the 28 ver that I will powre out my spirit upon all flesh and your sinnes and your daughters shall prophecy your old men shall dreame dreames and your young men shall see visions and also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those dayes will I powre out my spirit and I will shew wonders in the Heavens and in the earth blood and fire and pillars of smoake the Å¿ Isa 24. v. 23. Mat. 24. v. 29. Rev. 6. v. 12. Sun shall be turned into darkenesse and the Moone into blood before the * Great not onely in regard of the strangenesse and dreadfulnes of events of things then to come to passe but great also in regard of the long continuance and tract of time which God in his revelations hereafter to be fulfild doth by the word Day as well without this epither as with it frequently import great and terrible t Ezek. 39.8 Mal. 4.5 Iude 6. Rev. 16.14 Day of the Lord come And it shall come to passe that whosoever shall call on the Name of the Lord shall be delivered for in Mount Zion and in Hierusalem shall be deliverance as the Lord hath said and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call And in the 3. chap. at the 1. ver Behold in those daies and in that time when I shall bring againe the captivity of Judah and Hierusalem I will also gather all Nations and will bring them downe into the valley of Jehosaphat which in the 14. verse is called the valley of decision and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel whom they have scattered among the Nations and parted my Land And at the 15. verse againe The Sun and the Moone shall be darkened and the starres shall withdraw their shining the Lord also shall roare out of Zion and utter his voyce from Jerusalem and the u Isa 2.19 c. Ezek. 38.19.20 Hag 2.22 Mat. 24.29 Rev. 16.18 ch 6.13.14 Heavens and the earth shall shake but the Lord will be the hope of his people and the strength of the children of Israel Mr. Petrie's Answer The Apostle Peter not onely makes use of these words but expones them and shewes the accomplishment of them in some degree as it is said in the sixth rule before for Act. 2.16 he saith This is that which was spoken by the Prophet Ioel And it shall come to passe in the last daies c. And verse 22. Ye men of Israel heare these words Jesus of Nazareth a man approved of God among you by miracles wonders and signes which God did by him in the midst of you as ye your selves know Reply The Apostle repeats but expounds not the Prophets words and consequently shewes not the accomplishment of ought that the Prophet affirms shall be done All that he shewes is this That the thing which then happened to the Apostles was the worke of the same spirit which Joel spake of but he saith not that it was the same worke The same spirit indeed was then powred out but it was not the same powring out of the spirit And for want of distinguishing betwixt the effusion of the same spirit and the same effusion of the spirit you affirme that those things which the Prophet saies the spirit shall doe not long before the Lord's second comming were then done at his first comming And the reason you bring from St. Peters words Act. 2. verse 22. to shew that the prophecy of Joel was then fulfild in part is a very strange one For the Prophet shewes what others shall doe through the extraordinary inspiration of the Spirit before the Day of the Lord comes and the words you have alledg'd doe shew what works Christ himselfe did when he was come Israel's Redemption I am not ignorant that the darkening of the Sun and Moone is sometimes taken allegorically and by way of allusion but that therefore it should be so understood here it doth not follow for where it is figuratively applyed it signifies the judgement it selfe which is to befall those people of whom it is spoken but where it is literally used it is put onely for a signe of an eminent destruction which shall suddenly follow it as the great and terrible Day of the Lord shall doe at the accomplishment of this prophecy Mr. Petrie's Answer Where the darkenesse of the Sun and so it may be understood of the Moone is used properly it is not put onely for a signe of an eminent and imminent destruction as it is manifest Luke 23.45 which was a Testimony from Heaven of Christ's innocency for conviction of the murtherers and chap. 21.25 the signes in the Sun and Moone and in the starres and the distresse of Nations upon the earth with perplexity and the roaring of the sea and waves are all to be understood properly as signes before the great and terrible Day of the Lord. So what is promised in the 28. and 29. verses of the second chap. of Joel was truely albeit not altogether fulfilled in the daies of Peter even how-beit the words of the 30. and 31. verses be properly understood and not wholly fulfild til the time immediately preceding the last comming of Christ Reply That the darkning of the Sun or of the Moone properly taken especially if supernaturall as this here is a signe of an eminent and imminent destruction you confesse but that it is onely so you deny And were this true I have not spoken much out of the way But the instance you bring of the darkning of the Sun at the time of our Saviours passion makes nothing for you For whereas you say it was a testimony from Heaven of Christ's innocency for conviction of the murtherers the historie of the Gospel tels you no such thing and interpreters are against you Sicut enim Deus tenebris involvebat terram Aegyptum sic etiam nunc totam Judâ—â—am in signum iraâ—i Dei et futurae poenae saith Pareus on the 27. chap. of Mat. at the 45. verse that is As God did once bring darknesse on the land of Egypt so likewise did he now on the land of Judea as a signe of his wrath and their ensuing punishment So Chrysostome too It was an undoubted signe of Gods anger for that which they did against him And Origen It was a presage of the future darknesse which should over-spread the whole Jewish Nation To which Dr. Mayer consents and with Origen concludes from the time of the darknesse continuance being three houres that the Jewish Nation should be in darknesse till about the Evening of the world Although then Christ's innocency may well be gathered from it yet for ought I can finde you goe alone in alledging it as a reason of the darknesse
then wrought within them I can hardly thinke that any man but you will say otherwise And by your leave it was the Apostles speaking with other tongues which made the Multitude come together and at which they were confounded as the 4 5 6 7. ver c. doe shew And not the sound of the rushing winde that filled the house where the Apostles were sitting when the appearance of cloven tongues like as of fire came and sate upon each of them For this was past and St Peter speakes not of it but shewes onely that their speaking thus in divers languages was the worke of the same Spirit of which Joel had spoken And your conclusion therefore Peter citeth the words pertinently which I dare say none is so likely to doubt of as your selfe hangs as loosely to your premises as the premises doe to that which I have said Israel's Redemption And secondly because as the Prophet revealed so he repeates the powring out of the Spirit as a contemporary event with the wonders which shall be shewne in the Heavens and in the earth before the great and terrible Day of the Lord come Which Day can no way be referred to the first comming of Christ when he came to save x Luk. 19.56 ch 19.10 Ioh. 12.97 sinners and not to destroy them When he would not take upon him to be a y Luk. 12.14 Ioh. 6.15 Judge and Ruler over them For then too the donation of the Spirit must have been an antecedent of his birth of the time he lived and not a subsequent of his death and departure which hath no analogy with a day It remaines then that it is an expression of his second comming which is called a great and terrible Daâ— in regard of the generall destruction which shall be brought on all Nations that oppose themselves against the Jews at that time For in mount Zion and in Hierusalem as you have heard shall be deliverance and in the Remnant whom the Lord shall call Mr Petrie's Answer 1. Joel saith not that the powring out of the Spirit shall not be til the great and terrible day of the Lord come but he shewes so many things preceding the comming of our Saviour neither may we thinke that all these things shall be fulfilled in the same juncture of time if all be accomplished even in severall times the prophecy abides true 2. That day or time was terrible for it is written Act. 2.6 the multitude came together and were confounded or troubled in minde because that every man heard them in his owne language and they were all amazed and marvelled verse 22. a man approved among you by miracles wonders and figues Whereby it is manifest that even to the sight of these Jews that time of Christ's comming was terrible albeit his second comming shall be more terrible in regard of the generall destruction which shall â—e on all Nations not for opposing themselves against the Jews as they imagine but for their not acknowledging God and not obeying the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ 2 Thess 1.8 Reply 1. Now you tell us that Joel saith not that the powring of the Spirit shall not be til the great and terrible Day of the Lord come Neither have we said he doth for had he said so the Spirit could not at that time have been powred on the Apostles But yet Joel saith that that particular powring out of the Spirit of which he speaks is to be a signe of the neere approach of that terrible Day and therefore cannot til that time be accomplisht Although then we thinke not that all the things which Joel speake of are to be fulfilled in the same juncture or moment of time yet we thinke that they shall be all accomplisht in a very short time But to say that one of these things shall be accomplisht in one age and another in the next or some hundreds of yeares after and so of the rest is to make the word of God of none effect For Joel speakes of these things as immediately to ensue if not to contemporate with each other and speake but of one powring out of the Spirit and that also to be a forerunner of the Day of Christ's second comming and therefore it can be but once fulfilled and that onely in its proper season 2. But you will make good all that you have said by and by For the Day of our Saviour's first comming was terrible you say And that because it is written Act. 2.6 The multitude came together and were confounded because every man heard them speake in his owne language and they were all amazed and marvelled and verse 22. a man approved amongst you by miracles wonders and signes And did this make him terrible what then could make him comfortable If to save sinners to cast out Devils to raise the dead to open the eyes of the blinde the eares of the deafe to loose the tongues of the dumbe the feet of the lame to heale the lunaticke and them that had palsies in a word to cure all diseases did terrify the Jews what could he doe to make his presence delightfull unto them O what a terrible message the Angel came with when he said Behold I bring you tydings of great joy which shall be to all people Luk. 2.10.11 for unto you is borne this day in the City of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord O what a terrible noise was made when a multitude of heavenly Spirits praised God saying Glory to God in the Highest on earth peace good will towards men O what terrible doings there were ver 13 14. when Jesus went about all Galilee teaching in their Synagogues and preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom Mat. 4.23 and healing all manner of sicknes and all manner of diseases among the people O what a terrible sight it was when so many thousands of hungry soules were sed with five loaves and two fishes These were wonders indeed but all things that are wonderfull ch 14.23 are not terrible but such onely as are either punishments or signes of punishments otherwise though they cause amazement at the first as surpassing the reach of naturall causes yet being intended for man's good they occasion gladnesse and not feare unlesse it be a pious feare which well consists with joy in the Holy Ghost For shame then recall this doctrine and thinke not to make any one beleeve that the sicke person will be afraid to heare of his health or the condemned prisoner of his pardon and til you can doe this perswade not your selfe that you can prove our Saviour's presence terrible in the Day of his humiliation wherein he was approved for so many signes miracles and wonders wrought onely to make men lay hold on the meanes of their eternall happines And if the history of these things be so wonderfully pleasant unto us what was the performance to such as saw them and the benefit of the miracles to such
as felt the vertue of them You goe on and say that the time of Christ's second comming shall be more terrible then his first was And surely the great destroyers of the earth should else have greatest cause to climbe up to the tops of the mountaines to meet him first if such a thing might be as rayling Shimei was the first of al the house of Benjamin that met King David in his returne after Absoloms conspiracy and no need at all to call for the mountains to hide them from his presence But you will not have that day accounted terrible in regard of a generall destruction to be brought on the Nations for opposing the Jews but for their not acknowledging God and not obeying the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ as it is in the 2 Thess 1.8 and had you confirmed this by shewing that the Nations should not at that time oppose the Jews you had said the whole truth but seeing you have not and indeed could not doe this for the prophecies following doe shew the contrary you have affirm'd one halfe of the truth to exclude the other halfe of it And therefore you must give us leave not onely to imagine but to beleeve that the foresaid destruction shall be for both that those I say which shall then oppose the Jews shall be the very same which the Apostle here speakes of under another notion and in other termes For though Christians may not you faith we know shall then be very scarse amongst the Gentiles as our Saviour hath said of them Luk. 18. verse 8. Israel's Redemption And to put it out of doubt that God's bringing downe of the Heathen into the valley of Jehosaphat is meant onely of his gathering them together to a battell and consequently of a judgement on the living and on the dead to put this out of doubt I say the Prophet makes it to be a concomitant of the z Rev 16.12.13.14 Jews returne from their captivity and in the 9 10 11 and 12. ver provokes the Gentiles to prepare warre to assemble their mighty men and to breake their plowshares into swords and their pruning-hookes into speares a preparation which as it would be fruitlesse so doubtlesse they shall neither have time power or will to make when they are summoned to receive the dreadfull Sentence of Goe ye cursed And for my owne part I am perswaded that this great Army here spoken of is the very same that shall be gathered together to the battell of that great Day of God Almighty by the three uncleane spirits like frogs which St John saw come out of the mouth of the Dragon and out of the mouth of the Beast and out of the mouth of the false Prophet Rev. 16. at the 13. ver Of this a Psal 2.1.2 3 Ps 46.6.8 Psal 68.30 Isa 2.12.13 c. ch 24.21.22 ch 26 20.21 ch 34.1.2.3.4.5 c. ch 40.20 ch 66.14.15.16 Mic. 4.12.13 destruction also speakes Zeph. in his 3 chap. at the 8. ver Therefore waite upon me saith the Lord untill the day that I rise up to the prey for my determination is to gather the Nations that I may assemble the Kingdoms to powre upon them mine indignation even all my fierce anger for all the earth shall be devour'd with the fire of my jealousie for then will I turne to the people meaning to the Jews a pure language that they may all call upon the Name of the Lord. And at the 19. ver Behold at that time I will undâ—e all that afflict thee and I will save her that halteth and gather her that was driven out and I will get them praise and fume in every land where they have been put to shamâ— At that time I will bring you againe even in the time that I gather you for I will make you a Name and a praise among all people of the earth when I turne backe your captivity before your eyes saith the Lord. And yet more fully Zech. in his 12 chap. at the 3. verse In that Day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it In that day will I smite every horse with astonishment and his rider with mâ—dnes and I will open mine eyes upon the house of Judah and will smite every horse of the people with blindnesse In that day will I make the Governours of Judah like a hearth b Obad. 15.16.17.18.19.20.21 of fire among the wood and like a torch of fire in a sheafe and they shall devoure all the people round about on the right hand and on the left and Jerusalem shall be inhabited againe in her owne place even in Jerusalem The Lord also shall save the tents of Judah first that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem doe not magnifte themselves against Judah In that Day shall the Lord defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem and he that is feeble among them at that Day shall be as David and the house of David shall be as God as the Angel of the Lord before them And in the 14. chap. at the 12. ver This shall be the plague wherewith the Lord shall smite the people that have fought against Jerusalem their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet and their eyes shall consume away in their holes and their tongues shall consume away in their mouth and it shall come to passe in that day that a great tumult from the Lord shall be among them and they shall lay hold every one on the hand of his neighbour and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his c Ezek. 38.21 Hag. 2.23 neighbour and Judah also shall fight at Jerusalem and the d Mich. 4.13 wealth of all the Heathen round about shall be gathered together gold and silver and apparel in great abundance and so shall be the plague of the horse of the mule of the camel and of the asse and of all the beasts that shall be in these tents as this plague And in the 38. and 39. chap. of Ezek. the same Army is foretold under the names of Gog and Magog Mr Petrie's Answer 1. That these words are not meaned of the temporall Monarchy after Christ's comming it may be learned by the paralleld text where it is said And for my owne part I am perswaded that this great Army here spoken of is the very same that shall be gathered together to the battle of the great Day of God Almighty by the three uncleane spirits like frogs which St. Iohn saw come out of the mouth of the Dragon and out of the mouth of the false Prophet Rev. 16.13 If he be perswaded that this is the same battle he might likewise be perswaded that the text of Joel 3. is not after the comming of Christ nor immediately at his comming for that
he cannot put it into act untill he descend to take the Kingdomes of this world unto himselfe Thus we finde that he had power to lay downe his life and power to take it againe before he did either John 10.18 And that all judgâ—ment even the judgment of the great day was committed unto him at his fiâ—st comming John 5.22 And thus it appeares that aâ—l your answers to the consequâ—nces by which we have proved our Saviours visible reigne on earth are of no consequence at all ISRAELS REDEMPTION CHAP. II. That Christ shall reigne personally on Earth prov'd by expresse Prophesie ANd thus it hath bin proved by consequence that our Saviour shall hereafter reigne on earth You shall now heare it directly and expressely affirmed Behold saith the Angel to the Virgine Mary thou shall conceive in thy wombe and bring forth a Sonne and shalt call his name Jesus he shall be great and shall be called the Sonne of the Highest and the Lord shall give unto him the u Matth. 2.6 Acts 2.30.31 Throne of his Father David Luke 1.31 Behold saith Jeremiah in chap. 23. ver 5. c. the dayes come saith the Lord that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch and a King shall †Ch. 33.15.16 reigne and prosper and shall execute judgement and justice x Isa 8 8. Job 19.25 Hob. 1.2 in the * Whatsoever losse Luke 19.11 12 13.14 c. Acts 3 19.20.21 Revel 11.15 Rom. 4.13 the disobedience of the first Adam brought on himselfe and his posterity that no doubt the second Adam hath recovered with advantage for himselfe and his chosen But the first Adam lost not onely hiâ— right to heaven but the happy estate too which an innocent life would for a long time have continued to him and his on earth And therefore that intercourse and familiarity with God that rule and command over men and all other creatures which Adam before the advancement of mankinde to it highest happinesse should have here enjoyed if he had not fell that and fore more then that shall Christ with hiâ— chosâ—n inherit at his next appearing And now seeing even reason it selfe doth thus strongly â—â—ation for our Saviours future soveraignty what unreasonablenesse were it in us any longer to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bt the literall accomplishment of these and all other sacred revelations which so fully describe and â—â—â—â—â—earely confirme it earth In hiâ— dayes Judah shall be saved and Israel shall dwell safely and this is his name whereby he shall be called The Lord our righteousnesse Behold saith Zechâ—â—riah in chap. 6. ver 12. the man whose name is the Branch and he shall grow up out of his place and he shall build the Temple of the Lord even he shall build the Temple of the Lord and he shall beare the glory and shall sit and rule upon his Throne and he shall be a Priest upon his Throne and the Counsel of peace shall be betweene them both And in Ezek. 34.22 c. I will save my flocke and they shall no more be a prey and I will judge betweene cattell and cattell and I will set up one Shepheard over them and he shall feede them even my Servat David he shall feede them and he shall be their Shepheard And I the Lord will be their God and my Servant David a Prince among them I the Lord have spoken it And in chap. 37. ver 24. c. David my Servant shall be King over them and they shall have one Shepheard and they shall also walke in my judgements and observe my Statutes and doe them and they shall dwell in the Land that I have given unto Jacob my Servant wherein your Fathers have dwelt and they shall dwell therein even they and their children for ever and my Servant David shall be their Prince for ever And in Isai 9.6 c. Vnto us a child is borne unto us a Sonne is given and the government shall be upon his shoulder and his Name shall be called Wonderfull Counseller the mighty God the Everlasting Father the Prince of peace Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end Vpon the Throne of David and upon his Kingdome to order it and to establish it with judgement and with justice from henceforth even for ever the zeale of the Lord of Hosts will performe this And in chap. 52. ver 13. c. Behold my Servant shall deale prudently he shall be y Psal 118.22.23 24. c. exalted and extolled and he very high As many were z 1 Luke 2.34 35. astonied at thee his visage to wit at the time of his suffering was so marred more then any man and his forme more then the sonnes of men So to wit at his next appearing shall he sprinkle many Nations the Kings shall shut their mouthes as him for that which had not been told them shall they see and that which they had not heard shall they consider And in Micah 4.6 c. In that day saith the Lord will I assemble her that halteth and I will gather her that is driven out and ber that I have afflicted and I will make her that halted a remnant â—â—â—â—ber that was cast farre a Rom 〈…〉 15.32 â—ff a strong Nation and the Lord shall reigne over them in Mount Zion from henceforth even for ever And in Psal 72.6 c. He shall come downe like raine upon the mowne grasse as showers that water the earth In his dayes shall the righteous flourish and abundance of peace so long as the Moone endureth He shall have dominion also from sea to sea and from the river to the ends of the earth They that dwell in the wildernesse shall how before him and his enemies shall licke the dust The Kings of Tarshish and of the â—fles shall bring presents the Kings of Sheha and Seba shall offer gifts Yea all Kings shall fall b Ps 68.29.31 Isa 45.22.23 downe before him c Psal 22.27.28 Phil. 2.10 Rev. 14.6 7. chap. 15.4 all Nations shall praise him And in Psal 102.13 c. Thou shalt arise and have mercy upon Zion for the time to favour her yea the set time is come for thy servants take pleasure in her stones and favour the dust thereof So the heathen shall feare the Name of the Lord and all the Kings of the earth thy glory When the Lord shall build up Zion he shall appeare in his glory Now that these prophecies concâ—rne the reigne of Christ alone I thinke no man doubts and that they are already fulfilled it cannot be proved Mr. Petrie's Answer These texts may prove something against your fellow Mr. Archer who thinks that Christ after he hath put the Jewes in possession of their Monarchy shall ascend againe into the heavens and the Jewes in the meane time shall reigne till his third comming But they prove nothing against us who hold that Christ reigneth on the true Throne of David Reply This answer
be understood of the conversion of the Jewes according to the letter because the sealed Iewes are expressely distinguisht from the sealed Nations people and tongues ver 9. To which we may adde and because the sealing of these Jewes all at once before the execution of the ensuing plagues doth imply that they should be all living when the plagues begin and while the plagues continue as we find them at the sounding of the sift Trumpet chap. 9. ver 4. And because also the plagues are not ordinary plagues but extraordinary not such plagues in which the sealed persons are to be any way sharers with the unsealed but such plagues as were brought on Pharaoh and his people when Israel was wholly exempted from them Moreover St. Paul Gal. 4. ver 25. c. is so farre from making Jerusalem that was then Jerusalem in her legall and Mosaicall estate a type of Heaven or of the Christian Church that he plainely affirmes she was an enemy to the children of promise the children of Jerusalem which is above ver 26. that is of Ierusalem which is to be restor'd from above for seeing Interpreters acknowledge that this free Ierusalem is not to be understood of a Ierusalem which is locally in Heaven but of a Ierusalem on earth cal'd Ierusalem which is above in respect of its originall and spirituall endowments from thence as Pareus observes seeing I say they acknowledge thus much they might in my conceit have seene as well that it could not be understood of the Church of the Gentiles the Christian Church that now is First because this could not be cal'd Jerusalem unlesse Jerusalem had been a type of it which the Apostle denies Secondly because the Apostle ver 25. distinguisheth Jerusalem in bondage as well in time as in condition from the free Ierusalem calling her Ierusalem that now is which argueth that the free Jerusalem was not then and consequently could not be meant of the Christian Church then also in being And thirdly the Prophecie which he alledgeth ver 27. out of Isaiah chap. 54. ver 1. * Isa 49. ver 13 14 15 16. c. Rejoyce thou barren that bearest not c. doth infallibly declare that he meant by the free Ierusalem which is the mother of us all the Ierusalem which shall be rebuilt and inhabited by Christ himselfe at his comming from Heaven with all the Saints For first this barren and desolate Jerusalem is oppos'd to the Gentile Nations ver 3. who are not said to be her seed or naturall people but to be inherited by her seed that is to be held tributaries by the Jewes as other Prophecies doe abundantly testifie And secondly this barren Jerusalem ver 6 7. is called a wife of youth when she was refused and said to be forsaken but for a moment in respect of the everlasting and immovable kindnesse with which she shall be received which cannot possibly be meant of the Gentiles to whom the Lord was not married and whom he tooke not for his people till this wife of youth was refused and forsaken And because she was to be a long time barren and desolate after her destruction by the Romans therefore the Apostle Heb. 13. ver 14. saith of her For here wee have no continuing City but wee looke for one to come which City to come is the City the Prophet here speakes of as remarried and more fruitfull after her barren and desolate estate then before and which the Apostle calls Jerusalem which is above and the free Jerusalem and of which also he saith Heb. 12. ver 22. But ye are come unto Mount-Sion and unto the * Psal 46. v. 4. Psal 48. v. 1.2 Psal 87. v. 3. Isa 60. v. 14. Ezek. 48. v. 35. City of the living God the heavenly Jerusalem and to an innumerable company * Mat. 16. ver 27. 2 Thess 1. v. 7. Joh. 1â— v. 51. of Angels to the * Eph. 1. v. 10 11.13 14. Rev. 10. v. 7. Joh. 10. v. 16. generall Assembly and Church of the first-borne which are written in Heaven c. which doubtlesse may well be applyed to the Church triumphant on earth under Christ her Head with whom the Angels shall come and on whom they shall visibly attend at his next appearing but not to the Church now militant on earth as Piscator and Pareus apply this also And this may serve as a Lydius lapis as a touch-stone to shew how unadvisedly the words Jew Israel Sion and Jerusalem are figuratively expounded of the faithfull in generall And indeed seeing the Iewes before the incarnation of Christ did never call the Converts of the Gentiles Iewes but alwayes Proselytes it is not likely that the Apostles would then begin to call them Iewes when the believing Iewes themselves were in respect of their Faith to be called Christians and not Iewes Neither is it likely that the words Israel Iudah Sion Jerusalem c. should have been so often us'd in the Prophets without any intimation of a figurative sense yea with such evident circumstances and contents shewing the contrary if they had been mystically intended this also I say is nothing likely seeing in the Revelation the mysticall sense of Sodom and Egypt but once spoken of and of Babylon but seldome mentioned is plainely intimated unto us in the 11. and 17. chap. And for my owne part I am perswaded that the mysticall interpretation of the plaine Prophecies which concerne the Iewes future restauration in their owne Land and our Saviours and the Saints visible reigne over them and all other Nations hath been the occasion of the various and unsatisfactory interpretations of most part of the Revelation and of some part of Daniels visions and that Divines will neither concurre in Judgement nor come neare the truth in much of these obscure Prophecies till they agree upon the proper exposition of the foresaid plaine Prophecies as Mr. Mede that renowned Author calls them in the 293. and 294. pages of his Comment on the Apocalyps where he commends this to the consideration of them that are learned and able to judge of the mysteries of Divinity to wit Whether it be not the best and easiest way of dealing with the Iewes not to wrest the most cleare Prophecies touching the affaires of Christs second and glorious comming to his first but to perswade them that they are to expect no other Messias to accomplish all those things then that Iesus of Nazareth whom their fore-fathers crucifyed For while we thus wrest those most cleare Prophecies saith he the Iewes deride us and are the more hardned in their unbeliefe And doubtlesse this and the Idolatry of Papists are the principal motives which keep us at such a distance in affection that the ordinary meanes of salvation the preaching of the Gospel is neither exercised by us amongst them nor sought unto by them amongst us But yet these stumbling blocks shall neither hinder nor delay the extraordinary meanes of their salvation at
their generall conversion For the * Isa 32. ver 13 14 15. time is set in which the Spirit shall be poured on them from on high and in which their so plentifully and so plainely foretold deliverance shall be fully accomplished at the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ And therefore beloved Reader seeing thou knowest these things before beware that thou be not still led away with the errour of an unwarrantable and indeed pernicious intepretation by reason whereof the way of truth is evill spoken of but grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to whom be glory both now and for ever Amen Farewell Thine in the service of the Lord ROBERT MATON AN ANSWER TO Mr. PETRIE'S Preface Preface FIrst Some Prophecies speake plainly of Christ and cannot be understood of another Esa 9.6 Unto us a child is borne unto us a sonne is given his name shall be called Wonderfull c. Some are typicall or delivered with covers of things signifying Christ his offices and benefits And of these some are spoken of the type or thing signifying and can be understood onely of the thing signified and some are true both of the type and of Christ either in the same or in a different manner that is some are true of both in a proper sense some are true of both in a tropicall or figurative sense and some are true of the one properly and of the other figuratively All these sorts are manifest in sundry Prophecies here I touch one for all 2. Sam. 7.12 When thy dayes be fulfilled and thou shalt sleep with thy Fathers saith the Lord unto David I will set up thy seed after thee which shall proceed out of thy bowells and I will establish his Kingdome This was true in the person of Solomon and of Christ too properly v. 13. He shall build an house for my name This was true of Solomon in the proper acceptation of the word house and figuratively of Christ who said Matth. 16.18 Upon this rock will I build my Church It followes I will establish the throne of his Kingdome for ever This was not true of Solomon in respect of his person for he died neither of his posteritie from whom Jacob had foretold that the Scepter should depart at the coming of Shiloh Gen. 49.10 but of Christ it is true for his Throne is established for ever and ever Heb. 1.8 v. 14. I will be his Father and he shall be my son This is true of Solomon in respect of adoption and of Christ in respect of eternall generation Fiftly it is said there If he commit iniquity I will chasten him with the rod of man but my mercy shall not depart from him as I tooke it from Saul This is true of Solomon and not of Christ who was free of sinne unlesse we understand his members or their sinnes imputed unto him v. 16. Thy house and thy Kingdome shall be established for ever before thee thy Throne shall be established for ever This cannot be understood of David or Solomons house or Kingdome as experience proves now for the space of 1600. years and more but of Christs house and Kingdome which shall never faile By this one passage it is manifest First how miserable ignorance it is to expone all the Prophecies after one and the same manner or in a proper sense onely Secondly that the Evangelists and Apostles exponing these Prophecies in a spirituall and figurative sense doe not wrest them even albeit these have been fulfilled some way before but according to the intendment of the Spirit they bring them unto Christ who is the end of the Law and scope of the Prophets Answer The Prophecies which we have alledged for the Jewes deliverance and our Saviours reigne on earth are all plaine prophecies and therefore your distinguishing of the prophecies into plaine and typicall prophecies is very unseasonably that I say not craftily applyed against us However in the first place the Reader may observe that we have as much reason to beleeve that the Prophecies which speak plainly of the Jewes cannot be understood of any others as we have to beleeve that the Prophecies which speake plainly of Christ cannot be understood of another and consequently that you doe very erroneously interpret these Prophecies when you understand by them the conversion of the Gentiles And secondly he may observe that having cited 2 Sam. v. 12. When thy dayes be fulfilled and thou shalt sleep with thy Fathers I will set up thy seed after thee which shall proceed out of thy bowles and I will establish his kingdome You say This was true in the person of Solomon and of Christ too properly Which is as much as we say to wit that God shall establish unto Christ a civill and proper Kingdome as he did unto Solomon And indeed it is beyond the force of these words in the 16. verse Thy house and thy Kingdome shall be established for ever before thee thy throne shall be established for ever To prove that Christs reigne and Solomons that the type and thing typified are not both to be understood properly and in the same manner seeing the word for ever is not here to be taken in an unlimited sense for an infinite time but in a limited sense for a long time as we shew in our reply by many instances out of scripture and so doth intimate unto us onely that Christs Kingdome aâ— it is to be the longest that ever was on earth so it is to be the last too it is not to be left to other people as Daniel saith chap. 2. ver 44. but is by Christ himselfe to be delivered up to God even the Father at the last resurrection And that not onely Solomons reigne but his building of an house to the Lord too is to be properly fulfilled in Christ the Prophet Zechariah chapter 6. ver 13. doth plainely reveale Behold saith he the man whose name is the Branch and he shall grow up out of his place and he shall build the Temple of the Lord even he shall build the Temple of the Lord and he shall beare the glory and shall sit and rule upon his Throne and the counsell of peace shall be between them both In which words the Temple of the Lord doth signifie the Temple at Jerusalem as the verses following doe shew and there is no other signification of this phrase in all the old Testament as we have observed in our reply to your answer where you expound our Saviours building of the Temple of the Lord of the raising of his body from the grave and yet here you make it to foreshew the immoveable perseverance of those that were after his incarnation to be called to the profession of his name by a lively faith So unstedfast are you and unresolved in what sense to take his building of an house unto the Lord. And therefore although such typicall prophesies as are compound oracles were to have a
deliverance after which they are no more to be carried captives must needs be yet to come 2. But you have found a great mistake in me For I have said that the Tabernacle of David shall be a prime agent in the restauration whereas God saith I will raise up the Tabernacle of David and so it is to be a patient you say and not an agent A very learned exception for is there not an instrumentall agent as well as a principall agent and amongst instrumentall agents doe not some excell others as amongst David's worthies some were superior to the rest although then God shall shew his power in raising the Tabernacle of David as the first and chiefe cause what hinders but that this also may use its owne endeavor to raise it selfe as a secondary and lesse principall cause surely if God shall so raise it that it shall doe nothing for it selfe it may rather be said to be a spectator of its deliverance then either an agent or a patient You say further that none denieth it is included in the dispersion of Israel But yet you say withall that the Jews dispersion and restauration here spoken of were both fulfill'd before their overthrow by the Romans which the close of this prophecy shewing that after their restauration here foretold they should no more be disperst doth deny And these words also in the 11. ver I will build it as in the daies of old doe shew the contrary For if you take the daies of old for the time immediately foregoing their Babylonish captivity then I say that so short a time cannot be taken for the dayes of old seeing it was but seventy yeares from that time and consequently it must imply a restauration after a captivity of a longer date And if you take it for the daies of David and Solomon then I say that it was not so restor'd after that captivity for in the daies of these Kings all the Tribes were but one Kingdom and they were not tributaries to other Kings but others to their Kings and consequently it is as yet thus to be restor'd But that you may be sure to avoide all that can be brought out of this prophecy for the future restauration of the Jewes you will not have the 11. verse to be meant of the restauration of Judah but of the Israelites in the 14. verse and these Israelites must not be taken for the Jewes how plaine soever the text be for it but for the Gentiles for so you say St. Iames expounds them Acts 15. verse 16. Surely the Apostle repeates the 11. and 12. ver of this chapter somewhat differently from the Prophets expression but yet speakes not of Israel there at all Neither doth he expound the building of David's Tabernacle of the calling of the Gentiles as you pretend But shewes onely in the verse following that when it shall be built againe the residue of the Gentiles that are yet uncald shall then be cald and together with the Gentiles upon whom Gods Name is already cald seeke after the Lord. And therefore you have not learned of St James to take the Tabernacle of David for the beleeving Gentiles Nor can I beleeve that the Hebrew Doctours doe so intepret it albeit they may grant that the calling of the Gentiles in the time of the Messias as they expect him yet to come is spoken of in the 12. ver And doubtlesse whosoever shall looke into the 14. ver of this prophecy he will say that the actions here rehearst may very well agree with men newly come out of captivity but not that they doe any way intimate the calling of men to the Christian faith For what relation hath the building of waste cities to inhabit them the planting of vineyards to drinke the wine thereof and the making of gardens to eate the fruit of them to this doubtlesse none at all For suppose that one should tel you of a Jew that had lately built him a saire house of an other that had planted an Orchard of choice fruit would you thinke thereby that they were become Christians nay would you not laugh at him if he should have no other meaning and yet without any ground for it but your owne fancy as hath been shewed you conclude that by bodily houses and benefits the Prophet understands spirituall To which you adjoyne Scripture to prove that the elect cannot fall away which is not questioned And thus good reader thou hast seene the first part of one and the same prophecy historically and properly understood and the latter part allegorically and figuratively expounded and that for no other reason but because the deliverance of the Jewes out of their captivity here foretold hath not been as yet properly and literally fulfill'd as their carrying into captivity hath been And Mr. Petrie will not take Gods word for it that it shall be thus fulfild And therefore whereas I have askt Who dares affirme that the captivity of Judah here foretold is meant of any other but their captivity by the Romans seeing God hath said here that after their returne from this captivity they shall no more be pulled up out of their land he tells thee that Zacharias hath not spared to affirme it Luk. 1 verse 68. c. But is it not the same God that spake by the mouth of both these Prophets a God that is not as man that he should lie or forget himselfe And having then foretold in Amos such a deliverance after which the Jewes should no more be given up into captivity doth he thinkst thou by Zachary affirme that this was fulfill'd before their captivity by the Romans yet thus Mr Petrie dares to make God contradict himselfe and that because Zachary saâ—th Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for he hath visited and redeemed his people and hath raised up an horne of salvation for us in the house of his servant David as he spake by the mouth of all his holy Prophets c. and what is meant by all this but that the Redeemer was then to be borne as the Prophets had said and that therefore their redemption should as surely be fulfill'd as if it had been done already For it is usual with the prophets when they would shew the certaine accomplishment of a thing to speake as if it were then effected But why hath Mr. Petrie left our for us in these words of Zachary was it not because they shew that this prophecy doth belong to the Jewes not to the Gentiles and this he likes not to heare of himselfe neither would he have thee to take notice of it And besides it Zachary should speake of a spirituall deliverance onely as this Author affirms how doth he shew that this prophecy of Amos was then fulfild which as is before proved and as any one may indeed of himselfe perceive doth foretel onely an immoveable deliverance of the Jewes from their bodily captivity amongst and subjection to other Nations Israel's
their mighty men but not for all the men of these Nations much lesse for all the people of these Nations and who knows not that many hundred thousands may against the time of a battle be drawne together within the space of a few miles and at once to overthrow so mighty an Army as the Prophets speake of and thereupon to make all thaâ— are left of the Nations willingly to submit themselves as tributaries to the Jews and to settle not onely one Nation but the whole world in a godly peace and prosperity for a thousand yeares after will doubtlesse set forth the Justice mercy and power of God in a more glorious and wonderfull manner then all the victories of Christians or Protestants put together can doe Yea it will even abolish the memory of all the miraculous victories and benefits which God hath wrought for the Jews themselves since the time that they grew up into a Nation And yet you feare not to say that this generall and extraordinary deliverance and exemption from future calamities will not so much declare Gods glory as their particular deliverances in formen ages doe Israel's Redemption Now how can wee forsake the literal interpretation of these prophecies if we doe but consider that the Jews are here distinguished from all other Nations of which we Gentiles who are now converted were then a part and are by this name in the writings of the Evangelists and Apostles still distingushed from them If we consider what grosse absurdities would follow from the tropical construction of these or the like propheticall revelations wherein the event of things is so plainly and distinctly attributed to the Jews who I am sure did never since the prophets dayes returne from any captivity with such an high hand and with such a wonderfull victory over their enemies as is here foretold And as for the Church that now is let the lamentable experience of all ages witnesse whether she hath not been more often crown'd with Martyrdom then victory whether the blood-thirsty Mahometan hath not gotten much ground upon her Yea whether He who claimes to be her Head hath not and doth not most of all waste and devoure her According as it is written of him in the 13. of the Rev. at the 11. ver And therefore these prophecies can have no relation to the times of the Gentiles nor so much to the time of the Maccabees as Cornelious a Lapide endeavours to make these of Zechariah to have for neither were their enemies smitten with such plagues nor brought into such subjection as is here foretold neither was the house of David then so highly exalted as is here promised and Judas and his brethren who did then beare the chiefest sway were not of the Tribe of Judah but of Levi neither was the wealth of all the Heathen round about then gathered together neither did the Lord then e Zech. 14.5 descend and all the Saints with him Unlesse we will say as our Commentatour doth that this was fulfilled when the five comely men upon horses appeared unto the enemies from Heaven as 't is in the 2. of the Maccab. the 10. chap. at the 29. and 30. ver Which apparition doth as well expound these words as he doth that other prophecy of Zephaniah by which he would have us to understand God's calling the Gentiles to repentance by the preaching of the Gospel when as the text saith plainly that God's determination is to gather the Nations and to assemble the Kingdoms that he may powre upon them his indignation even all his ee Lam. 4.11 fierce anger Mr Petrie's Answer 1. We forsake not the literal interpretation of these prophecies for that is the literall interpretation which is principally intended whether it be proper or figurative but we forsake that restricted interpretation as onely belonging to a temporall Monarchy of the Jews 2. The Jews are not to be understood in these promises in way of opposition to all Nations for then all other men without exception shall be consumed in the valley of Jehoshaphat but the Jews and Israel are to be exponed of the elect people of God according to the fift rule mentioned before and the Gentiles are all the enemies of the Church And the faithfull are called Jews not onely typically but likewise for the speciall comfort of the Jews because they were hated of all Nations every where which might have been unto them occasion of despaire and therefore the Lord saith unto them to this purpose How many or great soever your enemies shall be I will judge them And for the same are the Jews oft named in the promises of the new Testament to shew their particular interest in the Kirke of Christ notwithstanding their unworthinesse and contempt of the Gospel at the first preaching thereof Now if the prophecies be exponed this way as they must be of beleevers whether Jews or Gentiles and their enemies whatsoever the enemies of the faith in any age none of these absurdities shall follow which are rehearsed here as in a catalogue Reply 1. You doe not onely forsake the literal sense which as it is opposed to a figurative is alwayes meant of a proper sense and is by Divines commonly used for this where no other sense is mentioned but in forsaking this sense you forsake also the sense principally intended in these prophecies And that it is not a restricted interpretation which understands prophecies onely of what and of whom they speake but that is a loose and licentious interpretation which understands them of what and of whom they speake not 2. The onely reason that you bring to prove that in these prophecies the Jews are not to be taken by way of opposition to all other Nations is because then without exception all other men should be consum'd in the valley of Jehoshaphat But though God saith in the prophecy I will gather all Nations c. yet he saith not I will gather all of all Nations and consequently it is to be understood onely of some of every one of these Nations and not of all the men of all these Nations as the words in the 9. ver of the same chap. and the parallell prophecy of Ezek. chap. 38. doe shew And some few of these also are to escape as we may see Isa 66. ver 19 20. And so we have no need to seeke out a figurative sense to solve this argument although it be your chiefest drift to make us doe it And therefore had rather take paines to obscure what is plainly delivered then to open what is doubtfully spoken as by your words following we may perceive For if these prophecies say you be expounded of beleevers whether Jews or Gentiles then none of these absurdities shall follow which are here rebearst and so you take them in this figurative sense without any other warrant for it but your sic volâ— or so it must be for testimony from Scripture you can bring none And the reason
can that belong to the Gentiles which was prophecied onely of the Jewes as is declar'd by the Prophets wife of whoredomes and children of whoredomes which he tooke of purpose to upbraid the Idol-worship and spirituall whoredomes of the Israelites ver 2 and therefore when she conceived and bare him the second sonne Call his name said God Loammi for ye are not my people and I will not be your God the Israelites then they were to whom this Prophet was sent and of whom it was said Ye are not my people Mr. Petrie's Answer It was not prophecied of the Jews onely for it is plaine that Hosea speakes of the Israelites as well vs of the Jews and generally the Apostle speaks Rom. 10.12 there is no difference between the Jew and the Greeke for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him So that albeit the Prophet was sent personally unto the Israelites yet his words were no lesse true and meaned of the Gentiles who then were not the people of God but now through Christ are the people of God for whosoever shall call upon the Name of God shall be saved Reply I have here cal'd the ten Tribes Jews in opposition to the Gentiles and you say that this was not prophecied of the Jews onely for it is plaine that Hosea speaks of the Israelites as well as of the Jews A wild exception for are not these Israelites Jews certainly Israelites and Jewes are the proper names of that Nation And though after the division of the Tribes Israel and Judah were often used to distinguish the two Tribes from the ten and the ten from the two yet the word Jews was never thus us'd For by this Name all the Tribes are cal'd in the History of Hester and in many other places and in that instance that you bring out of the Rom. chap. 10. ver 12. the word Jew is taken indifinitely for any Jew And wherefore is it that you urge these words of the Apostle doe you think that it proves the name Jew to be indifferently taken for a Jew or a Gentile surely these words shew that the beleeving Gentile is as acceptable to the Lord as the beleeving Jew and that there is nothing in the Jew which can move God to bestow grace on him rather then on the Gentile as the following words confirme but they shew not that God takes a faithfull Jew for a faithfull Greeke nor a faithfull Greeke for a faithfull Jew And therefore you cannot conclude from hence that albeit the prophet was sent personally unto the Israelites yet his words were no lesse true and meaned of the Gentiles for though through Christ all beleevers are the people of God yet through Christ a beleever of one Nation is not made a beleever of another Nation though every one that confidently cals upon the name of the Lord shall be saved yet every one that cals on the name of the Lord shall not thereby become a Jew And how can you take Israelites for Gentiles who are of different Nations from them and yet will not take Israelites for Jews which is a Name belonging equally to all the Tribes But you herein condemne St Paul who sometimes calls himselfe a Jew and sometimes an Israelite and could he be both if these Names doe not equally belong to the same Nation Israel's Redemption And the place where they were told so was their owne land and therfore in that place it shall againe be said unto them Ye are the sonnes of the living God ver 10. And this Piscator grants to be the meaning of it here in the Prophet but withall he holds that it is applyed in the 9. of the Rom. to the conversion of the Gentiles because the Israelites being thus rejected of God were become like unto the Gentiles who until the preaching of the Gospel were not his people but notwithstanding this reason me thinkes it is very unlikely that the Apostle should borrow a prophecy from the Jews to prove Gods mercy towards the Gentiles which is in sundry places of the Scripture so properly and distinctly foreshewne as you may see by the authorities which are urged to this purpose in the l v. 19.20 10. and m v. 9.10 11.12 15. chap. of the same Epistle Mr Petrie's Answer 1. Where it is said ver 10. in that place ye may reade on the margine in stead of that it was said c. and therefore that word proves nothing 2. It is no lesse true that the Gentiles are the people of God even in the same lands where they did not serve God 3. This is no applying by way of similitude but accommodating as Piscator speaks to another particular that as the Israelites by Idolatrie became like unto the Gentiles so the Gentiles receiving the Gospel are Jews or the people of God And this exposition is not onely likely but very certaine seeing the Apostle expones these prophecies of God's mercy towards the Gentiles as you may see by the authorities which are urged to this purpose in the 10. and 15. chap. of the Epistle to the Rom. and elsewhere Reply 1. Arias Montanus renders the original Et erit in loco quo without any such marginall note at all And the Septuagint reads it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and it shall come to passe that in the place where c. And this expression agrees best with the scope of the Prophecie which foretells their returne againe to their owne Land in which it had been said unto them yee are not my people yea the Apostle too alledgeth these words agreeable to the translation in the text and in the latter part of the sentence relates to them with an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 illic vocabuntur there they shall be call'd c. And therefore this proves so much that of force you must grant the accomplishment of the Prophecie in its proper sense 2. And what though the Gentiles are the people of God even in the same Lands where they did not serve God shall not therefore the Jewes be call'd againe the people of God in the same Land where once they forsooke God or shall this Prophecie be therefore understood of them to whom the Prophet was not sent to say as he did to the Israelites Ye are not my people 3. I thinke not that the Apostle did apply this Prophecie by way of similitude to the Gentiles and much lesse that he did accommodate it to them as to those of whom it was meant by the Holy Ghost For the Holy Ghost fore-shewes not the calling of the Gentiles under the name of the Israelites but in their own name And surely if it cannot be prov'd that the Apostle expounds these Prophecies of Gods mercy towards the Gentiles till the Authorities alledg'd in the 10. and 15. chap. of this Epistle to the Rom. doe shew it it will never be prov'd for those Prophecies speake onely of the Gentiles and how then doe they
and were it not to expound Notum per ignotius to make the Comment more obscure then the Text to say that by the building of the Tabernacle of David James meant the visiting of the Gentiles before spoken of Thus then whatsoever talke you make of the present conversion and union of the Jewes with the Church of the Gentiles yet when you come to apply the Scriptures you debarre them of all interest in those Prophecies or that part of a Prophecy which concernes them alone so much doe you favour their conversion or esteeme their company But as you hold the words in the 14. vers to have reference to Simeons Prophecy so you must remember that Simcon saith of Christ that he should be a light to lighten the Gentles before he saith of him that he should be the glory of his people Israel and what doth this imply but that a substituted part of the Gentiles were to become the Church of Christ before the Nation of the Jewes should receive the Gospel for being indued with the spirit of Prophecy he could not speake at randome and therefore the very order of these words is observeable with which Saint James his changing of the first words of the Prophecy In that they into After this doth very well agree which might else as well if not better have beene alledg'd according to the Prophets expression had this Prophecy beene no more but a larger explanation and further confirmation of the Gentiles calling And if you looke into the latter part of Amos Prophecy recorded by St. James you may see that at the building againe of Davids Tabernacle there is not onely mention of the residue of men that should then seeke after God but of the Gentiles too upon whom God's Name is call'd before that for why else should they be thus distinguished from other Gentiles that are then to seeke the Lord as well as they And what will follow from hence upon your expounding the building of the Tabernacle of David of the first calling of the Gentiles certainely this will follow that the first calling of the Gentiles was not the first calling of the Gentiles seeing the people upon whom God's name all is call'd is alwayes meant of a people that doth worship the true God And consequently from the words after this I will return wil build again the Tabernacle of David inferr'd upon the foresaid visiting of the Gentiles in the 14. ver and from the words that the residue of men might seeke after the Lord and all the Gentiles upon whom my Name is call'd referr'd to the time when it is againe to be built it must needs follow that here is an expresse mention as well of the Nationall conversion of the Jewes after the visiting of the Gentiles as of the calling of a substituted part of the Gentiles before such a conversion of the Jewes for as the Tabernacle of David cannot possibly signifie the Nations of the Gentiles so the building againe of it cannot be meant of God's receiving those Nations for his people which were never before his people And thus this Prophecy of Amos shewes not the calling of the Jewes onely nor the calling of the Gentiles onely but the order of both for which purpose it was alledged by the Apostle to wit to shew that a substituted part of the Gentiles should be called before the generall conversion of the Jewes and that all Gentiles whatsoever that were then left both of the call'd and uncall'd should make one Church with the Jewes when the Tabernacle of David was againe built that is upon the conversion deliverance and setling of the Jewes in their own land according as the foresaid Prophecies doe declare And whereas you seeme to deny that this Prophecy was taken out of Amos onely because the Apostle speakes not onely of Amos but saith generally to this agree the words of the Prophets you shew great weakenesse in it for besides that it is an usuall manner of speaking to put the plurall number for the singular and the singular for the plurall he might very well say to this agree the words of the Prophets because other Prophets also foretell the same thing although he brought an instance onely out of one of them for I am sure that this prophecy is wholly in Amos with a little difference from this translation according to the originall but none according to the Septuagint as Doctor Mayer affirmeth And why doe you say before Iames alledgeth the prophecy of Amos if you did not thinke it to be the prophecy of Amos and if you knew that but a part of it was his why did you not shew what words were spoken by him and what words by some other Prophets But you could not for to this agree the words of the Prophets is indeede as if he had said to this agree the words of Amos in the booke of the Prophets For the minor or lesser Prophets were all in one volume called the booke of the Prophets and therefore when a testimony is brought out of any of them it is most commonly alledged as from the whole booke and not from that prophecy where they are written in the booke And thus you may read As it is written in the booke of the Prophets Acts 7.42 instead of as it is written by Amos in the booke of the Prophets And Acts 13.40 which is spoken of in the Prophets that is by Habbakkuk in the booke of the Prophets And in all this I hope I have fully answered this great doubt the mentioning whereof doth either shew your little insight in Divinity if you were not able to satisfie your selfe therein or your great delight to wrangle if you knew the answer to it 3. You deny that the Apostle Paul alledgeth the prophecy of Isaiah to shew the generall conversion of the Jewes after the conversion of the substituted Gentiles for he saith not you say and then all Israel shall be saved but and so all Israel shall be saved But though he saith not and then yet Paraeus tels you that this and more then this is understood for he saith there is an Ellipsis of the antecedent a defect or leaving out of something that should have been spoken before So that the full rehearsing of the Apostles minde herein had been thus For I would not brethren that you should be ignorant of this mystery that blindenesse is in part happened to Israel Vntill the fulnesse of the Gentiles shall come in and then when the fulnesse of the Gentiles shall come in the blindnesse shall cease and so all Israel shall be saved And doubtlesse this is the true meaning of what the Apostle hath more briefely uttered And yet we doe not grant that the Apostle shewes no order and difference in time because he saith not and then but and so For the distance of time betwixt Israel's casting off and calling againe is exprest by the words Vntill the fulnesse of the Gentiles shall come in without
the Tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved of Israel I will also give thee for a light unto the Gentles that thou maist be my salvation unto the ends of the earth and cha 52.9 Breake forth into joy sing together ye waste places of Jerusalem the Lord hath made bare his holy arme in the eyes of all the Nations and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God To the same purpose is chap. 60.1.3.19 and chap. 62.1 2.11 where wee see the faithfull are bidden rejoyce at the comming of Christ and so did Simeon when he saw him Christ is called the salvation of the Lord and Simeon speaking unto God saith of Christ my eyes have seene thy salvation the Messiah is called a light unto the Gentiles into all the ends of the earth and Simeon saith which thou hast prepared before the face of all people a light to lighten the Gentiles Christ is called the glory of Sion and Jerusalem and Simeon saith Christ is the glory of thy people Israel And so by the testimony of old Simeon which is approved and registred by the Spirit of God these and the like prophecies should not be restricted unto the second comming but were in part fulfilled at the first comming of Christ and therefore also all that followes in that long tailed note is a frivolous discourse as we may see by the unanimous consent in the true worship of God betwixt the Jewes and other Nations in the same 15. chapter of the Acts where the Jewes and Gentiles conveene in the generall Synode howbeit the odds continue betwixt the obstinate both Jewes and Gentiles on the one part and the seed of Abraham beleevers both Jewes and Gentiles on the other part both in their opinion and practise of religious duties Reply Whether St. James meant Peter or old Simeon I left it as doubtfull and your maine reason touching the difference twixt Simon and Simeon is of no force to decide the Question Seeing Peter is in his 2. Epist 1. chap. at the 1. ver according to divers readings in the originall call'd both Simon and Simeon as you may see in the edition of the New Testament with Stephanus Scaliger's and Casaubons notes printed London 1622. And Casaubon who was as confident that he Apostle meant Peter as you are that he meant old Simeon feared not to say in his note on the 14. ver of this chap. of the Acts that your opinion in this matter is an ancient error grounded on the diversity of writing this Name His words are Simeon hic voca tur qui alibi Simon dicitur quae diversitas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fecit ut magno errore existimarius quidam â—verteribus non Petrum hic intelligi sed Simeonem verum errasse eos qui ita senserunt notius est quà m ut longâ refutatione opus habeat And doubtlesse if the Apostle had meant old Simeon he would not have said Simeon hath declared how God at first did visit the Gentiles But that God would first visit the Gentiles For Simeon shewed onely that they should be cal'd and not that they were cal'd and therefore the Apostle's words how God at first did visit the Gentiles having relation onely to the actuall performance of it by Peter who had told in what manner God had by him begun to visit them must needs be understood of Peter and not of Simeon who onely prophecied that it should be done And yet if it had been meant of old Simeon it would have made the more with me seeing the word first alone compared with the order of Simeons words a light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of thy people Israel had plainly shewed that a substituted part of the Gentiles should be cal'd before the Nationall conversion of the Jewes From this you proceed to shew that Simeon spake by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost which no Christian can doubt of and then repeating the prophecy you say Wee may see that he declares there the fulfilling at that time of the prophecy Isa 49. ver 6. and chap. 52. ver 9. and chap. 60. ver 1.3.19 and chap. 62. ver 1 2.11 How at that time certainly amongst prophecies touching the same thing one may be more plainly delivered then another and so may give some light for the true understanding of the other But to say that one prophecy doth shew the fulfilling of another is a ridiculous untruth seeing it is not the prophecying of the same thing but the actuall performance of it that shews the fulfilling thereof And therefore Simeon who prophecied of the calling of the Gentiles and restoring of the Jews as well as Isaiah could not herein declare the fulfilling at that time of Isaiah's prophecies unlesse you can prove that to foretel what should be done is to declare what was done And thus Simeon's words which you have alledged to prove that Isaiah's prophecies were then fulfilled doe indeed most evidently shew that they were not fulfilled And the reasons which you bring to confirme your doctrine are as meane as the doctrine is maimed For the faithfull say you are bidden to rejoyce at the comming of Christ and so did Simeon when he saw him No doubt but the faithfull that saw Christ when he was come did rejoyce that he was come and so did the faithfull too before Christ's comming and before Isa prophecied rejoyce that he should come for Abraham saith our Saviour saw my day and rejoyced Yea this was a thing ever performed by the Saints from the beginning of the world But yet it is not exprest in the text that Simeon rejoyced neither doth the Prophet in any of these texts which you have cited bid the faithfull rejoyce at the comming of Christ but chap. 52. at the 9. ver he calls to the waste places of Jerusalem to breake forth into joy for the Lord saith he hath comforted his people he hath redeemed Jerusalem Where the Prophet useth the like forme of speech as Zacharias doth in his prophecy Luke 1. ver 68. c. And therefore Zacharias speaking in the preter perfect tense Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for he hath visited and redeemed his people doth no more prove that Israel was then redeemed for which purpose you have before alledged it page 8. then this prophecy of Isaiah doth that it was redeemed when Isaiah prophecied And in confessing that this prophecy of Isaiah which agrees so well both in matter and forme with the first words of Zacharias was not fulfilled before Christ's first comming you doe as good as confesse that it is not to be fulfilled til his next comming For seeing the Prophet cals to the waste places of Ierusasalem to rejoyce and speakes of God's redeeming Jerusalem as well as of comforting his people it is manifest that this prophecy cannot be fulfilled til the city it selfe be againe restored as is implyed in our Saviour's prophecy Luk. 1. ver 24. and exprest Jer.
31. ver 38. and Isa chap. 60. and 62. and in many other places This is your first parallell for which you had no ground in the text The rest are these Christ is called the salvation of the Lord and Simeon saith My eyes have seene thy salvation The Messiah is called a light unto the Gentiles and Simeon saith a light to lighten the Gentiles Christ iâ— called the glory of Sion and Jerusalem and Simeon saith the glory of thy people Israel And will it follow from this that Isaiah's prophecies were at that time fulfilled surely no more then it will that they were fulfilled when Isaiah spake the same words but this will follow that these texts of Isaiah and Simeon's prophecy are one in their contents and that the fore Simeon's words doe no more shew that Isaiah's prophecies were fulfilled at Christ's first comming then Isaiah's doe that Simeon's prophecy was then fulfilled Which doe indeed shew that Christ is to be the glory of his people Israel at his next appearing and not before For seeing to be the glory of his people implies a greater happines to belong to the Iews of whom the Redeemer came then to the Gentiles to whom he is said to be a light is it likely that this should be fulfilled when now and then a Jew should seeke God amongst the Gentiles or rather when the Gentiles in generall should seeke God amidst the whole Nation of the Jewes or rather I say when as Isaiah speakes the Tribes of Iacob shall be raysed up and the preserved of Israel restored when they shall come from the North and from the West and from the land of Sinim When the waste and desolate places and the land of their destruction shall be even now too narrow by reason of the inhabitants and they that swallowed them up shall be far away When the Lord shall feed them that oppresse them with their owne flesh and they shall be drunken with their owne blood as with sweet wine and all flesh shall know that the Lord is their Saviour and their Redeemer the mighty one of Jacob. When the glory of the Lord is risen upon Sion and the Gentiles shall come to their light and Kings to the brightnes of her rising When the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto her and the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto her When the multitude of Camels shall cover her the Dromedaries of Midian and Ephah and all they from Sheba shall come and shall bring gold and incense and shew forth the praise of the Lord. When all the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto her and the Rams of Nebaioth shall minister unto her when they shall come up with acxceptance on God's altar and God shall glorify the house of his glory When the glory of Lebanon shall come unto her the firre tree the pine tree and the boxe tree together to beautify the place of God's Sanctuary and when God shall make the place of his feet glorious When the Nation and Kingdom that will not serve Sion shall perish yea shall be utterly wasted When violence shall no more be heard in her land wasting nor destruction within her borders but she shall call her walls salvation and her gates praise When the Gentiles shall see her righteousnes and all Kings her glory when she shall be called Heph-Zibah and her land Benlah In a word when the Jewes shall be cal'd The holy people The redeemed of the Lord and Sion shall be called Sought out a City not forsaken When the time comes wherein all this and much more which is revealed in the chapters of Isaiah cited by you shall come to passe then and not til then shall our Saviour declare himselfe to be the glory of his people Israel as Simeon hath foretold And so by the testimony of these prophecies that part of Simeon's prophecy which concernes the glory of the Jewes is to be referred wholly to our Saviour's second comming when as well the residue of men the Gentiles that are yet uncal'd as the Gentiles on whom God's Name is already cal'd shall all goe up to worship the Lord at Ierusalem shall all seeke salvation amongst the Iewes and not the Iewes amongst the Gentiles And therefore when the Iewes and Gentiles shall be so united as these and many other prophecies doe foreshew there is to be no disagreement at all betwixt the Iewes or betwixt them and any other nation in the practise of religious duties Which thing too this marginall note doth so clearely prove out of the prophecy of Amos alledged by St. Iames that you could make no better reply to it then to call it a long tailed note and a frivolous discourse And whereas you say that there was an unanimous consent in the true worship of God betwixt the Jewes and other Nations when they did conveen in the generall Synode Act. 15. Surely there was not one whole City and much lesse was there any one Nation of the Gentiles at that time converted And if a few Turks should become Christians you might as well infer from this that there were an unanimous consent in the worship of God betwixt Christians and the Turkish Nations as you can conclude from that meeting or from all that were then converted that the Jewes and any much lesse all other Nations were united in the true worship of God And indeed the uniting of the Jewes and Gentiles into one Church so often and so plainly foretold by the Prophets and confirmed by our Saviour Ioh. 10. ver 16. is not of some Jewes and Gentiles onely as it was in the first dayes of the Gospel nor of some Nations of the Gentiles and a few Jewes as it hath been since the conversion of the substituted Nations of the Gentiles nor of all the Jewes and some Gentiles as it was under the Law nor of all the Jewes and a part of the Gentile Nations but of all the Tribes of the Jewes and all the Nations of the Gentiles The marginall Note But it matters not much which of the two is here spoken of for seeing the Prophet doth plainly shew a future restoring of the Jewes and yet the intent of the Apostle was onely to prove that God had then cal'd the Gentiles it cannot otherwise be but that the words after this in the prophecy being applyed to the foresaid visiting of the Gentiles by the preaching of the Gospel must needs conclude that the extraordinary restauration of the Jewes foreshewne by the Prophet was to follow the calling of the Gentiles then begun by the Apostles Mr. Petrie's Answer The Prophet Amos in that chap. before ver 11. speakes not of the calling of the Gentiles and the Apostle cites the same words of ver 11. for the calling of the Gentiles neither hath the Prophet these words after this but in these dayes and howbeit the Apostle cite them so yet this must be understood of the order of things mentioned by the Prophet which
is a restauration after the destruction of Israel and not a Monarchy of the Jewes after the calling of the Gentiles Whereby it is manifest that in this note is a twofold error one inserting the words in the prophecy which are not in it another in misinterpreting the words of the Apostle Reply The Prophet Amos doth neither before nor at the 11. ver speake of the calling of the Gentiles but at the 12. ver where they are exprest And it hath been shewed before that the Apostle cites not the 11. ver for the calling of the Gentiles but for the conversion and deliverance of the Jewes after the calling of the substituted Gentiles For the Apostle having said Simcon hath declared how God at first did visit the Gentiels to take out of them a people for his Name confirmes it by this prophecy of Amos which in the 12. ver shewes that there should be some Nations of the Gentiles upon whom Gods Nune should be cal'd or who should be cal'd by Gods Name whilst David's Tabernacle lay waste whilst the Jewes were to continue in blindnesse And surely seeing there are so many prophecies which shew the generall conversion of the Gentiles at the restoring of the Jewes the Apostle in passing by them and alledging this prophecy to shew that God would at that time take but a part of the Gentiles to be a people for his Name doth to my thinking thereby plainly shew that the Jewes were then to be given up and to be no moâ—e Godâ— people until that day in which he hath appointed to build againe the Tabernacle of David at which time the residue of mâ—n also shall seeke the Lord as well as the Gentiles on whom God's Name is already cal'd You tell us next that the Prophet hath not these words after this but in these dayes But though the Prophet hath not these words yet the prophecy hath as the Apostle cites it who saith to this agree the words of the Prophets iâ— it written After this â— And the prophets words are not in these dayes but in that Day in that Day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in that great Day of Christs Kingdom Neither is it likely that the Apostle cited the words after this in reference to what the Prophet had said which was not questioned buâ— rather to what he himselfe had said And if wee should referre these words to the foregoeing destruction of Israel how doth this prove that their restauration shall not follow the calling of the substituted Gentiles whenas it is evident that their threatned dispersion and sifting among all Nations after which they should be againe restored was more to be fulfilled upon them in the time of the substituted Gentiles calling then before and seeing you confesse that the preceding destruction was denounced against the Jewes onely how could you beleeve that by the raising of the Tabernacle of David that is fallen and building of it as in the dayes of old is meant the calling of the Gentiles and not the restoring of the Kingdom and people of David whom the foresaid judgement should ruine And yet you seeme to be so confident of the currantnesse of this exposition that you thus peremptorily conclude It is manifest that in this note is a twofold errour one inserting the words in the prophecy which are not in it another in misinterpreting the Apostle's words Certainely it is very manifest what spirit was predominant in you when you penned these bold and lowd untruths For did I insert the words after this into the prophecy or did the same Spirit who revealed the prophecy by Amos rehearse it thus by the Apostle search and see Nay doe you not say before and howbeit the Apostle cite them so whom then doe you here accuse of error me or him And as for misinterpreting the words of the Apostle it is already shewen that you would faine father your misinterpreting of it on the Apostle To which this may be added That the Prophet doth make a plaine distinction betwixt the people meant by the Tabernacle of David and the people meant by the remnant of Edom and all the heathen which are called by Gods Name For he saith that those meant by the Tabernacle of David shall possesse these What can the same people be the possessours and the possessed surely so it must be according to your interpreting of the building of Davids Tabernacle of the calling of the Gentiles seeing in the 12. ver not onely the remnant of Edom but the heathen that were to be called in the Jewes steed are plainly spoken of Or take it as the Apostle delivers it And then in your sense it will be thus After this I will returne and call againe the Gentiles that the residue of men that is the Gentiles which are not yet to be called may seeke the Lord all the Gentiles upon whom my Name is now to be cal'd Or thus that the residue of men that is all the Gentiles that are now to be cal'd may seek the Lord all the Gentiles upon whom my name is already cal'd And what sense is there in either of these interpretations one of which must needs follow upon your interpreting of the building of David's Tabernacle of the calling of the Gentiles by the Apostles seeing the conversion of the Gentiles upon whom God's Name is cal'd in the prophecy was to precede the conversion of the Gentiles meant by the residue of men And besides The building of the Tabernacle of David as in the dayes of old doth infallibly shew the restoring of a people to that estate condition they were formerly in which cannot be said of the Gentiles who were never before God's people The Marginall note And consequently that the Jewes endeavour to hinder the growth of the Gospel 1. Thess 2.14.15 was a sure proofe of the conversion of the Gentiles their owne rejection who unto the death of Christ were the peculiar people of God not wholly cast off until by their wilful unbeleife they forced the Apostles to turne from them to other Nations Act. 13.44 45 46. to whom God had not formerly revealed himselfe therefore could not at that time be said to returne unto the Gentiles whom he had but then receiv'd no nor to the Jewes whom he had then and not til then quite forsaken So that if we consider the Returning of God here mention'd in the prophecy to be appliable only to the Jews to whom alone God had so long before made himselfe known yet that the Jews were shortly after the calling of the Gentiles quite forsaken we must needs grant that their great happines here foretold hath not been yet injoyed but shall be when the fulnesse of the succedaneous Gentiles is come in And wherefore did the Apostle change the Prophet's in that day will I raise up into After this will I returne and build wherefore I say did he or rather the Holy Ghost in him make choyce of this
grace is foretold in these Prophecies and the words of our Saviour I send you as sheepe amongst Wolves Matth. 10. ver 16. are flat against you for they are meant of the most obstinate enemies of the Gospel they are meant I say not of such as should become sheep but of such as should kill the sheep and use their utmost endeavour to keep all others out of the sheepfold as the verses following doe declare and interpreters acknowledge and albeit there hath been now and then one such Wolfe as St. Paul was that of a savage persecutor hath become a pious Saint yet besides all these Wolves that have still kept their owne hue and habit and befides those who being bred up in the Church have still retain'd their innocent garments there have been many who being without the Church have exchang'd their habit for sheeps clothing for no other end but to have the benefit of the Sheeps pasture and the better opportunitie to destroy the sheepe and to destroy the more sheep And befides although the word Wolves doth in the saying of our Saviour signifie men yet it followes not from hence that it is so to be understood in these Prophecies for it must be some circumstance out of the Prophecies themselves that must prove this and not the allegoricall acception of this word in another place And as I say not that the change of beasts affections from bad to better from evill to good is to be the proper effect of any knowledge of God in themselves so I say that God hath here reveal'd that this change shall as well bee the effect of mans pleasing him by obedience as the change of them from better to worse from good to evill was of mans displeasing him by sinne Israel's Redemption As then there can be no sufficient reason alledg'd for the allegoricall interpretation of these Prophecies so if wee believe Gods revelations touching the Jewes returne there can be no reason urg'd to the contrary that will force us to forsake the literall sense of them By which sense I am sure that passage of St. Paul in the 8. chap. of the Rom. at the 21. ver is so well explain'd that the great strife about the signification of the word Creature there may be soone decided and by which too the opinion of those who from that place would make the sensitive creature copartners with us of that glorie which followes the last resurrection falls to the ground For is not the exchange of a ravenous disposition for a quiet and peaceable and the freedome from the abuse of sinne A delivery of the sensitive creature from the bondage of corruption and the glorious i Dan. 7. ver 21.22 libertie of the Sonnes of God what is it but the flourishing estate of the Jewes before spoken of under Christ their Head who accompanied with all the Saints departed and then living shall come and receive dominion and f Dan. 7. ver 14.27 chap. 2. ver 44. Rev. 15. v. 4. ch 20. v. 4.6 glory and a Kingdome that all people Nations and Languages may serve him as you shall heare anon Mr Petrie's Answer 1. The truth of God needeth not the boulstering of mans devises 2. The Apostle is speaking there of the finall deliverance of the creature from the bondage of corruption which is not cleared by that cohabitation of beasts unlesse wee will be content with a small portion of deliverance for the generall deliverance of the creature which kind of contentment these Authours will not acknowledge in the accomplishment of the promises no not in a fuller measure The Authour collecteth nothing particularly from that text Isa 65.25 neither is there any word there of the Jewish Monarchy and seeing it hath the same allegorie with that chap. 11. wee goe forward Reply 1. The truth of God say you needeth not the houlstering of mans devices And mans devices say wee are not a boulstering but a bereaving are not an upholding but a destroying of the truth of God But what is the device which you have found here is it not the comparing of one place of Scripture with another which speakes plainly of the same thing and is not this warranted by the generall approbation of Divines for a very remarkable rule in the right interpreting of the Scriptures you cannot denie it The device then which you speake of is but a device of yours to make the Reader baulk the onely light Gods word holds out unto him for the true discoverie of the Apostles meaning that so he may stick the closer to that sense which mans device hath put upon it 2. The Apostle saith the creature it selfe also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption c. and the Prophet saith the Wolfe shall dwell with the Lamb and the Leopard shall lie downe with the Kid and the Cow and the Beare shall feed together Whereby he shewes both what these creatures bondage of corruption is and what their deliverance from it whereby he shewes I say that the wild untamed and hurtfull disposition which these creatures are now subject unto is their bondage of corruption and that the re-estating of them into that mild peacefull and harmlesse condition in which they were first created shall be their deliverance from it And when shall this be fulfill'd shall it be after the generall judgement of the dead mention'd Rev. 20. ver 12 c. surely no for then this earth out of which these creatures were made shall passe away and be no more found Revel 20. ver 11. then this earth and the workes the creatures that are therein shall be burnt up 2 Pet. 3. ver 10. And we read not of any Starres in the new heaven or of any beasts on the new earth yea besides men and Angels we reade of no more creatures then of a tree of life and of a river of life in that holy Jerusalem which shall descend from God unto the new earth the earth with which there shall be no Sea created and consequently these creatures deliverance is to be fulfill'd at the restoring of Judea and Jerusalem cal'd here by Isaiah the holy mountaine and chap. 2. the mountaine of the Lords house and the mountaine of the Lord. And thus by conferring these two Prophecies of Isaiah and St. Paul it is manifest what these creatures deliverance from the bondage of corruption is touching which you say onely that the Apostle is speaking of the finall deliverance of the creature from the bondage of corruption which is not cleared by that cohabitation of beasts unlesse wee will be content with a small portion of deliverance for the generall deliverance of the creature So that you grant that the cohabitation of the beasts is their deliverance from the bondage of corruption and consequently that the foresaid Prophecies in which it is reveal'd are properly to be understood which before you so stoutly denied but you say withall that it is a small portion of the
on earth for it is their priviledge at their entrance into their Kingdome and throughout the whole space of their reigne to judge the world that is all Nations of the Gentiles with the Judgement of Government and Reformation with the exercise of a Civill and temporall power over them as in the Prophecies of the Gentiles subjection unto them it may plainely be seene And it is their priviledge at the last resurrection to judge the world and the Devill that is all evill as well Angels as men by a joynt approbation of their finall and perfect condemnation of the full accomplishment I say of their eternall reprobation that is the wicked men that have been their oppressours and judge the Angels that is the evill spirits that have been their tempters and therefore shall not be thrust downe to the barre amongst them but advanced to the bench against them an addition doubtlesse to their former happinesse and no abatement of it Mr Petrie's Answer Some word of Isaiah 35.10 must be taken in another then the proper signification for if the word Sion be not taken for the Christian Church but for that bill within Jerusalem and the word Returne be meaned of bodily returning of the Jewes the words everlasting joy being taken for worldly joy â—ooâ—er â—dicts the â—â—neâ— of the thousand yeares Monarchy which shall end with an insurrection of the Gentiles against the Jewes but if the redeemed of the Lord be expoued sâ—n the faithfull whom Christ our Lord hath redeemed with his bloud and their returning and comming to Sion be their repenting and joyning to the society of the Saints then the everlasting joy is cleare by the words of our Saviour John 16.22 Ye now have sorrow but I will see you againe and your heart shall reioyce and your joy shall no man take from you And as the Judgement is unquestionable so it is justly doubted whether the Apostle meaneth the Jewes 1 Cor. 2.3 seeing our Saviouâ— saith Matth. â—9 28 Ye who have followed me in the regeneration when the Sonne of man shall siâ— on the Throne of his glory shall sit upon twelve Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel where the twelve Tribes are not Judges but judged But certainly be meaneth not of their judging in the temporall Monarchy seeing the Angels shall not be judged before the universall Judgement And the Apostle saith how much more things appertaining unto this life whereby it appeares that in the first part of the verse he understands a Judgement not in this life And in both respects these words of the Apostle are a diminution doubtlesse unto that imagined Monarchy Reply Without doubt if the Reader will take all to be true that you say he shall never finde you in an errour But if you have no better reason to prove that the words Sion and Returne must be taken in another then a proper signification but because you conceit that the worde everlasting joy cannot consist with the insurrection of the Nations at the expiration of the thousand yeares you doe but deceive your selfe with this reason For though the thousand yeares peacefull reigne shall be terminated by the Gentiles insurrection at the loosing againe of Satan yet the joy of the Jewes here reveal'd is not limited by it For we read indeed of the surrounding of the Saints by the Nations Rev. 20. ver 9. but we read not there of any feare in them or hurt done unto them yea wee read onely of the finall overthrow of their enemies And whereas the better to countenance your Argument you call the everlasting joy here a worldly joy I pray what reason moves you to imagine that the joy promised by God to the converted Jewes whom he calls his elect and whom others he saith shall call the holy people and the seed which the Lord hath blessed should rather be a worldly joy then such a joy as our Saviour promised his Disciples John 16. ver 22. Is it because the Jewes are to be Inhabitants on the earth after they receive this everlasting joy and were not the Disciples Inhabitants of a more sinfull world then these Jewes shall be when they were made partakers of the joy which no man could take from them This reason then cannot prove your Epithite to belong rather to the joy of the Jewes then to the joy of the Apostles and yet unlesse this be the reason of your calling it a worldly joy I cannot conceive why you should thinke that after the Jewes are so plentifully inspir'd with the Spirit of God as the Prophets doe foreshew they shall be their joy should not be as spirituall and inseparable as the Apostles was And although it be unquestionable from the passage of St. Paul in the 1 Cor. chap. 6. ver 3. that the Judgement of all evill as well Angels as men is at the last resurrection to be passed on them by the joynt-approbation of the whole number of the elect yet seeing it is not unlikely that by the world ver 2. the Apostle meanes rather the Nations of the Gentiles in the time of Christs reigne on earth then the number of the reprobate at the generall Judgement of the dead it may justly be doubted whether by the word Saints in that place also the Nation of the Jewes be not comprehended with the faithfull which our Saviour shall bring with him as well as in the 20. chap. of the Rev. where it is foreshewed that the Nations of the foure quarters of the earth shall be gathered together against the Saints at the end of the thousand yeares And the words of our Saviour to his Disciples Matth. 19. ver 28. Ye who have followed mee in the regeneration when the Sonne of man shall sit on the Throne of his glory shall sit upon twelve Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel doe help to confirme and not to confute the Government of the Gentiles by the Jewes For as the Apostles shall be made the supreme Governours of their owne Nation under our Saviour so doubtlesse shall other glorified Saints both of the Jewes and Gentiles be chiefe Governours under our Saviour over other Nations according as it is satd Rev. 5. ver 10. and chap. 20. ver 4. and as the parable Luke the 19. of the Noble-mans distributing of ten Cities to one servant and five to another doth imply for who is that Noble-man which is gone into a farre Countrey to receive for himselfe a Kingdome and to returne but our Saviour whom the Heavens must receive untill the times of restitution of all thing c. Act. 3. ver 21. who also spake that Parable because he was nigh unto Jerusalem and because the Jewes erroneously thought that the Kingdome of God should immediately appeare should be set up then at his first comming And as the glorified Saints shall be chiefe Judges under Christ so wee may well thinke that many of the unglorified Saints of the Jewish Nation shall be imployed by them in the
for Mr. Maton thinkes that Christ shall continue visible King of this Kingdome and Mr. Archer thinkes that Christ shall restore the Kingdome unto the Jewes and returne into the Heavens till the thousand yeares be whered and in the meane time the Jewes shall be Kings Till these into questions be decided we might supersede and neverthelesse let us heare what they can say for a temporary Kingdome of Christ whether oâ—er Jewes and Gentiles Reply The temporary Kingdome of the Jewes hath been already demonstrated by such evident Scriptures and unanswerable Arguments from them as you durst not to examine and it is now praised be God for his good leave and assistance delivered also from that darknesse which your deluding allegories and farre setcht interpretations doe draw over it and thereby set free from that disgrace and contempt which you strive so much to bring is into amongst the Gentiles And our next taske is to discover the like fraudulent dealing in your Answers to those texts and reasons by which wee have prov'd that our Saviour who shall restore this Kingdome shall also reigne over it on earth And first that the Reader may not take distaste at us before he heare us you tell him here that these sew Millenaries agree not concerning the person of their King for Mr. Maton thinks that Christ shall continue visible King of this Kingdome and Mr. Archer thinkes that Christ shall restore the Kingdome unto the Jewes and returne unto the Heavens Herein indeed wee agree not and as I heartily wish that all Christians did so rightly understand the word of God that there might be no difference at all amongst them so seeing offences must needs come and that there must be heresies and divisions amongst us that they which are approved may be made manifest 1 Cor. 11. ver 18 19. I had rather differ from any man in opinion then for any by respect to depart from one jot or title of the truth which is either plainely reveal'd in the Scripture or may be gathered from it by infallible consequence And sure I am that as wee find often mention of our Saviours comming againe so Job tells us chap. 19. ver 25. that his Redeemer shall stand at the latter day upon the earth to wit at the day of his next appearing and the Saints resurrection as these words immediately following doe declare And though after my skinne wormes destroy this body yet in my flesh shall I see God c. And St. Luke ch 1. v. 31 records that the Lord shall give unto him the Throne of his Father David and Jer. chap. 23. ver 5. that he shall reigne and prosper and shall execute Judgement and Justice in the earth and so say Isaiah and Zechary yea and we conceive it to be for this reason especially that Judea is cal'd the Land of Immanuel Isaiah 8. ver 8. and we reade not of his departure from the earth againe untill the earth it selfe shall passe away at the last resurrection Yea unlesse our Saviour should as well reigne over the Jewes as restore their Kingdome to them wee cannot conceive why he should descend before the universall Judgement seeing he can as well restore the Kingdome of the Jewes in Heaven where he is as if he should descend unto the earth to doe it But yet your collection from this difference to wit that â—till these two Questions be decided you may superside is a very dangerous Doctrine For though superside be a very fine word yet as you use is it hath a very soule consequence for you would have the Reader conceive that there is no truth in the subject wee treat of because there is some difference betwixt us in the stating of it whereas indeed all truth is made the more firme and manifest by difference else what shall wee say of our Religion there being scarce any one head or Article in Divinity about which there hath not been or is not now some difference or other amongst Christians if then wee must superside from if wee must let passe if wee must have nothing to doe with those things in which there is not a full agreement amongst us we must omit the use of the Lords Supper because Papists differ from Lutherans and Calvinists from both about the presence of Christ in the Sacrament Wee must not beleeve our election or Justification because Divines doe differ about the materiall and formall canses of the one and the moving and meriting causes of the other and because there is a difference betwixt you and us about the manner and place of our Saviours Kingdome we must not believe that he hath any Kingdome yea we must quite cast off the worship of God because we cannot agree about the forme of it some being for a set forme and others against it some againe for premeditated and others for extemporary prayers And thus to make one truth odious you stick not to make a shipwrack of the faith even at once to destroy our whole Christian practise and beliefe so contrary is your advice to that of the Apostle in the 1 Thess chap. 5. ver 21. Prove all things hold fast that which is good Now for conclusion of this first part I will adde Mr. Brightmans words touching the 7. and 8. ver of the 66. chap. of Isaiah and the 3. ver of the 110. Psal Many such places of Scripture saith he might he brought to this purpose he meaneth to shew the generall conversion of the Jewes and perhaps it would be profitable to bring them at least for this end that our Writers might have occasion thereby given them to consider more diligently of these places from the right interpretation whereof I feare mee that we wander when as we make them to speake of things that he past whereas they doe fore-tell of things yet to come In his Revel of the Apoc. chap. 19. on the 8 and 9. verses pag. 791. and his words on the 11. ver of the 6. chap. of the Cant. Time saith he will teach many things to be in the Prophets which we commonly interpret as though they were past whose event is yet to come and especially as it seemeth to mee in the calling of the Jewes which verily little confidered of ours hath darkned I will not say perverted the proper and naturall meaning of the Prophets in many places 1 COR. 4. v. 8. c. NOw yee are full now ye are rich ye have reigned as Kings without us and I would â—o God yee did reigne that we also might reigne with you For I thinke that God hath set forth us the Apostles last â—s it were men appointed to death for we are made a spectacle unto the world and to Angels and to men We are fooles for Christs sake but yee are wise in Christ we are weake but yee are strong ye are honourable but wee are despised Even unto this present houre we both hunger and thirst and are naked and are buffeted and have
in his own Throne and they that overcome shall sit with him For he that overcometh and keepeth my words unto the end to him saith he will I give power over Nations and he shall rule them with a rod of iron as the vessels of a Potter shall they be broken to shivers even as I rreeived of my Father Rev. 2.26 Mr. Petrie's Answer 1. The force of this reason is Christ shall not be a King till all his Subjects be called and overcome but his Subjects are not all yet called which forme is alike with this Ferdinand shall not be Emperour till all his Subjects â—e bo nâ— and he victorious whereas some of his Subjects are comming daily into the world and it may be more of them are daily departing This is a rediculous reason and so is the other 2. Neither doth the prayer of the Saints make mention of his earthly Kingdome but of subduing or rivenging their enemies which shall be without an earthly Monarchy to wit by punishing them in hell 3 That text Rev. 11.15 speakes not of a proper Kingdome of Christ and farre lesse of an earthly Kingdome but of the Kingdome of our Lord and his Christ if 〈◊〉 had been said of our Lord and Christ or of our Lord Christ it might be thought to be the proper Kingdome of Christ which he as man governes or shall governe but when it is said of our Lord and of his Christ we see a distinction of persons and unity of power And therefore it is cleare that the text Rev. 2.26 is impertinently cited for proofe of that thing which is not and is imagined to be on earth whereas that power is in heaven Reply 1. Doubtlesse you take this for a very witty comparison but the truth is it is a very ignorant one For the force of this reason is not as you make it say that Christ shall not be a King till all his Subjects be called and overcome But it is this That Christ shall not receive his Kingdome till all those Subjects those glorified Saints which shall come with him in his Kingdome are called and have overcome So that the forme is like this Ferdinand shall not be Emperour till all those Subjects those Nobles that shall waite on him at his coronation be borne and able to attend him And Ferdinand being a mortall King is to be accompanied by mortall attendants but our Saviour being an immortall King is to be accompanied with immortall attendants with all those beleevers which have already or shall hereafter overcome the temptations and afflictions of this world before his appearing and his Kingdome which Saints being but a part though the choisest part of our Saviours Subjects are indeed ridiculously compared by you to all Ferdinands Subjects borne and unborne 2. Though the prayer of the Saints Rev. 6.10 doth not mention our Saviours Kingdome on earth yet seeing the revenge they call for is deferred till the number of those that shall be slaine for the word of God be fulfilled we know that it is not to be executed till our Saviours comming And in what manner it is then to be done by him the 14. chap. of the Rev. from the 14. ver to the end doth declare And the 19. chap. also at 17. ver c. Where the fowles of heaven are summon'd to the Supper of the great God to eate the flesh of Kings and the flesh of Captaines and the flesh of mighty men and the flesh of horses and of them that sit on them and the flesh of all both bond and free both small and great And surely this judgement on the Saints enemies is to be a temporall judgement on earth at our Saviours comming with the Saints to receive his Kingdome as the 11. and 14 verses of this Prophecy doe shew and not an eternall judgement on their bodies and soules in hell which is not to seâ—ze on them till the giving up of Christs Kingdome at the Judgment of the dead till above a 1000 yeares after this overthrow in which the fowles are to feast on their carkasses as in the 20 chap. of the Rev. at the 11 verse c. it is revealed 3. That text Rev. 11.15 speakes not you say of a proper Kingdome of Christ but of the Kingdome of our Lord and his Christ And by this reckoning our Saviour hath no proper Kingdome at all and consequently is not properly a King for what Kingdome belongs to Christ which may not as well be called the Kingdom of our Lord as the Kingdom of his Christ But certainly the Kingdom which this text saith shall become the Kingdomes of Christ are the Kingdomes of this world and therefore Kingdomes on earth and proper Kingdomes both which you deny And they are to become Christs Kingdomes at the sounding of the seventh Trumpet and not before that is at the time of his appearing againe and therefore they are to be his to governe as he is man and so by your owne confession to be properly his Although then we grant that these words the Kingdomes of our Lord and of his Christ doe intimate a distinction of persons and unity of power which is more then Pareus grants who enclines to a distinction of natures and unity of persons yet it will not follow from hence that the Kingdomes of this world which our Saviour at his comming shall receive into his owne possession as he is man shall not be his proper Kingdomes For they are said to become the Kingdomes of our Lord not because they are not now his but first because at the accomplished donation and actuall subjection of them unto Christ God shall more marvellously declare his supreame power over them then ever he did And secondly because they shall then be his after a more speciall manner then they are now his because I say he shall then be worshipped and obeyed in them all according to the righteous rule of his owne Lawes And yet they are said to become the Kingdomes of Christ onely in regard of the administration of the immediate government of them For Christ alone shall then be visible King over them as now others are and therefore shall be as properly a King on earth as any of them who now beare rule in these Kingdomes And this the next words of the text doe confirme which say not and they but and he that is Christ alone shall reigne for ever and ever And therefore that text Rev. 2.26 is very pertinently cited for proofe of that thing which shall be on earth and is not now in heaven For our Saviour though then in heaven did not say that he had given the Saints in heaven or Saints on earth power over the Nations on earth but that he would give them power over them And surely we cannot thinke that the Martyrs Rev. 6.10 would call on God to hasten the time for the avenging of their bloud on them that dwell on the earth if they could now do it themselves if they
recompence when this Kingdome of God shall beginne And it being evident from the text that this Kingdome of God is to be a Kingdome in which there shall be eating of bread that is according to the signification of this phrase in the Gospell of such creatures as God hath ordained for mans food on earth this Kingdome of God must needes be meant of a Kingdome on earth and consequently the recompence our Saviour spake of is to be given on earth and the resurrection of the Saints to enjoy this Kingdome is to precede the rising of all others which shall not be till the time of this Kingdome be sully expired The second testimony is in Joh. 6.39 40 44.54 of which the last ver is this Who so eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud hath eternall life and I will raise him up at the last day And these last words are the close of the other verses also whence you argue thus If the last day be the day of the generall judgement as certainely it is even supponing the temporall Monarchy for a 1000 yeares and the elect shall not be raised till the last day as these words imply then there shall not be a first and second resurrection unlesse the second resurrection be after the last day And what coherence is there in this argument what appearance of truth certainely it savours not of your great skil in Logique For neither the first not the last resurrection shall be till the last day and yet both shall be in the last day seeing the last day shall beginne with the first resurrection and end with the last But yet we have good reason to beleeve that our Saviour spake here only of the first of these resurrections because in v. 54. he speakes onely of raising them that should be worthy partakers of the Sacrament of his body and bloud which Sacrament is to shew forth the Lords death till he come as Saint Paul affirmes 1 Cor. 11.26 and for ought we yet know no longer If therefore you have no better arguments to support the spirituall interpretation of the first resurrection Rev. 20.4 5 6. then this it were farre better that you did lay your hand on your mouth then plead for it And indeede how could you imagine that God should reveale unto S. John the rising of men from sin as a secret then unknown unto the world that I say he should foreshew this as a thing then to come which began â—n Adam himselfe and was at that time the daily effect oâ— the preach ng of the Gospell The third text is that of Saint Paul in Phil. 3.11 If by any meanes I might aâ—t â—ine to the resurrection of the dead To which you answer these words name hâ— dead generally c. Certainely no more generally then the same Apostles words in 1 Cor. 15.42 c. doe Where he saith Sâ— also is the resurrection of the dead it is sowne in corruption it is raised in incorruption it is sowne in dishonour it is raised in glory it is sowne in weakenesse it is raised in power it is sowne a naturall body it is raised a spirituall body And doe any besides the just rise in glory in power and with spirituall bodies or do you thinke that it was need full for Saint Paul to use his utmost care and endeavour that he might attaine to rise at that time when thâ— unjust should rise The resurrection therefore which the Apostle strove so much to attaine unto was no other then the resurrection of the dead in Christ then the first resurrection of which it is said that he who hath a part in it the second death hath no power over him As on the contrary all that dye before this resurrection and are not raised in it shall perish everlastingly But because you had no more to say to the text which I have quoted you alledge the 20 ver of the same chapt out of which you raise these arguments If the Politeuma the freedome of the godly be in heaven then they expect not a Monarchy on earth And if their bodies shall be like unto Christs glorious body they shall not live an earthly life nor dye againe But as we allow your last argument for we know not who doth affirme the contrary to wit that the Saints shall after their resurrection be either mortall or sinneâ—ull so in your first argument we first deny your translation of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which you make the ground of your argument For it signifies not there a freedome or priviledge but a manner of living as by the Apostles opposing of his owne conversation to the conversation of some carnall minded Ministers of the Gospell it is apparent and therefore it is rendred by Piscator word for word for our civill life or behaviour is in heaven that is is as temperate as if we were inheaven in the presence of God and the holy Angels And secondly we deny the argument it selfe For though we suppose that the godly have now no outward freedome on earth for an inward and spirituall freedome you must needes grant them seeing he that is called in the Lord is the Lords free-man as it is said 1 Cor. 7.22 and all the royall dignity which you allow the Saints consists in this though then we suppose I say that they have now no outward freedome for this also they have as appeares in 1 Cor. 7.21 and chap. 9. ver 19. yet it will not follow from hence that they expâ—ct none on earth hereafter when Christ shall change their vile bodies that they may be like unto his glorious body The two next texts are one in 1 Thes 3.13 and the other chap. 4. ver 14 15 16 17. in both which the Apostle speaks of the rising of none at Christs comming but of the dead in Chr st And seeing the resurrection of their bodies doth equally belong to the godly and the ungodly why should we not thinke that he would as well have spoken of the resurrection of these also as of the other if they had been to rise at the same time with the other Doubtlesse you could shew no reason why the Apostle should speake so much and so often of the resurrection of the godly at Christs comming and nothing of the resurrection of the ungodly if they had been to rise all together And therefore you have here also strugled onely with your owne fancy and now the third time strangled this deformed issue of your slanderous imputation to wit that the raised Saints shall dye againe and rise againe For this opinion is indeed altogether inconsistent with the truth which we hold touching the reigning of the raised Saints with Christ a 1000 yeares before the last resurrection And suppose any one had vented this errour yet it is an argument of your malice to prosecute the confutation of it in your answer unto me I say thus to prosecute it as if it were the common opinion of us
these cited words which is It is not said the Kingdome of heaven to wit of the third heaven or of another world I say of another in substance but the Kingdomes of this world that is which is now and shall till then be divided into many Kingdomes shall wholly become Christs and be made by him one heavenly Kingdome c. For if we remember what is said that here Iohn speakes of the Kingdome of our Lord and of his Christ he speaks not of the Kingdome of the Iewes on earth seeing he makes a distinction of two persons our Lord and his Christ that is the Father and the Sonne and that Kingdome is for ever and ever Reply As little Logicke as the Author hath left he can tell that Assertion is not a logicall but rhetoricall terme And he doth remember also that in the schooles where he was bred they were wont to call the minor propositioâ— the Assumption as he hath done here and can make it evident by this syllogisme If the reigne of Christ as man doth not bâ—ginne till Antichrist is destroyed then the spirituall interpretation of the first resurrection doth make most of the Saints to rise many hundred yeares before their reigne But the reigne of Christ as man doth not beginne till Antichrist is destroyed Therefore c. Now what will you call this minor proposition will you call it an Assertion or an Assumption if an Assertion you call it as no Logician calls it if an Assumption then why may not I call it so too without any offâ—nce to the learned in Logicke Your answer followes in which you say It is not said here our Lord and his Christ shall not reigne till this time But this is all the words import now is no Kingdome but our Lords and his Christs And surely this comment is a great deale more obscure then the text For if you meane onely that at the accomplishment of this prophecy there shall be no Kingdome over which the Lord and his Christ shall not reigne this is no more then what you affirme to be done by our Lord and his Christ already for you say That at this present time Christ reigneth in the midst of these Kingdomes even among them and over them But you must needes acknowledge a difference betwixt his reigning over them now and his reigning over them then or else you make this prophecy to be no prophecy to foreshew nothing at all And wherein can this dâ—fference consist but in his reigning over these Kingdomes hereafter in his humane nature which he doth now over rule only by his divinâ— providence for if by your foresaid words you should mean that at the accompl shment of this prophecy there shall be no Kingdom but a spirituall Kingdome which is all the Kingdomes you will allow Christ this is not onely contrary to the light of the text but of reason it selfe For there can be no spirituall Kingdome on earth unlesse there be withall a temporall a civill Kingdome in which it may be set up And the text speakes not of spirituall Kingdomes but of temporall for it saith The Kingdomes of this world that is the temporall and civill Kingdomes which the Kings of this world doe reigne over These Kingdomes it saith be they the Kingdomes of Christian or of heat hen Princes shall become the Kingdomes of our Lord and of his Christ that is shall by the Lord be put under the government of his Christ as he is man And therefore the Kingdomes themselves shall not be then utterly destroyed as you say but be made one Kingdome under Christ as we say And indeede if we doe but call to minde the time when this prophecy is to be fulfilled which is at the sounding of the last trumpet when Christ himselfe shall descend from heaven we cannot imagine that the Kingdomes of this world should then become the Kingdomes of Christ any otherwise then by a subjection unto his manhood then by submitting themselves to the â—ules of that Ecclesiasticall and civill policy which he their King shall then command to be observed by them And now if the reader consider this and remembers also what cleare prophecies there are for the restoring of the Kingdome of the Jewes he will plainely perceive that the time when the Kingdomes of this world shall become the Kingdome of Christ is to be the very same in which he shall restore againe the Kingdome of Israel And your precious subtilty touching a distinction of two persons our Lord and his Christ that is the Father and his Sonne doth make nothing against this synchronisme For they are said to be the Kingdomes of the Lord partly because he shall them make it more manifest then ever he did that they are his to dispose of and partly because no other Lawes but the Lords shall be observed in them And of his Christ because no man but he shall be supreâ—me Head and Governour over them And surely the Kingdomes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of this world cannot be the Kingdomes of the Father and the Sonne for ever if you take this word in an unlimited sense seeing neither this world in which they are nor the civill societies of men of which they doe consist shall be of an infinite duration And I thinke too that you will not say that by the Kingdomes of this world that Kingdome of eternall glory is meant in which the Sonne also himselfe shall after the judgement of the dead be subject unto the Father unto him that before put all things under him Israel's Redemption And this also is intimated by the binding up of t Rev. 20.1 2 3. c. Satan a thousand yeares with which the reign of the Saints contemporates Mr. Petrie's Answer He said before This chapter is controverted to wit by the Millenaries on the one part and all Christians on the other and now he saith This his conceit is intimated in the binding up of Satan which is as if he had said It is all undoubted what he saith and all is false that all Christians say whereas Christians have given better warrants of their exposition then Millenaries are able to doe Reply I say not that the whole chapter is controverted for doubtlesse no Christian will deny that the latter part thereof doth speake of the judgement of the dead at the last resurrection But I speake of a controverted place in this 20 chapter which is that touching the first resurrection And yet suppose the whole chapter had been controverted I might neverthelesse say that this or that truth is not onely intimated but plainely exprest in it as the first bodily resurrection is plainely exprest in ver 4 5. notwithstanding the disagreement of expositours about it And as the deliverance of the Jewes the restoring of their Kingdome and our Saviours personall reigne on eath are all so plainely exprest in the propheticall scriptures as that nothing can be more plainely spoken although the proper interpretation of them