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
and a figurative sense is the literal or primarily intended sense of these words And contrarily unto this rule the Jewes and others expone the descriptions and prophesies of the glory and power of Christ and his Church after an earthly manner and so straying from the true meaning they transforme his spiritual Kingdom into an earthly and temporary which as it is ungodly so it is repugnant unto Scripture testifying plainly that his Church is all glorious within and not of this world and therfore these comparisons that are taken from earthly Kingdomes must be understood figuratively and in a spiritual sense at least it must be diligently observed what portion of every passage it to be understood properly and what figuratively seeing many times that which is spoken figuratively is exponed by the words preceding or following and all figurative speeches have some tokens of the use unto which they are directed or another text may be found where the same matter is more clearely handled These general rules being premitted it shall be easier to expone all the promises of Christ's Kingdom and especially that text Amos 9.15 They shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them saith the Lord thy God For these words may be cleared by the words Jer. 4.1 If thou wilt put away thy abominations out of my sight then thou shalt not remove Where we have the same promise but expressed with a condition and it is usual in the Scriptures that earthly promises are expressed sometimes with a condition and sometimes without it but alwaies are understood conditionally 2. By the acceptions of the word land which as it is not alwaies exponed of the earth so somtimes it is put for the grave as Iob 10. verse 21. The land of darknesse and shadow of death And for Heaven Psa 27.13 I had fainted unlesse I had beleeved to see the goodnesse of the Lord in the land of the living And especially that land was a type of the Kingdom of Christ as it is said in the first rule and of the true inheritance of the Saints and true gift of God Deut. 4.1.38 And so whether the word land be taken properly or typically the promise is manifestly true both before and after the comming of Christ to suffer for they were brought againe into their land and they who were brought were not pulled out of their land and they are planted in their true land whence they shall no more be pulled ouâ—â— and hereby the large note on the margine of Page 9. is frustrated Answer Let this rule then which is a compound of several rules laid downe by others for the right interpreting of the Scriptures decide the matter in controversie betwixt us And doe not say but shew that the proper expositioÌ„ of the prophesies which coÌ„cerne our Saviours and the Saints visible reigne on earth the conversion deliverance and establishment of the Jewes in their owne land the destruction of their opposers and subjection of all other Nations unto them in a word which reveale unto us the chiefest events and alterations that shall come to passe over the whole world til the world it selfe shall passe away doth teach things contrary to the analogy of faith to honesty of manners to other cleare texts things frivolous and not belonging to godlinesse For surely if our proper exposition of these predictions doth teach ought of all this we may well be accounted for publishers of a new Gospel but if it doth teach nought of this you your selfe are worthy to be accounted but a partial preacher of the Gospel a preacher but of a part of the Counsell of God tel us therfore what article of faith or plaine text of Scripture or moral duty is destroy'd or oppugned by the beliefe of our Savâ—ours coming with the Saints to reigne on earth or of the Jewes conversion and returne or of the calling of all Nations to the faith of Christ and the knowledge of God And tel us too whether the knowledge of these things be a frivolous and unnecessary knowledge or a knowledge not belonging unto godlinesse Certainly we cannot conceive how the personal reigne of Christ on earth should any way abridge or weaken his spiritual power or abbreviate his Kingdom or that his Church should be lesse glorious when he comes into the world unto it then it hath been since he departed out of the world or can be as long as he is absent from it And we know that by our proper exposition of these prophecies we doe make a just distribution of the word of God that we give unto the Jew whatsoever belongs unto the Jew and to the Gentile whatsoever belongs unto the Gentile whereas you by your proper interpretation of the prophecies which concerne the Gentiles and your figurative exposition of the prophecies which concerne the Jewes doe keepe your owne things to your selfe and make the mercies prepared for others to be common mercies yea to be as much or more yours then theirs And as you hereby impose a figurative sense upon the spiritual part of the promises made unto the Jewes so you impose a double figurative sense upon the temporal part of the promises made unto them For first you interpret those outward and earthly promises as you call them of spirituall blessinges too and being so interpreted you understand them of the Gentiles as wel or rather then of the Jewes And this you make figurative speeches where you finde none and may indeed as easily make a figurative speech of any speech as thus interpret these prophecies But it is not the figurative and metaphorical oppression of a prophecy that doth make the prophecy to carry a figurative sense for both temporal and spiritual promises may be figuratively and metaphorically exprest but yet they are not to be figuratively understood that is prophecies of temporal things however exprest are not to be understood of spiritual blessings neither are prophecies of spiritual or temporal things whether figuratively or properly exprest to be understood of any besides those of whom they are plainly prophecied In a word prophecies however exprest are to be understood of what they speake where they speake of temporal things they are to be understood onely of temporal things and where they speake of spiritual things they are to be understood onely of spiritual things And of whom they speake where they speak plainly of Christ they are to be understood of Christ onely and where they sptake plainly of the Jewes they are to be understood of the Jewes onely and where they speake plainly of the Gentiles they are to be understood of the Gentiles onely and where they speake generally and indifferently of both they are to be understood of both And in like manner where they speake plainly of Canaan and Jerusalem or Sion they are to be understood of them onely Thus much for your rules which whosoever shall embrace he will doubtlesse be no better friend to the truth we
to prove And that you may not thinke you have any interest in it by reason of this prophecy you must know that the gathering together of the wealth spoken of in Zech. is against the time when the Lord shall descend and all the Saints with him Which being at the time of the victory there foretold shewes your application of this prophecy to the spirituall and corporal victories of the faithfull Gentiles to be a meere wresting of the Scriptures Israel's Redemption And if this be not to cry Peace peace when there is no peace If this be not to call evil good and good evil to put darkenesse for light and light for darkenesse bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter What is Mr Petrie's Answer This is a pitifull exclamation if it were true but exclamations are not alwaies victorious When we teach it shall be well unto the children of God and there is no peace unto the wicked and set your hearts on things above and not on things on earth is this to cry peace when there is no peace or to call good evil or is it not rather to put darkenes for light when spirituall promises are restrained to a temporal prosperity of a carnal people and when God teacheth faith by sense that because we cannot understand heavenly things til he insinuate them into our affections by pleasing and knowne things should we thinke that God hath no higher sense in these promises All the earth belongeth unto Christ and in the midst of Scythia some have liv'd happily even more happily then many have done in Judea The promises then are not tied to Judea but belong unto all them who are mentioned Joh. 11.51 he prophecied that Jesus should die for that Nation and not for that Nation onely but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad that is through the world as the same Apostle expones himselfe 1 Joh. 2.2 But it may be that this exclamation was made against the conjecture of Cornelius à Lapide then he should distinguish the persons Reply Having spent your store and your stomack so vainly that any one may perceive your wilfull mistake you are forc't in the close to shift it off with this pitifull excuse but it may be that this exclamation was made against the conjecture of Cornelius à Lapide then he should distinguish the persons How it may be and he should distinguish the persons Surely there is no other Commentatour spoken of and almost a whole page is spent to shew that he is out in his exposition of the Prophecies of Zech. which I have rehearst and so contrary to the true meaning of the Prophecie which I have alledg'd out of Zeph. that he interprets the pouring out of Gods fierce anger on the Nations of his great mercy in sending the Gospel to be preach't unto them upon which groundlesse exposition I have inferr'd the words you are so much offended with And it may be you had more reason to be so then you will be knowne of however in stead of confirming that exposition which perhaps you may too much favour you take occasion to tell us how conscionably you dispence the word of God And may we believe you what made you then so scornfully to call that remnant of the Jewes whose temporall prosperity the Prophets have so frequently foretold a carnall people when as God himselfe saith of them I will bring it health and cure and I will cure them and I will reveale unto them abundance of peace and truth and againe I will put my feare into their hearts that they shall not depart from me and the remnant of Israel shall not doe iniquity nor speake lies c. Yea the regeneration of their persons is almost as often foretold as the restauration of their Land their deliverance from captivity or their Lord-ship over other Nations And when you call them carnall whom God so oft calls spirituall yea spirituall in a farre greater measure then we Gentiles are doe you not put evill for good darknesse for light and bitter for sweet And to what purpose doe you tell us that some have liv'd more happily in the midst of Scythia then many have done in Judea Doth this prove that these Prophecies shall not be historically fulfill'd or that when they are fulfill'd the Jewes shall not live so happily in Judea as the Nations shall in other Countries And it is to as much purpose that you tell us out of the 11. ch of John at the 31. ver that Caiaphas prophecied that Christ should die for the Jewes and not for them onely but that he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad through the world for doth any one deny this or doth this prove that the Prophecies touching the Jewes are not to be understood of the Jewes doubtlesse it doth rather prove that they can be no otherwise understood seeing the Jewes cannot be made partakers of the benefits of Christs death till they be call'd out of the darknesse of unbeliefe in which they have liv'd so many hundred yeares into the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ by the effectuall working of Gods Spirit in them as the Prophets have said Israel's Redemption But enough of the perplexity which shall happen to other Nations when the Jewes returne Now againe of their returne and of the prosperity which shall then happen to themselves And it shall come to passe in that day saith Isa chap. 11. ver 11. c. that the Lord shall set his hand againe the second time to recover the remnant of his people which shall be left from Assyria and from Egypt and from Paphros and from Cush and from Elam and from Shinar and from Hamath and from the Islands of the Sea and he shall set up an Ensigne for the Nations and shall assemble the out-casts of Israel and f Isa 49. ver 12.25 ch 30. uer 18 19. chap. 62. ver 10 11 12. Ezek. 20. ver 32 33 34. c. gather together the dispersed of Judah from the foure corners of the Earth the envy of Ephraim shall depart and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off Ephraim shall not envy Judah and Judah shall not vexe Ephraim and the Lord shall utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian Sea and with his mighty wind shall he shake his hand over the river and shall smite it in the seven streames and make men goe over dry-shod and there shall be an high-way for the remnant of his people which shall be left from Assyria g Mic. 7. ver 15. c. like as it was to Israel in the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt You see here that the Prophet speakes plainly of a miraculous recovery of Gods people of the recovery I say of Judah not from Babylon but from the foure h Jer. 16. ver 14 15. chap. 23. ver 7 8. corners of the
the spiritual then earthly sense to wit the land that I have given unto Jacob and they shall'd wel therein for ever and my servant shall be their Prince for ever for that land was not given unto Jacob neither doe the Millenaries say that the Jews shall dwel for ever in Jerusalem but for a 1000 yeares and then Christ's Kingdom shall cease But expone that one word land typically for the thing typified thereby and all the other words goe currently even to the end of the chap. as we see the Apostle expones the 27. ver of the Corinthians as a part of these people 2 Cor. 6.16 Now seeing certainly Christ is the King and Shepherd and the people are the Jewes and Gentiles who were strangely divided but now are one Church by faith in Christ therefore the people of Israel and Ephraim who after the division were alwaies idolatrous may well be exponed typically for the Gentiles and so the union is easily understood which otherwise very hardly or scarcely can be conceived seeing now through many ages Ephraimites are not knowne in any part of the earth As for that text of Hosea it is exponed of the Gentiles Rom. 9.25.26 and therefore the Prophet changeth the word Israel into Jezreel that is the seed of God signifying that the time wherein the Lord shall gather his seed or the faithfull in all Nations from the bondage of the Devil shall be very great and wonderful to all the world Reply 1. Surely your further clearing is no other then a further clouding as the very reading of this prophecy and that which our Saviour hath said Joh. 10. ver 14. and 16. is of it selfe sufficient to discover For Ezek. speaks of uniting the Jews together under one King in their owne land and our Saviour speaks of uniting the Jews and Gentiles into one Church after a certaine number of elect Gentiles should be cald Other sheepe saith he I have which are not of this fold that is other elect servants which are not of this Nation them also I must bring and there shall be one fold and one Shepherd Where it is to be noted by the words them also I must bring that he speaks onely of such elect Gentiles as were to be cald before the Jews and Gentiles should make one sheepfold and not after they were one sheepfold For when they are all brought then it is that there shall be one sheepfold and not while they are bringing No the words of our Saviour Mat. 21. at the 43. ver will not admit of such a meaning for The Kingdom of God saith he shall be taken from you and given to a Nation bringing forth the fruit thereof Whereby it is evident that the Other sheepe he speaks of in the 10 chap. of St. Iohn should be brought to the faith when the Nation of the Iewes should be deprived of the meanes of salvation and consequently when it could not possibly be one Church And therefore in saying that the Iewes and Gentiles are at this time one sheepfold you contradict our Saviour and affirme that the Iewes are now saved without the ordinary meanes of salvation For this they have not but shall have it when the time comes in which the Jews and Gentiles shall be one sheepfold And then also the Jews shall be one Kingdom agane in their owne land and Christ shall reigne over both Jews and Gentiles together And thus our Saviour's words doe neither expound Ezek. prophecy nor shew that the Jews and Gentiles are now one sheepfold But rather point out the time when Ezek. prophecy shal be fulfilled to wit when the Jews and Gentiles shal be one fold under one Shepheard So much have you mist your aime in alledging these propheticall words of Christ 2. The words David King and Shepheard will no more prove that the temporal prophecies or temporal part of the prophecies in which they are used are to be spiritually and figuratively understood then Gods words to David Thou shalt feed my people Israel 2 Sam. 5. ver 2. will prove that David's Kingdom was not a temporal Kingdom nor he a temporal King Or then David's owne words of his people But these sheep what have they done will prove that the whole Kingdom of the Jews were all faithfull persons 3. Being conscious that all which you have said before to make men take these prophecies in a mysticall sense will nought availe you if the word land in the prophecies should be properly understood of the land of Canaan you now endeavor to perswade them to take this figuratively also and your first reason to induce them to it is like to that by which Jereboam dissuaded the Israelites from going up to Jerusalem because it may be more easily understood you say in the spiritual then an earthly sense But what is that spiritual sense which may so easily be understood and yet was so hard to be described that you could not tell us what it was But sure I am that God hath told us by the Prophet what land he minds to joyne the Tribes together in even in their owne land ver 21. in the land upon the mountaines of Israel ver 22. in the land that he gave unto Jacob his servant ver 25. which circumstances doe infallibly manifest that it can be meant of no other land or place but Judea And therefore the second reason you bring to shew that it is best to take the word land spiritually is both false and impious For that land you say was not given to Jacob. No did not God say to Jacob in a dreame The land whereon thou liest to thee will I give it and to thy seed c. Gen. 28.13 and hath he not said here in this prophecy the land that I gave unto Jacob my servant no marvel th n that you can so lightly reject all the plaine texts of Scripture that speake for us when as you dare thus affreâ—r God himselfe and tell him to his face that he did not doe that which he saith he did doe Neither will the words for ever in the text any whit excuse you seeing the Lord saith plainly that he gave That land to Jacob of which he saith that they and their children and their childrens children should dwell in it for ever And yet the very next words wherein your Fathers have dwelt doe put it out of doubt that it is meant of Judea and consequently the dwelling of their childrens children in it for ever is to be understood of their dwelling in it successively and the word for ever is to be taken finitely for a long time to wit as long as men shall succeed each other on the Earth as it is in many other places of Scripture and 〈◊〉 fiâ—iâ—â—ly for time without end And whereas you say that 〈◊〉 in the 2 Cor. 6.16 expounds the 27. verse of this Prophecie of the Corinthians as a part of the People the Prophet here speaks of it is not so for as the
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
particular Jewes be not cast off as some particular Gentiles were not secluded before Christs comming And thus having made a shift to passe through almost halfe this note you leave the Reader in the briars and step over all the rest as too rough for your handling Israel's Redemption And yet there want not some who by the words All Israel in the 11. of the Romans understand onely the Church of the Gentiles to which some of the Jewes should be united but if the obvious and simple meaning of the 28 29 30 31 and 32. verses following will not suffice to discover the weaknesse that I say not wilfulnesse of this interpretation yet surely to any man that is not without reason the reasons which Wendelinus in the 19. chap. and 2. Section of his naturall contemplations at the 391. page brings to the contrary will give abundant satisfaction For first the Apostle doth apparently distinguish the Jewes from the Gentiles by the word Israel when he saith that blindnesse is in part hapned to Israel untill the fulnesse of the Gentiles be come in And therefore I much doubt whether he would in the very next line by the same word indifferently comprehend both Jewes and Gentiles especially seeing the Israel that is to be sav'd must needs have relation to the Israel that was before said to be in blindnesse And then too what is become of the mystery here spoken of if the words And so all Israel shall be saved should not signifie such a conversion of the Jewes as must follow the vocation of the Gentiles for that some particular Jewes were at that time to be gathered to the Church they knew before seeing many such were then amongst them some of which did first conveight the Gospel to them And therefore in my judgement those Divines deale most sincerely with the text who acknowledging the literall sense thereof doe send us to that of Isaiah in his 66. chap. at the 8. ver as to a plaine proofe of this opinion Who saith he hath heard such a thing Who hath seene such things shall the earth be made to bring forth in w Zech. 3. v. 9. one day or shall a Nation be borne at once for as soone as Sion travelled she brought forth her children Where the wonderfull and unheard of conversion of a whole Nation at once such as never hapned to any Nation of the Gentiles together with the expresse mention of Sion and the evidence of the following verses should me thinks be motive enough to make my impartiall Reader understand this Prophecie of the Jewes which yet implies not so much a returne of the whole Nation to their Countrie as to their God and therefore could not be fulfill'd by the returne of a part of them from Babylon at which time too the Kingdome of God that is the true worship of God the meanes by which that Kingdome is obtain'd was amongst them onely but hath since according to our Saviours Prophecie in the 21 chap. of Matth. at the 43. ver been taken from them and shall againe according to this be suddenly and exâ—raordinarily restor'd unto them as Joel also before intimated by the plentifull distribution of Gods Spirit in the last dayes Mr. Petrie's Answer All this Section sights against vaine imaginations for as it is said by all Israel we understand not the Gentiles onely but the seed of the Promise that is the faithfull Jewes and others in all Nations As for that Prophecie Esa 66.8 was it not fulfill'd truly albeit not fully when the believing Church travelled and brought forth so great multitudes in one day as may be called a Nation as 3000. and 5000. converted in a day Act. 2.41 and 4.4 and the peâ—ple with one accord give heed unto these things which Philip spake and they who all had given themselves unto Simon Magus from the least to the greatest believed and were baptized both men and women chap. 8.6 and chap. 19.17.18 this was knowne unto all the Jewes and Greeks dwelling at Ephesus and feare fell on them all and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified and many believed and ver 20. so mightily grew the word of God and prevailed not onely at Ephesus but almost throughout all Asia ver 10. and 26. besides many other passages and other great and miraculous conversions whereof wee read in Ecclesiasticall Histories So that what was a wonderment unto Esa or the faithfull in his time who hath heard such a thing hath been truly done many a day before these our dayes the evidence whereof me thinks should be motive enough to make any partiall or unpartiall Reader understand that Prophecie generally and so much the rather that by this Author 's owne confession pag. 33. it implyeth not so much the returne of the whole Nation to their Country as to their God it is certaine it was in part fulfill'd at their returne from Babel for then they reared up their walls they planted Vineyards c. but it is a grosse opinion to thinke that all the particulars of these Prophecies should be fulfill'd in a proper acceptation of the words at one and the same juncture of time and it is as vaine to thinke that that Prophecie of Joel concerning the plentifull powring downe of the Spirit could not be fulfilled by the accomplishment of our Saviours Prophecie Matth. 21.43 There is no dependance of this Prophecie on the words of Joel and every one who hath eyes may see that our Saviour speakes not there of the temporall Kingdome of the Jewes but of the Gospel seeing he calleth it the Kingdome of God and he saith It shall be taken from them and another Nation shall bring forth the fruits of it their temporall Kingdome was taken from them already and these last words cannot be understood of any temporall Kingdome neither were these Romans who destroyed Jerusalem more devoute then the stubborne Jewes Reply As the last part of the note so the first part of this Section was too strong for your pallet and therefore it was high time for you to cry out all this Section fights against vaine imaginations of which kind of answers you have a very pregnant fancie But as vaine as they are they have made the greatest Scholars in Christendome to confesse that a generall conversion of the Jewes is here foretold by the Apostle and to deny that no more but a partiall and successive conversion of them with the Gentiles throughout the whole time of the Gentiles calling is here meant as you would have the Apostle understood For I would not Brethren that ye should be ignorant of this mystery c. saith St. Paul what was it a mystery that some Jewes were then joyn'd with the Gentiles in the Church of Christ or shall we thinke that the Apostle would admonish them not to be ignorant of that which they could not be ignorant of to wit that some Jewes as well as the Gentiles were then to be converted No doubtlesse but
take of them for Priests and for Levites saith the Lord. For as the new Heavens and the new earth which I will make to wit at the judgement of the dead when this Heaven and Earth shall passe away as it is in the 20. chap. of the Rev. at the 11. ver and in the 21 chap. at the 1. ver as these shall remaine before mee saith the Lord so shall your seed and your name remaine to wit after their foresaid returne from captivitie And it shall come to passe that from one new Moone to another and from one Sabbath to another shall all flesh come to z Psal 68. ver 29.31 Psal 100. v. 1 2.4 worship before me saith the Lord and they shall goe forth and looke upon the carkasses of the men that have transgressed against me for their worme shall not dye neither shall their fire be quenched and they shall be an abhorring to all flesh Read also in the 61. chap. the a Isa 53. v. 12. 4 5 6 7. verses and in the 60. chap. the 9 10 11 b Jer. 12. ver 14 15 16 17. 12 13 14 15 16. verses and in the 49. chap. the 22 23. ver and in the 25. chap. the 6 7 8. verses and in the 14. chap. the c Dan. 7. ver 18.21.27 1. d Isa 55. v. 5. Zech. 2. v. 9.11 2. e Ezek. 39. ver 10. 3. ver and in the 2. chap. the f Isa 49. v. 6. chap. 60. v. 3. 1 Tim. 2. v. 4. 2 3 g Psal 46. v. 9. Hosea 2. v. 18. 4. verses The same Prophecie also you may finde in the 4. chapter of Micah at the 1 2. verses and not much unlike unto this is that in the 8. ch of Zechariah at the 20 22 23. verses and that in the 1.4 chap. at the 16 17. ver c. Mr. Petrie's Answer It is now manifest that these forenamed Prophecies are not of the earthly prosperity of the Jewes onely and we know certainly that the Gentiles are partakers with the Jewes so that the proofe of this point is needlesse and neverthelesse he filleth up some pages with Prophecies to this purpose Reply Now we are come to the Prophecies that decide the difference for the very ground of the controversie is Whether the Jewes and Gentiles are already joyn'd into one Church which you affirme and we denie and yet both agree that these Prophecies doe foreshew their uniting And what then doe they say of it certainly they say not that the Jewes and Gentiles were united into one Church whil'st the Church was amongst the Jewes onely and some Gentiles were cal'd into it as iâ— was before Christs comming neither doe they say that they are united into one Church whilst the Church is to be amongst the Gentiles onely and some Jewes cal'd into it as it hath been since Christs comming but this they say that at their uniting the whole Nation of the Jewes and all Nations of the Gentiles that are left shall worship God after the same manner at Ierusalem This they shew of themselves and compar'd with the Prophecies which concerne our Saviours reigne on earth they infallibly declare too that at their uniting all Nations in the world shall make but one Church and Kingdome under the government of our Lord Jesus Christ which is enough to shew that in the ensuing discourse you doe but vainly kick against the pricks and manifest an obstinate apostasie from the truth But lest the unlearned Reader should mistake mole-hils for mountaines and shadowes for substances wee must proceed to examine your Answers And first you tell us It is now manifest that these forenamed Prophecies are not of the earthly prosperity of the Jewes onely What is it manifest that these forenamed Prophecies speake not onely of the prosperity of the Jewes because the prosperitie of those dayes belongs not to the Jewes onely because I say these Prophecies here doe shew that the Gentiles shall be partakers with them in the peace piety and plentie of that time who sees not this non sequitur the independencie of this inference These last Prophecies shew that the prosperous estate of the Gentiles shall be dependent on their voluntary submission to and union with the Jewes therefore those forenamed Prophecies touching the Jewes returne unto and prosperitie in their owne Land are not of the prosperitie of the Jewes onely such bald untruths and sophisticall Arguments doe stop many a breach in this worke of yours and help very much to gaine the simple and to hold up the considence of the prejudioâ—te Christian You goe on and say we know certainly that the Gentiles are partakers with the Jewes Partakers of what of the happinesse which the accomplishment of the Prophecies here alledg'd was to bring forth unto them You must first prove that these Prophecies are fulfill'd before you can affirme that they are partakers of the contemporating happinesse reveal'd in them and unlesse you meane that they are partakers with them of the happinesse foreshewed in these Prophecies you doe but equivocate in saying that the Gentiles are partakers with the Jewes And yet you conclude so that the proofe of this point is needlesse and neverthelesse he filleth up some pages with Prophecies to this purpose Doubtlesse this is spoken of purpose to bâ—ffle the Reader from a serious consideration of the union which these Prophecies speake of which is so obvious that every ordinary apprehension may of it selfe perceive that it is not yet accomplished and this you knew very well and therefore have not so much as quoted the Chapters or bookes where these Prophecies are reveal'd Was not this after all your braving to plead guilty For if this point was needlesse you might so much the rather have afforded the Reader a sight of or at least a direction unto the Prophecies so needlessely alledged seeing you could not have wisht for a greater advantage against me But when you passe over the former Prophecies untoucht and keep these wholly out of sight who will not conclude from hence that you could not possibly disprove the proper and historicall accomplishment of them and consequently that the time of their accomplishment is not yet come Israel's Redemption I know that most of these Prophecies are chiefly interpreted of the joyning together of the Jewes and Gentiles in one Church and rightly Mr. Petrie's Answer If they be chiefly and rightly interpreted so why should we not acquiesce shall we goe about to inerpret them unrightly that were to put out our eyes and deceive our selves and others Reply As I say that Interpreters doe rightly affirme that these Prophecies doe concerne the joyning together of the Jewes and Gentiles into one Church so I say also that they doe wrongfully apply the accomplishment of these Prophecies to the time of the substituted Gentiles calling And therefore by your fallacious dividing of these words from that which followes you doe wilfully put out your owne eyes that so
in saying that the union of the two people of the Jewes and Gentiles consists in the union of the Church under the Old and New Testament You doe herein grant first that the Church under the New Testament is the Church of the Gentiles and so not of the Jewes and Gentiles both as it should be if it did proportionably consist of the Jewes and Gentiles And secondly you doe herein grant that the Apostles words Ephes 2. ver 11. c. are meant of this union for you cannot conceive that the union betwixt the two people consists in the union of the Church under the Old and New Testament unlesse you doe conceive withall that the places which speake of their union are so to be understood And thirdly you doe herein contradict the preceding prophecies which you grant to foreshew the same uniting of the two people for these Prophecies doe plainely declare the uniting of the whole Nation of the Jewes with all the Nations of the Gentiles on the earth and not the uniting of Gentiles under the Gospel with Jewes under the Law not the uniting I say of one part of Christs mysticall bodie the Church then in heaven with another part thereof newly cal'd to the Faith on earth Israel's Redemption And besides how the bringing of the Jewes out of all Nations upon horses and in Litters and in Charrets and upon mules and upon mens shoulders can beare any other but a literall sense or how the vaile that is spread over all Nations can now be said to be destroy'd when as so many of them runne a whoring after their owne inventions I cannot conceive Yea Even unto this day saith St. Paul of the Jewes in his time when Moses is read the vaile is upon their heart Neverthelesse when it shall returne unto the Lord the vaile shall be taken away 2 Cor. 3. ver 15. and 16. But we see not yet Israel return'd yea we see it fallen into more grosse ignorance and superstition and therefore the vaile is not yet taken away and consequently is not yet destroyed from all Nations Mr. Petrie's Answer Whether he cannot or will not conceive it may be doubted many 1000. have conceived both those he gives no reason of his doubting in the former and the cause of his doubting in the other is naught for albeit the vaile be not taken away from all the Jewes and from all of all the Nations in which sense it shall never be taken away seeing the Church on earth is alwayes a mixt company yet certainly it is taken away from the Jewes and all the Nations to wit so many of them as turne to the Lord which are so many as the Starres in heaven that is innumerable to men For the grace of God that brings salvation hath appeared unto all men Tit. 2.11 And God who hath commanded the light to shine out of darknesse hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ so writes a Jew unto the Gentiles 2 Cor. 4.6 Reply The reason of my doubting in the former passage is because neither you nor any other can give a reason sufficient to prove that the bringing of the Jewes for an offering unto the Lord out of all Nations upon horses and in Litters and in Charrets and upon mules and upon swift beasts c. to his mountaine at Jerusalem is not to be taken in a proper sense for the best reason you can shew is as it seemes that many thousands have conceived these words in another sense which is as good a reason to prove that other sense to be the true sense of them as it is to say that Mahomet was no false Prophet because many millions have and doe erroneously conceive him to be a true Prophet And why did you not afford us a sight of that other sense which so many 1000. have taken these words in and of the important reasons that mov'd them so to doe seeing you confesse page 10. that the Scripture is properly to be taken unlesse the proper sense be dissonant from the scope of the text or contrary to the analogie of Faith or honesty of manners neither of which hath been prov'd of the proper sense of these words nor of any of the Prophecies upon which you strive so much to impose a figurative sense And as you have not brought a reason to remove my doubting in this former passage so you have not prov'd the reason of my doubting in the other to be naught For in saying that albeit the vaile be not taken away from all the Jewes and from all of all the Nations in which sense it shall never be taken away c. yet certainly it is taken away from the Jewes and from all Nations to wit so many of them as turne to the Lord c. In saying thus you say nothing to the purpose for was it not thus when the Prophet spake these words was not the vaile then taken away from as many of the Jewes and of other Nations as were then turn'd unto the Lord And when St. Paul said Even unto this day when Moses is read the vaile is upon their heart neverthelesse when it shall returne unto the Lord the vaile shall be taken away were there not then more Jewes converted to the Christian Faith then have been ever since and yet the Apostle saith that the vaile was then upon their hearts and speaks of the removing of it from them as of a thing to be done and not then done although those were then converted which God had appointed to be then converted And therefore the Apostles words are to be understood of the removing of the vaile from all the Jewes and not from some onely And the Prophet saith likewise that God will destroy the Covering cast over all people and the vaile that is spread over all Nations which cannot be fulfill'd when onely a part of the vaile is destroy'd as you understand it but shall be when the whole vaile is destroyed And that it shall be wholly destroyed the Prophecie of Isaiah chap. 2. v. 2 3. which shewes that all Nations shall goe up to the mountaine of the Lords house to be taught in his wayes and the same Prophets words ch 11. v. 9. for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the Sea And the Prophecies which shew that all Nations shal goe up to Jerusalem to worship doe with the preceding Prophecie joyntly testifie and therefore this first clause of your parenthesis doth flatly denie what God doth frequently affirme And the Scripture which you have alledg'd is us'd onely as a daring glasse to dazzle the eyes of the heedlesse or unlearned Reader for that of Tit. chap. 2. ver 11. hath relation to the severall ages Sexes and conditions of men as the preceding verses doe shew so that to all men there is no more then to all sorts of men young and
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
administration of their Government seeing Isaiah chap. 14. ver 2. saith plainly that they shall take them captives whose captives they were and shall rule over their oppressours And suppose that none of the unglorified Jewes should be imployed in this government yet when our Saviour himselfe shall be King over all the earth and all the Saints that come with him Princes under him when the Nation of the Jewes shall be his naturall Subjects and all other Nations tributaries and servants unto them when they shall be comprehended by the name of Saints with those undefiled ones that Christ shall bring with him when all this shall be what Nation shall the Gentiles be said to be governed by but by that which they live in subjection unto and of whom their King came and amongst whom he shall reigne And thus much touching your first pretence that the Gentiles shall not be judged by the Jewes because the Jewes are to be judged by the Apostles Which is all one as if you should say that a Nation that live under any government it selfe cannot governe other Nations that are in subjection unto it Your next pretence is that our Saviours words are not meant of the Apostles judging in a temporall Monarchy seeing the Angels shall not be judged before the universall Judgement But where doe you finde that our Saviours promise to the Apostles is not to be fulfill'd before the judging of the Angels And what shall we understand by the twelve Tribes of Israel according to your opinion shall weâ— take them for the rest of the glorified Saints no no they cannot for they shall be all Judges at the universall Judgement as well as the Apostles Shall we take them then for the reprobate of the Jewish Nation Surely wee finde no such signification of these words in all the Scripture neither doe wee find it taught by any that the reprobate of one Nation shall be judged by some of the Saints onely and the reprobate of another Nation by others of the Saints but that all the Saints shall joyntly judge all the reprobate both Angels and men onely by assenting to the Judgement that our Saviour himselfe shall give against them and this may be gathered from the Apostle who saith not thus Know yee not that the Apostles or Prophets but know yee not that we shall judge the Angels he speakes of all and not of some Saints only seeing then the twelve Tribes of Israel as you apply this saying to the universall Judgement can neither be taken for the rest of the glorified Saints nor for the reprobate Jewes it must needs follow that you are out in your application and consequently the twelve Tribes of Israel must be taken for the Nation of the Jewes over which the Apostles shall sit as Judges in the time of our Saviours reigne on earth And how else should this promise of our Saviour implie a priviledge to the Apostles above the rest of the glorified Saints for their following him in the time of his temptation if it did not constitute them alone to be supreme Judges under him over that Nation which shall be nearest and dearest unto him in his Kingdome for seeing all other Saints shall joyne with them in judging of the reprobate Angels much more shall they in judging the reprobate Jewes which cannot be so much honour unto the Disciples as the judging of the reprobate Angels and so the great priviledge which our Saviour promised the Disciples shall according to your opinion be farre inferiour to that which St. Paul affirmes to be common to all the Saintâ— And whereas you sâ—â— that 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 Wee grant your conclusion for we know that the Angels were not to be judged by the faithful Corinthians and the rest of the Saints before their departure out of this life or before the redemption of their bodies at our Saviours appearing but that they shall be judged by them after their reigning with Christ after their judging of the world a thousand yeares And so the glory of the Kingdome of Israel is not yet diminished by any of your feeble falicies and indigested imaginations Israel's Redemption And this is as much as I need say though not above halfe that the Prophets say concerning the Kingdome in the tâ—â—â— I will therefore shut up all with that solemne protestation of God in the 31. chap. of Jer. at the 35. ver Thus saith the Lord which giveth the Sunne for a light by day and the ordinances of the Moone and of the Starres for a light by night which divideth the Sea when the waves thereof roare the Lord of Hosts is his name If those Ordinances u Jer. 33. ver 20.25 depart from before me saith the Lord then shall the seed of Israel also cease from being a Nation before mee for ever Thus saith the Lord If heaven above can be measured and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done saith the Lord. And with that humble complaint of Israel whom God in the 7. of Mioah at the 8. ver makâ—â— to prophecie thus of her selfe Rejoyce not against me O mine enemy when I fall I shall rise when I sit in darknesse the Lord will be a light unto mee I will beare the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him untill he plead my cause and execute Judgement for me He will bring me forth to the light and I shall behold 〈◊〉 righteousnesse Mr Petrie's Answer We acknowledge both in their owne sense and trâ—th 〈◊〉 noâ—â—ing 〈◊〉 in them nor collected out of them for proofe of this purpose Reply If you will acknowledge them both in their owne sense you must acknowledge them to be for our purpose for you must acknowledge that the Nation of the Jewes which now sâ—â— in darknesse which now heares the indignation of the Lord because she hath sinned against him shall againe be brought forth to the light by him as Micah saith here And the foresaid protestation of God by Jer. chap. 31. touching the preserving of the Jewish Nation will force you to acknowledge your errour page 20. where you say that now through many agâ—s Ephraimites are not knowne in any part of the earth Israel's Redemption And so I passe from the thing to be restor'd which is the Kingdome of Israel to the Person by whom it is to be restor'd which is Christ the Lord at his next appearing For they asked of him saying Lord wilt thou at this time restore againe the Kingdome to Israel Mr. Petrie's Answer If the temporall Kingdome of the Jewes could be demonstrated out of the Scriptures the question a nent the King might more easily be resolved and neverthelesse these few millenaries cannot agree concerning the person of their King
Christians pag. 1. This is one untruth to wit That I have granted that Christ hath executed his Kingly office The next is That I have said that he sits on a Throne in heaven as man which though it be in it selfe a truth for Christ himselfe saith of himselfe and am set downe with my Father in his Throne Rev. 3. ver 21. Yet it is not true that I have said these words for thus I have said that the place where he now sits is the Fathers Throne a Throne in which he hath no proper interest but as God These are your misreports of what I have idsa to which we may adde your affirming that it hath not been proved that the Prophets have spoken of a Kingdome on earth when as the Prophecies which I have alledged for it are so plaine that you left them as one afraid to behold their evidence Now your contradictions follow for having also falsely affirmed that this Proposition Christ sits on a Throne in heaven as man is one thing â—bout which we disagree you thus descant on it If these words as man be understood according to the Logicall acceptation it may be granted Thus farre you affirme that according to the Logicall acceptation Christ sits on a Throne in heaven as man and yet you subjoyne presently for what agreeth unto any man as man belongeth unto all men and indeed iâ— belongeth not unto all men to sit on the throne of Majesty Whereby you deny that according to the Logicall acceptation Christ sits on a throne in heaven as man It followes and neverthelesse Christ sits at the right hand of the Father as God-Man or Mediatour Here likewise you affirme that Christ sits on a Throne in heaven as man though not onely as man but as God too and yet you immediately subjoyne and in this sense we deny this assertion to wit that Christ sits on a Throne in heaven as man as it seemes this Author takes it But surely this Author hath not spoken the words and yet he will not deny that Christ doth fit there as man lest he should deny what Christ himselfe and the Apostles have said neither will he affirme that Christ sits there any otherwise then as God-man or Mediatour although his sitting doth properly belong unto him as man onely But you have said that Christ both sits and sits not there in a logicall acception and that he sits there as God-man and yet not as man Thus contrary are you to your selfe and withall as contrary to the truth in misapplying your distinction For whereas you say It may be granted that Christ sits on a throne in heaven as man if these words be understood according to the logicall acceptation of them it is notoriously false for the words as man in this sense doe imply somewhat essentially belonging unto man which cannot be affirmed of Christs fitting on a Throne in heaven to wit that it doth essentially belong unto his humane nature for then it should inseparately belong unto him and to all other men besides this then you should have deny'd and affirm'd onely that he sits there as such a man as Mediatour Put you out of your great skill in Logique in which you will allow me no insight have first affirmed both members of your distinction and presently deny'd both such a subtile or rather simple discourse have you extracted out of your logicall principle And that the Reader may see how unseasonable and unreasonable you have alledged this Philosophicall rule as well as the Propheticall and Apostolicall writings and revelations he must know that this maxime what agreeth unto any man aâ— man belongeth unto all men is generally true onely of meere man in opposition to other creatures and not of our Saviour who is both God and man and so as well distinguisht by his humane properties from his divine nature and by his essentiall attributes from other creatures as by his mediatory offices from other men Wherefore it followes not that what belongs unto Christ as man belongs unto all men because we usually say that all that belongs to Christ as man which belongs not to him as God which appertaines to his humane and not unto his divine nature Whether it be proper to him as man in opposition to other creatures as to laugh and to be borne of a woman or common also to other creatures as to be hungry and thirsty to eate and drinke to walke to weepe to groane c. Or proper to him as such a man as Mediatour in opposition to other men As to be borne of a Virgine to dye for our sinnes to rise againe for our justification to sit on a Throne in heaven and to reigne visibly on earth over all Nations These and such like we say doe not in propriety of speech belong unto Christ as God but as man because they are the properties of his humane nature As on the contrary it belongs unto him as God and not as man to be equall with the Father to be infinite omnipotent omniscient c. And thus much for your answer in grosse which is indeed a very grosse answer You goe on to catch at particulars which you thus alledge The 1. Particular That the Jewes are yet to receive a Kingdome in which they shall hold them captives whose captives they are Mr. Petrie's Answer Here a little change of a little word makes a great difference for the text saith whose captives they were And now they say they are The Prophet is speaking by name of the Assyrians whose Monarchy is now destroyed and the Interpreters shew the acomplishment of that Prophecy according to the Prophets morning a but that prophecy speakes not of them whose captives the Jewes now are neither know we whose captives they are seeing they live as free Subjects wheresoever they live Reply It is true that the text saith whose captives they were but seeing the deliverance which the Prophecy foreshewes hath not been hitherto accomplished we may truely say whose captives they are and therefore there is no such great difference in this change as you pretend For unlesse you can prove that the whole Nation of the Jewes whose redemption this Prophecy doth conceane as these words for the Lord will have mercy upon Jacob and will yet chuse Israel doe shew Vnlesse I say you can prove that the whole Nation that all the Tribes have been set in their owne I and and aâ— their returne thither have brought strangers with them whom they have possessed there for servants and handmaids and have ruled there over their oppressours over those who formerly ruled over them which I am sure you cannot doe it is not very materiall whether we say whose captives they were or whose captives they are And if there be any difference in the change it is onely because the Prophets expression doth seeme to point to that last generation of the Nations under whom the Jewes shall remaine captives immediately before their deliverance But
sate downe at the right hand of God from henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstoole that is looking for the time in which his enemies shall be subdued unto him as the 1. ver of the 110. Psal doth manifest where the words are these The Lord said unto my Lord Sit thou at my right hand donec ponam untill I shall make not untill I have made thy enemies thy footstoole So that he sits not there while it is doing but untill it must be done untill the time ordained for the accomplishment of it All then that the Apostle affirmes in this text likewise to be already done is this That Christ is sate downe at the right hand of God as was foretold but as for the other part of this prophecy he saith plainely That Christ now expects onely when it shall be fulfilled and if this be not sufficient to make you confesse that the enemies which David here prophecied of are not yet made subject unto Christ that which follows in the Psalme will put it beyond exception for he nominates what enemies are here meant the time when and the manner how they are to be made Christ's footstoole The enemies he speakes of are men the Kings and Heads of the earth as we finde ver 5 6. The time when is the day of his powder The day in which the Jewes shall be as willing to receive him as in the day of his poverty they were to be rid of him as we learne ver 3. Thy people shall be willing in the dry of they power The manner how is by an eminent destruction brought on these Kings and their forces as the 5 and 6. verses doe informe us also which being compared with the latter part of the 19. chap. of the Revel doe plainely shew that this destruction which David foretels is the very same with that which Saint John there reveales for that is to be effected at our Saviours descending from heaven and so is this for it is to be at his comming againe from the right hand of the Father And therefore here is a good ground too for another Throne and that a Throne on earth And your answer to this text is a meere contradicting of it for whereas the Apostle saith That Christ being sate downe at the right hand of God expects till his enemies be made his footstoole You say plainely that his enemies are made subject unto him even his greatest enemies And for want of scripture to justifie this answer you subjoyne as it is granted before and so father it on me But you shew not where it is granted neither can I imagine what you meane by it unlesse you meane that it is granted by my alledging of the same Apostles words Phil. 2. ver 15. to wit That Christ having by his passion spoiled principalities and powers made a shew of them openly triumphing over them in himselfe But surely though it may be true That Christ after the accomplishment of the worke of our Redemption on the crosse triumphed over the evill spirits in his owne person making a shew of them openly that is leading them captives in the time of his triumph as some expositours understand it yet it is not true that these principalities are the enemies recorded in the 110. Psalme whence Saint Paul tooke the foresaid text Neither is it true that the evill Angels were then held in a continued subjection by Christ for the space of a 1000. yeares as they shall be in the time of his reigne on earth when he casts them into the bottomlesse pit when he shuts them up from deceiving the Nations as it is foretold Revel 20.2 3. For as before Christs passion Satan could no more deceive the elect then he can since so hee hath been no more straitened of his liberty in walking up and downe in the earth nor of his power in tempting men unto sinne since Christs triumphing over him in his owne person then he was before if he hath so much for it is of the time under the Gospell that it is said Revel 12.12 Woe to the Inhabitants of the earth and of the sea for the devill is come downe unto you having great wrath because he knoweth that he hath but a short time 'T is of this time that Saint Peter saith Our Adversary the Devill as a roaring lion walketh about seeking whom he may devoure 1. Ep. chap. 5. ver 8. And 't is that we may be able to stand against the wiles of this enemy that Saint Paul adviseth us to put on the while armour of God Ephes 6.11 c. Yea it is in the Christian Church that some were to give heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils as Saint Paul writes 1. Tim. 4.1 and that there should be false teachers who privily should bring in damnable heresies even denying the Lord that bought them As Saint Peter writes 2. Ep. 2. chap. 1. ver c. And they are the Christians of the last dayes of whom S. Paul foretells 2 Tim. 3.1 That they shall be lovers of their owne selves covetous boasters proud blasphemers disobedient to Parents unthankefull unholy without naturall affection truce breakers false accusers incontinent fierce despisers of those that are good traitours heady high-minded lovers of pleasures more then lovers of God having a forme of godlinesse but denying the power thereof And if these be the fruites of Satan's subjection and in prisonment what then are the fruites of his power and freedome Doubtlesse Satan cannot be held in subjection to be bound up as he must be in the time of Christ a reigne as long as new enemies doe arise against Christ in his poore members seeing it is onely through the liberty and power that this Arch-makebate hath in the world that good men suffer for the truth and evill men oppose it that I say men are kept from a generall peace and unity over the whole earth And therefore in confessing that new enemies still arise against Christ you doe Italy gainesay what you before falsly affirmed to wit that the evill Angels Christs greatest enemies are now held in subjection by him that they are now deprived both of their power and liberty to doe hurt to rebell against Christ and to raise persecution against those that are Christs as they shall be I say not in this time of the world but in that in which Christ shall reigne personally on earth Yea if Christs enemies mentioned in the foresaid Psalme be now made his footstoole if they be now wholly subdued unto him for this is the meaning of their being made his footstoole how can new ones still arise The 5. Particular Seeing be sits now on his Fathers Throne therefore neither is this the time nor that the place in which his Throne in to be erected not the place because in one Kingdome there can be but one Throne and not the time for then he should sit on his own Throne which now he doth not Mr. Petrie's
Answer If this be not to deceive with words I know not what it is to deceive One and the same throne is called the throne of God and of the Lambe Revel 22.5 and therefore his Fathers throne is his owne throne as he saith generally John 17.10 All my things are thine and all thine are mine and so both parts of the proofe fall to the ground Is one Kingdome is but one throne and that throne belongeth to the Father and to the Sonne and now befits on his owne throne as it is said expressely unto the Sonne Heb. 1.8 Thy throne is for ever and ever and he prayeth for no other glory but that which he had before the world was John 17.5 Reply It doth ill become a deceive to cry out against deceit Our Saviours words Revel 3.21 are very plaine they are no parable To him that overcometh saith he will I grant to sit with mee in my Throne loe here a Throne in which the Saints shall sit with Christ it follows Even as I also overcame and am set downe with my Father in his Throne Loe here a Throne in which no man can sit but himselfe and therefore here are two distinct Thrones But you object That one and the same throne is called the throne of God and of the Lambe and therefore say you his Fathers throne is his owne throne And therefore say we you are slipt from the matter in question for whereas you should prove that the Throne which Revel 3. Christ calls my throne is not a distinct Throne from that which he calls the Fathers throne you prove onely that the Fathers Throne is Christs owne Throne which no Christian will gainsay For it is his by proper interest as he is God and by purchased interest as I may say as the Lambe of God as a crucified Saviour and yet it is not that Throne which properly belongs unto him as he is man as he is the Sonne of David For this he is to receive on earth where others where they that overcome shall sit with him And in opposition to this Throne on earth it is that he calls the Throne in heaven the Fathers throne Revel 3.21 which Throne Revel 22.3 after the expiration of the time of his reigne on Davids Throne he calls the Throne of God and of the Lambe And so your argument being mistaken the scriptures alledged to confirme it are of no force to beare downe the truth of a double Throne mentioned Rev. 3.21 The 6. Particular He hath a throne which belongeth unto him as man and to the throne of the Father he hath no proper interest but as God Mr. Petrie's Answer Shew then any text that speakes of his two thrones yea if he have or shall have any throne as man and not as God it must be given unto him but it is now given unto him to sit on his Fathers throne and his given throne is the throne of his Father Reply You here fall backe to somewhat that you had left behinde but unlesse you had proposed a wiser challenge it had been more for your credit to have let it alone For is it not strange that one so well read in the scripture as you seeme to be should call on us to shew any text that speakes of Christs two thrones Surely we have shewed you already one unanswerable text Rev. 3.21 and yet you will not beleeve it To shame you then if not to satisfie you we will shew you others For what are the Thrones of which Saint John saith Rev. 20.4 And I saw thrones and they sate upon them and judgement was given unto them Are not these the Thrones in which they that overcome shall sit with our Saviour And are not the Thrones on which the Disciples shall sit judging the twelve Tribes of Israel some of these Thrones deubtlesse they are For as it is said Matth. 19.28 That the Disciples shall sit on thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel which necessarily shews a government over others so it is said Revel â—0 4 That they sat on thrones and judgment was given unto them not on them that is They were made Judges over others not others over them And where should the Saints departed sit on seates exercising judgment over others but on earth and when but in the time of our Saviours Kingdome who shall bring them with him when I say but in the time of his 1000. yeares reigne as it is Luke 22.29.30 and Rev. 20.4 For in heaven they cannot sit judging any because there are none to be judged by them there are none but themselves and at the judgement of the dead they shall not judge any any otherwise then by way of approbation because this is our Saviours priviledge onely as his words John 5.22.27 and the single throne Rev. 20.11 doe declare and indeed it is not likely that the Saints who are saved onely by our Saviours righteousnesse shall pronounce glory to themselves and perdition unto others The time therefore in which our Saviours Throne shall be accompanied with the Thrones of the Saints must needes be the time of his 1000 yeares reigne on earth after which time and the little season of the selfe-ruining insurrection of the Nations that must follow it he is to sit alone on the white Throne spoken of Rev. 20.11 to give sentence on the dead and taking the full number of the elect with him into the new Jerusalem to sit againe in the Throne of God and of the Lambe in the height of glory Rev. 22.3 And thus we have laid before you other texts which shew that our Saviour shall have a Throne on earth and consequently that he hath another Throne besides that where he now siâ—s And that his Throne on earth is a Throne given unto him the words of the Angel Gabriel Luke 1.32 doe witnesse And the Lord shall give unto him the Throne of his Father David And his owne words John 5 27. And hath given him authority to execute judgement also because he is the Sonne of man But you by your wily if not rather weake arguing would perswade us to thinke that Christ cannot have another Throne given him because the Throne where he now sits is a given Throne Which is just as true a reasoning as this King James was first crowned King of Scotland therefore he could not afterward be crowned King of England Israel's Redemption And the reason of it as is intimated in the first words is because the time in which all that shall overcome are to be called is not yet at an end and this also the answer which was made to the soules under the Altar who cried for vengeance against their persecutours doth fully confirme For it was said unto them that they should rest yet for a little season untill their fellow-servants also and their brothren that should be killed as they were should be fulfilled Revel 6.11 and when this iâ— done g Rev. 11.15.17 then shall Christ sit
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
approved schooles who have all confessed the same truth that I speake for and stucke to that proper interpretation of these scriptures which I follow For not to speake of the primitive Christians or of many of the Fathers after them there have been many approved men for learning in these latter tâ—nes that have been witnesses of this truth amongst whom are Brightman Alstedius Wendelinus and Mede whom you your selfe pag. 14. commend for a renowned Author although you shake off his choisest proofes as easily as Sampson shooke off the Philistins cords and breake through his strongest arguments as forcibly as Sampson did through the gates of Azzah which he carried away in a triumphing manner such wonders doe you worke by your canonicall or rather carelesse arguing And yet for all this you must give me leave to make so bold with you againe as to tell you That as the plainesse of this text in hand and of the fore-cited scriptures doth compell us to acknowledge the proper sense of them so I trust both the love of the truth the feare of God and a desire to keepe a good conscience will ever constraine us to sticke to it For it is manifest by your taunting termes that you could finde neither scripture contradicting nor necessity forbidding the proper sense of our Saviours words for the confirmation whereof this rule is here alledged Israel's Redemption For besides that there is little analogy and resemblance betwixt a perpetuall l Rev. 22.3 praising and worshipping of God and the businesse of a politicke government here spoken of besides this I say we are already informed that though our Saviour be now in heaven yet he sits not there in his owne Throne and consequently is not yet in the Kingdome which the Father hath appointed him Mr. Petrie's Answer What impudence is here Doth not David say Psal 16 11. In thy presence is the fulnesse of joy at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore and Psal 17.15 I shall be satisfied when I wake with thy likenesse and Psal 36.8 They shall be abundantly sitis fied with the fulnesse of thy bouse and thou shalt make them drinke of the river of thy pleasures These and many more are spoken of the joyes in heaven by resemblance with earthly Kigndomes and we have already shewed that he bath been misinformed or misinformeth of another Throne and another Kingdome Reply Here you startle the Reader with a very foule exclamation but an evill tongue as it doth not become you so it will nothing benefit you Yea it deepely staines you innocency before God very much impaires your reputation amongst men especially upright men and sets up your wounded conscience as an irreconcileable Judge against you Looke into the Epistle of Saint James chap. 3. ver 6. and you may see both the abominable off spring and originall of it So is the tongue saith he amongst the members that it defileth the whole body and settethou fire the course of nature and it is set on fire of hell That therefore it may not burne hereafter in those flames from whence it is now too much inflamed thinke seriously on this passage and from henceforth give better language to others though your enemies then you have done to me for telling you the truth Now as for your answer I conâ—sse these texts to be Davids words and that there are some metaphoricall phrases in them But I deny that they have any resemblance with the civill affaires of an earthly Kingdome or that there is any comparison to be made betwixt them and our Saviours saying Luke 22.28 so that the impudence you speake of may well recoile on your selfe For the text Psal 16.11 shews onely that the fulnesse of alljoy and delight is in the enjoyment of the sight of God and to be at the right hand of God doth betoken the highest place of honour and glory in heaven which is proper to our Saviour who is said to sit at the right hand of God in allusion to a custome amongst men who are wont to set those whom they will most honour whom they most delight in at their right hands And that Text Psa 17.8 shews that David after the resurrection when he shall have a glorified body as Christ now hath shall be perfectly happy shall be as he would be For these words to awake after thy likenesse are all one with those of Saint Paul in 1 Cor. 15. 42 43 44. To rise in incorruption in glory in power to rise with a spirituall body For if we have been planted together in the likenesse of Christs death we shall be also in the likenesse of his resurrection saith the same Apostle Rom. 6.5 and because we are laid into our graves as one that lies downe in his bed to sleepe and shall be raised out of them as one that riseth out of his bed from sleepe therefore it is that the Prophet useth awake in stead of arise And the text Psal 36.8 is referred by Musculus to Gods bountifull provision in this life for all men indifferently and by Calvine better as well to the outward and temporall as to the spirituall and eternall benefits of God towards the faithfull his words are Some restraine it to spirituall graces but unto mee it seemeth a more likelyhood that under it are comprehended all Gods benefits that pertaine as well to the use of this present life as to the eternall heavenly blessednesse And so refers it as well to joyes on earth as to joyes in heaven And happily seeing the Prophet makes mention here of the house of God it is best understood of the great comfort which men shall receive through Gods loving kindnesse towards them in the time of our Saviours Kingdome on earth when Jerusalem and the Temple of the Lord shall again be rebuilt and all Nations shall flow unto it as it is Isai 2.2 or as it is Zech. 14.16 shall goe up from yeare to yeare to worshippe the King the Lord of Hosts and to keepe the feast of Tabernacles When I say in the mountaine of the Lords house in the restored Jerusalem the Lord of Hosts shall make unto all people a feast of fat things a feast of wines on the lees of fat things full of marrow of wines on the lees well refined And shall destroy the face of the covering cast over all people and the vaile that is spread over all Nations Isai 25.6 c. And besides every understanding man knowes that to drinke of the river of thy pleasures is a metaphoricall expression seeing pleasures are not the nourishment of the body and so properly and corporally dranke of but belonging to the soule to which they are as comfortable as sweete and wholesome waters to a thirsty body But to drinke wine to eate the Passeover to eate and drinke at our Saviours table to eate bread in the Kingdome of God to sit on seates and judge the twelve Tribes of Israel are all proper expressions and so
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
the beleeving Iew was he not so before Christs incarnation as well as since was he not Abrahams seed before as well as since was he not heire according to the promise before as well as since What hinders then but that the Iewes may notwithstanding this spirituall union and fellowshâ—p with the beleeving Gentiles be as heretofore so at their generall conversion againe advanced above all other Nations by many not onely outward favours and priviledges but by a greater measure of inward gifts and abilities also Israel's Redemption Neiâ—her was the Temple then destroyed but afterwards and therefore the things here spoken of are all to be accomplished at his second comming and that not in heaven but on earth On earth I say and in e Jerusalem where f Davids Throne was For his feete shall stand in that day Isai 33.20 â—hap 50. ver â— 2 3.9 10. Psal 122 5. to wit when he comes or if God himselfe be here by an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 figuratively described when he brings him to receive his appointed Kingdome on the Mount of Olives which is before Ierusalem on the East from which Mount our Saviour ascended and the Mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the East and toward the West and there shall be a very great valley and halfe the mountaine shall remove toward the North and halfe of it toward the South And ye shall flâ—e to the valley of the mountaines for the valley of the mountaines shall reach unto Azal yea ye shall flee like as ye fled from before the Earthquake in the dayes of Uzziah King of Judah And the Lord my God shall come and all the g Iu de ver 14 15. Rev. 19.11 12 13 14 15 16. Saints with theâ— And it shall come to passe in that day that the light shall not be cleare nor darke but it shall be one day which shall be knowne to the Lord not day nor night but it shall come to passe that at evening time it shall be light And it shall be in that day that h Psal 46.4 Eze. 47.1 c. Ioel. 3.8 living waters shall goe out from Jerusalem halfe of them toward the former sea and halfe of them toward the hinder sea In Summer and in Winter shall it be and the Loâ—d shall be King over all the earth In that day shall there be one Lord and his Name one All the Land shall be turned as a plaine from Ceba to Rimmon South of Ierusalem and it shall be lifted up and inhabited in her pl ce from Benjamins gate unto the place of the first gate unto the corner gate and from the Tower of Hananiel unto the Kings wine-presses And men shall dwell in it and there shall be no more utter destruction but Ierusalem shall be safely inhabited Zech. 14.4 c. Mr. Petrie's Answer Christ said Destroy this Temple and in three dayes I will raise it up againe Then said the Iewes Forty and sixe yeares was this Temple in building and wilt thou reare it up againe in three dayes but he spake of the Temple of his body saith the Evangelist Iohn 2.19 So the true Temple is Christs body which the Iewes destroyed and he raised it up againe and in this sense the Disciples did beleeve the Scriptures after the resurrection of Christ ver 22. And therefore the things spoken in these Scriptures are accomplished at his first comming not onely in heaven last on earth according to the different portions thereof In heaven and on earth I say and in true Ierusalem and on the true Throne of David for his feete stood in that day to wit when he went to receive the fuller accomplishment of his Kingdome on the Mount of Olives which is by Ierusalem on the East from which also he ascended and the Mount or Olives hath been cloven in the midst thereof toward the East and toward the Wâ—st when not onely the members of the Church but all the world was shaken at the powerfull preaching of the Gospell even more gloriously then at the giving of the Law Heb. 12.26 So that nothing could hinder the course thereof And the Iewes have fled to that valley of the mountaines when they did imbrace the Gospell which is low in worldly mens esteeme and of high esteeme before God And the valley of the mountaines hath reached unto Azal For the preaching of the Gospell hath been an excellent stone marke shewing the righ way as it is exponed 1 Sam. 20.19 on the margine of the late translation to the Kingdome of heaven Yea they have fled like as they did flee from before the earth quake in the dayes of Vzziâ—h King of Iudan to wit they have been astonished at the wonderfulnesse of Gods workes And the Lord hath come And so forth as it followes in Zach. 14. where he shewes the perpetuall light of the glorious Gospell ver 6 7. and the continuall flowing of the wholesome waters in the Kingdome of Christ ver 98. and the removing of all impediments for the security of the elects conversion and salvation You see here that our Saviour came not onely to conquer death which is the last enemy that he shall destroy and therefore not to be destroyed till the last resurrection but also to take the Kingdomes of the world unto himselfe and hath made them all acknowledge his authority and hath put downe all contrary power and authority for all Nations have praised Christ and given laud unto him Rom. 14.9 10.11 That there is one shepheard and one sheepfold that the Dominions Kingdomes and greatnesse of the Kingdomes under the whole Heaven have been possessed by the People and Saints of the most High that is as the Gospell hath exponed it by the faithfull Israel Rom. 14.12 bowbeit all hath not been possessed at the same period of time Reply Was ever scripture more apparently wrested more impertinently alledged Behold saith Zechariah 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 c. chap. 6. ver 12. This is the prophecy and your interpretation this Christ said Destroy this Temple and in three dayes I will raise it up againe c. John 2.19 And interpretation doubtlesse as wide from the sense of the Prophet as the Iewes apprehension was from the meaning of our Saviours words For shew us where the Temple of the Lord is in all the old Testament which was then all the scripture taken in any other sense then for the house of Gods worship at Ierusalem Or the building of the Temple of the Lord in any other sense then for the building of that Temple Yea looke but into the 14 and 15 verses immediately following and it is unquestionable that the same words are there taken for the Temple of the Lord in Ierusalem And besides seeing the Prophets shew so plainely that our Saviour shall
seeing the good Angels which can at once assemble the unjust to the place of judgement and the elect to meet the Lord in the aire shall yet gather the elect onely and leave the rest behinde therefore these things are not to be done at the same time And consequently that the judgement of the dead is not to be at the time of Christs ascending For then doubtlesse the wicked should as well be gathered to the place of their last judgement as the elect shal to meet the Lord in the aire And it is flat against the expresse word of God Isai 66.19 20. Joel 2.32 Zech. 14.16 Rev. 11.13 to say that all the wicked that shall be eye-witnesses of Gods wonders at the time of our Saviours descension shall perish in the destruction that shall then come on the earth Israel's Redemption For that by Christs judging the quicke and the dead mentioned in 2 Tim. 4. cannot be meant one kind of judgement Psal 2.8 c. Ps 110.2 c. Ps 149.6 c. Isai 30.25 Cha. 66 1â— 16. c. to wit the sentence of damnation that by his judging the quicke I say cannot at all be meant the last and compleat but rather a former and inchoate judgement of ungodly men it appeares out of Rev. 20. where it is shewne that the Saints enemies shall be all slaine before the last resurrection And we cannot say that these which are to be left shall be a part of that Army there spoken of because that Gog and Magog is to be destroyed at the end of our Saviours reigne that is immediately before the last resurrection whereas these shall be alive at the time of that generall distresse which shall light on the world at his entrance into that appointed Kingdome as the gathering together of the elect who are to reigne with him doth declare Mr. Petrie's Answer Here at before are strange imaginations 1. That text 2 Tim. 4.1 cannot be meant of the last but a former judegment Who ever said before that Christ shall yet appears twice to judge the quicke and the dead For suppone that onely the godly shall be raised at Christs comming yet they will not say that he shall judge them seeing they say that they shall not stand at the barre 2. The judging of the quicke and the dead shall be before the time of the last resurrection as that forme of arguing imports whereby it followes that Christ shall judge the quicke and the dead in a former and inchoate judgement Who shall remaine then to be judged in the compleate judgement at the last resurrection 3. I will say no mere of that fancy concerning these that shall be left and the destruction at the entrance of that Kingdome but marke that God and Magog is to be destroyed at the end of our Saviours reigne that is immediately before the last resurrection or which is one after the reigne of the Jewes But that Army of Gog and Magog is the same with the Army mentioned in Revel 16.14 as Napeir proveth Prop. 32. And Mr. Maton proveth in his treatise of Gog and Magog pag. 94 95 And I have shewed before that the sixt viâ—â—ll mentioned in Revel 16.12 13 14. is the same with the sixt trumpet yea and Clavis Apocalyp in par 1. synchro 7. makes it to concurre with the destruction of the Beast and Babylon which shall be before the Monarchy of the Jewes as the Millenaries hold and therefore in this point Mr. Maton is contrary to himselfe and to Clavis Apocal. as well as unto Christians who deny that Monarchy of the Jewes Whereby it is manifest that what he speakes here without reason must be wrong and amended by these reasons which he hath lo. cit And consequently that great battell shall be fought not after but before the Jewes shall reigne if ever they shall reigne in that manner Reply The truth is strange to none but to such as make themselves strange to it He seemeth to be a sitter forth of strange gods said the Athenians of Saint Pauls preaching unto them Jesus and the resurrection Acts 17.18 When as indeed their Gods were the strange Gods and not his God they in an errour and not he And yet how strange soever our former imaginations doe seeme to you we have shewed that they are not so strange as true And that these words doe bring such strange things to your cares was not the fault of the Authour but the errour of the Printer and the over-hastinesse of the Stationer who sent his bookes abroad before he had received a copie of all the faults whereof the words here omitted were the greatest and are to be corrected as they are now set downe to wit thus For that by Christs judging the quicke and the dead mentioned 2 Tim. 4.1 cannot be meant one kinde of judgement to wit the sentence of damnation that by his judging the quicke I say cannot at all be meant the last and compleat but rather of former and inchoate judgement of ungodly men it appeares out of Rev. 20. where it is shewne that the Saints enemies shall be all slaine before the last resurrection This is the true forme of my words and in this forme they doe wholly disanull the two first parts of your answer for the destroying of the Army in Armageddon at Christs comming Rev. 19. and of the Nations that shall againe be gathered against him and his at the end of his reigne Rev. 20. are temporall judgements on the ungodly and before their last judgement the judgement after their resurrection And therefore Christ shall not appeare twice to judge the quicke and the dead but shall twice judge these ungodâ—y after his appearing That is once by a former and inchoate judgement in their temporall destruction in their first death And againe by a finall and compleate judgement in their eternall destruction in their second death And as for the third part of your answer it is but a slanderous information against me For I say not that the Gog and Magog mentioned in Rev. 20. is the same with the Army mentioned Rev. 16.14 but that Ezekiels Gog and Magog is the same with that Army as the reaâ—ons which I alledge pag. 94 95. doe shew And I say that the Gog and Magog in Rev. 20. is a different Gog and Magog from Ezekiels as these words pag. 128 doe witnesse And this Gog and Magog in Rev. 20. is to be the multiplyed posterity of those that are left of the Nations at the beginning of the thousand yeares when the Army of the Beast and false Prophet and of the Kings of the earth and of the whole world who as the parallell shewes are the Gog and Magog foretold by Ezekiel shall be destroyed in Armageddon And againe pag. 129. I say That the Nations which shall oppose the Jewes at their expected returne are to be the Gog and Magog foretold by Ezekiel and that the posterity of those which shall be left alive
shall cast them alive into the lake of fire And therefore your application of the story of Ziseah's drumme to this argument is a very ridiculous answer The third argument But most of all clearely in chap. 11. ver 15 16. c. where at the sound of the seventh trumpet the dayes of the witnesses and the mouthes of the Beast and Nations being out-runne were great voices in heaven saying The Kingdomes of the world are become the Kingdomes of the Lord c. This is the consummation of the mystery of God foretold by the Prophets Mr. Petrie's Answer This indeed is the consummation of all the promises foretold by the Prophets and Apostles and therefore it is not to be understood of any earthly Kingdome seeing thâ—â—full accomplishment of the prophecies is not on earth And so this synchronisme being false and the like synchronismes and all expositions following upon them must faile with it Reply This argument shewes that the Kingdomes of this world are to become the Kingdomes of our Lord and of his Christ at the sounding of the seventh trumpet and not before That is at the time of our Saviours descending from heaven at which time the reigne of the beast shal end And consequently it provs first that this reigne of Christ must needes follow the reigne of the beast seeing it beginnes not till his appearing by which the Beast shall be utterly destroyed And secondly it proves that this reigne must needes be on earth seeing the Kingdomes which shall then become his are the Kingdomes of this world And thirdly it proves that the time in which these Kingdomes shall become Christs cannot possibly be the time in which he shall deliver up his Kingdome to the Fathers seeing they shall then cease to be his And so the time of our Saviours reigne over them must needes be the interim the time betwixt the reigne of the Beast and the delivering up of his Kingdome to the Father To these consequences you had nothing to say and therefore you catch at these words which follow the argument to wit This is the consummation of the mystery of God foretold by the Prophets which you thus pervert This indeed is the consummation of all the promises foretold by the Prophets and Apostles and therefore it is not to be understood of any earthly Kingdome But surely as the mystery of God foretold by the Prophets and recorded chap. 10. ver 7. is meant onely of Christs reigne on earth at his next appearing when the Kingdomes of this world are to become his so you can shew us no promise either in the writings of the Prophets or Apostles which after the resurrection of mens bodies is to be enjoyed by them in heaven in your sense that is in a place of glory separate from the earth For as the raised Saints that are to come with Christ shall be on this earth all the time of his reigne so at the delivering up of his Kingdome to the Father the whole number of the elect shall be with him in the new Jerusalem which is the Paradise of God on the new earth whither it shall then descend And so this synchronisme being true all the like synchronismes and all expositions following upon them must be true also The Authors Judgement of the Contents of the Trumpets and Vials which he commends to the serious consideration of every intelligent READER THat the plagues of the vials should be literally and properly interpreted and not figuratively and mystically Revel 16. these reasons doe in my conceit require 1. Because there is no necessity of interpreting them otherwise 2. Because God hath already shewed many such wonders as the vials speake of 3. Because the last plague is properly to be understood and we may not take one plague properly and the rest improperly 4. Because the powring out of all the vialls shall not take up so much time as the mysticall sense of them doth allow to the powring out of one of them For 1. We finde that on the same persons on which the first viall the plague of the noysouâ—e sore is powred on the same the sift viall is powred For ver 10 11. it is said And they gnawed their tongues for paine and blasphemed the God of heaven because of their paines and their sores And at the powring out of the fourth viall also ver 9. it is said And men were scorched with great beat and blasphemed the Name of God wich ba h power over these plagues c. not over this plague whereby it is intimated That the men who were to feele the fourth plague were to feele more of the plagues besides that And it is very likely that the same persons may live to be the objects of all these plagues For 2. The vials are not to be powred out till after the Jewes conversion whose returne to their countrey is apparently exprest at the powring out of the sixt viall they being the Kings of the East that are to passe dry shod over Euphrates as the comparing of the 12 verse with the latter part of the 11 chapter of Isaiah doth prove And whose full deliverance from all their enemies is plainely revealed in the extraordinary destruction of the Armies in Armageddon at the powring out of the last viall the time of our Saviours descending as the â—9 chapter doth evince For what are the Armies of the Beast and of the Kings of the earth against which our Saviour is there said to descend but the Armies of the Beast and of the Kings of the earth which here are said to be gathered into Armageddon And indeed who can thinke that God who shewed such great signes and wonders at the deliverance of his people out of Egypt from the slavery of that one Nation will not shew as great wonders as those yea as great as any the vials or trumpets doe containe at their redemption from their captivity in all countreys And as for the plagues of the Trumpets it is manifest from the Text Rev. 7.8 9. c. That they were not to be powred out till after the sealing of the 144000 of all the Tribes of Israel Which if it be understood of the generall conversion of the Jewes as many learned Expositours understand it it is cleare That the things contained in the Trumpets are not yet begunne and consequently that they are literally to be taken also Now that the 12 Tribes of Israel there are to be properly understood these reasons doe evince 1. Because there is no necessity to interpret them otherwise 2. Because the 12 Tribes of Israel cannot in the same place be taken both properly improperly Properly for them that are to be saved of all the Tribes of Israel and improperly for them that are to be saved of all other Nations 3. Because it is not probable that by one Nation by the 12 Tribes of Israel all Nations and kindreds and people and tongues should be meant Or that Saint John knew
not what Saints were meant by the 144000 sealed persons of all the Tribes of Israel although he knew not what Saints the great multitude of all Nations and kindreds and people and tongues were Of whom the question was made to him and not of the 144000 of all the Tribes of Israel 4. Because these words the 12 Tribes of Israel are alwayes to be taken for the Jewes And much rather are the Tribes distinctly numbred so to be taken 5. Because the sealed of the Tribes and the great multitude of all Nations and kindreds and people and tongues are revealed as two distinct companies whereof one the sealed Tribes is finite 144000 and the other the great multitude of all Nations infinite a multitude which no man could number 6. Because the Apostle onely heard the number of the sealed Jewes But he saw afterwards the great multitude of all nations and kindreds and people and tongues standing before the Throne of God and before the Lambe clothed with long white robes and palmes in their hands Wherefore by These are meant the Saints in glory as the Angel answered chap. 7. ver 14.15 c. to whom such robes were appointed to be given at the opening of the fift seale the seale which comprehende under it the sixe first trumpets and not the unglorified Saints and consequently they are noâ— the same persons with the sealed of the 12 Tribes of Israel 7. Because the 12 Tribes of Israel can neither be joyntly nor severally taken for the beleeving Gentiles Not joyntly because no particular Tribe doth expresse any particular Church of the Gentiles as Judah doth not signifie the Church of England nor Reuben the Church of France c. For every particular Tribe hath as much relation to the beleeving Gentiles of one Nation as to the beleeving Gentiles of another Nation and so may by it selfe as well be understood of all beleeving Gentiles as of any beleeving Gentiles And not severally because no particular Tribe doth signifie all the particular Churches of the Gentiles And if one should then all should seeing there is the same number of sealed persons out of every Tribe â—nd consequently the beleeving Gentiles would in the sealing of the 12 Tribes be twelve severall times exprest 8. Because it is very unlikely that this prophecy which containes the most remarkeable events that were to fall out in that part of the world which the Romanes then possessed and the chiefe alterations in the Church of God from the time it was revealed till the appearing of Christ should no where intimate the generall conversion of the Jewes a doctrine so plentifully and plainely taught by the Prophets Apostles and Christ himselfe 9. Because some of the plagues under the Trumpets are such as were wrought at the Jewes deliverance out of Egypt And though others of them are more wonderfull then any hitherto shewed yet they are not impossible unto God who can as well give unto locusts a strange shape and a strange power as he can suddenly create them And cause twenty thousand times ten thousand of his Angels in the appearance of horse-men on a strange kinde of horses to kill the third part of men as well as he could cause such a multitude of horses and charets of fire to appeare to Elishas servant 2 King 6.17 10. And lastly Because from the descriptions of the plagues just exceptions may be made against any allegoricall exposiition that hath been or can be given either of the contents of the Trumpets or of the Vials as neither suiting with the strangenesse nor with the diversity of the plagues or of their events REVEL 21.24 And the Nations of them which are saved shall walke in the light of it and the Kings of the earth doe bring their glory and honour into it By the Nations of them that are saved are meant I suppose those that shall be saved of the Nations in the time of Christs thousand yeares reigne mentioned in the former chapter And by the Kings of the earth are meant I suppose the Saints which shall governe the Nations with Christ in his thousand yeares reigne on earth So that it is as if it had been said That the whole number of the elect that is all the Saints which shall reigne with Christ which shall be made rulers under him when he comes to reigne and all that are to be saved in the time of his reigne shall at the delivering up of his Kingdome to the Father be made partakers of the glory that is to follow the last resurrection in the new Jerusalem where there shall be no more death nor sorrow nor crying neither any more paine ver 4. FINIS
the onely occasion of their sorrow by whose mourning this Prophecie is to be fulfill'd And our Saviour himselfe also hath foretold Matth. 24. at the 30. ver that this mourning is to be fulfill'd at his next appearing his words are Then shall appeare the signe of the Sonne of man in Heaven and then shall all the Tribes of the earth mourne and they shall see the Sonne of man comming in the n Act. 1. v. 11. clouds of Heaven with power and great glory Whom then shall wee believe our Saviour and the Prophet or you For what though the Iewes which shall mourne for him so long after his suffering did not in their owne persons either pierce or see him pierced yet as Levi is said to pay tithes in the loynes of his Father Abraham so these are said to have done what their Fathers did and Mr. Brightman in his exposition of the 7. ver of the first chap. of the Rev. understands that too of the accomplishment of these words of Zech. which he expounds almost in the same termes as I have done pag. 16. 17. of his Rev. of the Apocalyps Israel's Redemption And what comparison is there betwixt the griefe of a few fearfull and scattered Disciples for a day or two and the solemne mourning of all Iudah and Jerusalem and that to every Family apart and their wives apart As therefore this Prophecie doth concerne the Jewes onely and chiefly the Tribes that crucified their Saviour so doubtlesse it shall then receive its accomplishment when God at their generall conversion shall poure upon them the Spirit of grace and supplications Zech. 12. v. 10. that so they may at once obtaine the forgivenesse of their sinnes and thus lament their forefathers malicious and cruell contrivance and their owne hereditary and wilfull approbation of the death of Christ who shall then descend unto them to restore their Kingdome and to reigne over all the earth as it is in the 14. chap. of the same Prophet at the 5. and 9. ver c. Mr. Petrie's Answer It is said ver 11. There shall be a great mourning in Jerusalem and ver 12. and the Land shall mourne every Fâ—mily apart c. whereby is intimated a distinction of the mourning in respect of place and as they did mourne at Jerusalem publikely so we may easily conceive that these who had resorted at these publick Feasts unto Jerusalem did likewise mourne apart after their returning and were not contented with one dayes mourning all facts that are credible are not written And therefore this Prophecie doth concerne the Jewes but not onely seeing even the Gentiles may be said to have pierced his sides by their sinnes meritoriously and to looke on him by faith and mourne for their guiltinesse c. and chiefly the persons that crucified their Saviour So doubtlesse it is great impudence to affirme that the same Prophet chap. 14.5 and 9. ver saith Christ shall descend unto the Jewes to restore their Kingdome for there is not one word of restoring nor of the Jewes Kingdome in these two verses Reply As in the preceding answer you have applied the accomplishment of Zech. words ch 12. ver 10. to the Jewes converted by St. Peters first Sermon so in this you endeavour to parallel their mourning with the great and solemne mourning so largely exprest in the following verses of the same Prophecie For it is said ver the 11. There shall be a great mourning in Jerusalem c. and ver 12. The Land shall mourne everie Familie apart c. whereby is intimated say you a distinction of the mourning in respect of place and as they did mourne at Jerusalem publickly so wee may easily conceive that these who had resorted at these publick Feasts unto Jerusalem did likewise mourne apart after their returning all facts that are very credible are not written And therefore on the contrary you have written here what is not credible For is it credible that the mourning of 3000. is any way comparable to the solemne and universall mourning of all Judah and Jerusalem for Josiah 2 Chron. 35. ver 24 25. to which the mourning in this Prophecie is compared Or is it credible that any of these Jewes who resorted unto Jerusalem out of so many Countries as are rehearst Acts 2. ver 9 10 11. were of the Families of David and Nathan when as the Tribe of Judah wat not then carryed into captivitie by the Romans And if they mourned after their returne into their severall Countries into Mesopotamia Cappadocia Pontus and Asia c. this was out of the Land whereas the mourning the Prophet foreshewes is to be fulfill'd onely in Lerusalem and in the land of Iudea and it is to be observed by men and their wives apart and what circumstance is there in the 2. chap. of the Acts from which you can gather that any of the 3000. you speake of were women yea it is to be observ'd by all the Families of the Jewes that remaine that is that are living at the accomplishment of this Prophecie and therefore the repentance of these 3000. could not possibly be the mourning here spoken of by the Prophet You say next that this Prophecit doth concerne the Jewes and chiefly the persons that crucified their Saviour but not onely seeing even the Gentiles c. And did you not tell us even now that you give no other interpretation of the Prophecies then is chiefly intended How then can you say here that this Prophecie is chiefly meant of the Jewes in a proper sense and yet meant also of the Gentiles in a figurative sense is not this to give another sense besides that which is chiefly intended and doe you thinke that both these senses are intended if so how shall we know certainly which is chiefly intended Surely to affirme that the Holy Ghost doth intend a double sense in these Prophecies is no small errour seeing it makes God to have as it were a heart and a heart to be I say as a double dealer who speakes one thing and meanes another and shall we conceit thus of God God forbid Yea let God be true and every man a lyar as truth then is but one so doubtlesse there can be but one true sense of any place in the Scripture but one sense intended by God and thefore to make the Scripture Janus-like to looke two wayes is from man and not from God and it is the readiest way that I know to foment division amongst men But there is yet the heaviest charge behinde for it is great impudence you say to affirme that Zech. chap. 14. ver 5. and 9. saith Christ shall descend unto the Jewes to restore their Kindome for there is not one word of restoring or of the Jewes Kingdome in these two verses And yet his descending and reigning over all the earth is expresly foretold in these two verses and shall he come to be King over all the earth and yet not
restore the Kingdome of the Iewes what City then shall be the royall Citie of this great King if not Jerusalem whose extraordinarie restauration is promised in the verses immediately following and to which all the Nations shall goe up to worship as the latter part of the chapter doth foreshew And what people shall be the choycest subjects of this great King if not the Saints that shall come with him and the Iewes his brethren according to the flesh whom he shall then deliver from their enemies as the judgement reveal'd in the 12 13 14 and 15. verses doth declare Certainly you must needs grant that the Prophet hath here foretold the restoring of the Iewes though he useth not these very words which I say not unlesse you will denie that the 9. verse is meant of our Saviours reigning on earth as man and how can you doe this when as the Prophet saith plainely that our Saviour shall be King over all the earth after his descending to the earth and not while he is in Heaven Thus then the great impudence of my innocent assertion is nothing but the gracelesse imprudence of your cholerick accusation and this one Prophecie which first shewes our Saviours comming with all the Saints and then his reigning over all the earth doth infallibly prove all your answers to the other part of the Treatise to be as the answers to this but meere shifts and evasions Israel's Redemption CHAP. IIII. Of the restoring of the whole Creation to its originall perfection ANd thus much of the felicity of that remnant of the Nations which shall outlive the rest at the Jewes returne Now a word or two of the alteration of the sensitive and senselesse creatures at that time The wolfe saith Isaiah in his 11. chap. at the 6. ver shall dwell with the Lambe and the Leopard shall lie downe with the Kid and the calfe and the young Lyon and the fatling together and a little child shall leadt hem And the Cow and the Beare shall feed their young ones shall lie downe together and the Lyon shall eate o Gen. 1.30 ch 6.20 21. straw like the Oxe And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the aspe and the weaned child shall put his hand on the Cockatrice den They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountaine for the earth shall be p Hab. 2.14 full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea And in the 65. chap. at the 25. ver The wolfe and the Lambe shall feed together and the lyon shall eate straw like the bullocke and q Gen. 3.14 dust shall be the serpents meate they shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountaine saith the Lord. Where wee may observe against such as understand by these expressions the effects of preaching on the hearts of cruel minded men that they are a part of those prophecies which concerne the Jewes deliverance and therefore can have no relation to the calling of the Gentiles Mr Petrie's Answer As wee have nothing as yet of the felicity of the Nations at that imagined time so these insuing prophecies make nothing to that purpose for in Isa 11.10 immediately after the forecited words it is said In that day there shall be a roote of Iesse which shall stand up for an ensigne of the people to it shall the Gentiles seeke c. Marke 1. he saith In that day so he conjoyneth the preceding and following things into the same time 2 He speakes expressely of the calling of the Gentiles as it is also cited Rom. 15.12.3 In the words preceding ver 1. he speakes of the first comming of Christ A rod shall come forth out of the stemme of Iesse and a branch shall grow out of his rootes 4. In the words following that testimony he speakes of the calling of the Jewes and Gentiles together as was exponed before And therefore this prophecy concerneth not the Jewish Monarchy and these words may be better exponed allegorically then properly Reply As it is very untrue that you have had nothing from us of the felicity of the Nations in the day of the Jewes deliverance for wee have brought you many unaccomplished prophecies out of Gods word to confirme it so it is very true that the reader hath had nothing from you of this felicity seeing you have wholly conceal'd from him those prophecies in which it is reveal'd And these ensuing prophecies doe speake of the restauration of the creatures both sensible and insensible at that time for which purpose they were alledged and not to shew the felicity of the Nations which yet may well be gathered from the large mercy which God keepes in store even for the dumbe and insensible creatures in that Day in that day I say so frequently foretold by God and not falsely imagined by us But to prove that these prophecies doe not concerne the restoring of the sensible creatures to their primitive innocency at the redemption of the Iewes you bring foure raw and trifling reasons For reciting the 10. verse In that day there shall be a roote of Iesse which shall stand for an ensigne of the people to him shall the Gentiles seeke You bid us Marke first that he saith in that day so he conjoynes the preceding and following things to the same time And wee say that the restoring of these creatures to their originall perfection the comming in of the fulnesse of the Gentiles and the redemption of the Iewes are all to be performed in that day Secondly you say that he speakes expressely of the calling of the Gentiles as it is cited Rom. 15.12 And wee say that as some Nations of the Gentiles were for long agoe cal'd to the knowledge and obedience of the Gospel so at our Saviour's next appearing all other Nations of the Gentiles shall be cal'd unto it Thirdly you say that in the 1. ver he speakes of the first comming of Christ A rod shall come forth out of the stemme of Iesse and a branch shall grow out of his rootes And this wee say too and yet wee say with all that as the foure verses immediately following may as well if not rather be understood of his actions at his second comming then at his first so all that follows in the 6 7 8 9 10.12 13. ver c. is to be fulfilled onely at his second comming which the first part of the 10. ver speakes of And you may not thinke it strange that both the first and second comming of our Saviour are revealed in the same chap. whenas wee finde them elswhere revealed within the compasse of two or three verses as Isa 9.6 7. and chap. 52.13 14 15. and in other prophecies Yea you doe seeme to me to acknowledge it in that you forsake the 10. verse cut of which you gather your two former observations and in which the roote of Jesse is expressely mentioned and fall backe to the first verse as the onely place in
could now rule the Nations with a rod of iron break them to shivers as a Potters vessell Yea why have the Saints on earth been so long time persecuted afflicted tormented and still are if the Saints in heaven have power to deliver them and tread down their enemies And why are there still so many large heathen Kingdomes not yet subdued to the faith or government of the faithfull if the Saints in heaven can rule them as they please Certainely if you can make this good that our Saviour hath already given to the Saints in heaven that power over the Nations which he here speakes of to wit a conquering and commanding power a power to rule them with a rod of iron you will helpe the Papists to a better ground for their supplication unto Saints then was ever yet thought of by themselves For doubtlesse if the Saints in heaven have now command over this inferiour world they must needes be acquainted with all passages of importance in it as Kings and their Agents are with the affaires of State in the Kingdomes over which they rule and so may wel be sought to if nor for spirituall yet for outward and temporall advice succour and defence Israel's Redemption The like encouragement he gave also to his Disciples before his passion Ye are they said he which have continued with me in my temptations therefore I appoint unto you a Kingdome as my Father hath appointed unto me that ye may h Matth. 26.29 Mark 14.25 Luk. 14.15 cha 22.16.18 cha 24.42.43 Acts 10.41 eate and drinke at my table in my i Dan. 2.44 cha 7.14.27 Kingdome and sit on k Dan. 7.22 Revel 20.4 Matth. 19.29 seates judging the twelve Tribes of Israel Luke 22.28 Mr. Petrie's Answer It might be more for his purpose to have concealed this text which makes the 12 Tribes of Israel the persons iudged all the texts quoted on the margin speake of the Kingdome of God except that of Luke 24.42 43. where is mention of no Kingdome but of eating and drinking after Christs resurrection and if that be the Kingdome whereof our Saviour speakes eb 22.29 that Kingdome is come already Reply It might have been more for my purpose you say to have concealed this text And why because you have nothing to say to it that it makes the twelve tribes of Israel the persons iudged What doe you thinke then that in our Saviours Kingdome in the restored Kingdome of Israel there shall be no government or that it is a token of the unrighteousnesse of a Kingdome to have governours in it Certainely unrighteous Judges are a ready meanes to make a Kingdome unrighteous to make charity waxe cold and envy and contention grow hot But upright Judges are as effectuall a meanes to preserve righteousnesse in a Kingdome to cherish and strengthen love and unity and to chase away all hatred and dissention and how righteous then shall that Kingdome be where our Saviour himselfe shall be King and the Disciples and other Saints governours under him And surely seeing the twelve Tribes of Isael cannot be taken for the reprobate nor for the Saints already departed and to depart or to overcome before our Saviours appearing for these must be Judges as well as the Disciples as our Saviour himselfe doth testifie Rev. 3.21 To him that over cometh will I grant to sit with me in my Throne that is to have power over Nations as it is Rev. 2.26 27. and to reigne on earth as it is Rev. 5.10 Seeing I say the twelve Tribes of Israel can be taken for neither of these they must needes be taken for the Kingdome of Israel which is againe to be restored on earth where onely the glorifiâ—d Saints can sit as Judges over others For in the new Jerusalem they are all to be partakers of the same glory though not of the same measure of glory they are all to have equall interest in the tree of life and river of life and therefore there shall neither be need of judging nor any temporall possessions and affaires to be judged of For the heavens and the earth that now are and all the creatures on the earth being to last no longer then the first death shall last shall be then all dissolved And those new ones mentioned Rev. 21.1 that new heaven I say from which and that new earth to which the new Jerusalem shall descend created in their place You tell us next that all the texts quoted on the margine speake of the Kingdome of God except that of Luke 24 42 43. where is mention of no Kingdome but of eating and drinking after Christs resurrection c. But doe not the other texts speake also of something to be done in the Kingdome of God as well as of the Kingdome of God Surely our Saviour saith Matth. 26.29 I say unto you that I will not drinke henceforth of the fruite of the Vine untill that day when I shall drinke it new with you in my Fathers Kingdome as it is Marke 14.25 in the Kingdome of God and Luke 22.15 he saith I have earnestly desired to eate this Passeover with you before I suffer for I say unâ—o you Henceforth I will not ease of it any more untill it be fulfill'd in the Kingdome of God And he tooke the cup and gave thankes and said Take this and divide it among you for I say unto you I will not drinke of the fruite of the Vine untill the Kingdome of God become Loc here is mention of eating and drinking too and that of our Saviours eating the Passeover and drinking wine againe with his Disciples but not untill the Kingdome of God be come And therefore unlesse you will deny that the Kingdome of God shall come you cannot deny that our Saviour and his Disciples shall again eate and drinke together nor consequently that the Kingdome of God is meant of our Saviours Kingdom on carth Of that Kingdome of which he said to his Disciples Luke 22.28 Yee are they which have continued with me in my temptations therefore I appoint unto you a Kingdome as my Father hath appointed unto me that ye may eate and â—rinke at my table in my Kingdome c. For where is a Lambe for the Passeover where growes the Vine but on earth and when could the Disciples eate the Passeover and drinke wine againe with our Saviour at his table but after the resurrection of their bodies And that text Luke 24.42.43 was quoted onely to shew that glorified bodies can eate and consequently that the denyall of this can be of no force against the proper sense of our Saviours words whose single affirmation of his eating and drinking with his Disciples after his next appearing ought to be of more account with us and to gaine more beliefe from us then all other mens negation of it And this selfe same Kingdome of our Saviour on earth is sometimes called the Kingdome of the Father because it is appointed unto him