and terrible day of he Lord shall doe at the accomplishment of this prophecie Ans Wher the darknesse of the Sun and so iâ— may be understood of the Moone is used properly it is not put only for a signe of an eminent and imminent destruction as it is manifest Luk. 23 45. which wes a testimonie from heaven of Christs innocencie for conviction of the murtherers and c. 21.25 the signes in the Sun and Moone and in the Starres and the distresse of nationes upon the earth with perplexitie and the roaring of the Sea and waves ar all to be understood properly as signes before the great and terrible daye of the Lord. So what is promised in the 28 and 29 verses of the second ch of Ioel wes truely albeit not altogeder fulfilled in the dayes of Peter even howbeit the wordes of the 30 and 31 verses be properly understood and not wholly fulfilled till the time immediatly preceding the last coming of Christ Inst 2 The chief and most remarkable effect of the Spirit in the Apostles at this tyme wes the gift of tounges of which the prophet makes no mention Ans 1 If this exception wer true it wold prove that the Apostle citeth the wordes inpertinently and the Iewes micht have challenged him of babling and so these authoures fight against the Apostle and the Spirit of God who hes registred this argumentation of the Apostle as good and valide 2 the chieff and most remarkable work of the Spirit at that tyme wes a sound from heaven as of a michty rushing wind which filled all the house and there appeared unto them cloven tounges lyk as of fire and it sate upon each of them and they wer all silled with the holy Ghost and this wes noised abroad Wherby it is evident that the Apostle speakes especially not only of the effect which is their speaking in strange languages bot of the cause the powring doun of the Spirit of which Ioel speakes expressely and therfor Peter citeth the wordes pertinently Inst 3 as the prophet reveled so Peter repeates this powring out of the Spirit as a contemporarie event with the wonders which shal be shewne in the heavens and in the earth before the great and terrible day of the Lord come which day can no way be referred to the first coming of Christ when he came to save sinners and not to destroy them for then it must been an antecedent of his birth and not a subsequent of his death Ans 1 Ioel sayth not that the powring of the Spirit shall not be till the great and terrible day of the Lord come bot he shewes so many thinges preceding the coming of our Saviour nether may we think that all these thinges shal be fulfilled in the same juncture of tyme if all be accomplished even in several tymes the prophecie abides true 2 That day or tyme wes terrible for it is written Act. 2.6 the multitude came togeder and wer confounded or troubled in mynd because that everie man heard them in his oun language and they wer all amazed and mervelled and v. 22 a man approved among yow by miracles wonders and signes Wherby it is manifest that even to the sicht of these Iewes that tyme of Christs coming wes terrible albeit his second coming shal be more terrible in regard of the general destruction which shal be on all nationes not for opposing themselves against the Jewes as they imagine bot for their not acknowledging God and not obeying the Gospell of our Lord Iesus 2 Thess 1.8 Inst 4 And to put it out of dout that Gods bringing doun the heathen into the valley of Iehosaphat is meant only of this gathering them togeder to a battle and consequently of a judgement on the living and not on the dead to put this out of dout I say the prophet makes it to be a concomitant of the Iewes returne from their captivitie Ans That these wordes ar not meaned of the temporall Monarchie after Christs coming it may be learned by the parallel text in that same page wher it is sayd And for my own part I am persuaded that this great armie here spoken of is the verie same that shal be gathered together to the battle of the great day of God Almichtie by the thrie uncleane spirites lyk frogges which St Iohn sawe come out of the mouth of the Dragon and out of the mouth of the false prophet Rev. 16.13 If he be persuaded that this is the same battle he micht lykwise be persuaded that the text of Ioel 3. is not after the coming of Christ nor immediatly at his coming for that battle is in the tyme of the sixt vial after which followes another vial and tyme of trouble mentlioned in the rest of that ch of the Revel And here by the way we observe that the renouned Authour of Clavis Apocaliptica is mistaken in his seventh Synchronisme wherin he sayth that the powring furth of the seven viales is contemporarie with the end of the Beast and Babylon for albeit it be sayd c. 15.2 that they who had gotten the victorie over the Beast sang the song of Moses it followes not that the Beast wes then destroyed nether albeit the first and fift and last viales be powred on the Beast followeth it that they wer not powred till the last tyme of the destruction of the Beast Seing the Saintes in heaven and on earth too may rejoyce for their particulare victorie over the Beast as yet reigning and the viales may be powred on the Beast at several times even some of them on the Beast in the hight of her pride to the end that men may have warninges of the judgementes of God on the Beast in her greatest pompe And the rather may we judge so that we find such aggriement in the principal termes of the seven Trumpets and seven viales the second Trumpet with the second vial the thrid Trumpet with the thrid vial the fourth Trumpet with the fourth vial the sixt Trumpet with the sixt vial and the seventh Trumpet with the seventh vial Now seing the first Trumpet is of the same tyme with the beginning of the Beast as he sayth Synchron 1 par 2. the first vial must be of that same tyme also and all the other Synchronismes and expositiones of textes that ar grounded on that seventh Synchronisme of the first part ar wrong Which I mark because these late Millenaries have been moved by the appearance of these Synchronismes to embrace this opinions 2 We may be persuaded that the gathering of the nationes Joel 3.2 is not to be understood of a batle after the coming or at the coming of Christ if we consider the wordes of the first verse For behold in these dayes and in that tyme c. He kniteth this ch with the preceding and shewes the contentes of both to be at the same time which is not any particulare yeer or age bot comprehendes the whole deliverance of Israel or people of
of the sevent trumpet and therfor it can not be true that our Lord and his Christ doe reigne till then I answer yee have heard before that in the midst of these kingdomes doeth Christ reigne even among them and over them but all their kingdomes shal be utterly destroyed and his kingdome shal be for ever for ever and ever sayth John and therfor not for 1000 yeers only â— That synchronisme of the seven viales with the last trumpet is confuted before Now if we lay together what is sayd of the Iewes reigne here and this answer we shall lykwyse see the vanitie of that observation on the margine upon these cited wordes which is It is not sayd the kingdome of heaven to wit of the thrid heaven or of another world I say of another in substance but the kingdomes of this world that is which is now and shall till then be divided into many kingdomes shall wholly become Christs and be made by him one heavenly kingdome c. For if yee remember what is sayd that here John speakes of the kingdom of our Lord and his Christ he speakes not of the kingdom of the Jewes on earth seing he makes a distinction of two persones our Lord and his Christs that is the Father and his Sone and that kingdome is for ever and ever Inst. 4. This also is intimated by the binding of Satan 1000 yeers with which the reigne of the saintes contemporates Ans He sayd before This chapter is controverted to wit by the Millenaries on the one part and all Christianes on the other and now he sayth This his conceit is intimated in the binding of Satan which is as if he had sayd It is all undouted what he sayth and all is false that all Christianes say wheras Christianes have given better warrantes of their exposition than Millenaries ar able to doe Inst. 5. This vision as it is nixt to that of the battle wherin the beast and the false Prophet ar taken so doutlesse it shall not till then receive its accomplishment for seing Antichrist is but the Deviles instrument we can not imagine that his power shall outlast the Deviles libertie especially if we consider that whil Satan is in hold ther shal be a general peace over all the world as the Prophetes say expressely Esaias 2.4 Mich. 4.3 and as it is here implyed in that as soon as he is loosed again presently he shall gather all the rest of the world to fight against the saintes hot their malicious attempt shall find no better successe than that of the beasts c. Ans This vision is nixt to that battle in order of writing but it followes not that it shall not begin to be accomplished till the former vision be fully accomplished for albeit Antichrist be the Deviles instrument it may be understood as Histories doe verifie that his power may bee in the tyme of Satans imprisonement that is whil Satan is not permitted to rage and persecute openly as he did in the dayes of the heathnish emperomes in the mean tyme Antichrist may site in the Church of God and deceive the world with lies and fained miracles so that even when peace is in the world from warres ther be not peace from the children within as Bernard complaines in his time in Cantic ser 33. and wen he hes deceived the greatest part of the world or all the world excep some few persones in comparison of them who ar deceived then Satan may stirre up Antichrist to wage warre aganst the disclosers of his deceites as he did against the Albigenses and Tolosani about the yeer 1220 and against the Bohemianes about the yeer 1420 in the dayes of the Emperoures Sigismund Albert and others and so the malicious attempt of Satan may have the same successe with that of the beast I say not the lyke but the same both in place time and number And here adde that the fyst synchronisme in the second part of Clavis Apocalyptica is false which sayth The 1000 yeers of Christs kingdome and the last trumpet or space after the slauchter of the beast doe contemporate and the reasounes therof ar wrong for 1 he sayth doe not these wordes qui non adoraverant bestiam shew that this kingdome of Christ did succeed unto the kingdom of the beast his image and them that wer marked with his marke for why should it be sayd of the sones of that kingdome that they had not worshipped the beaste unles the beast had gone before and truely the good office goeth before the reward in tyme. Ans 1. Our former translation is more consonante unto the Griek which sayth They did not worship the beast which is not the plusquamperfect tyme but so that at the same tyme the beast is deceiving the world and the children of God doe not worship the beast 2. the reward of them who worship not the beast is in heaven and they follow the Lambe whithersoever he goeth Reas 2. This appeares yet more by the song of the elders and beastes sung at the destruction of Babylon c. 19.6 Haleluiah for the Lord God almichtie reigneth c. for I dout but ther is one kingdome in both Ans When the Bohemianes sawe the armies of the pope and the Emperoures turning their backes at the touck of Zisca's drumme hade they not just reasoun to sing Halleluiah for the Lord God almichtie reigneth let us rejoice c. And so may the godly at everie victorie over the popish armies even before the resurrection Reas 3. but most of all clearly in c. 11.15.16 wher at the sound of the sevent trumpet the dayes of the witnesses and the monethes of the beast and nationes being outrunne wer great voices in heaven saying The kingdomes of this world ar become the kingdomes of the Lord c. This is the consummation of the mysterie of God foretold by the Prophetes c. Ans This indeed is the consummation of all the promises foretold by the Prophetes and Apostles and therfor it is not to be understood of any earthly kingdome seing the full accomplishment of the prophecies is not on earth And so this synchronisme being false all the lyke synchronismes and all expositiones following upon them must faile with it But to returne unto our authour when he hes sayd all that he can alledge at least all his strongest proofes he will resolve the doutes against his conceites and me hopelsy with no better successe Pag. 64. Now against this which hes been sayd touching our Saviours kingdome his own wordes Ioh. 18.35 may be objected for there he sayth planely My kingdome is not of this world And Mat. 25.31 he sayth When the Sonne of man shall come in his glorie With which aggrieth that of 2 Pet. 3.7 but the heavens and the earth that ar now c. and many other places of the lyke nature But to these wordes of our Saviour I answer They doe only distinguish the time and condition of his
that shall rise to reigne over the gentiles in him shall the gentiles trust Now wheras the Apostle expones his people to be the gentiles may they not be ashamed who will understand only the Iewes So that there is meaned the recoverie of Gods people or the gentiles from Assyria Egypt or whersoever they be Obi. It is sayd he shall assemble the outcastes of Israel and the dispersed of Iudah Ans The Gospell which is Christs standerd hes been preached unto them Iam. 1.1 and so their assembling is into the bosome of the Church Obi. 2. It is sayd The envy of Ephraim shall depart and the adversaries of Iudah shal be cutt off c. Ans The meaning is Wheras ther had been contentiones twixt the tribes one against another and both against the gentiles and gentiles against them both under Christ shal be an end of that malice 2 In the citation of this prophecie the fourteenth verse is omitted because they can not see how it can be verifyed of the peaceable kingdome which they imagine bot seing the wordes preceding and the wordes following conteene one and the same prophecie and these wordes in the midle part can not be exponed of that monarchie it is evident that no part of this prophecie can be understood of that monarchie bot the meaning is plaine if they be exponed of the Christian Church thus The Apostles did flee that is quickly preach unto other nationes and brought them in a short space unto the obedience of Christ not going in troupes from Province to Province bot at the same tyme they went one by one into several nationes 3. This verse being omitted the fifteenth verse is quoted and out of it they doe imagine that a way shal be made for the Iewes thorow the Sea and all floodes shal be dried up before them Bot if these wordes shal be exponed properly what kynd of miracle shall that bee shall the Jewes who ar scattered into all the corners of the earth have a drie passage thorow everie river and the Egyptian or Read Sea be destroyed Or is it not rather in a spiritual sense that the Lord will remove all impedimentes which may hinder the course of the gospell and he hes opened a way into that kingdome of heaven from which we wer exiled in Adam and spiritual Pharao is drowned or destroyed in the Read Sea or bloodie death of Christ and by a michtie wind of preaching the Lord hes made his power knowen everie wher even al 's sensibly as when he brought Israel out of Egypt Pag. 16 Such another prophecie is that of Ezek. 37.19.21 and 27 and Hos 1 10.11 In both which prophecies he Lord hes promised that the Iewes shall again live under one king only as they had done before the division of the tribes and that in their own land too which hes not been yet performed and therfor the tyme of these prophecies is yet to come Ans The lyke prophecie is lykwise exponed bot for further clearing of these ladde That of Ezek. 37 is exponed by Christ Ioh. 10.14.16 I am the good sheepherd and know my sheep and other sheep I have which ar not of this fold them also I must bring and they shall hear my voice and ther shal be one fold and one sheepherd Wher we see that Christ is the sheepherd and by consequence the king too unlesse they will understand the 24 v. of Ezek. 37 of two different persones and the people over whom he reigneth ar his sheep not only of the Iewes bot of another fold whom Christ bringeth into the same fold that is into the same Church 2 the same wordes speaking of Christ and calling him David and king and sheepherd shew that they must be spiritually understood 3 the 25 verse may be more easily understood in the spiritual then earthly sense to wit the land that I have given unto Iacob and they shall dwell therin for ever and my servant shal be their Prince for ever for that land wes not given unto Iacob nether doe the Millenaries say that the Iewes shall dwell for ever in Ierusalem bot for a 1000 yeers and then Christs kingdome shall cease Bot expone that one word land typically for the thing typifyed therby and all the other wordes goe currently even to the end of the chapter as we see the Apostle expones the 27 verse of the Corinthianes as a parte of these people 2 Cor. 6.16 Now seing certainly Christ is the king and sheepherd and the people ar the Iewes and gentiles who wer strangely divided bot now ar one Church by faith in Christ therfor the people of Israel and Ephraim who after the division wer alwyse idolatrous may wee l be exponed typically for the gentiles and so the union is easily understood which otherwyse verie hardly or scarcely can be conceived seing now throgh many ages Ephraimites ar not knowen in any part of the earth As for that text of Hosee it is exponed of the gentiles Rom. 9.25.26 and therfor the Prophet changeth the word Israel into Iezreel that is the seed of God signifying that the tyme wherin the Lord shall gather his seed or the faithfull in all nationes from the bondage of the devill shal be verie great and wonderfull unto all the world Pag. 17 Thogh this of Hosea be understood by some expositoures of the vocation of the gentiles yet doutles they ar much mistaken in this exposition Ans This is a quarel against the Apostle and now let all the world judge whither he or the Millenaries being contrarie shal be followed especially seing now we have found that our Saviour exponing the former prophecie of Ezekiel and the Apostle exponing this lyk prophecie of Hosee doe accorde harmoniously Inst How can that belong unto the gentiles which wes prophecied only of the Iewes as is declared by the prophets wife of whoredomes which he took of purpose to upbrayd the idole worship and spirituall whoredomes of the Israelites v. 2 and therfor when she conceived and bare him the second Sone God sayd Call his name Loammi for yee ar not my people and I will not be your God Ans It wes not prophecied of the Jewes only for it is plaine that Hosee speakes of the Israelites alsweell as of the Jewes and generally the Apostle speakes Rom. 10.12 ther is no difference between the Iew and the Greek for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him So that albeit the prophet wes sent personally unto the Israelites yet his wordes wer no lesse true and meaned of the gentiles who then wer not the people of God bot now throgh Christ ar the people of God for whosoever shall call upon the name of God shal be saved Inst 2 the place wher they wer told so wes their own land and therfor in that place it shal be sayd again unto them Yee ar the sones of the living God v. 10. Ans 1. wher it is sayd v.
never be taken away seing the church on earth is alwayes a mixte companie yet certanly it is taken away from the Iewes and all the nationes towit so many of them as turne unto the Lord which ar so many as the starres of heaven that is innumerable to men for the grace of God that bringes salvation hes appeared unto all men Tit. 2,11 and God who hes commanded the licht to shine out of darknesse â—ath shined in our hearts to give the licht of the knowledge of the glorie of God in the face of Iesus Christ So writes a Iew unto the gentiles 2. Cor 4.6 Inst. 4. I know no reason why we should give more credite to the metaphorical interpretation of these prophecies than to the figurative exposition which some presume to put upon these wordes Zach. 12.10 although S. Iohn c. 19.37 hes alleged them as the only cause that our Saviours side wes peirced of which fact doutlesse ther had been no necessitie if the prophecie wer not to be understood in a literal sense c. Ans 1. He useth here Rhetorical termes but certanly it can not be conceived by his wordes whither he takes them properly or improperly bot we give no other interpretation of the prophecies than be literal that is chiefly intended as he confesseth pag. 37.2 The Euangelist shewes that prophecie of Zacharie to be properly fulfilled in that parte that the sides of our Saviour wer peirced and no interpreter sayth that the rest of that prophecie wes fulfilled at that instant but we may justly think that many of them who consented unto his death did mourne for that their fault seing our Saviour prayed unto his Father to forgive them Luk. 23.34 and the same Euangelist beareth witnes that they who had crucified him wer at the preaching of Peter pricked in their heartes Act. 2.23.37 Wherby we conceive that that prophecie wes not fulfilled in the disciples nether in respect of the peircing his sides nor of looking to him at that time for they all fled away excep Iohn but in the Iewes who indeed by wicked handes did crucifie him and looked upon him and afterwards did mourne for him as one who mourneth for his only sone and the mourning wes great when 3000 wer together pricked in their hearts Now consider whither this exposition be more consonante unto these wordes of the Prophet or that other werby it is alledged that all the Iewes who did not see him peirced shall after so many hunder yeers mourne for their fathers cruel and malicious contriuance the former is fulfilled in the same persones within the space of seven or eicht weekes and the other is not of the same persones nether within the space of 1600 yeers if at any tyme it shal be verified Inst 5. It is sayd there They shall mourne everie familie a part and their wyfes apart Ans It is sayd v. 11. ther shal be a great mourning in Ierusalem and v. 12 and the land shall mourne everie familie apart c. wherby is intimated a distinction of the mourning in respect of place and as thy did mourne at Ierusalem publikly so we may easily conceive that these who had resorted at these publik feastes unto Ierusalem did lykwyse mourne apart after their returning and wer not contented with one dayes mourning all factes that ar verie credible ar not written And therfor as this prophecie doeth concerne the Iewes bot not only seing even the gentiles may be sayd to have peirced his sides by their sines meritoriously and to look on him by faith and mourne for their guiltynesse c. and chiefly the persones that crucified their Saviour So doutlesse it is great impudence to affirme that the same Prophet c. 14.5 9 verses sayth Christ shall descend unto the Iewes to restore their kingdome for ther is not one word of restoring nor of the Iewes kingdome in these two verses Pag. 40. And this much of the felicitie of that remnant of the nationes who shall out live the rest at the Iewes returne now a word or two of the alteration of the sensitive and senselesse creatures at that time Esa 11.6 the Wolve shall dwell with the Lambe c. â— 65 the Wolve and the Lambe shall feed together c. Wher we may observe aganst such as understand by these expressiones the effectes of preaching on the heartes of cruel mynded men that they ar a part of these prophecies which concerne the Iewish deliverance and therfor can have no relation to the calling of the gentiles Ans As we have nothing as yet of the felicitie of the nationes at that imagined time so these ensuing prophecies make nothing to that purpose for in Esa 11.10 immediatly after the forecited wordes it is sayd In that day ther shal be a root of Iesse which shall stand up for an ensigne of the people to it shall the gentiles seek c. Marke 1 he sayth In that day so he conioyneth the preceding and following thinges in to the same time 2. he speakes expressely of the calling of the gentiles as it is also cited Rom. 15.12 3. in the wordes preceding v. 1. he speakes of the first coming of Christ a rod shall come furth out of the stemme of Jesse and a branche shall grow out of his rooles 4. in the wordes following that testimonie he speakes of the calling of the Iewes and gentiles together as wes exponed before And therfor this Prophecie concerneth not the Jewish Monarchie and these wordes may be better exponed allegorically than properly Inst. Is ther no destruction in all the Christian world that we should flatter our selves with such vaine fancies or rather when wes their none c. Ans Albeit this Author will not give glorie unto God in fulfilling his promises yet we see that others at not so ingrate as Act. 9.31 then hade the Churches rest throghout all Iudea and Galile and Samaâ—…a and in other tymes we find that the Christianes hade their halcyonian dayes twixt these ten great persecutiones and afterwards in the dayes of Christian Emperoures and godly Kinges 2. Nether doe the Prophetes or Revelation speaking of these tymes say Ther shall never be hurt nor shall ever man destroy ane another bot rather the propertie of the Church in this world is to be militante and nevertheles Wolves and Lyones forsake their cruelty in the persone of many convertes And therfor these hyperbolical complaintes micht wee l been spared 3. It does puzle the Authour that Esaie sayth c. 11.9 For the earth shal be full of the knowledge of the Lord and therfor he fancieth a private conceit for exponing these wordes of which he gives no reasoun bot we have given sufficient reasounes for the allegoricall interpretation which is confirmed by these wordes towit that the aboundance of the knowledge of the Lord is the cause why wicked men leave their wickednesse and adjoyne themselves unto the meek of the earth as our Saviour sayth Mat. 10.16 I send
which he spak these Wordes Verily I say unto yow Heerafter shall yow see the heavens open and the angels ascending and descending upon the Sone of man Ans That these wordes shal be fulfilled or have been fulfilled it is most certane and it is al 's certane that they shall never be fulfilled in the proper acceptation of the words seing the bodie of Christ is not so tale as that it shal reach from heaven to earth for this cause some as Cyrill on this place have exponed unto for upon in this sense as if the heavens wer open the angels shall come doun and ascend unto my service so doeth Chrysostome apply these wordes to the angels ministring unto Christ in tyme of his passion and resurrection Others think it to be an exposition of that vision of Iacob Gen. 28 wherby wes signifyed that Christ is the Mediatour making way twixt heaven and earth Col. 1.20 and these expositiones for the mater doe aggrie with other Scriptures Inst That this may be fulfilled it is requisite that he be on earth whither these messingers may descend unto him and from whence again they may ascend Which argues too his continowance heer for a greater space of tyme than the judgement of the dead requires Ans A poor proof for as it is requisite that he be on earth whither that these messingers may descend unto him so I may say it is requisite that he be in heaven whence they may descend on him and whither they may ascend to him and so taking the wordes in that sense they may be fulfilled albeit he never wer on earth even as they may be fulfilled when he is on earth and not in heaven but according to the first exposition he wes on earth when they wer fulfilled farlesse is his continowance on earth necessarie for these wordes Pag. ead Although it be sayd that Christ shall reigne over the house of Iacob for ever and that of his kingdome shal be no end yet it is not meaned that he shall alwayes reigne as man or that the earthly Ierusalem the place of his throne as man shall alwayes stand Ans They will change the signification of the wordes when they please and so far as it makes for their purpose and no more but when they shall prove by Scripture that the earthly Ierusalem shal be the place of Christs throne we may aggrie on the exposition of the words for ever and shal be no end and till that be shewen I omitte further enquirie of them but as yet we have seen nether necessarie consequence nor evident expression for it Followes another point that the restauration of Ierusalem and resurrection shall concurre Pag. 6. Yow see that when our Saviour comes to reigne over all the earth he comes not alone bot bringes all the saintes with him Ans Wee see nether that he shall come to reigne after that maner over all the earth nether that he shall bring all his saintes with him and for this last point he alledges no text of Scripture but will have it to be taken on his bare word which we refuse to doe Wee read that when he shall come to judge he shall bring all the holy angels with him Mat. 25.31 and all nationes shal be gathered before him and that he shall send his angels to gather the elect from the four windes but that they shal come with him into an earthly monarchie we find no wher And nevertheles as if it wer unquestionable he addeth Which wordes as they doe establiso the lideral sense of the first resurrection mentionet Rev. 20 so they make the kingdome of Israel and the 1000 yeers reigne of the saintes to Synchronize and meet together for why shall the samtes come with him but because they have a share in this kingdome and ar to be his assistentes in it as he told his Disciples Ans The first resurrection of bodies importeth a second resurrection and so eiher these who ryse shall die again and rise again at the second resurrection or they who shall rise at the first shall not die at all and others shall rise again at the second resurrection This Authour makes it no wher manifest which of these two he holdeth and Mr. Archer holdeth the first opinion but neither of them hes any warrant from Scripture and the testimonies that ar cited here on the margine shew that ther shall not be such a resurrection of the richteous for it is sayd Luk. 20.35 they who shal be accounted worthy to obtain that world and the resurrection from the dead nether marrie nor ar given in marriage nether can they die any more for they ar equal unto the Angels being the children of the resurrection If they can die no more and be equal unto the Angels then they shall not rise at a second resurrection nether shall bey live an earthly lyf which in the best degrie is inferiour unto the lyf of the Angels Ioh. 6,39 This is the Fathers will that of all that he hes given mee I should lose nothing but should raise it up at the last day and v. 44. No man can come unto mee excep the Father who hes sent mee draw him and I will raise him at the last day If the last day be the day of the generall judgement as certainly it is even supponing the temporal Monarchie for 1000 yeers and the elect shal not be raised til the last day as these wordes imply then ther shall not be a first second resurrection unles the second resurrection be after the last day and consequently ther not being a resurrection of the children of God till the last day the first resurrection mentioned Rev. 20 can not be understood of the bodies but rather a rising from sin wherof mention is made Eph. 5.14 and Col. 3.1 He cites also Phil. 3.11 If by any meanes I micht attain unto the resurrection of the dead These wordes name the dead generally and make nothing for a first and second resurrection bot v. 20 it is sayd Our conversation or freedome is in heaven whence also we look for the Saviour who shall change our vile bodie that it may be lyke unto his glorious bodie If the freedome POLITTVMA of the godly be in heaven then they expect not a Monarchie on earth and if the bodies shal be lyke unto his glorious bodie they shall not live an earthly lyf nor die again He quoteth 1 Thess 3.13 and c. 4.14 c. but the first hes nothing of a second resurrection and c. 4.14 sayth Wee shal be ever with the Lord towit in another maner than nou nou by grace and then in glorie If we shal be ever with the Lord then we shall not die again and rise again unlesse the Lord die too which I think they will not say Lastly he cites Ezek. 37,12,13 which wordes certanly ar allegoricall and shew the returne of the Jewes from their captivitie not withstanding the extremitie of their miserie and
after these wordes he takes occasion to speak of the spiritual kingdom of the Church as is sayd before but nether first nor last speakes the Prophet of a first and second resurrection at or about the last day And so in all these testimonies nothing is to this purpose of the concurring of the Jewish Monarchie with the first resurrection Inst The elders Rev. 5.10 sayd in the hearing of Saint Iohn Thou cast made us unto God kinges and priestes and we shall reigne ou earth And on the margine he cites Rom. 4.13 Luk. 19.17,19 Ans That these wordes Rev. 5.10 signifie the honour and priviledges of the godly on earth it is out of dout bot the question is whither Iohn sawe these elders in heaven and whither they shall come from the heaven to the earth again or whither Iohn signifyeth by them the godly on earth If these wordes make any thing for this purpose these elders wer in heaven but all the Interpreters even the Authour of Commentat Apocalypt pag. 8. expone them to be the godly on earth The wordes Rom. 4.13 ar The promise that he should be the heir of the world wes not to Abraham and to his seed throgh the lawe but throgh the richteousnesse of faith Certanly albeit the land of Canaan wes promised to Abraham and his seed yet he never having possession of that land and his seed or the faithfull ar more properly called the heires of eternal lyf Tit. 3.7 and heires of that kingdome which he hes promised unto them that love him Jam. 2.5 and heires of God and joint-heires with Christ Rom. 8.17 which kingdome wes typified by Canaan and of this promise without dout speakes Paul there The wordes of Luk 19.17.19 ar a part of a parable and we knowe that everie part of parables is not argumentative These textes then serve nothing for this Monarchie On the margine is cited also a testimonie of Windelin bot we regard not the testimonie of parties in their own cause and far lesse doe we regard the consequences of that testimonie wherwith the nixt page is filled and with that question of the essential or accidental change of the elementes seing for one we may bring 5000 testimonies in this purpose Pag. 62. This will appear to a diligent ey out of the controversed place Rev. 20. for besides that the opposition betwixt the first and the second resurrection doeth impose the same sense on both besides this I say the vision represented not unto Saint Iohn perfect men at the first that is men that should be beheaded for the witnesse of Iesus bot soules only and that as of men alreadie beheaded which manifestly shewes that the resurrection after mentioned did follow their death and not goe before it Ans This forme of discoursing shewes manifestly that the Authour is a strange wrangler for 1. ther is no more opposition nor aggriement twixt the first and the second resurrection than is twixt the first and the second death but none will say that the first and second deathes ar in alyke sort bodily and therfor ther is no necessitie to expone the first and second resurrectiones in the same sense 2. what perfection of witt is it to imagine that men who shal be beheaded for the witnesse of Iesus ar more perfyte than the soules of them that ar beheaded 3. if by these soules he understandes the spiritual part of men ere they wer made perfyte then he must understand the soules ether before they entred into the bodies or after they entred the bodies before their regeneration but both these conditiones ar before the first resurrection 4. if the first resurrection be their forsaking of Antichristian erroures or as it is sayd there their not worshipping the beast and their not receiving the beasts marke as all Interpretors excep Millenaries expone it then the first resurrection followes not their death bot goes before it Inst It is sayd that they lived and reigned with Christ 1000 yeers bot how can it be that they should reigne after their resurrection or begin their resurrection all at once or continow it but 1000 yeers which thinges these wordes imply if by their resurrection should be understood their regeneration and by their reigne their being in heaven or if by the word they lived should be meaned only They wer converted how can they reigne so long as 1000 yeers seing the place of their reigne must be on earth Ans If by their living and resurrection be meaned their constant profession as is sayd and by their reigne their prevailing over these heresies all these mistes ar soon scattered towit they reigne before their death and not after their resurrection they began their reigne not all at once but in their severall ages even as the Millenaries doe imagine that the saintes in that conceited monarchie shall not live all at once but in their several ages die again and succeed one age to another for the space of 1000 yeers and so they reigne not everie one throghout the 1000 yeers and so long space have ever some opposed the erroures of the beast and they reigning on earth have been encompast with warre again as it wes foretold and Ecclesiastical Histories declare Inst 2. The reigne of Christ doeth not beginne till Antichrist is destroyed so that a metaphoricall interpretation of the first resurrection wold make good this conclusion that most of the saintes shall rise many 100 yeers before their reigne ther being no lesse distance of time betwixt the houre of their calling and Antichrists confusion Ans I have before made it clear that Christs kingdome is alreadie begun for he reigneth in the midst of his enemies not only by his power overruling disappointing and turning all their plotes upon their own pates but also in conforting the heartes of the godly so that they ar a terrour to the whol earth even to their enemies who ar many tymes more afrayed at the prayers of the godly than at the cannones of other enemies and subdue the spirites of the world and bind kinges in chaines stronger than iron And therfor that assertion falleth The reigne of Christ beginneth not till Antichrist be destroyed and that absurditie following that assertion is falsely imputed unto that interpretation Inst 3. The assumption he wold say assertion but it is marked before the Authour is not a Logician is grounded on Rev. 11.15 which shewes that till the time of the sevent trumpet with the beginning wherof the last vial does concurre the kingdomes of this world doe not become the kingdomes of our Lord and of his Christ Ans The wordes ar The kingdomes of the world ar become the kingdomes of our Lord and of his Christ Here it is not sayd Our Lord and his Christ shall not reigne till this time bot this is all that the wordes importe Now is no kingdome but our Lord's and his Christ's And if it be objected It is no wher sayd so of Christ's reigne till this tyme
new licht reveled in this last age as yow have heard some teach but an old Jewish fancie and Cerinthian fable old erroures ar lyke old whoores that is the more to be abhorred What I have done here is for your good for 1 you have heard this errour preached in stead of the doctrine of Christ albeit it wes first broached by the enemies of Christ by some of the Authoures of the Apologeticall narration for Independencie who hade in their congregation not only Millenaries but grosse Anabaptistes and so their practise manifestly declares what they write obscurely in that Narration pag. 12 saying Wee took measure of no mans holynesse by his opinion whither adverse unto us c. Towit whatsoever Noveller is welcome unto them Their Dinah is libertie-of-cōscience their grand amunition is anarchie or no-discipline and they call it a bondage to be tied in the faith 2. the book of M. Maton called Israels redemption hes been oft put into your handes and upon several occasiones of my declaring the trueth in this point you have been intreated to put that book into my hand wherfor you had need of an antidote Peruse this plaine refutation of it wherby I hope you shall see that the reward of your serving Christ is not meat that perishes but everlafting lyf which the Sone of man shall give unto you Joh. 6.27 and that the kingdome of God comes not with observation or wordly respect and attendance but behold the kingdome of God is within you Luk. 17.20 and as the wicked can not have hope of long immunitie from just punishment of their bodies and soules in hell so our deliverance from the bondage of corruption into the glorious libertie of the childeren of God shall not be long delayed Walk you therfor in holynesse with sinceritie and cheerfulnesse as it becomes the heires of so great salvation and give all diligence to make your calling and election sure for so an entrance shal be ministred unto you aboundantly not into an earthly Monarchie but the everlasting kingdome of our Lord and Saviour IESUS CHRIST Auguste 1. 1644. THE PROMISES OF CHRISTS KINGDOME cleared THat Christ is alreadie come as a Prophet is the faith of the Christianes and the infidelitie of the Iewes bot that he shall come as a King to reigne on earth and restore again the Monarchie of Israel is the faith of the Iewes and infidelitie of Christianes Ans 1. What newe spirit is this whither be such persones Iewes or Christianes they oppose themselves unto all Iewes and Christianes 2. Whither doe they understand the differences twixt Iewes and Christianes It wes never yet heard that the Iewes doe believe that Christ Iesus shall come as a King they sayd away with him wee will not have him to reigne over us They say that the Messias shall come bot they speak not of his coming twyce or thrice look all the Iewish Rabbies and ask them who ar alive they will say bot once This conceit of Christs coming to reigne on earth is neither Christian nor Iewish seing Christianes believe not such a coming nor doe the Iewes believe in Christ and therfor it is abhorred of all Christianes and Iews so far ar they both from embracing it Pag. 2. and yet with submission to impartial judgements be it spoken I find not more voices for the one then for the other Ans Who ar these impartial judgementes on the one side ar Christianes and on the other ar Iewes it may be that he submittes unto Turkes bot the Turkes believe that Christ is come and will not say that he will come again These impartial judgementes then must be heathenes 2. If the Millenaries find not more voices for the one than for the other it is no meruell any who hes the jaundies findes everie thing yallow and who have an ague findes everie meat and drink bitter not that everie thing is such bot their senses ar distempered another who hath not distempered senses findes in the same thinges a diversitie of colour and relish 2. Why dout they here whither ther be moe voices for the one than for the other seing afterwards it is sayd pag. 50 as all the Prophetes speak of no thing more so they have nothing which can be applied to our Saviours second coming as a confortable effect so generally foreshewne bot this Any who is not distempered in brains may see the ground of this monarchie verie unsure to wit a meer quere the disciples asked him Lord will thou at this time restore the kingdome of Israel a querie nether affirmeth nor denieth and nevertheles how great a kingdome is built on it If they can find a surer ground why will they not chose it for their text better they have not and therfor they must be doing with this Pag. ead The subject comprehendes in it two asertiones 1. that the kingdome of the Iewes shal be restored again unto them 2. That our Saviour at his coming shall restore it Ans The querie comprehendes neither of the two because as I said it affirmes nothing And the asked mater comprehendes them not not the first because it is of the kingdome of Israel and not of the Iewes and as all ar not Israelites who ar of Israel Rom. 4.6 so neither ar they all Israelites or the children of God who ar of Israel according to the flesh bot the children of the promise ar counted for the seed therfor the kingdome of Israel mentioned there may be another than the kingdome of the Jewes Nether is the other assertion comprehended in the question because it askes not of his second or third coming bot of nou Will thou nou restore the kingdome Pag. 3 So evidently doe these wordes expresse an earthly kingdome I mean a kingdome only to be held on earth that no expositour which I have met wit doth denie it And therfor seing they could not bot embrace the sense mee thinkes they should not so rashly have rejected the consequence Ans Mee thinkes you speake nonsense Many expositoures expone these wordes otherwise seek and you shall find 2 Why may we not think that the Apostles meaned as Simeon did Luk. 2.30.31.32 or as the repenting thief did Luk. 23.42 or as Christ did v. 43. certanly these did not mean of an earthly monarchie nether is there any word in this text shewing that they meand otherwise 3. Albeit no expositour wold denie that the Apostles did understand an earthly kingdome yet it followes not They thought so therfor it shal be so No more than it followes The Apostles did not for a time believe the calling of the gentiles Act. 11.3 therfor the gentiles ar not called Bot the consequence hes reasounes sayth he wherof the first two ar to pical and by way of probabilitie pag. 5. When the authour sayth The reasounes ar probable and I may say childish will any Christian change his faith for them certane faith should have sure groundes lest the wind of tentation blowe
unles we understand the doughter of Sion spiritually And therfor this exposition not aggrieing with the text all that followes upon it hes no ground in this text 3. it is sayd v. 3 Then the remnant of his brethren shall returne unto the children of Israel here the children of Israel ar distinguished from his brethren and the brethren ar sayd to returne which is a plain interpretation that the prophet there speakes not of the Iewish monarchie bot that the gentiles shall adjoyne themselves unto the Church of God as they be called the brethren of Christ Heb. 2.11.12 Pag. 7. And this the next verse does confirme Which telleth us that at the tyme of this returne he that is the Judge of Israel before spoken of shall stand and feed or rule in the strenth of the Lord his God and they that is the Iewes shall abide for now that is at this coming of our Saviour he shal bee not as when he took our nature upon him of no forme nor comelinesse a man despised and rejected of men bot he shal be great unto the endes of the earth that is over all the world c. Ans 1. he is the ruler of Israel mentioned v. 2. and not the Iudge mentioned v. 1.2 They at not the Jewes bot rather the brethren of whose returne he spake in the wordes immediatly preceding 3 Nou signifyeth not the tyme of Christs second coming bot the time of the abiding or of the Christianes constant persevering in the faith and in this sense is our Saviour great over all the world seing all the gentiles prayse him and all people doe laude him as it is written Rom. 15.10.11 bot at his second coming men shall not built a throne to him bot he shall judge the quick and the dead 2 Tim. 4.1 Pag. ead Another prophecie much lyk unto this Amo. 9.8.9.10.11 Nou although this prophecie took effect on the ten tribes at their transportation yet who is able to mantain that it wes fulfilled on the other two for not the house of Ioseph nor the house of Iudah only bot the house of Iacob wholy is here spoken of and why els is the tabernacle of David afterwards exprest as a prime agent in the restauration if it wer not before included as a succeeding patient in the dispersion of Israel who then I say is able to mantaine that this prophecie wes fulfilled on Iudah and Beniamin untill their overthrow by the Romane emperout Vespasian ever since which time they also remain forsaken scattered and dispised captives yea who dares affirme it when God hes sayd that at their returne from this universal captivitie he will so plant 〈◊〉 in their land that they shall no more be pulled out of it which yet should not be true if it had been spoken of any deliverance before our Saviours coming to suffer Ans It is alyk ground for such a kingdome 1 how can it be denied that the house of Iudah wes destroyed when their kinges and people wer caried out of their land 2 how can the tabernacle of David be called a prime agent in the restauration it is sayd I will raise up the tabernacle of David and not The tabernacle of David shal raise up it is a patient and not an agent and none denyeth that it is included in the dispersion of Israel and therfor that part of the prophecie wes fulfilled even before the overthrow by the Romane Emperoure and so before that overthrowe wes it restored againe and afterwards also wer they scattered Bot that promise of restauration is not of the house of Judah bot of the people of Israel v. 14 and who these be we have a sufficient interpreter Act. 11.16 wher the Apostle James expones these wordes of the enlarging Christs kingdome by the calling of the gentiles which wes begun at that tyme by the preaching of the Apostle And Ro. Stephanus in his notes on this text of Amos sayth Almost all the Hebrewes doe consent that this is meant of the tyme of Messias and especially of the calling of the gentiles and by bodilie houses and benefites the prophet understandes spirituall and these who ar begotten unto this lively hope ar keeped most savely throgh faith unto salvation 1 Pet. 1.5 so that the gates of hell shal not prevail against them Mat. 16.18 Wheras it is asked Who dares affirme it Zâ—charias hes not spared to affirme it Luk. 1.68 saying Blissed be the Lord God of Israel for he hes visited and redeemed his people and hes raised up an horne of salvation in the house of David his servant as he spak by the mouth of his holy prophetes c. Dare any Millenarie contradict this testimonie And here for understanding this and such other prophecies I adde these undouted rules 1 The land of Canaan wes a type of the kingdom of Christ and so wes Ierusalem and Sion and because these wer types of this kingdome so glorious thinges wer spoken of them Ps 46.4.5 and 48.1.2 and 87.1.2.3.5 Which textes ar more savelye understood of Christs kingdome than of that earthly Ierusalem and Sion yea verie hardly can they be understood of them 2 As the priestes wer types of Christ in respect of his priestly office so wer the kinges of his kingly and therfor as the kinges wer anointed so Christ is called David Eze. 34.23 which is exponed Ioh. 10.11 and wes typifyed by Solomon Ps 45. And he is sayd to site on the throne of David and not of Nebuchadnezar or of any other because â—hâ—ir kingdomes wer cursed kingdomes and wer not established on richteousnesse and knowledge of the true God as Davids throne wes and for this cause when he is sayd to site on the throne of David it is not to be understood that he hade or shall have the same earthly throne of David bot that whâ—ch wes typified so Mat. 2. he is called a Nazarite not that he did use their rites and customes for he drank wine and they did not bot because he wes typifyed by the Nazarite Samson for he slewe more by his death than by his lyf and wes severed from all sin and pollution 3 It is usual in the Scriptures to name the type and understand the thing signifyed by the type And therfor as it is sayd Heb. 8.2 Christ is a Minister of the sanctuarie and of the true Tabernacle that is of that which truely wes signified by the Tabernacle so he may be sayd the true David and his throne the true throne of David and his kingdom the true Jerusalem and the true Sion 4 As Christ is sayd to be the lambe of God slaine from the beginning of the world Revel 13.8 not only in the decrie of God bot by vertue and efficacie seing by vertue of his blood at that tyme to be shed wer Adam and Abel reconciled unto God and delivered from the power of Satan So Christs kingdome began then for in Christ Adam Abel and we ar one bodie and members
querie the particle Then hes a relation to the wordes preceding and the word Comes is not in the original as yee may see by the diverse characters in the translation and it may alsweel be rendered Then or at that tyme is the end when he shall have delivered up c. so that the verie tyme when he shall deliver the kingdome is when they who ar Christs shall rise at his coming and therfor ther shal be no notable distance of time twixt the resurrection and the general judgement and consequently these wordes of Paul doe clearly prove that the reigne of Christ as God-man doeth not beginne after his nixt coming nor can without contradiction unto the Apostle any notable space of time be betwixt his nixt coming and the last subduing of all thinges The 25 verse proveth the same for when it is sayd For he must reigne till he hes put all his enemies under his feet therby is teached more clearly in the original language that now he reigueth and continewes reigning and consequently he is not to beginne his reigne even as it is sayd Heb. 2.8 Thou hast put all thing under his feet and when they who ar in Christ shal be made alive death the last enemie shal be destroyed and then is the end of administration Inst 6. Betwixt the time that now is and his kingdome our Saviour hes put an irreconciliable distinction calling this the tyme not of a kingdome bot of tentation that is of persecution for richteousnesse Ans What God by his word and experience hes conjoined let no man call irreconciliable for he sayth Psa 110.2 reigne thow in the midst of thy enemies and Rom. 8.37 in all these thinges that is in the midst of our sufferinges we ar more than conqueroures So that when the enemies doe rage and persecute even then doeth Christ reigne and the godly ar kinges or if there be any title more transcendent Inst 7. And shall not their bodies asweell reigne with Christ as their soules bot these we knowe ar and shal be yet captives to the grave Ans When Christ shall come the last enemie shal be destroyed and the bodies and not the soules which die not shal be made alive and both shal be with him for ever Inst 8. Ar the saintes that shal be found alive at Christs coming exemted from his coming for if he should reigne then and then give up his kingdome to his Father they ar exempted Ans He is king till then and governeth all who ar and shal be and when he shall come they who shal be found alive shal be caught up to meet him And because the clearing of this point may serve for clearing the whol mater I adde by way of explication As the sin of Adam wes committed aganst God the Father and his revolting or apostasie wes a diminution of the Fathers kingdome so the bringing of the faithfull into his obedience is the rendring of that kingdome It is true the offence wes aganst the Sone and H. Spirit bot the work of creation being the work of the Father in a special manner as it is intimate in the Creede the sin wes directly aganst the first persone When obedience wes not given the Father micht have execute his justice on the offendres as he did on the Angeles Now as when a part of an earthly kingdome rebelleth aganst the king directly and indirectly aganst his sone as a friend and heir of his fathers croon the sone may undertake to regaine the rebelles unto his father and the father may be wee l pleased to committe unto his sone that parte of the kingdome for that effect with full power which the sone acceptes and reigneth and prevailes powerfully so that albeit the archtraitour ganestand in malice to the honour of the king and his sone yet many of the rebelles ar reconciled with the king who by this meanes regaineth his king dome So the Sone of God hes undertaken for so many as it pleased him and beseeches men to be reconciled with the king of heaven and earth shewing that he hes appeased the Fathers wrath and hes power to receive into and exclude from the kingdome of heaven which power he hes received of the Father and he shewes that ther is a tyme determined fot receiving men into grace again so that if that time shall expire ther is no more grace to be she wed unto any Satan envyeth the glorie of God and mans reconciliation and therfor opposeth by deceiving some and vexing others who hearken unto the word of reconciliation neverthelesse Christ prevaileth by his preaching so that a great many repente and crave mercie and others not when the determined time comes these who have been received into mercie ar presented unto God the Father and as if they had not rebelled he acceptes them into his kingdome when the Sone sayth Here I am and these whom I have brought into acknowledge ment of their offenses I have satisfyed Justice for them Thou O Father hast thy own subjectes and let them have the kingdome prepared for them The Father will not say Thy reward is not in heaven bot on earth therfor let them goe again unto the earth and inherite glorie there for 1000 yeers Bot receives them into the inheritance reserved for them in the heavens Pag. 50. Of this kingdome also speakes Sa. Peter Act. 3.19.20.21 Wher if by the time of refreshing and restitution of all thing nought els be meaned bot the Iewes inhabiting again of their own land and the bringing of all other nationes into subjection to them then it is evident that Christs coming at this time shal be to accomplish this thing to Israel and consequently to receive his appointed kingdome bot that these wordes can have no other meaning a small acquaintance with the Prophetes will informe yow who as they speak of nothing more so they have nothing which can be applied to our Saviours second coming as a confortable effect so generally foreshewne but this Ans I am sure No man can imagine that these wordes in themselves importe that our Saviour shall reigne among the Iewes as an earthly monarch which is the pointe pag. 45 and therfor this if by the time c. is as if one wold say If I be a king I am a king 2. that the Prophetes have another meaning may be seen by all the Interpreters and partly by that is sayd here 3. it is a wonder if any Iew will say that the Prophetes speak of nothing more for if his meaning be They speak not more of any other thing it is question able seing ther is much spoken of Gods preceptes Bot if he doe meane as it seemes that they speak not of any other thing that can be applied unto our Saviours coming I will cite one Prophet for all Daniel 12.1.2 wher is mention of the great Prince of great trouble even to the time of deliverance and then awaking of some not for a space of
time bot to everlasting lyfe and of others at the same time unto shame and everlasting contempt And is not this a more confortable effect forshewn generally unto everie one that shal be found written in the book Now the cause why the Prophetes write so much of Ierusalem and that kingdome to be restored wes that the godly hearing of the destruction of that kingdome did greatly fear that that communwealth should never be restored wherin Christ our Saviour wes to be borne and performe the work of redemption we may justly think that their fear wes not so much the wante of bodily libertie as the not coming of our Saviour and therfor the Prophetes insist much upon that pointe for the confort of the godly that howsoever that kingdome shal be ruined yet it shal be restored and all nationes shall by the preaching of Jewes come into the obedience of Christ and so receive lawes from the Jewes as being captives unto them whose captives they micht be for a time Bot to imagine that the faithfull did expect and the Prophetes did speak of no other thing bot this earthly Monarchie is too grosse and directly contradicting the Apostles bearing another testimonie of them Hebr. 11.16 they desire a better countrey that is heaven and 1 Pet. 1.9.10 receiving the end of your faith even the salvation of your soules of which salvation the Prophetes have enquired and searched diligently who prophecied of the grace that should come unto yow c. Pag. eadem And here vve may call to minde our Saviours vvordes to Iames and Iohn vvhon they requeste that one micht site on his richt hand c. Ans We may call to minde too his wordes Yee knowe not what yee ask Math. 20.22 and the wordes of the Euangelist vers 24. when the ten heard it they were moved with indignation against the Brethren VVhich wordes shevv that howbeit Christ had spoken of his Kingdome yet at that tyme James and Iohn wer both ignoraut and ambitious Inst Bot his wordes following doe intimate that his kingdome is to be held on earth wher only this may be fulfilled for in heaven it can not be done unlesse we will grant that other men shal be as highly e xalted as our Saviour is Ans 1. Albeit never one shall site on his richt hand nor his left yet nothing in these wordes is for this purpose seing he sayth not there that any shall site bot only To site on my richt hand is not myne to give 2. Mat. 19.28 he speakes of sitting on the throne of his glorie which must be in heaven seing he speakes absolutely his glorie and his glorie is greater in heaven than can be on an earthly throne and he sayth unto his disciples When he shall site on that throne yee who have followed mee in the regeneration shall site upon 12 thrones And may not some of these thrones be on his richt hand and some on his left hand I enquire not now what these thrones may bee bot there yee see multitude of thrones in glorie as kinges in their State may have thrones for their greatell Peeres Inst 2. To site on a throne is to site at the richt of God which is a prerogative peculiar to the Sone alone which the chiefest of the angeles never enjoyed for to which of the angels sayd he at any tyme Site on my richt hand Ans Christ sitting on a throne sites on the richt hand of God bot to speak absolutely To site on a throne in heaven is not to sire on the richt hand of God no more than any Prince is advanced to the richt hand of a king albeit he site on a throne and inferiour to the king and his eldest sone Pag. 51. The Apostles wordes 2 Tim. 4.1 may not be forgotten I charge thee before God and the Lord Iesus Christ who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdome Why should Christs appearing and kingdome be joyned together yea why should his kingdome be added as the end of his appearing unlesse both wer to contemporale unlesse his kingdome wer to beginne at his appearing and not before it Ans The mentioning of these two together and in that order doeth no more importe such a beginning than the end of glorie is the beginning of vertue because the Apostle sayth in the same order he hes called us unto glorie and vertue 2 Pet. 1.3 howbeit glorie be named before vertue glorie is after vertue Pag. ead And in my seeming that prophetical image Dan. 2.31 which representeth both the orderly succession and diverse condition of all the then following kingdomes of this world unto the kingdome of Christ shadowed there unto us by the stone that wes cut out without handes doeth give good licht unto this of Saint Paul for in what maner these kingdomes have succeeded each other in lyk maner is the kingdome of Christ to succeed them as appeares by the same phrase of speach which is attributed as well to the setting up of this kingdome as to any of them towit that it shall break in peeces and consume all these kingdomes Ans In the seeming of many milliones that image doeth not signifie a temporal monarchie of the Iewes which is the point in hand and the seeming of so many contrarie to the seeming of one micht satisfy for all that lohg discourse following nevertheles I adde albeit these four kingdomes did succed one another yet the kingdome of Christ did not succeed or wes the last of them or after them in time for it is written v. 41 In the dayes of these kinges not after them shall the God of heaven set up a kingdome which shall never be destroyed and it shall break in pieces the iron the brasse the clay silver and the gold It shall break the silver and the gold then it shal be before the brasse and the irone And of what king can that be understood but of Christ who sayth Esa 10.12 I will punish the stoute heart of the king of Assyria and c. 37.29 because thy rage against mee I will put my hook in thy nose c. 2. Wheras it is alledged that the 35 verse does fully declare that succession in time and place certanly the 35 verse is not contrarie to the 44 verse which shewes plainly that this kingdome shal be in the dayes of these kinges and breake them in peeces and therfor these wordes Shall break them in peeces signify a conquest by power but nether by succession in tyme nor by force of armes Inst The falling of the stone upon the feet of the image upon the last and divided kingdomes of the irone empire does probably implie no lesse Ans The dream implyeth nothing contrarie to the exposition and therfor leave probabilities that ar contrarie to certanties Inst 2. If the kingdome of God there spoken of wer to be understood of a kingdome which should be so set up in the dayes of these kinges then doutlesse it
should be represented by some part of the image it self and not by a thing so different from it and adverse unto it Ans 1. Then teach God how he should revele his will 2. it is reveled in expresse wordes v. 44. 3. ther wes reasoun to expresse it by a different thing because the four wer of one qualitie and this wes of another qualitie My kingdome sayth he is not of this world Joh. 18 36 it is more wonderfull more powerfull and more general than any of them and all the kinges who will not serve this king shall perish he shall break them with a rode of irone Ps 149.8 he shall strike them thorow in his wrath Psal 110.5 and bind them with chaines and their nobles with fetters of iron Ps 149.8 Inst 3. And that noucht els is meaned by the world to come Heb. 2.5 bot the kingdome of our Saviour it is evident by the authoritie there alledged out of Ps 8. Ans None denieth it Inst 4. If ther be yet a world which is yet to be put in subjection unto Christ as man then it must be a distinct world from that in which as man he shall give up the kingdome to his Father Ans The kingdome or the world wherof the Apostle speakes there wes then to come not in respect of Christ but of the Apostle for he meaneth the kingdome of heaven as appeares by these wordes wherof we speak which have relation of the wordes preceding v. 3 If wee neglect so great saluation Where he opponeth the euangelical promises unto the typical promises these wes an earthly Canaan and this is heaven Christ at the time of writing this epistle wes in possession of it and the Apostle did then hope for the house not made with handes eternal in heaven 2 Cor. 5.1 and therfor that world is not a distinct world but even the same in which as Mediatour he shal give up the kingdome to the Father Inst 5. That which is given up is alreadie past Ans That which shal be given is not past as yet nether shall it be given up altogether but in some maner as the Millenaries acknowledge it shal be at the end of their 1000 yeers Inst 6. It is no wher sayd that the new Ierusalem the citie of eternall glorie shal be subject to Christ as a creature but that he as a creature shall after the judgement of the dead be there subject to the Father Ans He as God-man sayth Mat. 28. To mee is given all power in heaven and on earth And thus all the consequences for proving the earthly monarchie of the Iewes ar naught Pag. 45. Yow shall hear it directly and expressely affirmed Luk. 1.31.32.33 Ier. 23,5.6 Zach. 6.12.13 Ezek. 34.22.23.24 and c. 37.24.25 Esa 9.6.7 and c. 52.13.14.15 Mic. 4.6.7 Ps 72.6.7.8.9.10.11 and 102.13.14.15.16 Now that these prophecies concerne the reigne of Christ alone I think no man douteth and that they ar alreadie fulfilled it can not be proved Ans These textes may prove some thing against your fellow Mr. Archer who thinkes that Christ after he hes put the Iewes in possession of their Monarchie shal ascend again into the heavens Iewes in the mean tyme shall reigne till his thrid coming But they prove nothing aganst us who hold that Christ reigneth on the true throne of David Inst. Nether did Christ at his first coming site on Davids throne nor any other of Davids Image for the scepter wes departed Ans He fittes on the richt hand of the throne of Majestie in heaven Heb. 8.1 which wes typified by the throne of David Inst 2. Nether wer Iudah and Israel then in the land together Ans Ther is neither Iew nor Griek nether bond nor fre nether male nor female but we ar all one in Christ Iesus and if ye be Christs then aryee Abrahamis seed heires according to the promise Gal. 3.28 Inst 3. Nether wes the temple then destroyed bot afterwards Ans Christ sayd destroy this temple and in thrie dayes I will raise it up again Then sayd the Iews Fourty six yeers wes this temple in building and will thou reare it up again in thrie dayes but he spak of the temple of his bodie sayth the Euang. Ioh. 2.19 So the true temple is Christs bodie which the Iewes destroyed and he raised it up again and in this sense the disciples did believe the Scriptures after the resurrection of Christ v. 22. And therfor the things spoken in these Scriptures ar accomplished at his first coming not only in heaven bot on earth according to the different portiones therof In heaven and on earth I say and in true Ierusalem and on the true throne of David for his feet stood in that day towit when he went to receive the fuller accomplishment of his kingdome on the mount of Olives which is by Ierusalem on the east from which also he ascended and the mount of Olives hes been cloven in the midst therof toward the east and toward the west when not only the members of the church but all the world wes shaken at the powerfull preaching of the gospell even more gloriously than at the giving of the lawe Heb. 12.26 so that nothing could hinder the course therof and the Iews have fled to that valey of the mountaines when they did embrace the gospell which is lowe in worldly mens estimation and of high esteeme before God and the valey of the mountaines hes reached unto Azal for the preaching of the gospell hes been an excellent stone-mark shewing the richt way as it is exponed 1 Sam. 20.19 on the margine of the late translatione to the kingdom of heaven yea they have fled lyk as they did flee from before the earthquake in the dayes of Vzzia king of Iudah towit they have been astonished at the wonderfulnesse of Gods workes and the Lord hes come and so furth as it followes in Zach. 14. wher he shewes the perpetual licht of the glorious gospell v. 6.7 and the continowall flowing of wholsome waters in the kingdom of Christ v. 9.8 and the removing of all impedimentes for the securitie of the electes conversion and salvation v. 10.11 Yow see here that our Saviour came not only to conquer death which is the last enemie that he shall destroy and therfor not to be destroyed till the last resurrection bot also to tak the kingdomes of the world unto himself and hes made them all acknowledge his authoritie and hes put down all contrarie power and authoritie for all nationes have praysed Christ and given laude unto him Rom. 14.9.10.11 that ther is one sheepherd and one sheepfold that the dominiones kingdomes and greatnesse of the kingdomes under the whol heaven have been possessed by the people and saintes of the most high that is as the gospell hes exponed it by the faithfull Israel Rom. 14.12 howbeit all hes not been possessed at the same periode of tyme. Pag. 58. This as I think is the tyme of
the Apostle hes another purpose there for v. 4 he telleth of scoffers jeering at the promise of Christs coming because all thinges continow as they wer and so all thinges seem to have subsisting in themselves he refutes this imaginatione and shewes that the world both wes made and continoweth by the word of God who is able to destroy as somtyme he did and hes appointed a day of judgement and perdition of ungodly men Here he putteth the day of judgement and perdition of ungodly men fot that the scoffers say Wher is the promise of his coming so that at his coming he will judge and punish the ungodly which is contrarie to the opinion of the Millenaries Then v. 8 he answereth to that opinion of delay saying One day is with the Lord as 1000 yeers He sayth not One day is 1000 yeers as the Millenaries make the commentarie shorter than the text but is as a 1000 yeers and therfor here is no exposition but comparison as if he had sayd albeit a 1000 yeers seem a long tyme to us and so the world seemeth to have continowed long yet it is not so with the Lord to whom all time is short or none And then he shewes the end why God delayeth that coming towit in longsuffering toward men awaiting the repentance of the last of them Wherby yow see another meaning and another purpose even contrarie to that conceit of the Millenaries The Apostle micht have named many milliones of yeers as one day in respect of Gods eternitie but according to the usual custome of speach he nameth a round great number for any number And nevertheles in the end of that page it is sayd This being so I see not but that Gods foreappointment of 1000 yeers to the world for each several day of its first week micht in all lyklyhood be the ground of this prophetical sense of the word wherin it wes afterwards delivered by the infallible penmen of the holy write Ans The certantie of all the appointmentes of God we acknowledge and the infallibilitie of his penmen but wher is it reveled that God hes appointed 1000 yeers continowance to the world for each several day of the first week On the margine he citeth R. Ketina and Comment Apoca. par 2. p. 287 wher ar some testimonies of the Rabbines to this purpose Let Iewes follow Iewish fables to us Christianes hes God spoken in the last dayes by his Sone Heb. 1.2 whom he hes bidden us here certanly with a limitation to hear none others Inst It is sayd Mat. 24.31 he shall send his Angels with a great sound of a trumpet and they shall gather together his elect at which tyme two shal be in the field the one shal be taken and the other left and Luk c. 17.34 recordeth two men shal be in one bed But if our Saviour at his coming presently shall give sentence on all that ar not written in the book of life if he shall make no stay on earth before he undertake this businesse then why shall the elect only be gathered together and the rest left behind seing that great Assise is to be held chiefly for condemnation of the ungodly men Ans Here is nothing to prove the monarchie of the Iewes 2. the two Euangelistes speak there of the gathering the elect and taking them up al 's also 1 Cor. 15.23 yet they speak not exclusively as if the ungodly shall not be judged nor raised but they speak of separation and therby of taking up the elect into the aire and heavens wheras the wicked shall not be taken up but left on the earth and be condemned and sent to hell Mat. 13.40.41 and it followeth v. 43. then shall the richteous shine furth c. The particle then shewes that the wicked shal be cast into the furnace of fyre as soone if not sooner as the richteous shall shine in the kingdome of their Father 3. If the richteous shal be taken up and the ungodly left on the earth that is the one taken away from the earth and the wicked left on the earth then the godly shall not have earthly dominion 4. if Christ at his coming shall hold that great assise chiefly for condemnation of the wicked how then shall the godly be quickned and the wicked be left in their graves after them for the space of 1000 yeers These thinges can not aggrie Now such suppositiones being layd it is no wonder that many doutes arise therupon as whither the good angels be able to gather the reprobates or whither they shal be fetched by the wicked angels and they shal be left either to perish in the general destruction that shall come upon the enemies of the Iewes or ey-witnesses of Gods wonders What can either good or evill angels doe without the Lords authoritie and what can they not doe when he willeth but certainly the wicked shal both be witnesses of Gods wonders and lykwyse perish in that general destruction that cause of their condemnation is touched before Pag. 67. For that by Christs judging the quick and the dead mentioned 2 Timoth. 4.1 can not be meant the last and compleat bot rather a former and inchoate judgement it appeares out of Revel 20. wher it is shewen that the saintes enemies shal be all slain before the last resurrection And we can not say that these who ar to be left shal be a part of that armie there spoken of because that Gog and Magog is to be destroyed at the end of our Saviours reigne that is immediatly before the last resurrection wheras these shal be alive at the time of that general distresse which shall light on the world at his entrance into that kingdome as the gathering of the elect who ar to reigne with him doeth declare Ans Here as before ar strange imaginationes 1. that text 2 Timoth. 4.1 can not be meant of the last bot a former judgement Who ever sayd before that Christ shall yet appear twyce to judge the quick and the dead For suppone that only the godly shal be raised at Christs coming yet they will not say that he will judge them seing they say that they shall not stand at the barre 2. The judging of the quick and the dead shal be before the tyme of the last resurrection as that forme of arguing importes wherby it followes that Christ shall judge the quick and the dead in a former and inchoate judgement Who shall remain then to be judged in the complete judgement at the last resurrection 3. I will say no more of that fancie concerning these that shal be left and the destruction at the entrance of that kingdom but mark that Gog and Magog is to be destroyed at the end of our Saviours reigne that is immediatly before the last resurrection or which is one after the reigne of the Jewes But that armie of Gog and Magog is the same with the armie mentioned Revel 16.14 as Napeir proveth Prop. 32. and Mr.
Maton proveth in his treatise of Gog and Magog pag. 49 95. and I have schewed before that the sixt vial mentioned Revelat 16.12.13.14 is the same with the sixt trumpet yea and Clavis Apocalyp in par 1. synchro 7. makes it to concurre with the destruction of the beast and Babylon which shal be before the Monarchie of the Jewes as all the Millenaries hold and therfor in this point M. Maton is contrarie to hiâ—self and to Clavis Apocalyp alsweel as unto Christiâ—…es who denie that Monarchie of the Jewes Wherby it iâ—â—anifest that what he speakes here without reasoun must 〈◊〉 wrong and amended by these reasounes which he hath lo. cit and consequently that great batle shal be foughten not after but before the Jewes shall reigne if ever they shall reigne in that maner Pag. 68. This conjecture Esaie c. 27.12.13 does confirme sufficiently for the great sound of the trumpet before spoken of in Saint Math. as a warning for the gathering together of the elect is there sayd to be a warning also of the Iewes returne The wordes ar these It shall come to passe in that day that the Lord shall beat off from the chanel of the river unto the streame of Egypt c. Ans If this be a conjecture how is it sufficiently confirmed by the Prophet or if it be sufficiently confirmed why is it called a conjecture A conjecture it is and hes no warrant from the Prophet for the Prophet and the Euangelist ar not speaking of the same purpose the Prophet is speaking particularly of the Iewes deliverance out of Assyria and Egypt and of the trumpet that did sound at the proclamation of Cyrus for their returne which wes past before the dayes of the Euangelist And neverthelesse our Authour concludeth triumphantly saying and thus being thorowly satisfied by this cloude of witnesses the double jurie of Prophetes and Apostles c. Ans If yow be thorowly satisfied why have yow so oft used the wordes of probabilitie conjectures my conceit it may be thus or thus these wordes smell not of satisfaction nor of that certane knowledge and steadfastnesse which is required 2 Pet. 4.17 As for that double jurie it may evidently appeare that both Prophetes and Apostles ar contrarie to such fansies It may be the Vses of this doctrine ac commendable yes if wrong premisses be powerfull to persuade Neverthelesse heare all Pag. 69. First to praise God for his abundant mercie who throgh the fall of the Iewes hath brought salvation unto us gentiles that together with them we may partake of the roote and fatnesse of their olive tree Ans Whither is it more to the prayse of Gods mercie and bountifulnesse that the godly shall come againe from the heavens to abide so long on earth or to abide in that glorie of heaven for ever and ever certanly the gift of the greater and interrupted glorie deserveth the greater praise and whil they wer on earth they professed themselves to be strangers from home and Pilgrimes on their journie towards their home Heb. 11.13 and shall they come as Pilgrimes again Vse 2. to bewarre of unbelieff which wes the cause that the Iewes wer broken off from their olive and if God spared not the naturall branches much lesse will he spare us if c. Ans It is greater unbelieff to despise the reveled trueth of God than to despise the fancies of men as this monarchie is proved to be Vse 3. not to contemne or revile the Iewes a fault too commune in the Christian world c. Ans Whither serveth more for to move us to love the Iewes to knowe that the Iewes and gentiles ar one in Christ whensoever they shalt e converted or to think that the Jewes shall not be converted till Christ come again and then they shal be Lordes over the gentiles 1000 yeers The former doctrine presently throweth doun the partition-wall and this opinion still holdeth it up at least for 1000 yeers Vse 4. and lastly earnestly to beseech God that he would speedily putte into execution the meanes which he hes appointed for their conversion c. Ans Whither can these more confidently beseech God for the conversion of the Iewes who think that the Iewes may dayly be converted or these who think that they shall not be converted till the coming of Christ the former sort may be confident to be heard dayly which these others can not And moreover the former sorte seeth as the Fathers did see Heb. 11.13 everlasting glorie presently at hand and therupon they doe minde and seek heavenly thinges as they ar commanded Col. 3.1.2 and the other sort ar out of hope of glorie in heaven at least yet for the space of 1000 yeers and they set their affectiones on the thinges on earth Yea and it gives encouragement unto the wicked that they shall not be judged nor their bodies tormented these 1000 yeers to come yet and on the other side the fear of imminent judgement and punishment is a more powerfull motive to departe from iniquitie For which cause the Lord wold not give unto men the knowledge of that tyme but will have us to be alwayes preparing and waiting for that coming to judgement Wherfor we pray unto our Lord Iesus who even now is king of kinges and reigneth in the midst of his enemies and is offended at the foolish conceites of unstable heartes That he wold make his power manifest by confirming them whom he hes called and gifted with the knowledge of his eternal gospell and by reducing all his elect both Iewes and gentiles who goe astray and that he wold now even now give us heavenly heartes and tie us all together in the acknowledgement and obedience of his truth To the praise of his name and our spiritual conforte both now and evermore Come Lord Iesu and charge our vile bodies that they may be tyke unto thy glorious bodie according to thy working wherby thow art able even to subdue all thinges unto Thy self Textes of Scripture cleared Act. 1,6 p. 2. Luk 21,28 p. 4. Mich. 5.1.23 pag. 5. Amo. 9,8,9,10,11 p. 7 and 28. Ps 46,45 48,1,2 87,1.23 p. 8 Gen. 13.16 15,5 pa. 9. Zeph. 3,13 pa. 10. Ioel 2,28,31 3,14 pa. 11 c. 2,3 pa. 13. Esa 11,11,12-p 17 v. 6 9. p. 34 c. 66,8 p. 29 c. 35,10 p. 36 c. 14.2 p. 39 c. 27,13 p. 68 Ezek. 37,19,21 pa. 19. Hos 1,10,11 p. 20 and c. 3.4 pag. 22. Jer. 33,12,13 p. 26. Act. 15,14 pag. 26. Rom. 11,32 pag. 30. Zech. 12,10 p. 32 c. 14,4 p. 51. Rev. 3,21 p. 39 40. Heb. 2,8 p. 39 v. 5 p. 50. 1 Cor. 15,22 pag. 42. Dan. 2,31,35 p. 49. Ioh. 1,51 p. 52 c. 18,36 p. 61. Gen. 49,10 pag. 63. 2 Pet. 3,8 pag. 64. Good Reader Excuse the escapes in printing the Printer understandes not this language and if thou willest correcte these Pag. 2. lin 17 after quere adde Act. 1.6 lin 23. read sertiones pa. 4. l. 8. r. paraphrase pa. 5. li. 3. r. al 's l. 6. r. miraculous pa. 5 li. 24. for 13 read 1,3 pa. 10 unto li. 2. adde nether of the church in heaven only p. 11 li. 30 after and for 2 read 3. p. 14 l. 6 read mentioned p. 17. l. 3 after saintes adde shal be pa. 21 li. 12 read elswher pa. 34 li 29 read rootes p. 35 li. ult read foreward p. 38 li. 4 for 13 read 2 p. 39 l. 22. read differred p. 40 l. 1 after is adde not p. 4 l. 10 read reasoun l. 22 for if read it p. 51 l. 3 for 45 read 54. p. 54 l. 1 for 6 read 60. pag. 61 li. 19 for me hopelsy read I hope pag. 62 li. 11 read michty