should such material creatures inhabite but a material place and if they shall inhabite a material place what more glorious City can we fancy to our selves then the foresaid City is whose foundations walls and gates are all precious stones whose street is pure gold like cleere glasse whose gates are kept by Angels and in which the Throne of God and of the Lambe is whence the river of water of life prooceeds on the sides whereof the tree of life growes And what should move us to take this tree and consequently any of the other materials in an allegorical sense here rather then Gen. 2. verse 9 and chap 3. verse 22. Or how can we think that God would so exactly and fully reveale the materials platforme and contents of this City if there were no such thing what shall we say that God is not where he saith he is or that these things are not such as he saith they are doubtlesse to doe either were an abominable presumption And consequently the proper exposition of such plaine prophecies is the onely intended sense of the Holy Ghost and you doe as ridiculously as dangerously affirme that our Saviour's words Mat. 7. verse 24. and St. Pauls 2 Cor. 5. verse 1. are meant of vertues For according to this exposition our Saviour should have said I will liken him to a wise man that builds his vertues on a rocke whereas indeed he compares the lively and active faith of an obedient hearer to a house built on a strong foundation and not to vertues And St. Paul should have said we have vertues of God vertues not made with hands eternall in the Heavens Wheras he speakes of the immortal and glorified bodies which the Saints shall receive of God at their resurrection and not of vertues Yea you might have said as well that the tenth commandement Thou shalt not covet thy neighbors house is thus to be understood Thou shalt not covet thy neighbors vertues And that where we reade of our Saviour Luk. 14. verse 1. That he went into the house of one of the chiefe Pharisees it is to be understood that he went into the vertues of one of the chiefe Pharisees And if this be not to make the word of God a ball of waxe a thing capable of any shape and impression what is Preface Eightly I know some Millenaries will take it hardly that they are called the offspring of Cerinthus seeing they differ from him in sundry particulars and some say it 's no matter who hath said it before whether Cerinthus or Swenkfeld if it be true I answer scarcely any heretique did ever renew an old heresy in all the particulars and neverthelesse it is truly called the same heresy and we call them so no more then they be such and when any opinion hath no other father nor abettours but heretiques it is odious Answer We were altogether unworhy to beare the name of him in whom we doe beleeve and to participate of the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ if having so sure a foundation of our faith as the plaine word of God is we should be any whit dismaid at the Names of Heretiques and heresy Or at any other opprobrious termes that can be used against us It is enough for the Disciple that he be as his Master and the servant as his Lord if they have called the Master of the house Beelzebub how much more shal they call them of his houshold saith our Saviour Mat. 10. verse 25. Evil language and evil entreating are the Legacy of Christs servants in this life and whosoever shall either for feare or shame refuse to confesse Christ and his words before men of him will Christ be ashamed him wil he deny when he cometh in his own glory in his Fathers and of the holy Angels It is not then the calling of us the offspring of Cerinthus or any other usage as we trust that shall make us to neglect so great salvation as at the first began to be preacht by the Lord and hath been confirmed unto us by them that heard him But this reproachfull language doth rather cause us to admire at your excessive and inexcusable boldnesse who not withstanding so many cleare prophecies and infalible arguments as we have alledged for the confirmation of this truth can yet give out that it hath no other father nor a bettours but heretiques Surely we have intimated before and we doe often maintaine in our reply that God hath both by his prophets his Sonne and his Apostles revealed and taught this truth unto us and therfore Cerinthus was no more the Father of this opinion then he was the Authour of the Revelation which some also have affirmed because it doth plainely reveale the thousand yeares reigne of Christ which Cerinthus held Neither were the abettours of this opinion all heretiques For as our Saviour and the Apostles taught it so the primitive Christians beleev'd it and after them some of the Fathers and since many worthy Divines who were I dare say as free from faction and private fancies as any in the ages wherein they lived and doubtlesse as able also to judge of the true meaning of the Scriptures Preface Ninthly By this historical narration Beloved in the Lord you may see that this doctrine is no new light revealed in this last age as you have heard some teach but an old Jewish fancy and Cerinthian fable old errors are like old whores that is the more to be abhorred What I have done here is for your good for 1. you have heard this error preached instead of the Doctrine of Christ albeit it was first preached by the enemies of Christ by some of the Authours of the Apologetical-narration for Independency who had in their Congregation not onely Millenaries but grosse Anabaptists and so their practice manifestly declares what they writ obscurely in that Narration pag. 12. saying we tooke measure of no mans holinesse by his opinion whether adverse unto us c. Their Dinah is liberty of conscience their grand ammunition is Anarchie or no discipline and they call it a bondage to be tied in the faith 2. The booke of M. Maton called Israels Redemption hath been oft put into your hands and upon severall occasions of my declaring the truth in this point you have been intreated to put that booke into my hand wherefore you have need of an Antidote Peruse this plaine refutation of it whereby I hope you shall see that the reward of your serving Christ is not meate that perisheth but everlasting life which the Sonne of man shall give unto you Joh. 6.27 and that the Kingdom of God comes not with observation or worldly respect and attendance but behold the Kingdom of God is within you Luk. 17.20 And as the wicked cannot have hope of long immunity from just punishment of their bodies and soules in Hell so our deliverance from the bondage of corrupion into the glorious liberty of the children of God shall
of the Israelites as he pleased Israel's Redemption And besides how can that belong to the Gentiles which was prophecied onely of the Jewes as is declar'd by the Prophets wife of whoredomes and children of whoredomes which he tooke of purpose to upbraid the Idol-worship and spirituall whoredomes of the Israelites ver 2 and therefore when she conceived and bare him the second sonne Call his name said God Loammi for ye are not my people and I will not be your God the Israelites then they were to whom this Prophet was sent and of whom it was said Ye are not my people Mr. Petrie's Answer It was not prophecied of the Jews onely for it is plaine that Hosea speakes of the Israelites as well vs of the Jews and generally the Apostle speaks Rom. 10.12 there is no difference between the Jew and the Greeke for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him So that albeit the Prophet was sent personally unto the Israelites yet his words were no lesse true and meaned of the Gentiles who then were not the people of God but now through Christ are the people of God for whosoever shall call upon the Name of God shall be saved Reply I have here cal'd the ten Tribes Jews in opposition to the Gentiles and you say that this was not prophecied of the Jews onely for it is plaine that Hosea speaks of the Israelites as well as of the Jews A wild exception for are not these Israelites Jews certainly Israelites and Jewes are the proper names of that Nation And though after the division of the Tribes Israel and Judah were often used to distinguish the two Tribes from the ten and the ten from the two yet the word Jews was never thus us'd For by this Name all the Tribes are cal'd in the History of Hester and in many other places and in that instance that you bring out of the Rom. chap. 10. ver 12. the word Jew is taken indifinitely for any Jew And wherefore it it that you urge these words of the Apostle doe you think that it proves the name Jew to be indifferently taken for a Jew or a Gentile surely these words shew that the beleeving Gentile is as acceptable to the Lord as the beleeving Jew and that there is nothing in the Jew which can move God to bestow grace on him father then on the Gentile as the following words conâ—â—â—me but they shew not that God takes a faithfull Jew for a faithfull Greeke nor a faithfull Greeke for a faithfull Jew And therefore you cannot conclude from hence that albeit the prophet was sent personally unto the Israelites yet his words were no lesse true and meaned of the Gentiles for though through Christ all beleevers are the people of God yet through Christ a beleever of one Nation is not made a beleever of another Nation though every one that confidently cals upon the name of the Lord shall be saved yet every one that cals on the name of the Lord shall not thereby become a Jew And how can you take Israelite for Gentiles who are of different Nations from them and yet will not take Israelites for Jews which is a Name belonging equally to all the Tribes But you herein condemne St Paul who sometimes calls himselfe a Jew and sometimes an Israelite and could he be both if these Names doe not equally belong to the same Nation Israel's Redemption And the place where they were told so was their owne land and therfore in that place it shall againe be said unto them Ye are the sonnes of the living God ver 10. And this Piscator grants to be the meaning of it here in the Prophet but withall he holds that it is applyed in the 9. of the Rom. to the conversion of the Gentiles because the Israelites being thus rejected of God were become like unto the Gentiles who until the preaching of the Gospel were not his people but notwithstanding this reason me thinkes it is very unlikely that the Apostle should borrow a prophecy from the Jews to prove Gods mercy towards the Gentiles which is in sundry places of the Scripture so properly and distinctly foreshewne as you may see by the authorities which are urged to this purpose in the l v. 19.20 10. and m v. 9.10 11.12 15. chap. of the same Epistle Mr Petrie's Answer 1. Where it is said ver 10. in that place ye may reade on the margine in stead of that it was said c. and therefore that word proves nothing 2. It is no lesse true that the Gentiles are the people of God even in the same lands where they did not serve God 3. This is no applying by way of similitude but accommodating as Piscator speaks to another particular that as the Israelites by Idolatrie became like unto the Gentiles so the Gentiles receiving the Gospel are Jews or the people of God And this exposition is not onely likely but very certaine seeing the Apostle expones these prophecies of God's mercy towards the Gentiles as you may see by the authorities which are urged to this purpose in the 10. and 15. chap. of the Epistle to the Rom. and elsewhere Reply 1. Arias Montanus renders the original Et erit in loco quo without any such marginall note at all And the Septuagint reads it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and it shall come to passe that in the place where c. And this expression agrees best with the scope of the Prophecie which foretells their returne againe to their owne Land in which it had been said unto them yee are not my people yea the Apostle too alledgeth these words agreeable to the translation in the text and in the latter part of the sentence relates to them with an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 illic vocabuntur there they shall be call'd c. And therefore this proves so much that of force you must grant the accomplishment of the Prophecie in its proper sense 2. And what though the Gentiles are the people of God even in the same Lands where they did not serve God shall not therefore the Jewes be call'd againe the people of God in the same Land where once they forsooke God or shall this Prophecie be therefore understood of them to whom the Prophet was not sent to say as he did to the Israelites Ye are not my people 3. I thinke not that the Apostle did apply this Prophecie by way of similitude to the Gentiles and much lesse that he did accommodate it to them as to those of whom it was meant by the Holy Ghost For the Holy Ghost fore-shewes not the calling of the Gentiles under the name of the Israelites but in their own name And surely if it cannot be prov'd that the Apostle expounds these Prophecies of Gods mercy towards the Gentiles till the Authorities alledg'd in the 10. and 15. chap. of this Epistle to the Rom. doe shew it it will never be prov'd for those
your fallacious dividing of these words from that which followes you doe wilfully put out your owne eyes that so you may the better beguile others of the truth For first the union foreshewed in these Prophecies is not to begin untill the Nations which shall oppose the Jewes after their returne be miraculously overthrowne at the comming of our Lord Jesus Christ as the foresaid Prophecie of Isaiah chap. 66. at the 15 16 19. ver c. compar'd with the 38. and 39. chapters of Ezek. with the 3. chap. of Joel and with the 19. chap. of the Rev. at the 11 12 13 14 15 c. doth plainly declare And secondly at the accomplishment of the union foreshewed by these Prophecies All Nations must goe up to worship before the Lord at Jerusalem as the latter part of the 66. chapter of Isaiah doth shew to which we may adde the Prophecies in the 8. chap. of Zecha at the 20. ver c. and in the 14. chap. at the 16. ver c. The words are Thus saith the Lord of Hostes it shall come to passe that there shall come people and the Inhabitants of many Cities and the Inhabitants of one Citie shall goe to another saying Let us goe speedily to pray before the Lord of Hostes I will goe also yea many people and strong Nations shall come to seeke the Lord of Hosts in Jerusalem and to pray before the Lord. Thus saith the Lord of Hostes In those dayes it shall come to passe that ten men shall take hold out of all Languages of the Nations even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew saying We will goe with you for we have heard that God is with you And it shall come to passe that every one that is left of all Nations which came against Jerusalem shall even goe up from yeare to yeare to worship the King the Lord of Hosts and to keep the feast of Tabernacles and it shall be that who so will not come up of all the. Families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King the Lord of Hosts even upon them shall be no raine And thirdly at the accomplishment of this union the Jewes shall not seeke unto the Gentiles but the Gentiles in generall unto the Jewes onely for instruction in the wayes of God as Isaiah saith chap. 2 ver 2. and 3. and Micah chap. 4. ver 1. and 2. It shall come to passe in the last dayes that the mountaine of the Lords house shall be established in the top of the mountaines and shall be exalted above the billâ— and all Nations shall flow unto it and many people shall goe and say Come yee and let us goe up to the Mountaine of the Lord to the house of the God of Jacob and he will teach us his waies and wee will walke in his pathes for out of Sion shall goe forth the Law and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem And fourthly at the accomplishment of this union and throughout the whole time of its continuance which it exprest Rev. the 20. ver 2 3. there is to be an uninterrupted peace over all the world as the following words of the foregoing prophecy of Isa Micah doe manifest And he shall judge amongst the Nations shall rebuke many people they shal breake their swords into plowshares their speares into pruning books nation shal not lift up sword against Nation neither shall they learne warre any more With which agreeth that of Hosea chap. 2. ver 18. In that day I will make a Covenant for them with the beasts of the field and with the fowles of Heaven and with the creeping things of the ground And I will breake the bow and the sword and the battell out of the earth and will make them to lie downe safely And to this wee adjoyne the prophecy Psal 46.8 9. Come behold the workes of the Lord what desolations he hath made in the earth He maketh warres to cease unto the ends of the earth be breaketh the bow and cutteth the speare in sunder he burneth the chariot in the fire And fiftly at the accomplishment of this union the converted Jew shall not be governed by the ecclesiastical and civill lawes of the Gentiles as it is now but the Gentiles by the ecclesiastical and civill lawes of the Iewes as is before shewed by their going up to Ierusalem to worship and to be instructed in the wayes of the Lord. And as touching their civill grovernment it is further evidenced by the prophecies in which the Gentiles great subjection to the Iewes is revealed Of which sort are the prophecies Isaiah chap. 14.1 2. chap. 49.22 23. chap. 60.9 10 11 12. c. and chap. 61.4 5 6 7. And thus good reader thou hast the true sense and scope of the prophecies with which as Mr Petrie saith I have needlesly filled many pages and doubtlesse it was very needfull for him to say so seeing their perspicuity is so irresistible that he could finde no mysticall paraphrase against it to puzzle thee withall Israel's Redemption But to say that this is now fulfilled in the time of the substituted Gentiles vocation is to overthrow what was before affirmed and to take great paines to beguile our selves and others of the truth it is I say to put out our owne eyes and bid others follow us for St Paul in the 11. of the Rom. tells us plainly that the Jews are broken off from their Olive tree and that we are graffed in for them that they are cast away that they are hardened that God hath concluded them all in unbeliefe and that through their fall salvation is come unto us to provoke them to h Deut. 32.21 jealousie And therefore it cannot possibly be maintained that the Jewes and Gentiles are as yet one i Ioh. 10.16 sheepfold Mr Petrie's Answer The Apostle saith not that all the Jewes are broken off but rather the contradictory ver 1. and 5. neither saith he that God hath shut up all the Jewes in unbeliefe that he might have mercy upon all the Jewes but as our former translation saith conforme to the originall God hath shut up all in unbeliefe that he might have mercy upon all whereunto the words of the same Apostle Gal. 3.22 The Scripture hath concluded all under sinne that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to them who beleeve Here the Apostle is not speaking of the Jewes onely but generally both of Jewes and Gentiles and so farre must his words be extended thereto seeing he is speaking of them ver 30. and 31. and so the meaning of ver 32. is It was the counsel of God to suffer both Jewes and Gentiles to fall into unbeliefe or disobedience as the word Apeitheia likewise imports and the word sin teaches Gal. 3. that he might save all his elect both of Jewes and Gentiles after one way not by their workes but of his mercy onely And therefore I cannot
possibly conceive how a man of understanding can bring or receive such a conclusion out of these words as this It cannot possibly be maintained that the Jewes and Gentiles are as yet one sheepfold For besides the fallacy of the consequence the conclusion is contrary to the expresse words of Scripture especially Ephes 2.11 Remember that yee being in time past Gentiles in the flesh who were called uncircumcision by that which is called the circumcision in the flesh made by hands but now in Christ Jesus yee who somtimes were farre off are made nigh by the blood of Christ for he is our peace who hath made both one having broken downe the mid-wall for to make in himselfe of twaine one new man And who will deny that the beleevers now living among the Gentiles are members of the same body and Church universall whereof Abraham Jacob David Ezekias Paul and others were now then even now Jewes and Gentiles are one fold Reply What the Apostle affirmes wee deny not and therefore wee say not that every family amongst the Jewes and every Jew of every family was cast away was broken off from their Olive But whereas the Apostle saith If the fall of them be the riches of the world ver 15. and As concerning the Gospel they are enemies for your sakes ver 28. and God hath concluded them all in unbeliefe ver 32. These passages wee understand with the Apostle to be meant of all the Tribes though not of all of every Tribe I say with the Apostle for so generall was the unbeliefe of the Jewes even in St. Paul's time that chap. 10.1 2. he saith Brethren my hearts desire and prayer to God for Jsrael is that they may be saved For I beare them record that they have a zeale of God but not according to knowledge And in the 13. and 14. verses of this chap. he hath these words of them For I magnify mine Office if by any meanes I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh and might save some of them Not any one Tribe but here and there some yea but some in all here and there amongst the Tribes And your flying to the former translation of the 32. ver as to a refuge against the evidence of the last translation will not serve your turne seeing the words in the originall are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which are more fully and more fitly rendred by them all then by all onely And the them all in the 32. ver must needs have relation to the Jewes onely exprest in the third person by their these and they in the 30. and 31. verses And not to the Gentiles exprest in the second person by ye and your And the reason you bring to prove that the 32. ver must be extended to Jewes and Gentiles both to wit because the Apostle in the 30. and 31. verses is speaking of both is of no force at all seeing he speakes of the Gentiles as beleevers and of the Jewes as unbeleevers And therefore might well say of the Tribes who were then left in unbeliefe For God hath concluded them all in unbeliefe that he might have mercy upon all But of the Gentiles who had then obtained mercy through the Jewes unbeliefe he could not affirme this Neither will the text which you have alledged out of Gal. 3.22 as parallell to this in the former translation any thing availe you For there is a vast difference betwixt these propositions The Scripture hath concluded all under sin And God hath concluded all in unbeliefe The first is universally and actually true seeing all men are sinners as well beleevers as unbeleevers But the last is not universally and actually true seeing all men are not unbeleevers nor ever were since the first promise of a Saviour Yea the Apostle saith Gal. 3. that the Scripture hath concluded all under sinne for this very cause to wit that the promise by faith of Iesus Christ might be given to them that beleeve That is to them that are not concluded in unbeliefe albeit they are concluded under sin And therfore it must needs be granted that the 32. ver Rom. 11. is applyed by the Apostle to some men onely and not to all to wit to the unbeleeving Jewes in opposition to the beleeving Gentiles And consequently must of necessity too be meant of all the Tribes none excepted because it cannot be meant of all Jewes none excepted And if this be not evidence enough to make you understand the 32. ver of the Jews onely wee have undentable experience to helpe cleare your eye-sight For tell us what are the many numerous multitudes of the unbeleeving Jewes disperst at this day amongst the Nations of the Gentiles are they the Nation of the Jewes or are they not If they are then were all the Tribes concluded in unbeliefe if they are not then tell us what Tribe or Tribes are wanting that fell not or continued not in unbeleife with the rest For surely in the opinion of great Divines the Holy Ghost hath reckoned up by St. John Rev. 7. all the Tribes as remaining and to be converted not long before the destruction of the Beast and false Prophet And therefore it is somewhat hard to conceive how a man of such understanding as you conceite your selfe to have could notwithstanding so much evidence of Scripture and experience condemne this conclusion Therefore it cannot possibly be maintained that the Jewes and Gentiles are as yet one sheepfold And as for the fallacy of consequence let the reader judge whether it be on our part who say that the Jewes and Gentiles shall not be united into one Church until the whole Nation of the Jewes be converted and the foresaid prophecies accomplished or on yours who granting that these prophecies doe foreshew their uniting doe affirme that they are already thus united although not one of these prophecies be fulfilled nor any one Tribe converted But to prove that the Jewes and Gentiles are united into one Church you alledge Ephe. 2. ver 11. c. Remember that yee being in times past Gentiles in the flesh that at that time yee were without Christ but now are made nigh by the blood of Christ who hath made both one and broken downe the midwall of partition betweene us for to make in himselfe one new man And is St. Paul then contrary to himselfe what would he have wisht himselfe accursed from Christ for his brethren his Kinsmen according to the flesh Rom. 9. ver 3. or would he have said that going about to establish their owne righteousnesse they had not submitted themselves to the righteousnesse of God chap. 1. v. 3. or Even so have these also now not beleeved that through your mercy they also may obtaine mercie chap. 11. ver 31. would he have said all this of the Jewes and much more to this purpose if the Jewes and Gentiles had then equally embrac't the Gospel if the Tribes had been alreadie one bodie or then likely to
be understood which before you so stoutly denied but you say withall that it is a small portion of the creatures deliverance that it is a deliverance but of a part of the creatures and surely we doe not say that the deliverance of the sensitive creatures is the deliverance of all the creatures but we say that all the insensitive creatures too shall be restor'd to their Primitive perfection and so delivered from the bondage of corruption when these are as other Prophecies doe foreshew of them And seeing you acknowledge the Renovation of the creature to be its deliverance we marvell what you meane in saying that the Apostle is speaking there of the finall deliverance of the creature For if you meane by the finall deliverance a further renovation of it surely we know but of one renovation of the creature that the Scriptures speake of and that is to be a perfect renovation of it but if you meane annihilation and dissolution of it you hold one more deliverance of the creature then any other Divine doth to wit a deliverance by renovation and a deliverance by abolition but wee denie that the Apostle speakes there of the dissolution of the creature and that this is cal'd a deliverance of the creature from the bondage of corruption in any place of the Scripture Yea wee see not how the creatures deliverance from the bondage of corruption should be a delivering of it into a greater corruption nor how the creature should rather earnestly expect such a deliverance from the bondage of corruption by which all the kinds of it shall be destroyed then desire to continue subject to this bondage under which all the kinds are preserved And seeing the creatures bondage of corruption is the vanitie to which it was made subject by reason of mans sinne after its creation and so cannot be meant of that corruptible condition of the creature in which it was created subject to death and dissolution it must needs follow as wee conceive that the creatures dissolution cannot be its deliverance For such as the bondage is such must the deliverance be but the bondage was the alteration which befell it through mans sinne after its creation which was adventitious to it and not its corruptibilitie which was made naturall to it by creation and consequently the deliverance must be a restauration of it the deliverance of the sensitive creatures a restauration from their hurtfull and untamed disposition to a mild and harmelesse and of the insensitive of the Starres and Heavens from a malignant influence to a favourable and from a dimmer to a clearer brightnesse c. And whereas you say that the Author collecteth nothing particularly from that text Isaiah 65. ver 25. Surely he collects as much from that Prophecie as from the other and to this end hath alledged both together because both doe reveale the same thing but if you want a particular observation from this text you may take notice that he saith And dust shall be the Serpents meat whereby he shewes that when the Lyon shall eate straw like the bullock when all other beasts and creeping things of the earth and fowles of the aire shall live by that food which was appointed for them at the creation Gen. 1. ver 30. the Serpent onely shall feed still on the nourishment of his curse Gen. 3. ver 14. as a memoriall of his being the instrument of mans fall and so of subjecting his fellow-creatures into vanity thereby And how could you say that there is not any word of the Jewish Monarchy in this Prophecie whenas these are the verses immediately foregoing And I will rejoyce in Jerusalem and joy in my people and the voyce of weeping shall be no more heard in her nor the voyce of crying There shall be no more there an infant of dayes nor an old man that hath not filled his dayes for the child shall dye an hundred yeares old but the siner being an hundred yeares old shall be accursed They shall build houses and inhabit them and they shall plant Vineyards and eat the fruite of them they shall not build and another inhabit they shall not plant and another eate for as the dayes of a tree are the dayes of my people and mine elect shall long enjoy the worke of their hands they shall not labour invaine nor bring forth for trouble for they are the seed of the blessed of the Lord and their off-spring with them and it shall come to passe that before they call I will answer and while they are yet speaking I will heare The Wolfe and the Lamb shall feed together c. What thinke you of all this doth it not plainly shew the future establishment and prosperity of the Jewes in their owne Land as the latter part of the 11. chap. doth their returne to it and are not the dumb creatures as plainly distinguisht here from the Jewes as in the 11. chap. from the Iewes and Gentiles what then shall we say of you who have so little care of your credit and regard of your Conscience as to denie that here is any word of the Jewish Monarchy surely you have need of such Readers as will swallow all you say with an implicite faith for if they take the course of the noble Bereans and search whether it be as you say or not you will often be found a traitour to the manifest truth of God a crime doubtlesse of no low ranke a sinne of no light dye Israel's Redemption Another Prophecie touching the renewed estate of the creatures is to be seen in the 30. chap. of Isa at the 23. v. Then shall he give the rain of thy seed that thou shalt sow the ground withall and bread of the increase of the earth and it shall be fat and plenteous In that day shall thy cattle feed in large pastures The Oxen likewise and the young Asses that eare the ground shall eate cleane provender which hath been winnowed with shovell and with the fanne and there shall be upon every high hill rivers and streames of waters in the day of the slaughter when the towers fall Moreover the light of the Moone shall be as the light of the Sunne and the light of the Sun shall be seven-fold as the light of seven dayes in the Day that the Lord t Mal. 3. ver 17 18. bindeth up the breach of his people and healeth the stroke of their wound But the great increase of the light of the Sunne and Moone here spoken of is in the 60. chap. at the 19. ver plainely gainesayed the words are these The Sunne shall be no more thy light by day neither for brightnesse shall the Moon give light unto thee but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light and thy God thy glory Where if it had been said that the Sun should no more burne them by day nor the Moone by night as it is in the 121. Psal or smite them as it is in the 49. chap.
not be long delayd Walke you therefore in holinesse with sincerity and cheerefulnesse 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 Monarchy but the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Answer Beloved in the Lord you are told here by Mr. Petry that this historical Narration of the original of the Millenarian Tenet and his refutation of my booke are for your good And had it been so indeed I had not now answered the one or repli'd unto the other yea I had rather laid my hand upon my mouth or empoly'd it about the publique retractation of mine own opinion But I find not in either ought of that sincere and upright dealing as is pretended in these words That which I finde is this that Mr. Petrie is too much of the minde of the Lawyers in the Gospel of whom our Saviour said Luk. 11. verse 52. that they had taken away the key of knowledge that they entred not in themselves and them that were entring in they hindred And that as the Pharisees best project to discountenance our Saviours miracles was to say that he did cast out Devils through Beelzebub the Prince of the Devils and their most prevalent motive to disgrace his doctrine was to say that he was a glutton and a wine-bibber a friend of publicans and sinners So Mr. Petrie's chiefest sleight to disparage the truth we hold is to say that it hath no other Father nor abettours but heretiques that it is preacht by such as have in their Congregation grosse Anabaptists and are friends to whatsoever Novellers And that it teacheth the voluptuous carnall living of the raised Saints and their dying againe after they are raised And doubtlesse beloved if you should be as ready to receive these tares into your hearts as Mr. Petrie is to sow them there your eares would be stuffed with prejudice and your hearts choakt up with indignation against us but as we wish better things unto you so we hope better things of you even such things as accompany salvation We hope I say that you are as wise as the Bereans of whom the Apostle saith that they were noble in that they received the word with all readinesse of mind and searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so And if you examine our words by this rule by which the Bereans examined St. Paul's and were so highly commended by him for it we doubt not but you will with one consent affirme That in the point in Question we and not our adversaries doe say as God saith And that we make not the meate that perisheth but everlasting life the reward of the glorified Saints although we truly affirme that these Saints may and shall eate drinke after their resurrection As it is said Mat. 26. verse 29. and Luk. 22. verse 16.18 And that you will affirme too that we truly hold that the Kingdom of God is not yet come although our Saviour Luk. 17. verse 20. answered the Pharisees who demanded when the Kingdom of God should come that the Kingdom of God was within or amongst them For that which our Saviour there cal'd the Kingdom of God is not meant of the Kingdom it selfe of which the Pharisees inquired but of the outward meanes by which that Kingdom is obtain'd As it is Mat. 21. verse 43. and thus also Rom. 14. verse 17. righteousnesse and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost are cald the Kingdom of God because these things doe intitle men to that Kingdom and manifest unto others that they doe belong unto it neither of which the observing or not observing of difference in meats and drinks can doe And in the 1 Cor. 4. verse 20. it is said The Kingdom of God is not in word but in power that is our interest in the Kingdom of God is neither obtained nor attested by our discoursing preaching and professing of the truth onely but by our carefull and conscionable performance of those things which wee are commanded And therefore beloved that you may not mistake the meanes and evidences of God's Kingdom for the Kingdom it selfe but may by the injoyment and effectual use of these be assured in your selves and make knowne unto others that you are heires of that that you have an inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and of God we beseech the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ that the word of Christ may dwell in you richly in all wisdom and that our Lord Jesus Christ himselfe and God even our Father which hath loved us and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace may comfort your hearts and stablish you in every good word and worke AN answer to M. Petries Rules for interpreting of the Scripture inserted pag. 8. 9. 10. 11. after his answer to the prophecy of Amos ch 9. ver 11. c. which partly because they were devised of purpose to enthrall the readers judgement that hee might not perceive the true meaning of the scriptures as the preface was to perswade him that the scripture is not the ground of the Millenarian Tenet and partly because I would not disjoyne my replies by such a large digression I thought fit beloved to present unto thee in this place His introduction to them is this Mr Petrie And here for understanding this and such cher prophecies I add these undoubted rules Answer Undoubted rules must be grounded on undoubted authority but these for the most have none either from Heaven or of men The first rule The land of Canaan was a type of the Kingdom of Christ and so was Jerusalem and Sion because these were types of this Kingdom so glorious things were spoken of them Psal 46.4.5 and 48.1 2. and 87.1 2 3.5 which texts are more safely understood of Christ's Kingdom then of that earthly Jerusalem and Sion yea very hardly can they be understood of them Answer You have brought no text to shew that the land of Canaan was a type of Christs Kingdom but we bring many to shew that it shall be the proper inheritance of Christ the Saints in the time of his Kingdom And the glorious things which are spoken of Jerusalem or Sion in the 46.48 and 87. Psalmes and in many other places of the scripture are spoken of it because it was to be the City of the great King as is foretold Psal 48. v. 2. that is of Christ in the time of his personall raigne over the whole earth and therefore these words which texts are more safely understood of Christ's Kingdom then of that earthly Ierusalem and Sion yea very hardly can they be understood of them are as falsely as faintly spoken by you for is it not said in the foresaid verse Beautifull for situation the joy of the whole earth is mount Sion and Psal 87. v. 2. The Lord loveth the gates of
drinke bitter not that every thing is such but their senses are distempered another who hath not distempered senses finds in the same thing a diversity of colour and relish 3. Why doubt they here whether there be more voices for the one then for the other seeing afterwards it is said p. 50. as all the Prophets speake of nothing more so they have nothing which can be applied to our Saviours second comming as a comfortable effect so generally foreshewne but this Reply 1. If the heathers be a more in partial judgement then Jewes or Christians are the greater is our shame the more their commendation But as I have not hitherto so I trust I never shall shew such irreverence and uncharitablnesse towards the Church of God as to think much lesse to say that there are no impartial men in it And therefore I need not goe out of the Church to seeke for such to submit to But although there are many impartial judgements amongst Christians yet it behoves the reader to take notice here that you confesse you are none of the society and therefore to be the more suspitious of the sincerity of your dealing a taste where of we had in your former answer And it is observeable too that you make a difference betwixt Turks and heathens as if Turks were not heathens 2. That all rigid Antimillenaries find not many voices for that we plead for nor indeed any at all we need not marvell for you have told us they have no impartial judgments And therefore I might returne your comparisons on your selves but I leave them to the judicious reader to bestow them where he sees most cause 3. Surely these words I finde not more voices for the one then for the other have no doubtfull sound Neither have they relation onely to a part but to the whole word of God Not to one Testament onely but to both And therefore the Prophets being not the adequate subject of this search you have vainly transferr'd hither what elswhere I have spoken as from the Prophets onely Yea and very impertinently too for the prophecies spoken of there doe concerne the restoring of the Jewes onely but the voices spoken of here are such as do concerne the comming of Christ onely And that first in the forme of a servant to teach and suffer on earth and next in Kingly glory to reigne and rule on earth And grant there should be more Scriptures to shew one of these commings then the other yet seeing there is plaine Scripture for them both we have good reason to beleeve both Israel's Redemption F or they asked of him saying Lord wilt thou at this time restore againe the Kingdom to Israel Mr. Petrie's Answer Any who is not distempered in his braines may see the ground of this Monarchy very unsure to wit a meere Querie Acts 1.6 The disciples asked him Lord wilt thou at this time restore the Kingdom of Israel a querie neither affirmeth nor denieth and neverthelesse how great a Kingdom is built on it If they can finde a surer ground why will they not choose it for their text better they have not and therefore they must be doing with this Reply No good Christian will be either asham'd or affraid to suffer for the truth's sake And therefore we had much rather be defam'd revil'd and if God hath so appointed it worse handled by you or any others then reclamante conscientiâ against our owne knowledge yeeld to be deluded by you this answer being in very deed conpounded of nought but falsehood and deceit For first the ground of this Monarchy is not unfure although a Querie it being grounded not on what the Apostles knew not and would have knowne to wit the time when the Kingdom should be restor'd but on what they knew and doubted not of to wit that the Kingdom should be restor'd Which had they not knowne or at least not thought they could not have asked when it should be restor'd And had they but thought it they would for their better assurance first have ask whether before they would have aske when it should be restored Neither can we grant this to be a * Queries as Rhetoricians do distinguish them are either simple or figurative and effected Simple Queries are such as are proposed for instruction and know ledge-sake and are either meerly simple when there is no more in them but what is doubted of as what is truth Iohn 18 verse 38. or not meerly simple when there is no more in them then what is doubte of as where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eate the passcover Mat. 26. verse 17. in which querie the doubt is not touching the subject it selfe whether the passeover should be prepar'd but touching a circumstance belonging to the subject touching the place where it should be prepar'd and such a querie is this of the Apostles the subject the restoring of the Kingdom is not doubted of nor the person that should restore it but the circumstance of time onely when it shold be restored And these queries though they do not expresly formally affirme or deny yet they do implicitly vertually affirme or deny meere querie untill you have defin'd what a meere querie is for you seeme to me by this proposition A Querie neither affirmeth nor denieth to take all queries to be alike if you doe not you say it onely fallaciously to make the unlearned reader thinke so that by this meanes he might the more readily beleeve all you say against us and if you doe you are very much mistaken as all your rhetoricians will shew you who reckon up many sorts of Queries among which there is one so opposite to your words that it more certainly and vehemently affirmes or denies then a bare affirmation or negation can doe and such a one is that in St. Mat. chap. 7. verse 16. Doe men gather grapes of thornes or figs of thistles which is a farre more forcible deniall then St. Lukes Of thornes men doe not gather figs nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes chap. 6. verse 44. so on the contrary Is there no balme in Gilead is there no Physitian there Jer. 8 verse 22. doth more movingly affirme then the bare affirmation doth And of this sort of interrogatory asseverations and negations the Scriptures have very many especially God's answer to Job and the prophecy of Micah And therefore untill you can bring better proofe to shew this ground unsure we need not seeke for another text to build so great a Monarchy on although we bring many other to strenghthen beautify and finish the building Israel's Redemption The words you see are a Querie And such propositions imply three things First a person or persons proposing it Secondly a matter or subject proposed Thirdly a person or persons to whom it is proposed The persons here are the disciples asking the question and our Saviour answering them as the context declares the matter enquired of is the
presume you would too seeing it is not likely that they would have brought an exposition different from that which was commonly received by others and have given no reason for it or one no better then a why may we not think so 2. If you thinke that these places here quoted be diversly interpreted as your disjunctive conjunction OR intimates and yet say why may not this Kingdom be taken as the thiefe meant or as Christ meant or as Simeon meant any one may perceive that you are altogether unresolved what sense to take it in but had rather take it in any sense then that we take it in And if you thinke that all these places have but one meaning as the last words of this part of your answer imply you should have shewed us what it had been For in our Saviour's and Simeon's words the word Kingdom is not found And the words which you take to be equivalent with it are diversly expounded Paradise in our Saviour's words is interpreted to be Heaven And salvation and Glory in Simeon's song doe signify Salutis et gloriae authorem the authour of glory and the authour of salvation to wit Christ himselfe So that if the Kingdom in the Apostles Querie be expounded either of these two waies it is all one as if they had said Lord wilt thou at this time restore Heaven to Israel or Lord wilt thou at this time restore thy selfe to Israel And as for the Kingdom the theife spake of we thanke you for mentioning of it And doe willingly grant that the Apostles understood it as he did But how was that surely as all other Jewes did of a Kingdom on earth and not in Heaven For his words in the original are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when thou commest in thy kingdome that is in thy Kingly power as it is Mat. 16. verse 27 28. for by those words the theife could not meane his ascension into Heaven as it is comonly expounded seeing he was wholly ignorant of it And therefore it must needs follow that he understood it of an earthly Kingdom which all Jewes expected and as it seemes by the Apostles Querie all beleeving Jewes thought should suddenly appeare after his resurrection But because it was not to be so therefore it was that our Saviour promised the theife the present happinesse of his soule in Heaven where it should remaine in his presence until at his comming in his Kingdom of which he had spoken he should bring it with him to be reunited to his glorified body and so according to his request he should in his whole manhood be made partaker of his Master 's glorious reigne on earth 3 You must give us leave to thinke that no expositour doth deny it until either we can find or you or others shew us such a one But it follows not you say the Apostles thought so therfore it shall be so But this follows therefore we must beleeve the Apostles before Mr. Petrie or any others who thinke it shall not be so Yea and this follows the Apostles thought so and our Saviour who knew their meaning reprehended them not for misunderstanding it therefore it shall be so And whereas you say that the Apostles for a time beleeved not the calling of the Gentiles and referre these words for a time to the time after our Saviours ascension it is not so For doubtlesse from the very time in which our Saviour said unto them Goe teach all Nations Mat. 28.19 they did beleeve it although perhaps they might not thinke that they should have been cald so soone yea if the words of St. James Acts 15. verse 14. should be meant of the song of old Simeon as you doe say page 26. there is no doubt but they knew it from the time they first heard of that prophecy Neither doth the text you quote speake of the Apostles doubting of it but of other beleeving Jews And therefore you have shewed your selfe very bold with the Apostles mistooke the ground of your argument and denyed what afterwards you confesse And lastly when the Authour doth take the Apostles words in that sense which interpreters doe give unto them and shews by reasons first and Scriptures afterwards that the Apostles did not out of any carnal minde or misconceit of our Saviours Kingdom utter this Querie and when that Mr. Petrie doth neither flatly affirme or deny any sense of the Apostles words nor give a reason worth the naming much lesse reading or answering against any of these reasons albeit but childish as he saith will any reader thinke that Mr. Petrie will prove a better guide to him herein then this Authour doubtlesse no man taking a journey will choose him for a guide that is in doubt which way to goe and no good Christian will be lesse carefull in his way to Heaven To the Law then and to the Testimony to the plaine word of God this is the sure ground of thy faith and therefore sticke to it for if men speake not according to this it is because there is no truth in them Isa 8.20 Israel's Redemption First because the Authours of this demand were not babes either in yeares or understanding but the Apostles themselves men who had followed f Mat. 4. v. 19. our Saviour from the very time that he manifested himselfe to the world by preaching and miracles and suffered not so much as a parable to escape their knowledge Men to whom h Act. 1.3 be had sbewed himselfe alive after his passion by many infallible proofes being seene of them forty daies and speaking to them of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God And yet that these men should now at their last conference with him be mistaken in a matter of such importance as this is which concerns the purpose of God touching the whole Nation of the Jewes is as I beleeve and as I thinke you will all say a thing altogether unlikely and and so it is too that all the Apostles should be of the same mind unlesse it had been a truth formerly taught and not as it is imagined an error then newly vented by them g Mat. 13. v. 36. Mar. 7.17 Mr. Petrie's Answer 1. It is unlikely they could be mistaken and therefore it is likely that they understood of the true Kingdom of Israel as Christ did 2. And neverthelesse seeing after the last conference they were mistaken in a matter of great evidence so many times foretold as the calling of the Gentiles it is not unlikely that before Christ's ascension they might been miscaried with that opinion of the Jewish Monarchy which was not a new opinion invented nor vented by the Apostles Reply 1. The question is not what Kingdom the Apostles meant in their Querie which Divines generally consent to be an earthly Kingdom But whether they did not erre in meaning thus So that this part of your answer having relation onely to what Kingdom they meant is nothing to the purpose and
their captivity under the Romans and that because the deliverance after which they are no more to be carried captives must needs be yet to come 2. But you have found a great mistake in me For I have said that the Tabernacle of David shall be a prime agent in the restauration whereas God saith I will raise up the Tabernacle of David and so it is to be a patient you say and not an agent A very learned exception for is there not an instrumentall agent as well as a principall agent and amongst instrumentall agents doe not some excell others as amongst David's worthies some were superior perior to the rest although then God shall shew his power in raising the Tubernacle of David as the first and chiefe cause what hinders but that this also may use its owne endeavor to raise it selfe as a secondary and lesse principall cause surely if God shall so raise it that it shall doe nothing for it selfe it may rather be said to be a spectator of its deliverance then either an agent or a patient You say further that none denieth it is included in the dispersion of Israel But yet you say withall that the Jews dispersion and restauration here spoken of were both fulfill'd before their overthrow by the Romans which the close of this prophecy shewing that after their restauration here foretold they should no more be disperst doth deny And these words also in the 11. ver I will build it as in the daies of old doe shew the contrary For if you take the daies of old for the time immediately foregoing their Babylonish captivity then I say that so short a time cannot be taken for the dayes of old seeing it was but seventy yeares from that time and consequently it must imply a restauration after a captivity of a longer date And if you take it for the daies of David and Solomon then I say that it was not so restor'd after that captivity for in the daies of these Kings all the Tribes were but one Kingdom and they were not tributaries to other Kings but others to their Kings and consequently it is as yet thus to be restor'd But that you may be sure to avoide all that can be brought out of this prophecy for the future restauration of the Jewes you will not have the 11. verse to be meant of the restauration of Judah but of the Israelites in the 14 verse and these Jsraelites must not be taken for the Jewes how plaine soever the text be for it but for the Gentiles for so you say St. Iames expounds them Acts 15. verse 16. Surely the Apostle repeates the 11. and 12. ver of this chapter somewhat differently from the Prophets expression but yet speakes not of Israel there at all Neither doth he expound the building of David's Tabernack of the calling of the Gentiles as you pretend But shewes onely in the verse following that when it shall be built againe the residue of the Gentiles that are yet uncald shall then be cald and together with the Gentiles upon whom Gods Name is already cald seeke after the Lord. And therefore you have not learned of St James to take the Tabernacle of David for the beleeving Gentiles Nor can I beleeve that the Hebrew Doctours doe so intepret it albeit they may grant that the calling of the Gentiles in the time of the Messias as they expect him yet to come is spoken of in the 12. ver And doubtlesse whosoever shall looke into the 14. ver of this prophecy he will say that the actions here rehearst may very well agree with men newly come out of captivity but not that they doe any way intimate the calling of men to the Christian faith For what relation hath the building of waste cities to inhabit them the planting of vineyards to drinke the wine thereof and the making of gardens to eate the fruit of them to this doubtlesse none at all For suppose that one should tel you of a Jew that had lately built him a faire house of an other that had planted an Orchard of choice fruit would you thinke thereby that they were become Christians nay would you not laugh at him if he should have no other meaning And yet without any ground for it but your owne fancy as hath been shewed you conclude that by bodily houses and benefits the Prophet understands spirituall To which you adjoyne Scripture to prove that the elect cannot fall away which is not questioned And thus good reader thou hast seene the first part of one and the same prophecy historically and properly understood and the latter part allegorically and figuratively expounded and that for no other reason but because the deliverance of the Jewes out of their captivity here foretold hath not been as yet properly and literally fulfill'd as their carrying into captivity hath been And Mr. Petrie will not take Gods word for it that it shall be thus fulfild And therefore whereas I have askt Who dares affirme that the captivity of Judah here foretold is meant of any other but their captivity by the Romans seeing God hath said here that after their returne from this captivity they shall no more be pulled up out of their land he tells thee that Zacharias hath not spared to affirme it Luk. 1 verse 68. c. But is it not the same God that spake by the mouth of both these Prophets a God that is not as man that he should lie or forget himselfe And having then foretold in Amos such a deliverance after which the Jewes should no more be given up into captivity doth he thinkst thou by Zachary affirme that this was fulfill'd before their captivity by the Romans yet thus Mr Petrie dares to make God contradict himselfe and that because Zachary saith Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for he hath visited and redeemed his people and hath raised up an horne of salvation for us in the house of his servant David as he spake by the mouth of all his holy Prophets c. and what is meant by all this but that the Redeemer was then to be borne as the Prophets had said and that therefore their redemption should as surely be fulfill'd as if it had been done already For it is usual with the prophets when they would shew the certaine accomplishment of a thing to speake as if it were then effected But why hath Mr. Petrie left out for us in these words of Zachary was it not because they shew that this prophecy doth belong to the Jewes not to the Gentiles and this he likes not to heare of himselfe neither would he have thee to take notice of it And besides if Zachary should speake of a spirituall deliverance onely as this Author affirms how doth he shew that this prophecy of Amos was then fulfild which as is before proved and as any one may indeed of himselfe perceive doth foretel onely an immoveable deliverance of the Jewes from their bodily
understood 3. The 25. ver may be more easily understood in the spiritual then earthly sense to wit the land that I have given unto Jacob and they shall dwel 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 endeavour 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 otherland 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 thâ—n that you can so lightly reject all the plaine texts of Scripture that speake for us when as you dare thus affront 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 not infinitely for time without end And whereas you say that St. Paul in the 2 Cor. 6.16 expounds the 27. verse of this Prophecie of the Corinthians as a part of the People
Teraphim afterwards shall the children of Israel return and seek the Lord their God and n Isa 9. v. 6 7. David their King and shall feare the Lord and his goodnesse in the latter dayes Which Prophecie cannot possibly be as yet fulfill'd for if it be meant onely of the ten Tribes amongst whom Hosea prophecied it is o Hier. Zanch. Pareus Rivetus Lyra Dr. Mayer confest that they did never yet returne and if of the other two it must be meant of their captivitie since our Saviour's comming for till then the Scepter could not depart from Judah nor a Law-giver from between his feet as Jacob foretold Gen. the 49. at the 10. verse and therefore till then they could not be without a Prince or Governours of that Tribe although they were long before tributaries to other Nations And this also is intimated by those words the latter dayes which are no where put for the time before the incarnation of Christ Mr. Petrie's Answer 1. This argumentation faileth in both parts but first marke that all these words cannot be meant properly for the word David cannot be understood of Salomons Father but of Christ the sonne of David or typified by David and therefore that Prophecie could not be fulfilled till the incarnation of Christ and then it might be fulfill'd 2. And consequently these words the latter dayes though they be no where put for the dayes before the incarnation yet they are often put for the dayes of the Gospel seeing in the last dayes God hath spoken unto us by his Sonne Now the first part of the dilemna is false for if that Prophecie be meant of the ten Tribes as they abode many dayes without a King c. so who dare deny that they did returne and seeke the Lord their God and Christ their King when the Gospel was preached to the scattered strangers not onely through Pontus Galatia Cappadocia 1 Pet. 1.1 but likewise to Syria Assyria c. and expressely to the twelve Tribes scattered abroad Jam. 1.1 who can hold the negative that the children of Israel did never returne and seeke Christ and the other part is no lesse faulty for Christ came not till the Scepter was departed from Judah and these words the latter dayes are not to be referred unto the 4. verse as if the Israelites should abide many dayes without a King and sacrifice in the latter dayes and then returne but unto the fift ver in the end whereof they are and sâ— in the latter dayes they shall returne not into their Land this Text saith not so but and seek the Lord their God and Christ their King as they did Act. 2.41 and 4.4 and in sever all ages And so both the parts of this Argument being false the words of Hosea 3. are more against the temporall Monarchy then for it Reply 1. That by David here Christ is meant is not to be doubted but that therefore this Prophecie was fulfill'd at Christs incarnation it is to be proved and so it is too that the Rhetoricall and tropicall sense of some words and phrases in a Prophecie doth fasten a mysticall meaning upon it for the sense of a Prophecie takes not its denomination from the words in which it is spoken but from the things it speakes of if it speakes of materiall things whether in a proper or figurative straine it is a materiall Prophecie if of spirituall things whether in a proper or figurative straine it is a spirituall Prophecie if of both it 's partly materiall and partly spirituall and the title of a Prophecie takes its denomination from the place person or prople of which it is spoken 2. There is a great difference betwixt the last dayes and the latter dayes For the last dayes Heb. 1. ver 2. and the lost times 1 Pet. 1. ver 20. doe comprehend the whole time under the Gospel the time I say from Christs first comming to his second but the latter times 1 Tim. 4. ver 1. doe signifie onely the latter part of the last times And as the last times or dayes have their latter times so againe the latter times have their last dayes as we may see in the 2 Tim. chap. 3. ver 1. and in the 2 Pet. chap. 3. ver 3. and of the end of these last dayes of the latter times are the latter dayes in this Prophecie to be understood as St. Paul's words in the 11. chap. of the Epistle to the Rom. at the 25. and 26. verses doe evidence For I would not Brethren saith he that you should be ignorant of this mystery that blindnesse in part is hapned to Israel untill the fulnesse of the Gentiles be come in and so all Israel shall be saved c. And yet it is enough to confirme the first part of the Dilemma that the latter dayes in this Prophecie cannot be taken for the first dayes of the preaching of the Gospel in which onely the Gospel was preacht unto the Jewes and therefore the Israelites that sought the Lord in those first dayes of the Gospel cannot be the same Israelites which the Prophet saith shall seeke the Lord in the latter dayes of the Gospel that is not long before Christs appearing And besides what effect the word of God tooke amongst the Israelites even in the dayes in which it was preach't unto them we have formerly shewed out of the 13. chap. of the Acts at the 45. and 46. verses and out of theâ— Thess 2. at the 15. and 16. ver to which wee may adde the same Apostles great heavinesse and continuall sorrow for them Rom. 9. ver 2.3 and his words concerning Israel in 31 32 and. 33. ver of the same chapter and his prayer for them and record of them chap. 10. v. 1 2 3. and his words ch 11. v. 8 9 10.12.15.25 and 28. in which places he saith that they stumbled at the stumbling stone that is at Christ preacht unto them that they submitted not themselves unto the righteousnesse of God that they were enemies to the Gospel and that God had given them the spirit of slumber eyes that they should not see and eares that they should not heare and therefore we dare not but to affirme that Israel did not then returne thus the Lord to wit by repentance and embracement of the Gospel For the Prophet speakes not of the returne of some particular Families or of some particular persons of divers Families but of all the children of Israel that were to be so long without a King that is of the whole body of the ten Tribes at least And of the whole Israel of God it is that is of all the Tribes though not of all of every Tribe that the Apostle speaks of in the foresaid Texts of Scripture and how then can it be said of any of the Tribes that they have as yet sought the Lord and if none of the Tribes are converted where is the union you boast of betwixt the Jewes and Gentiles How are
texts not of the Jews onely but of the Christian Church and it may be easily understood that these have written according to their consciences and therefore if these be Judges this authour hath lost the cause Reply 1. Had not these prophecies been to the same purpose you might well have thought that I had had as little regard what sense I wrested the Scriptures to as you your selfe have And seeing they are all to the same purpose you had the lesse reason to quarrell at the number of them But it was a great eye-soare unto you to see such and so many witnesses together all maintaining the truth we hold and you oppose And because you could not reply unto them by any credible interpretation in your allegorical way you slide from them with no more nor weightier words then these but number prevaileth not in this case Surely it is a poore case that you who have laboured all this while to perswade the reader that we can bring no plaine proofes for what we say should now be affraid to let him heare what God hath said for us and what you could answer for your selfe But you saw very well that these prophecies were too cleare to be obscured with the vaile of a figurative sense and too eminent to be put on the roll of conditionall prophecies because many of them doe as well containe spiritual blessings as temporal blessings and there can be no doubt of their doing God's will to whom that Spirit and those graces are promised by which alone men are inabled to doe it And for a taste of what I have said take the prophecy of Jeremiah chap. 32. at the 37. ver Behold I will gather them out of all countries whither I have driven them in mine anger and in my sury and in great wrath and I will bring them againe unto this place and I will cause them to dwell safely Here is an outward and temporal promise And they shall be my people and I will be their God and I will give them one heart and one way that they may feare me for ever for the good of them and their children after them And I will make an everlasting Covenant with them that I will not turne away from them to doe them good but I will put my feare into their hearts that they shall not depart from me Here is an inward and spiritual promise after which it follows yea I will rejoyce over them to doe them good and I will plant them in this land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soule For thus saith the Lord like as I have brought all this great evil upon this people so will I bring upon them all the good that I have promised c. And the like prophecy is in the 33. chap. of Jer. at the 6. ver c. and in the 36. chap. of Ezek. at the 24. ver c. and in the 39. chap. at the 25. ver c. And in the 36. chap. at the 8. ver this prophecy is made to the Mountaines of Israel O yee mountaines of Israel ye shall shoot forth your branches and yeeld your fruit to my people of Israel for they are at hand to come for behold I am for you and I will turne unto you and ye shall be tilled and sowen and I will multiply men upon you all the house of Israel even all of it and the Cities shall be inhabited and the wastes shall be builded and I will multiply upon you man and beast and they shall increase and bring fruit and I will setle you after your old estates and I will doe better for you then at your beginning and ye shall know that I am the Lord. Yea I will cause men to walke upon you even my people Israel and they shall possesse thee and thou shalt be their inheritance and thou shalt no more benceforth bereave them of men c. Now as none of the former prophecies will beare the title of conditional prophecies so neither will this for the land it selfe could neither doe any thing for which God should make such a promise unto it nor for which he should refuse to fulfill unto it what he hath promised And I am perswaded that he who will deny that these prophecies are to be understood of the prosperity and happinesse of the Jews onely that will deny I say that they are properly and historically to be taken or that they are as yet to be fulfilled will not sticke to say any thing 2. If they affirme that these prophecies were partly though not onely accomplisht in the time of the plagues that I say their accomplishment did continue as well then as at other times they affirme that which is altogether inconsistent with the uninterrupted prosperity of these prophecies which shew that none of the people of whom they are spoken shall be left in captivity among the Heathen or be a prey any more to the Heathen but that they shall dwell safely in their owne land without feare and without sorrow And that they shall have such increase of cattle corne and other fruits of the earth that there shall come no more famine upon them And who seeth not by this that these prophecies cannot possibly belong to the troublesome and distressed state and condition of the Christian Church or to any other people but the Jews who alone live dispersed in captivity But you deny that the plagues spoken of in the Rev. were to be continued plagues you should then have shewed what intervalls of joy the Church hath had from the time that the Dragon began to persecute the woman which brought forth the man child And went to make warre with the remnant of her seed Rev. 12.13.17 For doubtlesse persecution hath bin a constant attendant on the servants of God ever fince the first preaching of the Gospel T is true indeed that the Gospel at the first made a great conquest on the Gentiles but how was it done surely not by the contentious hearts bloody hands of the Apostles and their successours but by a constant lifting up of their hearts and hands in prayer and by an undanted offering up of their lives in persecution And it is hard to say when all Christian Churches together have had rest from open persecution But grant that there had bin no such persecution at all in any Christian Kingdome unto this time yet doubtlesse that maxime of St. Paul in the 2 Tim. at the 12. ver Yea and all they that will live godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecution had stood firme and passed still for an undoubted truth For the servants of God might neverthelesse have bin mockt reviled hated and opprest albeit they had not bin haled to prisons tortures and death it self and yet let that Hell on earth the devillish Inquisition witnesse whether this also might not have bin effected in a more cruell barbarous manner in a secret then in an open persecution You
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 lives 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 wee 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 Saints And whereas you say 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 faithfull 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 fancies 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 text 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 Micah at the 8. ver makeâ— to prophecie thus of her selfe Rejoyce not against me O mine â—â—â—my 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 truth but nothing 〈◊〉 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 fits in darknesse which now beares 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 ages 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
had offered one sacrifice for sinnes for ever sate downe at the right hand of God from benceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstoole that is looking for the time in whith his enemies shall be subdued unto him as then 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 foot stoole So that he fits not there while it is doing buâ—â—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 power 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 thy 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 therereveales 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 where as 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 be 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 strairened 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 be hath but a short time 'T is of this time hat Saint Peter saith Our Adversary the Devill as a roaring lion walketh about seeking whom be 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 whole armour of God Ephes 6.11 c. Yea it is in the Christian Church that some were to give hâ—ed to seducing spirits and doctâ—ines of devils as Saint Pâ—ul writes 1 Tim. 4.1 and that there should be false teaobers who privily should bring in damnabâ—e beâ—esies even denying the Lord that bought them As Saint Peter writes 2. Ep. 2. chap. 1 ver c. And they are the Christians 〈◊〉 the last dayes of whom S. Paul foretells 2 Tim. 3.1 That they shall be lovers of their owne selves covetous boasters prond blasphemers disobedient to Parents unthankefull unboly without naturall affection truce-breakers false accusers incontinent fierce despisers of those that are good traitouâ—s beady 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 imprisonment 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 Christs reigne as long as now 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 statly 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 is 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 owne Throne
Father because it is appointed unto him by the Father and sometimes Christs Kingdome because as man he is to reigne visibly in it and sometimes the Kingdome of God because Gods power shall be revealed after a wonderfull manner at the setting of it up and because none but Gods Lawes shall be observed in it and sometimes the Kingdome of heaven because the chiefe governours of it shall come from heaven and because it shall be of an heavenly condition in regard of the holinesse and righteousnesse thereof for as our Saviour and the glorified Saints shall then as perfectly doe Gods will on earth as it is now done by them in heaven so shall their righteous judgement occasion a more righteous dealing amongst all others over the whole earth then was ever yet observed in any particular Kingdome Israel's Redemption I know these words are taken by Interpreters for a metaphoricall expression of those joyes which we shall receive in * In heaven where the holy Jerusalem is that great City Rev. 21.10 c. distinguished to Ezâ—k chap. 4. ver 2. c. chap. 45. ver 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. which I take to be the modell and platforme of the city that is to be built at the Jewes redemption by these and many more differences First because the builder and maker of the one iâ— God Rev. 21.2 but the other men shall build Ier. 31.38 Ezâ—k 40.8 Secondly the materialls of Ierusalem which is above are all gold and precious stones Rev. 21.18 19 20 21. but the materialls of that other Ierusalem shall not be such Ezek. 40.16 17 21 c. Thirdly in this city there is no Temple for the Lord God Almighty and the Lambe are the Temple of it Rev. 21.22 but that city shall have a Temple Ezek. 40.41 c. Fourthly in this city the river of water of life proceedeth out of the Throne of God and of the Lambe Rev. 21.1 but in that city waters not the river of life though endu'd with healthfull and nourishing qualities because of the place whence they are to proceed Ezek. 47.9.12 shall issue from under the threshold of the Temple for the forefront of the house shall stand towards the East and the waters shall come downe from under the right side of the house at the South-side of the Altar Ezek. 47.1 c. Fifthly in this city the tree of Life only grows on either side of the river and beares twelve manner of fruits monethly Rev. 22.2 but by the river that shall issue out of the Sanctuary of that city shall grow all trees for meate Ezek. 47.12 Sixthly in this city there is no night they need no candle nor light of the Sun for the Lord God giveth them light and the Lambe is the light thereof Rev. 21.23.25 ch 22.5 but in that city there shall be night and the light of the Sun shall then be sevenfold Isa 30.26 ch 60.11 Seventhly this city shall descend to the new earth with which there shall be no sea created Rev. 21.1.2 but the waters which shall come from that city shall go into the sea and being brought forth into the sea the waters shall be healed Ezek. 47.8 and therefore that city is to be built before the annihilation of the first earth with which there is a sea heaven but it is a currant axiom in our Schooles Non esse alitera seu propria scripturae significatione recedendum nisi evidens aliqua necessitas cogat scripturae veritas in ipsa litera periclitari videtur That we must not forsake the literall and proper sense of the scripture unlesse an evident necessity doth require it or the truth thereof would be endangered by it and I am sure here is no such cause for which we should leave the naturall interpretation of the place yea we are by many other passages in the scripture rather compelled to sticke to it Mr. Petrie's Answer It may be doubted whether this Author hath been bred in schooles or what he calleth our schooles seeing he so abuseth thetoricall termes as literall sense for proper sense metaphoricall sense contra-distinguished to figurative sense and keepes no logicall canons in his arguing and I thinke he did never learne such interpretation of scripture in any approved schoole As for this rule he may see partly by that is said and shall see more hereafter that these words cannot be understood of an earthly Kingdome neither doe these fore cited compell us as he boldly saith to sticke unto the earthly sense of this text in hand Reply It may well be doubted whether pride or choler did most oversway your judgement in this answer For though I willingly confesse my selfe to be a man not worthy to be numbred amongst the learned yet unlesse I should make as little conscience of lying for an advantage as you doe you cannot chuse but know what schools I was bred in for the title-page of my Book doth publish it to the world And doubtlesse these schooles have ever yeelded men as eminent for judgement as righteous in their life and as zealous for the truth as those that you have been bred in or any other schooles in Christendome besides But that which you here first indict me for is this That I abuse rhetoricall termes as literall sense for proper sense And I pray what Divine doth not as often or oftner use literall sense for proper sense then for the true sense whether proper or figurative and what is the meaning of literall sense in this approved axiome but a proper sense For doubtlesse there is no necessity that can compell us to leave the true sense of the scripture although it may to leave the proper sense And yet the axiome runnes thus We must not forsake the literall or proper sense c. which being rendred according to your acceptation of the word literall the true or proper sense what sense will there be in the axiome Your next censure is That I have contra-distinguished metaphoricall sense to figurative sense But it had been honest dealing to have shewed the place or else not to have said so for an accusation without proofe doth onely declare the plaintiffe a slanderer Your third complaint is That I keepe no Logicall canons in arguing No Sir it is not for every one to doe this it is for such as you are for such as are scholars such men will observe a canonicall method in arguing and make as excellent use of logicall maximes as you have done pag. 30. of this maxime What agreeth unto any man as man belongeth unto all men The last censure is That I never learned such interpretation of scripture in any approved schoole Surely the interpretation of scripture is to be learned from God and not from man for that interpretation is most true and infallible when the coherence of the text doth point out the sense or when one scripture doth expound another of the same nature And yet I goe not alone but am accompanied with many
Epistle was in possession of it and the Aposile did then hope for the house not made with hands eternall in the heavens 2 Cor. 5.1 And therefore that world is not a distinct world but even the same in which as Mediatour he shall give up the Kingdome to the Father Reply That the Apostle speakes of a world to come as well in respect of Christ as of himselfe it is evident first from Psal 8.4 c. which shewes that the world which the Apostle calls the world to come is the world in which those workes of God are that he made for man to have dominion over is the world I say in which the beasts of the field the fowles of the aire and the fishes of the sea doe inhabit And secondly it is cleare from the originall word by which it is exprest which is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the superiour world the third heaven as you take it but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the inferiour world the terrestriall globe the dwelling place of men and all other mortall creatures as we read Matth. 24.14 and Acts 17.6.31 And therefore the Kingdome of heaven in your sense that is Christs possession of heaven and his reigning over the Saints departed cannot possibly be meant by it but the Kingdome of heaven in our sense that is the heavenly Kingdome which Christ shall here visibly reigne over in time to come In the day the great day in which God hath appointed to judge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the world in righteousnesse by him as it is Acts 17.31 that is to execute judgement and justice on the earth as the Prophet Jeremiah expresseth it chap. 23. ver 5. So that the Apostles words are as if he had said For not unto the Angels hath be appointed this inferiour world of which we spake before chap. 1. ver 6. to be subject in time to come but unto Christ as one in a certaine place testified saying What is man that thou art mindfull of him or the sonne of man that thou visitest him Thou madest him a little lower then the Angels thou crownedst him with glory and honour and didst set him over the workes of thy hands c. And thus it is manifest that your referring of the words whereof we speake to ver 3. is but a private fancie crossing the Apostles explication of the world to come by the prophecy of David Psal 8.4 c. And imposing such a signification on the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as is not to be found in all the Scripture And therefore we still conclude that the world which the Apostle speakes of is to be a distinct world in time from this we now live in and both in time and place from that in which our Saviour shall give up his Kingdome to the Father And as for those who by the world to come doe understand the time of the Gospell betwixt Christs first and second comming they doe hereby make the Apostle either to call the time in which he himselfe lived the world to come or to distinguish the time betwixt Christs first and second comming into two worlds at the least Whereas the scripture doth divide the whole time appointed to the heavens and earth that now are but into three worlds or parts of time the first whereof containes the time from the creation to the floud and is the old world of which Saint Peter speakes 2 Epist chap. 2. ver 5. the world long since past The second containes the time from the floud to our Saviours next appearing and is the world that now is The third containes the whole day of judgement the 1000 yeares and little season mentioned Rev. 20. which is to beginne at our Saviours next appearing and to end with the world it selfe at the last resurrection and this is the world to come of which the Apostle here speakes Israel's Redemption or that which is to be given up is already past Mr. Petrie's Answer That which shall be given up is not past as yet neither shall it be given up altogether but in some manner as the Millenaries acknowledge at the end of their 1000 yeares Reply That which shall be given up is not past as yet you say true and that which shall be ginne is not come as yet But surely it is false to say that we acknowledge Christs Kingdome shall not be given up altogether that we acknowledge I say that Christ as man as the Sonne of David shall not then cease to reigne when the generations of men over which he must reigne shall cease And this earth on which he must reigne shall passe away In a word when at the last resurrection he shall take the elect with him into eternall glory and delight and turne the reprobate from him into endlesse horrour and contempt For we know that the Apostle in 1 Cor. 15.24.28 teacheth otherwise saying Then commeth the end when he shall have delivered up the Kingdome to God even the Father c. And when all things shall be subdued unto him then shall the Sonne also himselfe be subject unto him that put all things under him that God may be allin all Israel's Redemption And it is no where said that the new Jerusalem the City of eternall glory shall be subjected to Christ as a creature but that Christ as a creature shall after the judgement of the dead be there subject to the Father Mr. Petrie's Answer He as God-man saith Matth. 28. To me is given all power in heaven and on earth And thus all the consequences for proving the earthly Monarchy of the Jewes are naught Reply That the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the power our Saviour speakes of Matth. 28.18 was given to him as man and not as God for so he had it from all eternity interpreters agree And what though all power in heaven and on earth was then given to Christ as man What doth this make against my words which affirme that Christ as man shall after the judgement of the dead after all things are subdued unto him surrender againe this power as having no further use of it and in the new Jerusalem not reigne as man but be himselfe subject to the Father Or what doth it make against Christs 1000 yeares reigne on earth that he had then all power in heaven and on earth given unto him unlesse it will follow from hence that if he had been to reigne visibly on earth he might and would have done it at that time But certainely this will not follow for though our Saviour had then all power given him yet he was toexercise it to doe all that was to be done by it in that order and manner which God had appointed it to be done and no otherwise And therefore as we acknowledge that God had from all eternity the same power of creation which in the beginning of this world he first of all put into act and exercise so we acknowledge likewise that Christ hath now that power
possible that they can be fulfilled both in heaven and earth as you say Israel's Redemption And although it be said that Christ shall reigne over the house of Jacob for ever and that of his Kingdome there shall be no end Yet it is not meant that he shall alwayes reigne as man or that the earthly Jerusalem the place of his Throne as man shall alwayes stand But this onely is meant that the Kingdome of the Saints which Christ as he is man shall governe a m Isai 65.22 long time on earth shall after the judgement of the dead at which time this heaven and earth shall passeaway be delivered up to God even the Father in the new Jerusalem where it shall ever remaine and where God shall be all in all yet so that Christ too as man shall still retaine the dignity and preheminence of a King a Priest a Prophet though he shall have no need to make use of either office And thus a late and learned n Mr. Downe on the 17. ch of St. Ioh. pag. 157. of his Treatises published 1633. Divine of ours doth reconcile the former words of Saint Luke in chap. 1. ver 33. with that of Saint Paul in 1 Cor. 15.24.28 We are to know saith he that the Kingdome of Christ containeth in it two things The mediatory function of his Kingly office and his Kingly glory That he shall lay a side for then to wit after the judgement of the dead there will be no further necessity nor use thereof But this be shall hold for ever as being by the acts of his mediation justly acquired and according to covenant bestowed upon him by his Father And furthermore it may be observed that the words o Psal 72.17 Psal 89.28 29.36.37 Psal 145.13 Isa 32.14.15 ch 60 15. Ezek. 37.25 For ever Evermore and Everlasting are in the Scriptures often joyned with and put for these and the like sayings Through all or many generations through all ages or as long as the Sun and Moone endure And therefore can conclude no more but this That Christs reigne as man shall continue as long as there shall be men to succeed each other on the earth or as long as this heaven and earth shall last that is untill the time which God hath fore-ordained for the judgement of the dead When the heavens that are now p Rev. 20.11 Ch. 21.1 shall passe away with a noise and the elements shall melt with fervent heate the earth also and the workes that are therein shall be burnt up 2 Pet. 3.10 And to this purpose when the Prophet Daniel had said His dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not passe away he addes presently by way of exposition And his Kingdome that which shall not be destroyed And in another place more plainely The q Ch. 2.44 Kingdome shall not be left to other people So that when the Prophets say that Christ shall reigne for ever and that his Kingdome shall stand for ever or be an everlasting Kingdome it is all one as if they had told us onely That neither Christ nor his Kingdome shall have any successours that no sonne of man shall succeed him in his Throne that no humane Kingdome shall beset up in the place of his Kingdome as his shall be in the place of the foure Monarchies but that in spight of all opposition both of men and devils hiâ— dominion shall endure untill the upshot and period of all temporall and humane government that is untill the last resurrection when with a venite benedicti he shall give up the number of the elect full and whole as we say unto God himselfe Mr. Petrie's Answer They will change the signification of the words when they please and so farre as it makes for their purpose and no more but when they shall prove by scripture that the earthly Jerusalem shall be the place of Christs Throne we may agree upon the exposition of the words for ever and shall be no end and till that be shewne I omit further enquiry of them but as yet we have seene neither necessary consequence nor evident expression for it Followes another point that the restauration of Jerusalem and resurrection shall concurre Reply Here is the accusation but where is the evidence to confirme it doubtlesse you sought narrowly but could finde none And therefore the reader may first take notice how for want of proofe against us you confute your selfe For they will change the signification of the words you say when they please c. And a little after till that be shewne I omit further enquiry of the words How further enquiry did you then enquire of them if you did where are your reasons to shew that we have changed the fignification of the words if you did not enquire or enquired in vaine how can you tell that we have changed their fignification would you say that we have when you could not tell yea you would doe worse then this for you say we have done it although you know we have not done it For we have quoted on the margine no lesse then seven texts to shew that the words for ever and everlasting c. are in the scripture taken as well in a limited as in an unlimitedsense they are these Psal 72.17 Psal 89.28 29. and againe ver 36 37. Psal 145.13 Isai 32.14.15 and 60.50 Ezek. 37.25 in all which places the foresaid words are taken onely for a long time And shall the reader beleeve that you who doe so frequently catch at the marginall quotations in other places did not see these here doubtlesse you saw them and saw so much in them that you could say nothing to them And besides doe you not your selfe allow of the same fignification of these words when as you tell us That Christ as Mediatour shall cease to reigne shall deliver up the administration of the Kingdome to his Father saying Thou O Father hast thine owne Subjects and let them have the Kingdome prepared for them pag. 46 For that which is delivered up is already past And whereas you say Thâ—t we may agree on the exposition of the words for ever c. when it can be proved by scripture that the earthly Jerusalem shall be the place of Christs Throne Hath not this been done more then once then shew us what scripture speakes more plainely of any thing then Jer. 31.38 39 40. and Zech. 14.10 11. doe of the building and inhabiting againe of Jerusalem Or then the foresaid prophecy of the Angel Gabriel Luke 1.31 32. c. and of Isai 9.6 7. and of Jer. 23.5 6 doe of our Saviours reigning on earth and upon the Throne of his Father David Or then many other doe some particularly of his reigning over the Jewes and some of his reigning over the Gentiles and some of his reigning over both Surely you can shew no text in which any truth is more clearely delivered then all this is in the texâ—s
which we have brought and can bring for it And therefore we both have and can prove by scripture even expresse scripture that the restored Ierusalem shall be the place of Christs Throne although it be beyond our power to make you acknowledge that we can and have proved it it being the peculiar act of the Spirit of God to doe this of that Spirit I say whose apparent testimonies you so presumptuously resist and so lightly esteeme ISRAELS REDEMPTION CHAP. III. That the Kingdome of Israel and the thousand yeares reigne of the Saints shall concurre ANd thus even one prophecy of Zech. doth clearely unfold all that we a verre touching our present subject to wit That our Saviour shall reigne on earth and in Jerusalem For as it tels us That the Lord shall be King over all the earth that in that day there shall be one Lord and his name one So it saith too that at the very instant of our Saviours descending All the Land shall by an earthquake be turned as a plaine from Geba to Rimmon fouth of Jerusalem and it shall be lifted up and inhabited in her place 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 c. Moreover another notable content of this prophecy is That when our Saviour comes to reigne over all the earth he comes not alone but brings all the Saints with him Mr. Petrie's Answer We see neither that be shall come to reigne after that manner over all the earth neither that he shall bring all his Saints with him and for this last point be alledges no text of scripture but will have it to be taken on his bare word which we refuse to doe We reade that when be shall come to judge be shall bring all the holy Angels with him Matth. 25.31 and all Nations shall be gathered before him and that be shall send his Angels to gather the elect from the foure winds but that they shall come with him into an earthly Monarchy we finde no where And neverthelesse as if it were unquestionable he addeth Reply Unlesse you had made a covenant with your tongue to deny every thing that we prove you could not have said That we alledge no text of scripture which shewes that Christ shall bring all the Saints with him For what is the meaning of these words Zech. 14.5 And the Lord my God shall come and all the Saints with thâ—â— Or what meanes Saint Paul when he saith 1 Cor. 15.23 Afterward they that are Christs at his comming doth he not meane that all the Saints departed shall then rise and can they rise in their bodies at Christs comming and yet not come then from heaven to be reunited to their bodies These texts we have alledged in expresse termes and do you take them for canonicall or apocrypha if for canonicall then surely your foresaid report of us is apocrypha And yet this is not all that we have to say touching this point for as you read Matth. 25.31 That Christ shall bring all the holy Angels with him so you may read too in 1 Thes 3.13 these words At the comming of our Lord Jesus with all the Saints And chap. 4.14 Them also that sleepe in Jesus will God bring with him And Jude ver 14. out of the prophecy of Enoch Behold the Lord commeth with ten thousands of his Saints And therefore that Christ shall bring all the Saints with him is not our bare word but the plaine word of God And so it is too that they shall come to reigne with him on earth as we have already proved and the texts following doe further declare And besides how can you choose but beleeve that Christ shall bring all the Saints with him though there were no expresse scripture for it seeing you beleeve that all the dead shall rise at the same time surely you must either deny this or grant that Israel's Redemption Which words as they doe establish the literall sense of the r Luke 14.14 ch 20.35 36. IOh. 6.39.40.44 54. Phil. 3.11 1 Thess 3.13 ch 4.14 c. Ezek. 37.12.13 first resurrection mentioned in the 20 chap. of Rev. So they make the Kingdome of israel and the 1000 yeares reigne of the Saints there spoken of to synchronize and meete together for why shall the Saints come with him but because they have a share in his Kingdome and are to be his assistants in it as he told the Disciples Luke 22.28 Mr. Petrie's Answer The first resurrection of bodies imports a second resurrection and so either these who rise shall dye againe and rise againe at the second resurrection or they who shall rise at the first shall not dye at all and others shall rise againe at the second resurrection This Authour makes it no where manifest which of these two he holdeth and Mr. Archer boldeth the first opinion but neither of them hath any warrant from Scripture and the testimonies that are cited here on the margine shew that there shall not be such a resurrection of the righteons for it is said Luke 20.35 They who shall be accounted worthy to obtaine that world and the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage neither can they dye any more for they are equall unto the Angels being the children of the resurrection If they can dye no more and be equall unto the Angels then they shall not rise at a second resurrection neither shall they live an earthly life which in the best degree is inferiour unto the life of the Angels John 6.39 This is the Fathers will that of all that he hath given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up at the last day and ver 44. No man can come unto me except the Father who hath sent me draw him and I will raise him at the last day If the last day be the day of the gener all judgement as certainely it is even sepponing the temporall Monarchy for a 1000 yeares and the elect shall not be raised till the last day as these words imply then there shall not be a first and second resurâ—ection unlesse the second resurrection be after the list day and consequently there not being a resurrection of the children of God till the last day the first resurrection mentioned Rev. 20. cannot be understood of the bodies but rather a rising from siane whereof mention is made Ephes 5.14 and Col. 3.1 He cites Isa Phil. 3.11 It by any meanes I might attaine unto the resurrection of the dead These words name the dead generally an make nothing for a first and second resurrection but ver 20. it is said Our conversation or freedome is in heaven whence also we look for the Saviour who shall change our vile body that it may be like unto his glorious bodâ— If the freedome POLITEVMâ— of the godly the in heaven then they expect not a Mona chy on earth and