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
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
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
heart in the spirit And of such inwardly Jewes must the promises be understood at least in part that make mention of Judah And therfore it is a great mistaking of the prophesies if wee shall stil make an opposition twixt Jewes and Gentiles beleeving Gentiles are true Jewes as wee see they are called in the new Testament and unbeleeving Jewes are Gentiles and so are called Isa 1.4 and elsewhere Answer That the faithfull in general are Abraham's seed we deny note neither doe we affirme that any can be partakers of the promise made unto Abraham but the faithfull nor that there is now any difference betwixt the beleeving Jew and Greeke But yet we cannot grant that therfore there shal be no difference betwixt the Nation of the Jewes and all other Nations after Christ's next appearing Nor that the prophesies which concerne the Jewes righteous and flourishing estate at that time are to be understood of the Church of the Gentiles now Nor that by Isaac's and Jacob's children any besides the Jewes are meant And we doe not herein make the unbeleeving Jewes heires of the promises but the beleeving onely seeing as all the beleeving Jewes and Gentiles that are departed or shall depart before Christ's comming shall be brought with him to inherite the promise made unto Abraham so all the Tribes shall be converted against that time and be then acknowledged by all that see them to be the seed which the Lord hath blessed as it is Isa 61. verse 9. And consequently the distinction of the Jewes Rom. 10. verse 28 which shewes the estate of the Jewes in St. Paul's time is nothing to the pupose Neither is it indeed rightly applyed by you to the beleeving Gentiles For it doth no more prove a beleeving Gentile to be a Jew then that which you alledg Isa 1. verse 4. doth prove an unbeleeving Jew to be a Gentile which is onely an exclamation against the Jewes for their great wickednesse The meaning then of the text Rom. 2 verse 28. is onely this that that Jew was not a Jew beloved of God which was one outwardly onely by the circumcision which is in the flesh but that Jew was a Jew beloved of God which was one inwardly by the circumcision of the heart in the spirit Wherfore Piscator observes in this verse an elegant ontanaclasis or using of the same word in a seeming contradictory sense as if the Apostle had said thou art a Jew and not a Jew thou art a Jew before men but not before God as he expresseth himselfe in the close of the next verse The sixth rule All the prophesies cannot be understood of the Church on earth onely neither of the Church in Heaven onely but of both together or partly of the one and partly of the other and partly of both and so prudence must be had in the application of the promises Yea and there is a gradual performance of them and the accomplishment of them is in severall points of time so much as shall give content to God's children yet always leading to a further and further performance As for example God shewed mercy to these Israelites when they were in captivity he brought them home againe they were a poore and afflicted people and were much bettered by their bondage there was a degree of performance There was another degree in Christ's time when he joyned the Gentiles to them and both made one Church But when it is said The remnant shall doe none iniquitie and a deceitfull tongue shall not be found in their mouth Zeph. 3.13 these promises shall have their time when the people shal be more thorowly purged and certainly the full accomplishment shal be at the day of judgement and so long as we are in this life we are under an imperfect and unperformed estate Answer All the prophesies you say cannot be understood of the Church on earth onely neither of the Church in Heaven onely True but yet those prophesies which foreshew the Saints happinesse on earth are to be accomplished on earth onely and those which foreshew their happinesse in Heaven are to be accomplished in Heaven onely And there is no prophesie which speakes of the happinesse which the Saints shall injoy on earth that is to be understood of their happinesse in Heaven too as you chiefely understand the prophesies touching the Jewes future restauration Neither were those prophesies touching the Jewes to have a graduall accomplishment For as it is false that the Israelites the captivity of the ten Tribes did ever yet returne home as the prophesie in your Preface out of Ezek. 16. doth shew so it is false also that the prophesie touching the Jews deliverance Zeph. 3. v. 8. hath bin yet accomplished but it shall be accomplished when at their future return the Nations of the Gentiles shal be assembled against them to their own confusion as it is foreshewed also Rev. 16. in many other prophefies And as the 8. verse doth shew their temporal deliverance from their outward and bodily enemies at that time so the 13. verse shewes their spiritual deliverance from their sinnefull pollutions and ghostly enemies and their outward safety too which shall follow their temporal and spiritual deliverance for they shall feede and lie downe and none shall make them afraid And that all this is to be accomplished at the same time the comparing of the 11. verse with the 8. verse doth confirme for whereas it is said verse 8. Waite upon me until the day that I rise up to the prey c. it is said likewise verse 11. In that Day shalt thou be ashamed for all thy doings wherein thou hast transgressed against me c. In that Day in what day if not in the day before spoken of verse 8 which day indeed is call'd in Scripture the Day of judgement but yet it is not of so short continuance as you take it to be for it containes the 1000 yeares and little season mentioned Rev. 20. all which time is to follow our Sav ours appearing and to foregoe the last act of his reigne the judgement of the dead at the last resurrection And consequently the accomplishment of the contents in the 13. verse cannot be at the Day of judgement in your sense that is at the judgement of the dead at the last resurrection as the close of the same verse and the preceding and subsequent verses doe declare although it shal be at the Day of judgement in the Scripture sense that is in the time of Christ's 1000. yeares reigne on earth The seaventh rule Here that general rule is also remembered when the words of Scripture being properly taken teach any thing contrary to the analogy of faith or honesty of manners or any thing frivolous that belongeth nothing to godlinesse or dissonant from the scope of the text or contrary unto other cleare texts of the same these words must be exponed figuratively and a figurative sense is the literal or primarily intended sense of
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
comming of Christ nor immediately at his comming for that battle is in the time of the sixt vial after which follows another vial and time of trouble mentioned in the rest of that chap. of the Revel 2. We may be perswaded that the gathering of the Nations Joel 3.2 is not to be understood of a battle after the comming or at the comming of Christ if we consider the words of the first verse for behold in these dayes and in that time c. He knitteth this chap. with the preceding and shewes the contents of both to be at the same time which is not any particular yeare or age but comprehends the whole deliverance of Israel or people of God which was begun when the captive Jews were brought from Babylon and continues til Christ's second comming as if the Prophet had said When the Lord shall deliver his people it shall not be a short and moment any deliverance but this protection shall continue til he have avenged him of all the enemies of his Church As for the Name of the valley of Jehoshaphat there is no necessity to understand thereby the valley of blessing 2 Chro. 20.26 seeing that valley never hath this name in the Scripture neither is it possible that all the Nations of the world can conveen in that place but the name may rather be taken appellatively for the valley of God's judgement as the Hebrew word imports and the words following allude thereunto whereby the Prophet teacheth us to consider the etymologie of the Name and neverthelesse he would have us to consider the gracious deliverance of Jehoshaphat that he will as certainly deliver his people in all ages as he did Jehoshaphat And this is a more glorious trophee then if any one Nation were kept a thousand yeares in worldly prosperity Reply 1. My words doe shew that this prophecy of Joel cannot be meant of the time of Christ's Judging the dead when they shall be all called out of their graves as it is commonly expounded and that because it speakes of the gathering together of a great Army against the Jews but not after Christ's comming which opinion you falsely attribute to me although against his comming as the parallel prophecy Rev. 16. at the 12 13 14. ver doth shew for that Army is to be gathered into Armageddon in the time of the sixth vial and to be destroy'd at the powring out of the seventh vial by our Saviour and his Heavenly Host as the 15. ver of the same chap. and the latter part of the 19. chap. of the Rev. from ver the 11. c. doe plainly declare 2. That which you here begin with was the ground of the former part of your answer but on what ground I know not for I deny that this prophecy doth speake of a battle after Christ's comming albeit I doe affirme that our Saviour's comming shall be when this great Army is gathered together against the Jews as ready to destroy them And your shewing the coherence of this chapter with the precedent doth make more against you then you are aware of for it is remarkeable that you rightly conclude from hence that the Prophet shewes the contents which I have urged out of both being in the Hebrew all in one chapter to be at the same time And yet you say presently after that this same time is not any particular yeare or age but comprehends all the time from the Jews returne from Babylon to the second comming of Christ which is as if you had said This particular time is not a particular time but many particular times yea thousands of particular times This same time is not the same time but more then the same time yea as much more then the same time as is from the Jews returne from Babylon to this same time For the text in the originall points emphatically to one particular time as the seperate pronounes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 subjoyn'd to their substantives with the praefix 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doe shew So that it is as if the Prophet had said In those selfe same dayes and in that very time in which I shall bring againe the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem I will also gather all Nations c. And besides how I pray can the signes that are to be shewed more often then any man knows or in any part of so large a time as you speake of all which your exposition grants foreshew the neernesse of the terrible Day of the Lord which yet is the onely end of the wonders that Joel saith shall be shewed in the Heavens and in the earth at that time For our Saviour Mat. 24. Luk 21. speaks of the same darkening of the Sun and Moone that the Prophet doth and if his word may be taken these signes shall as infallibly shew the neere approach of his second comming as the shooting forth of the leaves of the figgtree doth shew that the summer is nigh at hand And thus the emphasis of the Hebrew text and our Saviour's intimation of the true extent of the time betwixt these signes and his appearing the accomplishment of which signes you confesse to be at the time of the deliverance which the Prophet foretels doth both discover how notoriously false your exposition of the same time is And therefore the sense which you by this means would thrust upon the prophet must needs be your owne likewise and not the Prophet's For the Prophet speakes here but of one Army and the parallel prophecy Rev. 16. speakes but of one Army and Ezek. who foreshewes the same battle speakes but of one Army and they all say that the Iews onely are to be opposed by this Army and that a sudden destruction shall come on this Army and consequently the deliverance here spoken of is to be short and sudden and the people to be delivered by it are the Jews And so here is nothing at all touching God's special protection of his Church in all ages or of many deliverances but here is an extraordinary Judgement foreshewing the dreadfull overthrow and downefall of all the enemies of the Jews and the then faithfull Christians And as concerning the place where this Army is to be gathered together this is chiefely to be taken notice of that the prophecy speaking but of one Army it can be meant but of one place and that to be in the land of Judea whither the Nations shall come up against the Jews shortly upon their returne as the valley of Jehoshaphat here doth intimate and Ezek. doth plainly declare Neither is the doubt you bring about the possibility of so many Nations meeting together in one place of any consequence For it is not usuall for a people wholly to leave their owne countrey when they invade their enemies land for that were the ready way to lose their owne land and to starve themselves but to send forth such a strength as they may well raise and maintaine and
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
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
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.
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
the Jewes the Prophets which prophecied of the grace that should come unto the Jewes did enquire and search diligently will inferre this conclusion Therefore at the redemption of their bodies at the perfecting of their salvation through the revelation of Jesus Christ they shall not reigne with Christ on earth Israel's Redemption And here we may call to minde too our Saviours words to Iames and Iohn when they requested that one might sit on his right band and the other on his left in his Kingdome To sit on my right band and on my left said he is not mine to give but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father Mr. Petrie's Answer We may call to mind too his words ye know not what you aske Matth. 20.22 and the words of the Evangelist ver 24. When the ten heard it they were moved with indignation against the brethren Which words shew that howbeiâ— Christ had spoken of his Kingdome yet at that time Iames and Iohn were both ignorant and ambitious Reply You tell us here that we may call to mind too our Saviours reprehensive words Matth. 20.22 and the Evangelists words ver 24. touching the indignation of the ten against the brethren But surely it is best to call to mind the truth which as it is plainly taught in our Saviours direct answer ver 23. so it is necessarily implyed in the other disciples indignation who doubtlesse would rather have marvelled at the strangenesse of their suite then have been any whit offended with them for it had they sought that which no man should at any time enjoy And therefore although you may charge the two brethren with ambition for seeking to be preferred above the other disciples and with an erroneous conceit touching our Saviours unlimited choise of the persons that should sit at his right and left hand yet you cannot charge them with ignorance touching the subject and matter of their request to wit that there were such places to be had which they aimed at Israel's Redemption Which saying as it doth shew that our Saviour had before acquainted the Apostles of his Kingdome so it intimates that his Kingdome is to be held on earth where onely this may be fulfilled for in heaven it cannot be done unlesse we will grant that other men shall be as highly exalted there as our Saviour is to wit to the right hand of God Mr. Petrie's Answer 1. Albeit never one shall sit on his right hand nor his left yet nothing in these words is for this purpose seeing he saith not there that any shall sit but onely To sit on my right hand is not mine to give 2. Matth. 19.28 he speakes of sitting on the Throne of his glory which must be in heaven seeing he speakes absolutely his glory and his glory is greater in heaven then can be on an earthly Throne And he saith unto his Disciples When he shall sit on that Throne ye who have followed me in the regeneration shall sit upon twelve thrones And may not some of these thrones be on his right hand and some on his left hand I enquire not now what these thrones may be but there ye see multitude of thrones in glory as Kings in their State may have thrones for their greatest Peeres Reply 1. Doubtlesse if never one shall sit on Christs right hand nor his left there can be nothing in our Saviours answer to prove this for no scripture doth teach that that shall be done which is never to be done But how shall we know whether any shall sit at his right hand and his left but from scripture And if the scripture is to be sole Iudge in this case as indeed it is our Saviours answer is an unquestionable evidence to prove this For he saith not onely as you answer for him It is not mine to give but he saith It is not mine to give but to them for whom it is prepared of my Father What! were the places on his right hand and on his left then prepared of his Father to be given by him to some and yet can you say that never one shall sit on his right hand nor his left and that nothing in these words is for this purpose Alas that of all Gentiles a Christian of all Christians a scholar of all scholars a Divine should so wilfully and presumptuously beare false witnesse against Christ himselfe 2. 'T is true that Matth. 19.28 our Saviour speakes of sitting on the Throne of his glory and that he said unto his Disciples when he should sit on that Throne they also should sit not on multitude of Thrones but on twelve Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel And therefore that Throne of his glory is not to be in heaven as you say but on earth as we say seeing neither our Saviour nor the Disciples shall judge any in heaven And we willingly grant that some of these Thrones are to be on his right hand and some on his left And therefore we say also that they cannot be in heaven because then some of the disciples if not all should be as highly exalted there as our Saviour to wit to the right hand of God Which is a dignity that no creature but the Sonne of man shall have Israel's Redemption Which is a Prerogative peculiar to the Sonne alone a preheminence I say which the chiefest of the Angels never enjoyed For to which of the Angels said he at any time Sit on my right hand untill I make thine enemies thy footstoole Heb. 1.13 Mr. Petrie's Answer Christ sitting on a Throne sits on the right hand of God but to speake absolutely To sit on a Throne in heaven is not to sit on the right hand of God no more then any Prince is advanced to the right hand of a King albeit he sit on a Throne and inferiour to the King and his eldest Sonne Reply 'T is true that Christ sits on a Throne in heaven as he himselfe saith Rev. 3 21. and t is true likewise that he sits on the right hand of God as the Apostle saith Heb. 1.13 and chap. 10. ver 12. but it is not true that I have said To sit on a Throne is to sit at the right hand of God And therefore this instance as it is alledged by you being a meere perverting of my words you answer your selfe not me And yet your answer is but a bundle of superfluous words For who knows not that to sit on a Throne onely is one thing and to sit on a Throne at the right hand of a King is another thing and therefore that though to sit on a Throne onely be not to be advanced to the right hand of a King yet to sit on a Throne or out of a Throne at the right hand of a King is to be advanced to the right hand of a King As Bathsheba was to the right hand of her sonne Solomon 1 King 2.19 Israel's Redemption And the same Apostles words in
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
the true Throne of David Reply This answer is a double confession of the truth you oppose for first in saying That these texts prove something against Mr. Archer who thinks that Christ after he hath put the Jewes in possessionof their Monarchy shall ascend againe into the heavens you plainely acknowledge that they prove his abode amongst them to governe their restored Kingdome And consequently that you your selfe are in an errour in denying the restauration of their Kingdome as well as Mr. Archer was in denying Christs personall and immediate government of it And secondly in saying That they prove nothing against you who hold that Christ reigneth on the true Throne of David You acknowledge likewise that these prophecies doe prove that our Saviour was to reigne on the true Throne of David and consequently that seeing he hath not yet he shall hereafter reigne over the whole Nation of the Jewes in their owne d Ier. 33.15 16 17. land The Throne of Israel on which David reigned being the true Throne of David and no other But to say that Christ now reigneth on the true Throne of David is to affirme that he is now reigning over the Jewes in the Land of Judea and what can be further from truth then this Israel's Redemption For neither did Christ at his first comming sit on Davids Throne nor any other of Davids linage or of that Tribe or of the other Tribes For the Scepter was then departed from Judah and a Law giver from between his feete Mr. Petrie's Answer He fits on the right hand of the Throne of Majesty in heaven Heb. 8.1 which was typified by the Throne of David Reply You told us even now That Christ reigneth on the true Throne of David And you tell us here That he sits on the right hand of the Throne of Maj sty in heaven which was typified by the Throne of David And doth he reigne then on both these Thrones at once on the true Throne of David the type and on the Throne of God the antitype too But I pray what scripture doth teach you to call the Throne of David a type of the Throne of God Surely if this were so Christ must needes have reigned on the Throne of his Father David before he could have been exalted to the right hand of the Throne of Majesty on high Because the possession of the typicall Throne must needes proceede the possession of the typified Throne This therefore is an unwarrantable conceit and we know that these prophecies speake onely of his reigning on the Throne of his Father David and not of his reigning on the Tarone of God And if by the Throne of David which is promised to Christ is meant the Throne of God what then is meant by the Throne of the House of Israel which is promised to him Jer. 33.17 Is not this all one with the Throne of David if it be then by the Throne of David cannot be meant the Throne oâ— God unlesse you will say that by the Throne of Israel the Throne of God is meant also And if the Throne of Israel be not meant of the Throne of David then tell us what it is and why you take it to be all one with the Throne of David pag 26. where you alledge this text of Jeremiah to shew that the promises of the Priesthood and of the Kingdome are conjoyned and mixed after the same straine And tell us too what is meant by the Kingdome of David upon which Christs government is said to be as well as upon the Throne of David Isai 9.7 And besides what reason can you alledge wherefore we should not as well take that part of these prophecies in a proper sense which speakes of our Saviours reigning on the Throne of David as that part which speakes of his being borne of the seede of David the one being revealed unto us in as plaine termes as the other Israel's Redemption Neither were Judah and Israel then in the Land together Mr. Petrie's Answer There is neither Jew nor Greeke neither bond nor free neither male nor female but we are allone in Christ Jesus and if ye be Christs then are ye Abrahams seed and heires according to the promise Gal. 3.28 Reply In the 23 chap. of Jer. we reade this prophecy Behold the dayes come saith the Lord that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch and a King shall reigne and prosper and shall execute judgement and justice on the earth In his dayes Judah shall be saved and Israel shall dwell safely and this is his name whereby he shall be saved The Lord our righteousnesse In which words there are these particulars foretold first that Christ should be borne of the seede of David I will raise unto David a righteous Branch Secondly that he should reigne And a King shall reigne and prosper Thirdly how he should reigne to wit civilly as other Kings which is set forth first by the quality of his administration And shall execute judgement and justice Secondly by the place where he should doe it On the earth Thirdly by the people amongst whom the Jewes the Tribes of Judah and Israel And fourthly by the time when to wit when the Jewes should be redeemed out of captivity and setâ—ed in their land When Judah shall be saved and Israel shall dwell safely Now of all these particulars there is but one already accomplisht which is that touching our Saviours incarâ—ation and the rest remaine to be fulfilled at his next appearing Amongst which I have alledged onely the last to prove that our Saviours reigning here foreshewed was not fulfilled at his first appearing to wit because Israel was not then in the land with Indah To which you give no other answer but this There is neither Jew nor Greeke neither bond nor free nor male nor female but we are all one in Christ Jesus and if we be Christs then are we Abrahams seed and heires according to the promise And what then doth this make the prophecies of God of none effect may the reader conclude from hence Therefore Iudah and Israel shall not dwell safely in the land together nor Christ be sent to reigne over them on the Throne of David Surely he may as well conclude Therefore amongst Christians there are no men nor women no masters nor servants no Iewes nor Gentiles But the Apostles words will countenance no such contradictory inferences for his meaning is That grace doth conjoyne and assimulate those whom naturall and civill respects doe difference and div de For they that have put on Christ are not distinguisht in him he saith as they are in the world by nation sexe and condition but they are all one They are one in denomination and title being all Christians they are one in ranke and society being all of one mysticall body they are one people being all Abrahams seed and they have one inheritance being fellow-heires according to the promise And what though the beleeving Gentile be
heaven to the earth againe or whether John signifieth by them the godly on earth If these words make any thing for this purpose these Elders were in heaven but all the interpreters even the Authour of Commentat Apâ—calypt pag. 8. expone them to be the godly on earth The words Rom. 4.13 are The promise that he should be the heire of the world was not to Abraham and to his seed through the law but through the righteousnesse of faith Certainely albeit the Land of Canaan was promised to Abraham and his seed yet he never having possession of that land and his seed or the faithfull are more properly called the heires of eternall life Tit. 3.7 And heires of that Kingdome which he hath promised unto them that love him Iam. 2.5 And heires of God and joynt-heires with Christ Rom. 8.17 Which Kingdome was typified by Canaan and of this promise without doubt speakes Paul there The words of Luke 19.17.19 are a part of a parable and we know that every part of a parable is not argumentative These texts then serve nothing for this Monarchy On the margine is cited also a testimony of Windelin but we regard not the testimony of parties in their own cause and far lesse doe we regard the consequences of that testimony wherewith the next page is filled and with that question of the essential or accident all change of the Elements seeing for one we may bring five thousand testimonies in this urpose Reply The question is you say whether Saint John saw these Elders in heaven And that he did the text it selfe doth witnesse For that these Elders were the same with the Elders in chap. 4. the continuation of the vision doth infallibly evince And that Saint Iohn saw those Elders in heaven the 1 ver of the 4 chap. doth clearly prove where it is said After this I looked and behold a doore was opened in heaven and the first voyce which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with mee which said Come up hither and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter Now what heaven was it in which Saint John saw a doore opened but the starry heaven the same heaven which Saint Stephen saw opened Acts 7.56 And what heaven was it from whence he heard a voice talking with him but the third heaven in the third heaven it was then whither Saint Pauâ— as once caught up that Saint John heard and saw such wonderfull visions and revelations as soone as he was in the spirit that is as soone as hee was carried up by the spirit whither he was before called by the voice And consequently he saw these Elders in heaven and this also the 6 and 7 verses of the 5 chap. doe confirme which shew that these Elders were there where our Saviour represented by the Lambe that had been slaine was when the booke of Revelation was given unto him And as Saint John saw these Elders in heaven so Pareus makes report also of two sorts of interpreters who by these Elders doe understand Saints in heaven One which takes them for foure and twenty and no more for twelve Patriarches and twelve Apostles Another which takes them for all the Saints then in heaven to which interpretation he himselfe enclines And Piscator understands by them all the faithfull under both Testaments under the Law and under the Gospell and so makes these 24 Elders to represent not onely the Saints then departed but all others also which should depart before Christs appearing And now seeing the text shews that Saint John saw these Elders in heaven and interpreters say that they represented the Saints departed how can their words we shall reigne on earth be understood any otherwise then of their reigning after their resurrection Yea let them be taken for the Saints on earth and yet their words cannot be otherwise understood For if they did represent the Saints militant on earth they did then reigne spiritually when they spake these words And therefore seeing notwithstanding their spirituall reigne they said not we doe but we shall reigne on earth it is evident that their words cannot be meant of a reigne which they should enjoy on earth while they were in their bodies before their death which by your owne confession can be no other but a spirituall reigne but of a reigne which they should enjoy on earth when they are againe reunited to their bodies after their death And whereas the words in ' Rom. 4.13 For the promise that he should be heire of the world c. are by you thus interpreted That he should be heire of eternall life Tit. 8.7 When you can prove that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the visible world doth signifie eternall life we shall approve of this exposition In the meane while we shall understand it of the joynt government of the world by Abrahâ—m and the rest of the raised Saints in the time of Christs reigne on earth At which time also they may well be said to be heires of eternall life and coheires with Christ seeing they shall rule the world with him and can dye no more The other words Luke 19.17.19 are a part of a parable and every part of a parable is not argumentative you say true that part which crosseth some truth plainely delivered in the scripture but that which agreeth with the plaine scriptures as this doth with the prophecies touching our Saviours and the Saints reigning on earth is argumentative Eâ—se why is it said that our Saviour taught them in parables if parables do containe no certaine truth And what is the scope of this patable but to shew that Christ was not to reigne over the Jews then at his first comming when the Jewes should refuse to have him reigne over them saying We have no King but Caesar but at his comming againe from heaven with power and great glory at which time he would make those that had in their life time improved his spirituall stocke governours under him And lastly your slâ—ighting of Wendelinus testimony as a party and of this marginall note as too meane for your meditation is a fine sleight to excuse your not answering of them To which doubtles you had nothing to say for else we may well thinke that you would have been nibling at this marginall note too as well as you are at others and that among so many thousand opposite testimonies you would have pickt out an answer to this single testimony of Wendelinus Israel's Redemption And this will appeare to a diligent eye even out of the controversed place in Rev. 20. for besides that the opposition betwixt the first and last resurrection doth impose the same sense on both besides this I say the vision represented not unto St. John perfect men at the first that is men that should be beheaded for the witnesse of Jesus but soules onely and that as of men already beheaded which most manifestly shewes that the resurrection after mentioned did follow their death
understood as if Christ had said My Kingdome is not from beneath but from above I am not to be made a King by the power of mortall men but by the power of the immortall God onely So that in his former words My Kingdome is not of this world the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of doth not indeed intimate any difference in time or condition betwixt our Saviours Kingdome and other Kingdomes but in the cause and authour of them which sense it carries in our Saviours word Marth 21.25 The baptismeâ—o John whence was it from heaven or of men and in the saying of Sâ—int John 1 Epist chap. 2. ver 16 For all that is in the world the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the Father but of the world And thus My Kingdom is not of this world is no more but my Kingdome is not of men if my Kingdome were of men then would my Servants fight that I should not be delivered to the Jews but now is not my Kingdom from hence from the men of this world 2 You tell us next That if Christ had said that in the time of his Kingdome the Kingdome of the Romanes should be no Kingdome they might have had more pretext for condemning him But surely Christ had no need to answer to that which was not askt neither did the Romanes but the Jewes desire his death And yet as before he spake openly to the world so now he spake plainely to Pilates demand too for when Pilate said unto him Art thou a King then he answered Thou sayest that I am c. Which forme of answering was taken for an affirming of that which was askt And therefore where Saint Matthew writes Jesus said unto him Thou hast said chap. 26. ver 64. Saint Marke hath And Jesus said I am chap. 14. ver 62. And doubtlesse Pilate by this answer tooke him for such a King to whom the Throne of Israel did belong and yet he made it not a pretext to condemne him but sought to deliver him And it is false also to imagine that the Kingdomes of this world shall not be taken out of the hands of their severall Governours of their mortall Kings when they shall become the Kingdomes of Christ himselfe when they shall be governed by him and the glorified Saints that shall come with him Israel's Redemption And to all such places that mention only the dissolution of the elements and the last judgement I answer that these are but a part of those things which shall be done by Christ at his next appearing and that as other scriptures shew oneâ— that he must reigne on earth and what shall be done at the beginning of his reigne so these shew onely what shall be left undonâ— till the close of his Kingdome when he shall deliver it up to God even the Father Mr. Petrie's Answer This shift will not serve their turne for the scriptures teach us That at Christs comming shall be the end and he shall deliver up his Kingdom 1 Cor. 15.23 24. c. I forbear to write any more of Mr. Petrie's objections here because I shall repeat them all in my reply Reply You alledged even now such scripture against our Saviours reigning after his comming as doth infallibly prove it to be then and not before to wit that text Matth. 16.28 which shewes that the Sonne of mans comming in his Kingdome is when he comes in the glory of the Father with his Angels as by comparing it with the former verse it is evident And yet here you call it a shift to say that some of the prophecies which concerne the Day of our Saviours appearing are to be accomplished at the time of his comming and some in the time of his abode on earth some at the close of his Kingdom And to countenance your censure you heape up these objections following against us First you say That the Scriptures teach us Object 1 that at Christs comming shall be the end and he shall deliver up his Kingdom 1 Cor. 15.23 24. But that Text shewes onely Sol. 1 that the Saints shall rise at Christs comming and not that the end shall be then For it saith That the end shall be when after his comming he hath reigned till God hath put all his enemies under his feete which will be fully accomplisht when death the last enemy is fully destroyed at the last resurrection as we have shewed before Secondly you say Object 2 That Christ shall come in a time when men looke not for him and all shall rise again both godly ungodly and then is the shutting of heaven as the parable of the ten Virgins teacheth Matth. 25. But there is no mention of the rising of the godly and ungodly together but of the gathering of all Nations before Christ Sol. 2 and the separating of them into two companies whereof one company the elect shall be received into life eternall and the other company the reprobate shall be sent away into everlasting punishment which separation we say shall be made at the close of our Saviours reigne at the last refurrection when he is to give up his Kingdome to the Father For we read Matth. 24.30 31. of the gathering of none but the elect at his comming to take possession of his Kingdome And as for the day and houre of his comming we know that it is unknowne to any but it will not follow from hence that he shall not reigne after his comming And the parable of the ten Virgins doth shew onely That those which at our Saviours comming are thought to be faithfull Christians and are indeed but hypocrites shall not be partakers of his Kingdome Hypocrites being of all others most odious to our Lord and his Christ Thirdly you say That where Christ is Object 3 the faithfull then shall be with him John 14.3 And so say we for they shall be with him in his reigne on earth Sol. 3 Fourthly you say Object 4 That the heavens must containe him till the time of the restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his Prophets since the world began But the Prophets have foretold the last judgement and that he shall convince all the ungodly Jude ver 14 15. Therefore he shall not returne till that time And that is most plaine Psal 110.1 Sit at my right hand till I make thy enemies thy footestoole That sitting at Gods right hand is his reigning and it is not said His enemies shall be subdued and then he shall reigne but he shall reigne till then so that be reigneth conquering and he conquereth reigning Surely we doe not say that Christ shall reigne on earth before he returne to the earth againe Sol. 4 but when he doth returne we say that then he shall exercise a civill judgement over all in the time of his reigne and that he shall execute an extraordinary temporall judgement on all the