The glorious kingdom of Christ, described and clearly vindicated against the bold asserters of a future calling and reign of the Jews, and 1000 years before the conflagration and the asserters of the 1000 years kingdom after the conflagration : opening the promise of the new heaven and earth and the everlastingness of Christ's kingdom against their debasing it, who confine it to 1000 years ... : answering Mr. Tho. Beverley ... in his twelve principles and catechisms, &c. / by Richard Baxter ...

Chap. V. That the Ten Tribes were not lost, or Ex∣tinct.

§ 1. 1. THis is so clear by abundance of Prophesies in Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, Hosea, that it would be tedious to recite them; viz. That Judah and Israel were to be again made one Kingdom, as two Sticks made one Stick, and David their King to reign over them: If this was not fulfilled, the Prophesie would fail, which must not be imagined: For (as is aforesaid) if it be not fulfilled, they being now extinct, and not existent, it never can be ful∣filled.

§ 2. 2. There is no probability (as Mr. Mather hath well noted in his Diatriba) that all or most of the common people were transplanted; but only the Rulers, and Rich, and Mi∣litary and Leading Men. For 1. Considering how many Millions that small Land maintained, it is improbable that so great a multitude could be so far Ruled by an Army, or that they should soon find vacant Habitations, and Victuals for them. 2. And it is more unlikely that Salmanasser should find so many of his Subjects to send into their places, and that all those should be willing of a removal into so small a Land. 3. And it is known that no such thing hath been done by Conquerours in any other Land. Nebuchadnezzar took from

Jerusalem none but the Princes, Nobles, Priests, Rich Men, Souldiers, and Men fit for his Militia, and Smiths, and Car∣penters, &c. But he left the common people to Manure the Land: Otherwise they would lose all their Tribute, and the Fruit of the Ground.

In all the Conquests made by the Persians, the Greeks, the Romans, the Egyptians, the Saracens, the Turks, the Tar∣tarians by Tamerlane, there hath no such thing been done, as the transplanting of the most of the common Inhabitants.

Indeed the beggarly Goths, and Vandals, Ostrogaths and Hemli, &c. came with their Wives and Children sometimes, resolving to possess or die: But what was a hundred thou∣sand of such to all Italy when they possest it; or to all Spain, or all France, or Africk, in comparison of the Inhabitants whom they subdued and mastered?

In England how few were the Romans, yea or the Saxons, or the Danes, or the Normans, in comparison of the Britains that were brought in subjection unto them? It was but the Great men, and Rich, and Military, and some fearful people that fled from their Armies, that fled into Wales. As Mr. Tho. Jones in his Hearts Soveraignty hath truly proved, the main Body of this Nation called English, is of the Brittish Bllod (it's like many hundred to one) though the Language fol∣lowed the ruling part.

§ 3. 3. It is evident that All the Twelve Tribes were in the Dominion of Cyrus, when he sent the Jews to repair the Temple and City: The Two Tribes at Babylon where he made Darius King, and the Ten in his Hereditary Dominions and his Conquests, as Mr. Calvet in his Naphthali hath shew∣ed; and as will appear by the Topography of the places named in Scripture, to which they were carried, Learnedly opened by Mr. Lee, abating his conceit of Tartary. And it is evident that Cyrus meant not to confine the grant of his free return to the Two Tribes: But those that were not willing to return he did not compel: And most had possession by that time of wider and fatter Habitations. Ezra 1. Cyrus made no question of their liberty to dwell in Judea: But it was Gods House at Jerusalem that God charged him to Build, for which end he saith, ver. 3. [Who is among you of all his people, his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem which

is in Judah, and Build the House of the Lord God of Israel (he is the God) which is at Jerusalem. And whosoever remaineth in any place where he Sojourneth, let the Men of his place lift him up with Silver, and with Gold, and with Goods, and with Beasts, &c. Were the Ten Tribes none of the people of the God of Israel? I must not swell this Book too big: Let the Reader that is willing to understand, peruse Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, and Daniel, with Haggai, and Zechariah, and consider the Grants of Darius, and Artaxerxes, and the vast number of Jews still remaining abroad in the persecution of Haman, and he will find that it was not for want of Liberty to return that so ma∣ny stayed behind, but because the avoided returning as a Suffering: And multitudes that had a Zeal for Jerusalem, settled in Egypt at Alexandria, that thence they might three times a year come to the Temple, without too much loss and cost.

§ 4. 4. In Christs time the Habitations of the Ten Tribes was of the same Religion with those at Jerusalem: And went thither to the Feasts; and submitted to their Priests and Ceremonies; Christ lived from his Childhood still in Galilee: At Nazareth and Capernaum, where Peter, Andrew, James and John lived: That is, close by the Ford of Jordan, by which is the passage to Egypt: There he had far more Followers than about Jerusalem: Thence went his supposed Father, and Brethren ordinarily to the Feasts at Jerusalem: Zechary and Elizabeth, many Levites, Scribes and Pharisees dwell in the Countrey of the Ten Tribes: Though Samaria about the place of Worship, by Customs kept up some Animosity a∣gainst Jerusalem, yet the Woman, John 4. could say, When the Messiah cometh he will tell us all things: And is not this the Christ: And what place so generally received the Gospel when Philip preached to them? It was not for nothing that the Christians were so long called Galileans. But this and more shall next be proved.