Christs personall reigne on earth, one thousand yeares with his saints the manner, beginning, and continuation of his reigne clearly proved by many plain texts of Scripture, and the chiefe objections against it fully answered, explaining the 20 Revelations and all other Scripture-prophecies that treat of it : containing a full reply to Mr. Alexander Petrie ... who wrote against ... Israels redemption / by Robert Maton.

The sixth rule.

All the prophesies cannot be understood of the Church on earth onely, [ 6] 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 gradu∣al 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 shalbe more thorowly purged: and certainly the full accomplish∣ment shalbe 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 Hea∣ven onely. And there is no prophesie which speakes of the happi∣nesse, 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 accomplish∣ment. 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 accomplish∣ed, but it shall be accomplished when at their future return, the Na∣tions of the Gentiles shalbe assembled against them to their own con∣fusion (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 ac∣complished 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 shalbe at the Day of judgement in the Scripture sense (that is, in the time of Christ's 1000. yeares reigne on earth.)