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.

Jsraels Redemption.

THat Christ is already a 1.1 come; [ 1] that as a Pro∣phet he hath b 1.2 cald us to repentance, and as a Priest hath been a c 1.3 propitiation for our sinnes (and not for ours onely, but also for the sinnes of the whole world) having by d 1.4 once offering himself, perfected for ever them that are san∣ctified, is the faith of Christians, and the in∣fidelity of the Jewes: But that he shall come as a King to raigne on earth, and restore againe the Monarchy of Israel, is the faith of the Jewes and the infidelity of Christians. And I thinke it a matter equally difficult to perswade either part to the mutual embracement of each others beliefe.

M^r Petries answer.

What new spirit is this? [ 1] Whether be such persons Jewes or Christi∣ans? they oppose themselves unto all Jewes and Christians. 2. Whether doe they understand the difference twixt Jewes and Christians? It was never yet heard, that the Jewes d••e beleeve, that Christ Jesus shall come as a King: they said, Away with him; wee will not have him to raigne o∣ver us. They say, that the Messias shall come, but they speake not of his comming twice or thrice; looke all the Iewish Rabbies, and aske them who are alive: they will say but once: This conceit of Christs comming to raigne on earth, is neither Christian nor Jewish, seeing Christians be∣leeve

not such a comming, nor doe the Jewes beleeve in Christ: and there∣fore it is abhorred of all Christians and Jewes; So farre are they hath from embracing it.

Reply.

Sir, [ 1] looke backe into your Preface, and there you tell us, that this spirit was abroad in the world in the Apostles days (which had indeed been otherwise but a lying spirit) and that it continued in the Church neere about 300. yeares after Christ. Yea you say plainly [by this historical narration, beloved in the Lord, you may see, that this doctrine is no new light, revealed in this last age.] The more strange it is therefore in the very enterance of the controversie, to heare you cry out so boldly, against your owne confession, What new Spirit is this? certainly that cannot be new, which was both taught and beleev'd on so long agoe. Neither can we easily thinke it to be false, seeing it was the faith not onely of a few, but even of all that were then accounted right beleeving Christians, as part of the Dialogue between Tripho the Jew, and Justine Martyr the Christian, commented on by M^r. Mede, doth averre. Which being set forth together with his commentaries on the Apocalyps, you were not doubtlesse ignorant of it. And yet you demand againe [whether be such persons Jewes or Christians?] to which you subjoyne, [They oppose themselves unto all Jewes and Christians:] as if you would have your reader therefore conceive them to be nor Jewes, nor Christians, because they oppose both in some few particulars. But your argument is too weak, for who knows not, that Christians are opposed by Christians, and Jewes by Jewes; and that as a Jew may oppose both Jewes and Christians, and yet not cease to be a Jew; so likewise a Christian may oppose both Jewes and Christi∣ans, and yet be still a Christian? True then it is, that we oppose all that are Jewes by profession, in confessing with all other Christians, that Christ is come in the flesh; and hereby sure we shew ourselves Christians. And true likewise it is, that we oppose all other Christians, in confessing with these Jewes, that Christ shall come as a King to reigne on earth: and yet we doe not here∣by shew our selves Jewes, but the truer Christians: because accor∣ding to plaine and expresse Scripture, we acknowledge & embract for truth in both, what both doe unjustly condemne and reject as a manifest-error in each other. And should we doe otherwise, we

should obey men rather then God, and whether we should doe well in that, judge you.

Having cast us out of the Church of the Christians, [ 2] and Syna∣gogue of the Jewes, I meane having endeavored to bring us into contempt with both, in telling them, that we oppose them both; Your next Querie is, [Whether doe they understand the differences twixt Jewes and Christians?] No doubt Sir but all of them have understanding as well as you, and that some 〈◊〉〈◊〉 are not in∣feriour unto you, how meane soever you esteeme them; but yet there is no need that we rehearse here any more differences, then that which you have already heard; and doe now labour all you can to make the reader beleeve, to be none at all. For [it was never yet heard, you say, that the Jewes doe beleeve, that Christ Jesus shall come as a King.] And have you heard so from us? we say indeed, that the Jewes beleeve, that Christ shall come as a King (which no writer either Jewish or Christian hath hitherto denied) but we say not that they beleeve, that Christ Jesus shall come as a King. For then they should beleeve Jesus to be the Christ as well as we, which as yet they doe not, and by this we may see, that if you had not quite altered our meaning by adding the word [Jesus] (and so confounded and obscur'd, what wee have clearly and distinctly delivered) you could have said nothing to what we say. For you would have been asham'd I suppose, to have uttered your assertion thus, [It was never yet heard, that the Jewes doe beleeve, that Christ shall come as a King] which yet is all that we affirme. But having thus made your selfe worke, you goe on and tell us [They said, Away with him, we will not have him to reigne over us] True, but this shews onely, that the Jewes then denied Jesus to be the Christ; & that the Jewes now continuing in the same blindnes, are guilty of the same trans∣gression; but it shewes not, that either the ancient Jewes did not, or that the modern doe not beleeve that Christ shall come as a King. You goe on [They say that the Messias shall come, but they speake not of his comming twice or thrice; looke all the Iewish Rabbies, and aske them who are alive: they will say, but once.] Let them that deny it take this paines; but what though they say, the Messias is to come but once? what will follow from hence? surely this will follow, that as long as they continue to beleeve so, they cannot beleeve that Jesus shall come as a King, because they know that he is already

come. But it wil not follow from hence, that they doe not now be∣leeve that their Messias shall come as a King. And thus notwith∣standing your Magisteriall Querie, your foisted assertion, and ought else that you have said, it is very evident, that the conceit of Christ's comming to reigne, is both Christian and Jewish: Christi∣an, because Christians beleeve it, (as plainly reveal'd in Gods word) although you account it no part of a Christians beliefe; and Jewish, because the Jewes beleeve, that Christ shall so come, although they beleeve not, that he is already come. And therefore it is neither abhorred of all Christians, nor of any Jewes, so far are they both from rejecting it. Yea so well doe they agree in the truth of this particular, That Christ shall come as a King: although as yet they disagree about his person: and consequently in all that the Gospel reveales to be already done by him.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Mat. 1. v. 20.21. Luk 2.11. Ioh. 1.29.30. &c.
• b 1.2

  Mat. 4.17. Luk. 4.15. &c.
• c 1.3

  1 Ioh. 2. Heb. 2.17. Rom. 3.25.
• d 1.4

  Heb. 9.28. ch. 10.14. Mar. 8.31. Ioh. 10.15. Rev. 5.9.