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.

Israel's Redemption.

Neither have I forgotten, [ 15] that the first of these prophecies was made use of by S. Peter, to stop the mouthes of such as jeer'd the A∣postles, * 1.1 when by the descent of the Holy Ghost upon them, they begun to speake with tongues: but that this prophecy was then fulfilled I deny. For when some mocking, said, These men are full of now wine, S. Peter replyd' ye men of Iudea, and all ye that dwell at Hierusalem; be this knowne unto you, and hearken to my words; for these are not 〈◊〉〈◊〉 as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third houre of the they•• but this is 〈◊〉〈◊〉 which was spoken by the Prophet Ioel. And it shall come to passe in the last dayes (saith God) I will powre out my Spirit repon all flesh. As if he had said, My brethren, these are not the effects of wine, but of the Spirit of God, which is now powred out 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the first 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of the Jews, as a pledge and assurance of that bountifull 〈…〉〈…〉 of it, which (as Joel hath said) shall one day happen to the u 1.2 whole Nation. And that this is all S^t Peter meant, it may thus appeare. First, because the chiefe and most remarkeable effect of the Spirit in the Apostles, at this time, was the gift of vongues, of which the Prophet makes no mention.

Mr. Petrie's Answer.

1. If this exception were true, it would prove, that the Apostle citeth the words impertiuently, and the Jews might have challenged him of babling: and so these out hours fight against the Apostle, and the Spirit of God, who bath registred this argument ation of the Apostle; as good and ••alid. 2. The chiefe and most remarkeable worke of the Spirit at that time, was a sound from Heaven as of a mighty rushing winde, which filled all the house, and there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sate upon each of them, and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost: and this was noised abroad. Whereby it is e••i∣dent that the Apostle speaket especially not onely of the effect, (which is their speaking in strange languages) but of the cause, the powring downe of the Spirit, of which Joel speakes expressely: and therefore Peter citeth the words pertinently.

Reply.

1. That the Prophet speakes not of any whom the Spirit should endue with the gift of tongues, is so evident, that you could not deny it; and yet you dare say, [If this exception were true, it would prove, that the Apostle citeth the words impertinently.] Belike then the Apostle must be outin citing them, rather then you in shewing to what end he cited them. No, Sir, the Apostle alledgeth it very pretinently, in that he shewes by it, that the disciples spake not thus out of drunkenness, as some accused them, (and conse∣quently from an evil spirit) but by reason of the effusion of that Spirit on them, of which Joel had spoken. And therefore the mis∣take is in you, who doe very impertinently conclude from hence; that the same effusion of the Spirit, which Joel spake of was then fulfilled. For although the same Spirit may be powred out divers times, yet that powring out of it which Joel speakes of, can be ful∣filled but once: & consequently, not at our Saviour's first comming, and second comming too. And now who fights most against the Apostle, & the Spirit of God, he that understands them rightly, and endeavours to make others do so too; or he that misunderstanding them himselfe, had rather condemne them both, and draw all others into an error with him, then yeeld to the truth and here I would intreat thee, reader, to take notice, that when M^r Petrie hath little or nothing to say, he commonly breaks out into the more violent speech, thereby to disgrace what he cannot answer.

2. This part of your answer, is as much to the matter as the former. For whereas I speake of the gift of tongues, as the most remarkeable effect of the Spirit in the Apostles: you speake of the manner of the Spirits descending upon them, as the most remarke∣able worke of the Spirit. But doe you know what you say? was it not a greater worke to make the Apostles speake divers lunguages, then to cause the sound of a mighty winde, or the appearance of tongues, which were onely outward signes of the extraordinary gift, which the Spirit then wrought within them? I can hardly thinke, that any man but you will say otherwise. And by your leave, it was the Apostles speaking with other tongues, which made the Multitude come together, and at which they were con∣founded, as the 4, 5, 6, 7. ver. &c. doe shew. And not the sound of the rushing winde, that filled the house where the Apostles were

sitting, when the appearance of cloven tongues, like as of fire, came and sate upon each of them. For this was past: and S^t Peter speakes not of it, but shewes onely, that their speaking thus in divers languages, was the worke of the same Spirit, of which Joel had spoken. And your conclusion [therefore Peter citeth the words pertinently] (which I dare say, none is so likely to doubt of, as your selfe) hangs as loosely to your premises, as the premises doe to that which I have said.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Act. 2.4.
• u 1.2

  Isa. 32.15. Ezek. 39.29. Zech. 12.10.