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.

Another prophecy much like unto this, [ 12] is that of Amos in his 9. chap. at the 8. verse, Behold the eyes of the Lord God are upon the sin∣full Kingdom, and I will destroy it from off the face of the earth, saving that I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob, saith the Lord. For loe I will command, and I will sift the house of Israel among all Nations, like as corne is sifted with a seive, yet shall not the least graine fall upon the earth. And at the 11. verse, In that day will Iraise up the Taber∣nacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof, and I will raise up his ruines as in the dayes of old, that they may possesse the rem∣nant of Edom, and of all the heathen that are called by my Name, saith the Lord that doth this. I will bring againe the captivity of my people Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them, and they shall plant vineyards, and drinke the wine thereof, they shall also make gardens, and eate the fruit of them: and I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land, which I have given them, saith the Lord God. Now although this prophecy tooke no effect on the ten Tribes at their transplantation, began by p 1.1 Tiglah Pileser King of Assyria, and ended by q 1.2 Shalmaneser his successour, who also brought up strange Nations, and placed them in their stead: which people were, from Samaria, the ancient metropolis of that Province, called r 1.3 Samaritans: yet who is able to maintaine, that it was fulfilled on the other two? (for not the house of Joseph, nor the house of Judah onely, but the house of Jacob wholly, is here spoken of. And why else is the Tabernacle of David after∣wards exprest, as a prime agent in the restauration, if it were not before included, as a succeeding patient in the dispersion of Israel?) who then, I say, is able to maintaine, that this prophecy was fulfill'd on Judah and Benjamin, untill their overthrow by the Roman Emperour Ʋespasian, ever since which time they also remaine for∣saken, scattered, and despised captives? yea who dares affirme it, when God hath said, that at their returne from this universal

captivity, he will so plant them in their land, that they shall no * 1.4 more be pulled up out of it? which yet should not be true, if it had been spoken of any deliverance before our Saviours comming to suffer.

Mr. Petrie's Answer.

It is a like ground for such a Kingdom: 1. How can it be denied that the house of Judah was destroyd, when their Kings and people wen caried out of the land? 2. How can the Tabernacle of David be calle•• a prime agent in the restauration? it is said, I will raise up the Taberna∣cle of David; and not, the Tabernacle of David shall raise up: it is 〈◊〉〈◊〉 patient, and not an agent. And none denieth that it is included in the dispersion of Israel: and therefore that part of the prophecy was fulfilled even before the overthrow by the Roman Emperour, and so before the overthrow was restored againe, and afterwards also were they scattered, But that promise of restauration is not of the house of Judah, but 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the people of Israel. verse 14. and who these be wee have a sufficient in∣terpreter, Act. 15.16. where the Apostle Iames expones these word of the enlarging Christ's Kingdom by the calling of the Gentiles, which was begun at that time by the preaching of the Apostle: and R•••• Stephanus in his notes on this text of Amos saith, Almost all the He∣brews

doe consent, That this is meant of the time of Messias, and espe∣cially of the calling of the Gentiles: and by bodily houses and benefits the Prophet understands spirituall: and these who are begotten unto this lively hope are kept most safely through faith unto salvation, 1 Pet. 1.5. so that the gates of Hell shall not prevaile against them, Mat. 16.18. Whereas it is asked, who dares affirme it? Zacharias hath not spared to affirme it, Luke 1.68. saying, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for he hath visited and redeemed his people, and hath raised up an horne of salvation in the house of David his servant, as he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets &c. Dare any Millenarian con∣tradict this testimony?

Reply.

1 This prophecy of Amos speakes of a deliverance of the Jews out of a captivity, after which they should no more be pulled up out of their land. And therefore cannot be meant of the returne of Judah and Benjamin from Babylon, since which they have fallen into a greater captivity then that was, but of their returne from the cap∣tivity they are now in. This you saw to be the necessary conse∣quence of the proper sense of the prophecy, and therefore you wrest that part of it which concernes the deliverance of the Jewes to another meaning. But first you cavill, and aske [how it can be denied, that the house of Judah was destroied when their Kings and people were carried out of their land?] Surely that they were in a sad condition it cannot be denied, but that they were destroyed, it may; for how else could they have return'd? yet this thing too Haman sought to bring to passe on the Jewes in his time, and you know how well he and his adherents sped in the device. But what of all this? who denies that they were carried captives into. Babylon? I say onely that this prophecy was not fulfill'd in Judah's captivity there, but in their captivity under the Romans; and that because the deliverance after which they are no more to be carried captives, must needs be yet to come.

2. But you have found a great mistake in me, For I have said that the Tabernacle of David shall be a prime agent in the restau∣ration, whereas God saith, I will raise up the Tabernacle of David, and so, [it is to be a patient, you say, and not an agent.] A very lear∣ned exception, for is there not an instrumentall agent, as well as a principall agent? and amongst instrumentall agents, doe not some excell others? (as amongst David's worthies, some were su∣perior

perior to the rest) although then God shall shew his power in raising the Tubernacle of David, as the first and chiefe cause, what hinders but that this also may use its owne endeavor to raise it selfe, as a secondary and lesse principall cause? surely if God shall so raise it, that it shall doe nothing for it selfe, it may rather be said, to be a spectator of its deliverance, then either an agent or a pati∣ent. You say further [that none denieth it is included in the dispersion of Israel] But yet you say withall, that the Jews dispersion and re∣stauration here spoken of were both fulfill'd before their overthrow by the Romans, which the close of this prophecy, shewing that after their restauration here foretold, they should no more be disperst, doth deny. And these words also in the 11. ver. I will build it as in the daies of old, doe shew the contrary. For if you take, the daies of old, for the time immediately foregoing their Babylonish captivity; then I say, that so short a time cannot be taken for the dayes of old; seeing it was but seventy yeares from that time; and consequently it must imply a restauration after a captivity of a longer date. And if you take it for the daies of David and Solomon, then I say, that it was not so restor'd after that captivity, for in the daies of these Kings, all the Tribes were but one Kingdom: and they were not tributaries to other Kings, but others to their Kings; and con∣sequently it is as yet thus to be restor'd. But that you may be sure to avoide all that can be brought out of this prophecy for the fu∣ture restauration of the Jewes, you will not have the 11. verse to be meant of the restauration of Judah, but of the Israelites in the 14 verse, and these Jsraelites must not be taken for the Jewes, how plaine soever the text be for it, but for the Gentiles: for [so you say, S^t. Iames expounds them, Acts 15. verse 16.] Surely the Apostle repeates the 11. and 12. ver. of this chapter somewhat differently from the Prophets expression, but yet speakes not of Israel there at all. Neither doth he expound the building of David's Tabernack, of the calling of the Gentiles, as you pretend. But shewes onely in the verse following, that when it shall be built againe, the residue of the Gentiles, that are yet uncald, shall then be cald; and to∣gether with the Gentiles upon whom Gods Name is already cald, seeke after the Lord. And therefore you have not learned of S^t James, to take the Tabernacle of David, for the beleeving Gentiles. Nor can I beleeve that the Hebrew Doctours doe so intepret it: albeit they

may grant, that the calling of the Gentiles in the time of the Mes∣sias, as they expect him yet to come, is spoken of in the 12. ver. And doubtlesse whosoever shall looke into the 14. ver. of this pro∣phecy, he will say, that the actions here rehearst may very well agree with men newly come out of captivity: but not that they doe any way intimate the calling of men to the Christian faith. For what relation hath the building of waste cities to inhabit them, the planting of vineyards to drinke the wine thereof, and the making of gardens to eate the fruit of them, to this? doubtlesse none at all. For suppose that one should tel you of a Jew that had lately built him a faire house; & of an other that had planted an Orchard of choice fruit, would you thinke thereby, that they were become Christians? nay would you not laugh at him, if he should have no other mea∣ning? And yet without any ground for it, but your owne fancy as hath been shewed, you conclude [that by bodily houses, and benefits, the Prophet understands spirituall.] To which you adjoyne Scripture to prove, that the elect cannot fall away; which is not questioned. And thus, good reader, thou hast seene the first part of one and the same prophecy historically and properly understood; and the latter part allegorically and figuratively expounded; and that for no other reason but because the deliverance of the Jewes out of their captivity here foretold hath not been as yet properly and literally fulfill'd, as their carrying into captivity hath been. And Mr. Petrie will not take Gods word for it, that it shall be thus ful∣fild. And therefore whereas I have askt, Who dares affirme that the captivity of Judah here foretold, is meant of any other but their captivity by the Romans: seeing God hath said here, that after their returne from this captivity they shall no more be pulled up out of their land? he tells thee that Zacharias hath not spared to affirme it, Luk. 1 verse 68. &c. But is it not the same God, that spake by the mouth of both these Prophets? a God that is not as man, that he should lie, or forget himselfe. And having then fore∣told in Amos such a deliverance after which the Jewes should no more be given up into captivity; doth he, thinkst thou, by Zachary affirme that this was fulfill'd before their captivity by the Romans? yet thus M^r Petrie dares to make God contradict himselfe: and that because Zachary saith, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he hath visited and redeemed his people, and hath raised up an horne of salvation

for us in the house of his servant David, as he spake by the mouth of all his holy Prophets &c. and what is meant by all this but that the Redeemer was then to be borne, as the Prophets had said, and that therefore their redemption should as surely be fulfill'd, as if it had been done already? For it is usual with the prophets, when they would shew the certaine accomplishment of a thing, to speake as if it were then effected. But why hath Mr. Petrie left out [for us] in these words of Zachary? was it not because they shew, that this prophecy doth belong to the Jewes, & not to the Gentiles? and this he likes not to heare of himselfe, neither would he have thee to take notice of it. And besides, if Zachary should speake of a spirituall deliverance onely, as this Author affirms, how doth he shew, that this prophecy of Amos was then fulfild, which (as is before proved, and as any one may indeed of himselfe perceive) doth foretel onely an immoveable deliverance of the Jewes from their bodily captivity amongst, and subjection to other Nations?

Notes

• p 1.1

  1 Chro. 5.6. 2 King. 15.29. ch. 16. 9.
• q 1.2

  2. King. 17.5.6.24 ch. 18.58.
• r 1.3

  Ioh. 4.9.
• * 1.4

  The usual answer of a conditionall promise, will take no hold on this or the like places of Scripture. For as God hath here past his word, that he will no more pull them up out of their land: so in the 32. chap. of Ier. at the 39 ver. and 50. chap. at the 20. ver. in the 36. of Ez••k. at the 27. ver. in the 37. chap. at the 23. ver. in the 39. chap. at the 7. ver. and in the 3. chap. of Zeph. at the 13. ver. (all which prophecies doe i•• the times of their sulfilling, concurre with this) he hath likewise promised, To give them one way, and one heart, that they may feare him for ever. Never to turne away from them to doe them good, but to put his feare into their hearts, that they shall not depart from him. That the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none, and the finnes of Iudah, and they shall not be found. That he will put his spirit within them, and cause then to walke in his statutes, and to keepe his judgements and doe them. That they shall defile themselves no more with their idoles, nor with their detestable things, nor with any 〈◊〉〈◊〉 their transgressions. That he will make his holy Name known in the midst of his people Israel, and will not let them pollute his holy Name any more. And that the remnant of Isra•••• shall not doe iniquity, nor speakelies. neither shall a deceitfull tongue be found in their mouth. And therefore God having thus equally ingaged himselfe, as well to keepe the Iewes from sin, as to free them from bondage, it is as impossible that the accomplishme•••• of this propheey should be frustrated, and the fruition of these blessings forfeited for wa•••• of obedience, as that God should either forget, or not regard, or be unable to fulfill his word, and consequently, the appointed time for the finishing of such prophecies, is yet 〈◊〉〈◊〉 be expected.