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.

Mr. Petrie's Answer.

If the temporall Kingdome of the Jewes could be demonstrated out of the Scriptures, the question a nent the King might more easily be re∣solved: and neverthelesse these few millenaries cannot agree concerning the person of their King: for Mr. Maton thinkes, that Christ shall continue visible King of this Kingdome, and Mr. Archer thinkes, that Christ shall restore the Kingdome unto the Jewes, and returne into the Heavens till the thousand yeares be expired, and in the meane time the Jewes shall be Kings. Till these two questions be decided, we might supersede, and neverthelesse let us heare what they can say for a temporary Kingdome of Christ, whether over Jewes and Gentiles.

Reply.

The temporary Kingdome of the Jewes hath been already de∣monstrated by such evident Scriptures and unanswerable Argu∣ments from them, as you durst not to examine, and it is now (praised be God for his good leave and assistance) delivered also from that darknesse which your deluding allegories, and farre fetcht interpretations doe draw over it, and thereby set free from that disgrace and contempt, which you strive so much to bring it into amongst the Gentiles. And our next taske is to discover the like fraudulent dealing in your Answers to those texts and reasons, by which wee have prov'd, that our Saviour, who shall restore this Kingdome, shall also reigne over it on earth. And first that the Reader may not take distaste at us before he heare us, you tell him here that these few Millenuries agree not concerning the person of

their King: for Mr. Maton thinks [that Christ shall continue visible King of this Kingdome, and Mr. Archer thinkes that Christ shall re∣store the Kingdome unto the Jewes, and returne unto the Heavens.] Herein indeed wee agree not, and as I heartily wish, that all Chri∣stians did so rightly understand the word of God, that there might be no difference at all amongst them: so seeing offences must needs come, and that there must be heresies and divisions amongst us, that they which are approved may be made manifest, 1 Cor. 11. ver. 18, 19.) I had rather differ from any man in opinion, then for any by respect to depart from one jot or title of the truth, which is either plainely reveal'd in the Scripture, or may be gathered from it by infallible consequence. And sure I am, that as wee find often mention of our Saviours comming againe, so Job tells us, chap. 19. ver. 25. that his Redeemer shall stand at the latter day upon the earth, to wit, at the day of his next appearing and the Saints resurrecti∣on, as these words immediately following doe declare, And though after my skinne, wormes destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God, &c. And St. Luke, ch. 1. v. 3.1. records, that the Lord shall give unto him the Throne of his Father David: and Jer. chap. 23. ver. 5. that he shall reigne and prosper, and shall execute Judgement and Justice in the earth; and so say Isaiah, and Zechary; (yea and we conceive it to be for this reason, especially, that Judea is cal'd the Land of Immanuel, Isaiah 8. ver. 8.) and we reade not of his departure from the earth againe, untill the earth it selfe shall passe away at the last resurre∣ction. Yea, unlesse our Saviour should as well reigne over the Jewes as restore their Kingdome to them, wee cannot conceive, why he should descend before the universall Judgement, seeing he can as well restore the Kingdome of the Jewes in Heaven, where he is, as if he should descend unto the earth to doe it. But yet your collection from this difference, to wit, [that till these two Que∣stions be decided, you may superside,] is a very dangerous Doctrine. For though [superside] be a very fine word, yet as you use is, it hath a very foule consequence, for you would have the Reader conceive, that there is no truth in the subject wee treat of, be∣cause there is some difference betwixt us in the stating of it: where∣a•• indeed all truth is made the more firme and manifest by diffe∣rence: else what shall wee say of our Religion there being scarce any one head or Article in Divinity, about which there hath not

been, or is not now some difference or other amongst Christians: if then wee must superside from, if wee must let passe, if wee must have nothing to doe with those things in which there is not a full agreement amongst us: we must omit the use of the Lords Sup∣per, because Papists differ from Lutherans, and Calvinists from both about the presence of Christ in the Sacrament. Wee must not beleeve our election or Justification, because Divines doe differ about the materiall and formall canses of the one, and the moving and meriting causes of the other: and because there is a difference betwixt you and us about the manner and place of our Saviours Kingdome, we must not believe that he hath any King∣dome, yea, we must quite cast off the worship of God, because we cannot agree about the forme of it, some being for a set forme and others against it; some againe for premeditated, and others for extemporary prayers. And thus to make one truth odious, you stick not to make a shipwrack of the faith: even at once to destroy our whole Christian practise and beliefe: so contrary is your ad∣vice to that of the Apostle in the 1 Thess. chap. 5. ver. 21. Prove all things, hold fast that which is good. Now for conclusion of this first part, I will adde Mr. Brightmans words touching the 7. and 8. ver. of the 66. chap. of Isaiah, and the 3. ver. of the 110. Psal. Many such places of Scripture, saith he, might be brought to this purpose; (he meaneth to shew the generall conversion of the Jewes) and perhaps it would be profitable to bring them, at least for this end, that our Writers might have occasion thereby given them, to consider more diligently of these places, from the right interpretation whereof, I feare mee that we wander, when as we make them to speake of things that be past, whereas they doe fore-tell of things yet to come In his Revel. of the Apoc. chap. 19. on the 8, and 9. verses pag. 791. and his words on the 11. ver. of the 6. chap. of the Cant. Time, saith he, will teach many things to be in the Prophets, which we commonly interpret •••• though they were past, whose event is yet to come: and especially (as it seemeth to mee) in the calling of the Jewes: which verily little con∣sidered of ours, hath darkned (I will not say perverted) the proper and naturall meaning of the Prophets in many places.