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.

I know these words are taken by Interpreters, for a metapho∣ricall expression of those joyes, which we shall receive in * 1.1 heaven; but it is a currant axiom in our Schooles, (Non esse alitera, seu pro∣pria scripturae significatione recedendum, nisi evidens aliqua necessitas cogat, & scripturae veritas in ipsa litera periclitari videtur,) That we must not forsake the literall, and proper sense of the scripture, unlesse an evident necessity doth require it, or the truth thereof would be endangered by it: and I am sure, here is no such cause

for which we should leave the naturall interpretation of the place, yea we are by many other passages in the scripture, rather compelled to sticke to it.

Mr. Petrie's Answer.

It may be doubted, whether this Author hath been bred in schooles, or what he calleth our schooles, seeing he so abuseth thetoricall termes, (as literall sense, for proper sense: metaphoricall sense contra-distin∣guished to figurative sense,) and keepes no logicall canons in his argu∣ing, and I thinke, he did never learne such interpretation of scripture in any approved schoole. As for this rule, he may see partly by that is said, and shall see more hereafter, that these words cannot be understood of an earthly Kingdome: neither doe these fore cited compell us, (as he boldly saith) to sticke unto the earthly sense of this text in hand.

Reply.

It may well be doubted, whether pride or choler did most o∣versway your judgement in this answer. For though I willingly confesse my selfe to be a man not worthy to be numbred amongst the learned: yet unlesse I should make as little conscience of ly∣ing for an advantage, as you doe; you cannot chuse but know

what schools I was bred in: for the title-page of my Book doth pub∣lish it to the world. And doubtlesse these schooles have ever yeel∣ded men as eminent for judgement, as righteous in their life, and as zealous for the truth, as those that you have been bred in, or a∣ny other schooles in Christendome besides. But that which you here first indict me for, is this. [That I abuse rhetoricall termes, as literall sense for proper sense.] And I pray, what Divine doth not as often, or oftner, use literall sense for proper sense, then for the true sense, whether proper or figurative? and what is the mea∣ning of literall sense, in this approved axiome, but a proper sense? For doubtlesse there is no necessity that can compell us to leave the true sense of the scripture, although it may to leave the proper sense. And yet the axiome runnes thus: We must not for∣sake the literall or proper sense, &c. which being rendred (accor∣ding to your acceptation of the word literall) the true or proper sense, what sense will there be in the axiome? Your next censure is, [That I have contra-distinguished metaphoricall sense to figurative sense.] But it had been honest dealing to have shewed the place, or else not to have said so: for an accusation without proofe doth onely declare the plaintiffe a slanderer. Your third complaint is [That I keepe no Logicall canons in arguing.] No Sir, it is not for e∣very one to doe this; it is for such as you are, for such as are scholars; such men will observe a canonicall method in argu∣ing: and make as excellent use of logicall maximes, as you have done pag. 30. of this maxime, [What agreeth unto any man as man, belongeth unto all men.] The last censure is, [That I never learned such interpretation of scripture, in any approved schoole.] Surely the interpretation of scripture, is to be learned from God, and not from man: for that interpretation is most true, and infallible, when the coherence of the text doth point out the sense, or when one scripture doth expound another of the same nature. And yet I goe not alone, but am accompanied with many approved Authors, bred in approved schooles, who have all confessed the same truth that I speake for, and stucke to that proper interpre∣tation of these scriptures, which I follow. For not to speake of the primitive Christians, or of many of the Fathers after them, there have been many approved men for learning in these latter-times, that have been witnesses of this truth, amongst whom, are

Brightman, Alstedius, Wendelinus, and Mede, whom you your selfe pag. 14. commend for a renowned Author, although you shake off his choifest proofes, as easily as Sampfon shooke off the Philistins cords: and breake through his strongest arguments, as forcibly as Sampson did through the gates of Azzah, which he carried a∣way in a triumphing manner: such wonders doe you worke by your canonicall, (or rather carelesse) arguing. And yet for all this, you must give me leave to make so bold with you againe, as to tell you; That as the plainenesse of this text in hand, and of the fore-cited scriptures, doth compell us to acknowledge the proper sense of them; so I trust both the love of the truth, the feare of God, and a desire to keepe a good conscience, will ever constraine us to sticke to it. For it is manifest by your taunting termes, that you could finde neither scripture contradicting, nor necessity forbidding the proper sense of our Saviours words; for the confirmation whereof, this rule is here alledged.

Notes

• * 1.1

  In heaven where the ho∣ly Jerusalem is that great Ci∣ty, (Rev. 21.10 &c.) distingui∣shed to Ez••k. chap. 4. ver. 2. &c. chap. 45. ver. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. (which I take to be the modell and platforme of the city that is to be built at the Jewes redemption by these and many more dif∣ferences. First, because the builder and maker of the one i•• God (Rev. 21.2) but the other men shall build (Ier. 31.38. Ez••k. 40.8.) Secondly, the materialls of Ierusalem which is above, are all gold and precious stones, (Rev. 21.18, 19, 20, 21.) but the materialls of that other Ierusa∣lem shall not be such (Ezek. 40.16, 17, 21, &c.) Thirdly, in this city, there is no Temple, for the Lord God Almighty, and the Lambe are the Temple of it (Rev. 21.22.) but that city shall have a Temple (Ezek. 40.41, &c.) Fourthly, in this city, the river of water of life proceedeth out of the Throne of God, and of the Lambe, Rev. 21.1.) but in that city, waters (not the river of life, though endu'd with healthfull and nourishing qualities, because of the place whence they are to proceed, Ezek. 47.9.12.) shall issue from under the threshold of the Temple: for the forefront of the house shall stand towards the East, and the waters shall come downe from under the right side of the house, at the South-side of the Altar, (Ezek. 47.1. &c.) Fifthly, in this city, the tree of Life only grows on either side of the river, and beares twelve manner of fruits monethly, (Rev. 22.2.) but by the river that shall issue out of the Sanctuary of that city, shall grow all trees for meate (Ezek. 47.12.) Sixthly, in this city there is no night, they need no candle, nor light of the Sun, for the Lord God giveth them light, and the Lambe is the light thereof, (Rev. 21.23.25. ch. 22.5.) but in that city there shall be night, and the light of the Sun shall then be sevenfold (Isa 30.26. ch. 60.11.) Seventhly, this city shall descend to the new earth, with which there shall be no sea created, (Rev. 21.1.2.) but the waters which shall come from that city, shall go into the sea, and being brought forth into the sea the waters shall be healed, (Ezek. 47.8.) and therefore that city is to be built, before the annihilation of the first earth with which there is a sea.