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.

What God by his word and experience bath conjoyned, let no man call irreconcileable: for be saith Psal. 110.2. Reigne thou in the midst of thy enemies: and Rom. 8.37. In all these things (that is, in the midst of our sufferings) we are more then conquerours: so that when the enemies doe rage and persecute, even then doth Christ reigne, and the godly are Kings, or if there be any title more transcendent.

Reply.

Certainely experience doth joyne nothing together, but de∣clares onely to us what God hath conjoyned, and doubtlesse what God hath conjoyned, Christ would not separate: and yet Luke 22.28. he saith, Yee are they which have followed mee in my temptations, therefore I appoint unto you a Kingdome, as my Father hath appointed unto me, that yee may eate and drinke at my table in my Kingdome, and sit on seates judging the 12 tribes of Israel. Which words, as they doe plainely distinguish the time of Christs temp∣tations, from the time of his Kingdome; so they doe shew too, that the Apostles Kingdome was then onely appointed unto them by our Saviour, and not then enjoyed by them. And you cannot deny it, unlesse you will say, that the Disciples did then sit on seates, judging the twelve Tribes of Israel: or that Christ himselfe did then reigne; for it is his owne Kingdome which

he here appoints unto them. Neither will the texts which you have cited, prove that the time of our Saviours and the Saints persecution and affliction doth contemporate with the time of their reigne. For that Psal. 110.2. Reigne thou in the midst of thy enemies, doth shew onely, that he shall reigne amongst those who shall declare themselves enemies to him and his, both before and when he comes to reigne; and not that his enemies shall have any power to molest (much lesse to raise persecution against) him, and his when he doth reigne: for the 1 verse doth manifest that these enemies are to be made his footstoole at his very en∣trance into his Kingdome: at his comming from the right hand of God, at which time it is, that he is to reigne amidst them, and not before. And that text Rom. 8.37. doth shew onely, that through Gods speciall love towards us, we are enabled to con∣quer all tribulation, distresse, perill, (or whatsoever else) that can be brought on us for our faith in Christ: and consequently that we doe now contend for a Kingdome, but not that we doe now reigne; for who will say, that when two strive for the ma∣stery, either of them is conquerour, till one be vanquisht: or that when two Princes contend for a Kingdome, either doth reigne over the other, till one be quite subdued unto the other? and such certainely is our condition in this life, and no other. For now yee are full, now yee are rich, yee have reigned as Kings without us, and I would to God yee did reigne, that we also might reigne with you, saith Saint Paul, 1 Cor. 4.8. where he goes on, For I thinke that God hath set forth us the Apostles last, as it were men appointed to death, for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to the Angels, and to men, &c. What! would the Apostle have thus denyed that he did reigne, onely because many tribulations did attend him, if the reigne of the Saints and their sufferings were consi∣stent? Doubtlesse he would not: and therefore though they depart out of this life, as conquerours over all temptations, through the grace of God that is in them: yet they live not here as Kings, but as combatants: neither doe they finish their con∣quest, till the appointed time of their life be finished. And when should they be Kings, but when they receive their crownes; which is not while they fight, nor presently after they have o∣vercome, (but when they receive their bodies againe to weare

them) but at the day of Christs next appearing, which shall be a Coronation day to all them that love that day; as the same A∣postle's words doe witnesse, 2 Tim. 4.7.8. I have fought (saith he) a good sight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. Hence∣forth is laid up for me a crowne of righteousnesse, which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me at that day, and not to me onely, but to all them that love his appearing. And in the 2 chap. of the same E∣pistle also ver. 11.12. he thus plainely distinguisheth the time of the Saints reigning from the time of their suffering. It is a faithfull saying: for if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him. If we suffer, we shall also reigne with him. Here Mr. Petrie further excepts against two particulars in the parenthesis of my foresaid words.