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.

1. I am sure, no man can imagine that these words in themselves import, that our Saviour shall reigne among the Jewes as an earthly Monarch: which is the point. pag. 45. And therefore this, if by the time, &c. is as if one would say, If I be a King, I am a King. 2. That the Prophets have another meaning, may be seen by all interpre∣ters, and partly by that is said here. 3. It is wonder, if any Jew will say, that the Prophets speake of nothing more; for if his meaning be, They speake not more of any other thing, it is qu••stionable, seeing there is much spoken of Gods precepts: But if he doe meane, (as it seemes) that they speake not of any other thing that can be applyed unto our Sa∣viours comming, I will cite one Prophet for all, D••n. 2.1, 2. Where is mention of the great Prince, of great trouble even to the time of deli∣verance, and then awaking of some (not for a space of time, but) to everlasting life, and of others (at the same time) unto shame and ever∣lasting contempt. And is not this a more comfortable effect foreshewne generally unto every one, that shall be written in the booke? Now the cause why the Prophets write so much of Jerusalem, and that King∣dom to be restored, was, That the godly hearing of the destruction of that

Kingdome, did greatly feare, that that Common-wealth should never be restored, wherein Christ our Saviour was to be borne, and performe the worke of redemption: we may justly thinke, that their feare was not so much the want of bodily liberty, as the not comming of our Saviour: and therfore the Prophets insist much upon that point for the comfort of the godly, that howsoever that Kingdome shall be ruined, yet it shall be restored, and all Nations shall by the preaching of Jewes come into the obedience of Christ, and so receive lawes from the Jewes, as being cap∣tives unto them, whose captives they might be for a time. But to ima∣gine that the faithfull did expect, and the Prophets did speake of no other thing but this earthly Monarchy, is too grosse, and directly contradi∣cting the Apostles bearing another testimony of them, Heb. 11.16. They desire a better countrey, that is, heaven. And 1 Pet. 1.9, 10. Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your soules: Of which salvation the Prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophecied of the grace the should came unto you, &c.

Reply.

1. If these words in themselves import not, that our Saviour shall reigne among the Jewes as a Monarch on earth: yet com∣pared with the prophecies to which they doe direct us for an explanation of [the times of refreshing, and times of restitution of all things,] they doe certainely import as much. And this forme, If by the times of refreshing, and times of restitution, &c. the Jewes re∣storing to, and prosperity in their land, must needes be meant, then it is evident, that when he comes at these times, he shall accomplish this unto Israel, is not to prove (idem per idem,) the same thing by the same thing, as you untruely affirme. But this forme, If by the times of refreshing &c. the Jewes restoring to, and prosperity in their land be meant, then by the times of refresh∣ing, &c. the Iewes restoring to, and prosperity in their land is meant. And your silence touching the meaning of the times of re∣freshing, and the times of restitution of all things doth manifest, that you did thus traduce the forme of this argument, onely because you could not gainsay the evidence fit.

2. You say pag. 23. T at a linterpreters (except a few Mille∣naries) have expounded the prophecies touching the Jewes future prosperity in their owne land, of the Jewes onely. And you say here, [That all (without exception) have said, that the Prophets

have another meaning.] But surely we have shewed that such in∣terpreters cannot prove what they say. Yea seeing it is evident by Saint Peters words here, That our Saviour shall not come a∣gaine till the times of refreshing, &c. and that it is as evident by the writings of the Prophets, (to which the Apostle directs us for an interpretation of these times) that nothing appliable to our Sa∣viours second comming, (as a comfortable effect) is foreshewed by them all, besides the pious and prosperous establishment of the Jewes in their owne land: It necessarily followes, first, That this is meant by the times of refreshing, &c. And secondly, That the prophecies touching this subject, are properly and historically to be understood. I say historically, for what is a prophecy, but an history of things to come, as a Chronicle is an history of things past?

3. Doubtlesse these words are plaine enough to a man of farre meaner capacity, then you are. And as I have said it once, so I dare say it againe; That as the Prophets speake not more of any one thing then they doe of the redemption and restauration of the Jewes; so nought which can be applied to our Saviours second comming as a comfortable effect, is foreshewed by them all, but this. Which last words you purposely misapprehend, that you might have somewhat to say. For whereas I have said onely, That there is no comfortable effect belonging to Christs second comming, which all the Prophets have foreshewed, but this. You make me say, that none of the Prophets have spoken of any other thing, that can be applied to our Saviours comming, but this. And then you bring an instance out of Dan. 12.1, 2. [Where, you say, is mention of the great Prince, of great trouble, even to the time of deliverance, and then awaking of some, (not for a space of time, but) to everlasting life, and of others, (at the same time) unto shame and ever∣lasting contempt.] But surely as the matter of the first Parenthe∣sis is not affirmed by us, so the contents of the last are but a false glosse. For though the Prophet saith, That many of them that sleepe in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt; yet he saith not, that all these shall life at the same particular time. And the first verse, which shewes that the great Prince shall stand for the children of Daniels people, and that they shall at that time be delivered, (e∣very one that shall be found written in the booke, that is, That

God hath appionted to be delivered) doth plainly intimate, that the Jewes shall be then greatly hated and oppressed by other Na∣tions (as the two last verses of the preceding chapter compared with Rev. 16.12, 13, 14, 16. and with the 7 chap. of this prophecy, and other prophecies doe plentifully declare) and consequently it doth foretell, that which we affirme to be meant by the [timer of refreshing,] to wit, the deliverance of the Jewes, (of Daniels people,) both from their spirituall and bodily bondage: For why else is the deliverance of the Jewes onely spoken of, who have so long been, and still are captives both to unbeliefe, and to other Nations? strangers to Christ, and to their owne countrey? And whereas you tell us, [That the restoring of the Kingdome of Israel, was so often revealed by the Prophets rather to keepe the Jewes from the distrust of our Saviours comming, then to comfort them against the losse of their bodily liberty, and native inheritance.] Doubtlesse it was ra∣ther for this, then for the other; seeing they did reveale also ma∣ny particular prophecies, touching our Saviours incarnation; which revelations did more directly confirme their beliefe of Christs comming, then those touching the deliverance of their posterity, and the restoring of their Kingdome to them, could. And seeing you confesse here, [That the prophecies touching the re∣storing of Jerusalem, and that Kingdome, did concerne the Common∣wealth of Israel, which was afterwards destroyed,] You doe herein apparently admit of that proper sense of the prophecies, which you have before so much opposed. For the destruction of a tem∣porall Kingdome cannot be repaired, but by the regaining of that freedome, and command which it formerly enjoyed. And yet you presently recall this; for having said, [That howsoever that Kingdome shall be ruined, yet it shall be restored,] you adde imme∣diately, [And all Nations shall by the preaching of the Jewes come into the obedience of Christ, and so receive lawes from the Jewes, as being captives unto them, whose captives they might be for a time.] So that you speake forward and backward, all in a breath, and are as one in the midst of a bog, who knowes not where to fixe his foote. For first you grant, that the Kingdome of whose re∣stauration the Prophets write so much, was the temporall King∣dome of the Jewes; and by and by you make the restoring of this temporall Kingdome, to be the converting of the Gentiler by

the preaching of the Gospell, which is a very ridiculous impos∣sibility. And as this your inconstancy, so your expression is ob∣servable: for first, though you understand that which you speak of, to be already past, yet you deliver it in the future tence, and as hereafter to be fulfilled; And secondly, you say, [That the Nations shall by the preaching of the Jewes—become captives unto them.] But surely the state of grace is very unfitly termed a cap∣tivity, seeing it brings with it the greatest freedome, the freedom of the conscience. For where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty, saith the Apostle, 2 Cor. 3.17. And if the calling of men to the faith of Christ, should make them captives; I pray, what will become of the spirituall reigne of the Saints, which is all the reigning that you allow them under Christ? And besides, the Prophets words, That the Jewes shall possesse the Gentiles in the land of the Lord for servants, and for handmaides, that they shall take them captives, whose captives they were, and shall rule over their oppres∣sours; doe plainely shew that the Gentiles shall be captives to the Jewes, in the like manner as the Jewes were to the Gentiles; to wit, by a bodily subjection, and captivity: which cannot be while the Jewes themselves remaine captives under the Gentiles. And therefore we doe truely imagine, that the faithfull did expect, and the Prophets in their revelations touching Jerusalem, and that Kingdome to be restored, did speake of a Monarchy on earth. Neither doth this imagination contradict any testimony of the Apostles, touching the expectation of the faithfull before Christs incarna∣tion. For who will say that this antecedent of S. Paul, Heb. 11.14, 15, 16. The Patriarches Abraham, Isaac, and Iacob, did, in their corruptible condition, when they lived as strangers and pilgrimes on the earth, desire a better countrey, that is, an heavenly (for so the Apostle interprets himself, and not as you doe) will beare this consequence; Therefore when they shall rise in incorruption, they shall not reigne on earth a 1000 yeares? Or that this pro∣position of Saint Peter, 1 Epist. chap. 1. ver. 9. &c. The beleeving Jewes did by faith in Christ receive the salvation of their soules; (of which salvation, when it should be purchased by the suffe∣rings of Christ, (and when conferred upon the whole Nation of the Jewes,) the Prophets which prophecied of the grace that should come unto the Jewes, did enquire, and search diligently)

will inferre this conclusion; Therefore at the redemption of their bodies, at the perfecting of their salvation through the re∣velation of Jesus Christ, they shall not reigne with Christ on earth?