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.

That these words shal. be fulfilled, or have been fulfilled, it is most certaine; and it is as certaine, that they shall never be fulfilled in the proper acceptation of the words, seeing the body of Christ is not so tall, as that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 shall reach from heaven to earth: for this cause some, (as Cy∣ril on this place, have exponed unto for upon in this sense, as if the Hea∣vens were open, the Angels shall come downe, and ascend unto my Ser∣vice: So doth Chrysostome apply these words to the Angels ministring unto Christ in time of his passion, and resurrection. Others thinke it to be an exposition of that vision of Iacob, Gen. 28. whereby was signifi∣ed, that Christ is the Mediatour making way betwixt heaven and earth, Col. 1.10. And these expositions (for the matter) doe agree with other Scriptures.

Reply.

It seemes by your first words, that you are doubtfull of the ac∣complishment of this prophecy, for [that it shall be fulfilled, or hath been fulfilled, it is most certaine,] you say. And your next as∣sertion, [that it shall never he fulfilled in the proper acceptation of the words,] doth apparently contradict that which followes: for by and by after, you tell us, [that Cyril hath exponedii, as if the hea∣vens were open, the Angels shall come downe, and ascend unto my Ser∣vice: and that Chrysostome doth apply it to the Angel ministring unto Christ, in time of his passion and resurrection.] And is not this a pro∣per exposition of the prophecy? then shew us one more proper. And doubtlesse it is to be understood, as Cyril understand it, of the Angels ministring to our Saviour. But yet we beleeve not, that it was fulfilled, when in his agony there appeared an Angel unto him, streng hening him, Luke 22.43. and much lesse when after his resurrection an Angel appeared at his sepulchre, Matth. 28 2. For it is evident, that when this pr••ph••cy shall be fulfil∣led, they that are in our Saviours presence, shall as plainely see heaven open, [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] the starry firmament part asunder, and the Angels ascending from, and descending to him, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 they shall see each other: as plainely, I say, as Saint Stephen,

looking stedfastly into heaven saw [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] the heavens open, and the Sonne of man standing on the right hand of God, Acts 7.55, 56. And as Saint John Baptist saw the heavens opened unto Christ, and the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting up∣on him, Mattb. 3.16. And Saint Paul assures u••, Heb. 1.6. That when God againe bringeth in the first begotten into the world, he sayth, And let all the Angels of God worship him. And to what time then can our Saviours [Hereafter] can this visible attendance of the Angels on him belong, but to the time of his next appearing, of his comming againe into the world? the time, and place of which God hath said, that all the Angels of God shall doe homage unto him. And besides, it is more then probable, that the Evangelist would as well have recorded the accomplishment, as the predi∣ction of this thing, if he had knowne of the fulfilling of it. But the acute reason of your denying the proper sense of the prophe∣cy, is yet behinde, and may well remaine to posterity, as the wonder of your worke, and the monument of your wit: For [the Angels, you fay, shall not ascend and descend upon the Sonne of man, seeing the body of Christ is not so tall, as that it shall reach from beaven to earth.] Doubtlesse a very tall proofe: and yet it comes short of the marke you a••me at. For surely the proper accepta∣tion of the prophecy, as it depends not on, so it is not proved, but infallibly disproved, by the proper acceptation of the word [upon:] which preposition having relation onely to the partici∣ple [descending,] the full expression had been thus, ascending from, and descending upon, (or unto,) which is meant by [upon,] in this place. And which the originall word [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] doth as well signi∣fie, as [upon,] and might have been here so exprest, as well as it it is Luke 10.6. and chap. 19. ver. 5. (and in other places,) had there been any likelihood of a modest Christians misunderstan∣ding of this prophecy, by reason of the word [upon.] However the learned had need bewa••e, that in translating the scriptures, they follow not the common liberty of speech, in the smalest word; when as the wilfull are so ready to make it an occasion of venting their vaine conceits.