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.

[ 72] Which words as they doe establish the literall sense of the r 1.1 first resurrection, mentioned in the 20 chap. of Rev. So they make the Kingdome of israel, and the 1000 yeares reigne of the Saints there spoken of, to synchronize, and meete together: for why shall the Saints come with him, but because they have a share in his Kingdome, and are to be his assistants in it, as he told the Disciples, Luke 22.28?

Mr. Petrie's Answer.

The first resurrection of bodies imports a second resurrection: and so either these who rise shall dye againe, and rise againe at the second re∣surrection: or they who shall rise at the first shall not dye at all, and o∣thers shall rise againe at the second resurrection. This Authour makes it no where manifest, which of these two he holdeth, and Mr. Archer boldeth the first opinion: but neither of them hath any warrant from Scripture, and the testimonies that are cited here on the margine, shew that there shall not be such a resurrection of the righteons: for it is said, Luke 20.35. They who shall be accounted worthy to obtaine that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage, neither can they dye any more: for they are equall unto the Angels, being the children of the resur∣rection. If they can dye no more, and be equall unto the Angels, then they shall not rise at a second resurrection, neither shall they live an earth∣ly life, which in the best degree is inferiour unto the life of the Angels. John 6.39. This is the Fathers will, that of all that he hath gi∣ven me, I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day: and ver. 44. No man can come unto me, except the Father who hath sent me, draw him, and I will raise him at the last day. If the last day be the day of the gener all judgement, (as certainely it is,

even sepponing the temporall Monarchy for a 1000 yeares,) and the elect shall not be raised till the last day, (as these words imply,) then there shall not be a first and second resur••ection, unlesse the second resur∣rection be after the list day: and consequently, there not being a resur∣rection of the children of God till the last day the first resurrection men∣tioned, Rev. 20. cannot be understood of the bodies, but rather a rising from siane, whereof mention is made, Ephes. 5.14. and Col. 3.1. He cites Isa Phil. 3.11. It by any meanes I might attaine unto the resurrection of the dead. These words name the dead generally, an make nothing for a first and second resurrection: but ver. 20. it is said; Our conversation or freedome is in heaven, whence also we look for the Saviour, who shall change our vile body, that it may be like unto his glorious bod••. If the freedome [POLI∣TEƲM••] of the godly the in heaven, then they expect not a Mona chy on earth: and if the bodies shall be like unto his glorious body, they shall not live an earthly life, nor dye againe. He quoteth 1 Thes. 3.13. and chap. 4.14. &c. but the first hath nothing of a second resurrection, and chap. 4.14. saith, We shall be ever with the Lord, to wit, in another manner then now: now by grace, and then in glory. If we shall ever be with the Lord, then we shall not dye againe, and rise againe, unlesse the Lord dye too: which, I thinke, they will not say. Lastly, he cites Ezek. 37.12.13. which words certainely are allegoricall, and shew the returne of the Jewes from their captivity, notwithstanding the ext••eamity of their misery, and after these words be takes occ••sion to speake of the spirituall Kingdome of the Church, as is said before: but neither first nor last speaket the Propher of a first and second resur••ection at or about the last day. And so in all these testimonies, nothing is to this purpose of the concurring of the Iewish Monarchy with the first resur∣rection.

Reply.

The first resurrection of bodies importeth a second. you say; True; but of other bodies, not of the same bodies. And I dare say, that the conceite touching the dying again•• of them that rise, to rise the second time; is your proper fancy. Sure I am, it is very slan∣derously imputed to Mr. Archer, who holds indeed, that the rai∣sed Saints shall be made governonrs over our Saviours King∣dom in his absence, but not that they shall again be subject unto death. And when I say here, that these Sainte shall have a

shore in Christs Kingdome, and be his assistants in it. And else∣where, pag. 121. that the time of these Saints abode with Christ shall never have an end: yea when you your selfe confesse, that the testimonies on the margine doe prove the contrary; doe I hold their dying: againe, thinke you, or doe I not? Certainely, (as we know not to what end, the Saints should rise, if they were to dye againe, so) we know, that the bodies of the dead, though they be sowne in corruption shall be raised in incorruption, (e∣ven the bodies of the greatest sinners, who could not other wise live in eternall torments,) and therefore it is manifest, that you have here laid a••errour of your owne devising, to another mans charge, partly that you might not seeme to take so much paines and confuce nothing: and partly to disgrace the truth we hold touching the order of the resurrection. For as it is true, that the dead shall rise but once: so it is true also, that they shall not rise all at once. And this the prophe••ies of Saint John Rev. 20.4. &c. and Saint Paul in 1 Cor. 15.22, 23, 24. doe so plainely reveale; that we may well wonder, why so many learned Interpreters should rather strive to extinguish these greater lights, then by the brightnesse of them to discover the true meaning, not onely of such texts as concerne the resurrection, but of those also that concerne the prerogatives and priviledges, which they who have part in the first resurrection, are to enjoy on earth. And now let us see how you deale with the texts on the margine: of which the first that you alledge, (though not the first that is quoted,) is in Luke 20.35, 36. But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtaine that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage, neither doe they dye any more, for they are equallanto the Angels, and are the children of God, being the children of the re∣surrection. This is the text, and your inferences these, [If they can dye no more, and he equall unto the Angels, then they shall not rise at a s••eond resu••rection.] And who saith that they shall? [neither shall they live an••earthly life, say you,] And so say we, if by an earthly life, you meane a si••full life, or a mortall life: but if you meane only, that they shall not live on earth: we deny your sequelli For our Saviour lived on earth before his death, and yet he lived not anearthly, that is, a sinfull life. And he lived many dayes on earth, after his resurrection, in which he she wed himselfe openly

to his Disciples, who did eat and drinke with him after he rose from the dead, Acts 10.42. And yet his glory was not diminish∣ed by it, nor he made lower then the Angels, or the more liable unto mortality for it. Neither shall the raised Saints be lesse e∣quall unto the Angels, in their immunity from copulation, in their holinesse of conversation, or in the immortality of their bo∣dies, while they abide on earth, then when they are carried into the presence of God himselfe. And seeing our Saviour saith here, But they that shall be accounted worthy to ob tame [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] that age, or that time of the world, and the resurrection from the dead: doth he not plainely point out unto us, a time in which none of the dead shall be raised, but such as shall be accounted wor∣thy of some peculiar happinesse, which is kept in store for them against that time? Certainly if we compare these words of our Saviour, with the 14 and 15 verses, of the 14. ch. of Luke, we cannot think otherwise. For what is the resurrection, which none but they that are accounted worthy shall obtaine, but the resurrection of the just, spoken of chap. 14. ver. 14? (which you passe over in si∣lence) and what did our Saviour meane, when he said not onely thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection, but, at the resurrection of the just? Did he not meane that he should receive a recompence at that time, when all the just then dead, and none but the just should be raised? And what is the [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] here, [That age, or that time of the world,] but the time of the Kingdome of God spoken of, chap. 14. ver. 15? And what is this Kingdome of God, of which it is said, that he is blessed which shall eate bread in it, but the Kingdome which God shall set up under Christ as man, when he brings him againe into the world? For whereas it is recorded, chap. 14. that when one that sat at meate with our Sa∣viour heard him tell the Pharisee, who bad him to eate bread at his house, that if he made a feast, he should not call his rich kin∣dred, friends, and neighbours, but the maimed, the blinde, and them that could not recompence him, and that he should be re∣compenced at the resurrection of the just: whereas, I say, it is written, that when one heard these things, he said unto our Sa∣viour, Blessed is he that shall eate bread in the Kingdome of God: What correspondence could there be betwixt these words, and our Saviours touching the recompencing of the charitable at the

resurrection of the just, unlesse the Kingdome of God here spo∣ken of, should contemporate with the resurrection of the just? unlesse the just, I say, should rise to receive their recompence, when this Kingdome of God shall beginne? And it being evi∣dent from the text, that this Kingdome of God, is to be a King∣dome in which there shall be eating of bread, that is, (according to the signification of this phrase in the Gospell,) of such crea∣tures as God hath ordained for mans food on earth: this King∣dome of God must needes be meant of a Kingdome on earth; and consequently, the recompence our Saviour spake of, is to be gi∣ven on earth, and the resurrection of the Saints to enjoy this Kingdome, is to precede the rising of all others, which shall not be, till the time of this Kingdome be fully expired. The second restimony is in Joh. 6.39, 40 44.54. of which the last ver. is this, Who so eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud, hath eternall life, and I will vaise him up at the last day. And these last words are the close of the other verses also, whence you argue thus, [If the last day, be the day of the generall judgement, (as certainely it is, even supponing the temporall Monarchy for a 1000 yeares, and the elect shall not be raised till the last day, (as these words imply,) then there shall not be a first and second resurrection, unlesse the second resurrection be after the last day.] And what coherence is there in this argument? what appearance of truth? certainely it savours not of your great skil in Logique. For neither the first nor the last refurrection shall be till the last day, and yet both shall be in the last day: seeing the last day shall beginne with the first resurrection, and end with the last. But yet we have good reason to beleeve that our Saviour spake here only of the first of these resurrections, because in v. 54. he speakes onely of raising them that should be worthy parta∣kers of the Sacrament of his body and bloud, which Sacrament is to shew forth the Lords death till he come, as Saint Paul af∣firmes, 1 Cor. 11.26. and for ought we yet know no longer. If therefore you have no better arguments to support the spirituall interpretation of the first resurrection, Rev. 20.4, 5, 6. then this, it were farre better, that you did lay your hand on your mouth, then plead for it. And indeede how could you imagine, that God should reveale unto S. John [the rising of men from sin,] as a secret then unknown unto the world? that I say, he should foreshew this

as a thing then to come, which began in Adam himselfe; and was at that time the daily effect of the preaching of the Gospell? The third text is that of Saint Paul in Phil. 3.11. If by any meanes I might attaine to the resurrection of the dead. To which you answer, [these words name: he dead generally, &c.] Certainely no more ge∣nerally, then the same Apostles words in 1 Cor. 15.42, &c. doe. Where he saith, So also is the resurrection of the dead, it is sowne in corruption, it is raised in incorruption: it is sowne in dishonour, it is raised in glory: it is sowne in weakenesse, it is raised in power: it is sowne a naturall body, it is raised a spirituall body. And doe any be∣sides the just rise in glory, in power, and with spirituall bodies? or do you thinke, that it was needefull for Saint Paul to use his utmost care and endeavour, that he might attaine to rise at that time, when the unjust should rise? The resurrection therefore which the Apostle strove so much to attaine unto, was no other then the resurrection of the dead in Christ, then the first resurrecti∣on; of which it is said, that he who hath a part in it, the second death hath no power over him. As on the contrary, all that dye before this resurrection; and are not raised in it, shall perish ever lasting∣ly. But because you had no more to say to the text which I have quoted: you alledge the 20 ver. of the same chapt. out of which you raise these arguments, If the (Politeuma) the freedome of the godly be in heaven, then they expect not a Monarchy on earth. And if their bodies shall be like unto Christs glorious body, they shall not live an earthly life, nor dye againe.] But as we allow your l••st argu∣ment, (for we know not who doth affirme the contrary, to wit, that the Saints shall after their resurrection be either mortall or sinnefull,) so in your first argument, we first deny your tr••nsla∣tion of the word [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] which you make the ground of your argument. For it signifies not there [a freedome or privi∣ledge,] but a manner of living, as by the Apostles opposing of his owne conversation, to the conversation of some carnall minded Ministers of the Gospell, it is apparent; and therefore it is ren∣dred by Piscator, word for word, for our civill life (or behaviour) is in heaven; that is, is as temperate, as if we were in heaven in the presence of God and the holy Angels. And secondly we deny the argument it selfe. For though we suppose that the godly have now no outward frecedome on earth, (for an inward and

spirituall freedome you must needes grant them, seeing he that is called in the Lord, is the Lords free-man; as it is said, 1 Cor. 7.22. and all the royall dignity which you allow the Saints, con∣sists in this) though then we suppose, I say, that they have now no outward freedome, (for this also they have, as appeares in 1 Cor. 7.21. and chap. 9. ver. 19.) yet it will not follow from hence, that they expect none on earth hereafter, when Christ shall change their vile bodies, that they may be like unto his glori∣ous body. The two next texts are one in 1 Thes. 3.13. and the other chap. 4. ver. 14, 15, 16, 17. in both which the Apostle speaks of the rising of none at Christs comming, but of the dead in Christ. And seeing the resurrection of their bodies doth equally belong to the godly and the ungodly, why should we not thinke, that he would as well have spoken of the resurrection of these also, as of the other: if they had been to rise at the same time with the other? Doubtlesse you could shew no reason, why the Apostle should speake so much, (and so often) of the resurrecti∣on of the godly at Christs comming, and nothing of the resurre∣ction of the ungodly, if they had been to rise all together. And therefore you have here also strugled onely with your owne fancy; and now the third time strangled this deformed issue of your slanderous imputation; to wit, [that the raised Saints shall dye againe, and rise againe.] For this opinion is indeed altogether inconsistent with the truth which we hold touching the reigning of the raised Saints with Christ a 1000 yeares, before the last re∣surrection. And suppose any one had vented this errour, yet it is an argument of your malice to prosecute the confutation of it in your answer unto me. I say thus to prosecute it, as if it were the common opinion of us all. But as yet I know no father of it be∣sides your selfe, unlesse it be that father of lies, who suggested it unto you. And therefore the reader had neede beware how to take your words upon trust: for doubtlesse if he hearken to your bare word, he shall never beleeve what God hath foretold, nor know what we hold. The last text is Ezekiels vision of the dry bones, chap. 37. And if it betokens the Jewes returne from their captivity, as ver. 11. doth seeme to interpret it, where it is said, These bones are the whole house of Israel. Yet it is observeable, first, that the deliverance here foreshewne, is of all the Tribes, of the

whole house of Israel. Secondly, that it is to be after such a long and tedious captivity, as should make them even despaire of a deliverance, as ver. 11. doth declare. And thirdly, that at the time of their deliverance, they shall become an exceeding great Army, as it is said, ver. 10. which observations doe infallibly manifest, that this prophecy hath not been yeraccomplished, and consequently, that when you say, this vision [doth for eshew the re∣turne of the Jewes from their captivity, notwithstanding the exireami∣ty of their misery;] you doe unawares confesse, that they are not yet returned, but shall returne at the accomplishment of this pro∣phecy. For when were the Jewes delivered out of a captivity of such a long continuance as is here intimated, by these very dry bones, and by the raising of them out of their graves? or when did all the Tribes, the whole house of Israel returne to their land? or when did any of them (that I say not all, that I speake not of so great an Army as is here foretold,) make their way into their owne countrey by force of armes, since their forty yeares march into Judea out of Egypt? And therefore as all the other texts have relation to the first resurrection onely; so hath this last to the suture Redemption of the Jewes out of captivity: to their returne againe into their owne land, against the time of their re∣demption of the Saints bodies out of their graves, at our Savi∣ours appearing. And that which followes in the chapter doth as plainely reveale the uniting of all the Tribes in their owne land under one King; and our Saviours personall reigning over them there, as the vision of the dry bones doth their returne to their land.

Notes

• r 1.1

  Luke 14.14. ch. 20.35, 36. IOh. 6.39.40.44, 54. Phil. 3.11. 1 Thess. 3.13. ch. 4.14. &c. Ezek. 37.12.13.