The Glorious Kingdom of Christ, Chapter 3 – Chapter 4
Chap. III. Of the other Sect of the Millenaries that place the Thouſand years Reign before the Conflagration.
§. 1. THis was the Elder Sect: But Dr. More, and Mr. Beverley, and Dr. Creſſoner, and other late Writers, being more ſearching, did perceive that this way would not hold, nor by it could they countenance their Doctrine from Rev. 20. the only Text that mentioneth a Thouſand years Reign (miſunderſtood.)
§ 2. They agree that, 1. There will be a Thouſand years Reign on Earth: 2. That the Jews ſhall be called, and make a glorious part of this Kingdom: 3. That the Ten Tribes now loſt, ſhall be found, and be part of the Kingdom: 4. That Turk and Pope ſhall fall before this: 5. That at laſt Gog and Magog ſhall gather in War againſt this New Jeruſalem: 6. That fire from Heaven ſhall conſume theſe Enemies.
§ 3. But they agree not, 1. Of the ſtate of the Church with Chriſt above all this time. 2. Nor whether there be one or two New Jeruſalems (one above, and one below.) 3. Nor whether Chriſt ſhall Reign on Earth viſibly in his Humane Nature, or only by a holy Magiſtracy and Miniſtry? 4. Nor whether all or moſt of the Jews ſhall go dwell at the Old Jeruſalem, or Judea, or ſtay in the ſeveral Countries where they live? 5. Nor how far the Princes and Nations among whom they live ſhall be converted with them? 6. Nor by what means the Jews ſhall be converted? 7. Nor how long it will be in doing? 8. Nor how the Princes under whom they live will diſmiſs or uſe them? 9. Nor how they ſhall after all become a Laodicea, and fuel fit for the Conflagration? 10. Nor whether that fire that burneth the Earth and Heaven, and that which burneth Gog and Magog, make one or two Conflagrations? 11. Nor how far Chriſts Kingdom ceaſeth at the end of the Thouſand years?
§ 4. As to both Sects, I know no more that I have further to do for their full confutation, but I. To give a better Paraphraſe of the Revelation than their feigned ſuppoſitions contain: And that I have done in a Book not yet Printed.
II. To prove that the Ten Tribes were but part of them carried away by Salmanaſſer, and that they were in Cyrus Dominions, and had leave as well as the Two Tribes to return if they were willing: And that Galilee and other parts of Iſrael as much owned Chriſt as the Two Tribes, at leaſt: And the Twelve Tribes made up the Converts that were the Rudiments of the Chriſtian Churches: And that it was to the Twelve that James, Peter, and Paul to the Hebrews wrote: And it was the Twelve that the 144000 Rev. 7. were ſealed out of, ſo expreſly diſtinguiſhed from the innumerable Gentile Chriſtians, as may confute the Expoſitors, that make them to ſignifie the Gentile Miniſtry.
III. To prove that at the Fall of the Pagan Empire, the Fulneſs of the Gentiles came in, as meant Rom. 11. and all Iſrael ſaved: That near three Millions of the Jews that were curſed Infidels, being killed and ruined by Titus, Trajan and Adrian (out of a Countrey not ſo big as half England) and the Chriſtians eſcaping, the Chriſtian part remained the main Body of the Nation: And marrying with Gentile Chriſtians, and forſaking Moſes Law, loſt the name of Jews, which remained only with the Off-ſpring of the ſcattered Infidels. That Conſtantine made Judea one of the moſt famous National-Provincial Churches in the World, for Honours, Temples, Monaſteries and Biſhops, no Jews being forbidden there to dwell. And that God hath promiſed no further Converſion of the curſed remnant of the Infidel Jews, than of any other Infidel Nations: And therefore all Chriſtians ſhould not in ignorance of all this, corrupt their Prayers, and Sermons, and Religion, with fathering on God ſuch Promiſes of the Jews Converſion as he never made, leſt they be found guilty of adding to his Word, and taking his Name in vain, and ſcandalous depraving the Chriſtian Faith. Nor ſhould they by ignorance unthankfully deny the performance of Gods Promiſes, of the Fall of the Pagan Empire and Babylon, and ſo much of the Fifth Monarchy, and New Jeruſalem, and Converſion of the Jews, as certain Hiſtory puts us paſt doubt is already paſt.
The performance of this, to avoid prolixity, I ſhall but briefly give you as followeth.
Chap. IV. That the Ten Tribes of Iſrael, will never be found and called, if they never were ſo heretofore.
§ 1. THoſe that are for a Jewiſh Monarchy, or their general Converſion, commonly hold that the Ten Tribes carried away by Salmanaſſer, are loſt, and never yet reſtored. Whether this be true, we ſhall ſee anon. But if it were true, it would follow, that they never will be found and called, and conſequently that they will be no part of the Converted Jews.
§ 2. The proof is evident: Becauſe the Accident ſuppoſeth a Subject: That which is not, hath no Accident. There are no ſuch Ten Tribes unknown and uncalled exiſtent in the World. None will ſay that any ſuch are known: And that's enough to prove them unknown, and if unknown, not in being.
For 1. If the Infidel part of the Two Tribes be as many as ſuch think, how much more numerous muſt all the Poſterity of the Ten Tribes be?
2. And Navigations, Travelling, and Merchandize, and Embaſſies, have acquainted Men with ſo much of the Earth, as tells us that they are not known in any known part of the World: And were they Exiſtent they could not be unknown.
Benjamin's Itinerary that feigneth a diſcovery of them, proveth it ſelf fabulous, and is ſo accounted commonly by ſober learned Men. And dreaming that they are in America is no proof.
§ 3. Learned Mr. Sam. Lee, well deſcribeth many of the places to which they were tranſplanted, and very learnedly ſtretcheth his Wit to conjecture that they are in Tartary: But 1. There is not any probability given us by him that ever they were thither removed, [at leaſt any notable number.] 2. And though Tartary be large, and not all fully known to us, yet ſo much is diſcovered by Hiſtorians and Travellers, as may acquaint us that there is extant no Society of known and profeſſed Jews; they being all Heathens and Mahometans, ſave an inconſiderable ſprinkling of Chriſtians: And Scythia hath been ſo anciently peopled, that even to the Potent Roman Empire, they were the moſt Invincible Enemies; And the Wars of Tamerlane made them known to much of the World. And if they were there, and Marrying with Scythians have loſt the Name of Jews, they are unrecoverably Extinct. And ſo cannot be called as Jews, being now no Jews. It is become a Natural Impoſſiblity.