The Glorious Kingdom of Christ, Chapter 8
Chap. VIII. Reaſons for the Negative humbly offered to Tryal.
§ 1. I. THat which is done already according to Promiſe, we muſt not take for undone, or expect to be done again. But the Calling of the Jews is done already according to Promiſe: Ergo, &c.
I hinted this oft before; I will not ſhun repetition where the cauſe requireth it.
1. It is granted that the Catholick Church is called The New Jeruſalem, ſo far as it is ſhort of the other World: But the Catholick Church, and therein the Jewiſh Nation, was more gloriouſly ſet up by the Chriſtian Empire, than the Millenaries, can reaſonably expect or plead for: 1. What are a few Rabble Jews, ſuch as are among us, to the great, rich, victorious Roman Empire, the greateſt that ever was on Earth, which turned Chriſtian in the Regent part, and ſhortly in the commoneſt Profeſſion? What an Empire would the Jews of England, Spain, Portugal, Turky, &c. make?
2. Conſtantinople was then called not only New-Rome, but New-Sion: And how greatly did it excel Jeruſalem in ſpaciouſneſs, riches, power and glory?
3. How ſmall and barren a ſpot was Judea, (like our Wales) in compariſon of the Roman Chriſtian Empire, in Europe, Aſia, and Africa? Like the Iſle of Man to England.
4. How great a Protection had the Jews under Conſtantine, and following Emperours, above what they had even after their Reſtoration from Captivity, from Zorobabel and the Maccabees to the end of their Policy.
5. What could they now deſire for their return more than they then had? What greater liberty, or encouragement, or help? An exceſs of Honour was put on their Countrey, and on all that would come into the Chriſtian Church.
6. What better Plantation of Religion can be expected in Judea, than was when the Emperours built them Temples, and devout people travelled thither, and dwelt there, and bought them Bibles, and built them Religious Houſes, and ſet over them Paſtors, and Biſhops, and A. Biſhops, and a Patriarch, one of the five in the Empire? And their National Church honourably united to the Catholick? What outward honour can they expect more? All Proteſtants note it as the wicked Superſtition of the Popes, that they were ſo ſet on the honouring of Jeruſalem and Judea, called The Holy Land, that they forced Emperours, and Kings (of France and England, &c.) at vaſt charges to go fight for it, to the loſs of 100000 men.
§ 2. Obj. But Judea was not all planted with Jews, but with a mixt people.
Anſ. 1. And muſt all that now poſſeſs it be robbed of their Habitations and Eſtates, to make room for our Jews? 2. There were no Jews reſtrained from going thither that deſired it: And would you have them forced, or ſent thither with a Paſs? 3. Thoſe that would not go thither had better encouragement where they dwelt.
§ 3. Obj. But it was not the main Body of the Nation that was converted and reſtored.
Anſ. 1. I have given great probability that it was the far greateſt part, ſo many of the Rebels had been before deſtroyed. 2. There was no Heathen Nation where the greater number preſently turned Chriſtians, till Power and Intereſt prevailed with them: Even till the days of Alaricus and Theodorick thouſands were Heathens in Chriſtian Rome. And holy Chryſoſtom in his days in the glory of Conſtantinople, reckoned but of a hundred thouſand Chriſtians, beſides Separatiſts and Hereticks, the reſt being Heathens and Jews; ſhall we therefore ſay that ſuch were no National Churches, that is, Chriſtian Kingdoms?
§ 4. Obj. But while their Governours were ſet over them by others, and not choſen by themſelves, they could not be called Jewiſh National Churches.
Anſ. 1. Their Paſtors were choſen by themſelves, whatever the Souldiers and Magiſtrates were. The Inhabitant Chriſtians Jews and Gentiles choſe them. 2. Their ſubmiſſion and conſent might make them Churches of Jews. 3. But I confeſs they were not, nor ever muſt be, Churches of Jews ſeparate from the Gentiles, or otherwiſe than as parts of the Catholick United Church. It ſeems you take not the Jews for converted, till they become ſeparated from the Catholick Church, and claim their old peculiarity. Of which more anon.
§ 5. II. The Doctrine of the Jews Converſion as inferring a Policy or Monarchy of Jews as ſuch, is a contradiction, and therefore impoſſible.
Is there any room then for any further diſpute of it?
When there are no Jews, there cannot poſſibly be any Kingdom or Common-wealth of Jews: But were the ſelf-curſed Progeny converted, they would be no Jews immediately in a Religious ſenſe, nor within ſixty or eighty years in a natural ſenſe.
1. A Converted Jew joyneth himſelf to the Catholick Church, and knoweth that this is his advancement, above the old ſeparate ſtate of Peculiarity, and knoweth that Moſes Law and Policy is ended; and that if he turn to that Law, he falls from Grace, and if he be (Jewiſhly) Circumciſed, Chriſt ſhall profit him nothing: Therefore he is no more a Jew in Religion.
2. And being a Catholick Chriſtian, he will marry with Gentile Catholicks, and not confine Marriage to thoſe of his own Nation, to keep up the ſeparation. And ſo within a ſhort time there would be no Natural Jews. For inſtance; If A marry B, a Gentile Chriſtian, their Children will be but half Jews: If their Children marry Gentile Chriſtians, their Children will be but a quarter Jews: And if thoſe marry Gentile Chriſtians, their Children will be but an eighth part of Jewiſh Race; that is, no Jews at all: Thus it is faln out with the Progeny of all their converted Anceſtors. I have ſince I was twenty four years Old, lived in the houſe with the Mother of the Grandmother of the Grandfather of ſome now living. And if I have ſeen between 24 and 76 ſo many Generations, in how ſhort a time would Converted Jews be no Jews?
§ 6. III. And the deſire of ſuch a Jewiſh Converſion, State and Kingdom, or Church, as ſhould continue them in a Jewiſh Line and Peculiarity, diſtinct from the Catholick mixed Church, is a wickedneſs, and contrary to the very nature of Chriſtianity, and the Kingdom and Deſign of Chriſt: For Chriſt came to take down the Partition Wall, Middle Wall, and make of two one new man, even both one, (no longer two:) Here is neither Greek nor Jew, Circumciſion nor Uncircumciſion, Barbarian, Scythian, Bond or Free, but Chriſt is All, and in All, of whom the whole Family in Heaven and Earth is named, and will have all to grow up to one perfect man, Eph. 2. & 3. & 4. Col. 3. Will Chriſt now turn againſt his own uniting Deſign and Kingdom, and ſet up Moſes again and his Policy?
§ 7. Obj. But we do not hold that he ſhall ſet up Moſes Ceremonial Law, or Worſhip.
Anſw. Nor if you are Chriſtians, ſhould you ſay, that he will turn again the one United Body into two, and by reſtoring the carnal Peculiarity, to ſet up again the Wall of Separation?
§ 8. Obj. But if Engliſh, French, Spaniards, &c. may be ſtill diſtinct, why may not Jews and Gentiles?
Anſ. Becauſe One is but accidentally and mutably, from the difference of Countreys and Habitation, and of Language, and Trading, and Government, which Chriſt came not to unite: But the other is on pretence of a Religious Truſt on a Divine Gift of Peculiarity, ſetting them up above the reſt of the Church, which Chriſt came to take down, and tendeth to Church Diviſions.
§ 9. IV. So hardly were the firſt Converted Jews taken off their conceit of Peculiarity, and acknowledging Catholick Equality of the Gentiles, and ſuch doleful Hereſies and Breaches were made by this Pride, that it is not ſafe tempting them to it again.
§ 10. V. It ſeemeth a Carnal Imputation of the moſt Holy God; as if he made under the Goſpel ſo great an account of one ſort of People by their peculiar Birth-priviledge, above all the reſt of the World. When Paul tells us that All Believers are Abrahams Children, and that he is not a Jew that is one outwardly, nor that Circumciſion which is of the fleſh. And the Jews are ſo far from being of any better nature or deſert than other men, that the Infidel part have ever ſince their ſelf-curſing and obdurateneſs in unbelief, been found in all Nations to be the moſt covetous, treacherous, and ſottiſh ſort of People: Much unprepared for ſo great a change.
§ 11. VI. Either All the Off-ſpring of the Jews ſhall be partakers of this pretended Priviledge and Monarchy, or only the Off-ſpring of thoſe that continued Infidels till the change. duplicate page duplicate page
But neither of theſe can be true. 1. The Off-ſpring of all that have been converted for fourteen hundred years after Chriſt, cannot poſſibly now be made any parts of a Jewiſh Monarchy or State: Becauſe they are all unknown, and are now no Jews: And ſo that it is impoſſible.
2. And to advance only the preſent profligate Generation, to a ſeparate Monarchy, excluding all the Off-ſpring of the Converts of all former Ages, looks ſo ſtrangely, that the affirmers had need to bring good proof of it, conſidering the difference of quality and number, that the leaſt and worſt part ſhall be chiefly advanced.
§ 12. VII. Either in this Jewiſh advancement, all the reſt of the Godly through the World ſhall be as much advanced, or the Jews alone. If all the Godly, they being I hope a Thouſand to one Jew, why ſhould it be called a Jewiſh Jeruſalem or Monarchy? Then ſure, this New Jeruſalem muſt be ſetled in all Kingdoms, where the Godly dwell: And ſhall they every where be Lords? If it be only for the Jews, can any but a Jew believe it? That the Off-ſpring of the ſcattered, curſed, ſottiſh Enemies of Chriſt, ſhall be ſo much preferred before all the Godly through the World?
§ 13. VIII. Either all the Nations of Heathens, Mahometans, Papiſts, and Ungodly-Ones, ſhall be Converted, with the Jews, or not: If yea, it will be a New and Happy World indeed: A Bleſſed Change will be made on Kings, and Parliaments, and Lords, and Rich Men, and Poor: And there will be as many Miracles as Men, when all thoſe ſhall be made wiſe and holy, that we cannot now with twenty years preaching prevail with to be Men, and to ceaſe malignity, and beſtial Luſts: Sure God will not Burn ſuch a Bleſſed World, and bury ſo many Millions of Miracles in the Flames.
But if it be only the Jews, that are miraculouſly Converted, it muſt be a Miracle that muſt cauſe the malignant Princes and People, Heathens, Mahometans, Greeks, Papiſts and Carnal Proteſtants, either to become Subjects to theſe poor Jews where they dwell, or to help or permit their Tranſportation to Jeruſalem, and then to be ſubject to them there: If this muſt be their Fate, why do we not acquaint our ſelves with thoſe few curſed Enemies of Chriſt, that live in London, in Wapping, or elſewhere near us, and honour them, and beg their favour againſt the time of their Reign. Oliver Cromwell appointed a Solemn diſpute before him, whether the Jews (for Money) ſhould have a Toleration, and when that good Man Dr. Tho. Goodwin, and ſome other godly Independents had ſpoken much for it, Matthew Newcomen (that holy Man) ſo opened the wickedneſs of turning looſe a Curſed Generation to tempt a Nation to Infidelity, that is already too much inclined thereto, as turned the Scales, and put an end to that deliberation.
§14. IX. Either the feigned Converſion of theſe Jews will be before the burning of the World, or after: But neither before nor after: Therefore not at all.
1. If it be Before, either it will be the Thouſand years Reign, or ſome part of the Thouſand years Reign, or beffore it all.
If it be the Thouſand years Reign, then 1. The World muſt laſt yet a Thouſand year after the Jews Converſion: Which few believe. 2. And then there will be no Thouſand years Reign after the Conflagration, which our chief Millenaries will not endure: For there is but One Thouſand years Reign looked for by them. 3. And then the New Jeruſalem ſtate ſhall have the numberleſs Enemies of the Armies of Gog and Magog: And ſhall fall to a Laodicean Lukewarmneſs: What! After ſo many Millions of Miracles?
2. But if they ſay it will be After the burning of the World, that is before diſproved: For the Thouſand years are paſt before that Conflagration. Gog and Magog, and the numberleſs Enemies will not ſurvive the Burning, nor live in the New Earth, wherein dwelleth Righteouſneſs.
3. And if they ſay that it will be but ſome part of the Thouſand years, or a ſhort time before the Conflagration. 1. The Thouſand years will not be divided, part before the Burning, and part in the next World. 2. And ſo ſhort a Reign of the Jews, as ſhall end before the Thouſand years, and Burning, will not anſwer the glorious preparation of ſo many Millions of Miracles, nor the Doctrine of their ſo ſpeedy Apoſtaſie after, as to prepare for the Incendium.
§15. X. The Miracles muſt be ſo many and great, that muſt go to the feigned Converſion and Exaltation of theſe Jews, that it will be a great and heinous crime to impoſe them on God by preſumptuous Fiction, if the Truth of them be not proved; 1. As to the number of Converts. 2. Their preſent unfitneſs. 3. Their ſcattered diſtance. 4. Their Servitude in all Nations. 5. The feigned way of their Converſion. 6. The ſtate of their feigned Exaltation. All theſe muſt be ſo full of Miracles, that will a thouſand-fold exceed all the Miracles that ever Chriſt did on Earth, or his Apoſtles after him. And God keepeth ſo conſtant a tenor in his Eſtabliſhed Order of working by means and ſubordinate Cauſes, as that we muſt have good proof before we ſay that he will do all this. Tell us not what God can do, when our Queſtion is, what he will do. God can enlighten the World without the Sun, or make all the frame of Heaven and Earth to change their courſe: God can convert Turk and Pope, and all the Heathens in the World, and all the bloody Princes and Souldiers, to morrow. But do not therefore ſay that He will do it. When the Devil tempted Chriſt to ſhew his power by a Miracle, he ſaith, It is written, Thou ſhalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
God hath appointed a quite contrary way for mens Converſion, Rom. 10. How ſhall they believe on him of whom they have not heard? and how ſhall they hear without a Preacher? and how ſhall they Preach unleſs they be ſent? Chriſt aſcended on high to give gifts and offices to men, for this end, Apoſtles, Prophets, Teachers, to gather and edifie his Church. Chriſt tells us of no way but the Lord of the Harveſt to ſend forth Labourers, and the Meſſengers to go into the high-ways and hedges, and compel them to come in: And the Sowers to go forth to ſow that Word, which is the regenerating Seed.
Though Chriſt would ſpeak to Paul from Heaven, it was to ſend him to Ananias. And though an Angel appear to Cornelius, it is to ſend him to Peter to be taught. Though Miracles affright the Jailor, Act. 16. it is to ask Paul and Silas, what he muſt do to be ſaved. And by what warrant ſhall we ſay that Chriſt will for millions quite change this his appointed way?
§ 16. 1. As to the number, it muſt be ten thouſands of Miracles that a number ſo great ſhould be thus changed all at once, or near it, throughout the World: And yet that a number ſo ſmall in compariſon of all others, ſhould become a Monarchy, and Gog and Magog be ſo friendly to them, as to permit and help them, as Cyrus did the Jews, in their removal, and afterward be ſubject to them.
§ 17. 2. They are now a more ſottiſh Generation, full of Malice againſt Chriſt, and Cruelty to Chriſtians where they dare ſhew it; ſordidly worldly and covetous: They live among Chriſtians, and all our endeavours, converſe and examples ſcarce converteth in this Kingdom, three in an Age. Bear with me you that talk ſo zealouſly for the Jews Converſion and Kingdom, while I ask you, How many in London have you converted in your lives? Yea▪ How many have you laboured with by Inſtruction and Argument to convert them, while you have prayed for their Converſion, and cenſoriouſly diſputed againſt us that doubted of your Opinion?
§ 18. 3. They are ſcattered over the moſt of the Earth, being every where a hated and deſpiſed people. And ſhall Preachers be ſent to them in all Lands at once? Shall Preachers ſo quickly be made, when no Countrey have enough for their needful work at home? And ſhall they quickly learn and ſpeak all the Languages of the Countreys where the Jews are? (For Hebrew alone will not do the work.) And ſhall all Jews on Earth, get together to Jeruſalem? Will they be Rich enough to bear the charge of their Tranſplantation? Or enough cured of the love of Riches, to leave their Trades and Wealth behind them?
§ 19. Obj. We hold not that they ſhall all be converted or dignified, but enough to poſſeſs Jeruſalem and Reign there: Say ſome, The Tartarians may do it.
Anſ. It ſeems then it is but the Popes old Zeal, to recover the Holy Land: But what's this to the Converſion of the Jews? Were they converted when Godfrey and others recovered it? The Tartarians taking Jeruſalem, will not prove the Converſion of one Jew, that now is taken for a Tartarian.
§ 20▪ 4. They are in ſuch ſervitude in all Nations, and ſo contemned a People among them, as muſt prove it a Miracle for them to remove ſo far, to power.
§ 21. 5. The feigned means of their Converſion is millions of Miracles.
1. The New Opinion is, that Chriſt ſhall do it by appearing in the Air as he did to Saul. O take heed what you impoſe on Chriſt! That appearance of Chriſt was ſeen but by a very few in one place: And the words heard by none but Saul himſelf. Shall Chriſt in the Air be ſeen at once in Perſia, Greece, Rome, Portugal, and all Nations where there be Jews? (And yet theſe good men are againſt the Lutheran Vbiquitarians!)
And ſhall Chriſt Preach to them in the Air, and his voice be heard throughout the World, a thouſand times further than the Thunder?
And how will they know that it is Chriſt? when on Earth they would not know him; but imputed his Miracles to Beelzebub?
And will the bare ſight of Chriſt, make millions of ignorant ſots preſently underſtand all the Eſſentials of Religion, yea and become eminently wiſe and holy, when we can ſcarce teach an ignorant one now to underſtand the Catechiſm or Creed in many years? I doubt many Millenaries have ſome ſuch Servants and Children in their own houſes.
2. Some ſay that Elias ſhall come and Convert them? A Jewiſh Dream: And how will they know that he is Elias? As they knew John Baptiſt to be Elias! If you ſay, as Peter did on the Mount, I ſay, that was by Inſpiration, or by Chriſts telling him that it was Elias. Shall they have either of theſe?
And where ſhall Elias preach to them? Is he alſo ubiquitary? If he preach in Spain, ſhall they hear him in Portugal? Or if in Holland, or Rome, ſhall they hear him in England? If he preach at Stepney, ſhall they bear him at Weſtminſter, at Tarmouth, at Norwich, and all over the Land, and over all the World at once? Or muſt he ſtay long enough to go over all the Earth? If one Man can do ſo much why have many thouſands done ſo little on the Jews to this day?
3. If you ſay, God will raiſe up and ſend forth Miniſters enough, that will be yet a greater Miracle: To give ſo many Skill, VVill and Zeal? To cauſe them to ſpeak with all the Languages of the Nations? When the Jeſuits at Japan, Congo, and China, after many years Learning their Tongues, do but ſet the Nations in a Laughter, to hear their miſpronunciation, as Maffeius, Varenlus, and others tell us.
And who will furniſh ſo many Thouſand new inſpired Preachers, with Money to carry them through all the VVorld? And procure them free paſſage through Enemies Lands?
4. But the laſt anſwer I expect is, that nothing is difficult where God will work, and Grace ſhall make one ſight of Chriſt, to Convert them all. I anſwer, If you lay all on the Miraculous Inſpirations of God, that can do it without ſeeing Chriſt, and without preaching; As God made the World with a Word: He can ſo make every Infant a Doctor, that they not ſtay as Chriſt, to encreaſe in Stature and Wiſdom. But if you feign him to purpoſe or promiſe this, take heed leſt he will not hold you guiltleſs for taking his Name in vain. This Creating Inſpiration of ſudden Wiſdom, Faith and Holineſs, into ſo many Thouſands over the World at once, will be a greater Miracle, yea Millions of Miracles, than ever Chriſt did: And is quite contrary to the Word of God.
§ 22. 6. The feigned Exaltation of them by a Jeruſalem Monarchy is alſo a deviſed Miracle: That theſe ſcattered people by ſuch means, ſhould get to Jeruſalem, and become a Grand Monarchy, and that in a place ſo uncapable, and that never was ſuch, no not in David's days.
§ 23. XI. Another reaſon againſt this Jewiſh Monarchy at Jeruſalem is, that inſtead of an Exaltation, it would be a Baniſhment to the Jews. Judea being like our Wales, or not ſo big as half England, and a Countrey (though flowing with Milk and Honey in compariſon of the Arabian Wilderneſs, yet) very full of Mountains, Rocks, and Deſerts, and oft infeſted with Famines. So that could they bear their charges thither, I believe that the Jews in Portugal, Conſtantinople, Rome, and Theſſalonica alone, would take it for as ſad a Baniſhment to be ſent to Judea, as all England duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page would do to be ſent to Jamaica, yea or Barbadoes.
If you ſay that God can feed them by Manna, or by Angels, or Ravens, or make all the Neighbours Countreys, (Egypt, Meſopotamia, &c.) feed them; take heed of impoſing upon God.
§ 24. XII. God in Scripture hath given us another deſcription of the Two New Jeruſalems, the Infantile and the Perfect, that on Earth, and that on Heaven, more Glorious and Deſireable than the Jewiſh feigned one: Therefore we ſhould not obſcure the Glory of them by ſuch a Fiction. As Satan fighteth againſt the Spirit by a falſe Spirit, and againſt the Church by a falſe Church, and againſt the Miniſtry by a falſe Miniſtry, and againſt Unity by falſe Unity, ſo doth he againſt the Kingdom of Chriſt, and the New Jeruſalem by a Counterfeit.
1. As the Aſſyrian, Perſian, Grecian, and Roman Monarchies were the four mentioned in Daniel; ſo there have been ſince a fifth and a ſixth. By a Monarchy now is meant only the Greateſt on Earth known to the Church. The fifth was the Chriſtian Empire, whoſe Chief Seat was Conſtantinople, called New Rome, and New Sion. I am not ignorant what is ſaid againſt this by Heddeggerus and many others: That is not to be diſputed in this narrow Room. The ſixth Monarchy viſibly is the Turks, with the Tartarian Unity, Gog and Magog. The ſeventh, the Sabbatical and Perfect Monarchy is that of Chriſt in the New Heaven, and New Earth, wherein dwelleth Righteouſneſs, after the Burning of this World: By debaſing Fiction confined to a Thouſand years, and Chriſts own Kingdom alſo ſo confined, whereas this wicked World hath already laſted Six Thouſand years within Three Hundred and Ten. This vilifying of Chriſts Glorious Kingdom is by blind Zeal now made the exalting of it, by many deceived and deceiving Men.