The Glorious Kingdom of Christ, Title page – Table of contents
The Glorious Kingdom of Chriſt, Deſcribed and clearly Vindicated,
Againſt the bold Aſſerters of a Future Calling and Reign of the Jews, and 1000 years before the Conflagration.
And the Aſſerters of the 1000 years Kingdom after the Conflagration.
Opening the Promiſe of the New Heaven and Earth, and the Everlaſtingneſs of Chriſt's Kingdom, againſt their debaſing it, who confine it to 1000 years, which with the Lord is but as One day.
Anſwering Mr. Tho. Beverley, who impoſed this Task, by his oft and earneſt Challenges of all the Doctors and Paſtors, and his Cenſure of Diſſenters as Semi-Sadduces of the Apoſtaſie, in his Twelve Principles and Catechiſms, &c.
By RICHARD BAXTER, whoſe Comfort is only the Hope of that Kingdom.
2 Peter 3. 13.
We according to his Promiſe look for New Heavens and a New Earth, wherein dwelleth Righteouſneſs. (After the Conflagration.)
LONDON, Printed by T. Snowden, for Thomas Parkhurſt at the Bible and Three Crowns, the lower end of Cheapſide. 1691.
To Mr. Increaſe Mather, the Learned and Pious Rector of the New-England Colledge (now in London.)
Worthy Sir,
WHen it befalleth me to differ from men more judicious, it is not becauſe I have a greater eſteem of my Intellect than of theirs, but becauſe that which to me ſeemeth Evidence conſtraineth me. And when I publiſh that ſeeming Evidence, it is not in expectation that any receive it, ſave thoſe that by impartial deliberate thoughts, diſcerning it, are convinced by it. I therefore craved your cenſure of theſe Papers, becauſe I found that you had long and laboriouſly ſtudied the Controverſie, and were confident of much of that which I write againſt: I have read no man that hath handled it with ſo much Learning and Moderation as you have done: And therefore I knew no man fitter, if I err, to detect my Errours. And as your Candour is rather for my publiſhing, than ſuppreſſing theſe Papers; ſo truly I am ſo far from diſliking a true Confutation of this (or any Errour that I ſhall publiſh) that I therefore direct theſe lines to you, to intreat you, to write (whether I be alive or dead) your Reaſons againſt any momentous or dangerous Errour which you ſhall here find: That as we thus friendly conſent to ſuch a Colliſion, or rather Communication, as may kindle ſome further ſparks of light, the Readers may be helpt by comparing all, the better to find out the truth.
Seeing the chief Writers for the Millennium are Conformiſts, (and men of greateſt Learning and Piety among them) as Joſ. Mede, Dr. More, Dr. Twiſſe, (then conformable) Dr. Creſſoner, Mr. Beverley, Mr. J. M. &c. I hope they will not take it for ſcandalous in you and me herein to differ.
You have partly relieved me againſt ſome Accuſations of Singularity, when you tell your Readers (in the Preface to your Engliſh Myſtery) that ſo many think the Thouſand years paſt already, viz. That Aretius, Bilney, Wickleffe, Walter Brute, Benno Cardin, &c. thought that the time began at the Birth of Chriſt.
That Viegas, Pererius, Auguſtine, Primaſius, Beda, Andreas, thought it began at the Paſſion of Chriſt: That Junius, Pareus, Dent, Broughton, Bibliander, Uſher, thought it began at the Deſtruction of the Jewiſh State: And that even Brightman, Majer, Forbes, Willet, Gerhard, Guild, Cartwright, as well as Alcaſer Caſtiglius, begin it at Conſtantines Inthronization; which is as the ſame with John Fox (Acts and Mon. Vol. 1. p. 111.) Grotius, Hamond, and many others that begin it at the Fall of Maxentius, or Licinius, or at Conſtantines Edict for Chriſtians, from whence to the Ottoman Empire ſay they was juſt a Thouſand years: And that the Converſion of the Jews will not be till the preſent ſtate of this World be near its end, you hold with Beda, Eſtius, Acoſta, Stella, Zanchy, Perkins, Voſſius, Finnus.
And page 20. you believe that the 1290 years in Dan. are paſt long ago, as you ſay, Arnold. de Villa nova, The Author of the Problem Mr. Stevens, Mede, Alſted, Lud. Capellus, Dr. Twiſſe (to whom I may add many more.)
Though you are plain, that the Thouſand years are not before the Conflagration, and that Antichriſt ſhall not be finally deſtroyed till then (though Rome ſhall) and that a Thouſand years will be but a part, a morning of the laſt great day, in which the Juſt only ſhall riſe, and that the evening will be the time of the riſing of the unjuſt to deſtruction, and the ſpace that is till Chriſt give up the Kingdom, &c.] Yet becauſe oft-times you joyn the Jews earthly Monarchy ſo obſcurely with the Reſurrection, without mentioning the intervening Conflagration, I intreat you in your next to make your ſelf therein more intelligible: And give ſome proof that the wicked ſhall not be raiſed nor judged till after the Thouſand years, (neither thoſe dead before, nor thoſe found alive at the Conflagration: ſeeing many words of Chriſt and Paul ſeem plainly to aſſert a common Judgment, of Sheep and Goats, juſt and unjuſt, at the ſame time of Chriſts coming.
As to my Opinion, that Pagan Rome was Babylon, I have ſo much to ſay for it, as muſt not here be repeated: If that caſt away my reputation with any or many, let it go: He is unworthy of reputation that cannot give it up for Truth. The Revelation hath much plain and eaſie to them that read it without prejudice (who I doubt are few.) I only fix on ſo much, and leave the reſt to wiſer men, without diſhonouring of their Judgments, ſo be it they give not up our Cauſe to the Papiſts, by laying it upon things doubtful or untrue, while we have ſure and plain proof enough againſt them.
Your unworthy Fellow-ſervant, RICH. BAXTER. London, Decemb. 19. 1690.
THE CONTENTS.
Chap. I. THE Kingdom of Chriſt as deſcribed in the Scripture.
Chap. II. An Anſwer to Mr. Tho. Beverleys Twelve Principles, and much of his Catechiſm of the Millennium, neceſſitated by his many provocations, and challenge to all the Doctors and Paſtors of the Church, and his cenſure of Diſſenters as Semi-Sadduces of the Apoſtaſie.
His firſt Principle examined. Of delivering up the Kingdom to the Father. Chriſts Kingdom began before the (diſputed) Thouſand years, proved. His Enemies much ſubdued before.
What is meant by Giving up the Kingdom? The longer continuance of Chriſts Kingdom, proved. Of Chriſts being ſubject to the Father. And God All in All.
Whether it be true that Chriſt was eternally a Man, having an eternal Kingdom as Man; but not as the Son of Man after the Millennium?
Whether out Union with God and Chriſt, Joh. 17. be that Then God ſhall be All in All as before the World began? Whether we were in God before the World began, and how? The tendency of this Doctrine. Of Mr. T. B's ambiguous Language.
His 2d, 3d, 4th, 5th and 6th Principles.
The 7th Principle. That thoſe found on Earth ſhall be preſently caught up at the Lords Coming, and not ſtay a Thouſand years after; proved fully: And the limitation of a Thouſand years confuted.
The 8th Principle. The Thouſand years further confuted.
The 9th Principle more of the Giving up the Kingdom.
The 10th, 11th and 12th Principles. Of the Fifth Monarchy, &c.
More of Mr. B's. Ambiguities.
Chap. III. Of thoſe Millenaries that place the Thouſand years Reign before the Conflagration.
Chap. IV. That the Ten Tribes will never be found and called, if they never were ſo heretofore.
Chap. V. The Ten Tribes were not loſt nor extinct, proved.
Chap. VI. What Converſion the Twelve Tribes have already had?
Chap. VII. Whether there be any Jeruſalem Monarchy of Jews, or any further Converſion of them, more than of other men promiſed by God? The pretended proofs examined.
Chap. VIII. Reaſons for the Negative humbly offered to Tryal. And ſome Objections anſwered.
Chap. IX. Of the New Earth; what is certain, and what uncertain?