The Catechism of the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ, Title page – Dedication
THE CATECHISM OF THE KINGDOM OF OUR Lord Jeſus Chriſt: IN THE Thouſand Years.
Shewing by Scripture, That the Great Articles of the Redemption, the Reſurrection, the Myſtery of the Saints not Dying but Chang'd, the Judgment, the Delivery up of the Kingdom to God All in All, cannot be Explain'd at Full Dimenſions without it.
Luke 1. 4. That thou mayeſt know the Certainty of the Things wherein Thou haſt been Catechized, or Inſtructed.
London, Printed for the Author, 1690.
To the Biſhops Aſſembled in Parliament.
And to the Evangelical Epiſcopacy, throughout the Proteſtant Acts 2…. 28. 1 Pet. 5. 2.Churches of Chriſt in theſe Nations, Grace, Mercy, and Peace, from God the Father, through our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, by the Eternal Spirit.
I Have heretofore Repreſented to you the Majeſty, and Kingdom of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, that ſhall Seven Times hence after the Expiration of the Apoſtaſie (now Ecclipſing it) be Daily more, and more Viſible; Till it ſhine out in perfect Glory. This I have done according to the Sure Word of Prophecy, which is of no private Interpretation, but being Scripture, muſt be ſearch'd even as All other Scripture, and ſo be, as All other Scripture, Profitable; and it hath this Excellency above other Scripture; That It particularly ſhines, as a Light in a Dark place, viz. In this Time of Eclipſe, or, as the Pole-Star in the Night, that we may know, whereabout we are in Time, and State.
Yet becauſe the General Prepoſſeſſion of Men, Caring for none of theſe Things, would not have Prophetic Scripture Search'd; that I might make Acceptable this Great Truth every way; I have now Repreſented it, as It is Carv'd, and Wreath'd into the whole Analogy of Faith, the Great Articles, and Principles of the Doctrine of Chriſt, according to the moſt Inſtructive Scriptures, viz. the Redemption, the Reſurrection, the Eternal Judgment, the Saints not Dying, but Chang'd, the Delivery up of the Kingdom to God All in All; which cannot be without the Kingdom of Chriſt Explain'd at full Dimenſions.
Now I call the Following Treaty hereof, a Catechiſm, as an Intimation of the Plain manner of Handling for the benefit of All; and of the neceſſity of Conſideration, and Repeated Application of our Minds to it; and alſo to ſhew; The Kingdom of Chriſt, though it yet lye Hid in its Roots the Fore-nam'd Articles, is ſtill a Fundamental Truth; and ſo though Catechiſm may ſeem below your Orb, yet This of the Kingdom of Chriſt, even as All Catecheticall Truths, deſerves the Graveſt and moſt Awful Judgments to Try and Recommend Them.
I do Acknowledge my ſelf the unworthieſt of the Servants of Chriſt, in the moſt Abaſed Circumſtances; and lay my ſelf at the Feet of the Church of Chriſt with moſt Penitential Confeſſions and Acknowledgments; Yet I muſt be Bold in our God to ſay, He hath been pleaſed to Reveal to me, of an Infant Underſtanding in Compare; and the Chief of Sinners; what He hath not ſo fully Reveal'd to the more Holy and Prudent; Even ſo Father, For ſo It ſeemed Good in thy ſight.
I moſt Humbly therefore Beſeech, and do even Adjure you by the Coming of our Lord Jeſus, and by our Gathering together to Him in the General Aſſembly of his Kingdom, That You would either ſhew by Scripture; Theſe Things cannot be ſo; or Receive this Miniſtery, as the Oracles of God, and Teſtify your Regard to it, that now makes in your Ears the cry of the Bridegrooms Coming in his Kingdom, That none of us may be among the Slumbring, though Wiſe Virgins, much leſs among the Fooliſh.
And You, to whom This Addreſs will firſt Come, ought to be the more Watchful, becauſe the Worldly Splendor of Your Sphere not ſo well Agrees with the preſent Ecclipſe of Chriſtian Glory, with the Tribulation and Patience of the Kingdom of Chriſt; and that Sackcloth, and Faſting ſtate for the Bride-grooms Abſence; You ſhould then ſurmount that Diſagreement by more Eminent Services to this Kingdom, leaſt There ſhould ſeem Any Surrogation in the Reformation to the Feet of Clay; the Papacy, the Cardinaliſm, the Roman Hicrarchy; who as the moſt Diametral oppoſites to the Kingdom of Chriſt Receive the Firſt Stroke of the Stone Cut out of the Mountains without Hands; and ſo You Receive the Diſhonour of any part in their Fall, at leaſt of Lukewarmneſs for that Glory of Chriſt; Or leaſt, as They by a Falſe Glory, as if 'twere the Glory of Chriſt, Glittering in this worldly Glory, Rob the True Light, and are Effaced by that True Light Appearing, or its Epiphany, You ſhould at all ſhare in that Effacement.
That we may be therefore All Guided by the Father of Lights, with whom is no Variation, nor Shaddow of Turning, to Try the Spirit of this Doctrine; and not to Call the Light of it Darkneſs; but to Come perfectly out of the preſent Ecclips; to Go on to Perfection in the Doctrine of Chriſt is, and ſhall be the moſt zealous Prayer of
Your moſt Humble moſt Affectionate Servant in the Goſpel of the Kingdom. Tho. Beverley.