A Dissuasive from the Errors of the time, Chapter 11

A Dissuasive from the Errors of the time · Chapter 11

p. 224CHAP. XI. The thouſand yeares of Chriſt his viſible Raigne upon earth, is againſt Scripture.

The Originall and progreſſe of Chiliaſme.AMong all the Sparckles of new light wherewith our Brethren doe intertaine their owne and the peoples fancie, there is none more pleaſant then that of the thouſand yeares; a conceit of the moſt Ancient and groſſe Hereticke Cerinthus, a little purged by Papias, and by him tranſmitted to ſome of the Greeke and Latine Fathers, but quickly declared, both by the Greek and Latine Church to be a great error, if not an hereſie. Since the dayes of Auguſtine unto our time, it went under no other notion, and was imbraced by no Chriſtian we heare of, till ſome of the Anabaptists did draw it out of its grave: for a long time after its reſurrection, it was by all Proteſtants contemned; onelyonly Alſtedius, after his long abode in Tranſilvania, began in his laſt times to fall into likeing with ſome parts thereof, pretending ſome paſſages of Piſcator for his incouragement. Alſtedius Heterodox Writings were not long abroad when Mr. Meade at Cambridge was gained to follow him: yet both theſe Divines were farre from dreaming of any perſonall raigne of Chriſt upon earth: onelyonly Mr. Archer, and his Colleague, T. G. at Arnheim, were bold to ſet up the whole Fabricke of Chiliaſme, which Mr. Burrowes in his London Lectures upon Hoſea doth preſſe as a neceſſary and moſt comfortabe ground of Chriſtian Religion, to be infuſed into the hearts of all children by the care of every parent at the Catechiſing of their family.

The minde of the Independent Chiliaſts.Our Brethrens mind in this point, as I conceive, they have Printed; is this, That in the yeare 1650. or at furtheſt, 1695. Chriſt in his humane nature and preſent glory is to come from heaven unto Jeruſalem where he was crucified; at that time the heaven and earth, and all the workes therein, are to be burnt and purged by that fire of conflagration, mentioned by Peter, 2 Epiſt. Chap. 3. At the ſame time all the Martys, and many of the Saints both of the Old and New Teſtament are to riſe in their bodies; The Jewes from all the places where now they are p. 225ſcattered ſhall returne to Canaan and build Jeruſalem: in that City Chriſt is to raigne for a full thouſand yeares; from thence he is to goe out in perſon to ſubdue with great bloodſhed by his owne hand all the diſobedient Nations; when all are conquered, except ſome few lurking in corners, then the Church of Jewes and Gentiles ſhall live without any diſturbance from any enemy, either without or within; all Chriſtians then ſhall live without ſinne, without the Word and Sacraments or any Ordinance: they ſhall paſſe theſe thouſand yeares in great worldly delights, begetting many children, eating and drinking and injoying all the lawfull pleaſures which all the creatures then redeemed from their ancient ſlavery can afford. In this Earthly happineſſe ſhall the Church continue till the end of the thouſand yeares when the relicks of the Turkiſh and Heatheniſh Nations ſhall beſiege the new Jeruſalem, and Chriſt with fire from heaven ſhall deſtroy them: afterwards followeth the ſecond reſurrection of all the dead good and bad for the laſt judgement. Thus farre the Independent Preach and Print: further Cerinthus himſelfe went not, if you will except the Polygamy and ſacrifices of the old Iſraelits. What truth may be in theſe things, let the arguments which are uſually brought▪ either pro or contra, declare.

Againſt the mentioned Tenet I reaſon, firſt,Our firſt reaſon againſt the Chiliaſts is, that Chriſt from his aſcention to the laſt judgement abides in the heaven. He that remaines in the heaven unto the laſt Judgement comes not downe to the earth a thouſand yeare before the laſt Judgement. But, Chriſt remaines in the heaven unto the laſt Judgement. Ergo. The Maior is unqueſtionable; the Minor is proved from the Article of our Creede. From that place he ſhall come to judge the quicke and the dead, importing that Chriſt from the time of his aſcention doth abide in the heaven at the right hand of the Father, and commeth not downe from that place to the earth till he deſcend in the laſt day to judge the quicke and the dead.

I know they are not moved with the authority of any humane Creed, yet they would doe well to ſpeake out their minde of this Article, as they doe of ſome others. Surely to ſay that Chriſt ſhall come from heaven in his humane nature, to abide a thouſand yeares on the earth, and then to returne againe to the heaven, that he may diſcend the third time from the heaven in the laſt day to judge the quicke and the dead, is ſo evident a perverting of that p. 226Article that Mr. Mead their great Doctor and leader in this Tenet, to eſchew it, falleth into a very ſtrange and ſingular conceit, wherein I doubt whether any of the Independents will be pleaſed to follow him; with all other Orthodox Divines he makes but two commings of Chriſt from the heaven to the earth; the firſt at the Incarnation, the ſecond at the day of Judgement: but this day of Judgement he extends to a round thouſand yeares, and this day to him is the onelyonly time of the Millenary raigne. We neede not refute this fancie; for the beſt arguments which are brought for it, are ſome teſtimonies from the Talmudicke Rabbins, and theſe, as I conceive, underſtood againſt the true ſence of the Authors. The ſtreame of Scripture and Reaſon runne more againſt this conceit then any other part of Chiliaſme, as the moſt of the Chiliaſts themſelves will confeſſe.

However, what I brought from the Apoſtolick Creed of Chriſt his aboade in the heaven till the laſt day, I prove it from Scripture, Acts. 3 21. Whom the heavens muſt receive till the time of the reſtitution of all things which God hath ſpoken by the mouth of all the holy Prophets ſince the world began. This place proveth clearely the aboade of Chriſts body in the heaven till the time of the reſtitution of all things. So much our Brethren grant, but they deny our aſſumption that the time of the reſtitution of all things is the laſt day; this therefore we prove not by the Teſtimony of all the reformed, who unanimouſly bring this place as a maine ground againſt the Papiſts and Lutherans in the queſtions of Tranſubſtantiation and Ubiquity, but by three reaſons from the Text it ſelfe. Firſt, that time here is underſtood when all things that are ſpoken of by all the Prophets, are performed: But, all things ſpoken of by all the Prophets, are not performed till the laſt day. Maſter Burrowes alleadgeance that all the Prophets are frequent and large upon the Raigne of the 1000 yeares, but rare and ſparing upon the doctrine of the laſt Judgement and life eternall, might well have beene ſpared for the one halfe of it, and left to the Socino-Remonſtrants; but ſuppoſe it were all true, yet if any of the Prophets have ſpoken any thing at all of the laſt Judgement, as the Apoſtle Jude puts it out of queſtion even of Enoch it is cleare that the time of the performing of all things, which any of the Prophets have ſpoken, cannot poſſibly exiſt before the laſt Judgement, p. 227as we may ſee Rom. 8. ver. 21. compared ver. 18.23. where the reſtitution of the creatures to their deſired liberty comes not before the redemption of our bodyes, and the glory to be revealed upon the whole Church at the laſt day.

Secondly, the time here ſpoken of is when the Jewes to whom Peter did ſpeake, were to be refreſhed, by the Lords preſence; but this ſhall not be before the Generall reſurrection; for the Chiliaſts doe maintaine that all the Jewes ſhall not riſe, neither that any of them to whom the Apoſtle did then ſpeake, ſhall be partakers of the firſt reſurrection, unleſſe ſome of them who were Martyres; for the honour and Glory of this firſt reſurrection, the moſt of them make it ſo rare and ſingular a priviledge, that Daniel himſelfe does not obtaine it but by a ſpeciall promiſe.

Thirdly, The time when God doth ſolemly before Men and Angels declare the abſolution and blotting out of the ſinnes of all his people, is not before the laſt day. But this is the time whereof the Apoſtle Peter ſpeakes in the preſent place, as appeares by the 19 verſe; That your ſinnes may be blotted out, when the times of refreſhing ſhall come from the preſence of the Lord.

Take but one other place for Chriſts aboade in the heaven till the laſt day. John 14.2.3. I goe to prepare a place for you, I will come againe and receive you to my ſelfe, that where I am there you may be. Behold Chriſt goes to the heaven and comes backe againe but once, for this very end, to take his Diſciples with him, not to abide with them upon the earth, but to place them in the Manſions of his Fathers Houſe in the Heavens, which he went to prepare for them, wherein all the time of his abſence he himſelfe was to remaine.

A Second argument we take from Chriſts ſitting at the right hand of God.Our ſecond reaſon is builded on Chriſts ſitting at the right hand of God till the day of judgement. This errour how innocent ſoever it ſeeme to ſome, yet it perverts the true ſence of ſundry articles of our Creed, and forceth its followers to coyne new and falſe ſenſes to a great many Scriptures whereupon theſe articles were builded. This was the reaſon why neither Piſcator nor Alſtedius nor Mead when they laide too faſt hold upon ſome of the branches of Chiliaſme, yet the bulke and roote of that Tree, Chriſts comming downe to the earth in his humane nature a thouſand yeares before the laſt day, they durſt never touch: but our Brethren have more venturous Spirits, they ſee much further then their Maſters, p. 228they ſcruple nothing to make all theſe things popular and Catecheticke doctrine. The reaſon I ſpoke of, is this, Chriſt ſits at the right hand of God till the laſt day. Ergo, he comes not to reigne on earth a thouſand yeares before the laſt day. The conſequence is builded upon this Propoſition, Chriſts ſitting at the right hand of the Father is not in earth but in heaven, which many Scriptures prove. Epheſ. 1.20. He ſet him at his own right hand in heavenly places. Heb. 1.3. He ſat downe at the right hand of the Majeſty on high. Heb. 8.1. He is ſet on the right hand of the Throne of the Maieſty in the heavens. The antecedent I prove thus, He ſits at the right hand of God till all his enemies be made his footſtoole. So ſpeakes the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 110.1. But all his enemies are not made his footſtoole till the laſt day: for till then, Satan, Sinne, Death, and all wicked men are not fully deſtroyed.

Our third reaſon is grounded on the reſurrection of the dead; the godly and ungodly doe all riſe together at the laſt day.Our third argument we take from the reſurrection of the dead. All the Godly at Chriſts comming from heaven doe riſe immediately to a Heavenly Glory. Ergo, none of them doe ariſe to a Temporall glory of a thouſand yeares upon earth. The antecedent ſee in Heb. 9.28. Ʋnto them that looke for him ſhall he appeare the ſecond time without ſin unto ſalvation. Chriſt hath but two times of comming to the earth, firſt in weakenes to die upon the Croſſe; The ſecond time in glory to give eternall Salvation without diſtinction to all beleevers who looke for his comming.

Alſo 1 Theſ. 4.14. Them which ſleepe in Jeſus, will he bring with him. The Lord himſelfe ſhall diſcend from heaven with a ſhout, and the dead in Chriſt ſhall riſe firſt; then we which are alive ſhall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meete the Lord in the ayre, and ſo ſhall we be ever with the Lord. The ground of comfort which the Apoſtle propounds to the Theſſalonians for all their dead, as well Martyrs as others, was their reſurrection, not before the Lords comming with the voice of the Archangell, but at that time when all the dead in Chriſt without exception do ariſe, and non of them abide on the earth, but all are caught up in the ayre to meete the Lord, and all remaine with him eternally thereafter without any ſeparation.

See alſo, 1 Cor. 15.22. In Christ ſhall all be made alive, but every man in his owne order; Chriſt the firſt fruits, afterward they that are Chriſts at his comming; then commeth the end when he ſhall have delivered up the Kingdome to God. The Apoſtle here ſpeakes p. 229of the Reſurrection of all, and particularly of the Martyrs ſuch as with the Apoſtle dyed daily and every houre were in jepoardy and fought with Beaſts; although he profeſſes to diſtinguiſh the diverſity of order that might be in this great worke of the Reſurrection: yet he affirmes that theſe who are Chriſts, do not ariſe till his comming; and his comming he makes not to be till the laſt day when Chriſt renders up his Oeconomicke Kingdome, having deſtroyed all his enemies, eſpecially death, & fully perfected the work of his mediation. This Reſurrection is after the ſound of the laſt Trumpet, when all the godly riſe, and are changed, and put on incorruption and immortallity, when death is ſwallowed up into victory, and the godly inherit the Kingdome of God; theſe things are done at the laſt day, not a thouſand yeares before it, as John 6. Chriſt avoweth thrice, in the end, ver. 39.40.44. I will raiſe him up at the last day. At that time the judgement is univerſall, both of the godly and wicked; and the execution of both their ſentences is immediately by the preſent glorification of the one and the deſtruction, of the other as we have it Math. 25.31. When the Son of man ſhall come in his glory, before him ſhall be gathered all Nations; and he ſhall ſeparate them one from another, as a ſhepheard divideth his ſheepe from the Goats.

Fourthly, we reaſon from the nature of Chriſts Kingdome.Our fourth reaſon is builded on Chriſts Kingdome which is Spirituall and not earthly. The conceit of the thouſand yeares makes Chriſts Kingdome to be earthly, and moſt obſerveable for all worldly glory; but the Scripture makes it to be Spirituall without all wordly pompe; neither doth the Word of God make the Kingdome of the Mediator of two kindes, and of a different nature, but one, uniforme from the beginning to the end, Luke 1.32. The Lord ſhall give him the throne of his Father David, and he ſhall raigne over the houſe of Jacob for ever. 1 Cor. 15.25. He muſt raigne till he have put all things under his feete; here there is but one Kingdome, and one way of ruling, a Kingdome meerely Spirituall, and nowiſe worldly. Luke 17.20. The Kingdome of God commeth not with obſervation, neither ſhall they ſay loe here, or loe there, but the Kingdome of God is within you. John 18.36. My Kingdome is not of this world; if my Kingdome were of this world, then would my ſervants fight; but now is my Kingdome not from hence. Rom. 14 17. The Kingdome of God is not meate and drinke, but righteouſneſſe, peace, and joy of the p. 230holy Ghoſt. Epheſ. 1.20. He raiſed him from the dead and ſet him at his right hand in heavenly places, and hath put all things under his feete, and gave him to be head over all to the Church. The Millenaries make his Kingdome to appeare in Armies and Battells, in feaſts and pleaſures, in worldly pompe and power, and will not have his Kingdome to ſtand in any of that ſpirituall power which ſince his aſcention he hath executed on principalities and powers, or ſhall performe upon the ſoules of men, till theſe thouſand yeares of worldly power and earthly glory viſible to the eyes of men ſhall begin.

Our fift reaſon is taken from the nature of the Church.We take our fifth argument from the nature of the Church; Scripture makes the Church of God ſo long as it is upon the earth to be a mixed multitude, of Elect and Reprobate, good and bad, a company of people under the croſſe and ſubject to various temptations, a company that hath neede of the Word and Sacraments, of Prayer and Ordinances, that hath Chriſt a High Prieſt within the vaile of heaven interceding for them. But, the Doctrine in hand changes the nature of the Church, and makes it for a thouſand yeares together to conſiſt onelyonly of good and gracious perſons, without all trouble, without all Ordinances, without any neede of Chriſts interceſſion.

Which ever on earth is mixt of good and evill.For the firſt, That Scripture makes the Church alwayes to be a mixed company, See Matth. 13.40. As the tares are gathered and burnt in the fire, ſo ſhall it be in the end of the world. The Sonne of man ſhall ſend forth his Angels, and they ſhall gather out of his Kingdome all things that offend and that doe iniquity: and verſ. 49. So ſhall it be in the end of the world, the Angels ſhall come forth and ſever the wicked from among the juſt. Alſo, Chap. 24.11. Many falſe Prophets ſhall ariſe and deceive many, & becauſe iniquity ſhall abound, the love of many ſhall waxe cold. Luke 18.8. When the Sonne of man commeth, ſhall he finde faith upon the earth? Theſe places declare the mixture of the wicked with the godly in the Church to the worlds end, and moſt about the end.

And ſubject to croſſes.As for Croſſes, See Pſal. 34.20. Many are the afflictions of the righteous. Mat 5 4. Bleſſed are they that mourne and that are perſecuted for righteouſneſſe. Acts 14.23. By many tribulations we muſt enter into the Kingdome of heaven. Rom. 8.17. If ſo we ſuffer with him, that we may be glorified together. 2 Tim. 3.12. All that will live p. 231godly in Chriſt Jeſus, muſt ſuffer perſecution. Heb. 12.6. Whom the Lord loves, he correcteth, and he ſcourgeth every child that he receives. Many ſuch places ſhew the condition of the Church in this life that ſhe is ever ſubject to tribulation.

Concerning Ordinances, that they muſt continue to the laſt day,Having neede of Ordinances See Epheſ. 4.11. He gave ſome Paſtors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the worke of the Miniſtry, for the edifying of the body of Chriſt till we all come to a perfect man. And for the continuance of the Sacraments, 1 Cor. 11.26. As often as you eate this bread and drinke this cup, yee doe ſhew the Lords death till hee come.

That in the moſt godly while they live on earth,Becauſe of her ſinfull infirmities. ſinne doth remaine, and that alwayes we have neede of Chriſts interceſſion in the heaven with the Father, it is cleare from 1 John 1.8. If wee ſay we have no ſinne, the truth of God is not in us. And Chap. 2. ver. 1. But if any man ſinne, we have an Advocate with the Father. Heb. 9.24. Chriſt is entred into the heaven it ſelfe now to appeare in the preſence of God for us.

Thus the Scripture deſcribes the condition of the Church on earth; but the Doctrine in hand alters much the nature of it for a great part of its time here: for of the 2650 yeares which they give to the Church from the comming of Chriſt to the laſt judgement, they make her to conſiſt for a whole thouſand yeares only of godly perſons, without the mixture of any one wicked; and all the millions who are borne in the Church in that large time, they are free from their birth to their death of all croſſes, of all ſorrowes, of all temptations, and as it ſeemes of all ſinne alſo; for that is the time of the reſtitution of all things when old things are paſt and all things become new: They make them to have neede neither of Word nor Sacraments, or any Church-Ordinance, neither of Chriſts Interceſſion in the heavens with the Father; for they have him among them in the earth, and they are freed from all ſinne; and all miſery.

A ſixth Argument.A Sixt reaſon from the ſecreſie of the time of Chriſts comming. Scripture makes the time of Chriſts ſecond comming to be ſecret and hid, not onelyonly to men, but to the very Angels, and to Chriſt himſelfe as he is man, Marke 13.32. But of that day and that houre knoweth no man, no not the Angels which are in heaven, neither the Sonne, but the Father. But this Doctrine makes p. 232that day open, and tells the time of it punctually; for they make the thouſand yeares to begin with the 1650 yeare, or elſe with the 1695. and the day of Judgement to be at the end of the thouſand yeares; ſo if their count doe hold, every child in the Church might tell us that Chriſt will come to Judgement in the beginning of the 2651 yeare, or at fartheſt in the beginning of the 2696.

A ſeventh Argument. The reward of the Martyrs is eternall life in the heavens,A Seventh, from the heavenly and eternall reward of the Martyrs. promiſed to them at Chriſts comming to judge the juſt and the unjuſt. Ergo, It is not temporall in an earthly Kingdome of a thouſand yeares. The Antecedent is proved from Matth. 5.10. Bleſſed are they that are perſecuted for righteouſneſſe, for theirs is the Kingdome of heaven. 2 Tim 4.6. I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is neare; I have fought a good fight; I have finiſhed my courſe; henceforth is laid up for me a crowne of righteouſneſſe, which the Lord the righteous Judge ſhall give at that day, &c. The reward that Paul expects after his Martyrdome, is the Crowne which Chriſt at the laſt day gives to all that waite for his comming at that time when he takes ven-geance on the wicked, as we have it 2 Theſ. 1.6, 7, 8, 9.10. where the reſt and retribution of the Martyrs, of Paul himſelfe and thoſe who at that time were troubled for the Goſpell, is ſaid to be at Chriſts coming to take vengeance in flaming fire on all the wicked, and to be glorified in all the Saints, and admired in all them that beleeve which without all doubt is not before the laſt Judgement; and if it were otherwiſe, the Martyres would be at a loſſe; for inſtead of a reward, a puniſhment ſhould be put upon them, their condition ſhould be made worſe then that of the common Saints, who during the time of the thouſand yeares remaine in the heavens among the Angels, beholding and injoying the Trinity, while the ſoules of the Martyrs are brought downe to the earth, and returne to a body, not like to the glorious body of Chriſt, nor unto theſe incorruptible, immortall, Spirituall bodies, which yet are promiſed to the leaſt of the faithfull at their reſurrection, 1 Cor. 15. but unto ſuch a body that eates, drinkes, ſleepes, fights, delights in fleſhly pleaſures, and converſes with beaſts and earthly creatures, in ſuch a Paradiſe whereof the Turkiſh Alcorane and the Jewiſh Talmud doth ſpeake much; but to a godly ſoule is very taſteles, and to a ſoule that hath beene in p. 233heaven, or to one that injoyes the preſence of Chriſt, is exceeding burthenſome and bitter.

An eight reaſon. The opinion of the Millenaries ſuppoſeth the reſtauration of Jeruſalem and of the Jewiſh Kingdome after their deſtruction by the Romans. But, Scripture denies this,An eight reaſon, the reſtoration of an earthly Jeruſalem brings backe the aboliſht figures of the Lgw. Ezek. 16.53, 55. When I ſhall bring againe the captivity of Sodome and her daughters, and the captivity of Samaria and her daughters, then will I bring againe the captivity of thy daughters in the midſt of them. When thy Siſter Sodome and her daughters ſhall returne to their former eſtates, and Samaria and her daughters ſhall returne to their former eſtate, then thou and thy daughters ſhall returne to your former eſtate. The Jewes are never to be reſtored to their ancient outward eſtate, much leſſe to a greater and more glorious Kingdome. Ieruſalem was to be rebuilded, and the ſpirituall glory of the ſecond Temple was to be greater then the firſt; and in the end of this ſame chapter, the reſtitution of the Iewes after the Babyloniſh captivity, by the vertue of the new covenant is promiſed; but the outward eſtate of that people was never to be reſtored to its ancient luſtre more then Samaria, or Sodome, as Amos ſpeakes of Samaria, chap. 5.2. The Virgine of Iſrael is fallen, ſhe ſhall no more riſe. And Iſaiah of Jeruſalem, The tranſgreſſion thereof ſhall be heavy, and it ſhall fall and not riſe againe, according to the Propheſie of Iacob, Gen. 49.10. The Scepter ſhall not depart from Iudah till Shiloh come. Importing that the Tribe of Iudah ſhould ever have ſome outward viſible rule till the comming of Chriſt in the fleſh; but thereafter the Scepter and power of the Church ſhould be onelyonly ſpirituall in the hand of Shiloh the Meſſias; he was the ſubſtance and the body of all theſe Types, the reſtauration of Ieruſalem and the erecting of a new Monarchy in Iudah, for the Iewes, were to bring backe the old evaniſhed ſhadowes contrary to the doctrine and nature of the Goſpell.

One other reaſon. The Millenaries lay it for a ground,A ninth, Antichriſt is not aboliſht till the day of Judgement. that Antichriſt ſhall be deſtroyed and fully aboliſhed before their thouſand yeares beginne; but Scripture makes Antichriſt to continue to the day of Judgement. 2 Theſ. 2.8. Then ſhall that wicked man be revealed whom the Lord ſhall conſume with the Spirit of his mouth, and ſhall deſtroy with the brightneſſe of his comming. The brightneſſe of Chriſts comming is not before the laſt day, as before is proved. p. 234See alſo, Revel. 19.20. The beaſt was taken, and with him the falſe Prophet; theſe both were caſt alive into a lake of fire burning with Brimſtone. Compare it with verſ. 7. Let us be glad and rejoyce, for the Marriage of the Lambe is come. Antichriſt is caſt alive into the lake at the Marriage of the Lambe; no living men are caſt into hell before the laſt day; and Chriſts Marriage with his Church is not ſolemnized with a part of the Elect, but with the whole bodie at the generall reſurrection.

The Chiliaſts firſt reaſon is from Re…l. 20.4For the oppoſite Tenet divers Scriptures are brought; above all, Rev. 29 4, 5, 6. And I ſaw the ſoules of them that were beheaded for the witneſſe of Jeſus, and they lived and raigned with Chriſt a thouſand yeares; but the reſt of the dead lived not againe till the thouſand yeares were finiſhed; this is the firſt reſurrection. Hence they do infer Chriſts perſonall reigne upon earth for a thouſand yeares; alſo the reſurrection of the Martyrs, and of ſome others a thouſand yeares before the generall reſurrection: Divers ſuch concluſions doe they draw from this place.Anſwer We Anſwer, Firſt, that the reſurrection 1here is mentioned onelyonly occaſionally; alſo this place, as the moſt of this Booke, is Myſticall and Allegoricall; beſides, it is without all controverſie, the words cited are among the moſt obſcure and difficult places of the whole Scripture; the moſt of the places alleadged in the former arguments did ſpeake of the reſurrection purpoſely and at large; alſo in proper termes, without any Tropes or Figures, and were all cleare without obſcurity; it is not reaſonable to bring an Argument from one place where a point is handled onelyonly by the way and that in Myſticall and exceeding obſcure termes, againſt a multitude of places wherein the matter is handled of purpoſe largely and clearely.

2Secondly, they who from this place reaſon againſt the common Tenet, doe differ all of them among themſelves in ſundry materiall concluſions, the old Chiliaſts from the late, and the late one from another Alſtedius, Mead, Archer, Goodwin, Burrowes, Matton; every one of them have their proper conceits wherein they differ from the reſt, as will be found by any who compare their Writings.

Thirdly, In all this Chapter there is not one ſyllable to prove 3Chriſts being upon the earth, but that one word of the Saints reigning with Chriſt. Suppoſe the Text had expreſſed that they who p. 235did reigne with Chriſt, had beene upon earth themſelves; this would not prove that Chriſt (becauſe they are ſaid to raigne with him) was upon earth with them; for Rom. 8.17. If children, then joynt-heires with Chriſt, if ſo be… that we ſuffer with him that we may be alſo glorified together. There is here in one verſe three paralell phraſes with that in hand, Heires with Chriſt, Suffering with Chriſt, Glorified with Chriſt; and a fourth, Epheſ. 1.3. Who hath bleſſed us with all Spirituall bleſſings in heavenly places in Chriſt; Will it hence follow that Chriſts humane nature was then upon earth with them who ſuffered with him, were heires with him, were bleſſed in him in heavenly places with all ſpirituall graces, and were to be glorified with him? if none of theſe foure phraſes imply a perſonall preſence of Chriſt upon earth with men, much leſſe will the place controverted doe it; for they ſpeak expreſly of men living upon the earth, but it ſpeakes as expreſly of the ſoules of men that were in the heaven; the ſame that are mentioned, Revel. 6.9. I ſaw under the Altar the ſoules of them that were ſlaine for the Word of God. This place then is ſo farre from proving Chriſts perſonall preſence upon earth, that it imports the contrary, both becauſe they that are ſaid to reigne with him, were not upon the earth, but under the Altar in heaven; and alſo becauſe in verſ. 11. Chriſts Throne whereupon he judges the quicke and the dead, is mentioned after the raigne of theſe thouſand yeares. Now we have proved from many Scriptures that Chriſt remaines in the heavens till he come downe in the laſt day to ſit upon that Throne.

Fourthly, We deny that there is any thing in this place which 4imports a bodily reſurrection. They can produce no ſcripture where the firſt reſurrection is ever applyed to the body; there be ſundry places to prove a ſpirituall reſurrection of the ſoule, from the death and grave of ſinne, of errors and corruptions, before the laſt reſurrection of the body, Coll. 2.12. You are riſen with him through fayth: alſo 3.1. If then ye be riſen with Chriſt &c. But a firſt reſurrection of the body no ſcripture intimates; for ſo there ſhould be not onelyonly a firſt and ſecond, but a third reſurrection, as they tell us of a firſt, ſecond, and third comming of Chriſt to the earth. Further, the reſurrection here ſpoken of is attributed to the Soules of them that were beheaded; theſe are not capable p. 236of a bodily reſurrection, in propriety of ſpeech; and if to theſe ſoules, men at their owne pleaſure without any warrant from ſcripture, will aſcribe a body, they fall into a great inconvenience: for their love to this imagined firſt reſurrection of the body, they overthrow both the heaven and the hell which hitherto have beene beleeved; and make no ſcruple to create a new heaven and a new hell of their owne invention, to the dangerous ſcandall of all Chriſtians.

Our new Chiliaſts are inventors of a new heaven and of a new h…ll.Maſter Archer ſeeing well the abſurdity to bring a ſoule from heaven backe again to an earthly condition, tells us plainely That no ſoule at all went ever to that which we call heaven; That the Soule of Chriſt at his death, and of the good theife went onelyonly to an Elementary Paradiſe, a place below the Moone, in the region of the ayre, or at higheſt in the Element of the fire; That Enoch and Elias are gone no higher; That no ſoule of any of the Saints goes to the third heavens where Chriſt is, unto the laſt day. As for hell, he tells us that all Chriſtians but the Independent his followers, have beene in an error about it; he teaches that the hell whether the wicked now goes, is not that fire prepared for the Divell and his Angells, whether at the laſt Judgement they ſhall be ſent; but onelyonly a place of priſon in the Low region of the aire, or in ſome part of the Sea, where the ſoules of the wicked are kept till the day of Judgement; but at the day of Judgement, he tells us of a ſecond hell, very large, and farre higher then the preſent heaven of the Saints, the whole body of the foure Elements, all the heavens of the Planets and fixed Starres, and what ever elſe is below the third heavens the habitation of God; he turnes it all into the firſt Chaos, and makes all that confuſed body without any diſtinction, to be hell. In all this, the man is ſo confident, as if there were nothing in theſe ſtrange novelties to be called in queſtion.

5Fifthly, We deny that in this place there is one ſyllable for any earthly Kingdome. They ſhall reigne with Chriſt, therefore they ſhall reigne with him upon earth: this is an addition to the Text. For, ſuppoſe the words did import a reigning upon earth, yet this would not inferre an earthly reigne, for the Kingdome of Chriſt is ſpirituall; like his Preiſthood, and theſe two are here conjoyned, ver. 6. They ſhall be Preiſts of God and of Chriſt, and ſhall reigne p. 237with him. Chriſtians on earth are Preiſts, but not to offer bodily ſacrifice; and while they are upon earth they are Kings, but not to rule mens outward eſtates: for if ſo, then there ſhould be all theſe thouſand yeares many more Kings then Subjects. Maſter Archer tells us confidently without any ſcruple, that not the Martyres alone, and ſome few priviledged Saints, as his Colleague T. G. would have it, but that all the godly without any exception, ſhall riſe and be Kings to rule and judge the Saints, who ſhall be borne in the thouſand yeares, Suppoſe it ſhould be no diſparagement for all theſe who then ſhall be borne, to be excluded, while they live from all places of authority and power: yet would it not be ſome piece of diſorder to have more Kings to command then Subjects to obey, for I ſuppoſe that the godly of all by-gone ages ariſing together will be many more then the Saints in any one age of theſe thouſand yeares.

Sixthly, we deny that a thouſand yeares in any propriety of 6ſpeech, can be applyed to Chriſts Perſonall reigne; for if we ſpeak of his reigne either in his nature or Perſon, it is eternall, and not to be meaſured by any yeares or time; and if we ſpeake of his regall office as Mediatour, it muſt be much longer then a thouſand yeares; for although we ſhould cut off from his Monarchy all the yeares that are paſt ſince his birth to this day, which were much againſt the currant of ſcripture, ſince all this while he hath beene ſitting upon the Throne of his Father David, and ruling his Church as King and Monarch thereof; yet it were uncomely to confine the time of his reigne to come to a thouſand yeares; this were too ſmall an endurance for his Monarchy. Many humane Principalities, ſundry States and Empires which have beene and this day are in the world, might contend for a longer continuance, for this cauſe it ſeemes to be that Maſter Archer the moſt reſolute Doctor in this queſtion that I have met with, makes the thouſand yeares we debate of, to be onelyonly the evening of Chriſts Perſonall reigne; but to the morning therof wherein at leiſure all the proceſſes of the Laſt Judgement are gone through, he aſcribes a great many more yeares, readily another thouſand; and why not two or three or more thouſands? It is good to be wiſe to ſobriety; arrogant curioſity and preſumptuous wantonneſſe of wit …s deteſtable, though in the beſt men.

Seventhly, the place makes Satan to be bound up onelyonly from p. 238ſeducing the Nations, that he ſhould not be able as before the comming of Chriſt he was, to miſleade the Nations of the whole world to Idolatry, a free doore then being opened to the Goſpell in every Nation, for their converſion to the truth; but our new Doctors extend the place much further; they will have Satan bound up for a 1000 yeares, not onelyonly from ſeducing Nations to Idolatry, but from tempting any perſon to any ſin; this is contrary to theſe Scriptures which makes every Saint in all ages, to fight not onelyonly with fleſh and bloud, but with Principalities and Powers: which makes Satan always to goe about like a roaring Lion ſeeking whom he may devoure; and that ſo boldly that in the very preſence of Chriſt, he doth ſeeke to winnow the beſt of his Diſciples: yea, the place in hand gives to Satan in the very time of the thouſand yeares, ſo great power upon multitudes of men who never were ſanctified, but ever his vaſſalls, led by him at his will, that he makes them compaſſe the holy City, and the Campe of the Saints to fight againſt God, till fire from heaven did deſtroy them.

Their ſecond reaſon from Daniel 12.Dan 12Beſide this famous place, Maſter Archer, Maſter Mattoun and T. G. in his glimps, bring a number of other ſcriptures for their Tenet, wherewith we neede not meddle: for Maſter Petree, and Maſter Hayne in peculiar treatiſes have anſwered them all; onelyonly the cheife of them, which Maſter Burrows in his treatiſe upon Hoſ. 1. is pleaſed to chuſe out, we will conſider. He builds much upon Daniel. 12. as if it did prove the reſurrection of ſome of the godly to an earthly glory a thouſand yeares before the laſt Judgement; he borroweth from the glimpſe foure arguments, word by word; there is a fifth alſo in the glimpſe, which the moſt of that party doe much inſiſt upon; the firſt is taken from the ſecond verſe of that 12 chap. At the laſt Judgement ſay they, all ſhall riſe; but, in that place, many doe riſe, not all.

We AnſwerAnſwer. We prove that the Prophet ſpeakes here of the laſt 1reſurrection, by two grounds which our Brethren will not deny. Firſt, the reſurrection unto life eternall is onelyonly at the laſt day; but the reſurrection whereof Daniel ſpeakes, is expreſly to life eternall; not that prior reſurrection which out Brethren aime at, to a temporall Kingdome of a thouſand yeares. Secondly, the reſurrection of the wicked to eternall ſhame, is onelyonly at the laſt day; for according to our Brethrens Doctrine, the wicked have no part of the firſt reſurrection, and riſe not till the thouſand p. 239yeares be ended; now, the reſurrection whereof Daniel ſpeakes in verſe 2. is expreſſely of the wicked to ſhame and death, as well as of the godly to life and glory. As for their Argument from the word Many, it proves not that all did not riſe, but onelyonly that theſe that did riſe, were many and a great multitude. Therefore Deodate Tranſlates the words well according to the ſence of the Originall, The multitude of theſe that ſleepe in the duſt. The Collectives, omnes & multi, are ſometimes Synonemy's, according to the matter in hand; as omnes muſt ſometimes be taken for multi; ſo multi muſt ſometimes be taken for omnes.

Secondly, They reaſon from the third verſe, that in the laſt reſurrection 2the bodies of all the Saints ſhall ſhine as the Sunne: But, in the reſurrection whereof the Prophet ſpeakes, no body ſhines as the Sunne, but ſome as the Starres, others as the Firmament. Anſw. The preceding verſe evinces unanſwerably, that the Prophet here is ſpeaking of the laſt reſurrection to life everlaſting; as for the argument, it doth not follow that they who here are ſaid to have ſo much glory, may not elſewhere be ſaid to have more; for that which here the Prophet intends to expreſſe is not the abſolute but the comparative glory of the Saints; however the leaſt diſciple ſhould ſhine as the Sunne, yet if ye compare his glory with the greater light of an other, you may expreſſe the glory of both in the ſimilitude of lightſome bodies leſſe glorious then the Sunne, if ſo theſe bodies differ one from another in degrees of glory; for all that the Prophet here aimes at, is onelyonly this difference of glory. Chriſt in the Goſpell makes all the Saints to ſhine as the Sunne, yet the Apoſtle 1 Cor. 15.45. diſtinguiſhing the different degrees of glory that is among the Saints, ſcruples not to expreſſe the glory of the moſt of them in the ſimilitude of bodies leſſe glorious then the Sunne; There is one glory of the Sunne, another glory of the Moone, another of the Starres; for one Starre differeth from another Starre in glory; ſo alſo is the reſurrection from the dead. Further, will our Brethren affirme that the bodies of the Saints on earth during the time of thoſe thouſand yeares, ſhall be ſo farre changed, as to ſhine like the Starres, and yet to eate, drinke, and ſleepe? ſo much glory can hardly ſtand with ſo much baſeneſſe.

Thirdly, They reaſon from the fourth verſe; The laſt reſurrection p. 2403is no myſtery nor any ſecret to be ſealed up to the end of the viſion. But, the reſurrection here ſpoken of, is ſuch a myſtery as muſt be ſealed up.

Anſwer, Firſt, according to Mr. Burrowes expreſſe profeſſion in the ſame place, the Argument may be inverted; for the firſt reſurrection to the thouſand yeares of glory, he makes a Doctrine very well knowne and much inſiſted upon by all the Prophets before Chriſt; but the Generall reſurrection and life everlaſting he makes to be a hid and ſecret Doctrine which the Prophets in the old Teſtament doe ſcarcely touch. Secondly, Life eternall and death eternall, heaven and hell, are to this day very great Myſteries to the moſt of the world; and Scriptures concerning theſe, are hid and cloſed above any other. Thirdly, The words ſpeake not onelyonly of the reſurrection, but of the whole preceding Prophecie, eſpecially of the peoples deliverance by Michael the Prince from the oppreſſion of Antiochus, which was not much to be underſtood till it came to paſſe.

4Fourthly, They reaſon from the laſt verſe; Life eternall is common to all the Saints, and no ſingular priviledge of Daniels. But, the reſurrection here ſpoken of, is promiſed to Daniel as a ſingular favour.

Anſwer, Mr. Archer who is deepeſt learned in theſe Myſteries, affirmes. That all the goldly as well as Daniel, had their part in the firſt reſurrection; and indeede, if once you begin to diſtinguiſh, it will be hard to finde ſatisfactory grounds to give this glory to Daniel, and to deny it to David, to Moſes, to Abraham and many others. Secondly, We may well ſay that life eternall albeit common to all the Saints, yet is ſo divine, ſo rare and ſingular a mercy to every one that gets it, that it may be propounded to Daniel and every Saint as a ſoveraigne comfort againſt the bitterneſſe of all their troubles. Thirdly, The place according to the beſt Interpreters, ſpeakes nothing at all of any reſurrection; onelyonly it imports a promiſe to Daniel to live in peace all his dayes, that notwithſtanding all the troubles, of the Church which he ſaw in theſe viſions (as Diodate Tranſlates it) yet ſo farre as concerned himſelf he ſhould goe on to his end, and reſt, ſtand, or continue in his preſent honours and proſperous condition to his death, and … of his dayes.

p. 241Fifthly, from the 11. and 12. verſe they conclude peremptorily 5the beginning of theſe thouſand yeares to be in the yeare 1650; or at furtheſt 1695 for they make the 1290 dayes to be ſo many yeares, and the 1335 dayes to be 45 yeares more; theſe they make to beginne in the raigne of Julian the Apoſtate who after Conſtantine's death, did re-eſtabliſh Paganiſme in the Empire, and encouraged the Jewes to build the Temple of Jeruſalem, till God hindred them by an Earthquake which did caſt up the foundation-ſtones of the old Temple. Beginning their account at this time, the end of their firſt number falls on the yeere 1650, and of the ſecond on the yeare 1695. This is Archers calculation, which T. G. and others follow preciſely.

Anſwer, We marvell at the raſhneſſe of men who by the example of many before them, will not learne greater wiſedome; if they needes muſt determine peremptorily of times and ſeaſons, That they doe not extend their period beyond their owne dayes, That they be not, as ſome before them, laughed at before their owne Eyes, when they have lived to ſet the vanity of their too confident Predictions; however, in this calculation, there ſeemes nothing to be ſound; neither the beginning, nor the middle, nor the later end. If the thouſand yeares begin in the 1650 yeare, if Chriſt then come in perſon to the earth, what will keepe him from perfecting his Kingdome to the 1695 yeare thereafter; will he ſpend whole 45 yeares in warres againſt the Nations, before they be ſubdued to his Scepter? Secondly, What warrant have they to begin their account with the Empire of Julian? Did he ſet up any abomination at all in the Church of God? He opened againe in the Territories of his Empire the Pagan Temples, which by Conſtantine had been cloſed; by counſell and example he allured men to idolatry; but he troubled not any Chriſtians in the liberty of their profeſſion, he did not ſet up idolatry in any Chriſtian Congregation; The Lord did quickly kill him and ſo prevented his intended perſecution of Chriſtians. But although it could be verified of him, that he did ſet up the abomination of deſolation in the Temple; yet how made he the daily Sacrifice to ceaſe? he was ſo far from this, that to t… uttermoſt of his power he laboured to ſet up againe the daily Sacrifice which ſome hundred yeares ceaſed. Scripture ſpeakes onelyonly of two times wherein the p. 242ſolemne ſacrifice was made to ceaſe, and the abomination of deſolation was ſet up. Firſt, by Antiochus Epiphanes, and then by Titus Veſpaſian; but of Julian his making the ſacrifice to ceaſe, Scripture ſpeakes nothing. That Story of the Earthquake whereupon Mr Archer builds, albeit reported by ſome of the Ancients, ſeemes to be a great fable; Certainely, the application of it to Chriſts Propheſie of the Goſpel, A ſtone ſhall not be left upon a ſtone, as if this had not been fulfilled till that Earthquake had caſt up all the foundation-ſtones of the ancient Temple, is very temerarious. As The beginning and end of their calculation is groundleſſe, ſo alſo the midſt and the whole body of it is frivolous. What neceſſity is there to expound dayes by yeares eſpecially in that place, where yeares are divided into dayes? In the very preceding words, verſ. 7. the dayes here mentioned, are expreſſed by a time, times, and halfe a time: can they ſhew in any place of Scripture that ever a day is put for a yeare, where yeares, and dayes are conjoyned, and a few yeares are extended in the enumeration of all the dayes that are in theſe yeares?

The words of the Prophet Daniel are cleare, if they be taken as they lie; but if they be ſtrained to a Myſticall ſenſe, they become inexplicable. The Lord is comforting the Prophet and the whole Church by the ſhort indurance of the deſolations which Antiochus was to bring upon them; for from the time of his ſcattering of the Jewes, and diſcharging of the ſolemne ſacrifice, unto the breaking of the yoake of his Tyranny, it ſhould be but three yeares and a halfe with a few more dayes: yea, unto that happy time when the plague of God ſhould fall on his perſon, it ſhould be but 45 dayes more. The Hiſtory of Joſephus and the Maccabees, makes the event accord with this prediction. Why then ſhould we ſtraine the Text any further to a new ſence which neither agrees with the event nor with the words?

Their third argument.Another place alleadged by Mr. Burrowes, is Pſalme 102.16. When the Lord ſhall build up Sion, he ſhall appeare in his glory; As if this did import both the building againe of Sion and alſo Chriſts glorious appearance upon the earth.

Anſwer.Anſwer. This place ſpeaks of no ſuch things; the ordinary Expoſition of late and old Interpreters, agrees ſo well with the contexture of the whole Pſalme, that to drive it farther, were needleſſe, p. 243the place ſpeakes of the Babyloniſh Captivity, and of the earneſt deſire of the godly at that time to have Jeruſalem and Sion then in the duſt, againe reſtored. This deſire of the Saints is granted, and a promiſe is made to them that Sion ſhould be againe builded, and that the Lord by this act of mercy ſhould get great glory. But for any third building of Sion after the dayes of the Meſſias, or for any perſonall raigne of Chriſt upon earth, no ſyllable in this place doth appeare.

His next place is Rom. 11.12.Their fourth place. If the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminiſhing of them be the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fullneſſe?

Anſ. There is nothing here for the point in hand:Anſwer. we grant willingly that the Nation of the Jewes ſhall be converted to the fayth of Chriſt; and that the fullneſſe of the Gentiles is to come in with them to the Chriſtian Church; alſo that the quickning of that dead and rotten member, ſhall be a matter of exceeding joy to the whole Church. But That the converted Jewes ſhall returne to Canaan to build Jeruſalem; That Chriſt ſhall come from the heaven to reigne among them for a thouſand yeares, there is no ſuch thing intimated in the ſcriptures in hand.

Maſter Burrous fifth place, is Acts 3.20, 21.Their fifth place. He ſhall ſend Ieſus Chriſt whom the heavens muſt receive unto the times of the reſtitution of all things.

Anſ. That theſe words are to be underſtood of Chriſts comming to the laſt Judgement,Anſwer. and not of his comming to any Temporall Kingdome on earth, we did before prove.

His ſixth place, is 2 Pet. 3.10.13.Their ſixth place. But the day of the Lord will come as a Theife in the night, in the which the heavens ſhall paſſe away with a great noyſe, and the Elements ſhall melt with fervent heate; the earth alſo and the works that are therein, ſhall be burnt up: nevertheleſſe we according to his promiſe, looke for new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteouſneſſe.

Anſ. Firſt it would be remembred that our Brethren do adde among many other things,Anſwer. this alſo unto the Tenet of the old Chiliaſts, That before their golden age the earth and all things therein muſt be deſtroyed; That the earth wherein they are to reigne, that the Beaſts, Foules, Fiſhes, Trees and all other creatures they are to make uſe of in their thouſand yeares, are to be of new created, p. 244all the old creatures in their whole kindes being burnt to aſhes, and deſtroyed.

2We ſay ſecondly, That this place is miſerably miſinterpreted; for all that the Apoſtle is ſaying, is in anſwer to the ſcoffers cavill verſe 4. requiring in ſcorne the performance of the promiſe of Chriſts comming, not unto this thouſand yeares raigne, but to the day of Judgement and perdition of ungodly men, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks expreſſely verſ. 7. Now, all the Chiliasts confeſſe that this Judgement and that perdition, is not till after the thouſand yeares; ſo the burning of neceſſity according to their owne grounds, cannot precede, but muſt follow them.

Thirdly, the time whereof the Apoſtle ſpeakes, is called the day of the Lord, the uſuall diſcription of Chriſts comming to Judgement; alſo the day that comes on the world as a theefe in the night, which phraſe oftentimes in ſcripture is attributed unto Chriſts comming unto Judgement, but is not true of his comming to the Millenary reigne: for the calculation of that time is ſo well knowne, that it is preached and printed to be at ſuch a yeare, if not ſuch a mounth or day. Alſo, this diſſolving of the heavens and Elements with fire, is a concomitant of Chriſt his comming to the laſt Judgement, as is expreſſely intimated. 2 Theſ. 1.8.9.

As for the words whereupon alone they ground their argument, the new Earth wherein dwells righteouſneſſe. As if theſe words could not be true after the laſt Judgement: no righteous man then dwelling upon the earth. If they had looked upon the originall, they would have ſeene the weakeneſſe of their collection; for the words runne thus, We in whom righteouſneſſe dwells, looke for new Heavens and a new Earth; The habitation of righteouſneſſe referring neither to the heavens not to the earth, but to the godly and righteous perſons who did waite for the performance of the promiſe of new heavens and a new earth, as our late annotations doe obſerve; And though you would reade them according to our Engliſh Tranſlation, yet that inhabitation needes not referre to the earth, but to the heavens onelyonly, as Junius well obſerves. For it is not in qua terra, but in quibus coelis; and our Brethren if they beleeve Mr. Archer, muſt referre the Pronoune not to both the Subſtantives, but onelyonly to the one; for he teaches That during the thouſand yeares no righteous ſoule inhabites the p. 245heaven: and thereafter, that no righteous ſoule does inhabit either the earth or the heavens wherein now the ſoules of the godly are, all theſe being turned into hell, the habitation of unrighteous men and divells.

Mr. Burrows ſeventh place, Iſa. 65.21.Their ſeventh place. And they ſhall build houſes and inhabit them, and they ſhall plant Vinyeards and eate the fruit of them. and ver. 17. Behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, &c. Hence concluding not onelyonly a new heaven and a new earth for the Millenary reigne, but a planting of Vinyeards, a building of houſes; which cannot be after the day of Judgement.

Anſ. Firſt,Anſwer. Maſter Burrowes referres this place to the former paſſage of Peter; if therefore Peters new heavens and new earth 1muſt be underſtood of the life to come; Iſaiahs new heavens and new earth muſt be underſtood of the ſame.

Secondly, Its very new and harſh divinity to ſay that after the 2heavens have paſſed away with a noyſe, and the earth with all the workes thereof are burnt up, that men ſhall plant Vineyards, and build houſes upon the new earth; Therefore Maſter Burrows notwithſtanding his argument and reference of Iſaiah to Peter, ſeemes in that ſame place to retract and acknowledge that the new heavens and the new earth muſt be expounded by a Metaphor, and import no more then the doing of ſo glorious things by God for the Church, in the latter days, as ſhall manifeſt his glorious and creating power, as if he did make new heavens and a new earth. This is farre from the burning of the heavens and earth that now are. It is no more then what the Apoſtle Peter brings from the Prophet Joel: Acts. 2.19. And I will ſhew wonders in heaven above, and ſignes in the earth beneath, bloud and fi…, and vapour of ſmoake; the Sunne ſhall be turned into darkneſſe and the Moone into bloud. All which Peter makes to be performed upon the day of the Pentecoſt. It is no more then that of Haggay 2.6. Yet once it is a little while and I will ſhake the heavens and the earth, and the ſea, and all the dry land; which the Apoſtle Heb. 12.26, 27. makes to be performed at the firſt comming of Chriſt.

Thirdly, That the matter of this 65. chap. of Iſai. v. 16. is to be 3referred to Chriſts firſt comming, and the Apoſtles firſt pr…ching unto the Gentiles, is cleare by comparing the firſt verſe of this chap. I am found of them that ſought me not, with the 20 verſe of the p. 246tenth to the Romanes; But Iſaiah was very bold, and ſayth, I was found &c.

4Fourthly, to expound the Prophets in this faſhion▪ were to ſtumble the Jewes, and to give them too great an excuſe for their long misbeliefe, and too pregnant arguments for to delay their fayth while the Meſſias come to performe theſe promiſes upon earth, till their Ieruſalem were againe builded, and they put in poſſeſſion of the holy land, to build their houſes and plant their Uineyeards therein; till they ſaw themſelves put in poſſeſſion of their preſent carnall & legall hopes. Yea, T. G. his literall expoſition of this and the like places goes beyond the moſt of the Iewiſh apprehenſions. For that any of the Talmudiſts do dreame that at the comming of the Meſſias, the Lyon ſhall eate ſtraw, that the Leoparde and the Lambe, the Serpent and the ſucking childe ſhall be brought to ſuch a ſympathy of natures, as not to have the leaſt diſpoſition to doe harme the one to the other; That the life of men ſhall be ſo much at that time prolonged, as one of an hundred yeares muſt be taken but for an Infant and a childe; that the moſt fabulous of the Rabbins have gone thus farre in a litterall beleefe, I doe not know.

Their eight place.His eight place, is Heb. 2.5, 8. For unto the Angells he hath not put in ſubjection the world to come; but now we ſee not yet all things put under him; whence he inferres that Chriſt in the world to come, is to reigne and to have all things put under his feet, which is not now performed, the Apoſtle ſaying expreſſely that now all things are not put under him; neither is this true in the life to come; for then the Kingdome of Chriſt is rendred up to the Father.

Anſ. The world to come is not that imaginary world of the 1000 yeares,Anſwer. whereof the Scripture ſpeaks no thing; but the dayes of the Goſpell of which the Apoſtle is there ſpeaking, and ſhewing that the Goſpell was adminiſtred not by Angells as the Law had beene upon Mount Sinai, but by the Sonne of God himſelfe: This new world under the Goſpell did differ more from the old world under the Law, then the earth in the dayes of Noah and the Patriarchs after the floud, from the earth in the dayes of Noah before the floud. This new world of the Goſpell began with Chriſts firſt comming in the fleſh; it was demonſtrated in his Reſurrection, When all power in heaven and in earth was given to him. p. 247Math. 28.18. When all the Angells of God did worſhippe him. Heb. 1, 6. When he was ſet farre above all Principalities and Powers. Epheſ. 1.21. The accompliſhment of this world is not till the Laſt day, when Death, Hell, and Satan, which yet are not made Chriſts footſtoole, ſhall fully be conquered. Theſe things cannot be verified of the thouſand yeares. For according to Mr. Burrowes grounds, before they begin, many things are annihilated, and ſo not made ſubject; The heavens and elements are melted with fervent heate; The earth and the workes thereof are burnt up with fire; Alſo, during theſe thouſand yeares, Chriſts chiefe enemies are not fully ſubdued; death ſtill hath dominion over men; the devill is onelyonly bound, but yet alive, and not caſt into the lake.

His ninth place, is Ier. 3.16.17.The ninth place. They ſhall ſay no more the Arke of the Covenant of the Lord, neither ſhall it come to minde, neither ſhall they remember it; at that time they ſhall call Jeruſalem the throne of the Lord, and all the Nations ſhall be gathered unto it, neither ſhall they walke any more after the imagination of their evill heart. Hence, he inferres, A ſtate of the Church in the Laſt dayes ſo glorious, that all things by-paſt ſhall be forgot; That Judah and Iſrael ſhall returne from their captivity to Jeruſalem; That all Nations ſhall joyne with them; That they ſhall no more walke after their old ſinnes; That Jeruſalem which before times was at beſt but the footſtoole of God, ſhall then become a throne of glory.

Anſwer.Anſwer. There is no word here of Chriſts abode upon earth for a thouſand yeares. Secondly, the old things that are to be forgotten, are expreſſed to be the Ceremonies of the Law, but no Ordinance of the Goſpell. The Prophet names the Arke and the Temple which by Chriſts firſt comming were removed. Thirdly, The walking of Iudah and Iſrael together, and the Nations joyning with them, Imports no more but the calling of Iewes and Gentiles by the Goſpell to the Chriſtian Church the heavenly Ieruſalem: The ſame which the Prophet Eſay hath in his ſecond Chap. verſ. 5. The eſtabliſhing (in the Laſt dayes) of the Houſe of God on the top of the mountaines; the flowing of all Nations thereto; for out of Sion ſhall goe forth a Law, and the Word of the Lord from Ieruſalem; Theſe Laſt dayes, were the dayes of the Apoſtles, when they from Sion and Ieruſalem did blow the Trumpet of the Goſpell to all the Nations▪ Theſe were the times whereof Ieremy p. 248in the 15 verſe of the Chapter in hand doth ſpeake. I will give you Paſtors according to my heart, which ſhall feede you with knowledge and underſtanding. The Paſtors there promiſed, were Chriſt and his Apoſtles; better Paſtors then theſe God never ſent, neither ever ſhall ſend to his Church. Fourthly, Walking after Gods owne heart, doth not import a freedome from all ſinne; but onelyonly a ſtate of grace, wherein according to the new Covenant, God gives his people a newheart, and writes his Lawes upon the ſame. Fifthly, That whereupon the greateſt weight of the argument is laid, ſeemes to be a very groundleſſe conceit, That Ieruſalem, when it is a throne of glory, muſt be the old Ieruſalem builded againe; as if Ieruſalem under the Law, and Ieruſalem in the dayes of the Goſpell (the Church in the new Teſtament, the mother of us all) were but the footeſtoole of God. This is a doctrine expreſly againſt Scripture; for in divers places, Ieruſalem, Sion, and the Arke, even in the old Teſtament, are called not onelyonly the footſtoole, but the throne of God Ier. 14.21. Doe not abhorre us for thy names ſake; doe not diſgrace the throne of thy glory. Alſo Chap. 17.12. A glorious high throne from the beginning is the place of our Sanctuary. The Lord did as it were ſit upon the Mercy Seate as upon a chaire of State, under the Canopy of the wings of the Cherubins within the Sanctuary the chamber of his moſt Majeſtuous preſence. Ieruſalem under the new Teſtament, is called not onelyonly the throne of God, but his footſtoole, Eſay 40.13. To beautifie the place of my Sanctuary, and I will make the place of my feete glorious. This place our Brethren expound of the Sanctuary during the time of the thouſand yeares. However, it is cleare it muſt be expounded of the Church in the ſame times whereof Ieremiah ſpeakes in his third Chapter whence the Argument in hand is brought.

Their tenth place.The tenth place is Dan. 2 44. And in the dayes of theſe Kings ſhall the God of heaven ſet up a Kingdome which ſhall never be deſtroyed, and it ſhall ſtand for ever. Whence, is inferred an everlaſting Kingdome of Chriſt, & a joy of Ieruſalem unchangeable to any ſorrow.

Anſwer.Anſwer. Chriſts Everlaſting Kingdome, is meerely ſpirituall and heavenly. That dominion which the Father gave to the Son at his Incarnation, Luke. 1.32, 33. The Lord ſhall give unto him the throne of his Father David, and he ſhall raigne over the Houſe of p. 249Iacob for ever. This Kingdome for the matter of it, is truely everlaſting, being the glory which Chriſt and his Saints injoy for ever in the heavens; albeit for the manner of the adminiſtration thereof it be rendred up by the Sonne to the Father, when the worke of mediation is perfected, and all enemies are fully deſtroyed. To deny the beginning of Chriſts Kingdome over his Church, unto the thouſand yeares, is many wayes abſurd; And, becauſe of the eternall indurance of his dominion and glory in the heavens, to make the Church on earth in which he raignes, to be voide of all tribulation, of all changes, to have a perpetuall day without any darkeneſſe, is contrary to the Scriptures alleadged in the former arguments.

In the eleventh place, he alledgeth Revel. 19.13.Their eleventh place. And he was cloathed with a vesture dipped in blood. And Ezek. 21 28. And there ſhall be no more a pricking brier unto the houſe of Iſrael, nor any grieving them of all that are round about them. Whence, they inferre That in the beginning of the thouſand yeares, Chriſt with his owne hands ſhall kill ſo many of the wicked, that his garments ſhall be dipped in blood, and not one of them left to trouble the Church.

Anſwer.Anſwer. It is a very ſtrange conception to make the Lord Jeſus embrue his holy hands in the blood of ſo many men. That theſe battells are not fought with the hands of Chriſt, in a literall way, will appeare by a paralell place, Iſay 63.1. Who is this that commeth from Edom, with died garments from Bozra? Unto Chriſt here are aſcribed garments died in blood, becauſe of the ſlaughter of the Edomites, a little after the Babyloniſh captivity, at which time Chriſt had neither a body nor a garment in propriety of ſpeech. As theſe battells were fought by Chriſt, not in his owne perſon nor upon the earth; ſo neither theſe battells of the Revel-which ſo much the leſſe can be literally expounded, as in the 14 and 15 verſes of that 19 Chapter, the inſtrument whereby Chriſt is ſaid to fight theſe battells, is not any Sword in his hand, but the two-edged Sword of his mouth; and the Souldiers whom he leads out to theſe battells are not armed with Sword and Speare, but ride upon white Horſes, cloathed in fine linnen white and cleane.

As for that of Ezechiel, if you conſult either with the originall, or the beſt Interpreters, it muſt be expounded firſt and principally, if not ſolely of the Towne of Sidon which the Lord was p. 250to deſtroy, that it might no more be a thorne in the ſide of Iſrael.

From this, to inferre the purging of the Chriſtian Church of all other enemies in this life, and that by killing of them all as curſed Canaanites: were a dangerous concluſion, farre from the juſtice and innocence of Chriſtians in all by-gone times, the beleefe whereof would quickly renew unto us the horrible tragedies of the Anabaptiſts.

The twelfth place.In the twelfth place, he cites Rev. 21.23, 24. And the City had no need of the Sun, neither of the Moone to ſhine in it; and the Kings of the earth doe bring their glory and honour unto it. alſo chap. 22. ver. 1, 2, 3. and he ſhewed me a pure river of the water of life, &c.

Anſwer.Anſ. The Divines who apply theſe two chapters to the condition of the Church upon earth after the calling of the Jewes, take the moſt of the paſſages in a figurative and allegoricall ſence. To expound them literally and properly, of any Church on earth, the Text will not permit. Shall ever the Church on earth be ſo free of ſorrow and death, as not to ſorrow for ſinne, or to have none of its members mortall? Shall they ſo immediately ſee the face of God, as the uſe of Temples, Tabernacles, or any ordinance, ſhall be needeleſſe? ſhall ever man upon earth, be without the Sunne and the Moone? Theſe things are true in a proper ſence, onelyonly of the Saints of heaven. What is here alleadged to the contrary, That the Kings of the earth bring not their riches and honours to the Heavens; we ſay, it is but a part of the Allegorie, to expreſſe under that ſimilitude the glory & wealth of the life to come; as in the ſame place, the Spirit of God expreſſes the happineſſe of heaven by the Metaphors of gold and pretious ſtones, of rivers and fountaines, of trees and fruits. To expound all theſe in a literall ſence, of any Church either in earth or heaven, were incommodious; except our Brethren would put us upon more fancies then any of them yet have ſpoke of.

Their laſt place.In the laſt place, they cite for the gifts of the Saints, Zach. 12.8. He that is feeble among them, in that day, ſhall be like David; and the houſe of David ſhall be as God: and for the honour of the Saints that in the thouſand yeares they ſhall be taken into private familiarity by Princes and great men, Rev. 11.12. And they heard a great voyce from heaven ſaying unto them, come up hither; and they aſcended up to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies beheld them.

p. 251Anſ. The gifts meant by Zachary, Anſwer.are ſuch as are powred upon all the Saints of the New Teſtament with the ſpirit of grace and ſupplication, which makes the leaſt of the Kingdome of Heaven to be like unto David, to Elijah, and greater then John the Baptist, as Chriſt ſpeakes. But what is this unto the imaginary glory of the Chiliaſticke Kingdome? The honour they ſpeake of, cannot be fetched out of that eleventh of the Revel. For who but themſelves will expound heaven in that place, of the Thrones of Kings, of the Privie Chambers of Princes and great men? The calling up of the two witneſſes to heaven, by none elſe but them, will be taken for the Saints familiarity with great States-men: And according to their own Tenets, in the Chiliaſticke Kingdome there is no ſuch degrees of honour, as in this world. For there Chriſt in his owne Perſon is King, and all the Saints doe ſhine at leaſt as the firmament; and the glory of theſe Saints is greateſt whoſe grace is moſt eminent. Familiarity with Princes and worldly States-men, is then for no purpoſe. Beſide, the aſcention of the two witneſſes to the heavens, is before the fall of the tenth part of Rome, and ſo before the thouſand yeares beginne.

There be yet ſome more places cited by Maſter Burrowes and others for their Tenet; but theſe which we have anſwered, are the principall: and if they be cleared, there is no difficulty in the reſt.

Beſides Scriptures, Maſter Burrowes takes from the Glimpſe of T. G. ſundry teſtimonies of antiquity; all which, T. G. does borrow from Alſtedius. To the which I anſwer, That no Proteſtants build their fayth upon humane teſtimonies; and, no men in the world make ſo ſmall account of antiquity as our Brethren. It is marvellous if in earneſt they ſhould encourage themſelves in their Tenet by ſuch teſtimonies of the Fathers, as by the Catholick conſent of all poſterior antiquity and the unanimous profeſſion both of Proteſtants and Papiſts this day, are cenſured of error.

Who pleaſes to know the minde of antiquity in this ſubject, Let him conſult eſpecially with Auguſtin de civitate dei. Booke 20. almoſt through the whole; and the Commentaries of Vives, and Coqueus thereupon. If humane authorities either ancient or moderne, could give our Brethren any ſatisfaction in this queſtion, it were eaſie to preſent them with great ſtore thereof.

p. 252Thus farre had I proceeded when by my Superiours I was called away from theſe Studies to an other imployment, ſo what I intended to have ſpoken to the Anabaptists, the Antinomians, the Erastians, and eſpecially to the remainder of the Popiſh and Prelaticall Malignants I muſt remit it to another Seaſon.

FINIS.

End of the text · Robert Baillie, A Dissuasive from the Errors of the time (1645)