sufficient ground to conclude, that, the Anti-christian powers having
been wholly subdued, the Jews shall be converted. This may be inferred
from the order in which this is foretold, in the book of the Revelation,
in which the fall and utter ruin of Babylon is predicted, in chap.
xviii. And, after this, we read in chap. xix. of the _marriage of the
Lamb being come; and his wife, as having made herself ready_; and others
who are styled _blessed, are called to the marriage-supper_, in ver. 7,
9. This, as an ingenious and learned writer observes[197], seems to be a
prediction of the call of the Jews, and of the saints of the faithful,
namely, the gospel church, who were converted before this time, being
made partakers of the spiritual privileges of Christ’s kingdom, together
with them, and so invited to the _marriage-supper_; accordingly, by the
_Lamb’s wife_, is intended the converted Jews, who are considered as
espoused to him; and inasmuch as _their being ignorant of God’s
righteousness, and going about to establish a righteousness of their
own, and not submitting themselves to the righteousness of God_, Rom. x.
3. occasioned their being rejected; so, when they are converted, and
these new espousals are celebrated, it is particularly observed, that
this righteousness shall be their greatest glory, the robe that they
shall be adorned with; so that when this bride is said to have made
herself ready, it follows, in Rev. xix. 8. _To her was granted, that she
should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white; for the fine linnen is
the righteousness of the saints_. This prophecy, being placed
immediately before the account of the _thousand years’ reign_, in chap.
xx. gives ground to conclude, that it shall be before it, or an
introduction to it.
_Object._ I am sensible there are some who question whether those
prophecies, especially such as are found in the Old Testament, that
foretell the conversion of the Jews, had not their full accomplishment
in the beginning of the gospel-state, when many churches were gathered
out of the Jews, and some of the apostles were sent to exercise their
ministry in those parts of the world, where the greatest number of them
resided, upon which account Peter is called the apostle of the Jews; for
_God wrought effectually in him to the apostleship of the circumcision_,
Gal. ii. 8. and he, together with James and John, direct their inspired
epistles to them in particular.
_Answ._ But to this it may be replied, that there are some scriptures,
in the New Testament, relating to this matter, which do not seem, as
yet, to have been accomplished, but respect this glorious
dispensation, in which there shall be, as it were, an universal
conversion of them in the latter day; particularly what the apostle
says, _If the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world,
what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?_ Rom. xi.
15. And he adds, _I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of
this mystery, that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the
fulness of the Gentiles be brought in, and then all Israel shall be
saved_, ver. 25, 26. This seems, as yet, not to have been
accomplished; and as for those scriptures, in the Old Testament, that
predict many things in favour of the Jewish nation; though I will not
deny that many of them had their accomplishment, either in their
return from the Babylonish captivity, or in those that were converted
in the beginning of the gospel-dispensation, yet I cannot think that
they all had; for the prophet Hosea seems to foretell some things that
are yet to come, when he speaks of them, as being _many days without a
king, without a prince, without a sacrifice, and without an image, and
without an ephod, and without teraphim_, Hos. iii. 4. which seems to
point at the condition in which they now are; and he adds, in the
following words, _Afterwards the children of Israel shall seek the
Lord their God, and David their king_, to wit, Christ, _and shall fear
the Lord and his goodness in the latter days_; which seems to intend
their conversion, which is yet expected.
Thus far our faith, as to this matter, may be said to be built on the
foundation of the apostles and prophets: but, if we pretend to determine
the way, and manner in which this shall be done, we must have recourse
to uncertain conjectures, instead of solid arguments. That learned
writer whom I have before mentioned,[198] gives his opinion about it,
which I will not pretend to disprove, though, indeed the ingenuity
thereof is more to be valued than its convincing evidence. He supposes
it shall be somewhat like the conversion of the apostle Paul, by
Christ’s appearing with a glorious light on earth, and then retiring to
heaven again: but the accommodating one particular circumstance of
providence, (in which Christ seems to have another end to answer,
namely, that Paul might be qualified for the apostleship by this
extraordinary sight of him) to this matter, as an argument of the Jews
being converted in such a manner, proves nothing at all; therefore the
best way is to leave this among the secrets which belong not to us to
enquire after.[199] Thus concerning the conversion of the Jews, as what
is expected to go immediately before those glorious times that we are
speaking of. And to this we may add,
_5thly_, That there shall be a greater spread of the gospel through the
dark parts of the earth; and so that scripture, which was but now
referred to, concerning the _Gentiles coming to the light_ of this
glorious morning, or _the forces of the Gentiles coming_ unto the
church, Isa. lx. 3, 5. shall have a fuller accomplishment than hitherto
it has had; as also another scripture in which the prophet says, that
_the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters
cover the sea_, ch. xi. 9. We will not deny but that this had, in part,
an accomplishment, when the gospel was first preached by the apostles;
and, indeed, the prophet intimates, that these things shall come to pass
when _a rod shall come out of the stem of Jesse_, ver. 1. that is, after
Christ’s incarnation, who was of the seed of David, according to the
flesh. Therefore I cannot but think that those words, _In that day_,
which we often meet with in scripture, ver. 10, 11. signify the whole
gospel-dispensation, from the beginning thereof to its consummation, in
Christ’s coming to judgment; and then we may look for some things, which
the prophet here foretells, as what should come to pass in one part
thereof, and other things in another. And as to what respects the
knowledge of Christ being so extensive, as that it is said to _cover the
earth_; or Christ’s being elsewhere said to be a _light to the
Gentiles_, though it denote the first success of the gospel in the
conversion of the Gentiles, it does not argue, that such-like texts
shall not have a farther accomplishment when those other things shall
come to pass, which the prophet mentions in the foregoing verses, under
the metaphor of the _wolf dwelling with the lamb_, &c. and other things,
which relate to a more peaceable state of the church, than it has
hitherto experienced. And it seems sufficiently evident, that, when this
happy time shall come, the interest of Christ shall be the prevailing
interest in the world, and the glory of his kingdom shall be more
eminently displayed, than, at present, it is. In these respects, we are
far from denying the reign of Christ in this lower world, for we think
it plainly contained in scripture; nevertheless,
(2.) There are several things in their scheme, which we do not think
sufficiently founded in scripture. As,
_First_, We cannot see sufficient reason to conclude that Christ shall
appear visibly, or, as they call it, _personally_, in his human nature,
on earth, when he is said eminently to reign therein. If they intended
nothing else by Christ’s appearing visibly, or personally, but his
farther evincing his Mediatorial glory, in the effects of his power and
grace, which his church shall experience, as it does now, though in a
less degree; or if they should say, that some greater circumstances of
glory will then attend it, this would not be, in the least, denied: but
more than this we cannot allow of, for the following reasons:
_1st_, Because the presence of Christ’s human nature, here on earth,
would not contribute so much to the church’s spiritual edification and
happiness, as his presence, by the powerful influence of his Holy
Spirit, would do. This is sufficiently evident; for when he dwelt on
earth, immediately after his incarnation, his ministry was not attended
with that success that might have been expected; which gave him occasion
to complain, as the prophet represents him speaking to this purpose, _I
have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought_, Israel is
_not gathered_; and, upon this, he is, as it were, comforted with the
thought, that, notwithstanding, he should _be glorious in the eyes of
the Lord_, that is, accepted of, and afterwards glorified by him, and
that he _should be given for a light to the Gentiles_, Isa. xlix. 4-6.
that is, that the gospel should be preached to all nations, and that
then greater success should attend it. Now this is owing to Christ’s
presence by his Spirit; therefore, if that be poured forth in a more
plentiful degree on his church it will contribute more to the increase
of its graces, and spiritual comforts, than his presence, in his human
nature, could do without it; and therefore it cannot be argued, that
Christ’s presence, in such a way, is absolutely necessary to the
flourishing state of the church, to that degree, in which it is expected
in the latter day. It is true, the presence of his human nature here on
earth was absolutely necessary, for the impetration of redemption, or
purchasing his people to himself by his death; but his presence in
heaven, appearing as an Advocate for them, and, as the result thereof,
sending down his Spirit, to work all grace in their souls, is, in its
kind, also necessary. This our Saviour intimates to his disciples,
immediately before his ascension into heaven, when he says, _It is
expedient for you that I go away; for if I go not away, the Comforter
will not come_, John xvi. 7. and, if there be some peculiar advantages
redounding to the church, from Christ’s continuance in heaven, as well
as his ascending up into it, it is not reasonable to suppose that the
church’s happiness, as to their spiritual concerns, should arise so much
from his coming from thence into this lower world, as it does from those
continued powerful influences of the Holy Spirit, which are said to
depend upon, and be the consequence of his sitting at the right hand of
God in heaven.
_2dly_, If he should appear on earth in his human nature, he must either
divest himself of that celestial glory, which he is clothed with
therein, agreeable to the heavenly state; or else his people, with whom
he is supposed to reign, must have such a change made in their nature,
that their bodies must be rendered celestial, and their souls enlarged
in proportion to the heavenly state, otherwise they would not be fit to
converse with him, in an immediate way, by reason of the present frailty
of their nature. Of this we have various instances in scripture: thus
when Moses saw God’s _back-parts_, that is, some extraordinary
emblematical display of his glory, God tells him, _Thou canst not see my
face; for no man can see me and live_; and it follows, that while this
glory passed by him, _God put him in a clift of the rock, and covered
him with his hand_, Exod. xxxiii. 20-23. and assigns this as a reason,
because his face should not be seen. He could not, because of the
imperfection of this present state, behold the extraordinary
emblematical displays of the divine glory, without the frame of nature’s
being broken thereby; on which occasion Augustine says, understanding
the words in this sense, Lord, let me die, that I may see thee.[200]
Moreover, when Christ appeared to the apostle Paul, at his first
conversion in the glory of his human nature, _he fell to the earth,
trembling and astonished_, Acts ix. 6. as not being able to converse
with him; and afterwards, when the same apostle was caught up into the
_third heaven_, and had a view of the glory thereof, this was greater
than his frail nature could bear, and therefore he says, that _whether
he was in the body, or out of the body, he could not tell_, 2 Cor. xii.
2. And John, the beloved disciple, who conversed familiarly with him,
when in his humbled state, and _leaned on his breast at supper_, John
xxi. 20. when he appeared to him, after his ascension, in a glorious
emblematical way, says, _When I saw him, I fell at his feet, as dead_,
Rev. i. 17. compared with the foregoing verses, and the apostle Paul
says, _Though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth
know we him so no more_, 2 Cor. v. 16. that is, whilst we are in this
world, inasmuch as we are incapable of conversing with him in his
glorified human nature. This is also agreeable to what the apostle says,
that _flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God_, 1 Cor. xv. 50.
that is, man, in this present state, cannot enjoy those privileges which
are reserved for him in heaven, which include in them a conversing with
Christ, in his human nature, as well as with others, that are
inhabitants of heaven.
_3dly_, If we suppose that Christ will reign personally on earth, it
must be farther enquired; whether they that reign with him, during this
period of time, shall die, or no? If not, that seems contrary to the
fixed laws of nature, and this present state, as mortal, being opposed
to a state of immortality and eternal life; but if they shall die, then
they must necessarily lose one great advantage, which they now enjoy, in
dying, namely, _being with Christ_, Phil. i. 23. for when they die, in
some respect, they must be said to depart from Christ, and, whatever
advantage the presence of the human nature of Christ is of to the
inhabitants of heaven, that they must be supposed to be deprived of,
whilst he is reigning on earth. These, and other things to the same
purpose, are consequences of Christ’s personal reign, in his human
nature, on earth; for which reason we cannot acquiesce in their opinion,
who maintain it.
_Secondly_, There is another thing, that we cannot approve of, in the
fore-mentioned scheme, relating to Christ’s thousand years’ reign on
earth, when they assert several things concerning the conversion of the
Jews, which seem contrary to the analogy of faith. We have before taken
it for granted that the Jews shall be converted, when this glorious
reign begins, or immediately before it: but there are several things
they add to this, which, we think, they have no ground, from scripture,
to do; we shall mention two.
(1.) That after the Jews are converted, they shall continue a distinct
body of people, governed by their own laws, as they were before Christ’s
incarnation. But we rather conclude, that they shall be joined to, and
become one body with the Christian church, all marks of distinction
being laid aside, and shall be _grafted into the same olive-tree_, Rom.
xi. 24. that is, into Christ; and certainly the middle wall of
partition, which was taken away by Christ, shall never be set up again.
This seems to be intended by our Saviour’s words, _There shall be one
fold, and one shepherd_, John x. 16.
(2.) Besides this, there are several other things, which they assert,
concerning the Jews rebuilding the temple, at Jerusalem, and that being
the principal seat of Christ’s reign, where the saints shall reside and
reign with him. As for the temple, that was only designed as a place of
worship, during the dispensation before Christ’s incarnation, and was,
in some respects, a type of his dwelling among us in our nature; and as
for the temple service, as it is now abolished, it shall continue to be
so, till the end of the world; and then, what occasion is there for a
temple to be built?
And as for Jerusalem’s being rebuilt, or the land of Judea’s being the
principal seat of Christ’s kingdom on earth, we humbly conceive it to be
an ungrounded supposition, or a mistake of the sense of some scriptures
in the Old Testament, which were literally fulfilled in the building of
Jerusalem, after the Babylonish captivity, and have no reference to any
thing now to come. And as for the land of Canaan, though it had a glory
put on it some ages before our Saviour’s incarnation, as being the scene
of many wonderful dispensations of providence, in favour of that people,
while they remained distinct from all other nations in the world; yet we
cannot conclude that it shall be a distinct place of residence for them,
when, being converted, they are joined to the Christian church: and
therefore the land of Canaan will be no more accounted of, than any
other part of the world; and, considering also the smallness of the
place, we cannot think it sufficient to contain the great number of
those, who, together with the Jews, shall be the happy subjects of
Christ’s kingdom.
_Thirdly_, There is another thing, in which we cannot agree with some
who treat of Christ’s reign on earth, namely, when they suppose that the
saints, who are to reign with him, are to be in a sinless state, little
short of the heavenly. It is true, herein they are much divided in their
sentiments: but some assert, that they shall be free from all the
remainders of corruption; and, indeed, their argument leads them to it,
if we consider the saints as being raised from the dead, and their souls
brought back from heaven, into which, when they first entered, they were
perfectly freed from sin. From hence it will necessarily follow, that
there will be no room for the mortification of sin, striving against it,
or resisting those temptations, which we are now liable to from it: this
we cannot conclude to be a privilege that any have ground to expect,
while in this world; and, indeed, those graces, whereby we subdue our
corruptions, or strive against temptations, are peculiarly adapted to
this present state in opposition to the heavenly.
Moreover, when they say, as some do, that this reign shall be such, as
that the saints shall be free from all manner of trouble, internal or
external, personal or relative, at least, so long as Satan is bound,
that is, to the end of these thousand years; this seems to be more than
what Christ has given his people ground to expect, who tells them, that,
_in the world, ye shall have_, at least some degree of _tribulation_,
John xvi. 33. and that they must wait for a perfect freedom from it till
they come to heaven.
_Fourthly_, We cannot think, as some do, (as has been before observed),
that, during this thousand years’ reign, the preaching of the word, and
the administration of the sacraments, shall cease, and all other laws
and ordinances, which Christ has ordained for the gathering and building
up of particular churches, for the bringing in his elect, for the
propagating his name and interest in the world by these methods, shall
all be discontinued, as there will be no occasion for them. This is what
we think altogether ungrounded; for we cannot but suppose, that as soon
as the whole number of the election of grace are brought in, and thereby
the end and design of the preaching the gospel is answered; or when
Christ can say, Here am I, and all that thou hast given me, he will
present them to the Father, and so receive his militant church into a
triumphant state in heaven. And, indeed, it seems a very weak
foundation, on which this part of their scheme depends, when they say,
that those texts which speak of Christ’s _being with_ his ministers _to
the end of the world_, Matt. xxviii. 20. and elsewhere, that, in the
Lord’s supper, his death is to be commemorated _till he come_, 1 Cor.
xi. 26. relate to the coming of Christ in the Millennium, which seems a
very much strained and forced sense thereof. And as for that other
scripture, wherein it is said, that _the New Jerusalem had no temple,
and that it had no need of the sun, nor the moon, for the glory of the
Lord did lighten it, and the Lamb was the light thereof_, Rev. xxi. 23.
this must not he brought to prove that the ordinances of divine worship,
shall cease during this thousand years’ reign, unless they can first
make it appear that the New Jerusalem has reference thereunto; whereas
some think that the Holy Ghost is here describing the heavenly state,
which agrees very well with its connexion with what is mentioned in the
foregoing chapter; and if this be the sense thereof, the glory which the
church shall then arrive to, is such as shall be after the final
judgment, and consequently it is a description of the glorious state of
Christ’s kingdom in heaven, rather than here on earth.
Thus having considered what we think to be the general design of those
scriptures, which speak of Christ’s reigning in or over the earth, and
of the happy state of the church at that time; and, on the other hand,
endeavoured to prove, that several additional circumstances, which, some
suppose, will attend it, are not sufficiently founded on scripture, and,
in some respects, seem inconsistent with the spirituality of Christ’s
kingdom, and, with the ground we have to expect, that the present mode
of administration, and the laws and ordinances thereof, shall continue
as long as the world endures: we shall now consider the sense they give
of some scriptures, on which the main stress of their argument depends,
together with the inconclusiveness of their way of reasoning from them,
and also in what sense we apprehend those scriptures are to be
understood.
1. As to what concerns the _first resurrection_, which they found on
that scripture in Rev. xx. 6. _Blessed and holy is he that hath a part
in the first resurrection, on such the second death shall have no power,
but they shall be priests of God, and of Christ, and shall reign with
him a thousand years_: a learned and judicious writer[201] supposes,
that the first resurrection shall be only of the martyrs, and that it is
to be taken in a literal sense, and that this shall open the scene of
Christ’s thousand years’ reign, and that the second resurrection shall
be at the close thereof, in which the whole world shall be raised from
the dead, and then follows the final judgment: but he differs from many
of the ancient and modern Chiliasts, in that he says, he dares not so
much as imagine that Christ shall visibly converse with men on earth;
for his kingdom ever hath been, and shall be, a kingdom, which is of
such a nature, that his throne and kingly residence is in heaven; and
though the deceased martyrs shall re-assume their bodies, and reign, yet
it shall be in heaven; whereas the saints, who shall be then living, and
have not worshipped the beast, nor his image, nor received his mark,
these shall reign on earth; for he supposes, that scripture, that
relates to this matter, to contain a vision of two distinct things,
namely, one respecting those that _were beheaded for the witness of
Jesus_, and these lived and reigned with Christ, but not on earth; the
other respecting those, who, though they had not suffered, had _not
worshipped the beast nor his image_. These also reigned during this
thousand years, not in heaven, but on earth. These are considered, as in
their way to heaven; the other, as received into the heavenly country,
as a peculiar prerogative conferred upon them, as the reward of their
martyrdom; and this first resurrection he supposes to be against no
article of faith, but may be as well defended, in the literal sense
thereof, as the resurrection we read of in Matt. xxvii. 52, 53. in which
it is said, that _the graves were opened, and many bodies of the saints,
which slept, arose, and came out of their graves, after Christ’s
resurrection_; and, with a becoming modesty, he cites Augustin’s words
to this purpose,[202] that if nothing more were intended hereby, but
that the delights of this kingdom were spiritual, the opinion would be
tolerable, and that that father was once of that judgment. Thus he says
as much as can be said in defence of this opinion; and nothing is
wanting to support his argument, but sufficient evidence, that the text
must necessarily be taken in a literal sense.
But when others proceed much farther, and conclude that Christ shall
appear visibly on earth, and that the design of the first resurrection
is, that they, who shall be raised from the dead, should live here on
earth; this we see far less reason to conclude to be the sense of those
words, and accordingly shall take leave to consider what may be said in
opposition to it.
Therefore, if they shall be raised, their bodies must either be
corruptible and mortal, or incorruptible and immortal; to suppose that
they shall be raised corruptible and mortal, and consequently liable to
the other infirmities of life, is to suppose their resurrection to be of
the same kind with that of Lazarus, and others that were raised by our
Saviour: but this is so disagreeable to the character of saints, raised
from the dead to reign with Christ, that it is not generally asserted by
those who treat on this subject. Therefore they must be raised
incorruptible and immortal; and, if so, it will follow from hence, that
this world will not be a place fit for their abode; for they shall be
raised with celestial bodies, and so fitted to inhabit the heavenly
mansions; neither will those accommodations, which this earth affords,
the food it produces, or those other conveniences which we enjoy
therein, by the blessing of providence, be agreeable to persons who are
raised up in a state of perfection, as they must be supposed to be, or,
as the apostle styles it, _raised in glory_. And, since they are
appointed to live and converse with men in this lower world, I cannot
see how there can be any conversation between them and others, who
continue to live in this world, not, like them raised from the dead, but
retaining their present mortal frame. If _their vile bodies_, as the
apostle speaks concerning the bodies of the saints, when raised from the
dead, _shall be fashioned like unto Christ’s glorious body_, Phil. iii.
12. how can weak frail creatures intimately converse with them? And if
it be said, that they shall not be raised with such a glory, but that
this shall be deferred till they are translated to heaven, as was true
with respect to our Saviour’s human nature, after his resurrection;
though this be possible, yet it seems not agreeable to the account we
have of the circumstances of glory, with which the saints shall be
raised from the dead.
But that which seems to make this opinion more improbable, is, that it
is inconsistent with that state of blessedness, into which they have
been once admitted, namely, in their souls, wherein they have been in
the immediate vision and fruition of God; as travellers arrived to their
journey’s end, and wanting nothing to complete their blessedness but
their resurrection; and, now they are supposed to be raised from the
dead; yet their blessedness is diminished, by their being appointed to
live in this lower world, and, as we may say to leave that better
country, in which they have been, to re-assume the character and
condition of pilgrims and sojourners upon earth.
To this it will be objected, that we may as reasonably suppose, that
these saints shall be raised in circumstances, fit to converse with the
rest of the world, as any that have been raised from the dead have
formerly been. I cannot deny but that this is possible; but yet it does
not seem probable, inasmuch as they shall not be raised from the dead
for the same end and design that others have been, that the power of God
might be illustrated, or some contested truth confirmed by this miracle;
but that some special honour, or privilege, might be conferred on them,
as the reward of their former sufferings: but this is disagreeable to
their being raised in such a state, as that their happiness is thereby
diminished.
Moreover, what valuable end is answered by this their change of
condition, which might in some measure tend to justify the assertion?
Must they live here, that they might perform an extraordinary ministry,
to promote the edification of their mortal brethren, whom they found
living upon earth? This was not absolutely necessary, for God has
appointed other ways for the edification of his church; and, if he did
not think fit, before, to send down ministers, to preach the gospel,
from heaven, to them, but ordained the common method of preaching it by
others, less qualified for this work, who are subject to like
infirmities with those to whom they preach, why should we suppose such
an alteration in the method of divine providence on this particular
occasion?
And if we suppose that they shall continue on earth till Christ’s
appearing to judgment, then it must be argued, that they were sent here
not only to be helpers of the faith of others, who live therein, but to
be exposed, in common with them, to a second warfare upon earth; not,
indeed, with flesh and blood, but with those who are represented in the
same chapter, in which the first resurrection, and thousand years’
reign, are mentioned, as _compassing the camp of the saints about, and
the beloved city_; and therefore they are called back from a triumphant
to a militant state.
If it be said, that they shall be admitted into heaven before this
battle begins, that can hardly be supposed; for if God send them to be
companions with his mortal saints, in their prosperous state, will he
call them away when the time of their greatest danger approaches, in
which their presence might be of the greatest service to their brethren,
who are left to struggle with these difficulties? Therefore, upon the
whole, we cannot suppose that any shall, in a literal sense, be raised
from the dead, till this glorious, though spiritual reign of Christ
shall be at an end, and the day of judgment draws nigh, which is
agreeable to the general scope of all those scriptures, which speak of
the resurrection and final judgment.
_Object._ But to this it will be objected, that the scripture elsewhere
intimates, that there shall be two resurrections; for the apostle says,
in 1 Thes. iv. 16. that _the dead in Christ shall rise first_; therefore
why may not this resurrection be understood in the same sense with that
mentioned in Rev. xx. which has been before considered?
_Answ._ We do not deny but that this resurrection, which the apostle
speaks of, must be taken in a literal sense; but let it be observed,
that he does not here mention any thing of the thousand years’ reign,
but of the day of judgment, when _Christ shall descend from heaven with
a shout, and with the voice of the arch-angel_, with which the glory of
that day shall begin, and then the dead shall be raised, in which the
saints and faithful shall have the pre-eminence; they shall rise first,
that is, before others, mentioned in the following verse, _that are
alive, who shall be caught up with them in the clouds_. And this shall
also be done, before the wicked shall be raised, to the end that, when
Christ appears, _they_, as it is said elsewhere, _may appear with him in
glory_; and that they may bear a part in the solemnity of that day, and
be happy in his presence; when others are raised to shame and
everlasting contempt, and filled with the utmost confusion and distress.
Moreover, this first resurrection of those that died in Christ, is not
particularly applied to them that suffered martyrdom for him, much less
is there any account of its being a thousand years before the general
resurrection; therefore it may very well be understood of a resurrection
a very short time before it, and consequently gives no countenance to
the opinion, which has been before considered, concerning this
resurrection, as going before the reign of Christ on earth.
2. There is another scripture brought in defence of another part of
their scheme, taken from the apostle’s words, in Rom. viii. 21-23. where
he speaks of the _creatures’_ present _bondage_, and future deliverance,
and their _waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of their
bodies_, which, they suppose, will have its accomplishment, when this
reign of Christ begins: but I cannot think that the apostle, in that
scripture, intends any thing else, but that the whole creation is liable
at present, to the curse, consequent upon man’s fall; and that the
deliverance he speaks of, shall be at the general resurrection, when the
saints shall be raised immortal and incorruptible, which is what they
now wait and hope for.
Thus we have considered the sense that is given of some scriptures, by
those who understand the reign of Christ on earth, as attended with
various circumstances, which we cannot readily allow of; and shewed,
that some of those texts, which are usually brought to support that
particular scheme, have reference to the return of the Jews from
captivity,[203] and others, that predict their building of Jerusalem,
and the temple there, Jer. xxix. 5. Isa. xliv. 28. and the setting up
their civil and religious policy, had their accomplishment after their
return from the Babylonish captivity; and that those, which seem to look
farther, and respect some privileges which they shall enjoy in the last
days, will be fulfilled, when they are converted to Christianity, and
partakers of many spiritual privileges, in common with the
gospel-church; therefore I need only mention two scriptures more, which
we understand in a sense very different from what some do, who treat of
Christ’s reign on earth. As,
_1st_, That in which we have an account of the general conflagration,
which, as was before observed, some few, who give too great scope to
their wit and fancy, beyond all the bounds of modesty, and without
considering those absurdities that will follow from it, have maintained
that it shall be immediately before Christ’s reign on earth begins: the
scripture they bring for that purpose, is that in 2 Pet. iii. 10, 13. in
which the apostle says, that _the heavens shall pass away with a great
noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat; the earth also,
and the works that are therein, shall be burnt up. Nevertheless we,
according to his promise, look for new heavens, and a new earth, wherein
dwelleth righteousness_. This scripture, it must be confessed, is hard
to be understood. We are far from thinking, as some do, that it is only
a metaphorical description of some remarkable providences, tending to
the ruin of Christ’s enemies, and the advantage of his people; certainly
the words are to be taken in a literal sense; for the apostle had been
speaking, in the foregoing verses, of the _old world_, which, _being
overflown with water, perished_; which is, without doubt, to be taken in
a literal sense. And now he speaks, as some call it, of a second deluge,
which shall be not by water, but by fire,[204] _in which the heavens and
the earth shall pass away_, or be _dissolved_, that is, changed, as to
the form thereof, though not annihilated. By _the heavens and the
earth_, the learned Mede well understands that part of the frame of
nature, that was subjected to the curse, or that is inhabited by
Christ’s enemies, and includes in it the earth, water, and air, but not
the heavenly bodies, which are not only at a vast distance from it, but
it is little more than a point, if compared to them for magnitude. And
he also (notwithstanding some peculiarities held by him, as before
mentioned, relating to the Millennium) justly observes, that this
conflagration shall not be till the end of the world, and consequently
it shall be immediately before the day of judgment; and, indeed, the
apostle intimates as much, when he speaks of this awful providence, as
_reserved to the day of judgment, and perdition of ungodly men_, in ver.
7. The main difficulty to be accounted for, is, what is meant by these
_new heavens, and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness_, which
are appointed as an habitation for the righteous. Concerning which, if I
may be allowed to give my sense thereof, with that humility and modesty
that the difficulty of the subject calls for, I cannot think that there
is any absurdity, if we suppose, that, by these _new heavens and new
earth_, the apostle means, that the form of them shall be so changed, as
that they shall be an apartment of heaven, in which, together with those
other parts of the frame of nature, which are designed to be the seat of
the blessed, the saints shall dwell and reign with Christ for ever.
_2dly_, We shall now consider the sense that may be given of that
scripture, in Rev. xx. and more especially what we read therein,
concerning the _first resurrection_, in which the martyrs are said _to
live_, when this thousand years’ reign begins, and the _rest of the dead
not to live, till these thousand years be finished_, in ver. 4, 5. on
which the stress of the whole controversy principally depends. I cannot
but adhere to their opinion, who think that these words are to be taken
in a metaphorical sense; and then they, who were _beheaded for the
witness of Jesus_, viz. the martyrs, shall live when Christ’s spiritual
reign begins, that is, the cause, for which they suffered martyrdom,
shall be revived: this is supposed to have been in a languishing and
dying condition, during the reign of Anti-christ, and towards the close
thereof, to be at the lowest ebb, and, as it were, dead; I say, this
shall be revived, these martyrs shall, as it were, live again, not in
their own persons, but in their successors, who espouse the same cause.
Before this, the enemies of Christ, and his gospel, persecuted and
trampled on his cause, insulted the memory of those that had suffered
for it; but afterwards, when it is said, _Babylon is fallen, is fallen_,
then Christ’s cause revives, and that which was victorious over it dies,
and shall not rise again, or be in any capacity to give disturbance to
the church, till the thousand years are finished, and Satan is loosed
again out of prison, to give life and spirit to it; and then we read of
a new war begun, a fresh battle fought, _the nations deceived, the camp
of the saints compassed about_; and this will continue till Christ shall
come, and put an end to it at the day of judgment, when the devil shall
be _cast into the lake of fire and brimstone_. In this sense some, not
without ground, understand the account which is given of the _slaying_
and _rising_ of the _witnesses_, Rev. xi. 7, 11. as signifying that the
gospel, which before had been persecuted, and the preaching thereof
prohibited, shall then prevail without restraint. The _witnesses’
death_, denotes their being silenced; their _rising_ and _standing upon
their feet_, their having liberty again to preach. And therefore why may
we not understand the resurrection, in the chapter we are now
considering, as taken in the same sense? And this agrees very well with
the sense of ver. 6. in which it is said, concerning them, who _have a
part in the first resurrection_, that is, the saints, who live and reign
with Christ, _on such this second death hath no power_, that is,
whatever the enemies of the church may attempt against them, after this
thousand years reign, shall be to no purpose; for they shall not
prevail, their cause shall never die again. Or, if it be applied to
their persons, the meaning is, that they shall not die eternally.
Eternal death is a punishment to be inflicted on their enemies, who
shall _be cast into the lake of fire_, which is expressly called the
_second death_, in ver. 14. But these, as it is said, in Rev. ii. 11.
shall not be _hurt of it_, i. e. not exposed to it; but, as they have
lived with Christ, in a spiritual sense, on earth, so they shall live
with him for ever in heaven.
We are, in giving this sense of the text, under a kind of necessity to
recede from the literal sense thereof, because we cannot altogether
reconcile that to the analogy of faith. And it will not seem strange to
any, who consider the mystical or allegorical style in which this book
of the Revelation is written, that this text should be understood in the
same sense: However, that this sense may be farther justified, let it be
considered, that it is not disagreeable to what we find in many other
scriptures, that speak of the church’s deliverance from its troubles,
under the metaphor of a _resurrection_; and of the destruction of its
enemies, under the metaphor of _death_. Thus the Babylonish captivity,
and Israel’s deliverance from it, is described, in Ezek. xxxvii. 1-12.
The former by a metaphor taken from a _valley full of dry bones_; the
latter by another taken from their being _raised out of their graves,
living and standing on their feet an exceeding great army_. And, in Ezra
ix. 9. we read of God’s extending mercy to them, who were before
bond-men, and not forsaking them in their bondage, giving them an
opportunity to set up the temple and worship of God; this is called,
_giving them a reviving_; and the prophet, speaking concerning the
captivity, in Lam. iii. 6. says, _He has set me in dark places, as they
that be dead of old_; and the prophet Isaiah speaks concerning their
return from captivity, as a resurrection from the dead, _Thy dead men
shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise; awake, and sing
ye that dwell in the dust_, Isa. xxvi. 19.
Many other scriptures might be cited, out of the writings of the
prophets, to justify this metaphorical sense of the words, _death_, and
_resurrection_ and also some out of the New Testament, of which I need
only refer to one, which has a particular respect to the subject under
our present consideration, when the apostle says, that the _receiving of
them_, to wit, of the church of the Jews, when converted, shall be as
_life from the dead_, Rom. xi. 15. therefore the scripture gives
countenance to its being called a _resurrection_.
On the other hand, we might refer to some scriptures that speak of the
ruin of the church’s enemies, under the metaphor of a state of death:
thus, in Isa. xxvi. 14. _They are dead, they shall not live; they are
deceased, they shall not rise; therefore hast thou visited and destroyed
them, and made all their memory to perish_; and, in chap. xiv. he
describes the utter destruction of the Chaldeans, the church’s enemies,
by whom they had been carried captive, in a very beautiful manner, and
carries on the metaphor, taken from persons departed out of this world,
in. ver. 9, 10, 11. and says, in particular, concerning the king of
Babylon, _Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, the noise of thy viols;
the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee_; which
signifies the political death of that empire, and the utter inability
which followed upon this, of their giving disturbance to the church of
God, as they had formerly done. These, and many other scriptures of the
like nature, may, in some measure, justify the sense we have given of
the scripture before mentioned, relating to the death and resurrection
of Christ’s cause, for which his martyrs suffered, and the death of the
Anti-christian cause, which ensued thereupon.
Thus concerning Christ’s reign on earth, and what may be probably
supposed to be the sense of those scriptures that are brought in defence
thereof. We have not entered into the particular consideration of what
is said concerning the time, or the number of years, which this glorious
dispensation shall continue. We read, indeed, of Christ’s _reigning a
thousand years_, by which we are not to understand the eternal exercise
of his government; for it is said not only to be _on earth_, but this
period is also considered, as what shall have an end: which that
excellent Father, whom I before mentioned, did not duly consider, when
he reckoned this as a probable sense of this thousand years, and
produces that scripture to justify his sense of the words, in which it
is said, that _God has remembered his covenant for ever, the word which
he commanded to a thousand generations_, Psal. cv. 8. by which we are to
understand, that God will establish his covenant with his people, and
make good the promises thereof throughout all the ages of eternity.
This, indeed, sufficiently proves that a thousand years might be taken
for eternity, agreeably to the sense of scripture; but it is plain, from
the context, that it is not to be so taken here, in Rev. xx.
As for the other sense he gives of this _thousand years_,[205] namely,
that they might be understood as containing a great but indeterminate
number of years, in the latter part of the last thousand which the world
shall continue, so that, by a figurative way of speaking, a part of a
thousand years may be called a thousand years;[206] this I will not
pretend to argue against, nor to say that those divines are in the
wrong, who suppose that a thousand years is put for a great number of
years, and that it does not belong to us to say how many; I say, whether
we are to acquiesce in this, or in the literal sense of the words, I
will not determine; only we must conclude, as we have scripture ground
for it, that they shall end a little before Christ’s coming to judgment;
during which short interval it is said, Satan _will be loosed a little
season_, and make some fresh efforts against the church, till he, and
those that are spirited and excited by him, to give disturbance to it,
perish in the attempt, and are cast into the lake of fire and brimstone.
This is all that I shall say concerning the time appointed for this
glorious reign, our principal design being to speak concerning the
advantages that the church shall enjoy under it.
We have endeavoured to avoid two extremes, namely, that of those who do
not put a just difference between it and the heavenly state; as also
another extreme, which we have not yet mentioned, which several modern
writers have given into, who suppose, that this thousand years’ reign is
long since past, and that the binding of Satan therein consisted only in
some degrees of restraint laid on him, and that the reign itself
contained in it only some advantages, comparatively small, that the
church enjoyed at that time, and that the thousand years’ reign began in
Constantine’s time, when the empire became Christian, about the year of
our Lord 300, and that they ended about the year 1300, when the church
met with some new difficulties from the eastern parts of the world,
which they suppose to be intended by Gog and Magog.[207] But we cannot
see sufficient reason to adhere to this opinion, because the state of
the church, when Satan is said to be bound a thousand years, is
represented as attended with a greater degree of spiritual glory,
holiness, purity of doctrine, and many other blessings attending the
preaching the gospel, than we are given to understand by any history
that it has yet enjoyed.
As to what concerns the general method, in which we have insisted on
this subject, I hope we have not maintained any thing that is derogatory
to the glory of Christ’s kingdom, nor what has a tendency to detract
from the real advantage of the saints. Do they, on the other side of the
question, speak of his reigning? so do we. They, indeed, consider him as
reigning in his human nature, and conversing therein with his saints;
which opinion we cannot give into, for reasons before mentioned: but it
is not inconsistent with the glory of Christ to assert, as we have done,
that he shall reign spiritually; and the consequence hereof shall be,
not the external pomp and grandeur of his subjects, but their being
adorned with purity and universal holiness, and enjoying as much peace,
as they have reason to expect in any condition short of heaven.
Moreover, we have not advanced any thing that has a tendency to detract
from the spiritual blessings and advantages of Christ’s kingdom, which
the saints shall enjoy in this happy period of time. If, notwithstanding
all this, it be said, that there are some advantages which the contrary
scheme of doctrine supposes that the saints shall enjoy on earth, beyond
what we think they have ground to expect from scripture; nevertheless,
their not enjoying them here will be fully compensated with a greater
degree of glory, which they shall have when they reign with Christ in
heaven; which leads us to consider,
The eternity of Christ’s mediatorial kingdom; concerning which it is
said, _He shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his
kingdom there shall be no end_, Luke i. 33. As he is described, by the
apostle, as a _Priest for ever_, Heb. v. 6. and as _ever living to make
intercession for those that come unto God by him_, chap. vii. 25. so he
shall exercise his kingly office for ever; not according to the present
method of the administration thereof, but in a way adapted to that
glorified state, in which his subjects shall be, in another world.
There is, indeed, a scripture that seems to assert the contrary, which
the Socinians give a very perverse sense of, as though it were
inconsistent with his proper deity; and accordingly they suppose, that,
as he was constituted a divine Person, or had the honour of a God, or
king, conferred on him, when he ascended into heaven, as the reward of
the faithful discharge of his ministry on earth; so this was designed to
continue no longer than to the end of the world, when he is to be set on
a level with other inhabitants of heaven, and _be subject to the
Father_, when _God shall be all in all_. This they suppose to be the
meaning of the Apostle’s words, in 1 Cor. xv. 24, 25, 28. _Then cometh
the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the
Father; when he shall have put down all rule, and all authority and
power, for he must reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet;
and when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also
himself be subject unto him, that put all things under him, that God may
be all in all_. It must be acknowledged, that this is one of those
things, in Paul’s epistles, that are hard to be understood; but I humbly
conceive that we may give a sense of it, very remote from that but now
mentioned, which is subversive of his Godhead, and of the eternity of
his kingdom. Therefore, for the understanding thereof, let it be
considered,
(1.) That when the apostle speaks of the _end coming when he shall
deliver up the kingdom to the Father_; by the kingdom we may, without
the least strain on the sense of the text, understand his material
kingdom, or the subjects of his kingdom, which is very agreeable to that
sense of the word, both in scripture and in common modes of speaking; as
when we call the inhabitants of a city, the city; so we call the
subjects of a kingdom, the kingdom: taking the words in this sense, we
must suppose, that the subjects of Christ’s kingdom are his trust and
charge, and that he is to deliver them up to the Father at last, as
persons whom he has governed in such a way, as that the great ends of
his exercising his kingly office, have been fully answered, as to what
concerns his government in this lower world. This is no improbable sense
of Christ’s delivering up the kingdom to the Father.
But it may also be taken in another sense, to wit, for the form of
Christ’s kingdom, or the present mode of government, exercised towards
those who are in an imperfect state: this shall _be delivered up_, that
is, he shall cease to govern his people in such a way as he now does;
but it doth not follow, from hence, that he shall not continue to govern
them, in a way adapted to the heavenly state.
And when it is said, that _he shall put down all rule and all authority
and power_, the meaning is, that all civil and ecclesiastical
government, as it is now exercised in the world, or the church, shall be
put down, as useless, or disagreeable to the heavenly state, but it does
not follow, from hence, that he shall lay aside his own authority and
power.
(2.) When it is said, in ver. 25. that _he must reign till he hath put
all enemies under his feet_, it does not imply that he shall not reign
afterwards, but that he shall not cease to reign till then, which is the
sense of that parallel scripture, in which it is said, _Sit thou at my
right-hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool_, Psal. cx. 1.
which does not denote that he shall, after his enemies are made his
footstool, sit no longer at God’s right hand, as advanced there to the
highest honour. It is very evident, from several scriptures, as well as
our common mode of speaking, that the word _Until_ does not always
signify the cessation of what is said to be done before, but only the
continuance thereof till that time, as well as afterwards: thus it is
said, _Our eyes wait upon the Lord our God, until that he have mercy
upon us_, Psal. cxxiii. 2. by which we are not to understand, that, when
God extends mercy, the eyes of his people cease to wait upon him, but we
will not leave off waiting upon him, until we have received the mercies
we hope for; and, after that, we will continue to wait for those mercies
that we shall farther stand in need of; and elsewhere Job says, _Until I
die, I will not remove mine integrity from me; mine heart shall not
reproach me, as long as I live_, Job xxvii. 5-7. This does not imply
that he would retain his integrity no longer than he lived. If the word
_Until_ be frequently used in this sense, then there is no ground to
suppose, that when it is said _Christ shall reign until he has put all
his enemies under his feet_, that it denotes that he shall not reign to
eternity, nor any longer than till all things be subdued unto him: but,
indeed, it rather argues, that he shall reign for ever, than that he
shall cease to reign; for when all enemies are removed out of the way,
and his right to govern is no longer contested by them, shall he then
cease to exercise that sovereign dominion which he has over all things?
(3.) Since the main difficulty, and the greatest stress of the argument
brought against the eternity of Christ’s kingdom, is what the apostle
farther adds, in ver. 28. of this chapter, that _when all things shall
be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto
him, that God may be all in all_. It is said, indeed, that the Son shall
be subject to the Father, _viz._ as man; but can any one suppose that
the Son is not now subject to the Father? And when it is farther added,
God shall be all in all, is it to be supposed that he is not now so? If
this be far from being the true meaning of these words, then the sense
they give thereof is not just, but we are to understand them thus, that
in the end, when all the ends of Christ’s administering his mediatorial
government in this lower world are answered, and the present form or
method of administration shall cease, then it shall appear, that the
whole plan thereof had the most direct tendency to promote the Father’s
glory, or to answer those most valuable ends for which this mediatorial
kingdom was erected; and, by this means, it will more eminently appear,
than ever it has done before, that this work is from God, and worthy of
him. If the Son’s kingdom had not been subjected, or subservient to the
Father’s glory, the subjects thereof would not have been delivered up,
or presented to the Father, as the Mediator’s trust and charge committed
to him; and, if God had not been all in all, or the administration of
Christ’s kingdom had not been the effect of divine power, in all the
branches thereof, it would not have had so glorious and successful an
issue, as it will appear to have in the great day. This I take to be the
plain sense of this scripture, which cannot reasonably be denied, if we
consider that it is very agreeable to our common mode of speaking, to
say, that a thing is, when it appears to be what it is, which may be
thus illustrated: Suppose a king has gained a victory over his enemies,
or quelled some civil broils, or tumults, in his kingdom, he may say,
upon that occasion, Now I am king; that is, I appear to be so, or my
establishment in the kingdom seems less precarious. We have an instance
of the like mode of speaking in scripture, when David says upon the
occasion of bringing the affairs of his kingdom to a settled state,
after Absalom’s rebellion, _Do I not know that I am this day king over
Israel?_ 2 Sam. xix. 22. that is, I appear to be so, since that, which
tended to unhinge, or give disturbance to my government, is removed out
of the way.
Moreover, that things are said to be, when they appear to be, is
agreeable to that mode of speaking used by the Israelites, when, upon
their receiving the fullest conviction that the Lord was God, pursuant
to Elijah’s prayer, by an extraordinary display of his glory, in working
a miracle to confute their idolatry, they fell on their faces, and said,
_The Lord he is God_; that is, he now appears to be so, by those
extraordinary effects of his power, which we have beheld. If therefore
this be no uncommon mode of speaking, why may we not apply it to that
text which we are now endeavouring to explain? and so conclude, that the
sense but now given of the Son’s being subject to the Father, and God’s
being all in all, contains in it nothing absurd, or contrary to the
scripture way of speaking, and consequently the eternity of Christ’s
kingdom is not overthrown thereby; and therefore we must conclude, that
as his kingly government is now exercised in a way agreeable to the
present condition of his church, so it shall be exercised in a glorious
manner, suited to the heavenly state, when all his saints and subjects
shall be brought there.
Thus we have considered Christ, as executing his offices of Prophet,
Priest, and King; we now proceed to speak concerning the twofold state
in which they have been, are, or shall be executed by him; and first
concerning his state of humiliation.
Footnote 191:
_See Quest. LXII, LXIII._
Footnote 192:
_See Quest. LXXVIII._
Footnote 193:
_See Page 257._
Footnote 194:
_Vid. Burnet. Tellur. Theor. Lib._ iv.
Footnote 195:
_Justin Martyr seems to speak of it not only as his own opinion, but
as that which was generally held by the orthodox in his day, joins the
belief hereof with that of the resurrection of the dead, and supposes
it to be founded on the writings of some of the prophets. Vid. Justin
Martyr Dialog. cum. Tryph. Jud. page 307._ Εγω δε, και ει τινες εισιν
ορθογνουμονες κατα παντα Χρισιανοι, και σαρκος ανας ασιν γενησεθαι
επισαμεθα, και χιλια ελη εν Ιερουσαλημ οικοδομηθειση και κοσμηθειση
και πλατυνθειση, οι προθηται Ιεζεχιηλ, και Ησαιας, και οι αλλοι
ομολογουσιν. _And Irenæus_ [_Vid. advers. Hær. Lib. V. cap. 33._] _not
only gives into this opinion, but intimates, that it was brought into
the church before his time, by one Papias, cotemporary with Polycarp,
and that he recieved it from those who had it imparted to them by the
apostle John: But Eusebius, [Vid. Euseb. Hist. Eccles. Lib. III. cap.
33._] _though he speaks concerning this Papias, as one who was
intimate with Polycarp, notwithstanding represents him as a very weak
man; and therefore there is little credit to be given to his account
of this matter, as agreeable to the apostle’s sentiments or writings;
and Irenæus himself, in the place before mentioned, cites a passage
out of the same author, which, he pretends, he received from those
that had it from the apostle John, concerning a certain time, in which
there shall be vines, which shall produce ten thousand branches, and
each of these as many smaller branches; and each of these smaller
branches have ten thousand twigs, and every twig shall bear ten
thousand clusters of grapes, and every cluster ten thousand grapes;
which shews that the man was ready to swallow any fable he heard; and,
if it was told him so, to father it upon the apostle, which discovers
how little credit was to be given to what he says concerning this
opinion, especially as he explains it, as transmitted to the church by
the apostle John. And Tertullian is also mentioned, as giving some
occasional hints, which shew that he was of this opinion. And
Lactantius, who, in his Ciceronian style, describes the happy
condition that the church shall be in, (without having much regard to
those spiritual privileges that it shall enjoy, in which sense the
predictions of the prophets, concerning it, are principally to be
understood) takes his plan more especially from some things that are
said concerning it, in the Sybilline oracles. Vid. Lanctant. de vita
beat. Lib. VII. cap. 24. & Epitom. cap. 11._
Footnote 196:
_Vid. Aug. de Civ. Dei. Lib. XX. cap. 7._
Footnote 197:
_Vid. Mede Commet. min. in Apocal. cap. xix. and Dr. More, and others,
who are of the same opinion as to this matter._
Footnote 198:
_See Mede’s Works, Book IV. Epist. 17. Page 938-940._
Footnote 199:
_As for the story that Mede relates, to give countenance to this
opinion, concerning Christ’s appearing, in a glorious manner, upon the
Jews demanding such an extraordinary event, (after a public
disputation, held three days, between Gregentius, an Arabian Bishop,
and Herbanus, a Jew, a multitude of spectators being present, both
Jews and Christians) and signifying that he was the same Person that
their fathers had crucified; and their being first struck blind, as
Paul was, and then, like him, converted and baptized, there are
several things, in this account, that seem fabulous and incredible;
though it is not improbable that there was a disputation held between
Gregentius and the Jews, about the truth of the Christian religion,
about the year of our Lord 470; or, as others suppose, 570: yet it is
much to be questioned, whether the account we have of it be not
spurious, written, by one who calls himself by that name, in Greek,
about three or four hundred years since; and especially, because so
extraordinary a miracle, wrought in an age when miracles had, for so
considerable a time, ceased, is not taken notice of by other writers,
of more reputation in the age in which it is said to be wrought,
especially since it would have been one of the most extraordinary
proofs of the Christian religion that have been given since our
Saviour’s time. And it is very strange, that, as the result hereof,
five millions and a half of the Jews should be converted at once, by
this miracle, and yet this thing be passed over in silence by other
writers; and it is very much to be questioned, whether there were such
a multitude of Jews gathered together in one kingdom, and, indeed,
whether that kingdom consisted of such a number of people; and, if
there were so many Jews, we must suppose that there was an equal
number of Christians present; but that so many should be present at
one disputation, seems incredible to a very great degree. Vid. Gregen.
disputat. cum Herban. fol. 192, & 200. & Cave. Hist. lit. Tom. I. page
363._
Footnote 200:
_Moriar ut videam._
Footnote 201:
_Vid. Mede de Resurrec. prim. Lib. III. Page 710, 749, 750._
Footnote 202:
_Vid. Aug. de civ. Dei, Lib._ xx. _cap. 7._
Footnote 203:
_See_ Ezek. xxxvii. 21. _and_ Jer. xxxvii. 7-13. _& alibi passim_.
Footnote 204:
_So Irenæus styles it, Adv. Hær. Lib. V. cap. 29._ Diluvium
superveniet Ignis.
Footnote 205:
_Vid. Aug. de Civ. Dei. Lib. XX. cap. 7._
Footnote 206:
_This is very agreeable to the scripture-mode of speaking; nothing is
more common than for the cardinal number to be put for the ordinal;
and so the meaning is, that this reign shall continue to the
thousandth year, or till the last 1000 years of the world shall have
an end, what part soever of his 1000 years it began in. Thus God tells
Abraham, in Gen._ xv. _13. that_ his seed shall be a stranger in a
land that is not theirs, _to wit, Egypt, and shall_ serve them, and
they shall afflict them 400 years; _whereas it is certain that his
seed were not above 215 years in Egypt, and they were not slaves, or
afflicted there 100 years; therefore the meaning is,_ q. d. _that they
shall afflict them till 400 years are expired, from this time._
Footnote 207:
_See Napier on the Revelation, prop. 33, 34. page 61, 62._
Quest. XLVI., XLVII., XLVIII.