y reall nature of
their own, distinct from humane fancy; such as are dead mens Ghosts, and
Fairies, and other matter of old Wives tales. Thirdly, by mixing with
the Scripture divers reliques of the Religion, and much of the vain and
erroneous Philosophy of the Greeks, especially of Aristotle. Fourthly,
by mingling with both these, false, or uncertain Traditions, and
fained, or uncertain History. And so we come to erre, by "giving heed
to seducing Spirits," and the Daemonology of such "as speak lies in
Hypocrisie," (or as it is in the Originall, 1 Tim. 4.1,2. "of those that
play the part of lyars") "with a seared conscience," that is, contrary
to their own knowledge. Concerning the first of these, which is the
Seducing of men by abuse of Scripture, I intend to speak briefly in this
Chapter.

Errors From Misinterpreting The Scriptures, Concerning The Kingdome

Of God

The greatest, and main abuse of Scripture, and to which almost all the
rest are either consequent, or subservient, is the wresting of it, to
prove that the Kingdome of God, mentioned so often in the Scripture, is
the present Church, or multitude of Christian men now living, or that
being dead, are to rise again at the last day: whereas the Kingdome of
God was first instituted by the Ministery of Moses, over the Jews onely;
who were therefore called his Peculiar People; and ceased afterward, in
the election of Saul, when they refused to be governed by God any more,
and demanded a King after the manner of the nations; which God himself
consented unto, as I have more at large proved before, in the 35.
Chapter. After that time, there was no other Kingdome of God in the
world, by any Pact, or otherwise, than he ever was, is, and shall be
King, of all men, and of all creatures, as governing according to his
Will, by his infinite Power. Neverthelesse, he promised by his Prophets
to restore this his Government to them again, when the time he hath in
his secret counsell appointed for it shall bee fully come, and when they
shall turn unto him by repentance, and amendment of life; and not
onely so, but he invited also the Gentiles to come in, and enjoy the
happinesse of his Reign, on the same conditions of conversion and
repentance; and hee promised also to send his Son into the world, to
expiate the sins of them all by his death, and to prepare them by his
Doctrine, to receive him at his second coming: Which second coming not
yet being, the Kingdome of God is