> as lemmas

a1325 (?c1300) Northern Passion (Cambr. Gg.1.1) 1057 (MED) In othir stide is mi baillie, Mi regne [v.rr. ryngne; wonnyng] is in heuene litht.

1340 Ayenbite (1866) 83 (MED) Uirtue makeþ man..zuo hardi þat he dar opnyme þe regne of heuene to wynne.

c1405 (c1390) G. Chaucer Parson's Tale (Hengwrt) (2003) §5 Manye been the weyes espirituels that leden folk..to the regne of glorie.

c1450 (c1350) Alexander & Dindimus (Bodl.) (1929) 642 Þe heie God..Þat hevene holdeþ and haþ to His hole regne.

1483 W. Caxton tr. J. de Voragine Golden Legende 244 b/2 I shalle drynke it newe wyth you in the regne of my fader.

1532 T. More Confut. Tyndale in Wks. 466/1 They shall..awake at the blast of the trumpe, and euer after liue with y^e lorde in his reigne.

1594 R. Carew tr. T. Tasso Godfrey of Bulloigne i. 50 Th' angels earst banisht from the heau'nly raine.

1798 E. Butcher Serm. xii. 240 The gospel of Christ, here denominated the kingdom or reign of heaven, is a most valuable treasure.

1834 Millennial Harbinger Aug. 404 Two good reasons may be offered why Matthew, the oldest Christian writer, generally prefers Kingdom or Reign of Heaven, to the phrase Kingdom or Reign of God.

1864 Brit. Millennial Harbinger Oct. 347/1 By them the very entrance into the reign of God had been obscured.

1916 Biblical World 47 61 It was the reign of God on earth for which he consumed his strength, for which he died, and for which he promised to return.

1994 United Church Observer Mar. 26/2 We're waiting for the reign of God, the peaceable kingdom, the Shalom.