Works, Book 4 · Letter 13
EPISTLE XIII.
Dr. Twisse's First Letter to Mr. Mede.
Good Mr. Mede,
AMongst many fruits of my acquaintance with Dr. Meddus, this hath been one of the chiefest, that he hath brought me acquainted with your self, though not de facie, yet de meditationibus, and that in the opening of Mysteries. I was so happy as to light upon two Copies of your Clavis Apocalyptica, thereby to gratifie both my self and my friend: I was beholden to Dr. Meddus for the one, and to Mr. Briggs for the other. Since that I have seen divers Manuscriptpieces of yours, whereof I make precious accompt. Your distinction of Fata Imperii, & Fata Ecclesiae, the one contained in the Seals, the other in *the little Book, Revel 10.foreign, doth exceedingly affect me, as a Key of great use for the opening of these Mysteries. Your interpretation of the Seals proceeds, in my judgment, with great evidence of illustration. And in the last place, your Exposition of the Trumpets hath taken me quite off from the Vulgar opinion that formerly hath been so common. For all which I most heartily thank you. And did it become me to profess so much, who am nothing worth, I should be apt to say, you are as dear in my affection as to any friend you have. I beseech you go on to perfect the good work you have begun in the Revelation, and in other mysterious passages; for the clearing whereof I well perceive, by the blessing of God, you have attained to a very singular faculty. I seem to discern a providence of God in causing the opinion of a Thousand years Regnum Sanctorum to be blasted as an Error by the censure passed upon the Chiliasts, to take men off from fixing their thoughts too much on that in those days, when the accomplishment was so far removed; but with purpose to revive it in a more seasonable time, when Antichrist's kingdom should draw near to an end.
Concerning which I have something to propose, in searching after more particular satisfaction. But I know not whether yet I may be so bold with you; and besides, I fear to divert you from your so weighty and so profitable studies: yet they are such, as withall I have thought with my self of accommodating an Answer. But though my heart serve me not to communicate them to you at this time; yet surely I shall make them known to Doctor Meddus. A friend of mine also hath this day given into my hands certain Disputations upon divers mysterious points in Daniel and the Revelation. In one of them he disputes of this Thousand years Regnum Sanctorum with variety of Reasons pro & con; but inclining rather to the contrary. A very ingenuous man he is, and a great student in Mr. Brightman. If I may have liberty to communicate these things unto you, and that it might be without offence to your more weighty studies, I would so use this liberty, as not to nourish my self in idleness, but withal to imploy my self in answering what soever I find therein to the contrary.
At this time give me leave to propose to your consideration, Whether that fear of a foreign almost of our Protestant profession may not be avoided; and the three days and an half, Rev. 11. not signify a space of time succeeding the continuance of those Witnesses, but intermixed with it. My Reason is this; The two Witnesses signifie all the Witnesses giving testimony to God's truth, not contemporating, but succeeding one another for many generations; against all which the Beast warred, and prevailed against some in one age, some in another. Every ones Testimony seems to be finished in his death. And as long as Antichrist reigneth, God hath his Witnesses in some place or other prophesying in sackcloth. But this I submit to your better judgment. I shall heartily desire God to bless your labours; and at this time, desiring to be commended unto your love, I rest,
Newbury, Nov. 2. 1629. Yours in all truth of hearty affection, William Twisse.
I would intreat you to take into your consideration one thing more. S. Paul writes, Rom. 11. that the conversion of the Iews shall be by way of provocation from the Gentiles; Whether this provocation doth not imply some great Prosperity wherewith God shall bless his Christian Church; and what in this kind comparable to the ruine of Antichrist, and the consequents thereof?