Works, Book 4 · Letter 41
EPISTLE XLI.
Mr. Mede's Answer to some Enquiries of Dr. Twisse, touching the meaning of Ezekiel 38. 17. and Daniel 11. 35, 36.
Worthy Sir,
WHen I received your last, I was full of business, and therefore deferred my answer thereto till some time of better leisure and freedom; which now I have attained. But for that of yours which in particular concerns my self, I will say only this, that my friends conceive me to be a man of far greater abilities than I am. Believe me, I am far unfit for such undertaking as they think me. Ingenium habeo tardum & cunctabundum: and though perhaps my Fancy be a little pregnant for notions, yet for expression I am very unready, and write nothing either in Latin or English without much pains and difficulty. Such a disposition is not fit for the wars, but for peaceable and retired meditations. Besides, for the introducing and perswading a new and unfrequented Truth, the choice of a seasonable time is half the work: without which a man shall sooner damnifie than promote it. We see it by experience, what a wound sometimes a Truth gets by an error in this kind. If the time therefore be not seasonable and likely, private communication and insinuation is most safe; publick avouching is dangerous, even to the cause it self, lest it be condemned before it be understood, and so never fecible again till that generation be gathered to their fathers, if then. A Truth therefore not yet admitted must be urged very warily and tenderly, for fear of incurring such a dangerous prejudice by an overpotent opposition. For the sons of men are untoward creatures, that talk much of Reason, but commonly stear by another Compass, as of Passion, Faction, or Affection, &c.
I thank God for that portion of knowledge hath been pleased hitherto to give me in these Mysteries, and the opportunity he hath vouchsafed me to make it known to others so far as I have done. I deserved neither of them: and for the latter, never intended it; but was catcht as it were at a running pull. If it be his pleasure I shall proceed further, he will afford me those opportunities and inducements which yet I find not. And thus much for that matter.
Now for the rest, I perceive what it is that most pincheth you in the Millenarian Prophecy; to wit, that of Gog and Magog. Wherefore I send you enclosed herewith my*Wh…h I desire, when you have used it, to send me back again. Conjecture thereof. How you will approve it, I know not. Howsoever you may gather thereby, and by what I formerly sent you, my whole conceit of that Mystery, and that my thoughts are still, now and then, reflecting upon their accustomed subject.
AS for your Quaere about the meaning of that Ezek. 38. 17. Thus saith the Lord:Ezek. 38. 17. explained. Art not thou he of whom I have spoken in old time by my servants the Prophets of Israel, which prophesied in those days many years, that I would bring thee against them? I suppose you would know by what Prophets, and where any such Enemy as that Gog, was prophesied of before Ezekiel.
I answer, by Esay, chap. 27. 1. with the two last verses of the foregoing Chapter: by Ieremy, chap. 30. 23, 24. by Ioel, chap. 3. 1, &c. by Micah. chap. 5. vers. 5, 6, 9, 15, In all which places is mention of some terrible Enemy which should come against Israel at the time of their Return, whom the Lord should destroy with a hideous and dreadful slaughter.
This Enemy is that Army of*Ezek. 38. 2. Gog of the land of Magog, chief Prince of Meshech and Tubal, of which Ezekiel prophesieth; formerly mentioned by the Prophets which were before him; but never so punctually and particularly described by the place of his habitation, nation and name, as by him. The nearest unto him comes Micah, who prophesies of him under the name of the Assyrian, a Nation to the Northward; And He (that is, the Ruler to come forth of Bethlechem) shall be the peace, when the Assyrian shall come into our land, &c.Micah 5. Not as though this should be his Original Nation, but as the Province from whence he should fall into the land of Israel. For the Prince of Magog and Tubal cannot come into the Land of Israel, till he be first master of the Land of Ashur, which lies between them. And the Prophet describes him by this Name, rather than by that of his own Nation, because the Name of Ashur was at that time so terrible to the Iews, and the Invasion of Salmanasser and Sennacherib still fresh in their minds: and perhaps those Nations were then at the devotion of the Assyrian, and no small part of his Army; as they used to be of the Saracens, when they ruled in those parts. Howsoever by this name he pointed to a Northern Enemy, whatsoever the Nation should be that should then Empire it in those parts, as the Assyrian did when he prophesied. For Assyria is described by that situation, Esay 14. 31. Ier. 1. 13. and ch. 4. 6. Zachary 2. 6. and I believe our Geographical Tables are not so true and exact herein as they should be, in that they place Saroh (as they say Assyria is now called) too much to the Eastward.
I see I have some room left for another Observation concerning Daniel XI. in which one of your Letters intimated some difficulty of Exposition.Dan. 11. 35, 36 explained. It may be I shall speak that which may ease you. Howsoever, it is this.
All the Ancients refer that from vers. 36. and forward to the Fourth Monarchy, especially to Antichrist, in whose reign that Monarchy should conclude. And good reason; for the Resurrection of the dead and Iudgment comes in at the end thereof, Dan. 12. 2, 3. but thither no Kingdom reaches but the Fourth. 'Tis a dangerous evasion to turn this Prophecy of the Resurrection of the dead (which is the most evident and express in all the Old Testament, and that whereon the Iewish Church built her faith and hope of the Life of the world to come) into an Allegory, as some of those are forced to do who interpret all of Antiochus Epiphanes.
The stumbling-block which hath diverted so many of ours in this last Seculum to depart from the ancient and Catholick Exposition, seems to me to be chiefly, because there appears no apparent Transition in the Text from the Prophecy of Antiochus to this we speak of, but it coheres as a continued Narration to the end.
Now the cause of this obscurity I take to be a misdistinguishing of the Text, which refers some words to the former verse which should be the beginning of this 36. these namely, foreign. For if these words be referred to that which follows, the Transition will be evident enough, in this manner.
35. And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the*Namely, of the end of the Greek Monarchy, which in the holy account is not extended beyond Antiochus Epiphanes end.
36. FOR YET at the time appointed, a King shall do according to his will, and shall exalt and magnifie himself above every God; yea he shall speak marvellous things against the God of Gods, and shall prosper until the Indignation be accomplished, &c.
For understanding of this we must know, that after the death of Antiochus Epiphanes the Third Kingdom comes no more in the holy reckoning, none of the Greek Kings after him being at all prophesied of; yea Daniel himself calling the time of Antiochus his reign The Latter end of the Greek Kingdom, chap. 8. 23. The reason of this is, because during the reign of Antiochus, Macedonia (whence that Kingdom sprung) with all the rest of Greece, came under the Roman obedience. From thence therefore the Holy Ghost begins the Rise of the Fourth Kingdom; yea the Roman Historians themselves mark out that time for the Rise of their Empire. Lucius Florus, lib. 2. cap. 7. Cedente Annibale, praemium victoriae Africa fuit, & secutus Africam terrarum orbis. Post Carthaginem vinci neminem puduit: Secutae sunt Africam Gentes, Macedonia, Graecia, Syria, caeteráque omnia, quodam quasi aestu & torrente fortunae: Sed primi omnium Macedones, affectator quondam Imperii populus. Item Velleius Paterculus, lib. 1. cap. 6. ex quodam AEmilio Sura de annis populi Romani haec habet: Assyrii *i. primi…principes omnium Gentium rerum potiti sunt; deinde Medi, postea Persae, deinde Macedones: Exinde duobus Regibus, Philippo & Antiocho, (qui à Macedonibus oriundi erant) haud multò post Carthaginem subactam, devictis, summa Imperii ad populum Romanum pervenit. Compare 1 Maccab. c. 8.
The meaning then of those words of Daniel—[even to the time of the end] is, That the persecution he describeth should be terminated with the end of the Third Kingdom. For from thenceforth another King [the Roman] should prevail, and advance himself over all.
Under the name of King we must understand the whole Roman State under what kind of Government soever. For the Hebrews use King for Kingdom, and Kingdom for any Government, State or Politie in the world. See but Matth. 4. 8.
By exalting and magnifying himself above every God, nothing else is meant but the greatness and generality of his conquests and prevailings: the reason of that expression being, Because in the times of Paganism every City and Country had their proper and peculiar Gods which were deemed as their Guardians and Protectors. Hence sometimes the Nations themselves are expressed by the Name of their Gods: The People of Iehovah, that is, Israel; The people of Chemosh, Numb. 21. 29: that is, Moab. Ità accipe Deut. 4. 28. and chap. 28. 64. Ier. 16. 13. 1 Sam. 26. 19. Sometimes the Exploits of the Nations are said to be done by their Gods; as we, by like priviledge of speech, ascribe unto our Kings what is done by the People under them. See 2 Chron. 28. 23. Ierem. 51. 44. Thirdly, and most frequently; What is attempted against the Nations, is said to be done against their Gods; as we are wont in like manner to say, when an Army is overthrown or overmastered, that such a General is beaten or vanquished: See this, 2 Kings 18. 33. Isay 46. 1, 2. Ierem. 50. 2. and ch. 51. 44. and ch. 48. 7. Compare 2 Sam. 7. 23. So here the success and prevailing of the Roman, in the advancing his dominion and subduing every Nation under him, is expressed by exalting and magnifying himself above every God. *…on caeditur populus, usquedum caed…tur princeps ejus in excel…o. R. Sol. ad Esaiae 34. 5.. But if any had rather here take Gods for Kings and Potentates, let them.
I have now no more room left: therefore with my best respect I rest
Christ's Coll. Ian. 31. 1634/5 Yours, I. M.