Works, Book 4 · Letter 43 – Letter 47
EPISTLE XLIII.
Mr. Mede's Answer to Dr. Twisse his Fourth Letter, touching the First Gentile Inhabitants, and the late Christian Plantations, in America: as also touching our Saviour's proof of the Resurrection from Exod. 3. 6. with an Answer to the Objection in the Post-script of the foregoing Letter.
SIR,
COncerning our Plantation in the American world, I wish them as well as any body; though I differ from them far, both in other things, and in the grounds they go upon.
And though there be but little hope of the general Conversion of those Natives in any considerable part of that Continent; yet I suppose it may be a work pleasing to Almighty God and our Blessed Saviour, to affront the Devil with the sound of the Gospel and Cross of Christ in those places where he had thought to have reigned securely and out of the dinne thereof; and though we make no Christians there, yet to bring some thither to disturb and vex him, where he reigned without check.
For that I may reveal my conceit further, though perhaps I cannot prove it, yet I think thus;
That those Countries were first inhabited since our Saviour and his Apostles times, and not before; yea, perhaps, some ages after: there being no sings or footsteps found amongst them, or any Mounments of older habitation, as there is with us.
That the Devil, being impatient of the sound of the Gospel and Cross of Christ in every part of this old world, so that he could in no place be quiet for it, and foresecing that he was like at length to lose all here, bethought himself to provide him of a seed over which he might reign securely; and in a place, ubi nec Pelopidarum factaneque nomen audiret.
That accordingly he drew a Colony out of some of those barbarous Nations dwelling upon the Northern Ocean, (whither the sound of Christ had not yet come) and promising them by some Oracle to shew them a Country far better than their own, (which he might soon do) pleasant, large, where never man yet inhabited, he conducted them over those*Th… Terra Australi… yet incognita might in part be peopled through that fry of Islands lying between it and Camboia in the Oriental Sea. But of that Continent we know nothing, whether it be fully inhabited or not. desart Lands and Islands (which are many in that Sea) by the way of the North into America; which none would ever have gone, had they not first been assured there was a passage that way into a more desirable Countrey. Namely, as when the world apostatized from the Worship of the true God, God called Abram out of Chaldee into the Land of Canaan, of him to raise him a Seed to preserve a light unto his Name: So the Devil, when he saw the world apostatizing from him, laid the foundations of a new Kingdom, by deducting this Colony from the North into America, where since they have increased into an innumerable multitude. And where did the Devil ever reign more absolutely and without controll, since mankind fell first under his clutches? And here it is to be noted, that the story of the Mexican Kingdom (which was not founded above 400 years before ours came thither) relates out of their own memorials and traditions, that they came to that place from the North; whence their God Vitzliliputzli led them, going in an Ark before them: and after divers years travel and many stations (like enough after some generations) they came to the place which the Sign he had given them at their first setting forth pointed out, where they were to finish their travels, build themselves a City, and their God a Temple; which is the place where Mexico was built. Now if the Devil were God's ape in this; why might he not be so likewise in bringing the first Colony of men into that world out of ours? namely, by Oracle, as God did Abraham out of Chaldee, whereto I before resembled it.
But see the hand of Divine Providence. When the off-spring of these Runnagates from the sound of Christ's Gospel had now replenisht that other world, and began to flourish in those two Kingdoms of Peru and Mexico, Christ our Lord sends his Mastives the Spaniards to hunt them out and worry them: Which they did in so hideous a manner, as the like thereunto scarce ever was done since the Sons of Noah came out of the Ark. What an affront to the Devil was this, where he had thought to have reigned securely, and been for ever concealed from the knowledge of the followers of Christ?
Yet the Devil perhaps is less grieved for the loss of his servants by the destroying of them, than he would be to lose them by the saving of them; by which latter way I doubt the Spaniards have despoiled him but of a few. What then if Christ our Lord will give him his second affront with better Christians, which may be more grievous to him than the former? And if Christ shall set him up a light in this manner, to dazle and torment the Devil at his own home, I will hope they shall not so far degenerate (not all of them) as to come in that Army of Gog and Magog against the Kingdom of Christ; but be translated thither before the Devil be loosed, if not presently after his tying up. And whence should those Nations get notice of the glorious happiness of our world, if not by some Christians that had lived among them?
Thus have I told you out my fancy of the Inhabitants of that world: which though it be built upon mere conjectures, and not upon firm grounds; yet may have so much use as to shew a possibility of answering such scruples as are wont to run in mens heads concerning them: which consideration is not always to be despised.
BUT because I see you entertain to favourably my Notions concerning the Kingdom of Christ at his appearing;Our Saviou… proof of the Resurrection from Exod. 3. 6. I am the God of Abraham, &c. explained. I will make bold to acquaint you with another Notion which draws deeper (I think) than those you have yet heard.
I doubt not but you have felt some scruple (as well as others) at our Saviour's demonstration of the Resurrection in the Gospel, Matth. 22. Mark 12. God said to Moses in the bush, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Iacob: God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. Ergò Abraham, Isaac and Iacob must one day rise againe from the dead. How doth this Conclusion follow? Do not the Spirits of Abraham, Isaac and Iacob yet live? God should then be the God of the living, though their bodies should never rise again. Therefore some Socinians argue from this place, that the Spirits of the Iust lie in the sleep of death until the Resurrection. Or might not the Sadducees have replied, the meaning to be of what God had been, not of what he should be? viz. That he was that God who had once chosen their Fathers, and made a Covenant with them; I am the God that brought Abraham out of Chaldee, who appeared to Isaac and Iacob whilest they lived, &c. But how would this then make for the Resurrection? Surely it doth. He that could not erre said it. Let us therefore see how it may.
I say therefore the words must be understood with supply of that they have reference unto; which is the Covenant that the Lord made with Abraham, Isaac and Iacob; in respect whereof he calls himself their God. This Covenant was to give unto them and to their seed the land wherein they were strangers. [Mark it.] Not to their seed or off-springs only, but to themselves. Vide loca. To Abraham, Gen. 13. 15. & ch. 15. 7. & ch. 17. 8. To Isaac, Gen. 26. 3. To Iacob, Gen. 35. 12. To all three, Exod. 6. 4, 8. Deut. 1. 8. & ch. 11. 21. & ch. 30. 20. If God then make good to Abraham, Isaac and Iacob this his Covenant, whereby he undertook to be their God, then must they needs one day live again to inherit the promised Land, which hitherto they have not done. For the God that thus covenanted with them, covenanted not to make his promise good to them dead, but living. This is the strength of the Divine argument, and irre…ragable; which otherwise would not infer any such Conclusion.
And this to be our Saviour's meaning may appear, in that the Iews at that time used from these very places thus understood to infer the Resurrection against the Sadducees out of the Law. As it is to be seen expresly of two of them (Exod. 6. 4. Deut. 11. 21.) in the Talmud foreign,Exod. 6. 4. ubi in Gemara sic habetur, Traditio Rab. Simai; Quo loco astruit Lex Resurrectionem mortuorum? Nempeubi dicitur, Atque etiam constabilivi foedus meum cum ipsis, ut dem ipsis terram Canaan. Non enim dicitur vobis, sed ipsis.
Iterum rogârunt Sadducaei Rabbi Gamalielem, (Praeceptor fuit Pauli Apostoli) Vndenam probaret Deum mortuos resuscitaturum.Deut. 11. …1. Non quieverunt usque dum produceret ipsis istum versum, Quam terram juravit Dominus patribus vestris se daturum illis. Hine constat Legem testificari Resurrectionem mortuorum.
Note therefore, that when in a two or three of these places it is added, and to thy seed, or their seed after them, the word after is not to be referred to give (as if it were, I will give it to thy seed after I have given it to thee;) but to seed; as, Thy seed after thee, that is, to thy posterity, their seed after them, that is, to their posterity which should come out of their loyns: For that the off-spring is in beginning after to the beginning of the Parent.
To perswade this conceit by stronger testimonies than of Rabbins, I pray compare with that which hath been said, the 8, 9, and 10 verses of Hebrews 11. adding to them the 13, 14, 15 and 16 verses of the same Chapter: In the last of which you need not stumble at the Epithet, foreign heavenly; because it notes not only that which is in heaven, but that which is from heaven, de Coelo; as it is said verse 10. They looked for a City whose builder and maker is God. And consider well the latter part of this 16. verse with our Saviour's Argument.
Compare besides and consider that of Zachary's Benedictus, Luc. 1. 72. foreign which we, for fear of Limbus patrum, translate, To perform the mercy promised to our Fathers, &c. But there is no such word as [promised] in the original. foreign, is directly, To shew mercy, or kindness, to our Fathers: For that is the Scripture phrase,Vid. Luc 10. 5… In the Old Testam…nt … See Gen. …. 12. 49. foreign, To shew benignity unto, or deal kindly with, one. The Fathers then themselves are the Object of this benignity and favour which is to be by Christ; it is to be shewn to them.Iudg. 5. …. But what is this favour and mercy? the words following will tell us—and to remember his holy Covenant. What was that? To give unto them, even to them in their own persons, the Land wherein they were strangers, and that by and with that seed of theirs wherein all the Nations of the earth were to be blessed.
Add lastly and consider what may be the meaning of that, Matth. 8. 11. Many shall come from the East and the West, and shall sit down with Abraham, Isaac and Iacob in the Kingdom of heaven; when the children of the Kingdom (that is, the Iews, many of them) shall be cast out into outer darkness, &c.
Now I have done, I am afraid I have not expressed my mind so clearly and evidently as I would. But the Summe of what I would say is this.
God covenanted to give to Abraham, Isaac and Iacob, in their own persons, (as well as to their seed) the Land wherein they were strangers (that is, the Land of Canaan) for an inheritance. Mark those words well, The land of thy pilgrimage, The land whereon thy headlies, Gen. 28. The land which thou seest, Gen. 13. and the like. And in S. Paul, The place which he shou…d after receive for an inheritance, Heb. 11.But this was not performed to them while they lived; therefore must they one day live again, that they may be partakers of this Promise; and consequently the Saints shall live on earth after their Resurrection.
To your Postscript… Objection, That if the Saints come not all together with Christ, those which are left behind shall be in worse case than they were before: The assoiling thereof depends upon the exact knowledge of the State of the Saints in bliss, and the degrees they are in; which we know not. Who can affirm whether all the Saints now in bliss have the Vision of Christ in his Humanity, or some of them only? And as for the presence of his Godhead, they may enjoy it in an illustrious manner, though his Humanity be on earth. We must be content in so great a Mystery to be ignorant of something. Deus providebit. For the words*1 Cor. 15. foreign, I will not contend for the sense I used them in. They may be understood the other way, so may they be in mine. Quisque fruatur suo judicio. But what say you to that in the end of Daniel, Go thy way, Daniel, till the end be; for thou shalt rest and stand up in thy Lot at the end of days? What is this [in thy Lot?] Is it not, In thy course, or In thy turn? See the Courses or Turns of the Priests and Levites so called, 1 Chron. 24.
For my full interpretation of that part of the 11. of Daniel, I have it in a Treatise upon 1 Tim. 4. which I preached in certain Sermons at S. Marie's before I was so well versed in the Apocalyps or understood the Mystery of the Millennium; and therefore it hath some things in it not so consentaneous to my present opinion either in that or some other things there discoursed. I could*Of which this Great Author hath given a Specimen, in his prefecting and more fully expressing such pieces of that Treause as he had occasion to exce…p and make use of in sen…e Writings in this Volume, as the judicious Reader may observe. mend the foundation thereof. Notwithstanding these defects I could be willing to let you have a sight of it, if I could send it by a certain hand; but the hand of a Carrier is too contingent to adventure it in: And this to save the labour of writing out that which concerns that Prophecy of Daniel, which would be a little tedious to me.
Mr. B. at his sending me your last, desired to know my opinion of Gog and Magog in the Apocalyps, whether they were not Hypocrites on the one side within the Church, and open Enemies without on the other. Whereby I gather he is not acquainted with my conceit of the Millennium, and wants the Praecognita. Wherefore it would be a tedious business to go about to inform him by writing. I answered him, My Opinion required many Praecognita, and what it was you could inform him: but I thought it concerned not these times.
Thus with my best respect, and commending your self and all yours to the Blessing of the Almighty, I rest
Christ's Colledge, March 23. 1634/5. Your assured Friend, Ioseph Mede.
EPISTLE XLIV.
Mr. Hartlib's Letter to Mr. Mede, intimating a Learned man of Leiden his judgment of his Book on the Apocalyps.
Worthy Sir,
IVst now I received a Letter from a Learned man of Leiden, to whom also I sent your Clavis, who writes thus: Doctissimum Commentarium Apocalyp. coepi legere. Gratulor mihi de talibus scriptis, quorum etsi fides non potest esse nimis certa in omnibus, sunt tamen quorum nomine maximi aestimari debent. Nam 1. Non parùm valent contra Atheos, quorum perversi…as priùs concinnis ejusmodi delectanda, quàm convincentibus expugnanda. 2. Nec minùs ad erigendos eos qui certitudinis de Religione deliquium patiuntur aliquando, qualis nemo non est. 3. Nec non ad solatium in adversis. Nihil enim fortiùs solatur quàm quod certitudinem de Religione Christiana ex habitu in vivum & vegetum actum excitat: At hoc potest Apocalypseos consideratio talis. 4. Quantum in eo situm sit ut evincatur Papam esse Antichristum nemo non novit: At hoc longè fortiùs persuadetur tali modo quàm per disputationes; saltem disputationes confirmat. 5. Nè dicam quòd multa Scripturae dicta in hoc Commen…ario egregiè explicantur, & historiae profanae ad pium usum transferuntur: quam postremam ob causam O quàm opto ut lucem videat ejusdem Authoris Scriptum, quo Originem Pontificiae Religionis ex Ethnicis…o egregiè demonstratam intelligo! Et quidem video eum pag.[Hu…us … pag. 476.] 116. lin. 7. Comment. Apocalyp. tale quid citare. Scribe quaeso an impressum. Interim velim D. Duncus hunc Comment. Apocalyp. consideret, & judicet, annon suum interpretandi modum hic Author accuratissimè secutus sit. An igitur audebit dicere hanc Apocalypseos interpretationem & Analysin esse infallibilem? Thus you see how our affections of your worthy labours begin to turn into a true judgment and right value. Yet I should be glad too to spend more of my affections upon you in writing oftner, if many other weighty and publick occasions would give me leave: But I know you will excuse me, and remain confident that I am always
6. Martii, 1634. Your very assured and affectionate friend to serve you, Samuel Hartlib.
EPISTLE XLV.
Mr. Mede's modest Answer, excusing himself and his Book.
Worthy Mr. Hartlib,
THanks for your good affection, in rejoycing for that you conceive to tend to my honour. Yet I see not why I should think much better of my self for it. It is the hap of many a Book that hath no worth in it (as I see daily) to find applause and entertainment, when a good Book is often scarce taken notice of. Why may not mine then, notwithstanding all this, be of that sort? I confess it is far better accepted than ever I looked for. This is enough. Yet might it be any furtherance but in the smallest degree to draw a Prince to our Religion, I should think then I might have cause of glory. But, alas! I dare not so much as give such a conceit entertainment.
Howsoever, because you send me abroad, and the Book contains a Paradox which is but generally and tenderly touched, and not fully explicated; lest I might be reputed, in this generality, to be of the same Opinion that Piscator, and some others are, who avouch a Millennium Regni, as I do, but not foreign and so their conceit far differing from mine; I thought not amiss to send you these inclosed Papers, wherein those that shall study that point shall find my opinion competently explicated; at least so far as may secure them that I cherish no gross and groundless error. When you have made that use of them you think fit, I would desire you to send me them again, for I have no other Copies, and they are sometimes useful to me in giving satisfaction.
If Mr. Dury hath read my Book, you may communicate them with him; else it will not be to purpose. I would I knew whether he had a Book or not. The Book he sent me down from De Dieu, I have now at length, and but newly, received. I read De Dieu's Letter but this morning, and would have written to Mr. Dury in answer to his kind Letter, but that I am all overwhelmed at present with business and distractions, and am of a disposition that can tend but one thing at once. I pray howsoever remember my service to him… the next week I shall be at leisure I hope to write to him.
For your excusing your seldom saluting me with your Letters, it needs not; I am sensible of the trouble my self, and therefore most ready to hold others excused. Thus my time is spent, and I must to other writing work. So with my best affection I rest
Christ's Colledge, March 11. 1634. Your assured Friend, Ios. Mede.
EPISTLE XLVI.
Ioh. Duraei Epistola ad Ios. Medum.
Gratiam & Pacem.
CUM Lugduno-Batavorum, This Letter contains Mr. Dury's great respect to Mr. Mede, and withal sollicits him to impart his thoughts about the best method of pursuing the design for a Pacification amongst the Protestant Reformed Churches.Clarissime & Doctissime Vir, discessurus valedicerem Rev. Domino De Dieu, quocum mihi à multo tempore notitia intercesserat, Fidei meae commisit suas hasce in Acta Apostolorum Annotationes vobis tradendas. Gra…ulatus mihi sum de qualicunque hac occasione ipsi & tibi simul inserviendi; aut saltem testandi erga te praesertim (cujus Pietatem atque Eruditionem meritò omnes piè doctivenerantur) Studium & affectum meum, quo tuam virtutem prosequor. Hanc igitur scribendi ansam nactus nolui meo voto deesse ampliùs, quo in tuam aliquando irrepere familiaritatem exoptavi. Multa illa & praeclara optimorum, & nominatim Domini Hartlibii, de tuis dotibus testimonia, animum meum ad haec vota & desideria inflammârunt. Dabis igitur, Vir eximie, veniam pro tua humanitate meo affectui, cujus impulsu haec scribo, ut liceat mihi imposterum tuo cul…ui mea studia dedicare, & pro re nata te per Literas salutare, siquid dignum tuà notitiâ in communibus studiis occurret. Impraesentiarum nihil adhuc ad manum est praeter hoc Decretum ab Ordinibus Imperii factum in negotio Pacis Ecclesiasticae meo rogatu capessendo: in illo videre poteris quousque divina Clementia meis conatibus praeter & ultra exspectationem faverit; atque ut illi mecum eo nomine gratias agas rogo. Quae reliqua in hoc instituto promovendo sunt, & communicatione digna videbuntur, suo tempore suggerentur; ut siquid ab Eruditione & Prudentia tua accedere possit ad hanc causam juvandam, id meo quodam jure in Communione Sanctorum postulare & impetrare queam… Val…, Vir mihi maximopere colende. Dabam raptim
Londini, 4. Kal. Mart. 1634/5. Vestrae Pielatis Observantissimus, Iohannes Duraeus,
EPISTLE XLVII.
Ios. Medi Epistola ad Ioh. Duraeum.
Doctissime & Ornatissime Vir,
DIutius factum est cùm tuas Literas accepi,This Letter signifies Mr. Mede's hearty well-wishing to Mr. Dury's Pacifick design, but withal intimates his reasons why he judgeth himself not so fit and able to serve him herein. Thus out of his great modesty he wrote at first to Mr. Dury, but was afterward prevailed with to communicate what he thought most adviseable in this affair; as appears by several Letters of his in Answer to Mr. Dury and Mr. Hartlib, which the Reader will find toward the end of this Fourth Book. nec respondi: In causa fuit, quòd Librum ad me à Clarissimo viro Domino Lud. De Dieu missum Vehicularii incuriâ ante superiorem septimanam non acceperim: tunc autem cùm scribendum esset, aliis occupationibus & scriptiunculis adeò distinebar, ut vel tantillum otii & temporis huic officio non suppeterit.
Duplici verò beneficio me affecit Vir clarissimus doctissimúsque & omni laude superior Dominus Ludovicus De Dieu; tum quòd eruditissimi Libri sui munere me honorare voluerit; tum quòd unâ eâdémque operâ, quasi tesserâ quadam in manus traditâ, mihi ad amicitiam tuam viam patefecerit; Viri, quem verè heroicum illud Religiosae Pacis procurandae studium mihi jamdudum & omnibus bonis amabilem reddiderat, Deo quinetiam charum & acceptum. Macte, vir beatissime, (talem enim teMatth 5 … Christus ipse pronunciat) hoc animo, hâc virtute. Utinam autem ità ferret conditio mea, essémque porrò ab ingenio & prudentia satìs instructus, ut tibi in tam sancto munere inservirem. Nunc verò illud, ultrà quàm voto & commendatione, non licet. Nos enim hîc (ut scias) qui inferioris subsellii sumus, ab aliorum pendemus arbitrio, neque sine illorum nutu aut ductu in talibus quicquam audemus; alioquin factiosi & inordinati ingenii notam incursuri, nullo, mihi crede, siquis eo maculetur, oceano eluendam.
Est & aliud offendiculum quod te non celabo, quo Nostratium quorundam animos, alioquin rectos, deterreri & retardari suspicor, quò minùs voluntatem suam tam liberè & apertè in hac causa profiteantur: nempe quòd aliorum temeritate, aliorum malitiâ factum animadvertunt, ut quò quis in exte…as Ecclesias proniorem se ostendat, eò statim à nostra habeatur alienior. Audîsti Satanae Stratagema, quo tam pulchro & pio incepto remoram objicere conatur. Hinc conjice, in suffragiis ad rem istam colligendis quantâ cautelâ & judicio opus sit.
Meipsum quod attinet, scias velim, me summis animi votis Ecclesiarum pacem & concordiam exoptare, tibíque eo nomine & sanctissimis tuis conatibus impensè …avere, &, quà licet, promovere velle. Dextram verò amicitiae (quam tam benignè obtulisti & vicissim postulas) en tibi …am jam nunc porrigo, ínque affectûs mei testimonium Scriptum hoc qualecunque meum in Apocalypsin dono mitto; minimè illud ei par quod mihi à doctissimo & (quod ex Literis ejus cognovi) amicissimo tibi viro ferendum accepisti: Rogo tamen ut aequi boníque consuleres, quod ab homine cui angusta est eruditionis supellex proficisci potuit.
Nolim enim te ex Domini Hartlibii & aliorum amicorum de me judiciis, qui ex hoc Scripto (quod immane quanto labore mihi constitit) vires meas aestimant, in errorem abduci. Non sum profectò quem illi me existimant, sed in quo omnia mediocria sunt, nè dicam tenuia; multis eruditionis praesidiis destitutum esse, praesertim (quod maximè angit) cogitata mentis sive sermone, sive scripto apud alios facilè & expeditè proferendi facultatem à natura denegatam habere, ut nullo modo sim amicorum de me judiciis & exspectationi responsurus, mihi de meipso crede, nè de novo amico nimiùm fortè sis tibi gratulaturus.
Plura non addo, nisi ut faveat sanctissimis tuis inceptis benignus Deus, téque diu incolumem servet, Ecclesiae & Reipublicae Christianae bono. Ità vovet
E Collegio Christi Cantabrig. 18. Martii 1634/5. Nominis tui studiosissimus, Ios. Medus.