Works, Book 4 · Letter 61 – Letter 63
EPISTLE LXI.
Mr. Mede's Answer about the seven Lamps in the Temple, signifying the seven Archangels; as also about the Pluscula in Zach. 9. 10, 11. with an intimation of his purpose to perfect his Discourse on Dan. 12. 11, 12.
THE seven-lamped Candlestick in the Temple before the Veil signified the*See the Discourse about the seven Archangels in Book I. pag. 41. seven Archangels which stand before the presence of God.
That in Zachary was but a Vision of that, and chosen there to represent (Synecdochicè) the Throne of God's Majesty, the Temple …nd his Service therein. The two Olive-branches on each side ministring after an unseen and unusual manner Oyl unto those Lamps, figured Zorobabel and Ieshua, the Prince and High Priest, by whom this Throne of presence had and should be first and last re-erected, and together with the service thereat continued and fully established: But this not by armed might and power, but by the secret way of God's Spirit and Providence working with them, and giving success more than credible to their endeavours; even as these Lamps in the Vision were supplied with Oyl from the two Olive-branches, not according to the wonted, but an extraordinary and imperceptible way.
The supplying therefore of Oyl to the Lamps from the two Olive-branches hath no respect or reference to the seven Angels which the Lamps signified, but to the Place pitched for God's presence and service, which the Candlestick in this Vision stood to represent, and so was accordingly accommodated, as the scope of the Vision required; or more briefly thus, The Olive-branches had reference to what the Candlestick stood for in this Vision, not to what it immediately signified in the Temple.
'Tis one thing to set up, maintain, and continue the Type and Symbol which represents; another, the thing thereby represented. Zerubbabel and Ieshua did the one, but not the other; namely, no more than the Priests in their courses in the Temple were wont to do, who were to renew the Lamps every day morning and evening.
Besides, in Types and Parables non oportet quidlibet in significationem trahi, because some circumstances may be of decorum, and some of necessity. But
Lastly, If none of these ways be sufficient to discharge this rub by declining it; then say that Zerubbabel and Ieshua in this Vision, in that work of building the Temple of the Lord and of bringing the people out of captivity, were intended for Types of Christ, according to his twofold Office of Kingdom and Priesthood; from whom, when he should be exalted to the Throne of Divine Majesty and sit at the right hand of God, the seven Archangels were to receive their instructions and commissions (i. e. the Oyl wherewith they burn) as from the Head of the Church; and therefore in the Apocalyps are made to be the Eyes and Horns of the *And what if he be the St…ne with the seven eyes in Zach. 3. …. Dedi coram Iosualapidem, i. e. dedi ei in successorem Pontificatûs. R…gem Pontific…m? For foreign signifies in Scripture a King, foreign, as appears by Gen. 49. 24. (where Iosua is firstly meant, and Ephraim challenged much from the Prophecy, as appears by their ambition) and by Esa. 28. 16. where the Chaldee for foreign hath foreign, but in Genesis they translate to another sense, out of envy to Ephraim.Lamb, that is, Ministers and Instruments of his jurisdiction, both to see and execute; and that this was mystically implied in this Vision of Zachary. For that these two were Types of Christ, it appears; of Ieshua in chap. 3. of this Prophecy, ver. 8, 9. and chap. 6. ver. 11, 12, &c. Of Zerubbabel, (if not by this Vision, yet) by the last of Haggai in the very end; besides that our Saviour descended from his loyns.
Concerning the ninth, tenth and eleventh Chapters of Zachary, and what therein befits not so well his time as Ieremie's.
You press me here to discover my fancy. For the allegations will not be convictive, though of force to incline him who out of that citation in the*Mat. 27. 9. 10 Gospel can be pliable to think those Prophecies Ieremie's. For Zachary's no Scripture saith they are, though they are inserted into his volumes. But this proves them no more to be his, than the like doth Agur's Proverbs to be Solomon's, or all the Psalms in the Psalm-Book to be David's. For as for the Titles in the tops of every page, it matters not: it is a later device. The Iews wrote in Rolls or Volumes, and the Title was but once. If ought were added to the Roll, ob similitudinem argumenti or for some other reason, it had a new Title, as that of Agur; or perhaps sometimes none, but was foreign.
Well then, that which I fansie or conceive is.
1. That those Prophecies against Damascus and the Philistins, chap. 9. would better befit Ieremie's time, of their destruction by Nebuchadnezzar, than (if of Zachary's time) by Alexander. See the Prophecy against Damascus, Ier. 49. 23. against the Philistins, chap. 47. 2. and Ezek. 25. 15. For where do we find Damascus destroyed from Zacharie's to our Saviour's time? For to come under the hands of new Masters, or suffer some direption or pillaging, doth not seem to satisfie the intent of the Prophecy. And for the Philistins, though it be true that Alexander destroyed Gaza, (because it held out long against him, and he was wounded there) yet it appears not that any such desolation befell Askelon whereby it should not be inhabited, or Ashdod; nor should they seem in Zacharie's time to have so well recovered that Clades by Nebuchadnezzar, as to be a subject ripe for a new Prophecy to that purpose.
2. That of Tyre in the third verse of that chapter, That she had built her self a strong hold, and heaped up silver as the dust, and fine gold as the mire of the streets, I doubt whether it so well befits her that had so lately been destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar. Sure not so well as it would the time of Ieremy. See Ezekiel's Prophecies thereabout, chap. 26, 27, 28. Sed transeat.
3. That which moves me more than the rest is in chap. 11. (whence that in the Gospel is quoted) which contains a Prophecy of the destruction of Ierusalem, and a description of the wickedness of the Inhabitants, for which God would give them to the sword, and have no more pity upon them. It is expounded of the destruction by Titus; but methinks such a Prophecy was nothing seasonable for Zacharie's time, (when the City yet, for a great part, lay in her ruines, and the Temple had not yet recovered hers) nor agreeable to the scope of Zacharie's Commission, who together with his collegue …aggai was sent to encourage the people lately returned from Captivity, to build their Temple and instaurate their Commonwealth. Was this a fit time to foretel the destruction of both, whiles they were but yet a building? and by Zachary too, who was to encourage them? would not this better befit the desolation by Nebuchadnezzar?
I confess I am not so well skilled as to interpret the particulars thereof, supposing they be of that time. But you see now what those Pluscula are I fansie not so well to fit Zacharie's time as Ieremy's. Valeant quantum valere possint.
'Tis certain that Ieremie's Prophecies are digested in no order, but only as it seems they came to light in the Scribe's hands. Hence sometimes all is ended with Zedekiah; then we are brought back to Iehojakim, then to Zedekiah again, &c. Whereby it seems they came not to light to be enrolled secundùm ordinem temporis, nor all together, but as it happened in so distracted a time. And why might not some not be found till the return from Captivity, and be approved by Zachary, and so put to his Volume according to the time of their finding and approbation by him, and after that some other Prophecies yet added of his?
IF you had not put me out by your last Letter, (which I received on Friday Aug. 7.) I was looking into an old Notion concerning our old business of Antichrist; a Notion which I had long laid aside,The Discourse upon this Notion was soon after finisht by him, as appears by the following Epistle. See the Discourse it self in Book III. pag. 717. but upon a late occasion began to take some new liking thereunto, seeing some good use thereof: namely, That the Prophecy of Antichrist, and the foreign wherein he was to reign, should not be understood till many hundreds of years after Christ, but remain sealed till the time appointed, viz. ad seculum usque duodecimum. All this by express prophecy; and that therefore the Authority of the Fathers and their opinion concerning this point is of no validity, howsoever it be now come of late among our selves to be a main Objection, That the Pope is not He.
But now I must defer it to more leisure, some other business coming upon me, and I being unfit for above one thing at once.
There was something I wrote to you once about the*See Epistle XLIII. proof of the Resurrection out of Moses, and that Demonstration of our Saviour in the Gospel; which I never perceived you found leisure hitherto seriously to examine and consider of: yet may it have something considerable.
Thus desiring Almighty God to fill you with all benediction, with my best respect I take my leave, and am
Christ's Coll. August 12. 1635. Yours, Ioseph Mede.
Postscript.
My Sizer being not yet come with a candle, I will transcribe a passage of Eusebius, concerning the Christian Sacrifice, in his De landibus Constantini. He is magnifying the unparallel'd power of our Saviour testified by the wonderful change he had then wrought in the world; to which purpose with other passages he hath this:
Quis alius, solo nostro Servatore excepto,*foreign coepulonibus suis inornenta & rationalia Sacrificia, precibus & arcanâ foreign peragenda, tradidit? quorum causâ tum *foreignAltaria in toto terrarum orbe constituta, tum Ecclesiarum*foreign dedicationes factae. Solique omnium moderatori Deo divina Sacrificiorum solâ mente & ratione obcundorum ministeria ab omnibus gentibus exhibita: Sacrificia verò sanguine, cruore & fumo peragi solita, vi quadam occultâ & invisibili deleta & extincta sunt.
EPISTLE LXII.
Dr. Twisse's Eleventh Letter to Mr. Mede, signifying his high esteem of Mr. Mede's Discourse De Numeris Danielis, Chap. 12. 11, 12.
Right dear and my right worthy Friend,
THis day a little before dinner came your*In this Letter of Mr. Mede'… was enclosed … his Latina Discourse De Numeris Dan. or Revelatio… Antichristi, which he promised to finish, in the foregoing Letter. Letter unto me. I have been of late extremely melancholick; your Letters inspire chearfulness into me—How am I beholden unto you for communicating unto me your Treasures, which I esteem beyond the Treasures of the Queen of Sheba! You have heretofore blessed me with the Mysteries of aSee Epistle 41. and Apostasy of the latter times, ch. 16, 17Dan. 11. now with the Mysteries of Dan. 12. vers. 11, 12. The bare discovery of others Errors I should esteem a Iewel, and a preservative from engaging our selves in erroneous ways, which is worst of all. Better a great deal to content a man's self with Ignorance, so to keep himself entire for the embracing of Truth, when the time of its nativity is come. But you go farther, and from the Text it self discover whereto thosebviz. 1290 and 1335 in Dan, 12. Numbers tend, namely, for the discovery of Antichrist; which gives me wondrous content: and all this you crown with admirable accommodation to the Event—What a gracious God do we serve, that hath so well provided for us in these times and for our consolation so many hundred years ago; and as he hath reserved us for these times of light, so raiseth up some to open these Oracles unto us? What should man be the better for that sweet Dew, Hony I mean, if the Lord had not provided such a Creature as the Bee by natural instinct to seek after it, and gather it for the use of others as well as for themselves?—I protest unto you, if I should lie in prison all days of my life, next unto the consolations of God's spirit your Writings would most refresh me: They do always dispel melancholy. I desire no better Preferment than you can perform, and that is to be preferred to acquaintance with your Rarities. I make bold to keep your Discourse till the next week, for I cannot let it pass from me without copying it out. I commend me to your Love, as one of them I hold most dear, and shall ever from my heart desire that God will prosper your courses and studies, and recompense you with himself, to be your Buckler and exceeding great Reward—I rest
Newbury, Octob. 12. 1635. Yours ever in the surest bond, Will. Twisse:
EPISTLE LXIII.
Mr. Estwick's Letter to Mr. Mede, touching the Millennium.
SIR,
TOuching the Opinion of the Millenaries, it was not yet my hap to light of a Book to inform me: You shall find me to be a teachable Scholar: only this Mora Resurrectionis seems to be confuted in divers places of the Scripture, where it is said, The dead shall be raised at the sound of the last Trump; All they that are Christ's, at his coming, (1 Cor. 15. 23.) in a moment, vers. 52. and the coming of the Son of man. See Matt. 24. 39. and, excepting one place, I think the Resurrection is said to be of good and bad together. How these and the like Scriptures are to be expounded agreeably to the doctrine of the Millenaries I would willingly know.
Warkton, Nov. 4. Yours ever, N. Estwick.