shall reign upon Earth does not confound with him that has a distinct understanding the subordinate degrees and ranks of men but there may be Kings and Bishops and Priests that are in another sense so than the common people are Therefore this ground is exceedingly too weak to support such a monstrous Paradox in Theology and Politicks That the reign of the Messias alters not the course of Nature but sanctifies it and makes it holy is an opinion of some of the best of the Rabbins And to give unnatural Expositions of Prophecies is to cast a Mist before the eyes of men that they will not be able to discern when they are fulfilled As if the Millennium will never be till Princes be no more Kings than the people As the Iews fansie the times of the Messias not yet come because the Lyon does not yet eat Hay with the Oxe Vers. 6. The Sea of Glass being the Laver of Regeneration does not signifie the condition of those that are regenerated thereby but that which does regenerate them viz. that Manifestation of God in our Lord Jesus the glory of which we beholding as in a glass are changed into the same Image from glory to glory Ans. Why may not the Laver of Regeneration signifie the condition of those that are regenerate For qualis causa talis effectus Why may not then the quality of the one signifie the quality of the other The pure transparent Laver of Regeneration the purity of the Regenerate and their perviousness to be shined into and illuminated by the Spirit of God This is spoke more within compass than the Remarker's turning the Font into a Looking-glass especially if we consider that Sea signifies a Body of people Besides according to the Remarker's own self The manifestation of the glory of Christ regenerating us into his own Image and so we becoming like Christ that which represents him that regenerates represents us also regenerated into his Image whence it is plain that the Sea of Glass represents the Regenerate people and that the Remarker contradicts himself Chap. 5. Vers. 1. WRitten within and without cannot signifie the outward sense or symbols of the prophecy and the inward sense or things represented thereby for that inward sense cannot be written but onely the words or symbols containing it so that one writing must serve for both but does plainly mean that the outward writing contains the Prophecy of the Seals and Trumpets and the writing within that of the opened Book Ans. It is a childish thing to think that the book seen by Iohn was written with all those words contained in the Apocalypse but it was a symbol of the Compages of those Prophetical Representations and of the inward meaning of them contained in the mind of Christ and the Holy Angel sent to Iohn Now as the Book in general was a symbol of the figurative Representations and the inward meaning of them in the mind of the Angel that is to say of the inward Prophetical sense of them so the being writ within and without distinctly signifies the latter the external Representations and Symbols of the Prophecies and the being writ within the real prophetical sense of the figures and symbols And of the being writ within and without that this is the natural sense of it is moreover manifest because all the ancient Interpreters have been harping much upon that string or something like it S. Ierom amongst the rest will have this Book to signifie the Scripture and the being writ within and without to signifie the literal and mystical sense But certainly this sense which I have given is much more natural which restrains it to this present Book of Prophecies and to the symbolical sense and real prophetical sense thereof To take away this sense and tell us onely that the matter not being able to be contained in the inside of the rolled Book the rest was fain to be writ on the outside so that it was Liber opisthographus is either to trifle or doe worse to reproach the Pen-man as either over-sparing of his Parchment or overseen in the proportioning it to his matter But this intimation of these two senses I have noted is usefull and weighty whereby the vanity and madness of those Interpreters is discovered that confound the symbolical sense with the real or Prophetical as R. H. has done See the Expositor's Epilogue sect 10. And this of our Remarker's is of little more weight than the rest viz. That written within and without must mean the disposal of the Prophecy of the opened Book within and that of the Seals and Trumpets without To what purpose is this Intimation And besides it is an Hysteron-proteron to write that which is last in the inside and that which is first on the outside quite contrary to the mode of Opisthographal Writings Vers. 6. In the midst of the Throne and the four Beasts is not between the Throne and the Beasts For if the Beasts stood so round about the Throne the Lamb could stand but between the Throne and one Beast But the Beasts are here indeed upon the Throne as the Seraphims in Esay and so the Lamb rose up in the midst c. Which appears farther from one of them giving the seven Vials to the seven Angels Ans. If twenty Beasts stood round about the Throne the Lamb could stand betwixt the Throne and but one Beast And the Lamb may be said to stand betwixt the Throne and the Beasts though he stood but betwixt the Throne and one Beast as is manifest both out of phrase of Scripture and common speech so that that is but a slight exception But if the Beasts are indeed upon the Throne as the Remarker would have them they are in good truth very unmannerly Beasts Nor could they excuse their presumption from the example of the Seraphims in Esay 6.2 For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there both Kimchi and Aben-Ezra render Iuxta not Super near or by not upon and Munster and Grotius with other Interpreters of the best note agree thereto And why one of the Beasts may not give the Vials to the seven Angels standing by the Throne as well as being upon it I understand not These Beasts in Heaven are Angelical bodies or companies and therefore Peganius his Note on ch 15.7 is ingenious who understands it of the Angelical General who had the Lyon for his Ensign c. Chap. 6. Vers. 2. THE warfare of this Conqueror is not spiritual but his Conquering signifies his victories over the Iews by the Roman Armies whereby he fulfilled what he had foretold of sending forth his armies to destroy those Murtherers c. And his to conquer signifies his like success against the Roman Empire by the seven Trumpets and Vials c. Ans. The Prophecy of the seven Churches commences from the very beginning of the Church upon Christ's Ascension and sending upon the Apostles the Holy Ghost Wherefore there is more humour than judgment to thwart
were held together in before and subjecting them to the Gospel of Christ this shall be effected upon several Nations that were before Paganochristian in the Sardian Interval What can be more easie and clear Vers. 28. There 's but one Morning star and that is bright so that the Morning-star and the bright Morning-star must signifie the same And they are so far from signifying several states of the Church that the one is spoken onely of Christ himself viz. he calls himself the bright Morning-star But what the Morning-star is which is promised to the overcomers in the Thyatirian Church is hardly to be understood farther than we are partakers thereof but seems to be of like signification with 2 Pet. 1.19 both seeming to respect an addition of light of life to the light of truth before received Ans. There 's but one Morning star indeed which is Christ who is here signified but in a political consideration as Prince of his Empire on Earth which may have degrees of largeness and lustre And that Christ is here understood in a Political sense the foregoing verse intimates that speaks of the enlargement of his Kingdom Of which also the subsequence of the Epiphonema farther assures us according to the rule noted in the Exposition of the seven Churches And where Christ is called the bright Morning star Apoc. 22.16 it is not spoke there simply of his Person abstracting from his Kingdom on Earth because he says immediately before it I am the off-spring of David which is a challenging his right to all the Kingdoms of the Earth upon that score of his descent from David the King to whom God had made the promise Ps. 2. And this following the description of his glorious Reign in the new Ierusalem and relating to those times he saith not as in the Sardian Interval I am the Morning-star but the bright Morning-star by reason of his exceeding great lustre and glory in his Millennial Reign Why should any one wink against so clear a light and inviolable coherence and congruity of things But why he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 instead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Sardian Interval the Expositor has noted in his Exposition of the seven Churches Chap. 3. Vers. 4. WAlking with me in white is in this Verse made signifie that conversing with Christ by his Spirit whereby they shall be inabled to walk with him in all innocency and integrity But in the following Verse the being cloathed in white rayment which is the same with walking in white is taken in a different sense viz. to be prosperous in the propagating the affairs of Christ's Kingdom Also in the said following verse those words I will not blot his name out of the book of life which interpret the foregoing words viz. that the walking in white and the being cloathed with white rayment is the walking in the light of life whereby we become heirs of the crown of life and so written in the book of life are yet taken to signifie a continued succession of such men to the end of the world whereas the continuance of such a succession is no reward to the Sardian Church though it may be joy to them as they are concerned for the propagation of Religion Ans. If there be any Errour in this Interpretation it is in that the Expositor has not expounded to walk with me in white in the same sense he expounded to be cloathed in white rayment which has a Political sense and signifies the good success of affairs with them For the Remarker was to remember that the Expositor was giving the prophetical sense of these Epistles not the literal moral or spiritual And that therefore according to that solid Rule set down That the Declarations touching the success of the Church that is writ to before the Epiphonema signifies politically so this being cloathed in white is to be expounded accordingly But being whiteness signifies as well Innocency as Prosperity and Innocency is a fitting these few names in Sardis for their prosperous success that I made use of these different significations so well subordinated one to another deserves not to be cavilled at but rather to be approved And correspondently to this Prophetical sense which must be Political I will not blot his name out of the book of life is to be understood that these few names are the durable seed of such a Church as shall last to the end of the World But to say this is no reward to them that they have such a durable succession is a reproach to the Remarker as if he were a stranger to the true Christian State and knew not the gratifications of a soul regenerate into the living Image of Christ who with his Church is one mystical body in succession through all ages and therefore what any part of them suffer for the present if it make for the greater good of the Church for the future they take themselves to be amply rewarded by so happy an event And such a success as causes joy to them as the Remarker acknowledges must be a proportionable good to them and if consequent upon their labours and sufferings a reward thereof So that such Allegations as these are mere affected Cavils Vers. 8. The opened door that cannot be shut and the little strength signifie not any outward force or army but that spiritual strength that is attained to by faith working by love which makes us become freed by the truth from the thraldom of the worldly Powers and gain that enterance into the Kingdom of our Lord as never to fall Both this and the four following verses do shew the Philadelphian Church to be in a Militant State in progress to the victorious state of rest and glory in the Millennium And what is said in these verses is spoken of the entire State of the Philadelphian Church and therefore cannot be referred to the seventh vial as the commencement thereof But to instance in their signifying a Militant State c. The promise v. 9. to make them of the Synagogue of Satan who say they are Iews to come and worship c. does plainly shew the Church to be in conflict with such Enemies as pretend to be true Christians and yet refuse subjection to the true Church which cannot agree with the Millennial State when Satan shall be bound and all Enemies put under the feet of Christ c. The promise v. 10. to keep from the hour of Temptation that shall come upon all the world c. does evidence and a State far different from that of the Millennium and does seem to signifie that time of great trouble precedent thereto Dan. 12. The promise also v. 11. to come quickly and warning to hold fast c. does also plainly shew that the time of the Millennium when God will reward all his servants ch 11.18 is not then come though it be near approaching And the several promises v. 12. made to him that overcometh do
Issue of the 42 months war more than an hundred years in which expiration of the 42 months or 1260 days prophetical he surmises that Antichristianity will be utterly rooted out of the Church as if that would be the full completion of the Rising of the Witnesses this gave me occasion in the above-mentioned Arithmetica Apocalyptica to shew that Daniel's seven Semi-Times not the 1260 days nor 42 months is the true Authentick eventual measure to compute the fulfilling of the Medial-Visions by And I may here add that if the fulfilling of the Vision of the Rising of the Witnesses and the fall of Babylon be enlarged to an utter ruine of the Antichristian Kingdom and advancing the Reformation throughout Christendom and to the extending the last blast of the second Wo-Trumpet or sixth Trumpet or the beginning of the seventh and consequently the three Triumphant expressions of Ioy till then for they must be contracted or enlarged together I having proved so plainly that all the Vials which are so many plagues upon Antichrist follow the sixth Trumpet and those Triumphs or Doxologies chap. 11. v. 15 16 17. chap. 14. v. 8. and chap. 15. v. 3. there will be no time for the pouring out these Vials till Antichrist be gone upon whom they are to be poured Which shews plainly that the success of the 42 months war with the Saints or Witnesses is not to be as it were continued from the Reformation till an universal Rising of the Witnesses or full and final Ruine of Babylon at the expiration of the 42 Prophetical months or 1260 years but that the Reformation past is the adequate success of that 42 months War or Daniel's Time and Times and half a Time which is equivalent thereto and the onely Authentick measure of the truth of the events of the Medial-Visions And forasmuch as many Authentick copies Apoc. 13.15 instead of to continue have to make war forty two months and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if you leave out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies here to act at pleasure prosperously freely and unmasterly or untrollably as judicious Interpreters have noted and since however the Beast cannot make war before he continue and that therefore his continuance at least commences as high as his making war and both are said to be 42 months it is plain hence that the Beast's continuance and his war do perfectly synchronize and as one ends so must the other at the same time But the Rising of the Witnesses is the issue and end of the 42 months war therefore the continuance of that state of the Beast who is said to continue 42 months ends at the Rising of the Witnesses or fall of the tenth part of the City Which is a plain intimation that those Interpreters are in the right that interpret 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 5. if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be left out to act at pleasure with uncontrollableness and success Which state of the Beast ceased at the Rising of the Witnesses and fall of the tenth part of the City For then was he over-mastered in a large part of his Dominions and he could not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 act so freely and domineeringly as he did before So that all the pretence of prolonging the 42 months continuance of the Beast Apoc. 13.5 beyond the time of the issue of the 42 months war v. 7. and then at the 42 months end precisely taken of quite extinguishing his power plainly vanishes the 42 months onely pointing at the entireness of his reigning before he came into that broken condition and not at the time of his reign at large Of so great use is that little Piece for the preventing mistakes touching this matter And for Appendicula Apocalyptica by maintaining Mr. Mede's Interpretation of the Seals against Mr. Durham's as also his Symmetral Times of the Church antecedent to the Asymmetral it does plainly strengthen the Right of Monarchy and Episcopacy from the Holy Writ against such as are otherwise affected And this is all that I have to say by way of Preface touching the whole Book nor shall add any thing more to detain thee from the perusal thereof but my prayers that thou maist reade to thy own edification and that what thou readest may either beget or encrease in thee a sober mind and sensible of thy duty to God and to thy Prince and to all that are in Autority under him whether in Church or State Farewell The ERRATA correct thus  For Reade PAg. 3. lin 17. Seraphimus Seraphinus Ibid. l. 18. Peresius Pererius P. 7. l. 33. now not P. 12. l. 3. his this P. 33. l. 20. from being for being P. 44. l. 10. Seat Seal P. 50. l. 28. regenerating degenerating P. 51. l. 10. Trumpet might Trumpet might P. 59. l. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 P. 65. l. 20. toils evils P. 67. l. 1. world word P. 83. l. 30. most of those most of all those P. 103. l. 23. Primity Primitiae P. 117. l. 24. Vails Vials P. 129. l. 4. Vial-Angel first Vial-Angel P. 130. l. 20. game gain P. 139. l. 2. partly Party P. 143. l. 29. in the is the P. 161. l. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 P. 176. l. 30. Motiminous Moliminous P. 238. l. 19. many main P. 274. l. 26. Arme Army P. 325. l. 24. Aetymological Etymological P. 351. l. 30. rom from P. 368. l. 31. Synopsis of Synopsis P. 383. l. 33. to the as the P. 410. l. 1. seven seventh P. 412. l. 22. why has why has not AN ANSWER To Several REMARKS UPON Dr. Henry More HIS APOCALYPSIS APOCALYPSEOS Written By S. E. MENNONITE And Published in English by The ANSWERER Together with his ANSWERS thereunto JAM III. 13 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 LONDON Printed by M. F. for Walter Kettilby 1684. REMARKS UPON APOCALYPSIS APOCALYPSEOS Chap. I. Vers. 4. BOTH here and vers 11. the direction to the seven Churches is rendred To the Catholick Church distinguished into seven Successions and so no literal sense but onely a prophetical sense regarded in the Epistles Ans. It was no part of the Expositor's scope to meddle with the literal sense but to give a continued coherent prophetical sense onely of this whole book of Prophecies the Apocalypse Ver. 6. Kings and Priests are doubtlesly to be taken here as in ch 5. v. 10. And hast made us to our God Kings and Priests and we shall reign on the Earth So that the sense here given is a straining of the Text from a proper literal to a forced metaphorical sense Ans. The sense is very easie unforced and exceeding usefull and a fit caution against such hot and heady Saints who would be presently up and reigning on the Earth before they have attained to the Kingdom of Heaven within them and have become Masters of their own Earthly minds Reigning upon Earth seems here in the Text on purpose omitted to give way
it is plain that the roaring of the Angel is substituted in the place of the sounding of the seventh Trumpet and that the roaring of the Angel as well as the sounding of the seventh Trumpet reacheth to the end of the world But the Text says 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when he cryed or roared not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when he had cryed seven Thunders uttered their voices Wherefore this roaring of the Lyon of the Tribe of Iuda which reaches from the sixth Trumpet to the end of the world is divided into seven Thunders But the seventh Trumpet reaches from the sixth to the end of the world therefore the space of the seventh Trumpet is divided into seven Thunders And how easie natural and indeed inevitable is this to one that is not blinded with prejudice That in this Prophecy of the sealed Book as the seventh Seal is divided into seven Trumpets so the seventh Trumpet which as the rest belongs to the Prophecy of the sealed Book should be divided into seven Thunders those seven Thunders immediately following the sixth Trumpet as the seven Trumpets immediately follow the sixth Seal Out of all which it is manifest that the Prophecy of the sealed Book reacheth to the end of the world as well as the Prophecy of the seven Churches Now therefore to consider the Remark on this verse it is manifest out of what has been said that the seventh Trumpet does synchronize with the roaring of the mighty Angel because his roaring is substituted into the place of the sounding of the seventh Trumpet which reacheth to the end of the world and that roaring being branched into seven Thunders that the seventh Trumpet is branched into seven Thunders Nor does the Regress to begin a new Prophecy of the Contents of the opened Book clash at all with this synchronizing of the seventh Trumpet with the roaring of the Angel and the seven Thunders but most naturally agree with it this roaring and seven Thunders reaching to the end of the world to the utmost term of the Laodicean succession of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Ptolemy calls it Laodicea combusta Laodicea burnt down by Thunder and Lightning from Heaven at the Conflagration which congruity in all likelihood gave occasion of denominating these seven divisions of the last Trumpet from Thunders and farther confirms that these Thunders reach to the end of the world and therefore the most fittingly intimates a Regress to a new Prophecy namely to that of the opened Book Which if we will not derogate from its perfection must as the two former reach from the beginning of the Church to the end of the world And as for the synchronizing of the affairs of the first six Trumpets with those of the opened Book till the seventh that it is a precarious surmise will appear in its due place But now it being so plain that the seven Thunders synchronize with the seventh Trumpet it is manifest that all that the Remarker delivers about the Frogs and Hero's and Boanerges's the seven Thunders being a symbol of no such things but of a distinction as other sevens in the Apocalypse of that last space of time into so many Intervals and those things being before the seventh Trumpet according to his supposition it is manifest I say that all those conceits of the Remarker are onely an idle evanid Dream Vers. 4. As Write not viz. the things which the seven Thunders uttered is the general translation so is it far more agreeable with the command to seal them up than that singular Translation Thou shalt write them hereafter For if they were to be written at all where should they be written but here where they are uttered And to write them hereafter is to make them belong to the opened Book whereas they belong to the sealed Book if the seventh Trumpet be branched into seven Thunders Ans. His Remark upon this verse is more material But I answer that it is not one single copy we rely on The Biblia Regia says David Pareus has it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou shalt write them hereafter And Andreas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Write them hereafter And the copy that Grotius comments on whatever it is has it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou shalt write them hereafter And I must confess I do little question but that is the true Reading whenas our ordinary copy has it which our English Translation follows 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which corrupt Reading I conceive proceeded from the heedlesness or unskilfulness of some Scribe and some ill writ copy which made him turn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 written contractedly thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so made it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And afterwards 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being the future tense and therefore not so fitly applied to a present action others turned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But from this and for that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is superflous for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 had been enough or if a Pronoun had been to be added it would rather have been 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the whole command would have run thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But whatever Writers or MSS have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I conceive that after the true Reading 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was corrupted into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was turned into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by some busie Critick or Scribe which others afterward might follow From these considerations I say I do strongly suspect or rather not at all doubt but that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the true Reading And it agrees very well with the command to seal them up as being needless to relate the affairs of the seven Thunders here because they shall be related in the Prophecy of the opened Book that Prophecy containing the Fate of the Church as the other of the Empire And therefore this is but a more Majestick Transition from the finished course of the Prophecy of the sealed Book to make a Regress to the Prophecy of the opened Book Nor is there the least Inconvenience that the distinct Visions writ down in the Prophecy of the opened Book and in that Regard belonging to it should as to the Intervals of the Thunders spoke of in the Prophecy of the sealed Book be referred Synchronistically to that Prophecy also Vers. 6. If There shall be no more time did denote the end of the world it would be very improperly placed here above a thousand years before But it 's meant of the Political Order and Government of the world which Time does symbolically signifie because all Political government is managed and upheld by certain Laws and Rules and Forms and Methodical ordering of affairs as Time is measured by Days and Months and Years c. Whenas in the Millennial State all Government will be regulated wholly by the guidance of the Spirit of God dwelling among them
〈◊〉 the prophetical Scriptures written before Daniel received this Prophecy Whenas there is not one Interpreter that I could ever lay my hands on or find mentioned by any but they understand thereby onely what is decreed and recorded in the Divine Mind The standing Intellect of God in which are described all the Laws and Decrees of his Providence is that Writing or Book of God which is so often mentioned in the Bible As Exod. 32. Blot me out of thy Book and Psal. 56. Are not these things noted in thy Book And Psal. 139. And in thy book were all my members written And that Book represented to Iohn sealed and unsealed is but a Symbol of this Book or Writing as I may so speak And this Scripture of Truth in Daniel in all likelihood is the first ground of that Apocalyptick sealed and unsealed Book If by the Scripture of Truth had been understood the various Prophecies of the precedent Prophets it would have been said the Scriptures not the Scripture of Truth Besides it will be hard to find all the things of this Prophecy any how written in the foregoing Prophets But it is not worth the while to confute so groundless a Paradox which is indeed an unaccountable Essay of a distorted fancy But to make the Scripture of Truth to signifie a declaration of the Divine counsel and purpose in a plain way without Enigmes is no distortion at all of the sense of the words But is most easie and natural as to one part there being not one Interpreter but who has hit of it or approved it that Scripture here signifies the Decree or Counsel of God And that Truth in the style of Daniel signifies plainness in opposition to Aenigmaticalness has been proved over and over again and that it does particularly signifie so here appears from chap. 11. vers 2. And now will I shew thee the truth As if none of Daniel's Visions were true till now But the apparent sense is Now will I communicate a plain Prophecy to thee without any Aenigmatical Figures or Involutions Which therefore shews that the Scripture of Truth is particularly restrained to this Prophecy here and not understood of the Writings of the precedent Prophets at large who abound with Enigmes or Parables If the Angel in saying Now will I shew thee what is written in the Scripture of Truth meant onely I will shew thee what already is shewn in the Writings of the Prophets it were a very sorry way of exciting attention in Daniel who might have said to the Angel It were a needless thing to give himself that trouble if what he would predict was already predicted in the Prophetick Writings So extravagant is the Remarker in this Remark Vision 6. Vers. 22. I Take this Verse to be a general account of what is more particularly related in the following verses and the Covenant the same with what is after called the holy Covenant and the Prince of it the same with the Prince of the Host against whom Antiochus Epiphanes is said to magnifie himself Vis. 3. whenas Demetrius can very badly by reason of his right onely be said to be Prince of Antiochus and his confederate forces whenas at the same time he is described to be really King acting in his own behalf Ans. The Indistinctness of the Remarker's fancy would crumple up things together which Grotius by virtue of his skill in History has explicated more articulately And nothing is alledged against him of any value For Demetrius being really by right though absent the Sovereign of his Uncle Antiochus and of Attalus and Eumenes waging war against Heliodorus though in behalf of their Sovereign King Demetrius onely in shew Demetrius may very well justly and properly be called the Prince of these confederates against his open enemy Heliodorus Their being perfidious to him did not extinguish his real Right and Relation of being their King Nor was Antiochus yet declared or acknowledged King The Remarker should have proved that Vers. 27. These two Kings meditating mischief in their hearts seems to be against the Iews and not against one another for that would not be so agreeable with their meeting then in a friendly way and the words do import some mischief which they concurred in and not mischiefs projected against one another And the lyes they speak may then signifie what they say of the Iews by way of instigating one another against them This sense will better than the other agree with the scope of the Vision viz. to foretell what will befall the people of God and also with the following words But it shall not prosper for yet the end shall be at the time appointed that is Notwithstanding such meditating the Iews Ruine yet the end of their state shall not be till the time appointed The same words to the same sense are v. 35. Ans. These two Kings meditating mischief one against another when they pretend mutual friendship though it be not agreeable to the Laws of friendship yet it is to the nature and custome of Politick Potentates and the Prophecy predicts not what ought to be but what would be And the one being so ambitious and covetous the other so deeply injured there was no likelihood that there was any real friendship betwixt them but that all their caressing and complementing one another were imposture and lyes as they are called in the Prophecy And the scope of the Prophecy is sufficiently pursued without distorting this place from this natural sense Grotius and others have given it For the feats of Antiochus against the Iews are fully declared afterwards And for the following words But it shall not prosper c. The sense the Expositor has given agrees very well with this Hypothesis of Grotius And besides what mischief the King of the North meditated against the King of the South did not prosper as appears from v. 29 30. But there is no mention of any Essay from the King of the South against the people of God which farther shews the Ineptness of the Remarker's conceit which he would substitute in the room of Grotius his judicious Interpretation See also what the Expositor has writ v. 35. on those words Because it is yet for a time appointed comparing them with what he has wrote on the same words v. 27. Vers. 39. The conceit of making Churches and Monasteries to be called strong Holds seems very remote from the intended sense of the Text. a For they were no such Holds at all farther than the crafty Impostures of Priests did for their gain delude the people with a belief of their being so And it was in a spiritual sense they were pretended to be such which does not agree with the words in this and the precedent verse they bearing a Martial sense b I take them therefore to be spoken in way of c Antithesis on mentioning this strange God whom this King should acknowledge viz. That though the Laws of this strange God teach righteousness and