An answer to several remarks upon Dr. Henry More, his expositions of the Apocalypse and Daniel, as also upon his Apology written by S.E. Mennonite, and published in English by the answerer ; whereunto are annexed two small pieces, Arithmetica apocalyptica, and Appendicula apocalyptica ...

Chap. 22. Vers. 1.

THis pure River of Water of life, is the waters of life which every one that is a-thirst is called to drink of freely; and its issuing out of the Throne does signifie, that the executing of righteousness by the Throne of God dwelling among them, is accom∣panied with the full communion of his Spirit. So that the Throne of God is not here to be applied to those that are in Autority, more than the whole City in which the Throne of God is; and that commu∣nion with him by his Spirit, is a blessing attending the Throne of God being therein, viz. It's that Ri∣ver, the streams whereof make glad the City of God, Psal. 46.

Ans. The Expositor has given so easie, apposite and natural a sense of this and the following verse, that were it not for the pertinacious continuance of the Remarker in his Aziluthick dream, he would never go about to substitute any other in lieu of it, and say, The Throne of God is not here to be applied to those that are in Autority more than the whole City. As if the Throne of God (which doubtless signifies the Sovereign Throne, as Apoc. 12.5.) were equally erected in every private Citizen. What can be more gross than this? This is like that arrogance in Core, Dathan and Abiram, Numb. 16. who said to Moses and Aaron, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the Congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them; As the Remarker says, The Throne of God is in the whole City. If every Citi∣zen

then be a Sovereign Magistrate, where are the People to obey? Wherefore it is a mere Aziluthick dream, and a substituting Anarchy, for an holy and righteous Polity, and perfectly repugnant to the very Text. And therefore that v. 17. of him that is a∣thirst, his drinking the waters of life freely is rather to be interpreted Politically, by this River issuing from the Throne of God, that they that sincerely de∣sire it, may admit themselves into a Church and Po∣lity where pure Doctrine and impartial Iustice is to be had, and where there are none that do, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, nor sell Justice for money and bribes. Which yet does not exclude that more general sense of the communion of God's Spirit in all the Citizens of the new Ierusalem.

Vers. 2. Tree of life may be another Symbol to signifie the same thing with the Waters of life. And thus did the Tree of life signifie in Paradise, viz. That Dispensation of life to be revealed by the Prince of life, who brought life and immortality to light. And therefore Adam was not disposed to eat of the Tree of life, being not forbidden, though he was so forward to eat of the Tree that was forbid; which after he had done, he was expelled Paradise, lest he should then take of the Tree of life; whereby is sig∣nified, that enterance into life is not to be gained by following our own inventions, in searching after the knowledge of good and evil. But if this Tree of life be taken (as it is here) to signifie Men, it must not be to signifie Grandees onely, but all Citizens, viz. all Plants of Righteousness nourished by the Waters of life. The leaves healing the Nations does not mean those that were become Subjects to Christ's Kingdom and Discipline, but neighbouring Nations, whose

Kings brought their honour and glory to the new Ie∣rusalem. And that light of Instruction they borrowed from the glorious lustre of it (in the light whereof the Nations which are saved shall walk) is signified by the leaves of the tree of life healing the Nations. In like manner did other Nations borrow light from the Iudaical Worship, and the Heathen Priests and Philosophers did rectifie their Theology by the Chri∣stian doctrine. And though this healing of the Na∣tions by the leaves will be much more verified in the people subject to the Dominion of the New Ierusalem, than in those neighbouring Nations, yet that verify∣ing of it, is signified by the description given of his righteous Dominion, who is to judge the World in Righteousness, and minister Judgment to the people with Equity.

Ans. The Tree of life the Remarker here will have to signifie the same thing that the pure River of water of life. What a tautological Bungle is this, and slurring this distinct Political description of the state of the New Ierusalem, as if in all that is said nothing is understood, but onely in general, that the Citizens of this City are in the Dispensation of life. But this is the effect, as I said, of his Aziluthick Dream. These trees therefore that signifie Grandees in the Ie∣rusalem Polity, whether Ecclesiastick or Civil, are such as answer to the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the Magnates of the Polity of Babylon, who were Merchants, and did 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and sold Justice for money, being earthly-minded, and as to the life of God, trees quite dead and withered.

As for the Tree of life in Paradise, it was the sin∣cere union of our wills with the will of God, and the Tree of knowledge of good and evil, is the following

our own will, and the not keeping in that former union. But what this is to the explication of the present Text, I see not. Trees here, according to the Pro∣phetick style, signifie Men, and that Grandees: If they had been the Commonalty of the City, or all the Citizens, Grass and Flags growing by the River sides had better represented them than Trees. That, not neighbouring Nations, but converted Nations be∣come parts of the Kingdom of Christ, are under∣stood by Nations, I have above sufficiently proved. And it is a strange Paradox, that those Nations that are capable of healing, were not capable of being con∣verted to such a frame of Polity and Religion, which so palpably tended to both the present and future Happiness as well of Prince as People, and was in∣tended by Providence for the common Religion of Mankind, whenas the Iewish was onely Topical. And therefore the ancient Philosophers borrowing of the Jews, without turning to their Religion, signi∣fies nothing here.

Vers. 3. There shall be no more curse, signifies not Papal Curse, but the curse of God for sin; and there∣fore it follows, But the Throne of God and the Lamb shall be therein, and his servants shall serve him, viz. By the Throne of God and the Lamb being therein, they shall be established in righteousness and holi∣ness whereby his servants shall serve him, &c.

Ans. If the curse of God for sin is taken away in the Mellennium, then there will be no more, neither diseases nor death; no Briars nor Thorns, nor labour of tillage, &c. This is another Aziluthical whimsie or dream of a golden Age, in which Ovid makes the Earth to bring forth all manner of fruit, yea Corn it self without plow or tillage.

Mox etiam fruges tellus inarata ferebat, Nec renovatus ager gravidis canebat aristis.

But it is a childish conceit to think that in the Mil∣lennium external Nature will be changed, though men will then have more healthfull bodies, by reason of their Regeneration into true Holiness and Righteous∣ness. The judgment of R. Moses Aegyptius is far more sober and sound touching the state of things in the reign of the Messias, than the Remarker's; who writes thus, Non ascendat, saith he, in cor tuum, &c. Let not such a fond conceit arise in thy mind, as if in the days of the Messias any thing would vary from the usual custome of this natural World, or any thing be innovated in the work of the six days Creation. But the course of Nature will then be no otherwise than now it is. See Munster, on Esay, ch. 11. whose expressions touching the times of the Messiah, v. 6, 7, 8. that Wolves, Lions, Bears and Leopards will then lose their salvageness, gave some Jews occasion to deny, that the Times of the Messiah are yet, because these Beasts still retain their old nature. Which shews the danger of extravagant interpretations of Prophecy; To set the sense of things upon such a strange rack, and incredible, that they that shall believe it will be hindred from acknowledging Prophecies to be ful∣filled, when yet really they are. And therefore, as ch. 21.4. where it is said, And there shall be no more death; the meaning is not, that the Citizens of the New Ierusalem shall never dye; but there shall be no such death as in the Polity of Babylon, no more bloudy massacrings of the faithfull witnesses of Christ; so likewise here, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,

And there shall be no more curse, is to be understood, not that the curse of sin shall be taken from external Nature, but such curses as were most notorious in the Polity of Babylon, those Papal 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or ex∣communicatory Denunciations that often did set all Christendom on fire, and embroiled it in bloudy and destructive Wars. The true Key of rightly explain∣ing the State of the New Ierusalem, is the interpre∣ting things in way of opposition to the State of Baby∣lon, and the condition of the faithfull servants of Christ under it. Which is worthy of any intelligent person's observation. And what follows in this verse, exquisitely well agrees with this exposition. But the Throne of God and the Lamb shall be in it. The Pope before had usurped the Throne of God, from whence be thundered and lightened so with his 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, his Excommunicatory curses to the disturbance of all Christendom; but now this Throne of God is taken from the Vsurper, and become the Throne of the Lamb, to the peace and refreshment of the Vniversal Church of Christ. Such is the State of his Millennial Em∣pire.