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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A50525	The apostasy of the latter times in which, according to divine prediction, the world should wonder after the beast the mystery of iniquity should so farre prevaile over the mystery of godlinesse, whorish Babylon over the virgin-Church of Christ, as that the visible glory of the true church should be much clouded the true unstained Christian faith corrupted the purity of true worship polluted, or, The gentiles theology of dæmons i.e. inferiour divine powers, supposed to be mediatours between God and man : revived in the latter times amongst Christians in worshipping of angels, deifying and invocating of saints, adoring and templing of reliques, bowing downe to images, worshipping of crosses, &c : all which together with a true discovery of the nature, originall, progresse, of the great, fatall and solemn apotisy are cleared : delivered in publique some years since upon I Tim. 4. 1,2,3 / by Joseph Mede ...	Mede, Joseph, 1586-1638.; Twisse, William, 1578?-1646.	1641 (1641)	Wing M1590; ESTC R22768	121,369	171

Iohojachin p. 83. l. 22. contained p. 93. verse 36. proficietque p. 94. ver 39. honorem p. 100. l. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 7. polity p. 113. l. 14. he p. 114. l. 8. sententiae In the Margine Pag. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. p. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 22. perspici p. 46. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 84. I●rnandes p. 97. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 48. habebatur p. 125. for Rem r. Hom. THE APOSTASY OF THE LATER TIMES A Treatise on 1 Timothy Chap. 4. Ver. 1 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Which I conceive may bee thus translated viz. Howbeit the Spirit speaketh expresly that in the later times some shall revolt from the Faith attending to erroneous spirits and Doctrines of Daemons through the hypocrisie of lyars having seared consciences forbidding to marry and commanding to abstaine from meats c. THe words I have read are a prophesie of a revolt of Christians from the great mystery of Christian Worship described in the last verse of the former chapter which according to the division of the Ancients should bee the first of this for that last verse together with the first six verses of this and halfe the seventh verse make the seventh title or main Section of this Epistle expressed in the Edition of Robert Stephen and so supposed from the grounds of that division to belong all to one argument The words therefore of my Text depend upon the last of the former chapter as the second part of a discreet proposition that howsoever the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the mystery of Christian Religion which is God manifested in the Flesh justified in the Spirit seene of Angels and assumed into glory Though this mystery was a great one and at that time preached and beleeved in the world neverthelesse the Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speaketh expresly that in the later times there shall be a revolt or departing from the faith though not in all parts of it yet from a main and fundamentall part thereof namely the assumption of this God and Man to the throne of glory and the incommunicable majesty in Heaven where he hath a name given him above every name and whereof no creature in Heaven or in earth can be capable which connexion is the reason why the Apostle putteth this assumption into glory in the last place of his description which should else in the true order have followed the words justified in the spirit and beene before preached unto the Gentiles and beleeved on in the world But it is the method of the Scripture sometimes to translate the proper order and to mention that in the last place whereunto it is to joine and from whence it is to inferre the next words that follow after And unlesse this reason be allowed here there will hardly be found any other reason of this misplacing But more of this shall be both spoken and made better to appeare hereafter I come now more neer to my Text the words whereof I divide into two parts First a description of this solemne Apostasie in the first verse Secondly the manner or means whereby it was to come to passe in the following verse viz. through the hypocrisie of lyars who had seared consciences forbidding to marry and commanding to abstain from meats For the description of the Apostasie it selfe we shall finde it first generally and indefinitely expressed both in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they shall apostatize or revolt and in the next 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall attend to erroneous Doctrines or Doctrines of errour Then particularly 1 what these erroneous Doctrines should be for the kinde or quality namely new Doctrines of Daemons or a new Idolatry 2 The persons who should thus apostatize not all but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some 3 The time when it should be in these later times 4 The proofe or warrant of this prophesie it is that which the Spirit hath elsewhere long agoe foretold 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the written word verbatim totidem verbis or in expresse words For the second part viz. the means Consider first the manner or method used by lying hypocrisie or hypocriticall lying Secondly the quality and description of the authors and furtherers thereof they should be such as had their consciences seared who forbade marriages and meats Where before I go any further I must give an account of thus translating these later words which I make the second part because they are commonly translated otherwise viz. intransitively as referring the words of the two last verses to the persons mentioned in the first viz. those some who should apostatize and give heed to erroneous spirits and doctrines of devils as they usually translate it so that the words of the second third verses should be the expression by particulars of that which was before generally comprized under erroneous spirits and doctrines of devils which should consist partly in forbidding lawfull marriage and partly in commanding abstinence from meats thereby abridging Christian liberty But this interpretation seemes very unlikely for first since S. Paul intendeth here to describe that great apostasie of the Christian visible Church as is evident by the pointing out of the time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the later times who can beleeve that he who aymeth at this would instance only in the smaller and almost circumstantiall errours omitting the main fundamental which the Scripture elswhere telleth us should be Idolatry or spirituall fornication Secondly as for errours about marriages and meates they were not proper to the last times but found more or lesse in the Apostles owne times as may be gathered by some passages of their Epistles why should then our Apostle here speaking of the Apostasie of the last times instance only in these things which the first times in some measure were never free from Lastly which I take alone to be sufficient the Syntax of the words will not beare it to have them so translated for the persons in the first verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are expressed in casu recto whereas the persons in the verses following 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are in the genitive now by what Syntax can these be construed intransitively how will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 agree with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. without breach of Grammar unsampled in our Apostles Epistles If any say they may be referred then and agree with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that indeed would be a strange sense and nothing to their purpose to say that Devils lie have seared consciences and forbid marriages and meates But to construe it transitively and to make all these genitive cases to be governed by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and take the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to signifie Caus●m or Modum actionis as is most usuall in Scripture this as it keepeth the Syntax true so I hope to make it appeare hereafter to bee the very meaning and

honouring him we acknowledge him God so by the incommunicablenesse of honour we acknowledge him one God For this cause God being to give us a Mediator by whom we should have accesse unto his presence and whom without his jealousie wee might interpose in our devotions and supplications unto himselfe or offered at the throne of his majesty and glory in the heavens provided that admirable mystery of communicating to the nature of a man borne of a woman the hypostaticall union of the second Person of the Deity and him after he had vanquished death to exalt to sit at his right hand of glory and power in the heavens there in his owne presence and throne to receive our requests and to deale as an agent betweene us and him Thus at length I am arrived at that port which I all this while made for viz. to shew that this glory of Christ which is stiled his sitting at the right hand of God is that incommunicable royalty to which of right belongeth in the presence of God to receive and present our devotions to the divine Majesty as in it which now followeth shall appeare Sessio ad dextram Dei is to be installed in Gods throne or to have a God-like royalty which is defined in Scripture 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Majesty of Christ in heaven whence it is said Heb. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he sate downe on the right hand of Majesty on high Heb. 8.1 it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the right hand of the throne of Majesty in the heavens it is called also by Christ himselfe Mark 14.62 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 22.69 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the right hand of power and the right hand of the power of God For as to the right hand belongeth both dignity and strength so doth this glory of Christ include both a God-like sublimity and a God-like power the first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the second 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The proper place where the Majesticall glory is revealed is the heavens as may appeare almost wheresoever this sitting at the right hand of God is mentioned Eph. 1.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Colos. 3.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 7.26 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 3.22 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. heaven heavenly places high places and the like being alwayes thereto annexed and everywhere appeareth to be a consequent of his ascension into heaven as we say in our Creed he ascended into heaven and sitteth at the right hand of God and therefore in the words whereon my text depends is expressed by assumed or taken up into glory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for as God himselfe is stiled Pater in Coelis not because not elsewhere but because his glory is there revealed So Christ sits ad dextram in Coelis because there the beames of the Majesty given him by his Father are revealed whence it comes that his Kingdome is called the Kingdome of heaven a Kingdome whose Kings residence and Kingly Throne are both in heaven This glorious Throne of Majesty this sitting at the right hand of the power of the Almighty is a name incommunicable an exaltation whereof no creature in heaven or earth is capable which is that the Apostle meanes to tell us when he saith Eph. 1.21 Farre above all principalities and powers and might and dominion and every name that it named not only in this world but in the world to come and Phil. 2.9 10. wherfore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name that is created name that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow both of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth Revel 3.21 he that overcommeth saith Christ I will give him to sit with me in my throne even as I have overcome and am set with my Father in his throne here is mention of two thrones you see of which my throne that is Christs throne is the condition of a glorified man in this throne his Saints shall sit with him but his Fathers throne is the power of divine Majesty wherin none must sit but God the God-Man Jesus Christ. These grounds layd I say that the honour of being prayd to in heaven and before the throne of presence is a prerogative of dextra Dei and to receive our devotions there a flower of Christs sitting at the right hand of God as S. Paul Rom. 8.34 conjoines them saying Who is he that condemneth it is Christ that died yea rather that is risen againe who is at the right hand of God and who makes intercession for us for by right of this his exaltation and majesty hee comes to bee a Priest after the order of Melchisedech as appeares Psalme 110. The Lord said unto my Lord sit thou on my right hand till I make thine enemies thy footstoole then followes the effect thereof verse 4. The Lord hath sworne and will not repent thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech and by the same right also he becomes the only and eternall Priest wh●ch hath to doe in the most holy place the heavens For as the high Priest only entred the most holy place beyond the vaile in the earthly Tabernacle so Christ Jesus our only high Priest through his body as the first Tabernacle by his owne blood entred into the second Tabernacle or holy place not made with hands as was the figure but into heaven it selfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to appeare in the presence of God for us all this you have in the same words at large Heb 9 7.11.12.24 Now in the Tabernacle of this world as was in the first Tabernacle we may happily finde many Priests whom to imploy as agents for us with God But in the second Tabernacle which is heaven there is but one agent to be imployed but one who hath royall commission to deale betweene God and men that Angel of the presence as Isaiah calls him 63.9 and one only Mediator Jesus Christ the Lord of glory who in this prerogative is above both Saints and Angells For to which of the Saints and Angells said God at any time Sit on my right hand till I make thine enemies thy footstoole Heb. 1.4.9.13 neither will this demonstration admit that vulgar acception to be of any force namely that expiatory mediation or meritorious intercession in heaven should indeed appertaine to Christ alone but favourable intercession to pray for us not so and therefore for this wee may without derogation to Christ sollicite either Saints or Angels I could say that this ragge is too too narrow and short to cover their nakednesse who lay hold of it in whose supplication to Saints and to God too in their names nothing is more usuall than the expresse mention of their merits blood and sufferings as motives to God to heare them but we shall not need this answer for we have

demonstrated that as in the Law none but the high Priest alone was to doe office in the holiest place so Christ Jesus now is the only agent for whatsoever is to be done for us in the holiest Tabernacle of heaven besides wee read that none but the high Priest alone was to offer Incense or to incense the most holy place when hee entred into it But Incense is the Prayers of the Saints sent thither from this outward Temple of the militant Church as the Incense of the Law was fetched from without the vaile This therefore none in heaven but Christ alone must receive from us to offer for us and this is that Angel with the golden Censer Revel 8. who there offers the Incense of the prayers of the Saints there given him to offer upon the golden Altar before the Throne alluding expresly to the golden Altar before the Testimony For the fuller understanding and farther confirmation of what hath beene spoken take this also that notwithstand●ng the man Christ Jesus in regard of his person being God as well as Man was from his first incarnation capable of this royalty and glory not only for the incomparable sufficiency of his person which by reason of his twofold nature is alwayes and in all places present both with God and men and so at one instant able and ready at every need to present to the one what he should receive from the other but cheifly and most of all for that being very God himselfe his Fathers jealousie which could never have brooked the communication of this glory to any other which should not have beene the selfe-same with himselfe was by this condition of his person prevented and secured Neverthelesse and notwithstanding all this capability of his person it was the will of his Father in the dispensation of the mystery of our redemption not to conferre it upon him but as purchased and attained by suffering and undergoing that death which no creature in heaven or in earth was able to undergoe but himselfe being a suffering of a death whereby death it selfe was overcome and vanquished to the end that none by death save Jesus Christ alone might be ever thought or deemed capable of the like glory and sublimity but that it might appeare for ever to be a peculiar right to him And this I think is not only agreeable to the tenour of the Scripture but expresse Scripture it selfe Heb. 2.9 But we see Jesus who was made a little lower than the Angels by the suffering of death crowned with glory and honour for it became him for whom are all things and by whom are all things in bringing many sonnes to glory to make the captaine of their salvation perfect by sufferings Phil. 2.8 And being found in fashion of a man he humbled himselfe and became obedient unto death even the death of the Crosse and the ninth verse Wherefore God hath also highly exalted him and given him a name above every name that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow Heb. 10.12 But this man after he had offered one sacrifice for sinnes for ever sate down on the right hand of God Rom. 14.9 For to this end Christ both died rose and revived that he might be Lord both of the dead and living See besides Acts 5.30 31. Rom. 8.34 Ephes. 1.20 1 Pet. 1.11 Lastly for that particular parcell of this glory of Christ viz. to be that only name in which we are to ask at the hands of God whatsoever we have to ask is not this also annexed and ascribed to his triumph over death John 14.13 I go unto my Father viz. through death and whatsoever yee ask in my name that will I doe John 16.16 23. A little while yee shall not see me and a little while ye shall see me because I goe to my Father and in that day when I am gone to my Father yee shall ask me nothing Verily verily I say unto you whatsoever yee shall ask the Father in my name he will give it you vers 24. Hitherto yee have asked nothing in my name ask and yee shall receive Heb. 7.25 Wherefore he is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them for such an high Priest became us who is made higher than the heavens How is it then that some extenuate that kinde of Saint-worship wherein prayers are not made unto them directly but God is prayed unto in their names and for their mediation sake to grant our requests Is it not a deniall of Christs prerogative to ascribe unto any other for any respect of glory or neernesse to God after death or otherwise that whereof he alone is infeoffed by his unimitable Death triumphant Resurrection and glorious Ascension certainly that which he holds by incommunicable title is it selfe also incommunicable To conclude therefore with the words of S. Paul 1 Tim. 2.5 There is but one God and one Mediator between God and men the man Christ Jesus as God is one so the Mediator is one for it is a God-like royalty and therefore can belong but to one There is but one God in heaven without any other gods subordinate unto him therefore but one Mediator there without any other mediators besides him as for the Angels and blessed Saints they have indeed a light of glory too but they are but as lesser lights in that heaven of heavens And therefore as where the sunne shines the lesser stars of heaven though stars give not their light to us so where this glorious Sunne Christ Jesus continually shineth by his presence sitting at the right hand of God there the glory of the Saints and Angels is not sufficient to make them capable of any flower of this divine honour which is God-like and so appropriate to Christ by right of his heavenly exaltation in the throne of Majesty whatsoever Spirit saith otherwise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 holds not the head but is a Christ-apostate-spirit which denies the faith of Christs assumption into glory and revives the doctrines of Daemons The way being now cleared I may I hope now safely resume my application which I have already given some taste of that the doctrine of Daemons comprehends in most expresse manner the whole idolatry of the mystery of iniquity the deifying and invocating of Saints and Angels the bowing downe to Images the worshipping of Crosses as new idol-columnes the adoring and templing of reliques the worshipping of any other visible thing upon supposall of any Divinity therein what coppy was ever so like the sample as all this to the doctrine of Daemons and for the Idolatry of the Eucharist or bread-worship though it may be reduced to Image-worship as being the adoration of a signe or symbole yet let it bee considered whether for the equality thereof it may not be taken rather for an idolatry of reliques the body and blood of Christ in the Sacrament being the mysticall reliques

called by his name or whether his Spouse his darling his beloved one to whom he was betrothed and married Judge according to the manner of wedlock and the notorious president of Israel he that is a father we say is best able to understand the love of a father and therefore Gods love to his children for the like reason he that is an husband is sensible of the jealousie of an husband and so of the case of Christ with his unfaithfull and trecherous Spouse the Christian Jezabel The decision and summe of all this is this That the whoredome of the Church of God is a spirituall adultery and therefore betweene the Idolatry of Christians and that of Infidels and of Painims is as much difference in Gods esteeme as is between adultery and simple fornication The one as equall to murther was in the law punished with death the other with a much lighter punishment whence in Ezekiel in whose words I have beene so long chap. 16. ver 38. God saith to Jerusalem for their Idolatry that he would ●udge her as women that break wedlock and shed blood are judged he would give her blood in fury and jealousie And this was the resolution of God himselfe against Israel Amos 3.1 2. Heare the word that the Lord hath spoken against you O children of Israel saying You onely have I known of all the families of the earth therefore will I punish you for all your iniquities And the same will be the judgement of the Christian Jezabel howsoever Painims and Infidels speed when Great Babylon shall come in remembrance before God to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fiercenesse of his wrath This I would have well considered and weighed by those whom the Mahumetan blasphemy hath so dazeled that they can hardly beleeve that so hated and execrable a name of Babylon should belong unto any other unlesse there be yet to come some other like barbarous Tyrant and Seducer after them the cause of which errour is That men have fancied another manner of Antichrist than the Holy Ghost meant of and placed their eyes farre wide of the ground of Gods hatred and of the nature of that mysterie of abomination But Israels Apostasie Gods Iealousie and their unparalled punishment therefore such as no Nation in the world how Idolatrous soever endured besides themselves are in this case the onely Polestarre to direct us But even this mistake which is and hath beene of the mystery of iniquity is it selfe a kinde of mystery or not without one for Antichrist is a Counter-Christ and therefore his comming to be a counter-resemblance of the comming of Christ. Christ was both to come and accordingly looked for in the last times that is in the time of the fourth kingdome of Daniel so Antichrist and his mystery of impiety was to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the latter times of these last times that is as I shall better shew hereafter in the last times or last Scene as I may so speake of the fourth kingdome of Daniel When Christ came the Scepter was to depart from Judah and that Commonwealth to be dissolved so when Antichrist was to come the Roman Empire was to fall and he that hindered was to be taken out of the way 2 Thes. 2.8 The Jewes expected Christ to come when he did come and yet knew him not when he was come because they had fancied the manner and quality of his comming like some temporall Monarch with armed power to subdue the earth before him So the Christians Gods second Israel looked the comming of Antichrist should be at that time when he came indeed and yet they knew him not when he was come because they had fancied his comming as of some barbarous Tyrant who should with armed power not onely persecute and destroy the Church of Christ but almost the world that is they looked for such an Antichrist as the Jewes looked for a Christ. Wherefore as Christ came unto his owne and his own received him not so Antichrist came upon those who were not his owne and yet they eschewed him not but yet as some Jewes though few knew Christ when he came and received him so did some Christians though but few keep themselves from the pollution of Antichrist Lastly as the Jewes ere long shall acknowledge and run unto him whom they pierced as not knowing him so hath the Christian Church for a great part discovered that Son of perdition whom a long time they had ignorantly worshipped because they knew him not O the depth of the riches both of the wisedome and knowledge of God how unsearchable are his judgements and his wayes past finding out But for our part seeing our case is so like unto that of the Jewes let their lamentable and wofull errour in mistaking their Messiah by wrongly fancying him be a warning and a caveat unto us that we likewise upon like conceits and prejudice mistake and misdeeme not the Man of sinne TINEΣ Some NOw I come unto the second point expressed in this description of the great Apostasie viz. the Persons Revolters they shall not be all but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some shall Apostatize some that is not as we in ou● English doe often use it a few but some that is not all yet some that is so many as that the whole visible Church should be said thereof to be Apostatized so many as should like a cloud overspread the face of the Christian firmament in such sort as the starres and lights therein should not easily be discerned For the great defection so much prophesied of was to be a solemne and generall one such a one as wherein the chiefest of the Churches honoured as a mother in Israel should become a Babylonish whore a mother of harlots and of the abominations of the earth Rev. 17. such a one as whereby the outmost court of the Temple of God should not onely be prophaned but trodden downe by Gentilisme Rev. 11. such a one as the world is said to wonder after the beast and to worship him and such a one as should not onely make warre with the Saints but overcome them Rev. 13. Otherwise if our Apostle here and Saint John there should meane no more than the errours of some particular ones and their revolt from the faith of the Church they should make either no prophesie at all or at the best but a needlesse one For who knowes not that in Saint Pauls Saint Johns and the Apostles owne times were many Heresies and Hereticks growne up as weeds in the wheat field of Christ but as yet the wheat overtopped them and the visible body of the Church disclaimed them If these had beene the worst the Church should look for the Apostles should seeme to prophesie of things present and not as they doe of things to come yea and more than this they should foretell of a thing as proper and peculiar to the last times which

Macedon all Greece came under the Romane obedience 166 yeers afore the birth of Christ which no sooner was come to passe but the very selfe same yeere within lesse than three moneths after Antiochus sets up the abomination of desolation in the Temple of Jerusalem Why should we not then beleeve that the Holy Ghost intendeth here to give us as sure a watch-word when to beware of the man of sinne by this circumstance of latter times here in my text as we see he gave the Jewes to look for the persecution and prophanation by Antiochus Therefore without any more preambles I come now directly to resolve what was before propounded viz. what is meant by last times in generall whence and how we are to reckon them and then in the second place what are these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in my text which must be as I said before a latter part of that generall For the true account therefore of times in Scripture we must have recourse to that SACRED KALENDAR and GREAT ALMANACK of PROPHESIE the foure kingdomes of Daniel which are a propheticall chronology of times measured by the succession of foure principall kingdomes from the beginning of the captivity of Israel untill the mystery of God should be finished a course of time during which the Church and Nation of the Jewes together with those whom by occasion of their unbeleefe in Christ God should surrogate in their roomes was to remain under the bondage of the Gentiles and oppression of Gentilisme but these times once finished all the kingdomes of this world should become the kingdome of our Lord and his Christ. And to this great Calendar of times together with that other but lesser Calendar of 70 weekes all mention of times in Scripture seemes to have reference Now these foure kingdomes according to the truth infallibly to be demonstrated if need were and agreeable both to the ancient opinion of the Jewish Church whom they most concerned and to the most ancient and universall opinions of Christians derived from the times of the Apostles untill now of late time some have questioned it are 1 The Babylonian 2 That of the Medes and Persians 3 The Greekes 4 The Romane In which quaternary of kingdomes as the Romane being the last of the foure is the last kingdome so are the times thereof these last times we seeke for during which times saith Daniel cap. 2. v. 44. The God of heaven shall set up a kingdome which shall never be destroyed nor left unto another people but it shall breake in pieces and consume all these kingdomes and it shall stand for ever which is figured by a stone hewen out of the mountaine without hands before the times of the Image were yet spent which stone at length smote the Image upon his feet of Iron and Clay and so utterly destroyed it that done the stone that smote the Image upon the feet became a great mountaine and filled the whole earth the meaning of all which is that in the last times or under the times of the last kingdome the Romane should the kingdome of Christ appeare in the world as we see it hath done and this is that which the Apostle saith Heb. 1.2 God in these last dayes or last times hath spoken to us by his Sonne and Saint Peter 1 Ep. 1.20 that he was fore-ordained before the foundation of the world but was manifested in these last times This is that fulnesse of time whereof the Apostle speaks Gal. 4.4 When the fulnesse of time was come God sent forth his Son made of a woman and Ephes. 7.10 Having made knowne to us the mystery of his will that in the dispensation of the fulnesse of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ. Agreeable unto all which is that Heb. 9.26 Christ hath once appeared 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the end of times or ages to put away sinne by the sacrifice of himself where these last times fulnesse of time and conclusion of ages are nothing else but the times of the fourth kingdome whose times are the last period of Daniels foure the fulnesse of propheticall chronologie and conclusion of the sacred Calendar during these times Christ was looked for and accordingly came and reigned whose kingdome shall at length abolish the brittle remainder of the Romane state according to the other part of the prophesie when the fulnesse of the Gentiles shall come in and our Lord subdue all his enemies under his feet and at the last death it selfe Having thus found what times are termed the last times in generall let us now see if we can discover which are the latter times of these last times or the last times in speciall which are these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in my Text which will not be hard to doe for if the last times in generall are all the times of the fourth kingdome then must our latter times as a part thereof needs be the latter times of that kingdome Let us therefore againe to our propheticall Calendar and survey Daniels description of the fourth or Romane kingdome as it is cap. 7. from ver 29. where we shall finde the latter times thereof to be that period of a time times and halfe a time during which that prodigious Horne with eyes like a man and mouth speaking great things should make warre with the Saints prevaile against them and weare them out and thinke to change times and lawes untill the judgement should sit and his dominions be taken away and in him that long-liv'd Beast finally be destroyed and his body given to the burning flame v. 11. for this Hornish soveraignty is the last Scene of that long Tragedy and the conclusion of the fourth beast and therefore the times thereof are those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereof the Spirit speakes expresly that in them there should be an Apostasie from the Christian faith Concerning these times thus found we will now further enquire 1 What durance they may be of 2 When they take beginning and by what mark their beginning may be knowne For the first we will make no question but these are the selfe same times whereof Saint John speakes telling us the Church should be in the wildernesse a Time Times and halfe a Time the same with those two and forty moneths wherein Johns restored beast should domineere and play the selfe-same reax which Daniels hornish tyrant doth the same time with those two and forty moneths during which the Church is trodden downe of the Gentiles lastly the same times with 1260. dayes during which the witnesses of Christ prophesied in sackcloth for a time times and halfe a time or a yeare two yeares and halfe are 42 moneths and 42 moneths make 1260. dayes if therefore we can finde the beginning and continuance of any of these we have found the beginning and continuance of them all For the duration and length of them they must imply some definitive times because the

over the words again and apply the interpretation unto them DAN II. Verse 36. Then a King shall doe according to his will and shall exalt or magnifie himselfe above every god 36 That is toward the end of the reigne of Antiochus Epiphanes the Roman shal prevail and set up the Fourth Kingdome making himself master of the kingdome of Macedon and advancing himselfe from this time forward by continuall conquests shall Lord it over every King and Nation Yea against the God of gods shall he speake marvellous things and shall prosper untill the indignation be accomplished for the determined time shall bee fulfilled Yea Christ the God of gods and King of the kings of the earth who in those times should appear in the world the Roman shall mock blaspheme and crucifie and by most bloody edicts shall persecute and massacre his servants the Christians and yet shall prosper in his Empire untill these outragious times be ended that is untill the dayes of Constantine for the time God hath appointed must be fulfilled Verse 37. Then he shall not regard the gods of his Ancestors nor shall he regard the desire of women no nor any God but he shall magnifie himselfe above all 37 When that appointed time for the date of his prosperitie comes to his period and the time of his ruine and change of his dominion drawes neere then this Roman state shall cashiere and forsake the Idols and False gods whom their Fathers worshipped and shall acknowledge Christ a God whom their fathers knew not at that time the desire of women and married life shall be discountenanced and shall not be of that account and regard it had been but contrary to the long continued custome of the Romans single life shall be honoured and priviledged aboue it yea and soone after the Romane shall beare himselfe so as if he regarded not any God and with Antichristian pride shall magnifie himselfe over all Verse 38 For to or together with God in his seat he shal honour Mahuzzims yea together with that God whom his Ancestours knew not shall he honor them with gold and with silver and with precious stones and with pleasant things 38 That is together with the Christian God who is a jealous God and to be worshipped alone hee shall worship Mahuzzims even in his seat and Temple even with a forreine God whom his Ancestors acknowledged not shall hee honour Mahuzzims with gold and silver and with precious stones and with pleasant things Verse 39. And he shall make the holds of the Mahuzzims withall or joyntly to the forreine god whom acknowledging hee shall increase with honour and shall cause them to rule over many and shall distribute the earth for a reward 39 And though the Christian God whom he shall professe to acknowledge and worship can endure no compeers yet shall he consecrate his Temples and Monasteries Ecclesiasticall holds jointly to the Christian God and to his Mahuzzims Deo Sanctis yea he shall distribute the earth among Mahuzzims so that beside severall patrimonies which in every Countrey he shall allot them he shall share whole Kingdomes and Provinces among them Saint George shall have England Saint Andrew shall have Scotland St. Denis France St. James Spaine S. Mark Venice c. and beare rule as Presidents and Patrons of their severall Countries Thus we see how 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how expresly the Spirit foretold the Roman Empire having rejected the multitudes of gods and Daemons worshipped by their Ancestours and betaken themselves to that One and Onely True God which their Fathers knew not should neverthelesse depart from this their Faith and revive againe their old Theology of Daemons by a new Superinduction of Mahuzzims Now although this Prophesie thus applied be so evident that the onely pointing at the event were able almost to convince the Reader yet that we may the more yet admire the truth of God in the contemplation of an even so sutable I will add these following observations concerning it 1 First that agreeably with the date of the Holy Ghost the Roman Historians themselves have observed and marked out this time of their prevailing against Macedonia which I said was accomplished toward the end of the reigne of Antiochus Epiphanes for the beginning of the Dominion over the world Lucius Florus lib. ● cap. 7. Cedente Hannibale praemium victoriae Africa ●uit secut●s Africam t●rrarum orbis post Carthaginem vinci neminem puduit secutae sunt statim Africam Gentes Macedonia Graecia Syria caeteraque omnia quodam quasi aestu torrente fortunae sed primi omnium Macedones affectator quondam imperii populus In Velleius Paterculus lib. 1. cap. 6. is an Annotation out of one Aemilius Sura in these words Aemilius Sura de annis populi Romani Assyrii Principes omnium Gentium rerum potiti sunt dei●de 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 Inter hoc tempus initium Nini Regis Assyriorum qui Princeps rerum potitus intersunt anni mille nongenti quinque Here the time of the Romans prevailing against the Macedonian King is made the beginning of their Empire even as Daniel also beginneth the Roman account from thence but with this difference that whereas Aemilius Sura seems to reckon from the beginning of these prevailings in the victories against Philip Daniel counts from the victory against Perseus his son when that conquest was now perfected and Macedonia brought into a Province which happened as I have already said the same yeere that Antiochus Epiphanes prophaned the Temple of Jerusalem 2 That no Kingdome in the world that we know of could more literally be said in their conquests to exalt and magnifie themselves above every God than the Roman in respect of a solemne custome they used in their wars by a certain charm to call out the gods of any City when they besieged it The form wherof Macrob. gives us l. 3. Saturn c. 8. as he found it in Sammon Serenus his fifth book of hidden secrets namely this If it be a god if it be a goddesse that hath the City of Carthage in protection And thou especially whosoever thou art the Patron of this City and people I pray and beseech and with your leave require you to abandon the people and City of Carthage to forsake the places Temples Ceremonies and Enclosures of their City to goe away from them and to strike feare terrour and astonishment into that people and City and having left it to come to Rome to me and mine and that our Cities Places Temples Ceremonies be more acceptable and better liked of you that you would take the charge of me of the people of Rome and of my souldiers ●o as we may know and understand it If you doe so I vow to build you Temples and