helpers of God and the King therefore ye sonnes of men if ye would avoid the curse and inherit the blessing leave Neutrality and shew your selves men for God and the King especially you the inhabitants of the Metropolitan city Meroz Thus I have finished the literall sense The mysticall sense concerneth the King of kings whom we must admit to raign over us to whom we must pay Tribute in releiving his members to give honour to the King of kings Christ Jesus as supreame to yeild obedience to his Commandements to abhorre Neutrality to be zealous and repent of Lukewarmnesse to shake off the yoke of sinne and to receive upon us the yoke of Christ. And thus much of the crimes laid to the charge of these servants Now I come to their doome Bring them and slay them before me The iust reward of a Traitor is death as appeares in the examples of Ioab and Shimei 1 King 2. Thou knowest what Joab the son of Zerviah did to me Some say in revealing his letters about Uriah or rather in threatning to turne the hearts of his people from him saying As the Lord liveth not one shall stay with thee yet for this David on his death-bed chargeth his sonne to bring his hoary head with sorrow to the Grave So likewise Shimei who cursed David with a bitter curse If these were sons of death that threatned and reviled the King how much more such as plot mischief against him and doe steale away like Absolom the hearts of the kings subjects from him Bring them and slay them and the modus patiendi Before me for the greater shame and example to others that all Israel may heare and feare and doe no more so wickedly Let us feare the destruction from God and the king and yeild such subjection as belongs unto them both that we may flie from the wrath of the king here and the wrath of Jesus Christ by whom kings raign hereafter To whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost be all honour and glory for ever and ever AMEN FINIS THE GREAT ANTICHRIST 2 TIM 3. 1 2 3 4 5. Know this that in the last dayes shall come perillous times c. By J. V. Prisoner Printed in the Yeare of our Lord 1643. THE GREAT ANTICHRIST 2 TIM 3. 1 2 3 4 5. 1. Know this that in the last dayes shall come perillous times 2. For men shall be lovers of their owne selves covetous boasters proud blasphemers disobedient to parents unthankfull unholy 3. Without naturall affection truce-breakers false accusers incontinent fierce despisers of those that are good 4. Trayterous heady high minded lovers of pleasure more then lovers of God 5. Having a forme of godlinesse but denying the power thereof from such turne away IN the last dayes the Scripture foretells the coming continuance of The Antichrist the great Antichrist the man of sin whose members were many petite Antichrists that is the forerunning hereticks for in them the mystery of iniquity wrought in Saint Pauls time who said Ye know what withholdeth that he should he revaeled in his time that is the Roman Ethnick Empire which when it was removed then came in that Antichrist The Persians succeeded the Chaldeans the Grecians subdued the Persians the Romans followed the Grecians and after the Roman Monarchy ceased in Augustulus the Hesperian Caesar the Starre Absynthites that fell from Heaven about the yeare 666. Constans the Emperour gave the government of the City of Rome to the Pope Then was Antichrist the bestia bicornis the beast with two hornes his Ecclesiasticall and Temporall power whereas before he had onely the Spirituall power to bee Universalis Papa supreame over all so then Antichrist hath continued above a thousand yeares by consent of the foresaid writers Yet Andreas and Arethas upon the Apocalyps with other Fathers seeme to hold that Antichrist shall continue but three yeares and a halfe which is true in a sense for his three last yeares shall be most grievous to the persecuted Saints such tribulation as never was in mockings scourging bonds imprisonments warre bloodshed and he shall not suffer their bodies to be buryed These are the perillous times spoken of in this Text therefore have I made so large a preface to it wherein observe first a precept to get knowledge know this secondly the subject this in generall but in particular it is a prophecy of the perills of the last times thirdly the adjunct in the last dayes fourthly the causes 1. Opinions 2 ly Vices of men here particularized 1. For the first observe in generall Knowledge is a precious thing The preacher was wise and still taught the people Knowledge all men naturally desire to know knowledge of the Ancients is commended in Scripture David cites a Proverbe of the Ancients As saith the Proverb of the Ancient of the first that made it Wickednesse shall go forth from the wicked His sinne goeth forth from him willingly and his punishment goes after it his ruine comes from himselfe S Paul thrice cites the Poets which were Prophets among the Heathen First against Idolatry Acts 17. Wee are his off-spring therefore the Godhead is not like the worke of mans hand that hath neither reason sense or life Secondly against Atheisme denying the immorality of the Soule 1 Cor. 15. Let us eate and drinke for tomorrow wee shall dye be not deceived evill communication corrupts good manners Thirdly against Lying and Epicurisme Titus 1. the Cretians are alwayes lyers evill beasts slow bellyes Three mayne articles are confirmed by humane learning but there are in those dayes ignorant sectaries that oppose all learning pretending inspiration by the Holy Ghost as the Gnostikes of old yet it was the commendation of Timothy that of a child he knew the holy letters But why should I trouble your eares with invectives against r these I leave them to meditate on three Proverbs A wise man contending with a foole whether be rage or laugh he hath no rest A foole is wiser in his owne conceit then seven men that can render a reason Bray a foole in a morter and his foolishnesse will not depart from him 2. I proceed to the subject which is a prophecy of perillous times This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your eares animus meminisse horret My heart trembleth at this and is removed out of his place but you must know it and therfore I must speake it these are the perillous times or difficult all men are in such straits that they know not how to deliver themselves as Israel betweene the red Sea and the Aegyptians secondly hard times wherein men want food to eate and rayment to put on all men cry out O tempora O mores oh hard times and evill conditions of men Wee have heard of Germany and Ireland and would not believe now wee see and feele thirdly cruell times the Son
dishonours his Father the Father riseth up against his Sonne to put him to death Brother robbs and kills his Brother This Civill Warre in the judgment of the Heathen is the punishment of rapine and fratricidy fourthly inexorable times they are for Warre when wee petition for Peace woe to me that I dwell with them that hate peace and breath out slaughters whose teeth are as speares and arrowes and their tongue a sharpe sword Lord deliver me from those foure generations of the last times Prov. 30. 11. There is a generation that curseth his Father and doth not blesse his Mother do not the Martialists of these times thinke it zeale to kill Father and Mother in this cause There is a generation pure in their owne eyes and not purged from their filthinesse Who are these but the impure Hypocrites in my Text There is a generation How lofty are their eyes and their eye-lids are lifted up are not these the proud Pharisees There is a generation their teeth are as swords that cry out Warre Warre and no Peace that devoure the poore and needy by rapine and imprisonment against reason and common rights I come now to the causes of these evill time which are two First the Opinions Secondly the Vices of men here mentioned not reduced to the head of prophanesse but Hypocrisy The Hypocrites reigne and the people are insnared Iob. 34. Antichrist is the great Hypocrite Heretickes and Sectaries of these times are limbes of Antichrist and make up Babel the Great which is the confusion of all sects First for their opinions it is said in my Text They are lovers of themselves of their owne wills and opinions for the time shall come saith the Apostle 2 Tim. 4. 3. that men will not endure sound doctrine enquire out of these two Epistles and the Epistle to the Romans and wee shall find what sound doctrine is First the doctrine of prayer for Kings 1 Tim. 2. 1. I exhort first of all that prayers be made for Kings but certaine Brownists of these times will not pray for the King but revile him in their prayers Secondly the doctrine against Women Preachers I suffer not a Woman to teach nor to usurpe authority but saith Isay Women rule over you Thirdly the doctrine of obedience to superiours but now Servants run away from their Masters without their consent and rise up against them in the publick cause doe these induce sound doctrine Fourthly the doctrine of justification by faith which Pelagians of old and the Papists now deny Fifthly sanctification Rom. 6. 1. which Gnostikes and Nicolaitans formerly now Familists and Antinomians deny Sixthly the doctrine of predestination without foresight Rom. 9. 1. which Papists and Arminians oppose Seventhly the doctrine of subjection to Kings though they be Heathens and Tyrants which Gnostikes of old and now Anabaptists and Brownists oppose they can live without a King though Saint Paul saith Rom. 13. 1. Let every soule be subject but these men thinke they have no soules because they would have no King in Israel that they may do that which is right in their owne eyes Iudges 21. ult The Christians of Rome paid tribute and custome to Nero and Trajan Tyrants but these rob the King of his due and yet they say pro Rege they say Kings of old were anoynted therefore the people was subject as to Gods ordinance but now it is not so To which I answer with the Jew no King the sonne of a King was anoynted except in case of division about the right as Solomon when Adoniah would be King but the Kingdome came by succession as every mans inheritance descends from his fathers Againe they say The Kings of Jury made no such covenant as our Kings do I answer with the same Jew the contrary appears in the example of Ioash and Iehoiada who made a covenant betweene the King and the people and though Ioash were an Apostate and a Tyrant yet the Traitours and murderers of the King were cut off by his sonne that reigned after him the King and Kings sonne will never forget to punish Traytours as appeares in the example of David on his death bed who forgot not Shimeie's curse Moreover they say a King is a humane creature and therefore may be removed by man I answer He is an ordinance humane that is taken out of Men not from Angells yet by Gods appointment he is Supreame 1 Pet. 2. 13. and all inferiours are appointed by him but the supreame powers as Kings and Emperors are appointed of God Roman 13. 1. The Jewes had a Grand Councell of seventy one Elders Numb 11. Gather to mee seventy men of the Elders and Moses who was King was above them all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Talmud Sanhed Perek 1. The lesser Sanhedrin was of two hundred and thirty sometimes they go not forth to warre nor gather the Councell of the Tribes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but by the Grand Councell of seventy one They judge not the King at all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he goeth not forth of his Palace to mourne for the dead c. in Deut. 17. thou shalt set a King over thee the King then is supreame they ride not on his Horse nor sit on his Throne to rule yet the booke of the Law is with him when he goes to warre or sits in judgment There were three companies of Iudges in Jerusalem at the doore of the mount of the House in the Court and in a paved Chamber where the Grand Councell sate of seventy and the King from whence was no appeale Deut. 17. Talmud Sanhed Perek 11. Lastly the doctrine of indifferent things they cannot indure no Ceremonies but their owne inventions yet the primitive Christians though differing in Ceremonies of meats and dayes lived in mutuall charity Rom. 14. 1. 2. The use of this is already made by the blessed Apostle Rom. 16. 17. I beseech you brethren marke them that cause divisions and scandalls to make many stumble and fall contrary to the sound doctrine yee have received and avoyd them for they serve not the Lord Iesus as they pretend but their owne bellyes what care they if they can eate and drinke and fare deliciously every day if flockes or heards of poore mens be driven away and they undone forever and by faire words they deceive the hearts of the simple not of the wise who see plainly their hypocrisie but like Absolom they steale away the hearts of the Kings well-minded Subjects by lyes But I would have you saith Saint Paul simple in evill and wise in that which is good to hold fast the poynts of sound doctrine forenamed and the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly who is Satan but he that will not endure sound doctrine as is plaine by the coherence who is all for Warre and bloud but the God of peace shall subdue these Satans and bruise
their brethren farre away from their houses lands and friends that they may seize on their inheritance But thus saith the Lord to you Cains behold I will raise them from the place whither you have sent them and returne your recompence on your owne heads and I will sell your sonnes and your daughters to the sonnes of Judah and they shall send them to the Sabeans to a nation afar off for Jehovah hath spoken it Thirteenth they are Traytours fathers betraying children and children betraying fathers to the death the off-spring of the Wolfe and Tiger and the wild beasts their kindred breaking the bonds of society betweene man and man and delivering men up to Magistrates and Rulers for a word and that in secret our Saviour prophesyed of these Traytors Luk. 21. 16. Your fathers and brethren and kinsmen and friends shall betray you to death do we not see this in these days of Civill warre a father will not spare his child a child will kill his father in battaile and if he cannot so kill him he will betray him to death by discovering his secrets or by false accusation under pretence of justice But the greatest Travtours are such as fight against the King and they pretend all this is for the King though his owne person have beene in imminent danger more then once these are they that call darknesse light and light darknesse evill good and good evill the use of this is made by Isay the Prophet say not a confederacy to whom this people shall say a confederacy neither feare their feare but feare God and meddle not with Traytors that curse their God and their King and looke upward for as it followes they are proud and heady and their councells shall be carryed headlong Fourteenth these Hypocrites are hasty in all their consultations without deliberation they pretended Reformation must be done in a day not considering the divers gradations of a Reformation Josiahs wonderfull Reformation was of the continuance of three hundred yeares the reignes of Asa Iosaphat Iehoiada Iotham Hezekiah Manasseth Iosiah and then also was but fainedly and not with the whole heart and for punishment of Delinquents they are too hasty have they never read of David what he said of the sonnes of Zerviah Ye are too hard for mee he would but could not punish these two great Delinquents except he had involved his whole Kingdome in a Civill warre as is now done lastly they are too hasty in their hostility have they not read that Israel lost forty thousand in two dayes in a Civill warre through too much hastinesse and precipitancy not consulting with the Lord and surely in this respect these men have cause rather of mourning then rejoycing Fifteenth these are lovers of pleasures more then lovers of God whence come these warres and fightings do they not from their lusts and pleasures that warre in their members their pride ambition popularity avarice for hereby their portion who were beggarly is made fat and their meate pleasant they live by warre therefore they barne incense to their net and sacrifice to their dragge They cry nothing but warre and bloud digge they cannot and to begge they are ashamed therfore they resolve to kill steale rob rifle or doe any villany to satisfie their lusts which they love more then God Sixteenth They have a forme of godlinesse but deny the power thereof they have a portraiture picture or delineation of godlinesse but no life at all therein Consider the particulars they give almes but it is to be seene of men they make long prayers but to be heard of men they fast but disgrace their faces appearing as sad when they are not what is this but a picture of godlinesse without life it was never knowne from the beginning of the world that a dead beast was offered in sacrifice to God but the Hypocrites present dead sacrifices to God Againe in their Sabbaths is a shew of godlinesse but no life for they say When will the Sabbaths be gone and like the Pharisees their viperous progenitors abuse the letter of the Sabbath against doing good they sit in Moses chaire to teach and to judge others according to the Law but doe the contrary and breake all Lawes they make long prayers to devoure Widowes houses they enlarge their phylacteryes of the hand and head there 's the letter but no power their heads are full of mischievous devices and their hands are full of bloud They are ever hearing and learning there 's the shadow but are never able to come to the knowledge of the truth there 's no power except it be over silly women as the Apostle here saith These Hypocrites intrude into houses and lead captive silly women laden with sinnes and led about with divers lusts This time is a plaine interpretation of this Prophesie Another power they have got likewise by the shew of godlinesse it is against the King like Janis and Jambres the two Sorcerers of Egypt that resisted Moses who was King in Jesurun These sorcerers were Hypocrites for their miracles were but glisterings and delusions of the eyes The use of all this is First our Saviour saith Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees which is Hypocrisie Hereby wee are most like the Devill who transformes himselfe into an Angell of light and hereby wee become limbes of Antichrist the first borne of the Devill who is the great Hypocrite That hath two hornes like a Lamb but speakes like a Dragon The second use From such Hypocrites turne away so saith Saint Paul avoid their society for they are selfopinionated selfwilled greedy of money proud unnaturall truce-breakers fals-accusers traytours heady fierce unthankfull popular unquiet haters of all moderate men lovers of lusts and pleasures and deceiving the world by a forme of godlinesse so that they believe Rebellion to be Zeale and Treason to be Religion Depart from me yee Hypocrites yee bloudthirsty men The Lord give us grace to depart from them here lest wee have our part with these Hypocrites hereafter in the lowest Dungeon of Gehenna from which good Lord deliver us by Jesus Christ to whom with the Father and holy Spirit be honour and glory for ever and ever Amen FINIS a Theologia symbolica non est argumentativa b Aliquid c A paribus imparibus similibus c. d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 e Syr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arab. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 f Chron. 10. g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Philip. 2. 2 Phil. 6. 7. c. h Syr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arab. to recover it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 k Psal. 110. 1. m Prov. 8. 1 Cor. 15. n Psal. 68. o Debellare superbos p Matth. 24. q Luk. 21. r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 s Matth. 25. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theophyl t 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. 12. Arab. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉